Seven Months!

First of all, if you’ve noticed less hair on my head, there is a really good explanation for that.  Hannah always has a few hairs she’s hanging on to.  Always.  At any given moment, I can find a hair entangled in her fingers or on her clothes.  I find my hair in the most random places.  I think she’s starting a collection.  Or she’s jealous of my long locks.  She’ll have some long strawberry blond hair before too long.  I already tuck a few pieces behind her ears J

Hannah’s been grabbing hair for awhile now, but this month she’s pretty fascinated by it.  She also grabs noses and mouths.  She grabs at ANYTHING within a reasonable range.  She’ll nearly hop out of her Bumbo seat trying to reach things.  She’ll roll from side to side and make her body do a 180 turn in her crib to get to something.  Her nimble fingers are becoming experts at sticking a dangling pacifier back in her month, too.  That’s a very handy skill!

Hannah will sit on her own for up to two minutes.  We’ve gotten out some new toys to entice her to sit up, but her preferred posture is still laying or standing (with support).  She also has no interest in rolling over to her tummy.  She’s not really a tummy gal. 

It seems each week Hannah develops a new sound that she repeats over and over.  A couple of weeks ago it was a very robust “ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya.”  With a little imagination, you could hear some of the “ya’s” actually as “ba’s,” “ga’s,” or “da’s.”  I’ve heard the “m” sound when she screeched “mayyyyyy” one day.  Her other noise is a really guttural “wahhhhhh.”  I choke when I try to imitate it because it’s so deep in the throat.  I bet Steven Tyler could though.  She’s pretty chatty when she’s really happy.

There are some of her infant things I miss.  She used to be able to sleep in my arms for long naps.  I would allow it some days, but others I would fight to have her nap in her crib because ultimately that’s where I want her to learn to nap.  She hasn’t fallen asleep in my arms for over a month.  I miss that!  She doesn’t put up any fight with her naps now.  When we get home from our morning routine (church, work, gym, or Saturday morning outing), she’s ready to crash.  That nap is usually 45 minutes to an hour and a half.  That might be all the nap she has for the day though.  If I want her to sleep again, we’ll go to the big bed and take a nap together.  That’s one benefit of not having a roller!  Those naps will end soon, too.  I try to seize every little moment.  She’s changing quickly!

She’s still the expert sleeper at night.  Bed time seems to be creeping up earlier and earlier.  She’s often tired around 6:30 or 7:00.  Wake time has also been creeping up earlier.  Up until this month, my alarm clock would usually wake up me in the mornings for work.  Now Hannah has assumed that role.  She averages 6:30am.  And she’s really to roll for the day!  I haven’t heard that alarm clock in awhile.  The cries get me out of bed much faster than that clock anyway!

Hannah’s mastered the eating of “solid” foods that past 10 days or so.  The first few weeks were messy!  Now Hannah’s a fairly neat eater.  I’ve learned she really only tries to grab the spoon when she wants me to stop.  Her diet consists of rice cereal, avocado, sweet potato, bananas, carrots, and prunes.  Oh, she doesn’t like the prunes.  But, really, who does?  We’re bumping her up to eating 2 times a day now that she has the hang of it.  She gets excited about it!  Know how I can tell she’s hungry?  She swoops in like a vulture and starts gnawing my neck, shoulder, arm, or nose.  That’s a pretty obvious cue!  Speaking of gnawing, no teeth yet, but Hannah’s poor fingers!  She’ll get them so wet with saliva they start to prune up!  Can’t get her to chew on a fancy teething ring.  Those fingers are just so accessible!

Hannah continues to be easy to take along on our trips and daily adventures.  We traveled to Florida for a Rodda family funeral and to the Smokies for a Richmond family vacation this month.  If she gets fussy, I just sit in the back and entertain her a bit.  Hannah still loves her play gym, exersaucer, and walks.  She doesn’t have a particular attachment to any kind of toy.  What she loves more than anything else is my exaggerated facial expressions, silly dancing, loud singing, and most recently, beat boxing.  She loves interaction!

If you’re lucky enough to hold Hannah for awhile, you’re likely to get a “Hannah hug.”  She’ll put her arms around your shoulder and neck and rub her face against your chest.  So sweet.  Definitely a favorite of mine!

Zoo Atlanta

Cool Dude!

Chillin' with mommy and daddy in Gatlinburg

Ooey Gooey!

I thought I'd experiment with a teether feeder.  The result was a disgusting mess, but Hannah sure seemed to enjoy!  I tried it with avocado since that is her favorite food in a repertoire of 3 foods (the others are rice cereal and sweet potato).  It was totally worth the $7 and it cleaned up pretty nicely.  Hopefully you can flip your laptop or you might get a crick in your neck!

6 Months

The belated six month videos.  The first attempt was taken when Hannah was quite tired.  My mistake.  She shows are displeasure by taking a swing at the camera.

The second take is my sweet Hannah!

I'm not quite sure what Hannah was so frustrated about here.  She sure wishes I knew, though!

Feeding Photos

Not surprisingly, the 6 month photos I promised all center around Hannah's new, amusing activity...eating!!  Her first experience tasting 'real food' (if you call rice cereal that) was not a dream experience.  Hannah had her 6 month shots that day, so she was already in a questionable mood.  As soon as Daniel got home from work, we took off to the grocery store to buy the goods!  Hannah's bed time rolls around, so naturally, that's the best time to try something new, right?  Here's what we got.

Not to worry, in one week Hannah went from that to this.  Turns out she's more of an avocado fan.

To sum up that meal in a picture:

6 months!

Six months is a big landmark!  Not only does it mean Hannah’s been on this side of the womb for ½ a year, but I’ve had to dust off the baby books and read about solid foods and research baby sign language.  Hannah shocked me at the doctor’s office today, sitting up on her own for a few seconds.  She hadn’t done that before!  I’m yearning for the day when I don’t have to lug that heavy car seat everywhere.  At 6 months she can also wear sunscreen and bug repellent and get doused in a chlorine pool, which comes at the perfect time!  And I’m going to cut her toe nails for the first time.  We probably should’ve cut them sooner, but we had to celebrate this “birthday” somehow.  (weird, huh?)

I think Hannah’s biggest developments this month have been in communication.  The whining and rubbing the eyes is the “I’m tired” cue.  She turns away when she’s done eating.  She’s generous with laughs and smiles when she’s happy and pouts when she’s not.  She has a very cute frustrated grunt and red face when she wants her hands or body to do something but can’t quite get it right.  She loves shaking rattles and holding on to toys.  Her hands have gotten more nimble.  She’s pulled leaves off my African violet and knocked over my glass of tea.  She pants when she gets excited.  She’ll move her mouth in a chewing motion and flick her tongue in and out of her mouth (signs she’s ready to eat, I think).

Hannah still loves to stand up and watch the world go by.  She is very alert and perceptive.  I’ve been told a few times by strangers that Hannah’s sweet smile made their day.  A grandmother at the Botanical Gardens in Chicago even had tears in her eyes interacting with Hannah.  Daddy calls Hannah his little day-brightener.  A trip to the grocery store is no longer an isolated experience.  I have to be prepared to stop the cart for at least ½ the people in the store to dote on her.  Most comment on her big blue eyes and dusting of red hair.  I end up having many conversations with strangers.  And this proud mama loves it J

Hannah has become a fabulous sleeper!  It’s probably been more than a month since she woke up in the middle of the night for the pacifier.  She’s still on her 12 hour a night routine.  And now she takes naps!!!  She’ll usually take a quick one in the morning and a lengthy one in the afternoon.  She’ll sleep for an hour around 1pm then wake up.  Usually I can get her to sleep for two more hour long shifts.  Sometimes I take one with her J  It doesn’t take much to get her down.  I’m so thankful!  She used to be my alarm clock in the morning, but now that I’m working, I try to get a shower before she awakes.  I turn on the video monitor (love it!) and around 7:30 witness her start baby aerobics.  She lifts those legs up and down and hovers them just above the surface.  She’ll do this for about ½ hour!  You’d think she’d have abs of steel, but thankfully has a little baby belly.  If I could do my ab workout subconsciously, I’d have a six pack!

Hannah’s still camping out in size 2 diapers and 6 to 9 month clothes.  In the past few weeks, I’ve felt her get heavier.  She got a glowing report at the doctor’s.  I praise God daily for her health and development.  Her measurements have remained consistent:

            14# 11 oz  (25^th percentile)

            26 ½ inches (80^th percentile)

OK, Daddy’s home.  Time to take a family trip to the grocery store and get some rice cereal!

6 month photos and video to come!

Chicago!

Hannah went on her first non family trip.  Chicago was the destination because Daniel had to work at the home office out in the Chicago burbs Monday and Tuesday.  The only time I'd been to Chicago was in February.  Not the time to most enjoy a trip there.  This time, we were blessed with sunny weather!  Hannah was a pro on her second flight.  Maybe I'm paranoid, but I always feel like people automatically hate me when I step on to a plane with a baby.  I was especially worried on our return trip when Hannah's two big distractions--nap and food--were over before the wheels even left the tarmac.  And Hannah was the only kid on the plane amongst a bunch of business men.  Never fear, Hannah raked in many complements about what a good baby she is.

We enjoyed a river skyline tour, the Navy Pier, Lincoln Park zoo, Millennium Park, shopping on the Magnificent Mile, and a mother daughter trip to the Chicago Botanical Gardens while Daniel was working.  So blessed to have a baby that goes with the flow.  We did get her a new stroller for the trip.  This way she could look out and see the world rather than facing up.  She really enjoyed taking it all in!

Getting ready for take off!

Bundled up in my new stroller.

Slept through most of the river cruise.

Beautiful skyline...and the tour guide.

Sears Tower.

The pier had a bunch of distorted mirrors.  Hannah was not amused.

Family photo on the pier.

Yum!  Chicago pizza!  Don't be fooled.  I can hold any food up to Hannah's face and she won't bite.

Chillin with Daddy!

I'm as big as the skyscrapers!

Me and Daddy at the Bean.

Family Photo at the Bean.

Gorillas at the zoo.

I love the spring flowers!

Me and Daddy looking at the penguins.

Tulips at the Botanical Gardens.

To prove me and mommy were at the gardens.

I love standing up!

Jobs!

No pictures for this post, sorry!  This post is more about Hannah's Mom and Dad!  The beginning of April brought new jobs for both of us!  Daniel is now working for Meridian Compensation Partners.  He's basically doing the same thing he did at Mercer, but for a smaller, more specialized firm.  I'm proud of my little executive compensation consultant!  This was a great move for him and for our family.  Ironically, Daniel is working in the same building we both used to work at since Meridian once was a part of Hewitt.  He runs into some of our old co workers on occasion.  Daniel even has a fancy bio on the corporate page!  http://www.meridiancp.com/people/

A job for me was not in the plans, as I "retired" at the end of last school year.  My name is officially still on the Fulton County substitute list.  I have to put in one day a semester to keep that up.  It's worth doing in case I ever want to return to education.

Once the first couple months of mommyhood set in, I began really desiring something to stretch my mind, use my skills, and get a routine going.  No coincidence that I heard about a job at our church as a missions assistant.  The thing that made me jump at the opportunity was the fantastic child care for Hannah.  She stays at the church with the sweetest ladies who love playing and cuddling with her.  Hannah plays with toys we don't have at home, but what she enjoys the most is watching the other kids.  I'm glad she has that stimulation.  And maybe this will help ward off separation anxiety.  I also joined the gym at the church, so Hannah gets to go play Monday, Wednesday, Thursday for work/my mental health, Tuesday and Friday for my physical health, and Sunday for my spiritual health. 

I really do enjoy my job.  It's a great fit for me at this stage.  I get to play a part in our church's investment in local and global missions.  I've gotten to meet some very passionate, God-loving people.  I get to work in an environment where people understand me because they understand my faith.  I get to join God where He is already working.  So much job satisfaction and an environment I've never worked in before.  I am very thankful!