6 month pictures from Sears

Not sure why these posted out of order, but I dont feel like rearranging them :) These are taken from the Sears website so they arent the best quaility but I'll repost them once I get the CD. We ended up cropping in closer on one of the mirror pics (where she's looking at the camera) and we also got a collage with 4 really great facial closeups with 4 very different facial expressions... SUPER CUTE and I cant wait until the 6th to go get them!

Halloween Preview

Letter to my husband

So begins my final week as a stay at home mom. It has been a great summer. Even the tired and stressed out days have been worth it. Even on days when she just wouldnt nap, it's been worth it. I have loved going on walks around the neighbordhood with her. I love how relaxed and laid back she is anytime she's in her stroller. I loved taking her up to the wading pool those few times. I loved going swimming with her and seeing her enjoy the water. I loved wasting time at Target or at the mall. I loved seeing how happy she was to see me every time she woke up from a nap. I loved experiencing all of her firsts. I loved the freedom to go visit with family all the time because I didn't have to deal with planning around my work schedule. I loved getting to know her and her cues. I am so glad that I got to spend the first 6 months of her life right by her side. I only hope that I can do the same for our next child because I truly believe that this experience has made me a better mother. I know I used all past tense, and that is wrong of me. While yes, I loved seeing her wake up, I know I'll get to see her wake up every day, and I'll still love that experience (although if she wakes up anything like you, I wont be getting many early morning smiles when I wake her up for school before she's ready!) She really is the light of my life and I know she's the light of yours. We couldnt have asked for a better daughter. She made us parents, and for that I will always be grateful. I know that I'll still have nights and weekends (and all school holidays) with her, but it wont be the same. I am going to miss her so much. Words cant explain just how in love with her I have become in these past 6 months (well, 15 if you count the 9 months I loved her before I even met her...) I really enjoyed the other morning when all three of us were able to play in bed and just enjoy the morning time as a family. That was a very special moment to me. I love when the three of us are able to spend time together without having to worry about where we are going next. It's those times that we make such great memories. Memories that will last a lifetime... memories that will enable me to get through the next 9 months before summer vacation rolls around again!!
I love you with all of my heart.

The mesh feeder was a success!!

We were given a Sassy mesh feeder at our babyshower and it's been in the package ever since. Tonight DD has been extra fussy about her teeth (I think the 2nd top tooth is trying to come in too... poor thing) and so I decided to try the mesh feeder. I put a piece of an apple in there (leaving the skin on for a solid surface to chew on). She's had tastes of my apples before, but she's never been allowed to chew on one before. She LOVED it. It kept her occupied for a good half hour. She destroyed the apple!! I of course ate the rest of the apple that I didnt put in there, and afterwards wished I hadn't because I would have put more in for her. Next time I know better... :)

80's baby

Alexis likes to pull on her clothes, especially at night. She pulls the neck part of her pj's up to her face while she sucks on her thumb (super cute, and something I definately want a picture of...) so all of her pjs have really wide necks from the ammount of pulling she's done. Her shamrock pjs being the worst of them all. This morning I noticed that she couldnt keep it from sliding off her shoulder and that she looked like an 80's chic so I added the headband and Jim and I sang a Madonna song to her (Material Girl) She loved it :) She loves when we sing songs like that to her!

Teeth everywhere!

Alexis got her third tooth yesterday!! Her bottom two came within 5 days of each other when she was only 3 1/2 months old. She was in such pain for a week before those teeth came in. She cried so much and so loud!! I thought for sure we'd be in for another installment of that... but when she woke up from her nap yesterday, I decided to take a peek, and there it was! She wasnt crying in pain for several days beforehand or anything. She started drooling again and chewing on her fingers more, but other than that, no signs that new teeth would be showing up!! At the rate she's going, she'll have a full set of teeth before she's one!!
Let's just hope she doesnt bite while she's nursing again. The 3 or 4 times she did it with just her bottom teeth were quite painful, I can only imagine what it'll feel like with upper and lower teeth.

We've got a mover!!

Alexis has figured out that she can roll in order to get places. That means no more putting her on her playmat and walking out of the room to get something. We've got to keep an eye on this mobile little girl. We've also got to babyproof the house! Yikes!

Up late with daddy

Alexis has decided that she doesn't need to go to bed as early as we think she should. She cries until we go get her some nights. Tonight daddy decided to bring her into the office with him and just hold her until she was ready for bed. She helped him play madden!! He said he let her play a little bit, but she made all the men dive to the ground. I am sure he'll teach her how to play soon!! When I came upstairs and found the two of them sitting like this, it melted my heart. She loves just sitting with her daddy!

Love our walks

I have loved being home with Alexis this summer. We have gotten to take some wonderful walks. She loves being outside. Any time she is fussy, all I have to do is take her outside and she calms down right away. She loves her stroller. She props her feet up and just looks around! I'm not sure what we're going to do when it gets to be too cold for these walks!

End of the summer...

Today marked the beginning of my final two weeks of summer vacation. I am excited for school to start up and to get back out into the real world, but a big part of me knows I am going to miss Alexis dearly while I'm gone. I know I'll be a better mommy for it, but I just hate leaving her. I have spent 6 wonderful months with her and don't know life without her anymore! Alexis wakes up each morning and from each nap with a big giant smile! I love walking in to her room to get her and being greeted with that warm grin that says "Oh mommy! I am so glad to see you again! Let's play!" I love being the one to rock with her when she needs some time to chill. I love being the one to experience all of her firsts. I love being there to witness all of her cuteness. I know I'll still have nights and weekends and all school holidays with her, but that's not enough! I am sad that I wont be able to breastfeed her as often as I do now. I am worried that my body will slowly stop letting me feed her... or worse, she'll slowly stop letting me feed her! I am going to try to breastfeed her first thing in the morning, nights, and weekends for as long as we both can... I am excited that I have made it 6 months. I always thought I'd be done as soon as 6 months came and I went back to school, but I'm not ready to give up our special time together.

Where's Alexis??

For whatever reason, Alexis likes to put her taggie over her head when she sleeps :) Normally her pjs are up around her waist, but not this night... this night she was covered head to toe!

At the park

Getting better at sitting

She used to fit...

We used to put Alexis to bed in this direction, and she had plenty of room above her head and below her feet. We had to stop putting her that way several months ago because she wasnt fitting as well. She now will sometimes turn herself sideways. I walked in to check on her and noticed that my little girl is getting so big!! I can't believe that she used to fit when we laid her in this direction!

Her friend Glowy

We've been squeezing the glow worm at night and Alexis loves watching and listening to it. She loves the glow it gives off in her dark room. It calms her down as she drifts off to sleep :)

Rolling tummy to back

A couple of days ago Alexis figured out how to roll. She was very close for several days, but just couldnt get her arm out. Then one day, she mastered it!

Pool fun