She's 6 months old!

Sorry I took some time off. It was mainly because I couldn't bare to look at a blog that had no "breath of fresh air" type feel when I logged on. I was in the middle of a "renovation" of sorts so here it is... something I feel happy looking at when I post things about our life ( I know there is supposed to be a creative picture in that blank box.. but that would take more time.. so I'm going to wait on that).

Here we are. Still in Providence, Josh is still at work. I am still at home soaking up time with this little angel before my "real life" kicks in. I used to think that I would never want the life of a stay at home mom, but after having little AJ I couldn't be happier leading this life. This kid has changed me, and us, in so many ways. I think its just the whole taking care of some little being that can't take care of herself yet. I was writing some poetry yesterday and suddenly fell into this pattern of writing about a parent/baby relationship. Seeing my relationship with God in a similar way. It was beautiful as I realized how helpless she is; how helpless we are.

Sometimes she'll wake up frightened and we go in and whisper hush, and she's fine again. She doesn't know what the dark is. She doesn't know how to stand up on her own.. or sit up without falling over. She needs us. I love that.

This morning she woke up at 4 am just making her little "ehh, ahh, ehh" grunting sounds. Translation? "Hello" "dad" "ma" "hello" "I'm awake now". We hear her, and agree that the most rational decision would be to just let her grunt for 10 more minutes and maybe she'll fall asleep again.

We woke up at 7 o'clock and all we hear is silence. We peek our heads in her room. Instead of seeing a neatly tucked sound asleep baby. We see a sound asleep baby who has shimmied out of her cocoon and found a spot at the head of the bed, flush against the top. The thinnest blanket over her shoulders, one foot out of her footie pjs and the other entire leg out! sleeping. soundly. freezing cold leg and feet and hands. who knows how long she was like that.

In other news, she's officially 6 months already! I can't believe it. I know every parent says that so I won't yabber on about that, but I was surprised. So we celebrated 2 days later by giving her oatmeal and bananas for breakfast. We couldn't get it in her mouth fast enough. Honestly I think the hardest part about this is that we can't be as lazy as we once were about feeding her. I mean come on, once you get over the 6 week mark of nursing, it is the easiest thing--and might I add very enjoyable--thing to do for your babe! I told my mom when she asked me how I felt about formula vs. nursing, that i prefer to be lazy mainly. And the fact that it benefits her the most is just incredible!

Now I'm still going to continue with the nursing until she's 1 1/2, but I do like seeing her eyes widen with every bite of real food. She's a beast, and I never want to deprive her of that!

Newest Milestones:

1. thinking MAMA is my breast

2. saying BAA BAAA BAA to her daddy. She's trying!

3. Sitting up. She can actually catch herself sometimes when she is about to fall

4. Eating sand for the first time

5. Rolling over and over and over and over

We were at church the other day and went to the front seat so she could watch the band. Put her on the floor on her BACK and the next time we looked down she was almost near the stage on her belly. She must have rolled belly/back/belly/back/belly/back before we noticed!

6. chewing on everything

7. still puking, but not as much

8. Going on the swing

9. Going in a baby pool in the nude