SEVEN MONTHS old and growing like a weed

Amelia was seven months old on Wednesday.  She's getting such a personality and we love her more and more everyday.  She's becoming a pro at eating solids and there isn't anything she hasn't liked yet!  We just recently moved up to 2nd foods, which are really just bigger jars with more of a variety of choices.  She 'drinks' water from a sippy cup and a straw (us holding the straw in her mouth and letting the water drip out).  She's trying so dang hard to crawl and is able to get up on all fours, but isn't sure what to do next.  She is able to sit basically unassisted, with a few webble wobbles every once in a while.  She is sleeping through the night.  Bedtime is at 7:30 and she generally sleeps until 5:30 or 6:00 gets up to have a quick bottle and goes back to sleep until 7 or 7:30.  No mama or dada's yet, just lots of babbles, screams and squeals.  Oh wait I have take that back, when she's crying she whines and it sounds like a pathetic mooooooom  maaaaa.  So that's the only time I get to hear mama!  She still has little to no hair, and no teeth.  I'm ready for her to stop growing up now!  Can anyone help me with this??

I'm seven month old today!

Adventures in Bath Time

Now that Amelia is getting older and bigger bath time has become an adventure every night!  Since she was born we've had the same bath time routine and it has always worked wonderfully, until lately.  Here's what we have always done.  We put her whale tub on the kitchen counter beside the sink, we bath her in the whale tub and then rise her off with the sprayer from the kitchen sink.  Yes this is a two person job and it is pretty comedic to watch, but it works, well used to work.  Amelia loves splashing and playing in her whale tub and usually ends up getting water ALL over the place.  But now that she's a big girl and can sit up, roll and is attempting to crawl, her whale tub just isn't doing it for her anymore. 

She would rather hang over the side and play with the water she's splashed on the counter top.

Me?  I'm not doing anything. What are you talking about Mom?

Or roll over and attempt to climb out.

Don't worry Daddy has a hold of her feet!

Or grab a hold of the sprayer in the sink.

As you can tell she is still loving bath time, it's just MUCH harder on Mommy and Daddy.  So needless to say, our currently bath time routine is changing, soon and very soon!  We need to make a quick trip to the store to pick up a few things to make this switch, but it will happen soon.  Much to Amelia's dismay I'm sure!

Father's Day

Sunday was Nathan's first Father's Day!  I love watching him and Amelia interact, it's such a sight to see.  He adores her and it just melts my heart to watch them together.  I am blessed to have him not only as my husband but as Amelia's daddy.  I can't imagine my life without him, he truly is my best friend!  We celebrated by taking our Dad's out to lunch and then ending the day with dinner at my Mom and Jim's house.

His first picture with our new baby girl!  (I think his face is redder than mine!)

They even sleep alike!

He's such a good daddy.

"A father is someone that holds your hand at the fair.

Makes sure you do what your mother says.

Brushes your hair when it is tangled because mother is too busy.

Lets you eat ice cream for breakfast, but only when mother is away!

He walks you down the aisleand tells you everything is gonna be OK."

 ~ Unknown 

I love you Nathan!  Happy first Father's Day!

You Know It's Summer When...

You know it's summer when you get to take you shoes and socks of and walk around in the grass!  This is exactly what Nathan did last night while him and Amelia were outside.  So I took off Amelia's socks too and we put her down in the grass.  She didn't know what to think! 

What is this stuff Dad?

She's trying to figure it out.

Maybe I don't like it?

Oh hey Mom!

Give me that camera!

Yup that's bird poop!  Time to go inside baby girl, but Mommy still loves you!

Six to Nine Months and Thumb Sucker

Two things happened this past weekend.  1) Amelia is now in six to nine month clothes and 2) we have an official thumb sucker!

I noticed last week that her sleepers were getting a little tight and short.  So Friday night after bath time I broke out a six to nine month sleeper and held it up to Nathan and said,"look at this thing, it's HUGE!  No way it's fitting my baby!?!!?" 

Doesn't it look BIG?

And guess what?  This HUGE sleeper fit my baby girl perfectly. Again another example that she is growing up way too fast and right before our eyes.

Does this mean my baby girl isn't such a baby anymore? Sigh.  SO, we are officially in six to nine month clothes.  Time to pack up another set of clothes that she's out grown and add it to my growing collection.
Now on to the thumb sucking.  Amelia has always in general been a finger, hand, thumb sucker, ALWAYS.  She would never take a pacifier, always preferred her hand, fingers or thumb.  But the past weekend, I guess she figured out how to curl her little fingers up and stick her thumb directly into her mouth.  Nathan and I both noticed her doing this SEVERAL times and by the end of the weekend she had mastered it.  We're not too happy about the idea of having a thumb sucker so we've been trying to just take it out when we see her sucking on it.  But I do think she looks pretty darn cute doing it, and I'm not sure what we can do about it at night because she's learned to self sooth this way.  For instance, last night she slept for 11 hours and 15 minutes, from 7:30 pm to 6:45 am, without getting up to eat!! So we have a thumb sucker and we're going to do our best to pull it out every time we see it, but I have a feeling we might be fighting a losing battle.  The first of many I'm sure! 

Look who's sitting up VERY well, all by her self!!!

Amelia Goes Swimming

Amelia went swimming for the first time Friday with Granny Karla and Kate!  Granny got Amelia a little plastic pool and Papa Chuck put up an umbrella so she would be in  the shade.  Kate sent me pictures and my baby girl in the pool and she looked so stinking cute in that little swim suit.  I just love her fat little legs!  They said that she wasn't sure about it at first, but quickly warmed up to the idea on playing in the water outside (two of her favorite things)!  I'm sure she'll get plenty more pool time in this summer!  Here are some of the pictures that they took of her in the pool.  I know I'm bias but could she get any cuter?

Six Month Photo Shoot and Weekend Recap

Amelia had her six month photo shoot this past weekend!  Jen came to our house on Saturday and took some AMAZING pictures!  She is so talented and wonderful to come when it's convenient for Amelia!  Here are some of my favorites.  There are a tons to choose from and they all are wonderful!  Thanks Jen!!!

This past week with Amelia first week to stay with Granny Karla on Fridays.  Every time I checked on her she was smiling and having a good time or sleeping in the chair with Kate!!  Granny and Kate took turns with Amelia and from the sounds of it they spent a lot of time outside (my girl loves being outside)! 
During the summer Amelia will be staying with Grandma Lois on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with Mommy on Thursday and Granny Karla on Friday!  We're so blessed to have family that are willing and able to watch her until she gets a little bit older (or until Mommy is OK with her going to a babysitter).
Saturday morning before her pictures we introduced Amelia to pears and boy did she love them!  I wanted to make sure she was eating veggies really well before introducing fruits because I've heard that after they start fruit that's all they want! She has now had sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, green beans, pears, apples and bananas.  She doesn't seem to like bananas all that much, but we'll keep trying.  Saturday after the photo shoot we went to the cemetery because it was also memorial day weekend.  After visiting the cemetery we made a quick trip the hospital to visit Ms. Annabel Eddings.  She is just beautiful.  Holding her was so surreal, she was only an ounce bigger and an inch longer than Amelia when she was born, but she seemed so TINY!  Also as of Saturday Amelia is officially a bottle baby. :(  After much stress and deliberation I bit the bullet and completely weaned her.  We have been working on this for awhile, and she has absolutely no problems taking a bottle, it was just Mom being ready to let go.  I'm happy to report that she's doing just fine, and Mommy is coping!! 
We finished the weekend out with church and some household chores and dinner at Mom's house.
Monday was a holiday and we were closed at work, so we took advantage of the extra day off and did some shopping in Branson for Amelia some 6-9 month clothes!  She's about to move up a size and was seriously lacking clothes in that size range. 
Amelia's newest development is that she's about to master sitting up on her own.  She's doing so well, but still a little wobbly!  Crawling will be soon!!  YIKES!
Hope everyone has a great week, what's rest of it that is, and a wonderful weekend.