2nd Quarterly Love note to Lucia



Hello my little monkey! Happy 6 Months! I call you "monkey" now because you grab, move and discover like a curious George and, sometimes, it gets you into trouble where you end up in tears. But Hey! that's Okay... its all part of learning...



May marked the end of Mommy's school year and by then we were really in the habit of taking long walks everyday after I got home from work! Until, one morning I left to go on a hike with Liam, Mae and Aunt Melissa when I fell down and hurt my legs! I got stitches in one knee and sprained my other foot! So that was the end of that for awhile. We are just starting to brave the steamy hot and humid summer air of Iowa for a few walks a week. You sit quietly. I never know what you're doing because you sit up looking out on the world while I fret to make sure the sun isn't beating down on your little eyes and bald head.

I had my first night of worry with you the night after you received your four month vaccinations. You spiked a fever that night and looked like you were feeling miserable. I stayed up with a lump in my throat while you slept it off and nursed like a good baby. It didn't take long for you to heal and before I knew it you started flipping and rolling over during tummy time! You couldn't crawl where you wanted to go but you got there with your new "rolling" technique. You were so dead set on becoming increasingly independent that you even started grabbing your pacifier with your hand and putting it in your mouth. You are so savvy with that Binky now that you pull it out, switch hands with it, chew on the handle, then turn it around to suck on it all by yourself.

I noticed you were just all smiles all the time and you really recognized people (esp. Grandma Obert) in May. You would strain your neck to see those you love and even today you do everything in your power to get their attention.You also finally go to meet your Aunt Kim. You took to her instantaneously. You love her drawling southern accent and sweet smiles. She was very happy to meet you too! Since then the two of you have gotten to visit a few more times.

The biggest May event was your 2nd cousin's, Liz, wedding. Daddy, you and I packed up with Grandma and Grandpa Obert and headed off to Cincinnati, Ohio! It was your first long car ride and you had Mommy and Daddy to keep you company the whole way there and back. You met all your extended Wuenneman and Obert family! Everyone thought you were a sweet baby and you even got a few moments with your Great Aunt Marsha who lives in California and to dance with Daddy and Mommy before falling asleep in your car seat. We covered you with a blanket from your Aunt Marsha and hid you under the table in attempt to ward off some of the loud music while we enjoyed the rest of the evening. We stayed at your Great Uncle Bernie's in his camping RV. That was perfect because G-ma and G-pa Obert just pulled theirs right up behind it and we had our own little Corral! We woke up as early as we wanted and sat outside drinking coffee that G-pa Ob. had made in their RV! Uncle Bernie also made a famous Wuennemann breakfast complete with Goetta and Biscuits 'n' Gravy. Soon, baby you will be old enough to enjoy a Wuennamann breakfast too!

This trip was also an opportunity for you to meet your Great Grandmother! She held you while we took a four generation of women portrait. You are the only daughter of mine (so far) and I am the only daughter of your Grandma Obert who is the only daughter of your Great Grandma- pretty special! Your Great Grandma is one of a set of triplets (three girls). That means somewhere in there it runs in the family so "Watch out!".



You really turned into a summer party animal when June kicked in. You are so playful. You started sticking tongue out at Daddy to get a rise out of him. Today, you figured out that if you stick your tongue out at people and it makes them laugh. You have since expanded your attention seeking behavior to blowing raspberries (which I dutifully mop up your spit from), clicking your tongue and blowing an occasional kiss.

I suppose you picked up that people needed a little cheering up that month because in June our dear hometown of Iowa City was plagued with flooding. You're Grandma Olson lives in Cedar Rapids and they seemed to get the worst of it. So we all buckled down. Your neighbor friend Randy went sandbagging. Daddy spent extra time trying to get to work on I80. You and I holed up again just like the storms of February and weathered it until things improved. As soon as the highways reopened you and I packed up and headed for Cedar Falls to lift a small amount of burden from our city's resources.


We returned just in time for you to attend your first birthday Party! You met all of Liam's friends and family. Birthday party's are exhausting, however, and you soon decided you had enough and I tried soothing you from all the excitement. I have since noticed that you are easily swept away with excitement making you hyper and fussy. You value and need your quiet time. While you are able to sleep with the television going and people talking you are so much happier when your day is broken up by calm quiet times.


When you wake up - IT IS TIME TO MOVE. In June you whipped through all the stages of crawling. At first you were scooting your self around with your feet. Then you would do this move that I called your "Kneeling Triangle" Yoga pose. Where you would be on all fours and lift your arm up and then turn your head to look up at your hand. Little did I know that was in preparation for the use of your arms. One day after doing "Triangle" you set that arm down on the ground then put the other one in front of it and you were crawling!


You crawled your way right into July. I didn't know that babies could crawl before they could sit up but you did. Not to worry, though. Because you sat up soon enough this month. And as if all that wasn't enough- you have already started pulling yourself up to standing. Then just today you took your first self-supported steps in your pack 'n' play. I'm beginning to think you're moving much too quickly on these milestones. Nonetheless, you are focused, determined, and single minded when you have set a goal. Looking at you when you are moving around on the floor, I can tell that you love to work on things and are very motivated. You get that from your Daddy. You do like to take breaks and when you do it is usually spent sucking on your own toes. Something I marvel at this display of awesome flexibility that you are exercising so well at the moment!

It was this month of July that you also began eating your solids- rice cereal, squash, tastes of what ever mommy will share (like ice cream, Popsicles, Gelato, yogurt, mashed potatoes), and we are on sweet potatoes at the moment. I meant to do a week of oatmeal but I forgot and started in on the potatoes. You are also doing so well drinking from a sippy cup and you can even suck water from a straw after a little reacquainting yourself with the mechanism each time. I was surprised and impressed as I watched you close your little lips around that straw and suck in the water. How do you figure these things out so quickly?

Mommy and Daddy really whooped it up for Fourth of July this year. I guess we were just ready and excited to show off our beautiful girl and happy home to friends and neighbors. It was lots of fun and you spent time with Grandmas and Grandpas. They came to watch you come down the street in the "Shamrock Drive Fourth of July Bike and Stroller Parade." Grandma Obert pointed out that next year someone should explain the difference between a parade and a race because those kiddos lapped us and zoomed by as we "strolled" down the street.

You also had your first profession portrait taken at JCPenny. You were SUCH a good girl and smiled and tried to tolerate all the over stimulation and being rushed. Mommy also got a fever and stomach flu that day so it was extra tough on us. While Mommy has suffered from all her ailments you have managed to stay healthy. Other than your clogged tear duct, gas and allergies, you remain a strong and hardy little bugger.

We don't cuddle like we did your first three months. You even sleep in your crib now without a blink of an eyelash from you! It was time and I think we both sleep sounder because of it. You were just to "mobile" to stay in the co-sleeper anymore. Your temperament, personality, curiosity, and sense of humor is really starting to bloom. I'm just happy to be along for the ride and enjoy watching you develop.

While it was harder on Mommy and Daddy's pocketbooks I'm glad I was able to spend this time with you this summer. I might have missed all these milestones you accomplished this month. Maybe that's why you blew through them so quickly so that I wouldn't miss them before my return to work next month. Anyway, I loved seeing it and I love you. We have more readjustments ahead of us with teething, going back to work, and running after a baby who is 8 months old and walking around getting into things. Although, part of me knows it's going to be hard and exhausting another part of me can't wait!

You are a very special sweet girl. My sweet Lucia.

love,
Your Mommy (through thick and thin)