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!

"I'm Gettin' Nuttin For Christmas"

I know pretty much everyone has seen this on instagram or facebook, but I just needed to document this for myself here too!

Kinley has always been our child with stranger anxiety pretty much from birth!  She has been talking some big stuff about going to see Santa this year and asking Santa to bring her an Ariel Pillow for Christmas.  So we all piled into the car and headed to the mall to visit Mr. S.C.  While waiting in line, she was waving to him and smiling at him and singing to Sophie "You better not cry...I'm telling you why."  So our turn comes and we walk up to Santa and she instantly takes a death grip on Abbey's neck.  So we get Sophie situated on his knee and I take Kinley from Abbey.  I'm talking to her and telling her how nice Santa is and how Abbey, Brady and Sophie are going to be right next to her.  Needless to say, we didn't buy any photos (this was one that Matthew snapped on his phone).  We've made progress tho, at least we got her to sit on Santa's lap this year!

"Give A Day"

For the month of December, I have challenged my kids, my husband, but mostly myself to take the time to do something generous or thoughtful or helpful for someone EVERY SINGLE DAY.  I told them that it can not be someone in our immediate family and each night at dinner we discuss what we were able to accomplish that day.  It is a way to get us all to think about others and not ourselves.

We started it on December 1st and I think Brady has worked the hardest of all of us to accomplish this challenge.  And it is a challenge.  I know for myself, I am at home A LOT with the little girls and often don't have contact with anyone outside of our family.  Brady was on the verge of tears Monday night because none of the teachers he offered to help throughout the day took him up on his offer.  I explained to him that this was not meant to make him feel bad about himself.  The point of it is to make them think about others and that is what  he did...even if no one accepted his help.

We have been so blessed in this life and I want my children to not only appreciate all that they have been given, but also learn to share...share their love, their time, their heart.