Milestones for both girls

Gabs, you're up first.

You are now 6 months old. I have no idea how that happened. I remember your cranky little newborn self and rocking you at night thinking "I can't wait until she's just a little older". I feel so guilty about that now. You will probably grow up faster than you should, just because you always want to be doing something you're not quite supposed to be able to do yet. That makes me sad, but so excited because watching you grow up just this little bit has been incredibly entertaining.

You are sitting independently now. That was going well for about a week until you decided you wanted things out of your reach and are now lunging forward from sitting and landing smack on your face. Maybe someday you will learn not to do that, or perhaps you will just start crawling.

You LOVE eating. Your 12 lb. 9 oz. frame would not lead people to believe that, but you make 3rd percentile look good, girl. You caught on quickly and now "help" me feed you by grabbing the spoon and pulling it into your mouth. Your hand-eye coordination is not stellar, so you usually get a little messy.

Our post-eating exercises consist of giving you the spoon and the empty bowl to help calm you down from being done eating. You chew on the bowl a while and hang it over the side of the chair where Tugger is faithfully waiting for you to drop it for him. When the bowl is gone, you pick up the spoon and practice ramming it into your face--that usually gets dropped for Tugger too.

Gabs, you are SUPER inquisitive and have to know whats going on with everyone all the time. You are starting to be affectionate now and hugging and "kissing" those who are close to you, which usually ends in slobber bath.

For weeks now there are two sure-fire things that will calm you down when you get upset. 1.going outside (there is just SO much to look at) and 2. "practicing" walking. And no, I don't let her walk down the steps. Now when you want to choose a toy or something to do, I hold you by your fingers and you walk there. At first the steps were small and really silly-looking. Now, though, they look like real kid steps, and you're scaring the crap out of me with them.

You drive us absolutely crazy and create tons of fun-- probably how it should be.

Now, Liv. She is finally out of the hospital again (Monday) and is doing great. She started back to summer preschool Thursday for "splash day" and LOVED it!

All the kids wore their swimsuits and played in the kiddie pools and sprinklers. This new trach momma was apprehensive to let you even near the sprinkler, but the staff there is so great and got her just close enough for her to get her feet and legs wet. She loved it! She even had therapy outside and played with toys in a shallow tub of water. She had the best time, but of course was too cool to smile when mom was around with the camera.

Its nice to be back at school and some of her friends from the fall are there on the same days, so she was LOVING the attention and fun.

Things are back to "normal" crazy now, and even though I am exhausted by 3 in the afternoon, I wouldn't trade it for anything. The girls and I have such fun!