6 months!

This is the face I'm admiring today:

Leaves me breathless.  Today we are halfway through that marathon 1st year when practically EVERYTHING happens.  I cannot believe how fast this is going!

Those cheeks are just irresistible! 

We have a full-fledged giggler on our hands.  Such a happy girl, it's so easy to make her laugh and get her to respond to us.  She's starting to mimic sounds and even "growls" at daddy.  She recognizes us and visibly responds when we walk in the room...squirming and chittering and giving wide grins when she sees us. 

She's a little jumperoo now too.  If she's on your knee better get ready to hold her FOREVER while she bronco rides back and forth :D  Had to get a jonny jumper to save our tired arms and legs!  She bounce, bounce, bounces like Tigger now!  Ken calls her his little cowgirl and credits lots of country music in the house lately for influencing her.

She can FINALLY roll over from her tummy to her back and her back to her tummy.  Stubborn lil critter!  She just wouldn't put her arms down!  But she figured it out and now tummy time is more fun for her and us. 

She recognizes the kitties now too which is hilarious.  If you didn't see the video of her squealing at Phoebe, I'll send it to you...poor Pheebs...as Ken's aunt commented, kitty doesn't know that squeal is going to follow her soon once she gets moving!  Zoey is still staying far away but Phoebe just can't help herself.  I see scratches in everyone's future. 

I need to give mad props to this punkin.  She is a great traveler!  We flew to Boise alone, went on a girls overnight trip to Wenatchee, Blossom Retreat, the Tri-Cities...for living at the end of the world, she's seemed to figure out we have to be OK in our car seat for hours at a time.  She keeps it together pretty well...but there's no place like home. It's adorable to see how well she sleeps once she's back in her own bed in her own room.  She even snores a little.  *squeal!*

So we've started trying solid foods...the rice cereal we tried first was NO BUENO.  That face.  Oh gosh, it was like I was poisoning her!  Oatmeal cereal has gone over much better.  Sweet potato has been OK too.  I'm already teasing Ken that peas are on the list and he cannot feed them to her with a clothespin on his nose...now who's the baby?

We've given up on breastfeeding due to her milk/soy allergy and while it's not my first choice, formula is infinitely easier.  oh well....she's a happier camper with her tummy not hurting, of course!

With the holidays coming, I look forward to seeing everything through her eyes this year.  I can't believe I'm so lucky.  How did we get here?  A beautiful baby getting bigger by the day, blessing our lives and making us so happy.  Next, crawling, walking, talking?  EEEEEEEEEEEEE!