Dear Tanner-Boo

I've been keeping a journal for Tanner since I found out I was pregnant with him. I don't write in it everyday, just once every few weeks. Here is today's entry...

Dear Tanner-Boo,

Already you are almost 6 months old. People warned me that time would go by fast, but I never could have imagined it would fly by like it has. I am stealing a moment to write this as you are sleeping in your car seat. You fell asleep on the way home and I didn't want to wake you, so we are sitting in the car in the garage. :)

You are getting so big -- probably close to 19 pounds now. You have the squishiest, most kissable cheeks and a rolly-polly littley body. You love to be naked and I have so much fun giving you kisses as I get you dressed in the morning. Your arms look like little marshmallows all stacked up on one another -- so cute!! You are what Aunt Kat would call a "rubber-band baby."

You can roll from back to front and front to back now and spend a lot of time playing in your little gym on the floor. You can also site by yourself if I set you up. You love to look all around and you are very social. You enjoy interacting with other babies, which is good since we are around them a lot at playgroup and at church. You also LOVE your Exersaucer (we call it the "office"). Your favorite toy is the little phone that is attached to it. Maybe Santa will bring you another phone for Christmas! I've been talking to him and telling him what a good boy you are! I hope that he also brings you your very own remote control -- you are obsessed with Daddy's! Last weekend, Grandma and Grandpa Hall were babysitting and couldn't figure out what was wrong with the movie they were watching. After re-starting it 3 times, they noticed you had the remote to the DVD player in your hand -- what a stinker!!

You started eating your first solids about 1 1/2 weeks ago -- rice cereal and oatmeal. You do so well with a spoon. I'm sure you're advanced (WINK)! I was a little sad when you started because it means that you are indeed growing up, and before I know it, you will be completely on solids. I'm sure this will embarrass you when you're older, but I LOVE nursing you. I feel like its our special time together, and you are SO CUTE when you are hungry. However, you are starting to get distracted quite easily and often you will nurse for a few seconds, then look around and smile, then go back to nursing, etc.

This week has been a big week because we've started letting you cry yourself to sleep at night. The first night you cried for 1 hr 30 min, but last night you only cried for 40 min (only??...). I thought it would be really hard to let you cry, but I can see you on our video monitor and know you are safe. Plus, I know it is what's best for you (and me, too!). Daddy, on the other hand, can hardly stand it. He feels so bad and I have to keep him from going in to get you. Who knew he would be such a SOFTY!! You are his little "T-Bone," though, and every day he says you are the best part of his day. You completely adore him, too, and your face lights up whenever you see him. (I must say, I am a bit jealous!) the other night I was leaving to go to a cookie exchange for Mom's Club and Daddy was upstairs getting you ready for bath time. I could hear you just squealing with laughter as the two of you played together. It warmed my heart to hear such beautiful sounds!

Have I mentioned that you are the best, cutest, smiliest, and most fun baby ever?! (And I think I can be completely objective in saying that -- MORE WINKS!) I just can't get over what a little miracle you are. Every night as I go to sleep, I thank the LORD for you over and over. I hope that every day I make you feel special and loved. You are my little boy -- my first born -- my buddy -- and I know this special time we have together (just you and me) won't last forever. So I try and savor each moment with you. I hope that someday my house is filled with little ones, but i know it will never be the same as it is with just us. It will be just as wonderful, but different.

I hope that Santa brings you everything on your list and then some. As for me, I can't think of anything that could compare to the sweetest of all gifts -- you!

Mama Loves You!

How we got our boy to sleep through the night ...

Our little bedbug. He thinks it's so funny when I put him in my bed while I make it in the morning.

Jon, Rachel, and the Grinch. Check out that look from our little guy!

My little munchkin.