Six Months Old!

Half a year old… I find myself more and more frequently asking God to slow things down.  Just a little bit.  I feel like I need more moments to really soak up the sweetness and littleness and the preciousness of having a baby in our home.  I must say I almost just as frequently ask God to remind me that I will get a full night of sleep again and that when I do, this zombie-like feeling will elude me. 🙂  Our Noelle is… words can not do justice to this little one.  What a wonderful, happy, smart, curious, hungry, round little bundle we have been entrusted with!

Our 6 month old girl is right on track weighing in at 16.2 pounds (50th percentile) and measuring 26 3/4 inches (70th percentile)!  Shots as always were brutal.  Sweet little Ava even asked to be excused from watching her baby sister get shots and then reassured her repeatedly that she would be OK afterward.  It is such a wonder to watch our girls build a relationship.  I know that they are young and that things won’t always be so sweet, but this ‘sister’ thing suits them both so beautifully.  Kurt and I watch as their personalities are enhanced and sweetened with proximity to one another.  Ava is tolerant of anything Noelle throws her way, hair grabbing and slobbering on her dolls included.  They seem to light up in each others company and our prayer is that God will keep them close.  What a blessing that they have each other!

Ellie’s 4 Months Old!

Weight: 13.6 Pounds (45th percentile) Height: 24 3/4 Inches (60th percentile) Head Circumference: ? (50th percentile)

So round and pretty!

Laughing out loud either from Daddy tickles or Ava jokes!

And sleeping swaddle-free... when she sleeps 🙂

2 Month Doctor Visit

After our two month Well-Child Check-up we have a 3 month old Well-Baby and two happy, relieved parents!

Weight: 11.4 pounds- 30th percentile

Height: 23 1/4 inches-50th percentile

Head: 15cm-50 percentile

Noelle showed Dr. Koil what a happy and social baby she is!  We told him how much she loves to eat, how well she sleeps and what a wonderful addition to our family she has been.  We did voice a concern that we had been having that her head seems to be slightly asymmetrical. The right side of her forehead seems to protrude slightly and was worrying us.  Though he did validate our concern and see what we were describing, he reassured us that everything about her skull at this point looks like it is developing normally. Her head is growing, she has a soft spot and the suture lines all seem to be fusing at the correct rate.  The asymmetry he thinks might be caused by the fact that she very much prefers to turn her head and sleep on her right side.  So, our homework is to help her to use her left side.  Since the visit, we have been putting her to sleep facing the other direction and we have been consciously holding her and talking with her on her left side so that she can get used to turning that way.  The doctor said that this problem will probably correct itself as she gets stronger and starts getting mobile/ spending less time on her back but in order to help her neck muscles to develop normally we should help her practice both sides 🙂

We also had to start our vaccinations…Noelle did great!  We’ve decided to give her shots on the same type of schedule as we did for Ava, receiving no more than 2 shots at a time and taking about 2 years (instead of 1) to complete the process.  Our girl did great- no fever, sleep issues or noted soreness following the shots!  The visit was even a great teaching tool for Ava who is really dreading her 3 year old check-up and is using every excuse in the book to convince us that she doesn’t really need to visit Dr. Koil in a few months.   Besides a little crying during the shot portion of the appointment, Noelle beautifully illustrated proper patient etiquette for her big sis.  Good Job Girl!- Hope it lasts 🙂