Sweet girl,

You are 6 months old. When did that happen?!?!?! I can’t believe so much time has come and gone already. It blows my mind just how much you have already grown and changed. Just the other day your dad and I had a conversation that went something like this:

Me: The bald spot on Peanut’s head is filling in.

Your dad: Yea it is! You can’t even really tell where it was.

Me: It kind of makes me sad….

Your dad: **Stares at me like I am some kind of crazy person**

I get where he’s coming from… I mean, not having a bald spot is a positive development. But for me, it’s also a very physical reminder of how you’ve already moved through stages of your little life and left them behind. You’re getting so much more mobile now – you’re trying so hard to figure out how to crawl – so you aren’t rubbing that precious head of yours in the same spot much anymore. Hence the hair growing back in. And you growing up. And me being a little sad.

Everyone tells you that time seems to speed up exponentially when you have children, and I would always just smile and nod and think “My life is flying by already – it can’t be that much of a difference.” Well, Peanut, your mommy was wrong. Yes, life filled with work and travel and family and friends and photography was flying. But now that I am trying to hang on to each sweet stage you are in, it seems like it’s hitting speeds that could break the sound barrier.

It’s not all sad though, I love how your little personality is coming out more and more each day, and we’re getting to enjoy new fun things – like watching the facial expressions you make while eating your rice cereal or giggling at your reflection in the mirror. I love to watch the way you look at your daddy – like he is the sunshine in your world. And I’m sure he will be for a long time. I love watching you light up when I come in to get you in the mornings. You grin and giggle and kick your little legs and just melt my heart – no matter how tired I am.

You are such a happy girl, and already such a people person… comfortable with new people and almost always willing to share a sweet smile with anyone who happens to stop by to tell me just how pretty you are. On the flip side of that, you do want to be around and interacting with people all the time, which leads to some giant sized alligator tears that stop instantly the second we look at you and smile. Not always the most conducive for mommy washing dishes or doing laundry or whatever else needs to be done around the house, but it’s still adorable anyway.

Little one, thank you for teaching me everyday what it means to be a mommy, and what it means to love deeper than I thought possible. While I ache a little for the tiny baby we brought home from the hospital, I am even more excited about the energetic infant you are, and the little girl you are becoming. Thank you for the gift of your laughter filling our house. Thank you for the gift of your smiles warming our hearts. And thank you for the snuggles at the end of each day. Because while time is flying, in those moments it slows, and I get to just drink you in as you drift off to sleep.