Where's Waldo?

Can you spot the baby in this picture?

Stuff. We have a lot of it. Specifically, baby stuff. Since day one, our family room has been transformed into a baby mecca, full of all the things anyone could possibly need to raise a baby. Some of the newborn baby stuff has left the room (the swing, bouncy seat, Boppy, etc.), only to be replaced by Big Girl baby stuff (like toys - so many toys!) And some of the newborn baby stuff has remained, even though our newborn baby has been replaced by a Big Girl baby.

Like the bassinet, for example. Brooke hasn't fit in that bad boy since she was, eh, 6 weeks old. She exceeded the weight limit about that time. Not to mention there wasn't really room for her in there with all the stuff that we store in it. So why is it still in the family room 6 months later? Well where else will we store the diapers & wipes? Where would her jammies hang each morning to be readily available that evening? Where would we keep the nail clippers & brush that reside in the basket? (If your answer to all 3 questions is "In her room," I don't want to hear it.) So yeah, the baby stuff is front and center in this beauty. It's on its way out soon, though, as I just can't take it anymore. A bookshelf of some sort will be the new baby stuff storage unit (and might also house some of the toys, too.)

And speaking of stuff, don't get me started on the 10 lb monstrosity that I lug around with my 24 lb baby. (It's a wonder my biceps don't resemble Demi Moore's yet, isn't it?) My diaper bag lives in the family room, too. Easy access to all the stuff that I fill it with before we go out (food, diapers, and the ever-so-popular Sophie.) I'm happy to say this gem is being put away very, very soon as well and being replaced by just a regular ol' purse (well, a big purse with enough room for food, diapers, and Sophie.) I don't use half of what I carry around in it anymore, so it's going to storage.

If Brooke and I were to magically get stuck in our family room (walls would have to appear where there are currently giant openings, but whatever - use your imagination,) we could survive for days without needing a thing. I've got diapers galore in here, entertainment all over the place, and, if I'm here, so is Brooke's food source. I guess I'd eventually need to eat (though I think I saw a container of blueberry puffs around here somewhere...)

And in the end, if we got desperate, Brooke could always just call for help.

(And don't worry, if we were stuck in here for days, so is this. You better believe I'd document the whole adventure!)

A mover & a shaker.

Phew. I'm tired. What's got me so exhausted, you ask? (Other than the fact that I've clocked a total of 9 hours of sleep the last 2 nights...)

Just the thought of Brooke starting to crawl.

I'm not kidding, we are thisclose, you guys. She is rocking on those hands and knees like she's ready for the Cha Cha Slide (quite possibly the worst organized dance song of all time, in case you were wondering.) As soon as she reaches out for something, she plops onto her belly and beached-whales it. It's seriously only a matter of time before I'm going to be chasing her around the house, mostly trying to keep her out of things. And I yawn every time I think about it.

She is already all over the place. If she sees something she wants, she'll roll halfway across the room to get it. She can turn herself 360 degrees while sitting and can even scoot a little bit while staying upright. And her latest feat of strength? Pulling herself up on things. She gets up on both knees, and then usually gets stuck that way. Today, she found the bar stools that are in our family room and decided they were the perfect height for climbing. This was after she played peek-a-boo with the curtains and gazed out the window in her favorite spot in the family room: on the air vent. Such a goofball!

Supermodel.

The Big Lady had her 6 month pictures taken today. They turned out so darn cute if I do say so myself. Brooke hammed it up for the camera, as usual. The photographer said she was one of the easiest babies she's ever had. She just loves to get her picture taken so this was a cakewalk for her. Not to mention she very kindly chose today to take a 2-hour afternoon nap before we went - jackpot! Many many thanks to Aunt Nicole (& Baby T) for coming to help! Without further ado, enjoy!

My absolute favorite (and already hanging on my family room wall!) Love the popped collar on my preppy girl!

Didn't buy any of the beach shots (just not my thing), but they're still cute :)

Of course the dirty prop goes into the mouth. Of course.

The only way we could get her to look at the flower instead of the camera was to put a puff in the center of it. My child will stare down any food that is put in front of her.

Food. And lots of it.

How to entertain a 6-month-old while you eat dinner: a biter biscuit, a sippy cup of water, and a banana.

Messy? Yes. Delicious? Evidently. Quiet? Delightfully so.

Oh and I totally forgot to fill y'all in on Brooke's 6-month check-up she had on Friday. Bottom line - we should feed her more. I know, crazy, right? She's weighing in at 23 lbs 8.5 oz, the size of an average 15-month-old. (Yep, in 2 months she's gone from a 10-month-old to a 15-month-old. "Yikes" is the correct response here.) You'd think more food would not be the way to go. But the pediatrician feels she's more than ready for more food. We have introduced a 3rd meal each day, on top of the 5 times she nurses each day. Honestly, it feels like I'm feeding her ALL DAY LONG. I even called the doctor today (yes, I'll be getting my "1st-time Parent" tattoo tomorrow) to confirm that I heard her right and we are, in fact, to be giving her this much - she reassured me that babies don't know how to overeat so Brooke will refuse it if it gets to be too much. We're both hoping the extra calories will help her sleep better, especially at night.

I'm most excited for her to try table foods - we've been given the green light to try anything that starts out soft (fruits, veggies, etc.) or quickly becomes soft (crackers, cheerios, bread, etc.) I've posted pics of a few on here already and, well, there will be more. Because nothing is cuter than a baby eating pint-sized grown-up foods.

The rest of the appointment was par for the course. Brooke's way ahead developmentally. She's met all the milestones she should have for a 6-month-old, plus some. Her strength still amazes the doctor (as does her chubbiness.) She handled her shots like a champ, crying (really hard) for only a couple minutes. All is well with our Big lady!

A very happy 4th.

The Reeder family had a very happy 4th this year! My birthday was jam-packed with activity, and Miss Brooke was a trooper through all of it. Here's our day in pictures:

We started our day bright and early for the 10K run/walk down at the Rec. I woke the ladybug around 7:30 a.m. to go down (and felt like the worst Mom ever for doing so.) She was an angel as we walked, as usual, and looked like this when we crossed the finish line. Brooke won the award for first baby to finish - her prize was a kiss from Mommy :)

She got to try some watermelon after the walk. How American is that? Hydrating while we waited for the awards to be given out. Such a ham!

Here's the Big Lady showing off her dress at my birthday lunch at my parents' house. I am obsessed with this dress!In honor of such a hot day, Brooke got to try her first popsicle.
"That's oddly cold, Daddy."

Not sure if she liked it or not. We made it down to the Rec for the festivities. Covered in sunscreen, we were ready for a hot party! Surprisingly, the heat wasn't all that bad. Well, maybe that's because we spent most of the night inside in the A/C :) I love this picture of me and my favorite girl. She took a MUCH-needed nap in the middle of the carnival. Thanks again to Grandma Reeder for finally getting her to sleep!After a short nap, it was time to wait for fireworks. Brooke was so excited to sit on the blanket and just play. The 2 loves of my life. She looks a bit like her Daddy, don't you think? Doesn't get better than this, folks.This is how Brooke watched her first fireworks. For about 3 minutes. Then the loud booms got to her and she started to freak out. I ended up taking her inside and watching through some windows in the roof of the lobby. The munchkin got in bed around 11:00, a little later than usual. Today has been a pretty sleepy day for both baby and Mommy, as we're both still recovering from a fun-filled day yesterday. We hope you enjoyed your 4th and that you celebrated my birthday in style :)

Patriotic giggles.

Brooke says Happy 4th with one heck of a little giggle :)

Making memories.

I feel it is my duty as a Mom to fill my daughter (and future children) with wonderful childhood memories. I want her to smile in the future as she remembers all of the special occasions and celebrations we had, as well as the simple, fun things we did on a daily basis. I want her to look back on her childhood and think, "Wow, what fun we used to have!" I want it to inspire her to then create the same memories with her own children. I strongly believe it is my job to give her one heck of a delightful childhood. It's a lot of pressure to put on myself, but it's non-negotiable in my mind.
That being said, we had a Half-Birthday party for Brooke yesterday. Yep, a party. For a 6-month-old who hasn't fully developed her memory yet. Call me ridiculous if you want, but it was great and I'm so glad we did it. We had a few of our closest family and friends over for dinner and dessert. I made her half of a birthday cake, which she proceeded to dive into. I didn't let her eat it, but she had fun playing with it! Even though I specifically told people not to bring gifts (as this was just an excuse to have everyone over for dinner and to play with the Big Lady,) they all did anyway. Miss Brooke has some new toys to play with today! Again, I realize that she won't remember this. But I have some adorable pictures and will happily tell her all about the time we celebrated her 1st half birthday. Celebrating half birthdays is going to be a tradition in our house (though not to this degree; just our little family in the future, with 1 present and 1/2 a cake.) I see nothing wrong with our kids having yet another special day all to themselves. And so, the tradition began last night :)