Samantha's Updates

Last week Samantha has:

Became more stable in sitting

Learned to take a bath without the baby "bench" in it.  I took it out last week because she kept worming her way off of it and twisting around.  Without the little seat/bench in it, she can sit up in the bottom of it and spash in the water and chase after toys.  Before last week when she chased after toys, she was rolling over on her side trying to use two hands.  She loves sitting up in the water!  It is really hard to wash her hair like that though because it gets in her eyes.  So I started making her lay back on the incline and Samantha figured out a pretty nifty way to keeping her head out of the water.  She stretches her legs out and puts her toes on the end of the tub - essentially stiffening her legs.  She keeps them straight until we are done with her hair and then she bends them and gets her mouth close to the water, I sit her up, and she plays for another 10-15 minutes.  It works out really well, except I think she misses kicking her legs in the water.  One day she let her toes slip so I had one hand on her belly keeping her up out of the water while I washed the soap out of her hair and then she just kicked and spashed and squealed.  So maybe I'll start doing that too so she can kick those little legs of hers. 

Found Drive in the walker at my mom and dad's house.  Last weekend when we were down we were sitting outside on the deck with Samantha in her walker.  The weekend before, she found Reverse. This weekend she found Drive.  She also figured out how to prop her foot up on the side of the walker. I really don't understand the appeal but she tries so hard to get her foot up there and then when she does she sits back in the chair and just chews on whatever toy she has.  haha... just relaxin', I guess.

Decided she doesn't like to eat in the high chair. I have no idea why!  She did really well the first few times but after that she pitches quite the hissy fit.  When I move her out of the chair and into the Bumbo seat on the island she chows down.  So we've put the chair to the side for awhile.

Decided she really enjoys being on the floor.  It is really hard to get into the habit of putting her down for "belly time" because she usually spends her evenings in the Jenny Jump Up or the Discovery Center.  She rolls around and scoots around.  I'm not sure how she gets all over the place without crawling or some variation of crawling, but she does!

has changed her looks.  I am not really sure what has changed about her face, but something is different.  It seemed to have happened overnight.  I can't quite place my finger on what exactly is different and it kind of bugs me.  I think her face is longer but I don't know.

Decided that she would let her Dad have a great night with her.  I had to be gone until late last night so JM picked up Samantha and did the evening routine.  She was asleep at 6:30!!  Whatever he did, I told him he could do everynight!  I moved her to her bed and she didn't hardly stir.  Then at 11:30 I heard her roll over in the bed, so I went in and turned The Bear back on and she didn't wake up until 6:30.  I went in her room this morning at 6:30 to wake her up and she had just started to wake up. 

Started a wake-up process.  She generally streteches her arm first with on arm bent and one arm straight above her head and then she switches.  Then she stretches both legs out.  All of this is with her eyes closed.  Then she starts trying to pry her eyes open and all the while flashes me this goofy, "I'm awake Momma, I swear" grin.  Then the eyes pop open and I get the big "Good morning!" smile.

Started getting up once a night all last week and this week, except last night.  When she wakes up, she is hungry!  So when she was staying up until 8 (all this week) I started to feed her cereal after her bath. I only had the opportunity to do this once and it didn't really work.  But I would have tried it tonight, but she was asleep at 6:30 again.  Yikes!  I guess I need to feed her when we get home (5 pm.) then off to the bath, nurse or a bottle, swing a little and then asleep around 6:30. 

Fallen in love with her Winnie-the-Pooh walker.  The toys on it are pretty neat and engaging for Samantha. However, this walker's lowest setting isn't as low as the one and my mom and dad's so she can't touch.  Frustrating!!

Had excellent pictures taken by Karen Thompson in Carmi.  They are SSSOOO cute!  I am so thrilled with them and am booking Christmas pictures so JM and I can be in them.  He, of course, doesn't know it yet but I have until then to convince him to be in the pictures. =)

Carved her first pumpkin.  I cut the top off and let her dig into the middle.  She wasn't near as excited about it as I was.  All she wanted to do was chew on the rim of the fresh pumpkin.  Probably yummy for her, but not conducive to "gutting" the pumpkin.  I carved an S into the little pumpkin.  It's pretty cute. I meant to take it with us to her pictures but forgot! oh well I guess!

Able to spend a good chunk of a Saturday with her Grandma Keach.  She was quite the entertainer!

Became quite the happy baby.  No more screaming, no more fussing and ALWAYS smiley!  I LOVE this attitude.  Six months was like a light switch!

Brightened my life each and every day!