Six Months. Half a Year. Libby is so big!

The second half of February was a frozen tundra outside for many days. We had the pleasure of a pipe burst, so there’s work being done at the house again meaning we have moved in with my parents yet again. We feel fortunate that they are so close and have room to take us in at a moment’s notice.

Meanwhile, Libby is just growing growing growing! The last four weeks have been a bit of a blur, especially since we’ve been house-bound much of it with the cold weather. Libby did, however, get out to attend two business meetings at Solar.

We are very into cause and affect right now – dropping things to watch them fall, checking to see what noise things make if we shake them, hitting things to hear the sound, etc. The new favorite is grabbing and pulling Mommy’s hair, which she has learned results in “Ouch! Let go, let go, let go!” and she thinks this is the funniest thing she’s ever seen. We are also much more into the exersaucer this month,

She is eating both rice cereal and oatmeal cereal now. She likes them both, but she seems to like the rice a little more. The girl likes to eat!

Next month we’re going to start in on the vegetables. I’m pretty sure she’ll eat whatever we put in front of her.

Oh my gosh though, we have to take a second to acknowledge solid food diapers… So thus far, she’s been exclusively breastfed, which is a super easily digestible liquid and the poopy diapers were not a big deal, they didn’t even really smell. Now they are decidedly more pungent and starting to look closer to normal poop. And now she is more curious about them. You guys, yesterday she tried to grab the tab of the dirty diaper & shake it to see if it rattled. Luckily I intercepted that move & prevented a poop confetti party, but I wasn’t quick enough for the next move, which was to stick her hand right in it. I did get the hand with a wipe before it got to the mouth, so that was also a win. The changing table is a whole new ball game.

She’s getting better at sitting up on her own and can do it for longer and longer at a time. She’s also more comfortable reaching for toys while sitting and keeping her balance enough to lean forward and then back without falling every single time.

Tummy time is getting better too – she’s still not rolling all the way over or truly crawling, but now she can turn herself 180 degrees while on her stomach.

She is still more mobile on her back, using her legs to lift up her butt and move little by little. She’ll also twist like she’s going to roll over on her stomach but then she doesn’t, and somehow that action will also help her move across the floor. We usually put her on a blanket, so to get nearby toys, sometimes she’ll just grab the blanket & pull it so the toy comes to her. We’ll see about this crawling. I’m not in any rush for her to get the hang of it! I’m tired just thinking about it.

For Valentine’s Day, Brian and I accomplished going out on our second official date since having Libby. Brian did well – he called my parents and arranged babysitting & made reservations at Mack & Kate’s on Franklin Rd, a new restaurant for us. It was delicious & great treat! I was a nervous mommy at first, until my mom texted to say that they successfully got Libby to sleep. Then I was able to relax a little more. Funny, because when we went out for our anniversary when she was eight weeks I wasn’t nervous at all! I think it’s because I know Libby’s more aware of my absence, whereas before it seemed she would just sleep in the arms of anybody with a pulse.

Speaking of sleeping, I’m having a rough time getting her to take her afternoon nap. Morning naps are going okay, as in I can get her nap most days, and nighttime is fine, she goes to bed pretty consistently at 8-9ish, but afternoon naps she just doesn’t do. It’s pretty frustrating because if I can’t get her to sleep at least 45 minutes or so, she is a cranky mess by 6pm and much harder to get down for the night (counter-intuitive I know, you’d think skipping the nap would make her pass out faster, but all it does is make her insane clingy). So we’re working on that. Mommy might have to do the cry it out thing or something to get her to nap in her crib in the afternoons because right now, it’s either a nurse-to-sleep-in-my-lap or drive-around-aimlessly situation, neither of which allow me to do things like eat lunch or pee.

I’m very very ready for some warm weather – I’m looking forward to stroller rides outside and picnics in the grass. Libby seems to be at a turning point where I feel stretched to keep her engaged a whole day, she just wants to touch and learn and see all the things. Being able to just go outside without first spending 20 minutes bundling up her & myself will be nice!

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