One half of a year

Past-time for Seth's 6 month update. I'm think the monthly updates are going to be a first-baby phenomenon since I can't keep up with them and I only have one child!
It has been a wonderful month this month-one of my favorites so far. I love our laughing, smiling, happy, curious Seth.

• 17 lbs 15 oz (60th percentile) [heavier than his 19 month old cousin who was born prematurely!]
• 27 inches tall (69th percentile)
• 17 1/2 inches head circumference (83rd percentile)- big brain, smart child
• eats 2 meals of solids plus a lunchtime snack
• loves pears and squash the best, or sucking on a peach or apple
• can sit independently for at least 30 seconds
• loves to blow raspberries with his tongue
• can say lots of sounds, but his go-to babbling is "da da"
• is a full-blown chewer of ANYTHING and EVERYTHING
• gives huge slobbery kisses
• loves to stand with help
• loves songs, fav= How Much is that Doggie in the Window and Pandora Toddler channel
• loves books, especially his dinosaur book
• mesmerized by anything electronic
• smiles at himself in the mirror
• pivots in a circle and can scoot backwards a little bit
• able to put put his pacifier in by himself after several tries
• naps 3-4 times a day with several 1 hr+ naps a week (finally!!)
• bedtime 7:15, pacifier replacement 10pm, milk 4am, wake-up 6 or 7am
• loves his carseat and is a good car rider

Master Stephen

This overdue post is brought to you by Seth’s nap and my dear hubby uploading the pile of photos on our camera.

You may remember a blog post sometime last year or some facebook status updates from Stephen despairing about the horribleness of grad school. It turns out things got a little less horrible and a few weeks ago we got to celebrate this:

I’m so proud of Stephen for finishing, even though it wasn’t quite what he expected. He was a hard worker, a team player, a question asker, a sacrificer of sleep and time, and a great husband and dad all along the way!
Thanks to Stephen’s entire family for coming to DC to celebrate his hard work! At the diploma ceremony Stephen’s brothers were not afraid to be vocal with their congratulations, drawing laughs from the crowd and a grin from the woman awarding the diploma. The next day we had a great time at the National Mall listening to Michael Bloomberg and a host of others. 

So what’s next? Stephen will stay at his current job until we find a job somewhere with a lower cost of living and closer to family. We’ve been searching for a few months, but are starting to ramp up our efforts. The ideal position would be in budgeting in a municipal government office, but we’ll take what we can get.
Congrats again, honey!