6 Months! Really?

Katie is 6 months old today and I absolutely can't believe it! Some friends of ours just had a baby yesterday and when I visited them today and held their new addition, I thought, "when was Katie ever this small?" It seems so strange to already feel so far removed from the late night feedings and the uncertainty of new parenthood. I think back to the way I felt when she was first born and I get sad thinking I let even one second pass without feeling this deep love for her. She is so fantastic and every day she makes her daddy and me smile!
We had her 6 month pictures done on Tuesday. I found this girl through a friend's blog and loved her photojournalistic approach to the pictures. I set up the appointment and then when she got to my house, it turned out we knew each other from high school and just didn't recognize each other's married names! What a small world! The pictures are more than I could've imagined. I really feel like they capture our little girl's personality! Here is a link to a slideshow with some more of the pictures if you're interested.

http://www.brooketurnerphotography.com/slideshows/KatieJones/

Katie went to the doctor today and here are her stats:
Weight - 16 pounds, 4 ounces (60th percentile)
Length - 25 1/2 inches (45th percentile)

Katie has discovered her feet recently - she loves to put her feet in her mouth and go to town on her big toe. She has grown more confident in her voice and loves to babble, but mostly SQUEAL. She loves other babies. She lights up around Maddie every day and loves loves loves her cousin Cole. She just leans over to him and puts her hands on his hands! They are too cute together. She has been entertaining friends and family with her jumperoo antics. She does a little Irish jig in there and will dance for half an hour if we let her. These are the cute adorable things she's added this month.

Now for the bad part - Katie, who slept 8 hours a night at 8 weeks and eventually got up to sleeping about 10.5 hours a night, is now waking up at least 4 times a night. And she doesn't just need a pacifier, she needs a full fledge rock me/bounce me back to sleep! This has been happening for about a week and we think it is some bowel issues but if it keeps up, we may have to try some tough love and let her cry it out! She has also started pulling her own hair! It's sort of funny but I also feel bad for her because she makes herself cry! And on Sunday, my first Mother's Day, I gave her her first bruise! She fell over in a shopping cart and banged her cheek. She cried harder than ever which of course turned on my water works and Doug was left standing with two crying girls in Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

We love her more than I ever thought possible - a question that was asked of me shortly after she was born and I remember crying because I didn't feel it. Now I cry just thinking of how much we love her. Doug and I are completely enamored with her personality and we love watching her grow everyday! She is so precious to us and I can't imagine life without her! (Although a dinner date with Doug is super nice when she's not around)

To our little bug - we love you and can't wait to see what your 7th month holds!

30 Rocks!

My big brother Gabriel turns 30 today! I can not think of anyone that is less of a 30 year old in my head than him. It's probably because I still think of him as a kid since most of the time I think of myself as a kid. But in celebration of his birthday - I am going to tell you 30 things that have to do with Gabriel - some random and some not. Some just to help me get to 30.

1. Gabriel is 15 months older than me.
2. He does not have the personality of a first born.
3. Gabriel is getting married to Nancy Reed (see top left picture) in August.
4. He is in PA with Nancy and my mom for his birthday (planning #3.)
5. Gabriel bit a hole in his tongue during a soccer match in high school - played through it - and then went for stitches.
6. He was our high school mascot and was AWESOME at it!
7. Gabriel was the student body president in high school.
8. He worked for the same company (Sears) for over 9 years.
9. Gabriel dressed up as a clown for one of my birthday parties at McDonalds.
10. He lives in Frisco, Texas (near Dallas.)
11. Gabriel is the director of Game Entertainment for the Rough Riders (see bottom right picture).
12. He used to beat me up a lot - but I am certain that I asked for it - at least that's what he has led me to believe.
13. Gabriel sends the best cards - last Easter I got a really special one.
14. He does everything with such zeal and energy despite #15.
15. Gabriel has probably pulled more all nighters than any other non-rockstar.
16. He has a car named Optimus Prime.
17. Gabriel goes all out on Christmas gifts - seriously - overboard!
18. He loves eggnog!
19. Gabriel ate a bowl of jalapenos at a youth group event.
20. He licked all of the icing off of one of my birthday cakes.
21. Gabriel will eat Ravioli or Beefaroni - right out of the can - no heating.
22. He took me to a movie on my high school graduation night because I was grounded. We saw The Truman Show - it was my first stadium seating movie event.
23. Gabriel is a phenomenal dancer. I think he should hire himself out to weddings.
24. He is hilarious - take me and multiply it by 30!
25. Gabriel works hard for the money (Doug came up with this one).
26. He is my mom's favorite, but Katie is quickly catching up with him.
27. Gabriel has been skydiving.
28. He had over 100 friends on Facebook within several hours.
29. Gabriel started running to help encourage Nancy as she trained for a 10 mile race.
30. He is the best big brother! He is such an all-around great guy and I am constantly proud of him and all that he does. I don't harbor any resentment for #26 because he just rocks. He has such a magnetic personality that others just gravitate to him. I am his #1 fan. I hate that we live so far away! I can't wait for Katie to get to know her Uncle Gabriel!

I love you Gabriel - Happy 30th! Live it up (like you need someone to tell you to live it up!)

Katie Takes A Ride into the Danger Zone!

Watch out Goose - we have a little Maverick on our hands! I absolutely couldn't resist buying these baby aviators for my child even if she just wears them for this picture. Oh how I love her! I missed her 5 month post mainly because I was dying to upload a video of her in her jumperoo (thanks Kathy Bounds!) but I never could get it to work right and nothing else quite summed up her 5th month quite like the dancing in the jumperoo.

I have been a super slack blogger lately - but here's a snippet of what we've been up to since Doug's birthday which was my last post:

We (with the help of family) sodded (is that a verb?) our front yard in anticipation of selling it. It was quite a process but it looks fantastic.

We had a Sunday School Class cookout where Katie met 2 sets of twins, an older boy (2 year old Trey), and hung out with her longtime friend Caleb.

I helped shower my friend Ashley as she gets ready to have baby Caroline (arriving in June.) I got her a super circular sheep from Stein Mart and I am dying to go back and get one for Katie because it is soooooooo soft and cute!

We went to the Tour of Homes last weekend and saw some crazy expensive houses that were fun to look at! We had dinner afterwards with the Bozards and Katie enjoyed playing with Elizabeth and Thomas.

I saved a bird in my work parking lot that got hit by a car - I named her Turkey in honor of the Turkey sandwich bag I scooper her into. I took her to the wildlife rescue center off St. Andrews where she will be rehabilitated and returned to the wild after her broken pelvis heals.

I survived the swine flu outbreak (so far). One of our residents was potentially exposed to it and therefore posed a threat to all of us with whom he contact...But he turned out negative so we were saved.

I have been really loving Couponing - and trying to save tons of money on groceries. It's a pure adrenaline rush. I got a $25 gift card to a local restaurant for $2! Can't beat it!

So please forgive me for not blogging - there's been so much going on! This weekend we are heading out with a realtor to begin looking at houses. We also have Katie's 6 month pictures and well visit to the doctor scheduled for next week! I have a few days off as my mom is in Pennsylvania next week. Tune in Sunday for a Special Tribute to the newest member (as of Sunday) of Club 30!