Happy Half Birthday

I can't hardly believe it has been 6 months since you arrived.  You are a go with the flow baby for the most part.  I often say you're very portable.  We're in the car A LOT and you usually do pretty well.

This past month we went on our first vacation as a family of 6.  We drove up to the North Georgia Mountains and stayed in a cabin with Gi Gi and Poppa, Nanna and Grandpa and the Riffel Clan.  You did great on the whole trip.  Slept pretty well for the most part.  You got your first sickness while we were up in Georgia...and of all things it was the stomach virus.  We ALL got it - all 14 of us.  You got it on Thanksgiving night and I am so thankful that Walmart opened early for "Black Friday" shopping because it could have meant a trip to the hospital for you.  We were able to get you some pedialite.  Me and Daddy were pretty scared for a while there, but you bounced back quickly.

You are drinking five 6oz. bottles throughout the day.  You also started solids this past month.  I wasn't really ready to start, but you've been having some tummy issues that we've been trying to get worked out.  So far you have had prunes (and prune juice), peaches, pears and oatmeal.  You were not a fan of the prunes (can't blame you) but you've enjoyed everything else.  I have been making your baby food using the babybrezza system that Sis. Bobbie Jo let us borrow.  I love using it and it makes me feel better knowing that I am saving a little bit of $$$!  The solids haven't completely fixed your tummy problems so we're going to add 4oz of diluted white grape juice to your diet and see how that helps.  You eat one meal a day - about 1-2 Tbs of oatmeal mixed with about an ounce of fruit and an ounce of formula.  I also offered you a sippy the other day with a little bit of formula.  I think more dribbled out of your mouth than made it in your belly.

You roll all over the place and you can now sit up unassisted for a brief period of time.  You're still a ways from crawling I think because you haven't gotten up on your knees yet.  You're still pretty stingy with your laughs, although you're very ticklish and that usually gets a chuckle.  You recognize your family and smile big when you see your brother or sisters come into the room.  You love to grab hair, especially Kinley's hair...and she loves it when you grab her hair too!  I'm amazed at how much Kinley loves you and I can see how much you love her too.  We've gotten in a routine of you two taking baths together and now Kinley won't even consider taking a bath unless you come too.  And at bedtime, Kinley always asks "Is Sophie sleeping with me tonight?"  Ahh bedtime...you and Kinley officially share a room.  Kinley sleeps great with you there with her.  You, however, are another story.  You go to bed around 8:30!  We usually put you in your bed wide awake, turn on your turtle, give you a binky and lovely and you are fast asleep in a few minutes.  But then you wake up around 5:00am most mornings and need your binky put back in.  You go right back to sleep, but a lot of times you've tossed your binky out of the bed and we have trouble finding it in the dark.  We really can't do the cry-it-out technique since you share a room, so we continue to get up at 5:00am.

Your 6 months Stats are:
Height: 25" - 24%
Weight: 14lbs. 7oz. - 20%
Head Cir.: - 17 1/4" - 85%

Today at your doctor appointment you got 2 shots plus a flu vaccine.  You will go back in about 4 weeks for your flu booster.  At that time, the doctor will also check your head circumference.  Since your head circumference is in such a higher percentile than the rest of your body it's something we need to keep an eye on.  We are not overly concerned since you are meeting all your milestones, but we do need to watch to make sure your progress does not slow/stop as that could indicate an issue.  But again, NO ONE is worried...you just gots a biggie noggin!