Dear Kennerly,
You are six months old today. Six months ago at this very moment I was shaking in the hospital. First, shaking from pain, then later shaking from the epidural. (Nobody tells you about the shaking...but it happened all right!) Daddy was watching a big playoff football game in our hospital room. Nanny and Auntie Susi were sitting patiently and being encouraging at every turn.
Technically you are not a full six months old until 8:31 tonight. After contracting and breathing all day, you were about ready to come out around 8:00, so they said, "you ready to push?" and I looked around the room, looked at Daddy, then back at the nurses and said, "sure? But I can wait if that will help the pushing part move faster." I was terrified I would be pushing for hours. I couldn't imagine what that might be like, but I had heard of it and I wanted no part in it. I think I cried a little and told the nurse I was scared, she asked what I was scared of, I told her and she said that I was ready and asked if I would like to pray before we started. My nurse was awesome. So, a prayer and a few pushes later, 30 minutes and you were out! (THANK YOU, lady:) Dr. Meulenberg didn't even finish putting her gown on when you came sailing into her arms.
So, all of that, right here at the forefront of my mind, yet it was a whole HALF a YEAR ago! In another half a year it will be January 19th again and you will be ONE. Man, oh man. I remember when time was counted by when school started, when was winter break, what will we do for spring break, how many days 'til summer? Now, time is counted by you, my little snugaboo. Kennerly is 1 week old, Kennerly is 3 months old, Kennerly is SIX MONTHS OLD! (Ugh, sorry for all the caps, and I apologize in advance that any blog about Kennie's age will probably all say "I can't believe you're _____")
In the past six months you have taken many hearts into your hands. Your smile is ridiculously contagious, your giggle even more so. You have the tiniest, jolliest belly laugh. I say tiny because you let out one big giggle at a time, never strung together yet. It makes my face hurt how much I smile when you smile and laugh. Recently, you love a good, "boo!" or "woof!" and even more recently, all I have to do is give you a look and you lose your mind with those giggles! Your smile goes all the way up to your eyes and your little nose scrunches up (but only when something is super funny to you.) Daddy and I will say to each other sometimes, "Oh! you got a nose scrunch!" You love music, and usually any fussing can be contained by a good song, whether on our fun Pandora station we listen to every morning, or just me singing to ya:)
You are rolling. You are able to roll both ways, however you prefer to roll to the left...and then continue rolling to the left until you run into something. Then instead of rolling back, you stop on your back or tummy and just play wherever you land. You started sleeping in your crib this month (okay, this week...) and you are doing wonderfully! You started eating real food a couple weeks ago. Like, real real food, not baby jar food. You pick it up yourself and everything! Such a big girl:) Your favorites so far are peaches and cucumber. You have had pears, avocado, sweet potato, mushrooms, roasted peppers and watermelon. And by "had" I mean it's been in front of you and you've tasted it. By no means are you actually ingesting all of any of this. Mostly right now you smash it up, fling it around, etc. You like to suck the juice out of the fruit or rub your hands all over the food then suck on your fingers. Meal times are super messy and super fun:) We're still learning!
You started swim class this month. You LOVE it. Like, seriously love it. You love the water and I am so so glad! You are a champion, the youngest in the class and going underwater with such excitement. You look a little confused when you come up, but that smile returns immediately. You went in the lake in NH for the first time. It was pretty cold, so you weren't in long, but a first time is a first time!
You sit up, but mostly just lean forward to eat your toes, so not quite sitting up alone yet. You are teething for sure, but Dr. Steery said it could still be a while before they pop through. You still fit into some of your 3 month clothes (very few, but sometimes I will put you in something and see the little 3M on the tag and think to myself I really should go through and take all that out.) Yesterday a 3 month dress became a 6 month shirt cause it was just so darn cute. The 6-9 months are still too big on you and so are some of the 3-6 even! You're a little peanut, but a healthy one (look at those thighs!)
Daddy and I love you more everyday. Even we can't believe that! You wake up with a smile every morning, we look at you and say, "did she get prettier over night? I think she did." You are number one, you are our world and we love you, little Snugs. Happy 6 month birthday!
Love,
Mommy
