Ellie Grace : 6 Months

My baby is officially closer to being one years old than being a newborn.

I'm a few days late in posting Ellie's six month post - mostly because my house has been a crazy place the last week.

Ellie has had a belly virus since Sunday night (five days ago).  At least that's what the doctor thinks it is.  Because she hasn't had a fever and is still eating and wetting diapers, we went ahead with her 6 month vaccinations on Tuesday.  And boy oh boy, has she been a miserable kid ever since.  Excuse her outfit.  I know nothing about it matches.  I would have dressed her up a little more for these pictures, but It's not even noon and I've changed four poopy diapers.  I've scrubbed poop out of more outfits this week than I have in her six months of life.  So... we are down to some random clothes right now, and I know the second I put her in something that makes you go "awww" she's going to explode all over it. Since we aren't leaving the house today, I don't care.  You should see MY outfit.

See those two little teeth?

At her six month appointment, Ellie weighed 16 pounds, 7 ounces and was 27 inches tall.  I don't remember the percentile she's in - but she's starting to not weigh as much as her peers, but is still really tall for her age.

Little miss is still in size 2 diapers, and still in 6 month clothing.  But she's too tall for all of her jammies.  She's in 9 month PJs.  This has recently become a problem because I don't have a ton of 9 month pajamas.  I'm a bargain shopper, and I'm all about using coupons and buying through online clearance sales - so I have 4 pairs of PJs coming in the mail that I basically stole because I got such a screaming deal.  Anyways... Ellie has been in her six month PJs, which are a little snug and make it hard for her to crawl.  So naturally, she hates them and throws a fit.

In the two weeks she's been crawling, she has it down.  She's now all over my house.  If I go from the living room to the kitchen, she's right behind me.  Ellie has been an independent little girl since day one.    But now that she's figured out that she can get to wherever she wants - watch out.  This week has been especially hard because she doesn't feel well.  She wants to snuggle mom, but she wants to be down on the ground exploring.  So every day there have been multiple melt downs because she will crawl to me and stick her arms out for me to pick her up, then twenty minutes later scream because she wants to be put down.  I feel like my house hasn't had a good deep cleaning since she's been born.  But now that she's crawling?  Game over, haha.  I can't wait until I can teach her to put toys away - not that she'll do it.  But here's what my front room looks like right now :

Toys everywhere, blanket to play on, and chairs and boxes surrounding the entertainment center so she will stay far, far away.  Not having a clean house is hard for me.  But I guess that is the stage of life we are in right now.  Thank goodness I have an amazing husband who helps me when and where he can.  

Ellie pulls herself up to everything.  Her crib, the couches, my legs, the chairs around the entertainment center.  

Here she is - pulled herself up onto the couch. 

Because she is standing like this, she also falls a lot.  She also hasn't completely figured out that when she crawls, she can crawl into things.  She's crawled head first into the couch quite a few times this week.  So... she's shed a few tears.  In fact (honest mommy moment ahead), I'm pretty sure all she's done this week is cry.  Yesterday we took a short trip to Syracuse, and on the way home - which ended up being like an hour and a half - she screamed the ENTIRE way.  It was awful.  That's how I know my baby has had a rough week - she usually loves the car.  So... it's been a hard week for me too.  I myself, haven't felt the best.  Ellie has been under the weather.  Add a few personal things that have been really hard on top of a working daddy and boy.  It's been a rough week for the two of us.  If it weren't for Clayton, Ellie and I might not be alive.  He's so much more than I deserve, and a few things this week have made me more and more and more grateful I married him.  As if that could happen. :)

Ellie is still a good eater - but now that she's mobile, it seems it's harder to make her settle down and eat when it's time.  Eventually after I've tried to feed her for the last three hours, she realizes that she is hungry and will finally scarf down food like I starve her.  I guess her new-found mobility and toys are a lot cooler than food and mom.  :)  She loves sweet potatoes, green beans and fruit medley.  She wasn't really a fan of carrots.  She has also discovered that she can pull the nipple out of her bottles...which means she and I have been covered in milk a few times this week.  Ellie thinks it's a pretty awesome trick.  I hate it.  I had a goal to exclusively breast feed Ellie until she was six months old (as in introduce solid foods, but no formula) - and I'm proud (and feel lucky) to say I have been able to accomplish that goal.  So when Ellie dumps that liquid gold all over, it makes me cry a little inside.  I work hard to make that milk!  Anyways....

Ellie is still a terrible napper.  Surprise, surprise.  I've been trying harder to get her to bed earlier, but I'm not always successful.  If we are awake - little miss wants to be awake too.  

Ellie has entered the "stranger danger" phase of her life.  No one is safe.  So please, don't take offense if we have a visit and my daughter hates you.  Haha. 

Even though it hasn't been the ideal week for me as a parent, I love love love love being this little girl's mom.  She reminds me so much of myself - she is a stubborn, independent little turd.  She reminds me so much of her daddy - she looks JUST like him, sleeps just like him, loves to have her head rubbed just like him.  Anyone who meets her agrees - she is a mini Clayton.  She is the perfect, perfect addition to our family.  I can't imagine life without her, and can't believe how fast the last six months have flown by.  I'll leave you with some of Ellie's six month pictures. I will be sending a New Years greeting to friends and family - so sorry if some of you see some of these pictures twice.  I haven't quite decided which pictures I'll put where. :)

One of my favorite pictures ever.  

If you've met my daughter, you've probably also met her tongue.  It's always , always out and has been since the day she was born.

She had had enough picture taking by this point, haha.