5 and a half months and the week in review

I never knew being a mom would be this much fun. Grace is coming up on 6 months (what??) and seems to be changing every day.
(Warning: this post is mostly about what little miss is up to these days. It is full of facts and kind of long. Because let's be honest, this blog is basically her baby book.)
Last night we went to eat at Carino's, and of course, we had to dress up. When Dan opened the car door to get her out he started laughing and said, "grab the camera!" She hates wearing bows and hats and will find a way to get them off her head!


Our schedule this semester has been fabulous: I work on Tuesdays and Thursdays until about 2 or 3 and Beth keeps her. Every once in a while I work a Wednesday afternoon and bring her with me, and on the Saturdays that I work, she stays with Dan most of the day. We are so blessed to have this time and it feels like a reward for all of the 90-100 hour work weeks I put in the first three years when I started the business.
She loves to ride in her stroller and be outside. I am frustrated with the great April Lubbock winds, but we make do, and on really windy days, we stroll inside.
When she wakes up in the morning, she has stopped crying for us to come and get her. She will lie in her crib and play and talk for about 30 minutes before she starts grunting and is ready to eat.
She is still sleeping thru the night beautifully. I have started her last feeding about 8:45-9ish and she is fast asleep by 9:15 most nights. I didn't realize how much that extra hour and a half before bed would help. I don't pump at 11 at night anymore! She is waking a little earlier, around 7:45 or 8, but I don't mind a bit.
She takes two or three naps a day, one right after her first feeding, one between 5 and 7 and another short one thrown in there somewhere, usually in her carseat when we are driving.
She looks so big in this picture! She isn't sitting up on her own yet, but she is trying!

She has started the teething process and every day is a little different. Some days she is really fussy and just wants to nap all day, and other days, as long as she has a teething ring (or chew toy, as Dan lovingly calls it) she is fine. I hate when she is feeling bad and I can't do anything for her. Two days in the last week she has run a low grade fever and had to take tylenol. Poor thing. And I hear it just gets worse with each new tooth!
Saturday night we had Tom and Beth over to watch the UFC fights. (Dan bought her the little onesie so she could match mommy and daddy!) She was super fussy and running fever from her teeth but she perked up a bit while she ate her cereal and talked to papa.


She is eating rice cereal once a day, around dinner time. It is fun and cute and she is loving her spoon. I still haven't added fruit to it, and although I have a book and a food processor, I am still dreading giving her any more solids. I think I am in denial that my child is old enough to eat with a spoon and will soon stop nursing 6 times a day. I thought I would be excited, but I'm having a little trouble letting go.
Grace has a talking and a singing voice and they are two very distinct sounds. She has a high pitched squealy, squeaky voice that she uses when I sing to her on the chaging table and when she is in her swing. She will hold out her "notes" for a long time; it cracks us up!
Here she is on the magic changing table. Even if she is fussy, the moment we lay her down on the table, all becomes right in her world. She likes to turn to the side and stick her feet through the bars so she can open and close the shutters.

She is a little pumpkin and I can't believe we are about to hit 6 months! Love you sweet girl!