6 months - Half a year old!

Amelia is officially (as of June 17th) 6 months old!  Half a year!  It is crazy to think that in the same amount of time she will be a year old.  I am loving this age.  She is starting to do all of the sorts of things that build on each other and something new seems to be happening daily.  It is hard to believe that she is that little baby that was just laying there and then she was rolling, then sitting, now she is army crawling... and it won't be long and she will be crawling!  She is getting around everywhere.  She is still rolling, but not as much as she is doing the army crawl now.  She is also getting herself up on her hands and knees and rocking back and forth.  She has been able to sit up for quite some time, but always needed a little help from us or she would topple over in about 15-20 seconds.  Not anymore!  All of a sudden she was sitting like a champ!  She seems to meet a new milestone all of the time.

6 months!

Many milestones to report:

1.  Sleeping through night.  YES!  I said it!  Now, although I am quite excited, I really have nothing to complain about.  Amelia only ever woke up once during the night and she would always go straight to bed.  For a month now she has been sleeping through the night.  Up until a month ago I was keeping a tally in my head of the number of times she had slept through the night since she was born.  I made it to about 30 and I had to quit keeping track -- because she kept doing it!  Since she has been sleeping through the night, we thought it would be an appopriate time to move her to her own crib and bedroom.  Since she has been born she has been sleeping in our room.  In a rock and play for the first two months right next to my bed and then at two months we switched her to a pack and play and put it in our walk in closet.  Her bedroom is downstairs and across the house and I just couldn't swallow putting her down there when she was still so little (and still waking up wanting to nurse).   Saturday she took two naps in her crib and that night was the first time that she slept in her crib and bedroom.  It went great and she woke up in the morning with a smile on her face -- like always!  She also usually takes a morning nap and an afternoon nap. 

Well, that was a comfy nap! 

 Dreaming of bananas and yogurt bites.

2.  Mover, roller, crawler!  I will never forget at my 20 week ultrasound when the tech told us that she was a swimmer and then later on he said she was a mover and a shaker.  Well, he was right!  She is still the same way.  She is a busy bee.  She was rolling at 11 weeks and has also slept on her tummy since about 12 weeks.  She is army crawling now and if you put something a ways in front of her... she will get to it!  Her favorite things to crawl to are the remote and her kitty Buttons!  Buttons isn't sure how he feels about having a huge wad of fur pulled out, but Amelia seems to like it in her mouth.  Two weekends ago we put up the gate at the top of the steps because we knew she would be moving soon.  One evening last week we put Amelia down on her blankets and with her toys in the living room and Ryan and I were in the kitchen making supper and we went to check on her and she was already over half way to the kitchen.  She gets where she needs to go!

3.  Food -- yummy food!  This girl loves food!  We started adding in cereal and then baby foods at about 5 months.  Some of the faces we got were pretty darn sour, but she always ended up taking everything down no problem.  She has enjoyed rice cereal, oatmeal, apples, bananas, pears, peaches, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, green beans, squash, and carrots.  Peas have been the only one that she has been unsure about.  The first time we gave them to her she really liked them.  The second and third time she spit them out at us.  And then the fourth time she took them down no problem!  Just goes to show you that we just need to keep trying things with her over and over again.  She also likes puffs and yogurt bites.  At her 6 month appointment we got the "OK" to start giving her table food.  I think bells rang in Ryan's head when he heard that.  She has tried potatoes, carrots, ice cream (that daddy of her's), bananas, cheese, peas, refried beans, fish, hamburger, strawberry, and watermelon.  She has liked it all, but her absolute fave has been a soggy cracker with tomato soup!  That girl got so excited she would grunt for more and her eyes would get huge, her face would get red, and she would kick her legs for more!  It was SO funny!  I guess we will be eating more tomato soup around here!

 We call her Food Monster :)

4.  Daycare.  Rachelle Kerkow daycare.  Can I keep you?  Starting June 8th, my sister-in-law Rachelle (and Colton and Bailey) have been watching Amelia while Ryan and I go to work.  It has been absolutely amazing.  We had a poor experience these past 4 months and every day that I leave Amelia I know she is in great hands.  I can go through my day and not worry about her.  Plus, she gets to spend every day with her auntie and cousins.  How lucky is she?  And boy, she is loving it!  Her cousin Bailey gives her constant attention and she is such a great babysitter herself.  She has impressed the heck out of me.  She (is almost 11) does almost all of the diaper changes, feeds her, plays with her, put her down for naps, etc.  Colton is wonderful too.  I am so thankful!  I do also have to say that I am so thankful that when Rachelle and the kids do go back to school at the end of the summer, we have amazing daycare lined up as well.  Becky is someone that we know and we already feel 100 times more comfortable with.  Not to mention, we have heard SO many wonderful things about her from others around town.  That is the type of daycare we want Amelia to go to.  Worry, stress, and drama free.  I am so thankful that things worked out the way they did.  Thank you so much to Rachelle and Becky.

Meet my new best friends!

5.  Firsts!  Amelia has done many firsts since I last updated this at 4 months.  She got her first two teeth on the bottom at the same time about a week before she turned 5 months.  We had no clue.  We just noticed they were there one day.  She discovered herself in the mirror.  She went camping for the first time at Papa and Nana's camper on Memorial weekend and has been there 2 times since and is set to go again for 4th of July weekend.  She has been on a boat ride on Papa's pontoon.  She had her first golf cart ride when she was there and would put her arms out like a "T" and squeal as we drove.  She went to an outdoor pool for the first time and loved being in her little floatie.  We also got her her own pool for at home and she loved it.  Since then bathtime at home has gotten a little crazy.  She has learned how to splash.  We have been giving her a bath in the kitchen sink, but we will need to transition to the actual tub now!   She loves to talk, squeal, spit, and do whatever she can do to make noise!  We put a pony tail in her hair for the first time for her 6 month pictures and my goodness -- it is adorable!  Daddy (are you surprised?) gave her a tiny bit of ice cream for the first time when we were at the camper.  Boy did she love it -- but not like she loved tomato soup!

I need more tomato soup -- NOW!

First time swimming in an outdoor swimming pool with my floatie.  Check out my cute toes!

6.  Six month appointment.  Her 6th month appointment went great!  She is growing just as she should and once again she impressed everyone there with her happiness.  You know what we have heard the most the last 6 months?  "You have such a HAPPY baby!"  "Is she always this laid back?"  "What a good baby."  She is great.  We are so thankful.  She was 16.4 pounds which puts her at the 50 percentile for weight and she was 26 inches which puts her at the 66 percentile for height.  She wears 6-9/9 month clothes and size 3 diapers.  She took her shots like a boss and the best news that we got out of there with -- no helmet!  The doctor didn't understand why I was even worried.  The kid hasn't even slept on her back since 11 weeks and she has been loving tummy time and holding her head up since she was born.

Watch out -- I will lunge out at you!

This girl loves life and I love life even more because of her.  She is a breath of fresh air.  She is smiling when you put her to bed, smiling when you get her up, and smiling at almost every moment in between.  The only time she ever gets a little cranky is in the evening between 6:30-7:30 when she needs a little nap and even then, you let her cuddle on her daddy's chest and she is out like a light.

I am so thankful for her.  Since she is no longer in our room, I will miss my little nightly routine.  Every night when I would go to bed I was shine the light on her crib in our closet and just stand there and stare at her.  Stare at those tiny hands, adorable little head (now with a pony sticking straight up), and that sweet little butt up in the air.  And some nights when her head is facing towards the door and her binkie is out of her mouth, she would either have her thumb in her mouth, or my favorite -- about every 30 seconds to 1 minute, she will suck like she has a binkie in her mouth, but she really doesn't.  It is the sweetest thing.  I just can't get enough of staring at her.  Some nights I tear up just staring at her.  I just love her so much.

 My mommy always takes pictures of me like this. 

What I've noticed most is that she LOOKS older.  She doesn't look like a tiny baby anymore.  She is looking like a little girl.  A beautiful little girl (of course I'm biased, that's my job as her mother).  Have you ever looked at her big, beautiful blue eyes?  Long eye lashes?  Sweet rounded cheeks and adorable chin?  Like I said earlier - I am loving this age.  6 months rocks.  Everything she is doing is purposeful and just too sweet.  I knew that we would be happy having a child, but I never knew just how much.  Just those little things like noticing her working hard to grab something and the silly faces that she makes while doing it.  Makes us giggle every time. 

 Like my pony?

I find it crazy that we can now just plop her down on her blankets in front of some toys and she can entertain herself for at least 20 minutes.  It is like she doesn't need us anymore, but [secretly] it is kind of nice because then I can get something done while she is having fun playing.  She still loves all the cuddling and we love it too.  I mean really, how many photos have you seen of her snuggling on Ryan's chest?  I wouldn't be surprised if I have at least 100 of them.  Not kidding.  In fact, that is what Ryan and Amelia are doing right now as I write this blog.

 Typical.

As always -- What Amelia has been up to in pictures.

 My first trip to the Mall of America!  Daddy wore me and I loved every minute of people watching! 

 I fell asleep while daddy was working in the garage -- borefest! 

 Is it still winter?  Do we still need this darn cover?  

Like my bow?  

Seriously.  I must do this to mommy and daddy every time they try and put me in here. Every time.  I just want to sit up.  

 

Selfie? 

 

 

Just taking a bite out of my tub. 

 

Daddy always makes me giggle.  

 

Happy Mother's Day to my Grandma Rose

 

 Mommy's first Mother's Day.  I do love her.  

 

Happy Mother's Day to my Nana! 

 

 I helped mommy and daddy make this for my Nana and Grandma Rose.  

 

Snuggling up to mommy just like I did when I was a tiny baby. 

 

Hey wait.  Is that me in there?!  

 

Just chillin like a villain in daddy's garage! I'm in charge of the hammer.  

 

Sometimes I get tired though.  The wrench got the best of me.  

 

 

5 months!  I can hardly believe it Mommy!

 

Pretty soon I'm going to knock this over. 

 

 

I love my binkie.  

 

Busted. 

 

I love to sing.  And jump.  

 

Daddy's chest is the comfiest.  

 

 

Like my bonnet?  

 

Who set me in this thing?  You think I'm going to lean back?  I don't think so.  I need to sit up! 

 

Do I look a little cross-eyed?  

 

I love my big cousin Alaina.  And you know what?  In 6 months, I will be a big cousin too! Auntie is having a baby! 

 

Daddy and I got a picture next to this pretty tree in the yard that only looks like this for 3 days a year.  3 days.  I think that is silly.

 

 

I like when Nana reads to me because I love books.  Pretty soon Nana isn't going to have room on her lap for all her grandkids.  

 

Daddy put something different in my mouth.  Cereal?  Rocks.  More please!

 

Cereal is the bomb!  I drool a lot.  

 

Just chillin at the lake with Nana.  Somebody said a funny joke. 

 

I will get you Buttons.  It won't be long.  It might hurt.  

 

 

Memorial weekend was a tad chilly.  

 

Mommy says this is her favorite picture of me.  I like being in my laundry basket.  

 

 

Auntie Rachelle put me in the grass.  It is prickly.  

 

Like my fancy outfit?  I'm headed to Vacation Bible School today! 

 

I sit up and play with my toys like a boss.  

 

You want me to sit in this suitcase, pose, and look cute?  Got it!  

 

I'm flyyyyyying! 

 

Daddy, I think this is too small for me and this thing doesn't allow me to sit up!  That's why you quit putting me in it in the first play, silly! 

 

Supervising in the garage again.  Today I'm in charge of the air compressor.  

 

What in the heck.....?!  Bananas?!

 

LOVE THEM! 

 

 

I get you!

 

I love snuggle time.   

 

I'm putting on this smile for daddy to pretend that Menards is cool.  

 

I'll have some Papa! 

 

My daddy is the best.  

 

Family swinging! 

 

My cousin Bailey got out her old swing and cleaned it up for me.  She's so cool.  

 

My first bite of apples.  It was sour, but it wasn't long and I loved it.  

 

My papa loves me so much.  

 

Just going for a walk with my Nana at the lake! 

 

Going for a ride in the golf cart!! WEEEE! 

 

I suck my thumb.  

 

 

Playing with my Auntie Peggy - she makes me giggle! 

 

My hairs get a little crazy after being in a pony! 

 

Just playing with my best friend.  

 

And to leave you with the sweetest picture I just found on my camera.  Love. 

Thanks for tuning in!  We sure have a fun summer ahead of us as a family and it is hard to believe that when the summer comes to a close, Amelia will almost be 9 months.  Lots of love!