Half a year

We've had half a year with our sweet little Brenna. Today marks her half-birthday, 6 months old. Wow. Wasn't she just born? Wasn't she just a tiny little newborn? I still see her that way sometimes until the new baby on the block comes into Kindermusik the other day at a whopping 2 wks old. Then do I really realize how big she is getting.
She weighs 15lbs, 10oz and is 25.5 inches long. On Friday she had her well-check appt and everything is still maintaining her 5o percentile growth curve, just as Brooke did. Well....everything except her head. In that she ranks 75% among her peers. Better for thinking with, my dear.... She still has the tiniest little feet I've ever seen. Well, maybe not ever. Brooke had some pretty tiny feet as well for a looong time. Brenna is probably a size zero or maybe a double zero. In months, 0-6 mos shoes or socks are still too big for her tiny feet.

So, she is going strong on solids now. She's been through rice cereal, oatmeal, peas, carrots, sweet potatos, and green beans. She eats a LOT too - like a full jar of #2 baby food and a helping of some sort of cereal at every meal. And we just added a "lunch" time meal to her diet. Up until now (the first couple wks) we just did a dinnertime meal. Yikes. Before long, she'll be eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner like the rest of us!

The doctor said she is growing and developing well. I'm anxious for her to start sitting (so I can just set her down wherever) and for her to be able to start finger foods (so she can have something to do when she gets a little bored). However, he said normal range for sitting is 5-8 months. And we can start finger foods (think Cheerios or those Gerber Puff things) when she develops the "pincher grasp" (when she can pick them up by her index finger and thumb). So, we'll hold off on that for now. A sippy cup of water is all the 'entertainment' she'll get for now I suppose.

We talked more of her reflux and sleeplessness. She's on Prevacid now, which I think is helping. I think it would be worse if she wasn't on it, but it doesn't make her just all fine and dandy. She is still irritable some at nursings, throws her arm back, stretches out (her esophagus) and has some fierce screams of pain often. I feel so bad for her but we are trying to muddle through this as best as we can. The doctor swears it will get better as she is more upright and as she is on more solids and as she ages. So, we're waiting.... In the meantime, we are enjoying our sweet little girl. What makes me know she is such an angel is because she can be in a bout of pain and stop, look at you, and just smile or laugh her biggest laugh. What a sweetie!

Her likes - holding hands, her stuffed elephant, her big sister, the dog, massages, sleeping on her side, food, watching little kids, her playmat (still a lifesaver), bathtime, and silly faces. She also likes the crib toy we hung above her changing table. She loves to play with it while getting her diaper changed.

Her dislikes - getting shots, going to bed, laying down or in one place for too long

Wow...I really can't think of too many things she does NOT like. That's good, huh? She does have this silly 'mad face' we call it. Really, she's not 'mad' when she does it. She's just learned how to do this so she does it ALL the time to get our attention. It's so funny!!!

Anyway, I could go on and on. But she is such a sweet little baby and so pretty too. Those big blue eyes are so bright! Oh...and she smells so good! I don't ever remember Brooke smelling so good. I could just sit and rock her forever while smelling in her sweet smell.