Hannah's Half Birthday

March 14 was her 6 month mark. Just so hard to believe that she is already half way to a year. I sit and watch her change every day and still I feel like I haven't seen enough!

Her facial features have started changing dramatically in the last couple weeks and her jaw line is preparing for the ever anticipated TEETHING episodes to begin. She is sitting in her stroller and her high chair with no assistance and loves to hang in her Pack and Play with her musical bird. She grabs at things with high concentration and has wonderful finger dexterity.

We took her to the Columbus Home and Garden show and she was a champ for the whole 7 hours we were there! From there we went to a dinner at Dave's boss' house and still not a complaint. She is getting better at church and we even took our first trip to the library together. She really enjoyed that because they had puzzles and a huge Cat in the Hat doll that she just loved.

We went to look at some daycare operations and were scared right out of a Goddard school, which disappointed me as I know their reputation. They are, however, a franchise and this particular location smelled like a vet office, was unorganized and the staff looked and dressed unkempt. So so disappointing. Hannah smiled and reached out her hand and touched two of the other little girls and they didn't even respond....no smile, no expressions, just blank stares. So the Kindercare we went to was wonderful. Smelled clean, great staff, all the kids pretty happy, rooms clean and organized (except for the mayhem that was lunch when we got there!). That gives me some hope and perhaps now I can find a job!!! lol

We added broccoli, blueberries and plums to the food list with great success. We also tried to do some formula. She took one bottle and would have nothing to do with the second one. Hopefully we will be adding in some juice soon. All in due time. She is very social and interactive even with people she doesn't know. Our friends Becky, Scott and son Samuel stopped in last weekend and she really enjoyed the interaction with Samuel, who is 10 I believe. That Sunday we had other friends who had a three year old and a teen ager come visit and she watched carefully at all what was going on.

We are into the 6-9 month box of clothes now and are continuing to be grateful to Kathy Sutton for all the clothes she saved for us! We have been taking walks out to the pond every day, watching the dogs run (which is great entertainment) and doing plenty of dancing with our Playschool sing along CD. We even spent a little time on the blanket in the not quite dry yard yesterday.

Our 6 month check up put her at 16.4 lbs and 25 1/2 inches long. Moving along nicely! Now Mom needs to save up for some cool stuff like puzzles for our house and some board books, since all our are a little more advanced!

Five Month Foodie!

So we are tooling along through the ever so white month of February and I find myself curious if the bland whiteness will dull Hannah's love of color! Not really, but I'm tired of the white and can't wait to start showing her all the great stuff outside...other than snow:)

We had a landmark day a week and a half ago and she not only managed to get A foot in her little mouth, but BOTH feet at once! She is just chattering away to the baby in the crib mirror when she wakes from her naps, tries to lick everything and concentrates with great seriousness when she is trying to grab for something and make all little fingers work in the same direction.

Hannah is pulling at objects now to pull them either closer to her or out of someone's hand, or even off a toy bar. She is very strong. She loves to stand and is sitting very well on her own, though the weeble still wobbles and will fall down if you aren't paying attention!

So our culinary repetoire is extended to pears, apples, banana, whole grain cereal, carrots, parsnips, bok choy, turnips, sweet potatoes and peas. By the end of this week we will be adding some rutabaga in there and mango. She is a really good eater, eating about 4 ounces or better at a sitting and eats real food twice a day. Her gums are swelling up and her chews on all her fingers.

She's watching Daddy raptly and finds him much more entertaining than Mommy at the moment. He is a proud father as she held her first drumstick this weekend! (I need to find a decent job so I can purchase a piano or good keyborad for those long fingers:)) Hannah is not a consistent giggler at this point. She seems so serious. Pleasant but serious. the same thing will not make her giggle twice in a row. She smiles and has a peaceful look on her face more than big smiles and giggling all the time. I hope she gets a little happier as time wears on (of course I'll be happy with her just the way she is, too!!) .

Other than that, she is doing great and our 6 month check up is in two weeks!