Half a Year?!?!

My, oh my, has time flown by! I mean, seriously, it's been half a year since I was graced with my sweet blessing?! I daily cannot remember what I did the day before and rarely know what the next day will bring. What I do know is I wake up to a sweet, kicking, full of energy little bundle every morning.

Her personality is shining through more and more. And the more time I spend with her, the more I am convinced I have a little Diva in the making. Girl has got sass, you guys. However, my mom frequently reminds me that it's much easier to raise a child who speaks their likes/dislikes, comforts/discomforts, needs/wants and have to train them in the correct way to do so, than to have a child...well, like I was: extremely happy, not a care in the world, seemingly "everything is truly fine" mentality. When really, I was holding it all in. Waiting to implode once I arrived at college (Though I haven't gone back to read them, some of my first blog posts were out of the struggles that ensued during that wonderful *cough*NOT*cough* time. I may post more on that one day).

Anywho...

Yeah. She says it will be much more easy to work with toning down than to work to bring it out :) I believe her. She raised four of us.

Even with all that said, Zoë is such a sweet, sweet baby. She does fuss, but usually only as a communication tool. She loves her mommy and daddy. She cuddles all the time. She loves to laugh, though I struggle to capture it on camera because as soon as she sees that little black magic box, she stares at it. Doesn't matter what she was doing. That interesting looking object has got every. last. bit. of. her. attention. She will scream at you if you do something she doesn't like or did not agree with. She is also learning object permanence (I think I mentioned this in one of my last posts) and so we're having to work with her on handing back objects that she can't have at that moment (i.e. no toys during dinner). For the most part asking her to give it to me and thanking her when she does so works. Yet, every now and then she pitches a fit over and we have to work with that.

Well... I guess I should post 6 month stats considering that's pretty much what the last paragraph was becoming :)

By 6 Months you were...

• in a size 3 diaper, though it looks huge on you because you are at the bottom of the weight range for them and you're more on the long side than the round side
• At the doctor today you weighed 16 lbs 12 oz and you measured 26 1/4 in. Your height has come down to the 75th percentile and your weight has stayed at the 75th.
• eating 2 solid meals/day. You have tried avacado, green beans, carrots, butternut squash, rice cereal, and baby oatmeal. You LOVE avacado and butternut squash. You are ok with carrots and green beans. You tolerate rice cereal and I'm not sure about the oatmeal because we've only given it to you mixed with your fruit or vegetable. You had some tummy issues with the oatmeal at first. After waiting about a week to try again, once you had finished some heavy duty teething, you did just fine. You just can't have much.nYou're eating 1 ice cube size portion per solid feeding plus the rice cereal or oatmeal (about 1 1/2 Tbsp total).
• Your feeding schedule is actually being changed around currently. You were on an every 3 hours with a solid feeding after your first feeding and between your last 2 awake feedings, but have started getting closer to 4 hours stretches. You still have a 10 pm dream feed, but you're starting to either nurse very little or completely refuse, so my guess is that will be gone in the next few weeks.
• Rolling from tummy to back and back to tummy. However, you only do each one one way. It's over your left shoulder, so your left arm is always under you when you roll either way.
• You make your way around the room by spinning circles on your tummy. You do like to let me know how frustrated you get because you can't crawl yet. It's really cute to watch you reach for an object you want, stretching and grunting as much as possibly, willing the force to be with you (that's what your daddy says, anyway). Unfortunately, it doesn't work and you tend to fuss over that.
• You are still a chronic 45 minute napper. I'm hoping, as we really establish a good routine with solids and stretch you to a four hour schedule, this will change. I'm actually letting you talk to yourself in your crib right now because you refused to nap this morning and didn't go down for this one until 12:30, which means you were awake for 5.5 hours, and are now awake at 1:15. *sigh*
• You were able to sit all by yourself for the first time this past Tuesday. Normally, you work really hard just to stay up by supporting yourself with your hands. Not really sure what changed, but all the sudden you were waving your hands around (the cute way you always do) and keeping your torso upright. Made mommy proud :)
• You pull your knees up under you quite a bit. Unfortunately, you're not quite sure what to do and many times find yourself scooting backwards. Not at all what you were aiming for, which tends to lead to some fussing on your part and attempts to encourage you on mine.
• You are wearing 6 month, 6-9 month, and a few 9 month clothes. Unfortunately, the 6-9 month onesies we have are only slightly bigger than 3-6 month carter's brand so you will be wearing clothes that it too big for a while :)
• Just in the past week you have started laughing with no exterior explanation. It is the cutest thing and so sweet to my ears. I love to hear you giggle!
• When you really, really like someone, you give them sweet eyes and a shy smile. This means that you squint your eyes and get this little gleam in them (sweet eyes) and will smile but immediately bury your head into the chest of whoever is holding you.
• Your eyes talk for you a lot. It is the most capturing thing I have seen. That someone so small can communicate so verbally with their eyes amazes me.
• You smile on your own initiative. You love to do this to mommy and daddy, especially if one of us is holding you. If I'm holding you, you search for daddy, and vice versa, and then smile. SO. STINKIN'. CUTE!!
• You reach for objects and have become a master at grabbing them.
• You have cut your two bottom teeth but they haven't moved up enough to see them when you smile, yet. You are also working on your top, left, front tooth.

I think that's about it. At least I think it is and don't know if I left something out (and yes I know I say this every month, but it's the honest truth.).

Sweet Zoë,

I can't imagine life without you. There are many wonderful days as well as many trying days. Your personality is coming out more every single day and I'm loving discovering who God made you to be. I still can't believe you're 6 months old! You've graced us with your presence for an entire half of a year.

Your sweet laugh, precious smile, and bubbliness melt my heart. You truly are pure sweetness :)

I love you baby girl!
Mommy

P.S. Today was quite a long day (as in, a lot of activities) so pictures will have to wait. I will post them eventually though.