Liam is 6 months old today! (a month late :))

Liam Robert Summers, that will be quite enough growing up young man. You need to obey your mommy and stop right there. These six months flew by much much to quickly. Do you hear me mister?

As if I could really discipline this precious little guy, with his crooked grin and elfin ears, it's simply not possible. But seriously, I don't know how we got to the six month mark so quickly. I've treasured every single second and am so excited to see what this next month brings forth in his development and growing little personality!

So my sweet sweet Liam... here is an overview of your 6th month:

You are still so sweet and laid back and content to just be with us... but you are getting louder. You just talk and talk and talk now... making all sorts of new sounds with "ah", "duh" and "guh"'s being your favorites. And you've even starting yelling... for attention, in excitement, trying to outdo your big brother (already :)), or when you are mad! Our sweet little Liam is still oh so sweet and laid back, but you're no wall flower and you are even starting to speak out in protest to things you don't like. I actually like that in a kid. Then I don't worry as much about you being mistreated without my knowledge.

You've been having fun in all sorts of new big baby toys like upright activity centers and jumpers. You like to spin around and investigate each toy with both your fingers and mouth. And you really like to stand in our laps. You're getting much better control over your legs and core muscles and you get really excited about playing at this new angle.

You love anything you can make noise with, especially paper you can crinkle. Any paper will do, but something mommy is trying to read is usually the most fun. And then there's all that packing paper from our moving boxes... what a blast you're having!

You are very interested in our drinks and food now. Grabbing onto anything within reach making meal times SO much fun for us all. It's not so easy to hold you on our laps anymore when we're trying to eat or hold you at all if we're trying to take a drink. And this new found interest is coming at a perfect time falling right in line with our 6 month milestone of introducing cereal. I still am amazed at how two brothers can be different, but here's more evidence. Ben took to eating solid foods right away whereas you are just not that interested. So it's not going over all that well as a source of nutrition, but you do think it is fun to play in... when you're in the mood. When mommy tries to get you to open your mouth for a bite you turn your head and seal your lips so tight they disappear. So, you're still a breastfeeding snob but we're working on it.

We're not afraid of you starving though, as you've taken to pooping OUT of your diaper 2-3 times a day. Lovely. We're not going to have many baby clothes left for the your treasure chest (my version of hope chests but for boys).

You really like to splash in the bath, especially with your brother there for extra entertainment. But you're just as content to "run" through the shower with mommy or daddy.

Your strong little fingers just love to grab onto anything and PULL! Especially hair. Both Ben and I are learning that the hard way!

You watch your brother's every move. Your eyes still light up the brightest and your smile still spreads the widest for mommy (my favorite part of being a mommy)... but your favorite form of entertainment, hands down, is Benjamin!

Speaking of that precious grin, we no longer have to do anything special to make you smile... you just do it anytime we look at you! Such a happy baby and so eager to connect with us. We all love it!

You've completely mastered back to tummy rolling and will do in over and over and over again. You now spend part of tummy time in the free fall position, part of it pushed up as high as you can get on your arms and the other part rolling over to your back, and back to your tummy, and over to your back, and back to your tummy.

You will contort your body every which way to find and then watch your brother.

And you think Ben's slapstick humor is the absolute funniest thing ever! Mommy and daddy have to work so much harder to get a big laugh from you.

You love to dance with mommy. You close your eyes and grin a huge grin as you rest your head on my chest while we sway and dip and spin around the room.

You have a sweet fake cough now ending in an cute little smirk when you get our attention.

You have been spending lots and lots of time in your car seat while we've been house hunting in village after village... but you've been so good about it. We're so excited to have found a house now and to take a big break from all that confinement! I've said it over and over again, we have been so very blessed with your sweet sweet temperament. What a little angel you are!

You have started to give kisses, completely opened-mouthed and with real gusto! You grab whatever you can and pull yourself to my cheek. You hold on tight for a very long time. And when I try to pull away you just giggle and giggle and hold on tighter! So I cover you with kisses, little light ones all over your face and you close your eyes and give your silly little grin and make all sorts of sweet "ah ha" noises.

You love to undo your diaper in the short time it takes us to get your clothes on after a diaper change! It's a real game to you now and you're pretty good at it! You little stinker :)

Some photos of your 6th month:

Here we go, your first taste test of solid foods starting with cereal.
Not so sure why we're putting anything in your mouth, but willing to try.
Getting a little more into it.
Ben wants to be a part of everything and we just love his devotion to his little brother.

This is fun! I'm the star of the show!

Quite a family event!

Such a sweet face. I love to catch you just being you...

And when you realize mommy is looking, you can't help it but grin.

And this is the latest addition to the many faces of Liam! You stick the tip of your tongue out when you're excited!All my favorite guys! You with your daddy and big brother in our TLF apartment before we moved into our house here in Germany.

We try to take these little brother-big brother pictures every month!

You're filling up so much more of your brother's lap now!

Love that adorable face!

You met your other great grandmother this month right before we left the states for Germany. Here you are with Nan Nan, your daddy's paternal grandmother. She just loves loves loves her great grandchildren and was so excited to meet you and have the chance to cuddle you for the afternoon! You are number 14!

Off we go...here we are on our flight across the ocean. You were so good on the plane.

Our first Mother's Day together... what a happy happy mommy I am here with my two boys!

Mother's Day kisses!

Your first festival celebrating the French flamkuken dish. You wanted to play in it :)

Such a happy baby, even after hours in this car seat. You are so willing to play whatever mommy can come up with while we wait yet again in the housing office for a list of off base rentals.

Ha ha! The silly finger game/tickle monster/whatever makes you laugh!

Trying out the highchair in our TLF. It wasn't the best starting high chair, but you felt like a big boy nonetheless. Now if we could just get you to eat something. Love the mow hawk and that precious crooked grin.

Little baby in a big big chair! I'll have to be sure to get a good photo of you when you're outgrowing your high chair too for comparison.

You and your daddy...

just kicking back at a restaurant. You still bring your feet into everything you do! And what cute feet they are!

OK, now here's something interesting to grab!

I can help you with that daddy.

And I can help with that too... I'm a big helper!

Testing out the jumper. Such cute skinny little legs!

Oh, look who wanted to get in a picture with you!

Chloe likes to be right in on the action. She's starting to act like Ben in that she wants to be in your pictures too!

Some more of you and daddy at the park watching mommy and Ben build sand castles. You are very popular with the German people we meet out and about.

Pretty excited to be testing out an activity center for the first time.

And standing up like a big boy!

Bath time fun with your brother!

A family photo minus your big brother, the photographer. These are my absolute favorite jammies on you!Watching your brother play with a new, actually old (Ben and Maeve were born a couple months apart when we were stationed in Spokane), friend. You love to watch and listen to him.

We had to make due for the month we lived in the TLF apartment and didn't have any of our household goods yet. Mommy bought this laundry basket at the BX and with a pillow inside it made a nice little bassinet. Don't worry, we didn't leave you in there unattended. And you actually really liked it. Especially the rides your brother gave you around the apartment.

Who says we need all that fancy baby gear :)

My big helper! What an attentive and loving big brother you have.

I totally think the second baby is easier because you have the first already in place for entertainment!

My sweet 6 month old chewing on some yummy toes!

Sometimes that big one gets a little stuck in the corner :)

My sweet little Leopold! You're getting so big! Now stop it :)