phoebe's six months

Has it really been half of a year???

Miss Phoebe is six months old!

 Phoebe is:

... a wiggler. She isn't quite crawling, but she's figured out how to get wherever she wants to go through a combination of rolling back and forth, scooting on her belly, and spinning around on her back. It's pretty impressive to watch her get what's she's set her mind on. She is a persistent little thing!

... fascinated by real food. She wants to eat it all, all the time. She loves anything we'll give her to eat, and has figured out that she can holding things and feed herself a little. She loves to squeeze applesauce pouches into her mouth, chew on carrots, suck on fruit... and so forth. She wants to eat what everyone else is eating!

... working on her top teeth. They're almost through - and the drooling and gnawing on anything and everything is in full force. Though, for teething, she is surprisingly a very calm, patient baby. She'll still squawk when she needs something, but she is so consolable and generally very happy and content. 

... the biggest momma's girl in all the land. She lights up when she sees me and gives me the sweetest snuggles and kisses. She'll tolerate other people, but if I'm around, I'm what she wants. [Which, I am not complaining about... We're best friends!] She lights my world. 

... obsessed with her sisters. Anytime Afton talks to her, she cracks up in a fit of giggles. And she loves to touch Goldie when she's near. They are both such good older sisters, and have started to really be helpful with Phoebe. It' so delightful to see them interact and love each other. Afton and Goldie are always concerned with Phoebe - if she's not in her bed in the morning, Afton starts to panic and says, "Mom! Phoebe's not in her bed! I need to see her!" and every night, Goldie insists on giving Phoebe a hug and a kiss before either of them go to bed. It melts my momma heart. 

Our home is filled with so much love.

God is good. 

Flashback:

Afton's Six Months

Goldie's Six Months

phoebe's five months

Our [not-so-little] little Phoebe girl is five months old!

Phoebe is:

... officially a piranha. In the last couple weeks, she popped out two teeth! And hence, loves putting anything and everything in her little mouth. She's not very slobbery, and was really only cranky for a day or two... So I was super surprised when one morning there were two sharp little bottom teeth poking through. Even while teething, this girl is magic and a dream.

... finding her voice. She l.o.v.e.s. to talk. She chatters all the live long day -- cooing, gurgling, squeaking and yelling! Ha. She loves chatting with me first thing in the morning, and will continue our conversation many times throughout the day. It's fun to hear her find new sounds and try to mimic what some of her sisters try to say to her.

... a spinner. She doesn't love rolling quite yet, and will get stuck, but she will somehow spin around in circles on her back. It's pretty impressive. She also loves to be sitting up or jumping and standing with help. She wants to see what's going on and doesn't like being left out.

... not a fan of bottles or pacifiers -- which has been so different from my other girls who loved them. She will swirl a pacifier or bottle nipple in her mouth for a few seconds, but spits it out every. single. time. It's so funny. I've tried all sorts of things to try and trick her into it, but to no avail. And you'd think she'd at least like a bottle where she gets something out of it, but alas.

... laughing so much! Though the second I bring out a camera or phone, she stops. She doesn't want me to capture it. But it's the most delightful sound and I can't get enough of it. She is so ticklish - you almost don't even have to touch her for her to start squirming and giggling. It's the best.

Our house is full of little girl chatter constantly.

And my heart is full of love for these girls!

Flashback:

Afton's Five Months

Golden's Five Months

phoebe's four months

It's been a busy month at our house! And again, here we are... One month older. 

I'm ready to press pause...

(Just as soon as I'm caught up on all the laundry. Ugh.)

Phoebe is:

... starting to giggle a lot and it's my favorite thing! She will be stone-faced one second and then laughing hysterically the next, then back to her stone-face. It's the best!

... a snuggle bunny. I thought my other girls loved to snuggle... But this girl is even more cuddly with me. She frequently gives me what I like to call hugs - she'll squeeze around my neck and nuzzle her face in my neck or against my cheek. When she's upset, she'll make her way to my face and as soon as our cheeks are touching, she'll settle right down. Snuggly little thing... I love it.

... the biggest fan of bedtime. She's like clockwork, wanting to go to bed around the same time every night. She'll fuss a bit, but the second I start our bedtime routine, she's all smiles. Her favorite thing is to be swaddled soooo tight! And yet somehow, every night she sneaks her little arms out and sleeps with her hands covering her face somehow.

... a little chatterbox. She's started talking and singing and cheeping like a little bird to me and her sisters all day everyday. I love her little sounds!

... so strong. She already loves to be in a sitting position - she wants to be up and seeing the world with her sisters. She loves rolling to her side (though she hasn't quite rolled all the way over yet... she's got a lot of rolls to flip over! It's hard!) And she scoots on her back! She kicks her legs back and forth, up and down to twist a different direction or scoot from one end of her playmat to the other... I swear she's too young to not stay in the exact place I set her down in, and yet I find her 5 minutes later a a couple feet away or flipped around!

We love this girl. 

Afton has started showing a real interest in helping with Phoebe - wanting to hold her, help pick out her clothes and singing to her or talking to her. One day, I was dealing with a mess Goldie had made, and Phoebe was crying and I heard Afton go to her and start talking to her saying the sweetest things. In her sweetest big girl voice, Afton said things like, "I know, Pheebs. Mom will be right back. You don't need to be sad, everyone loves you - even Heavenly Father! Its ok Phoebe, mom isn't neglecting you..." I think I laughed and then cried and then laughed some more.  

And Goldie constantly asks me to wash her hands so she can hold Phoebe. "Me wash mine hands so me hold Baby Pheeeeeebeeeee!" It's the cutest thing.

Oh these sisters! They have my heart!

Flashback:

Afton's Four Months

Golden's Four Months

phoebe's three months

Time is a thief.

Phoebe is three months!

And just a delight. 

Phoebe is:

... a finger sucker. She does not love pacifiers, but will suck on her knuckles all the live-long day. 

... quite calm and so, so patient. She has her moments when she gets upset, but is almost always quick to calm down and soothe herself. She is a dream.

... so. chubby. And I love it. She is a snacker - she usually only east for 10-15 minutes, but eats all day long. She's a happy, healthy, squishy little thing!

... a total momma's girl. She'll let almost anyone hold her... but she definitely has a sweet spot for me. I can't say I'm upset about it. She's my girl!

... an inconsistent napper, but a good night sleeper [just like her sisters]. She's been giving me 7-8 hours stretches at night, then eating, then sleeping another 3-4 hours. Like I said, this girl is a dream.

Flashback:

Afton's Three Months

Golden's Three Months

phoebe's two months

Two months!

It feels more like two weeks!

Phoebe is:

... a big fan of my hair. She grabs onto it any chance she gets -- particularly when she's sad. I think it's a little like a security blanket for her. I guess its a good thing I have so much hair!

... a good sleeper. We're all feeling pretty good about 7 hours of sleep at night!

... so strong. She has great control of her head, pushes herself up while on her stomach and likes to show off her leg strength all the time. Strong, beautiful, delightful little gal!

... a squeaker. She squawks like a bird when she needs attention, and has this high squeaky cry when she's really upset. It's probably not nice to laugh at your children when they cry... but it's just the cutest, most pitiful sound! It makes me giggle every time!

... growing SO quickly. I mean it! I don't remember my other two girls growing as quickly as she is. She seems to double in size every other day! She's roley poley and so squishable!

FLASHBACK:

Afton's Two Months

Golden's Two Months

phoebe's one month

And just like that we've already been a family of 5 

for one month!

It seems unfair how quickly time has been passing...

 Phoebe is:

... super snuggly. She constantly wants to be nuzzled right into my neck. She likes to be touching me most of the time - whether she's over my shoulder, in my arms, or even laying next to my leg on the couch. This girls loves to feel nearness.

... a momma's girl. She is pretty consolable, but she calms down right away for me just about every time (much to her dad's chagrin...).

... is pretty patient. With two older (b.u.s.y.) sisters, it's been a little tricky to balance and meet everyone's needs all the time, and Phoebe has proven to be really patient and wait her turn. Oh, she's an angel.

... always putting her hands near or on her face while she sleeps. It's almost like a security thing for her, it seems. She's so darling.

... a pretty good sleeper and a champion eater. She only wakes up once or twice at night, and she gained a whole pound the week after we came home from the hospital. Champ.

These girls have our hearts!

Love, love, love.

Flashback:

Afton's One Month

Golden's One Month

introducing miss phoebe

On June 5th, we added another little angel darling to our clan:

Miss Phoebe

She is so precious and we are all so in love.

Afton and Goldie adore her,

and have been doting big sisters and good little helpers. 

We are so happy she is here, safe and healthy.

She is already such a blessing to our growing family

and we are so grateful for all of the love we've felt.

Life is good.

God is good.