I've Kept My Baby Alive for Half of a Year!

When I first had Harper it seemed like time passed sooooo slowly.  The first two months felt like ages.  Now it is flying!  I swear she just barely turned four months, but she's already over six!  Now that she is six months old, her little personality is definitely showing itself more and more, which we love.  At the same time, though, she has a lot more opinions, which is not quite so fun.  

- She still LOVES to scream and squeal and make all kinds of noises.  It's adorable, unless we are in public (church) or just want some peace and quiet.  

- She still looooves her mommy and is starting to notice daddy a bit more too.  

- She sometimes cries when someone else is holding her, though not always and not usually immediately.  

- She still doesn't stay awake worth a darn (she's been at about 1.5 hrs at a time since about 1 month old!) but it the last week or two I've noticed that juuuuuust beginning to lengthen....maybe.  

- Her days of sleeping through the night from 8:30ish til 7:30ish are long gone.  Now she still goes to bed at around 8:30, but will wake up one or two times to nurse before waking up for good anytime between 6:30 and 7:30.

- She has started eating solid foods and makes some great faces.  These are the things she loves the most, so far: blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, oranges, watermelon, grapes, chicken, asparagus, broccoli.

- What does she hate the most?  Raspberries.  Go figure.  Although, she doesn't seem to like most non-fruit items yet.

- She learned how to sit up!  I didn't really even try it until she was 5.5 months or so, and then she went from only being able to sit up for a couple seconds at a time to virtually never falling in only 5 sessions or so!  It was so nice that she learned it so easily.  I guess she was ready!

- She has rolled from tummy to back a few more times, but it's still rare and I don't think she'll ever be a roller.  In fact, I think she'll skip crawling too and go straight to walking.

- She still doesn't sleep well without being swaddled (but goes down like a dream when swaddled).  Not sure what to do about that one.

- Other random stuff: moves her head back and forth over and over when she is laying down and tired, bounces on laps / gallops in arms when she gets particularly excited, aaaaaall the crazy noises and expressions, loves to grab faces, will giggle and smile at anything (sometimes if someone else is holding her and I'm talking to someone and I look over at her I'll find that she's been giggling at me), looooves the bath and gets super excited whenever she knows she's about to take one, loooooves books (she even laughed at one the other day), still hates tummy time & the car seat, gets super calm and serious whenever I take her outside, rubs her feet against each other all day, grabs at everything, laughs ALL the time now.

- Stats from her 4 month checkup (but she was almost 5 months old): weight -14 lbs (38% - down from last time), height - 25.5" (75% - up from last time), head - 16.5" (63% - down from last time).  What's interesting is that to me (and apparently other people based on their comments) she looks chubby and short.  However, apparently she's the opposite?  Maybe her round chubby face fools everyone?  I don't know though, because she has some pretty awesome thunder thighs as well!

We gave her a puppy for Valentine's day.  Her shirt says, "Daddy's Sweetheart."  Same day she had her 4 month checkup.

Because baby feet are cute:

Slept almost the whole time I was at the store then wouldn't stop smiling at me when she woke up.

So tuckered.  Fell asleep while nursing and stayed asleep while I got off the couch.

First time I tried having her sit up on her own.  She took a break on my knee instead.

Watching Mommy make breakfast.

Being silly on my lap.

Watching Daddy come home.

First movie in a theater.  Saw a matinee of Frozen and it was great.  Only moms with kids, so I didn't stress if she made a noise and she was really good.

Sucking on finger and binkie at the same time while I get the stroller out: http://youtu.be/YBLvKcAZFGI

Laughing: http://youtu.be/P1MjnalSeeU

She does this thing where she just has to keep checking to see if I'm still there: http://youtu.be/uD3GUgkVpPw

Tried to turn her the other way so she would play with her toys instead of staring at me while I made breakfast.  She found me.

"Now wait just one minute..."

Tuckered after visiting a friend and her new baby.

Oh, THAT'S why you were crying.

Not used to the sun.

She found me again.

Obsessed with the lotion.  Tried to get it whenever I change her diaper.

She wakes up squealing: http://youtu.be/bdVM4bHY1SQ

Saying good morning the morning after her first night in the crib: http://youtu.be/UkLxiN7qOuA

Glamor shots:

Playing with toys in the highchair: http://youtu.be/T8MLM7EZD10

Adoooorable video.  Just cute: http://youtu.be/Jf4DG3cnzHQ

Playing the peek at mommy and smile game: http://youtu.be/Q-0WL0U68B4

Wrestling with a tiny toy.  So funny: http://youtu.be/LX9g1-msW7s

I just wanted everyone to be impressed with my ingenuity.  I rigged this stroller cover so Harper could sleep at the park using my nursing cover and a bunch of toys.

Looking at Mommy even though Daddy is holding her and kissing her.

Just sat there perfectly still like the toy on her face paralyzed her.

Only time she snuggles with me.

Cute baby, annoying mommy voice: http://youtu.be/nxaWI4jEVb0

Big enough for the back carry!

Had to document this adorable coat that is 3-6 mo but is huge and probably won't fit her til next winter, but maybe never at the right time.  Plus, last time wearing the adorable kitty sweater that is now too small.

Went on a family hike.

Soooo sleepy: http://youtu.be/ikAzXLQinG4

Found this cool old church building while we were on a walk.  Some of the trees were planted by Brigham Young.  Check out the awesome Nativity spot: http://youtu.be/JvD29plM6Ts

More glamor shots:

What I see each time after I nurse, pre-unswaddling:

Post un-swaddling:

Playing games and laughing during tummy time (very cute): http://youtu.be/1GKXu65yeRc

Being funny with toys: http://youtu.be/-vug0A0XYO4

We got locked out.  Luckily we had food, water, this jumper, a bassinet and a pack n play in the garage, plus clothes and blankets in the laundry room.  We were set!

Playing in the jumper for the first time, while locked out: http://youtu.be/ZHvBd7FgNGw

Playing in the jumper makes her look sooo short: http://youtu.be/X44HrHAoV4w

On our daily walk.

Content baby playing with a medicine dispenser on our walk: http://youtu.be/b5N1_lcgz8k

My mom and grandma came for a quick visit.  All the other pictures we took are on my mom's phone!

Chillin in the sill: http://youtu.be/99GmKvB5sng

First time in the big girl seat at the store.  Grocery shopping just got way easier!

Laughing and being adorable in the swing (very cute): http://youtu.be/VNFtkW8Gn0g

Sitting up!  This was taken the day she turned 6 months.

The video that goes with the pic above.  She was being super cute and making a hilarious face.  Oh, and my voice is annoying: http://youtu.be/BNGWWyYuGcw

Finally, some pictures and videos of her eating!  I swear, watching babies eat is like watching a car accident.  It's horrifying but fascinating at the same time.

Tomatoes: http://youtu.be/2SxlipvM5v4

Apples: http://youtu.be/GzOFHfWVUyk & http://youtu.be/H1FcUOx9QCY

Asparagus: http://youtu.be/lGoLFdZfhxA

Cooked broccoli (very fun to rip apart): http://youtu.be/zzTU_qVHMwI

Blueberries (obsession!): http://youtu.be/ymXF813n0cI

Avocado: http://youtu.be/PotZyBCROY4

Banana: http://youtu.be/866zUx3i2bA

Eggs?

Yogurt

Mum Mum cracker

Celery

Chicken (yuuuum!): http://youtu.be/_DTJUvJgatM

Strawberries (also yum): http://youtu.be/HmTELKxQRaU

More yogurt

More asparagus

Cooked broccoli.  There is one already in her mouth and she is trying her best to stuff in a second one.

Cooked broccoli (funny): http://youtu.be/vWTa53nhoUs

Post broccoli and berries = bathtime

Berries (funny): http://youtu.be/i1wx6Fg5G30

Toast

Oatmeal

Oatmeal (yuck!): http://youtu.be/nkIpBNXlNso

Post berries

And that's all folks!  I know, I take a lot of pictures and videos!