6 months

I've been neglecting this lately.....with good reason.  I am going to try to keep up to date on my Madison posts, but nothing more.

My dear sweet girl,
Today you are 6 months old!  It doesn't seem like you've only been here 6 months.  I can't remember not having you.  When I didn't look forward to coming home to your beautiful smile every day.  When I didn't wake up in the middle of the night to your voice. When I didn't feel your soft warm skin against mine.  What did I live for in those days?

You are 14 lbs, and are around the 25th percentile for weight, length, and head circumference.  I ADORE that you are tiny.  it makes everything about you seem that much cuter :) However, you are in size 3 diapers.  I'm not sure how you are so tiny, yet move through diaper size faster than other babies!  I think you store all your weight in your thighs like your momma hahaha
You are wearing 3-6 or 6 month clothes. I tried to put you in a 3month onesie the other day and your shoulders were about to pop out haha.

We have loved dressing you up for the holidays, and you are too cute for words in your holiday gear :) We also love dressing you up for football games!  You wear USC and Michigan gear. Your grammie just got you a Steelers onesie, so now you can dress up for the NFL too :)

Your smile is so contagious.  For us, it is normal that you smile all the time :) If you are not smiling, it is usually because you are carefully observing something.  Orrrrr fussing.  You are doing more of that lately, and I can't tell if its because of your teeth, or just because you know what you want now, and you can't always do it.
Other people are surprised how much you smile, and ask "is she always this happy?".  Yes, you are!  You smile at everyone in the store who gives you a compliment or talks to you.  It's hard not to compliment you.  You are so gorgeous.  I've never seen such a gorgeous baby.  I know every mom thinks her baby is the cutest, but honestly.....its insane how beautiful you are.

You used to sleep in your rock'n'play sleeper every night, but I think you are getting too big for it.  For one thing, you are sitting up in it now so we have to belt you in.  But also, you like to sleep on your side and you can't really do that in your sleeper.  So I've put your pack'n'play by my side of the bed, and now you sleep in that most of the time.  Sometimes I will keep you in bed with me after one of your night feedings :)  You are so tiny and warm, and I love feeling you against me.

Things you are doing now.....sitting up! You were doing this for a few seconds, then on Christmas Eve you sat up for 2 whole minutes!  it's only gotten better from there. You love to sit up and play with your toys on your quilt that Granddaddy had made for you.  We do still have the boppy pillow behind you, in case you fall.  You are getting really good at catching yourself though. You are reaching for things that you want, all.the.time.  It is difficult to eat with you on our laps now, because you want to grab everything.  But mostly its awesome, because we know what you want now!  Dr. C said that you don't often see 6 month olds who are as focused as you are.
 You are also rolling from back to belly, and belly to back.  One time I thought you needed help getting on your tummy, so I helped you, and you promptly rolled back onto your back, then onto your side again.  You just like being on your side haha!

We split up your shots because 5 vaccines in one day is just too much, in my opinion.  I thought Dr. C was going to tell me that we should do it in one day, but he didn't.  He just said "okay" and we decided which shots you got today, and which you will get in 2 weeks.  I already think it was a great decision.  Usually you are super cranky bc you don't feel well for 2 days after shots.  Tonight you have been fine!  No fever or anything!  yay!!

We also got the green light for solid foods!!  We have given you rice and oatmeal cereal, but you do NOT like it.  You take one taste, and then refuse to open your mouth haha :)  So it's a good thing you won't be spoon fed.  We are going to do baby led weaning, which is where you are allowed to feed yourself bits of real food!  No mushed up purees for you, my friend. It will teach you dexterity, teach you how to chew, and involve you in family meal time.  You will eat with us, what we eat.  So far you have had mashed potatoes and broccoli.  And some bread that you grabbed off my plate tonight at Olive Garden :)  I wasn't crazy about that though, because their bread is so salty.  You loved the mashed potatoes off my finger, and you were crazy about broccoli!  Go figure!! I gave you a long stalk and you stuck it in your mouth and went to town, gnawing on it.  You swallowed some too, because I saw it a couple days later ;)

I'm really excited about BLW because it just makes sense to me.  Why would I try to force feed you spoonfuls of mashed food, when your gums are perfectly capable of eating real food (as long as it is cooked right)?  I never even knew that was an option, honestly.

I have learned so much from the ladies on my message board.  It is because of them that I had you naturally, that I stuck with breastfeeding, and now that I am making this decision.  You are so independent already, I really think we will ALL be happier this way!! I will be sure to update as you start to eat more and more :)

Well believe it or not, I think I am out of things to say!! I could go on and on about how much we love you, but that would probably just embarrass you a lot :)

Your daddy and I love you more than words could ever express.  What I feel when I hold you is second to nothing in this world.  Oh, and when you reach for me?  Nothing in this world could make me feel more special.

I love you to the moon and back,
Mommy