our little Raj is 6 months old...

Our little Raji-paj, I want you to know some things about these first 6 months of your life....

- I was so excited to bring you into this world.  Seeing your beautiful little face was worth every minute of my difficult pregnancy, and I would have done it a thousand times over.

- You got stuck on your way out on your birthday, and had to go through some trauma so we could get you out safely.  You were so brave - the nurses couldn't believe how well your little body handled it.  That is where your middle name, Ohitika, comes from.  It means brave in Lakota.

- Your big sister used to hug and kiss and talk to you even when you were inside my belly.  And from the very first day of your life she has loved and adored you.  She calls you all kinds of things - my Raji, my Raji-paj, my handsome brother, and lil' dude.  We call you Raji-paj too, and Raj, sunnybun, sonny boy, handsome boy, handsome little man, little dude, and, of course, Raja.

- You were an unusually strong little boy from the day you were born.  You tried to hold your head up when you were barely an hour or two old, and you could push up on your belly and turn your head from side to side on your very first day out.  It's almost as though you were never really a newborn - your neck and back were so strong from day one.  You were so healthy and strong, and we had such a good delivery, that we all went home from the hospital the same day you were born so the four of us could all be together at home.

-You were bright eyed and alert from the time you arrived.  You nursed twice in the first hour of your life, showing your voracious appetite early.  You've always known what it means to share, since mama tandem nurses.  You latched on like a pro, and we had no problems with nursing.  You've been able to go a pretty long time without waking to eat since you were about a month old, I think because you've always been such a big boy.  You have your Poppa's big hands.  You regained your birth weight within just 3 days and have been steadily climbing since.  We love your chunky thighs and your belly rolls.  Your height is always off the charts!

-You knew not only my voice, but your big sister's voice too, from that first day, and would turn towards us when you heard us.  

- You had mild jaundice, and they gave us a bilrubin suitcase.  But I made a maternal call that you needed to be held and cuddled and loved more in those first days than you needed the lights, and you got rid of the jaundice very quickly.

- You love to cuddle, and love to be held.  From the very first day, there were plenty of arms to hold you.  Your dad, your mamman, your uncle, and mama were there to hold you.  Your nanny and poppa and amooma and auntie and cousins all came to visit you soon after you were born, and couldn't get enough of you.  Jaya is still always trying to hold you.  You love to sleep right in between your dad and I, and when I shift away in my sleep, you curl your little body closer.   Now that you can get around some, you love to explore, but you still need lots of cuddles.  You are such a snuggler!

- You are such a happy, sweet-natured, smiley little guy.  You love to grin and to make people smile.  Strangers are always stopping to talk to you, because you just start grinning at people.  Your daddy and sister just love to make you laugh.  You love to get your daddy's attention, and once you do, you just smile from ear to ear!

- You are so handsome.  I love to just look at your beautiful little face.  I think you look a lot like your daddy, and most people seem to think so as well.  You do look a little like my baby pictures.

- You've got a passionate nature, so when you don't like something, you let us know.  You get cranky when you need something, and get over it as soon as you get whatever it is you need, be it milk, a fresh diaper, sleep, or just a smile or cuddle.  Sometimes, you get overtired or you teethe.  You just got your first cold.  And then, you are a mamma's boy.  Unlike your sister as a baby, sometimes you get really upset.  And when you do, nobody can console you as quickly as I can.  

-You are loud!  You talk, cry, fart, burp, and even nurse loud.

- Your sister always wants to hug and kiss and wrestle and rough you up.  You handle it so well!  Unless you are sleepy, you usually just grin at her.

- Your legs are so strong.  You started bearing your weight on your legs at just a couple of weeks old.  You have always loved to kick a lot (you got lots of practice in my belly), and it is impossible to give you a bath without water ending up all over the place.  You often show your happiness by laughing and kicking really hard with your legs.

- You love to sleep, and like your daddy, you can sleep anywhere.  Your favorite places to sleep now are our bed and on me in a carrier.  When you were smaller, you often slept in our arms, and your Mamman was always willing to hold you as you slept.

- The day of your baby blessing was such a beautiful day.  The spirit was so strong in our home as your Poppa and Daddy and our friends took you in their arms.  You have brought so much joy into our lives.  You are such a dear and special little spirit.  Words can't explain what you mean to Daddy and I, and to your Jaya Chachy, and to the rest of your family.  You are such a blessed and loved little boy.  We love you so much!