In the past month Gretchen has done so many new things and perfected other skills that she's been working on for quite some time. She has excellent hand and eye coordination, having the ability to pick up small objects with such ease (i.e., one of my thin bracelets, a tiny toy, and even a pen -- before I got to it to take it away). She is also quite mobile, making her way from one room to the next so quickly. It's proven to be slightly (okay, quite) stressful, because I can't place her down in one spot and expect her to be there when I return. Instead, if I were to go into the bathroom to blow dry my hair and leave her in the living room, I'd come back and she would be in the kitchen (going after the dog dish -- ahh...big no and extremely messy).
She is still incredibly vocal, and can mimic many of the syllables we say. She sounds like she says "ma-ma" when she is upset, and also likes the sound of "mm" "ahh" and "ggg." It sounds like she says "hi," and she might. I've seen her wave a few times, but I'm not sure if it is coincidence or she's actually doing it. Either way, it's cute and we're so proud of her every accomplishment.
Her pediatric six month appointment is not until the 22nd due to a scheduling conflict (on the pediatrician's part), so be sure to check back for her most recent stats once we return. She'll receive more vaccinations and a general observation of her health. Updated Stats:
Height: 2' 2.75" (78.28%)
Weight: 21 lbs (98.97%)
Head Circumference: 17.24" (81.40%)
Speaking of health, Gretchen had her first cold yesterday. I know we're now into her seventh month, but it was so recent that I wanted to record it here. She had a runny nose, sniffles, a cough, fever (very mild) and could hardly breathe out of her nose. All she wanted to do was moan, groan and sleep. The lousy part was she could not sleep laying down due to the congestion, so I placed her in my carrier and "wore" her throughout the entire day. It was very tiring, because I had to stay on my feet all day with a 20+ pound baby attached to me, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it allowed her to rest. We applied Vicks (for babies) on her feet and placed her in footy pajamas. Something about the Vicks on her feet helps her body absorb it faster. It seemed to work! We tried to give her infant Tylenol, but she would not have it. She made herself throw up (of course it was all over me), so we're not actually sure if she consumed any. Either way, her fever went down to a regular temperature. We had her sleep with us last night, because she needed the extra cuddles and it was easier to check on her (breathing wise). She woke up every two hours all night, but would easily go back to sleep after a diaper change or a bottle feeding. We can't complain, though, because she allowed us to sleep in until 8:30 AM. It wasn't consecutive, but we ended up getting a fairly decent amount of sleep.
Overall, her sixth month was pretty rocky, but great, nonetheless. We had a sleep regression, which meant that she went back to her infant ways (and still is doing this). However, she did start to ease back into riding in the car, allowing us to take a few long rides and multiple short rides. She can now sit in the grocery cart seat, so it's easier to bring her places without needing to get the stroller out. We can also carry her in the stores with our new soft carrier (her favorite is being carried on our backs - piggy back style, because she can observe everything at our level). Still no teeth, but I think they're coming!
She had her photos taken with her cousin, Marissa, Grammy Sawyer, Mimi Perry and myself through Darling Photography. We will receive the pictures on the 19th of November, so I'll be sure to post our favorites! Gretchen also has a special photo shoot coming up on the 21st, which is quite exciting. Darling Photography has a few ideas and it also gives us an excuse to visit with Grayson (a 9 month old baby boy) and Jenn (the owner of Darling Photography).
Check back later for her updated stats from the pediatrician, I have a feeling we'll all be surprised (or maybe not surprised at all, ha, with how rapidly she grows) by her stats. I'm eager to hear what the pediatrician has to say!
We're still loving parenthood and are excited for all of the milestones we have to look forward to, as we look fondly back on the great ones we've already experienced!
As always, here are some photos from Gretchen's sixth month of life! Enjoy!
Now that Gretchen is mobile, I have to put this gate up to separate her from the kitchen! She looked so sad, but this picture is definitely cute.
Here's Gretchen playing in a box. She enjoys playing in boxes and the laundry basket.
Here's Gretchen in her new carrier.
Gretchen loves to chew (or gum, I guess you would say describing a person without teeth) on her toys, especially her bees!
Here's Mom and Gretchen with the new carrier after a long day of Gretchen fighting her sleep.
Gretchen and her dad playing by the fire on a chilly night outside (but so toasty warm inside).
Gretchen trying to escape the couch (note her extremely chubby thighs).
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