6 Months Old

Ella is 6 months old today!  I cannot believe we've had our little peanut for half a year already!  She becomes more fun and interactive every day.  She is now very interested in the world around her...especially other people.  She grabs and reaches for everything, and everything goes in her mouth.  She rolls back and forth all the time.  She sits unassisted for a few seconds before tipping over, but she can sit up longer if she leans forward and props herself up with her hands.  While Gary and I often have to 'work' for a smile or laugh, all Rylee has to do is walk by her, and she gets a huge smile or even laughs.  She continues to be a very good/easy baby, really only fussing when she is very hungry or tired.

She is sleeping through the night...usually from about 6:30 p.m. until between 6 and 7 a.m.  She naps about 3.5-4.5 hours per day.  I just cut out her 3rd nap three days ago, and we're working on staying awake longer between her first and second naps...she still doesn't like to be awake longer than 2 hours between naps!

We still give her a dream feed at around 11 p.m., but that is slowly phasing out because she takes less and less each time.  I want her to keep getting it because I don't think she eats enough otherwise!  She eats four 6 oz. bottles a day, plus whatever she gets during the dream feed (1-2 oz. usually).  We try to give her solids at least 1-2 times a day, but sometimes we don't give her any.  She hates rice cereal.  She likes oatmeal, and she loves carrots, sweet potatoes and squash.  I usually try to mix the veggies with a bit of formula powder and cereal to make it more caloric.

She wears a size 2 diaper and 6 months in clothes.  She can still wear size 3-6 months in Gymboree and most Naartjie outfits, but she can wear the 9 month Target (Circo) brand sleepers (although they are slightly big).  

She got her 3rd round of shots today at the pediatrician (again 2 shots in each thigh), and she barely cried at all!  She was more upset about the nurse holding her legs down then she was about the actual shots.  She was her smiley happy self as soon as we got home.

STATS
Weight- 15 pounds 12 oz. (50th% actual; 75th% adjusted)
Height- 25 inches (30th% actual; 60th% adjusted)
Head- 42 inches (40th% actual; 50th% adjusted)

Her interest in the world around her and any and all objects leads to a photo shoot with mainly pictures like this:

I cannot express how much joy she brings into our lives.  She makes everything seem better, sweeter, sunnier, easier and more fun.