Happy HALF-BIRTHDAY, little girl!! We cannot believe that you are SIX months old today... this has just flown by! You fill our days with so much blessing, it is no wonder we seemed to have blinked and you are a little lady... who loves to babble, scream, sing and of course, you still love to kick those legs and dance. It has been so fun to watch you learn this month... it is like you are really starting to see and wanting to know everything about the world around you. You are always bright-eyed, always grabbing for new toys (especially Momma and Daddy's Iphones, watches, remotes, etc...)... you are more fun than you were last month... and honestly, don't know if we can handle you becoming any cuter, any more fun or funny... it is just too much!You were close when I asked you how many months you were today... holding up a high-five, well that is just impressive for any six month old, I am sure.
Poor Penny, you love her, you really do... I think you are just jealous that she holds your sign every month because picture time always turns into "Queen of the Chair"... and you always win.
Victory! All while showing off those luscious little thighs...
Hi, my name is Eleanor... could I BE any cuter?
So, even though you have been "teething" for the past 2 months we have yet to see any teeth... what a crock. I venture to say that the doctor may have been a tad wrong, seeing as there are no teeth in sight. The symptoms... they have subsided (at least the getting up crying in the night symptom - which let's be honest, was the one that effected us all the most!)... so fingers still in your mouth, slobber everywhere... it is just your vogue.
It is rare that we get pictures of you with a bow on your head anymore... it is a constant battle to keep any flair on your head!
Early this month, you finally got to meet your Aunt Brittany (you can't wait to meet the rest of your little auntie's... ahem!)... and well, you definitely inaugurated her well - you have now officially pooped on Momma, PopPop and now, Aunt Brittany. It was awesome, and you knew it.
You have MASTERED the art of sitting up!! No more Momma or Daddy holding you the entire time, and no more need for the bumbo... you do it all yourself! Sure, there are the occasional crashes, but life has changed for you little girl and laying down is SO last month....
We had a few FREEZING days (with a little snow) so we spent a good week indoors... Momma can never get enough of squeezing you, little punkin bottom.
Again, we tried Rice Cereal, and failed... you do, however, LOVE bananas. You have only tried them twice but they make you smile bigger than I have ever seen you smile before in your life.
Your schedule is great - we really have a concrete routine that you are loving... you are up at 7:45am to eat, we play together until about 9:15am then you head down for a nap, wake up at about 11:00am to eat, we play, read, sing, scream, sit-up, go on a walk, have a play date until about 1:15pm then you head down for a nap, wake up around 2:15pm to eat, and repeat activities, until about 4:30pm then you head down for a nap, wake up at 5:15pm to eat, bath, repeat activities, eat again about 6:45-7pm, and then it is bed time at 7:30pm... I could probably let it go, but I still dream feed you at 10:15pm because I just love the snuggle time afterwards when you sleep and actually let me hold you (I CHERISH THIS).
You make the funniest faces... I can never seem to snap the camera fast enough to get them, but I really try... your favorite is the "monkey" face where you stick out your jaw, open your mouth and purse your lips.... you also make a "gopher" face where you suck on your bottom lip so hard it makes your top one pucker out... and my favorite is your teeth-clinching smile like you are squeezing something so tight (all to tell us how very happy you are - I HAVE to get a picture of this).
You spend every Tuesday with your DotDot and every Wednesday with your PaPaw.... outside of your daddy and me, they are definitely your two favorite people (sorry to all the other grandparents, your time will come!).... it is such a blessing that your grandparents come to our house these days to be with you so that Momma and Daddy can work... you are SO blessed.
You aren't crawling yet (woohoo!) but you are close... you love that tummy and go back and forth from your back.... you have started bending your knee and sticking your little bottom in the air, but no movement yet... and I am fine with that. Other than the fact that our house is not child-proof yet, I dread the day when you are too cool for Momma's arms or lap.
We busted out your Sassy seat - but little missy (like only 20% for weight, little) is still too small! You were not liking it, yet.
You have definitely started to know who is around you... and you definitely know who / what you want when you want it... for example, in the mornings if daddy is reading sometimes you sit on the bumbo near him and you are happy as a clam... but if momma walks by, says hi but keeps working on something and moves on... a very unhappy little girl starts to peak her head, along with some whining until momma comes back to pay you some attention (vice-versa with daddy too)... or if we are leaving the house, we basically have to sneak out when you are looking at your grandparents or the one of us staying with you so that you don't get upset... sweet little girl just loves her parents....
Your new favorite thing: TAGS. Be it on your toys, clothes, blankies or pillows... if it has a tag, you are a fan.
You have known your name for a little over a month now, but the response we get when we call you by name is just the best... your smile would melt the hardest of hearts, little one.
You have pretty much lost the majority of your black hair (there is still a little patch hanging in there in the back) but you immediately started sprouting up some new blondish brown hairs... and they are awesome.
Especially when they kick up this kind of curl....
You love to kiss.... and apparently, you also love to nurse your daddy's chin... you did this for about 3 minutes one night... bahaha!
Something is always in your mouth... your hands, your feet or a toy... but not really pacis. Unless you are REALLY tired and in your crib, you do not like your paci anymore... sometimes you make yourself gag when we try and give it to you.... ridiculous.
While I know you like books, it is hard to read with you right now because you kick and squeal and reach for every page... I know it is because you are excited, but it makes for a difficult read so you often sit with your soft books on your own and read....
You love to mimic Momma and Daddy... whether it be a facial expression, or DEFINITELY a noise, if we make it... you try to copy it. Because of this, we often end up in really loud squeally sound matches. You laugh SO hard if we repeat the phrase ba-ba-ba or ma-ma-ma... I wonder what those words mean to you?
Basically, hands down this has been the best 1/2 year of our lives, to date. In some respects, it blows our minds that so much time with you has already past.... but more than anything, it brings us so much JOY as we look forward to the future with you. As we continue to watch you grow, we are reminded to continue praying that the Lord would mold you into a woman of compassion and honor that hides behind the shadow of the cross, as we have believed for you since before you came to the earth, sweet one. We are constantly in prayer seeking wisdom as we have been given the responsibility for molding your precious heart and soul.... we pray that our example and teaching leads you to our sweet Savior early in life so that His work can be done in you. You are a fireball, little girl.... and the Lord is going to use you in BIG ways... know that Momma and Daddy are trying our best, knowing that at the end of the day what matters most is that we teach you the values of this precious life in light of the salvation of Jesus Christ.I could hold you forever precious punkin... I pray you let me for a long, long time. Don't grow up too fast, Eleanor. Deal?
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