1/2 a year!

I'm tired of my own blogging about each month, so I'm sure everyone else is if you read that part. I started doing it as my own personal record of what she was like at each different age and I still want to do that, so here goes:

My sweet little Everleigh is 1/2 a year old. There are mixed emotions on this. I get so happy for her for every step she makes and of course want her to grow and change, but at the same time it's all a reminder that she gets bigger and further away from being a tiny innocent baby every day. Such a hard balance, but all good. My nephew, Cole, was born 2 weeks ago and seeing him next to Everleigh was an even bigger reminder that she is no longer a little infant - still small, just not that small. And she looked so big compared to him! I'll post a picture of him soon. I'm just waiting on my sister to post it first. I figure she should get to make his debut for him, not his aunt. He's a cutie though!!

Here goes:

• She laughs after every time she sneezes and then looks at you to see if you think it was funny, too. It's so cute I think we really do laugh every time.
• She gives hugs. I don't know if she knows that's what she's doing, but she wraps her arms around your neck and it feels like a hug.
• She loves Dublin, our dog, and laughs at him even when he is just laying there
• She is still an amazing sleeper. 11-13 hours at night and 2 naps of 2-3 hours each during the day. One even went 5 hours when I had to wake her up. She gets it honest from both parents. :)
• We tried rice cereal a few times during the 5th month and it didn't go over very well. By the 3rd try, she seriously stuck her tongue out and held it there. Didn't budge when the spoon hit her mouth. I figured that was her cue that she was done trying for a little while. We tried again when she turned 6 months and she ate all of it! Not a drop on her bib. I think it was all about waiting until she was ready.
• She is in size 2 diapers, 9 month clothes and size 2 shoes
• She still has no teeth, but is teething ALL the time!
• She has been rolling from tummy to back since 4 1/2 weeks, but still won't roll from back to tummy. She will roll over and then her arm gets stuck and I've seen her get her arm unstuck before seperately from rolling over, but she won't do all of it together in one step. I know she has the strength to do it, but she HATES her tummy. I think that is from her reflux. She spits up quite a bit if she is on her tummy for a long time and cries after a few minutes.
• She pushes up on her hands when on her tummy and kicks her legs a lot, but I'm still not sure she'll crawl b/c she hates being on her tummy for very long
• She sits up pretty well and for a while on her own
• She still loves to stand, but I think now that she can sit so well, she prefers that
• She was 16lb 6 oz (57th %) and 25 3/4 inches (49th %) at her check-up
• She LOVES her daddy! She makes so much noise when he gets home at night.
• She has become the little babbler lately. I never get tired of hearing her sweet voice!
• She is still the happiest baby!

1/2 a year with our baby girl has been amazing. I truly have never felt more blessed. I have an amazing husband, the sweetest, happiest baby girl, 2 great dogs, a house (finally!), a job I love, the best family ever... I have everything anyone on Earth would ever need. I couldn't ask for anything more. I thank the Lord for all of my blessings and my amazing life! I hope you all feel the same way about your lives.