Six months

Somehow, this week, amid my tirade against insurance, I neglected a key piece of news: Hopesy is six months old.

In some ways, it seems like it's gong by quickly. In others, not so much. But our days are significantly richer and more joyous because she's part of them. Hope is doing good things: Grabbing items with both hands, becoming more vigorous about wanting objects (and upset when they're taken away), rolling from her back to stomach, gaining trunk control, eating like a champ and pip-pip-pipping away.

Hope cracked the 7 lb. barrier a few days after her six-month birthday, following the same slow, steady 2 oz. per week weight gain she began in utero. At this rate, she'll be 10 pounds in a year, which puts her smack in the middle of the CdLS growth chart.

The happy, happy Hopey we know and love has returned after a sour turn following the ear-tube surgery. So life is good.