HALF a YEAR

Our itty-bitty baby is no longer itty or bitty.  

He is officially closer to a ONE-year-old than a newborn.  Ugh!

He has been eating "solids" for the past month, and he took to them like a pro.  Seeing that he comes from parents who were both born at Gerber Memorial Hospital (shout out to Fremont, Michigan), he is somewhat of a Gerber baby. 

I wish I could say that I make all of my own baby food, and that he only eats organically, but I have two other children who still need to be fed.  Therefore, this little chunk of love gets Gerber's finest (as well as his daily doses of Mama's Milk).  He seems to enjoy everything that he's tried thus far.

He has a smile that just grows and grows until you think his cheeks might pop.  Speaking of cheeks...he seems to have finally taken on the shape of our other two chunks.  We seem to have babies with cheeks that are wider than their actual head.

Weight - 18 lbs. = 50th percentile
Length - 25.75 inches = 50th percentile
Head - 17.25 inches = 50th percentile

At this point, we think that Myles is looking more and more like Clare.  

What do you think?

Clare at 6-months

Isaac at 6-months

Mr. Myles is chill.  He is always happy when being held.  He is a third born child, which means that his "schedule" is determined by the schedules of the first and second born.  He has to go with the flow, and he does an awesome job of that.  Phil and my mom are both the 3rd child in a family of 4 children.  They maintain that their birth order contributes to their spontaneous, flexible, and laid back nature.  As much as it hurts for me to toot their 3rd-born-horns, I have to agree.  Myles, Daddy, and Mema have bonded over this!

This was the first 3-kid bath.  Which sings louder...the joy and excitement of the older two or the sheer terror of the youngest?

He actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

We love being a family of five. 
Apparently, we are also fond of clothing our children in stripes.

Here's to hoping that the second half of Myles' first year 

doesn't go by quite as quickly as the first.

Family

Feeling thankful for my family!

Clare came home from school with this picture.  Most of it made sense.

1. "I am thankful for my family who I love."

Yes...that makes sense.

2. Left to right: Dad, Mom (the girls always have long eyelashes), 

Clare (with her princess crown, of course), Isaac, and Myles.

Yes...that all makes sense.

3. The black-hearted person with red eyes???

This is where it gets confusing.

Upon asking Clare about the mysterious sixth member of her family, she immediately explained that it was The Statue of Liberty.

Ah YES...that makes sense.

This little family has been hanging out in our yard for the past few weeks.  They look pretty cute until you find them pecking on your car.  They love seeing their reflection, so they just peck away until there are little dents and scratches on your vehicle.  I may or may not have chased after them with a broom.

 Back to our actual family:

The Boys

 Oh, my heart just explodes when I see "my boys."

The Girls

I love my sweet Clare.  She is tender-hearted, full-spirited, expressively theatrical, and very perceptive.  She keeps this Mama on her toes.

 The Kids

 Watching "Frozen" for the umpteenth time.

The Buds

The Partners

Phil and Clare are always in the middle of a project.  They work in the garden.  They chop wood.  They clean the pool.  They make Rainbow Loom projects.  They go "out and about."  They are in the mutual admiration society!

The Happy Couple

This moment captures how our family started.  This picture, from 9 years ago, was when Phil and I saw each other at Busch Gardens for the first time since high school.  That day marked the beginning of our love story.

Thus...the beginning of our blessed FAMILY!