Well, more than halfway if you consider that this blog will be posted a week or so late :/
(Better start perusing Pinterest for first birthday party ideas! I'd be lying if I said I hadn't done this already, cough, maybe even months ago). #psycho
Six months: I'll dive in!
Or, catch up first (only those of you who are TRULY bored): 5 months | 4 months | 3 months | 2 months | 1 month | Ana's birth story | Holy shit I'm pregz
 |
| Boo-bear |
Which makes me laugh so hard. She gets in these moods where she's so cray. She'll just go HAM, yelling and giggling and enjoying the sound of her own voice, shouting out for the world to hear. People are sometimes alarmed by it when we're out in public, thinking she's pissed, but nope. She's just here to announce her presence! I took her to Twelve Oaks last week, where it was really echo-y in the main mall area, and she was just like, letting her screams rip ripppp. She's so happy when she does, it's hilar.
Remember when she used to get up in the mornings, usually about 5 or 6, and I'd take her into bed with us and give her a bottle? Then she'd fall back asleep till noon? RIP! I miss those days so hard. James and I were so well-rested from the time she was like, 2 1/2 months till probably 3 weeks ago.
Now? (I mean, we probably shouldn't complain -- we still sleep wayyy more than other new parents, I have to imag). But now, she's up at like, 9, I give her a bottle, and she's basically ready to start her day. We're always like, "one more hour, pleaaase?" But no. She's awake, screaming in our ears, pulling my hair, grabbing Jimmy's nose, trying to stand on us and pull herself up ... and then it's like, welllllll, we might as well GTFU (up, not out).
Jims likes to sing, "I'm all the way upppp, nothing can stop me," as her little theme song : )
Ana has, however, settled into a little bit of a nap schedule, which is nice! We've never had any sort of consistency there. Right now, she'll go down for about an hour from 12:30 or 1, till about 1:30 or 2. Which is just enough time for me to run around the house and tidy, or catch up on e-mails, or take a shower and pack up the bags for the day, if we're heading out. Doesn't sound like much, but hey, I'll take whatever I can get.
Along with all the yelling, we have way more babbling going on, as well!
 |
| Bear-boo. |
I have a Snapchat video of her saying what SOUNDS like "mommy," but we joke that what it really sounds like is a British little boy. "Meh-MMAY." It's on my IG if you're curious! But, safe to say she's yet to utter her first intentional word. Still no real ma-ma-ma-ma-ma or da-da-da-da-da, despite my best efforts. It'll come with time, I'm confident. I'm always caught between like, wanting her to grow up and do the next thing, and wanting to freeze this moment in time for us to cherish forever. Six months is a lot of fun though -- I feel like she really knows me!
Ugh, but on the same note, it's hard with her clothes, too! I have SO many, and I buy stuff big, in the hopes it'll fit her all summer. But when I pick her outfits in the morning, I'm always ripping tags off stuff, like, "well, this could fit now, or this or this or this!" I have to tell myself like, "pump the breaks, let her spit up and drool all over the 9 and 12 month stuff before you have to retire it in a week." :(
#firstworldprobz fa real.
 |
| Aunt Liz's old overalls! |
And Analisa is doing great. She's a very active and healthy little girl. She weighed 17 pounds, 8 ounces; and measured 25 1/2 long. They never tell us percentiles, then everyone finds out we had an appointment and they're all "WHAT PERCENTILE IS ALL THAT?" ... I don't know, as long as she's healthy, IDGAF. You can Google it; there are a million baby calculators out there.
We finally bit the bullet after our appointment and gave Ana her first solids! I had been holding off because long story, but we were told to go for it. We're doing baby-led weaning, which is like, letting the baby dictate what she does/doesn't like, and feed herself. And it's mostly just like, food we're eating, in smaller forms. No baby food or purees.
However, she does need to get her iron intake up (all babies do around now), so we did break from BLW to spoon-feed some rice cereal. She's been nomming some almost every morning for about a week now, and she ... thinks it's OK. Some mornings are easier than others, but I'm never going to force it on her and make sure she eats every last bite. I don't want to turn meals into an issue, so when she clamps her mouth shut and shakes her head no, we're done for the day. We've also given her noodles (tossed in pesto, but not much), and a few bites of the following: salmon, turkey, beans, broccoli, and a raspberry. All on different occasions, and just the tiniest of nibbles. I know you're supposed to go slow and introduce one food at a time (in case of allergies), but she's so interested in what we're eating. Sometimes I'll pop a tiny piece in her mouth, just to let her explore new flavors and gum it around a bit. She loves noodles probably the most so far. It's really cool to watch her eat, and awesome to watch her learn. She's just like, taking in EVERYTHING. What a little sponge-friend!
Ana is very smart (says her biased mother). She knows her name, reacts when someone calls her, and I think she understands me (in very basic ways). My mom tries to teach her stuff, too -- we were doing Patty Cake with her last week, and Ana caught on, and was clapping her hands together by the end! (I mean, she missed a lot, but whatever). She can high-five (kind of), and she'll imitate me when it's time to eat, and open her mouth really wide and swallow, if I show her how.
Oh, and two must-have items, if you're about to embark on solids: Bumkins waterproof bibs (I don't even know where we'd be without these -- they're so cute, too), and the Antilop high-chair from IKEA. I thought we'd have to spend like, $150 on a high-chair, based on Buy Buy Baby and the recommendations I'd been hearing. Not that that's horrible; I mean, babies are expensive and everything costs money. But then I kept reading about this IKEA HC, and it was popping up as a recommended item on some of the blogs I frequent. James and I stopped by the Canton store last time we were in Royal Oak, and ... ta da. It's truly the only HC you'd ever need, and it's like, $19.99. Easy to assemble, easy to wipe down, Analisa enjoys sitting in it, DONE. Save yourself some Ds and go pick one up.
 |
| Baby big eyes! |
I'll set her down for a sec to prepare a bottle or go pee (yeah, still makin bottles and pumping, although just once a day ... despite the solids, babies still get the bulk of their nutrients and food from b-milk or formy) -- but yeah, then I'll find Ana like, in a completely different spot from where I left her.
So, we're baby-proofing over here! I mean, she's obviously not up and about, strolling the house, but she's rolling and scooting, and going front to back, and back to front, and pushing herself all over the place. Bae can travel. Seemingly out of nowhere!
 |
| Gazing up at papa |
Trying to get your attention. Yes, you: strangers at the mall, the one person in a group conversation who's leading the discussion, James, my parents, their friends, my friends, everyone and anyone. It's really cute. She'll yell and flap and just smile at you, trying to catch your gaze.
And reaching for my phone (doesn't help that my phone case is a bomb pop right now), and the remote, and she's sad when I take both away <--- (the germs though!)
 |
| Watermelon game on fleeeeek |
Before that, she'd just sit for a few seconds and topple. And suddenly, she's a pro. If she feels herself falling, she catches herself or puts her hands down.
And just like that, we have a big girl!
When she gets in a mood, I just have to snap her out of it. Tactics include: going on a car ride (or if she's fussing back there, rolling the window down on her), sticking her in the bath or the sink, or even going in our apartment complex pool. It's ... kinda cold in there, but she loved it, the two times we've gone.
One day, I was just like, sick of the scenery around here, so we met Rachael in East Lansing. Totally impromptu trip! Ana and I did a little campus stroll (OK, a long campus stroll!), and then we all got dinnz at El Azteco. Yum. We also met Caitlyn and Dan in EL just the other day. Have I said this a million times already? I love being able to do stuff like that! Being back in Michigan is truly theeee best.
We're up for anything; our "hats are on the piano" as my grandma would say. I'm still very willing to take Ana anywhere and everywhere. And she's so good when we're out -- why not?
We were getting into a bit of a shopping pattern, which I decided I had to break. I'm not even working full-time right now, I can't be droppin Ds like it's my job. So I decided, no baby clothes for two full months. She has way more than enough, it's not like I'm depriving her.
... I miiiiight have broken down and gotten her a dress for Liz and Ryan's wedding, but it was $8.99 (normally $85!) from Ralph Lauren, and I just didn't think I'd be able to find that deal, plus her size in another month or so. So, I bit the bullet and got it. Whatever, right? I can't even tell you how many things I've passed on. A Sparty cheerleader outfit (also hard to determine how big she'll be in September), a Sparty TUTU, more Tigers gear, countless outfits from Target, more stuff from Macy's that was on sale when I got the wedding dress ... sigh. Steps in the right direction though, right?
 |
| Me and my mini in EL! |
I try not to be too hard on Jimmy; I know it's not his fault his station is moving across town, and he has to be there constantly, as one of only three managers. He's the main worker-bee in our family right now, and it should only be a few more weeks with these crazy, all-consuming hours. It's just difficult because I like him so much! Our weekends are everything. Anzie and I love that guy to the moon and back.
Ana-bear ... lovvvving her dad. I think I mentioned in her five-month update, but she's just like, smiling and following him around the room with her gaze, whenever they're together. It's the sweetest thing in the universe. He's so fun with her, and loving. He makes her laugh the hardest. They have the most special bond and I tear up sometimes watching, because I'm nuts like that.
We took Anz up north for Memorial Day weekend, and she was kinda freaking out in the backseat on the way back, which is really rare for her. She usually loves the car. So we stopped in Bay City (randomly) just to stretch our legs, play with her and wear her out a bit. It's like, one of my favorite recent memories. James went from holding her so calm on the riverfront, getting her to chill, to making her SCREAM out in delight on the streets, as we were walking around, debating where to grab a bite. He was tossing her up, tickling her, and she was just in daddy heaven.
(It's our anniversary next month!) Yay. Weird to think that was Ana in there the whole time.
Up north was fun! Weather was weird, but we went to Petoskey and had the best time (and spent way too much at American Spoon). :/
 |
| That face-grab kills me. |
She still REFUSES to lie down, if she's awake. It's so funny. At her appointment, the nurse was like, "we have a Pilates baby on our hands! Look at that ab work!" ... I swear, you set her on her back, even for a minute, and she's crunching to try and sit up. She will just like, hold herself in that crazy position. You'd think she'd have abs of steel. (Not so much, IRL). And then I try to hold her in my arms lately, and she's trying to leapfrog off me. I set her on my chest to take a nap (like old times), and she's doing makeshift pushups, or trying to crawl or roll away. Crazy baby indeed. The Ganleys are excited to see her! Last month's trip fell through (long story), so we're heading to Rochester this weekend instead.
Anyway, to wrap up, I miss my tiny, sleepy baby, but love this big, active girl. Her personality cracks me up. I can't wait to see what the coming weeks have in store. Until then ...
(I'll leave you with some outtakes).
 |
| Whenever people be like, "your baby can't even TAKE a bad picture!" ... |
 |
| "So, how does Ana like Daisy?" ... "Ummm, undecided." #overwhelmed |
No comments:
Post a Comment