notes from a 6 month old.

On Thanksgiving, Lorelei turned 6 months old! Today at her appointment she weighed 18 pounds 3 ounces, was just shy of 27 inches, and has a head circumference of 16 1/4 inches. That makes her between the 75th-90th percentile in height and weight and in the 10th for her head (again). Our little peahead is growing by leaps and bounds. Here's what she wants you to know about her:

I like to grab things. Anything and everything. You'd better be careful about your Starbucks coffee! Also, your face is the best toy in the world so get ready for me to put my fingers in your mouth and nose.

I practice pushing up and rocking on my hands and knees in my crib when I think no one is watching. But I'm just starting to let my parents see it, too -- there's a video below my mom took on the sly.

I love to practice standing on people's legs and to bounce up and down to music (or even just to my own rhythm).

If I can hold onto it, it's going in my mouth -- fair warning.

I think it's very funny when people blow raspberries at me (especially when mom does it on my tummy) and I will grin like mad back at you. If I'm really tired, I might blow some in your direction too!

I'm still working on the whole laughing thing (it's hard not to cough!), but I'm becoming a master squealer.

I recognize the songs my parents sing to me and smile when the song starts, especially the pie song, "This Is the Way the Ladies Ride," "The Noble Duke of York," and "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes."

Eating my feet is still one of my favorite pasttimes. I can even get both big toes in my mouth at once!

The television is endlessly fascinating. Grandpa Sam says that I look like an owl the way I turn my head all the way around so I can watch the Packers even when my parents are holding me to face in the other direction.

I'm still not sure what I think about swimming lessons -- but I kick as hard as I can when I'm in the water (and practice in the bathtub at home, too).

When I go out, everyone thinks that I am a very calm and quiet baby. I guess I am kind of quiet (I don't babble yet) but I'm only calm because there is so much to look at. If you could see me at home, you might change your mind!

I haven't started solid foods yet, but it's coming up pretty soon -- my parents promise to post lots of pictures of my first messy eating experience!

lots of love and xoxo (I'm getting pretty good at giving kisses!), Lorelei

thanksgiving fun.

We had so much fun traveling to Utah for Thanksgiving again this year! Lorelei had the best time meeting Auntie Bridget and Uncle Gary for the first time (she also met Fozzie, but doesn't seem to notice things that aren't humans at the moment...) and getting to play with Grandpa Sam and Grandma Sara. It was a very happy 6-month birthday celebration!

We hope to share some videos with you from our trip soon (Lorelei is up to lots of new tricks!) but here are some pictures for now.

 reading the paper with Grandpa Sam

showing off her turkey butt 

 mmm, pie.

 grabbing at anything -- including the wine bottle

playing "raspberry girls" with Grandma Sara

looking at the ducks at the Liberty Park aviary

hey guys, what's over there? 

up close and personal with a tinamou 

two Hanna women showing off their famous facial expression

gobble gobble.

We're leaving bright and early tomorrow to head to Salt Lake City for Thanksgiving (just like we have the past few years), so I'll post our Thanksgiving pictures a little bit early. Enjoy your Turkey Day (or Tofurkey Day) and all the family and love and football and napping that may occur!

I can't take it anymore.

The suspense is killing me -- I HAVE to share one of our family portraits with you! We spent a beautiful fall morning a week or so ago having these done and are thrilled with the results. You'll be seeing more of them on our holiday cards and here on the blog soon, but for now here's a little preview:

laughing, coughing, same thing.

Lorelei is just starting to learn to laugh! She is not very good at it yet and often sends herself into coughing fits instead. Apologies in advance for the quality of this video -- she won't smile or laugh when she sees a camera at the moment so filming had to be done on the sly (off to the side).

guest post.

Lorelei asked if she could write a guest post today. We decided to let her give it a try. Here's what she came up with:

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                                                                                                                                                                        GFFZZXxxadxdvv

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update: finally getting around to uploading the picture that was supposed to accompany this post!

one fish two fish.

We started swimming lessons today! It was a little hectic and upsetting before we got to the pool -- bad nap schedule, refusing to nurse, both mom and baby crying -- but we calmed down when we got there and had a good time. I talked another mom into taking our picture -- a little on the blurry side, but oh well.

Lorelei wasn't sure what she thought of having water poured over her head, which was the first part of our class, but otherwise she seemed to have a good time. We were supposed to blow bubbles at our babies and have them watch us, but she was not interested in what I was doing at all and stared at our swimming instructor Jeremy the whole time. (He adored her so it wasn't a problem -- he finally caved and came over to pinch her cheeks which I think he had been talking himself out of doing since class began. And he kept making little comments about how she should be a good floater -- if Lorelei could have understood him I think she would have been less inclined to gaze at him so intently!) During the part where we had our babies on their backs and were pushing them around in the water, she stuck her legs waaaaaay up in the air and kicked and kicked! I think her favorite part was at the end when we just got to play around -- by that point she had totally relaxed and was enjoying it. Once we got to the locker room, she nursed like she hadn't eaten in a week.

She's been conked out in her crib for an hour now -- mom needs a nap too. Looking forward to next week!

p.s. Click here to learn more about the Iddy Biddy Pool School where we take lessons!

why I get out of bed in the morning.

preview.

Lorelei and I did a little Thanksgiving photo shoot. I'm so excited to share the pictures with you -- on Thanksgiving, of course! Here's a funny little preview for you of what's to come...

We're also getting professional photos taken on Saturday to celebrate Lorelei's upcoming 6 month birthday and for this year's holiday cards. Can't wait to share those with you either!

Don't forget to vote for our little cutie in the online poll -- you can vote once a day!

photo contest!

I entered Lorelei into a photo contest. We'd love it if you'd vote for her to be the "cute kid" winner this week! Here's the link: http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/1104205 

And here's the photo...

hello from way up here.

Today was a big day -- Lorelei broke in her high chair.

Lorelei is not yet eating solids (we won't start that until after the 6 month mark), but it was seeming like she felt left out during meal times in her little baby rocker down at ankle level. She was much happier this evening getting to sit with the big kids!

(staring at her daddy)