Anna Reaghan at 6 Months

6 Months Old:  Anna Reaghan

You are HALFway to your first birthday; that is unreal!  Time is passing entirely too quickly, sweet girl!  Here's a glimpse of you at six months...

• still wearing 3-6 month clothes, some big 3s, and some 6s... occasionally a 6-9 month outfit because you have your mommy's long legs ;)
• size 2 diapers

• your hair still has some reddish strands and it gets longer and longer.  It can look like a kind of wild and crazy mane if you don't have a bow in or it's extra fluffy

• You tend to wake up around 7:30 or 8:00 in the morning.  You go to bed by 7:00.
• You are usually ready for your morning nap just 1 hour after you wake up.  Your 2nd nap usually falls around 1.5 hours after you wake up, and your 3rd nap (hit or miss) is shorter and falls 1.5-2 hrs. after you wake up.  Your first 2 naps are often about 1.5 hours long, and the first nap is the most reliable. :)

• You are NO longer swaddled; not for naps or night!  You woke up one time with your arms pulled through the bottom which resulted in the blanket being up over your face.  That was it!  We quit swaddling you cold turkey.  It went MUCH  MUCH better than I anticipated.  You adjusted much more easily than Asa did--we are SO thankful!  Now we just set you in your crib and you roll over to a comfy position.  The sleep positioner is long gone, too.
• You do not necessarily have to be asleep to go to sleep.  In other words, we regularly set you in bed sleepy but not all the way asleep (I've tried, but if you see Mommy is still holding you, you want to stay up and play not sleep).  You play with your paci and sometimes squeak to your mobile, and then you go to sleep.  It's not 100%, but it often works out that way.  Good job! :)

• A couple times you have accidentally turned on your mobile while you roll around your crib--THAT freaks you out BIG time.
• You roll any way you want at will.
• You are sitting UNassisted and have been since just after your 5 monthday.

• Dr. M said we are doing a good job lotioning you up with your poor dry winter skin.  It's mostly on your arms and legs, and your scalp is pretty dry as well.
• You did NOT enjoy your most recent bath.... we'll have to see if that is a fluke or a new trend.

• Our new "make up for tongue tie" routine involves offering you the opportunity to eat every 1.5 hours (or whenever you're hungry... but you usually don't act hungry between feedings).  WHEW!  It's a lot of work, but it settles out that you usually eat before and after naps.  We added a dream feed at night before I go to bed (at least 1/2 the time you wake up on your own, but if not I wake you just enough to feed you), and then you usually do 4ish hour stretches at night... sometimes with a 5 hr or 3 hr stretch throw in instead.  I'm pumping in the evening, too, which you then get back the following day.  You get half of what I pump in a bottle and half mixed into your solid food.

• That's right, you are eating solids!  We tried oatmeal since Asa liked it so much, but it was slowing things down a bit much digestively.  We have moved on to freshly steamed sweet potato, and you LOVE it.  You are one of those babies who is sooo eager and makes little baby bird faces with your mouth gaping open waiting for the next bite.  It cracks me up. :)  You have also tried avocado and didn't dislike it (but you prefer sweet potatoes so far).  You are eating 1-1.5 cubes of fork mashed solids once a day... usually in the afternoon.

• If Asa is awake when you eat your solids, he LOVES to help give you bites.  He just grins and giggles and coaches you, "Open your mouf, Anna Reaghan.  Eat your taters!  Good job!" :)
• You are still taking your reflux meds and still need them (we tried taking a break when you started solids as that often helps, but you definitely still need it).
• You aren't usually waking up with gas/tummy trouble at night anymore!  It could be coincidence, but it seemed to coincide with getting your tongue clipped.  I've read that those can be linked.  Whatever the cause for your gas subsiding, we are soooo thankful (and I'm sure you are too!).

• You figured out the kicky toy RIGHT way and love to kick and bat at it.  Asa likes to show you how to do it, too. :)
• You also like the exersaucer AND the jumper.  You think they are great fun and seem confident in both of them.
• You make a new scrunchy/snarly/squinty smile that cracks us up.  You look angry when you do it, but you are actually VERY happy.  It's pretty funny. :)

• You have stayed in the church nursery on a Sunday morning for the first time.  You were there both services, and that felt a little long to Mommy, so we might keep having you stay with us during Sunday school and just taking you after I feed you/for the sermon for a bit longer.  But you did it!
• You are babbling and have said, "Mama," although I can't say it was in reference to me... for sure. ;)

• You had your first encounter with snow!  You were not impressed and looked like you were just waiting to go back inside. :)
• You also love the spinning ABC/animal sound toy.  You spin it and spin it and spin it and listen to its little songs.  It's very cute.

• We LOVE you LOTS!