Nico has been well introduced to the Santa routine. We haven't intentionally brought her to see Santa but he has made an appearance at many events down here. I think the first one was the best - the one with the blue background that says Christmas in the Keys.
We live practically right across the street from Theater of the Sea, a marine mammal park which does an annual unpublicized free event for local kiddos. They do a little dolphin show, the kids can touch a dolphin, and the jolly fellow himself arrives by boat coming through the mangroves to deliver a present to each child. How Keys is that! We attended yesterday although I'm still unsure what I think of the park itself (would need to learn where they get their animals and why, etc. before I gave them any money). It was very crowded and the kids were super excited. Jason got some great action shots of the dolphins and of Nico with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
Today would have been my dad's (Diana) 62nd birthday. Oh how I still have a whole in my heart where you should be. How I miss you and wish you could be here to watch Nico grow. To see Russell (Diana's brother) get married. To celebrate with us. To swing on the porch with us. Just to be with us.
Adoring this little girl so much is something I never really pictured myself doing ... sure I hoped to be a parent some day and knew I would love any child God blessed me with but Nico is truly something special. I love her more than words. She's amazing. She makes me smile each day and we will be doing our best to raise her for the Lord. I wonder how you felt when I was born. Your baby and your only girl. Did you fawn over me and care for me and play with me like Jason does with Nico? He's such a good daddy to her, I think you would have liked to see him with her too. What would you think of your baby having a baby?
But we're all ok. We're all healing. We're doing everything the fourth time around this year and that number is only going to get bigger. God gives us hope and strength. I am thankful for the 30 years I had you as my dad. You were a great dad and a great provider. I love you and miss you, Big Kahuna.
Nico did a great job of sitting by herself several times today for several minutes at a time. She had been getting close for a couple of weeks now but I am officially calling it today: She can sit by herself! Yay!
She also took her first slide today. Wasn't particularly excited about it but did take it all in stride like normal.
I seem to have lost count of how many weeks old Nico has been turning since her 1/2 birthday but I think she's 29 weeks today. You will all be glad to know that we both did our part and voted - for this cutie! She's sure to win!!
Being 6mo old is bringing many changes - eating solid foods, drinking water, brushing teeth (she has two!), sleeping in her room, being ok with letting daddy put her into the carseat, grabbing the cats, chewing on everything, moving up to level 2 on the jumperoo, and even more laundry for mama and daddy.
Look how this little tiny early baby has grown!
We aren't big hat wearers, especially because its still high 80s down here but we do have a bunch of them because they were lovingly handmade for Nico. As I was sorting some clothes the other day I came across a few so here's a sampling.
Nico had her 6mo shots bright and early this morning. Poor baby!
She weighed in at 17lbs 2oz and was 27 1/4 inches long, still considered tall and skinny for her age group. She's the length of an average 8mo. (However growing very close to being out of some 9mo outfits already.)
We were out of the house for over 11 hours today and Nico was such a champ smiling all day long. There are two super cute itty bitty teeth on the bottom, most likely not visible here but we know for sure that they have broken through.
Nico turned 6 months old this evening at 5:22p. We are in utter shock of how fast these past 6 months have passed and at how much we adore this little girl. She continually melts our hearts and has the brightest eyes, the sweetest smile, and the most fabulous little giggle.
Tonight she got her first taste of real food, avocado. She did much better than her Mama at trying it :) We tried 3 ways to give it to her: a slice, mashed up and spoonfed, and in what we have aptly named the 'chumbag.' The slice was too squishy and just disapeared as soon as she grabbed it; the spoonfed technique worked but we didn't give her whole spoonfuls, just a little bit to taste; and she really seemed to like the chumbag because she could suck on it and get some little pieces and flavor. And so it seems now is when the real laundry starts...
