margo: six months

Happy half birthday sweet Margo! I cannot believe she is 6 months old. It's like time is flying by and standing still all at the same time. In the last month Margo has developed so much. She weighs in at 17lbs on the bathroom scale, but we go to the doctor on Tuesday, so we'll get the official stats then.

**Doctor Visit Update: We went to the doctor today (Aug. 30) and our sweet girl got weighed, measured, poked and prodded. She weighed in at 16.8 pounds (60%ile), 24.5 inches (12%ile), and her head is 40cm (4%ile). She's a compact little creature. While her little noggin is still something to keep an eye on, her wonderful doctor called a neurologist for a consult and there is nothing to be overly concerned about. Her gross and fine motor skills are on track and they'll continue to monitor her growth. At her next appointment they want to measure Alex's and my head to see if it's a shared trait...we'll be the biggest patients at her pediatrician's office :)**

This month Margo started rolling over, back to front and front to back. She is also sitting up unsupported. I don't go too far from her because she still wobbles and topples over eventually. She started reaching for us to hold her yesterday, which was really sweet and now she babbles back and forth with me. We like to chat in incoherent squawks.

While she is getting much more alert during the day and staying awake for longer stretches, nighttime has been more of a struggle this month. We had to take her arms out of the swaddle since she's rolling. She started waking up one to two times a night inconsolable and the only thing that calmed her down was feeding her. Not very Baby Wise, but I did it because sleep is basically my love language. I think we're getting close to being back to normal and we're much more on board with crying it out. It seems to be working and lately she's slept 7:30pm to about 7am, so fingers crossed...

At about 5 1/2 months we started giving her cereal and she loves it. She gobbles it right up and is sad when it's all gone. After we go to the doctor next week, we'll start her on veggies.

Her routine is still mostly the same: eat, play, sleep. She wakes up at 7am and eats, then takes a nap between 8:30 and 9am and sleeps until 10ish when she'll eat again. Then she plays and doesn't usually nap much between 10am and 1pm, if she does it's just a catnap and usually in her carseat. After she eats at 1, we play and then she naps from 2-4pm when she eats again. Then at 5pm she has her cereal and eats at 7pm and goes straight to bed. It will change when we add another solid food in the coming weeks, but for now we're pretty predictable.

She loves to be outside and in her stroller. She loves to read (and be read to) and watch people, she usually has a serious look on her face, but will crack a smile if you work for it. Crinkle paper is the best thing ever and we still won't leave the house without Ron, her Wubbanub pacifier. She giggles the sweetest belly laugh when we blow raspberries on her neck and arms and whenever we do squats (she's ruthless). I'm working with her to say mama, but I'm almost certain she'll say dada first...time will tell. In the mean time we are absolutely smitten with this sweet little girl and love getting to watch her grow.

We went to lunch and I laid her down on the bench and she fell asleep

Sitting pretty and very serious. 

Riding the Harley with Atley

First bite of cereal

Watching the racers at the Criterium

mom bod

As a new mama, I'm a bit squishier than I've ever been. I'm pretty cool with it but there are days that I look in the mirror and wonder if my body will ever go back to the pre-Margo days....maybe, probably not and that's ok.

But, being a mama of a little girl, I never want to transfer my insecurities to her, because she is beautiful and will no matter what, be loved and valued beyond what she looks like or perceives herself to look like. I came across this blog post and I wanted to high five the author. Enjoy and rock that mom bod! :)

am I doing this right?

There are several days that, as I watch Margo play, I wonder if I'm doing this mom business right. I ask myself often if I should be doing more to help her meet developmental milestones and the like. I'm certain that everyone else who stays home is doing something different/better than I am...so, I went to my trusty friend Google. I googled "what should I be doing when I'm home with my baby all day?" I came across this article and it validated all my feelings and made me laugh, so it was worth the read. Click the image below and enjoy :)

five years of wedded bliss

It seems like just yesterday and forever ago that this picture was taken. In the last five years our marriage has gotten stronger, more communicative, harder and easier at the same time. It's all very paradoxical, but my love, admiration and respect for Alex has only grown and gotten stronger. 

As newlyweds we made a five year plan and it included the typical house, dog, travel, baby and advancement of our careers. But, I could never have imagined how it would have played out in real life. I feel like the last five years have gone better we could have ever imagined and I wouldn't change a thing. I love you Alex and I am so thankful that you are kind, patient, hard working, dedicated, loving, God honoring and now a wonderful dad! Happy anniversary and I can't wait for what's ahead!