Six Months...

So it's been a little more than six months since Ily joined our world, and I was realizing today just how precious these moments are. She is growing and changing so fast. Tonight she fell asleep while I was feeding her, and I just held her and smelled her and kissed her little hands and face (I may have shed a few tears.) I know it's a little dramatic, but I was imagining her starting her first day of kindergarten, playing sports, driving a car, getting married...I know that in some ways it's far off, but not really. I have never talked to a parent who said that the years their children were little went slowly.

I am thankful to be a mom...I read a blog today about a mom who has two sets of twins under a two years, and she said "I would rather have my hands full than to have empty arms and a broken heart." I don't even really feel like my hands are that full, but we do have harder days and easier ones, but everyday with her is a gift.

I thought I would make a quick list of the things that I am loving about Ily and parenting right now.
1. I love her little person-ness. She is beginning to get opinionated about things and she has a sense of humor. She likes to play with toys. I guess I should say that she's interested in toys and she likes to try the taste of each and every one of them.
2. She can sit on her own with only the occasional fall backwards or face plant. While she is doing this, she will grab anything within her reach.
3. The smiles that she gives when you come in to get her in the morning or after her naps will melt your heart.
4. She sleeps some longer stretches at night. (key word being "some") But she is a fabulous napper (usually a 2 hour morning nap and a 2 hour afternoon nap.)
5. She started solid food about a month ago, and she LOVES to eat. She has not yet met a food that she doesn't like, but the faces she gives when you introduce something new are hilarious.
6. She has become more social and will smile for lots of other people...but it is so fun that Chad and I are her favorite people.
7. She has a lovey now...a monkey head attached to a little blanket (actually we have three. I went out and bought two more when I realized they were her favorite.) Watching her with the monkey (we call it her "sidekick") is so interesting. She likes to hold its head, and then delicately touch it's head with one or two fingers at a time.

Overall, she is pretty stinkin' awesome.

Just for interest sake, here are her six month stats.
28 inches (97th percentile)
15 lbs. 6 oz. (25th percentile)
She's wearing some 6 month clothes, but mostly 9 month things right now.