Feeding Herself!

This week Nadia fed herself a club cracker, a biter biscuit and today - PUFFS! She was able to pick them up and feed herself the tiny pieces for the first time. Her pincer grip is still developing, but she was sooooo proud of herself all throughout the snack. I had given her a sippy cup before I put her in the high chair, and then sat it on the tray. At one point during her snacktime she picked the cup up and gave herself a drink! Such a big girl!

We've tried three places for her latest bathtime routine - our garden tub, her bathtub and the kitchen sink. We've settled on the sink for now - it's the perfect size (not for long) to let her reach her bath cups and play freely without the bath seat in her way. She continues to love bathtime!

She is such a great sitter! She can reach in any direction including way over to get whatever she wants. Sometimes she'll reach so far she rocks to her stomach. While this used to be a pretty dramatic process (and potentially harmful to her) she is very controlled with it now and can move with ease from one position to the next. She is babbling up a storm with her favorite sounds being ah ah ah and bu-bu- bu.

Boot Scootin' Bathin' Beauty

So this sweet girl is now scootin' across the floor on her tummy all the time! She can turn any direction, but she can only move backwards. It's not a crawl, but she pushes up with her arms straight, then rocks back and forth on her round tummy and somehow moves backwards. She can get herself completely off her mat, wedged into piles of toys or stuck between the piano leg and exersaucer in no time at all!

She's trying to show you her new tooth of which she is very proud! She's been fascinated with feeling this new thing in her mouth with her tounge all week. The tooth is fully through the gum but still working it's way up.

Playing with Daddy

Sitting up like such a big girl all the time!

So we staged this one because she kept pulling her dress up by herself and it made me remember that we needed a belly and thigh shot for posterity. Check out that tummy and those leg rolls... so sweet!

Sweet hands and feet...

Now that she's sitting up so well, she had her first bath in the big tub with her baby-sitter. She played and played with toys in the water (that mostly meant eating them).

Bathtime is such fun!

Happy 1/2 Birthday!

I can't believe our baby girl is 6 months old today! What an amazing 6 months they have been! She is now sitting up unassisted and as of today has her first tooth! It broke through the skin overnight - her front bottom left. She went to the pediatrician today for her 6 month check-up, got three shots and an oral vaccine. She weighs 16 lbs 7 ounces which puts her in the 50 percentile for weight. She is 26 1/4 inches long which is the 65 percentile for height. And her head is 17 inches around also in the 65 percentile. She's doing fabulously - her breathing is all cleared up, she is so active (The nurses asked - "Does she ever stop kicking those legs?" The answer is, "No, never!"), she is sitting up well, rolling over to get what she wants, inquiring about everything around her every minute, putting everything in her mouth and laughing all the time. She is definitely waving on purpose - when Andy came home today, she gave him a big unmistakable wave. She is talking up a storm babbling all the time in all octaves with many different sounds. She is now sleeping on her tummy at her own choosing - we put her in the bed on her back, she immediately turns to her side and sometime in the course of her nap or the night she turns to her tummy. She's woken up on her tummy nearly every time in the last week. Our little Georgia Bulldog - future tailgater!

These were my unsuccessful attempts at getting a tooth shot. Really, it's hardly noticeable at this point. You can feel it but the tooth has just broken the skin.

She was lurching for the camera. She tries to get everything out of our hands - particularly food. This week she has tried to get sandwhiches, chips, drinks, forks, you name it...

Close up.... I promise more tooth pics to come when I get a better shot! She hasn't been fussy or iritable at all so far. Hopefully it will continue like this with them all!

GOOD NEWS!

Nadia is great! Her head is just fine. The specialist said there is nothing to worry about, nothing to do, nothing that won't fully correct itself in time. He said she's looking great, doing well and that her head is perfectly normal. The flat spot is caused by her preference to looking to her right. It's a pretty common occurance in babies. It will resolve itself by the time she's two and will do so even more quickly now that she's sitting up, rolling over and playing on her tummy more. As she becomes even more mobile it will only help the situation. We are elated! This was the news we were hoping for and now we're so relieved. Major celebrations!

By the way - Nadia waved good-bye to the doctor as he left the room today!

Spring Break!

Auntie Al came from Texas to Nana and Granddaddy's! It was great to get to see her and spend the week playing together!

Since Chadbourn is home of the Strawberry Festival, Mom and Dad have been given two strawberry "mats". Nadia had to pose in her strawberry outfit - looks like the perfect logo picture for the festival to me!

She is so inquisitive and always using her hands to touch new textures and anything within reach.

With Auntie Al by the pretty pink azaleas.

Check out that cute headband!

On Wednesday we went to Myrtle Beach. We had all kinds of gear - tons of towels, blankets, chairs, the umbrella, six bottles of sun screen, toys, drinks, snacks, books, etc. We hauled it all out to the beach and got all set up only to come to terms with the fact that it was COLD and windy! We stayed long enough to get these pictures and say Nadia had seen the ocean. Then we hauled it all back to the car, packed up and went to the mall. We'll look forward to the next beach day when it's warm in June! Weather aside, Nadia LOVED it! It was all new and she just laughed and smiled and looked all around the entire time. We put her toes in the ocean (then quickly dried them off so they wouldn't get cold)! Playing with Nana at the beach.

Chillin' out with Granddaddy at the beach.

Feel the sand in your toes!

What a doll! She is the happiest baby! She is now able to sit up and play unassisted (pretty well... we still don't go far b/c she sometimes throws herself backwards). She now sleeps on her side like a grown-up! She is "talking" more and more and says "HEY" all the time. She has started to make a motion that looks like a wave in appropriate context from time to time. She is eating squash, peas, bananas, applesauce, carrots, cereals and puffs. She also tried avacado at a Mexican restaurant this week. She is amazing in every way and the greatest delight every day!

Happy Easter!

Pretty girl in her Easter dress!
Every girl needs an Easter bonnet!
Our family Easter picture
The Easter Bunny came to visit during church! The bunny brought some eggs, a phone toy, a rolling alligator, a couple outfits, some bubbles and a pop-up train!

Playing with eggs.

We had a great day at church this morning, ate Mexican for lunch and did a big Easter dinner with the Taylors tonight at our house. We hid eggs and Ivy hunted them. We decided to hide them inside because there is so much pollen outside. Phoebe and Nadia played together more than ever. They kept reaching out to hold hands (unfortunately we thought this was so cute we were watching them and not thinking about getting the cameras out) :( I made a ham, mac and cheese, strawberry salad and peas. Megan made scalloped potatoes, homemade rolls, asparagus and chocolate coffee cake. It was a delicious feast!

Becca's Birthday!

For my 29th birthday I took a group of kids to sing and visit at the nursing home... well that was just part of the day's great events!
When I got to work, Andy had decorated my office with signs, balloons, streamers and lots of confetti! Everyone who walked past all day smiled and sent their happy wishes.
When we got back from the nursing home, much to my surprise, there was a huge cake and birthday banners set up in the walkway at church for a giant birthday party with all the kids. The cake said, "Happy Birthday Mrs. Becca!" Pat was in on the scheme with Andy since he had to be at youth stuff while the big event happened.
All the kids enjoying cake before rushing to the playground.
Andy also got me gorgeous pink tulips (my favorite)! It was a wonderful day made very special by my precious husband who really went over the top!