6 Months!

If you haven't noticed, my blog postings have become scarce! I'm even super late with a 6 month post for Julia - Bad Mommy!! :) It seems that as Julia continues to grow, the time just keeps going by more and more quickly and it's leaving me with less and less free time to do things.......... like update my blog!

In any event, the last few weeks have really been busy, as we have made a trip back home to Rochester, NY - Julia's first time on an airplane! She was an awesome little traveler and we had a great time on our 10 day visit..... more photos of that to come......... some day.... haha :)

Julia in the airport

Because we were in NY for Julia's actual 6 month "birthday," we had to schedule her 6-month well baby check-up for after our return - this was today.

She is doing really great! She has consistently stayed around the 50th percentile mark for the last 6 months (perfectly average!:) ) and this month is weighing in (at 6 months 11 days) 15 lbs 13 oz, and measuring 25.5 inches long. I actually thought she had grown more than that over the last two months, but I'm happy that our little princess is remaining a little peanut (with squishably chunky thighs..... those would be my genes for sure).

When the doctor walked into the room, he commented on how Julia was "showing off" for him because she was sitting up playing with her toys. Then as the exam continued and the doctor witnessed her milestones, like rolling over, interacting with him, and even her little "military" crawl, he shared with me that he is impressed by all of the things she is doing. He said she's "performing" at more of a level of an 8 month old than a 6 month old! I haven't really thought she was doing anything earlier than she should be, but of course I'm proud to hear she's doing so well and is "advanced."

Our little genius. Haha :)

The best part about our check-up today was finding out that we are not due back to the doctors for a well-baby check-up until 9 months, AND there will be NO vaccinations at that appointment - THANK GOD. My first time Mommy self needs a break from witnessing and putting Julia through that agony every 2 months! Today, she received one oral vaccine and 3 others in the shot form on both legs. The first shot didn't result in too big of a reaction, but the other two completely pushed her over the edge - red face, pouty lip, tears, and screams. She was in such hysterics, though as soon as I was able to pick her up again, she calmed down really quickly and of course, our little smiley Julia flashed the nurse a

killer grin through the tears as the nurse left the room and said "bye-bye" to Julia. She's a champ!

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While in NY, my mom took Julia and I to the portrait studio to get 6 month portraits done. Julia hammed it up! Here are the pictures:

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Julia is doing great on all other fronts as well!

I am so proud to have the pleasure of calling this happy and easy child my daughter! The last 1/2 a year has been a mix of life changes and tenderness, tiredness, peacefulness, messiness, gladness, stinkiness, bitter-sweetness, and most of all, happiness. I cannot believe how fast it's going by. How is it mid Summer already?

I feel like we just brought Julia home in the cold weather (for South Texas standards) and I vividly remember our Mom's here helping to take down our Christmas tree and decorations as we cared for our newborn little Julia. I

remember how clean and fresh those first few days as new parents felt. It seems kind of strange to pin such terms to the way a day felt, but that's as best as I can describe it. Everything was so new - the nursery furniture, the baby items, our titles as Mom and Dad, and the baby itself - all so fresh! And, now, we've all settled into our new roles and routines making what we now know as our life; our family has adjusted and Julia has joined right in perfectly. After seeing just how fast 6 months can fly by, I know we'll be taking out those Christmas decorations again and preparing to celebrate Julia's 1 year birthday in no time!!

And, I know I'm going to look back at today and think: "it seems like just yesterday I was reminiscing over the first 6 months...."

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Time for me to become really sappy.......

Those of you reading that are Moms know exactly what I mean when I say that my life has an entirely new meaning now and I never imagined that a love like this, that of mother to child, could actually exist. The first few weeks were filled with uncertainties and seemed like a bit of a crazy busy blur between caring for a newborn as a first time mom and also caring for myself as I recovered from my first delivery, and mentally making the switch from "I am taking care of myself" to "I'm caring not only for myself, but also am the lifeline for this little tiny new baby of ours." And, though it often seemed a bit crazy with so many things to learn and question, it all just kind of came together. I really am impressed with myself (and a little shocked) at how "at ease" I feel with caring for Julia. I always thought I'd be much more of (what some may call a) neurotic Mommy, where I wouldn't feel comfortable letting Julia sleep alone in her crib in her own nursery away from us, or would worry about germs and who held her, or even knowing what to DO with a baby through each stage, and I also thought that I would completely fall victim to obsessing over every little milestone she did or did not meet and compare her to other babies, but none of this has really affected me too drastically. I credit this to Julia. She is an amazing little miracle. She looks at me with those pretty hazely/blue (for now) eyes and expressive eyebrows and I just know that she's OK and going to be just fine. From day one I've just had this inclination that she is capable of handling all that this crazy world brings her way. Of course I can say this, but in reality, I'm sure that any one of you can read this and argue to me that I've fretted over one thing or another to you personally during the last 6 months as Julia has grown (and I probably won't be able to argue back with you... so does that make me the neurotic Mommy that I'm arguing I'm not?) :) .

I guess what I'm getting at is that Julia somehow has this overwhelmingly calming affect on me where I just know whatever I do and however I decide to do it, and whenever she does whatever she decides to do, she's going to be just fine (and so am I!). Maybe this is simply just the Mother and child bond that I'm experiencing. Whatever it is, I really love it, and I love being Julia's Mommy.

What a perfect segue for my monthly "I Love It" list!

Dear Julia:

I love it when...

10) ...you pant like a dog from being excited or happy and you give a sort of silent laugh as you flail your arms all over the place.

9) ...you giggle when I sing to you in the mirror.

8) ...you grab ahold of chunk of hair from each side of my face and hold on tight as you steer me in to your face.

7) ...the first thing I see when I enter your room after you awaken from a nap or bedtime is your smiling eyes peeking above your crib bumper.

6) ...you travel all over your crib in your sleep (sometimes I wonder how on earth you managed to end up in certain positions).

5) ...you yawn (at this more "mature" age) and along with it you give a verbal tired sign, just like a grown-up. It's adorable.

4) ...you rub your tired eyes like a young child would do.

3) ...you grab ahold of the spoon when I'm feeding you and try and feed yourself. Miss Independent.

2) ...you gently pet Delaney (whenever Delaney actually sits close enough to you to allow you this opportunity).

1) ...I realize it is SO very easy to make you smile.

Mommy loves you Julia!

Our Sleeping Beauty