Growing, growing, growing!

6 (1/2) month update:

Jade continues to be an easy-going, loving, playful, FUN baby :) One woman even made the comment that Jade made her want to have a baby--and she previously did not. Also, another care provider who previously did not care for babies is now accepting babies at her center after meeting Jade. I would love to say that this is all mine and Josh's doing-that we molded her into a happy little person-but she is amazing all on her own--she's just so darn smiley! Even when we are grouchy or arguing or whining, she is happy and bright. In fact, she likes to grab at our lips if we are arguing, then laugh at us. Obviously, it stops the arguing and we move on to loving our baby instead of nit-picking over the little things. Maybe she will be a therapist some day...
New stuff she is working on:
-Sit on her own, unassisted. She can't pull herself into this position, but will sit and play if you put her there.
-Using a sippy-cup. And she does it well! Except when she just wants to chew on it, and the juice goes halfway down her chest... that's what bibs are for!
-"Eating" rice krispies--sort of. The doctor said they are not a choking hazard since they "melt" in your mouth--Josh went right out and bought a big box. She hasn't quite figured them out, but she like to play with them.
-Inch-worm crawling (too cute!)... she can get about 3-5 feet
-Eating "solid" foods pretty consistently--we're just about ready to move to 2nd foods (i.e. more flavors!). Her favorites: sweet potatoes, peas, applesauce, and carrots. Not a big fan of oatmeal (maybe she gets that from Mom...) or bananas.
-"Conversing": she will repeat (or expect you to repeat) a variety of sounds, for a good 20 minutes or more. She gets mad if you don't repeat. Real mad. My favorite is her "monster" noise--it's a cute little growl. No "mama" yet.
-Holding things really well and passing them from hand to hand. She also likes to grab anything that Mom or Dad may be holding. She has mostly stopped bonking herself with her harder toys (thank goodness)
-Had to go up to the next size in cloth diapers. They are huge on her skinny little body. I wish I had a picture, but Josh's description should give you a good visual: "she looks like she sat in a chair and it stuck to her butt when she stood up". Huge.
-6-month check-up stats: 14lbs 10 oz, 24.5 inches "long", 16 inches around the head, and very healthy! Basically, she is short like her mom, and skinny with a small head like her dad. Good things come in small packages. Doc also said she has great skin, probably due in part to using cloth diapers. Go green!

Enough yaking... here are some long-over due pictures.

Finally a good picture of the teeth! Making faces on the side of her playpen-always a source of entertainment & laughter Smiling up from her playpenAlways smiling Krispies... and that darn thumb in her mouth

How she eats her Krispies... with her thumb! Eating sweet potatoes with Dad (she looks just like him here) Not giving the spoon back!The cutest messy face