6 months

Lets be honest, it is more like 6 1/2 months, but we have had a rough couple of months with someone in this house always being sick. Tuolumne's was probably the most miserable for the household though. Apparently she doesn't do a quiet sickness. She wants everyone to know about it. Poor girl had a rough few weeks, but we are finally breaking out of it. I think we are down to a lingering cough.

Here are a few things this girl was up to in our month of tears:

- you can sit up by yourself
- we gave you food a week before you turned 6 months...I was convinced you were starving! I can't say you "eat" though. Most of the time you look very disgusted!
- at 5 1/2 months you got your first 2 teeth. I told Nonna that morning I thought you might be trying to get a tooth but it was hard to tell and it seems too early. By the end of the day, the first bottom one popped out. The other one came the next day. So far, our kids are super teethers!!! They don't skip a beat!
- you have had rice cereal, avocado, and banana by 6 months, but again, did it even get in your belly at all is the question???
- you NEED your sleep and you don't let us forget it.
- you are in the size large with our prefolds. Cap was never made it to that size!
- sometimes you just want us to hold your hand. Our physical touch cures many things with you.
- you know what you want and you are specific about it. I like that about you.
- you blow some serious bubbles when you are in the mood.
- any clothes you get are size 18-24 months. I am convinced they make girl clothes tiny!

This month has been an exhausting blur. Big things happened like teeth, sitting up, and food, but it will be hard to forget the lack of sleep and all the crying from being sick this month. You are awesome and we love you.

her belly does not speak of being starved!

what a pose!

then we got serious and photo awkward for the next fifty photos!

I personally love the drool hanging off her chin

Enjoy!

The Captain

Cap informed me one day he needed his helmet and climbing shoes on because he was going rock climbing. I LOVE his creativity and his need for adventure. I also love those chubby little toddler hands of his. 

We have felt a non-stop under the weather feeling in our house for some time now. As soon as we think we are all better, we go out, and someone is down by the next day! It is getting old. We are a couple of tired parents.

Cap is on his first round of antibiotics ever. I am so thankful he hasn't needed them until now. He told Bryce in the middle of the night last week that his ear was bleeding in the inside. Turns out it was the start of a minor ear infection. He hasn't really talked about his ear since and just was a normal congested/ cough sick for the past week. 

Now Tuolumne has fever and major congestion and drainage. Nothing hurts worse than your kiddos feeling sick. I don't care how minor it is, it makes my insides hurt. 

I have had a sleeping girl on me for over 2 hours. She was too snotty to fall asleep on her own laying down. So she is snoring away on me! This will be all for now. Pretty hard to type anymore!

Enjoy

to my daughter

Miss Tuolumne,

You came out much quicker than Cap and I thank you for that. Your dad says someone did the "It's a girl!" announcement. I don't remember it. But when they put you in my arms, I already knew. My heart and insides knew you were Tuolumne Song...my daughter.

I remember being so peaceful. The day you were born your dad and I danced, sang, spoke and read God's word, cried, and rejoiced. We even watched 50 first dates in the labor delivery room. We had Rend Collective Experiment, Campfire album, playing a good part of the day. The doctor immediately commented on the music and how cheerful and fun it was. I had picked out this music specifically for this special day. We were celebrating.

After they gave you to me, everyone started guessing weight because you seemed so big. They were going high too, 8's and 9's. I told them no way. You didn't seem big to me like Cap did when he arrived. They were right, 9.5 lbs. I was in shock. All that worrying about clothes going to be too big for you was for nothing! Still makes me smile months later.

People always comment on your chubby cheeks. You do have the cutest cheeks! I like your smile the best. You whole face lights up and your eyes can't stay open when you smile. It reminds me of your dad. Your little dimple on the right side just pops out too. It is contagious.

Tuoly I don't remember much after you were born until about the time you hit 2 months old or so. We had a crazy summer as you know. I do know that we waited for you. I didn't realize how much we waited until you finally got here. It is though you always belonged with us.

One of the things I am most grateful for is your love for me and my love for you. Love seems like a given I know, but I spent most of my life scared of having a daughter. Tuolumne, the world tells us a lot of lies, and there are many that accompany the "mother daughter relationship".  In Jesus' name those curses have no place in our family and with me and you. When you snuggled up with me for the first time my heart felt like it was going to burst! We do not have to settle for what the world has to offer. God's design is much better.

Thank you for wanting to snuggle and be close.


I am so proud of you.
I love you,
mom