Toddy: Kate - 6 Month Pictures

Our baby Kate is almost 8 months old...I can't believe it. She is developing her own personality and I love all of it. She is a Mommy's girl - she clearly says "Ma-ma" A LOT and will crawl to find me no matter where I am in the house. She also loves her big brother but is beginning to let him know when she's "had enough" with her own little grunts and squeals. She is a wiggle worm - she prefers to be on the ground moving around or standing up rather than to be held (unless it's Mommy or Mammaw holding her and then she's content to hang out in our arms).

She has no teeth yet and doesn't appear to be getting any soon. Her favorite food is sweet potatoes but she also enjoys apples and green beans. She isn't a huge fan of any baby food so we have fed her some grown up food. She LOVES mashed potatoes and refried beans! (Does that make me mom of the year??) :) While I cook or clean up dinner, she sits in her high chair and carefully eats puffs, cheerios, or yogurt bites. It's the cutest thing to watch her tiny fingers work so hard to pick one up and get it in her mouth.

She continues to enjoy the outdoors. She loves to sit and play in her brother's playhouse. She likes to watch bubbles when I blow them. She also enjoys riding around in the umbrella stroller watching Luke drive his truck. When I sing, she hums and then she eats her toes and fingers while swinging one little leg (or should I say - chunky leg) back and forth.

She enjoys a bath and has enjoyed our first few trips to the pool. She will play in her big float for a little while and then she prefers standing on the side of the pool or sitting where she can splash or reach everything.

Baby Kate has not been the best sleeper. She was waking up 3 to 4 times every night and I had to make a change to help her rest more peacefully so after a lot of prayer and letting her cry it out a few nights, she is now sleeping all night. She is a much happier baby and I am much more rested!

Kate doesn't really have a favorite toy. She enjoys standing up and playing on her toy lion and she enjoys dumping out her block bucket and toy baskets but, most of all, she enjoys going after things she is not suppose to have - like toys in her brother's room and playroom, cords, shoes, etc....she pitches quite a fit when you take things away from her. I can already tell that keeping her attention is going to be a challenge. She DOES already love balls. She likes to hold them and roll them and to watch them bounce.

Her favorite book is a Mickey Mouse book called "Catch that Ball" - it has sound effects. She also loves to push the buttons on a Mickey song book and then jump up and down on my lap while we sing the song. She loves for me to bounce her on my knee and sing the Giddy Up horsey song or patty cake.

When she gets real excited, she squishes up her face and kicks out her legs while balling up her little fists. She also does random loud squeals when she's happy. She can say "Da-da" and several other sounds - she seems to make the same "ne-ne" sound when she's hungry. She waves "bye-bye" and recognizes her name when you call it. She listens for her brother's voice and grins every time she hears it. She LOVES her paci. We have to keep several in her crib at night to help her sleep.

At Kate's baby dedication, our pastor said that Kate would be "strong-willed." At the time, she was such a calm, peaceful, content baby - she was a perfect newborn - just perfect. As Kate gets older and more mobile, I can see her "strong willed" personality developing and I love it! Yes, I see challenges ahead because, like her brother, she is not going to give up easily. But...God has given both of them this type of personality for a reason. In their generation, standing up for Jesus is going to be tough - they are going to face ridicule and they need that strong, never give up, stand up for what you believe personality SO...I pray each day....God, send them to Jesus and may Jesus reign first in their hearts ALWAYS - may they stand up for their Savior no matter what! God hears the prayers of a Mommy's heart and I look forward to seeing how the answer to those prayers will develop...in the meantime, we will continue to pray over baby Kate, sing to her about her savior, Jesus, and ask our heavenly Father to do this....

"set them apart and call them through Your grace and be pleased to reveal your Son in them so that they might preach Jesus among the Gentiles." (Galatians 1:15-16)

I LOVE my baby girl - with all my heart - she's a precious gift that I am so blessed to have!

Here are some pictures from her 6 month picture session...