6 Month Appointment

We had your 6 month appointment yesterday and you did really well! You weighed in at 18 pounds 15 ounces (77%)  and measured 26 3/4 inches (88%). Your head measured 17 inches (75%). You were showing off your strength again to Dr. Emm and he was very impressed.  He said everything looked perfect and that you are a healthy little girl - you ear looked great from just a few days ago! We were given the OK to introduce a sippy with water, as well as keep doing solids. I have managed to mostly hold off on the solids, as I wanted to wait until 6 months. So, we will move forward with that!

You did OK with the shots. You weren't so happy when she poked you and it took a bit to calm you down once I picked you up. But, you only had two pricks this time, so it wasn't horrible! You did OK last night, too. Woke up after only a few hours of being asleep and needed to nurse to calm down, but then slept the rest of the night until about 5:30. Fingers crossed it continues to go well and you don't feel icky from them!

Before the appt - I think she knows something is up! 

Mom, what's going on?!

Daddy will make it better! 

I love her eyes and her wild wild hair! 

Happy peanut with her hot pink band-aids! 

Shots aren't so bad!! 

Happy Half Birthday, Princess!

Holy moly, where did this half year go? I cannot believe how fast it's flying - seems like it's going even quicker now that we have two kiddos! But, I also am reminded how much I LOVE this age! The 6-10 month age range is so much fun!  I see so many similarities between little Miss Gwendolyn and Jameson and I just cannot wait to see how she develops. She is already bursting with personality and I know she has big things in store! She is such a little joy and I feel so very blessed.

• You weighed 18 pounds 8 ounces when I weighed you at home. I measured you and got roughly 27 inches, but it's probably not quite that much. We are still squeezing into some 6 months clothes, but slowly phasing that out and moving to the 9 month stuff. 
• You transitioned to your crib, much to my dismay! I was able to conveniently forget to move you on the weekend for a few weeks, but one weekend, Daddy moved the monitor and heater in there, so I had no chance of "forgetting" again! You did OK - woke up a few times the first night. Then for about 5 days straight, it was pretty rough. You woke up at least twice every night. But, then it was like it clicked and you went back to sleeping long stretches....for a week or so. 
• Sleeping - oh sleeping. It's still pretty much all over the place. We will have days where you sleep amazing - 8 or 9 hours straight. And, then you had some really bad stretches where you were waking up every few hours. I decided to try rubbing some Lavender Essential Oil on your little footsies and I am sold! You started sleeping through the night, but would wake up at the crack of dawn! We do bath, wrap you, nurse and then you are down between 9-10 most nights.  It's crazy though because almost every night around 10:45-11ish, you will start making noises. Sometimes, you wake up and other times you just make noises but stay asleep. Strange! We do usually try to get you to take a cat nap from about 7-8, which seems silly, but without it, you don't seem to sleep as well! 
• Sometimes when you wake up early in the morning, I will bring you back in bed with me and we will snuggle. You love when we touch foreheads...OK, maybe I love it, but you certainly don't mind either! It seems to totally relax us both and I just love being able to breathe you in! 
• We still swaddle you. We attempted one night without swaddling and it was a huge FAIL! We had a few good nights with leaving your arms out and then that started to fail too...so, we are back to full swaddling. You seem to prefer it...you always get this silly smile on your face when Daddy starts wrapping you - so cute! You do escape most nights, but at least it's a start. 
• Naps are still pretty much the same - you will take cat naps in the morning in your bed and then long naps in the afternoon...as long as someone is holding you! Sometimes, we can get you swaddled and you will sleep long stretches in your bed, but you definitely prefer to be held for naps! 
• You got to try food!! You are still nursing, but we added in some solids for practice. We started with avocado on 1/25. You were NOT a fan! Your facial expression was hilarious and you acted as if you were choking it down! We then tried pureed carrots on 2/1. You weren't a huge fan at first, but you also didn't necessarily hate them and by the second time, you were eating them like a champ! On 2/4, we tried sweet potatoes and you LOVED them. Smacked your lips for more :). You try to feed yourself too! 
• http://youtu.be/CrfeS6H2WXk
• http://youtu.be/_eep6J6zzM4
• You love to play with the spoon when you are done eating and we call you the little baton twirler because you just twirl it around in your hand. It's so adorable! 
• You just love to make noise and tell stories! You are SO loud! Part of why I love this age - you are really starting to try to communicate! We are also teaching you some sign language and you seem to pay close attention when we are doing the signs for things (i.e., milk, more, eat, all done). You have also started doing this screeching sound and it is hilarious - seriously makes me laugh hysterically!
• http://youtu.be/HzIQmP5KsO0
• I SWEAR I got a real Mama out of you on 1/25. You looked right at me and started saying it! Now, I feel like you say it a lot when you are getting upset- mamamamamama! Daddy is so good about trying to get you to really say it (and I work on you a lot, too!). Kim and Gma Debbie and Ray confirmed that they have heard it too, so it's not just my hopeful ears. I am still going to hold off on saying it's your first "word" since I think it's more of just a sound at this point. But, I think soon you will be saying it. I do think you know what it means though because every time we say it, you smile real big and look at me! You also do that with Daddy, Hoyt and Jameson. It could totally be coincidental, but it is pretty neat! 
• I also think you know your name. You will be looking elsewhere and I will start talking and the second I say your name, you turn your head. Again, could totally be a coincidence, but it has happened more than a few times!
• http://youtu.be/9ZA4pBKu8r4
• You are a jumping machine!!! You just love your jumperoo and also will jump in people's arms. It is hysterical! I remember Jameson doing the same thing at this exact age. We will be holding you and you just start jumping. You are a mover! Too cute! And, you like to use the jolly jumper door thing, too - you go nuts! 
• http://youtu.be/2DsWtF8Wzyw
• You try soooo hard to sit up on your own from the laying down position. It looks like you are doing ab exercises! 
• You started riding in the shopping carts now when we shop and you just love it! You love looking around at everything and taking it all in! 
• You love playing peek-a-boo...especially with Jameson! You just giggle like crazy with him! 
• http://youtu.be/rzetrPVR8u0
• You just love watching your brother as much as possible - you just stare and smile at him! 
• http://youtu.be/KBKKLNEVQ1M
• http://youtu.be/-uZilCoRyeU
• You also love when people clap. It will be any day when you start - guarantee it! You just smile ear to ear when people clap! 
• Gma Kim thought she noticed a tooth on the bottom left, but then it was like it went away! So, we think you may have a bunch of teeth pop up at once...you seem like your mouth is sore sometimes, so I think they are working their way up.  We have started giving you the Hyland's Teething tablets some days, so hopefully those are helping! 
• I have caught you playing with your ears a few times! Being that you are swaddled most of the time,  I am not sure if it's because you just discovered them them or if it's going to be your self soothing mechanism just like your brother! Guess we will see when you are no longer swaddled at night! 
• You have also started rubbing your eyes now when you are tired. It's a tell-tale sign that you are tired. 
• You had your first trip to Beningo's...first time of what will be many dinners! You seemed to have a great time! You did very well siting in the high chair. 
• You attended your first cheerleading competition and just LOVED watching the girls and listening to the music. You seemed so entranced by it all!
• You think it's pretty funny when Daddy blows raspberries on your legs! You are also very ticklish on your tummy!! We can always get a good laugh out of you. 
• You are constantly moving - especially your hands! It's so funny. That little hand is always going crazy! 
• You really don't like when people leave your line of sight! You are fine if we aren't right next to you, but you have to be able to see us. Once you can't see us, it's game over!
• You still don't love getting dressed - it's mostly just getting clothes pulled over your head. 
• You do love bath time still - Daddy is the one doing it most nights and you two will listen to music. You just love to kick and chit chat! 
• http://youtu.be/V4pIunKknwA
• You are definitely in that phase where you try to grab at everything in your sight. You dive forward at objects in front of you! 
• You have also started sticking out your tongue and blowing! It's so funny because you think you are pretty funny!
• Not the best video of it, but it's a start! http://youtu.be/Ww6VTY5IlPQ
• I am not sure how to write this out correctly, but you also have discovered the whole "Indian call" noise. Where you put your hand over your mouth and pat it while you make noise. It's so cute! 
• You have also started to do this funny face with your mouth - you open it like you are saying "ohhhh". You also raise your eyebrows when you do it! It's too funny! 
• You still think it's pretty funny to throw things off of your high chair...you seem to have figured out cause and effect :). 
• http://youtu.be/52ACqicRIhA
• You have also started to dance! It's more of that moving forward and backward when you are sitting "dance", but it's so adorable!! I love it and you get super excited sometimes while doing it! 
• Smiles and laughs are so abundant with you - you are just too sweet! 
• http://youtu.be/T_dOQRgTzEU
• Again, you are just such a little sweetheart. I have pretty much said that in every post, but you just light up my day when you smile at me! It is so heart warming! You definitely get upset when you are mad, but overall, you are just so content and so insanely sweet! 

Love these moments.

I swear I give her a million kisses a day! I don't think she minds! 

Trying to sit up on her own! 

Sitting up like such a champ! 

Oh that face! 

Sweet sleeping beauty! 

She just locks in when she eats! 

The progression of a smile! 

I just can't get enough of this picture!! 

Cutie pie!

Getting ready to go grocery shopping! 

Trying out the Ergo!

Daddy and his babies! 

Kisses! 

Hanging out at Gma and Ray's! 

Bed hog! 

Morning hugs! 

Found that ear! 

Sleeping with her legs crossed! 

And, holding Mommy's hand. 

Just like I said - that arm/hand doesn't stop moving! 

Watching cartoons while Mommy gets ready for work! Nice bed head, kids! 

Beningo's! 

Kisses!! 

Early morning snuggles. 

Peek-a-boo! 

Too much sweetness!! 

Way. Too. Cute! 

I see curls!! 

Oh you know, just hanging out with Daddy! 

First time in the cart! 

Trying to stand...um, no you are not allowed to do this yet!

Snuggles. 

Taking a spin in her car! 

Happy little nugget! 

Last few nights in her bassinet :(. 

LOL, that face! 

Big ol' Blue Eyes!! 

She is so stinking cute! So happy in the morning! 

Playing the drums. 

A little reading after dinner. 

These two don't even realize what they do for my heart! 

Hugs!! 

It's a shame these two don't like each other. 

Snuggles with Hoyt! 

Doing her "Indian Call" noise! 

Just chilling - watching a movie! 

Must be a good part!  

Haha!

She likes her Christmas present! 

More snuggles! This was the morning after her first night in her crib! 

Apparently, she likes the Elmo App!

So pretty! 

Nom Nom. 

Twirling her hair like Daddy. 

Forgot to post this one in the last post - this was when poor
peanut wasn't feeling well. Apparently, Hoyt wanted to comfort her! 

Trying out the new wrap! 

Doing her mouth open face! 

This winter has made us all delirious! 

Reaching for big brother! 

Hugs! 

Being cute is exhausting! 

Pile on Daddy! 

Big girl in her crib! 

Watching Little Mermaid! 

Come here, Jameson!! 

This series of events was just comical! 

Round 2! 

Love them so much! 

Bath tub fun! 

Watching the cheerleaders! 

Watching Jameson play in the bath...apparently she wanted to stand! 

Adventures in eating!

Avocado! 

NOT a fan! 

Gagging! 

Carrots! Not so sure...

Hmm, not so bad! 

I can do it, Mom!

Sweet potato - trying to steal the spoon! 

And, we were having some fun one snowy, cold day:

Hey there, Blue Eyes! 

Love those little pouty lips! 

Love her little face here! 

Weekly Pics: 

6 Month pictures: 

That recliner is shrinking.

G and her buddy! 

These pictures are getting harder to take...

Because someone wants to eat the monkey! 

There we go! She is getting so big!