I would like to start with a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my mom, who share's Kaycie's 7 month birthday. And it was one year ago to the day that we had the ultrasound that told us we were having a girl. They did not mention that she would be a cutapotamus, but I suppose they didn't know.
That said, I can't believe I skipped the six month update. I didn't realize how quickly Kaycie's been changing until I went back and reviewed her 5 month update and thought that it seemed like forever ago. At her six month checkup Kaycie was a little over 18 pounds and measured 27 inches. That's in the 90th and 95th percentiles respectively. She's a giant of a child. She's already outgrown her infant carrier car seat, which was rated up to 20 pounds but her feet were dangling off the edge, so we upgraded to a convertible big girl car seat last month.
At the end of April we went to the beach. It was sooo much fun despite the bad weather that kept us off the sand. We stayed at Ft. Morgan (as always) and created new chapters of the Kaycie Fan Club at Tacky Jack's 2 in Ft. Morgan*, several places in Gulf Shores including Bahama Bob's, and in Pensacola, Foley, and Hattiesburg. We went to the zoo and she got a huge kick out of watching the baby tigers. It appeared to be mutual, as the baby tigers kept stalking her through the fence. All four grandparents came down the last weekend we were there and we had an awesome time taking them to eat at our favorite spots and sharing our little slice of beachy heaven. Ironically, the week we were there was the week the oil spill started. When we left they were afraid of having oil on the beaches the next week, but from what I understand it's just starting to arrive this week. I want to cry ever time I think about it. I want Kaycie to grow up loving that beach as much as Greg and I do, but I'm afraid it's going to be a long time before she gets to play in the sand there. That will not stop us from visiting, we still love to eat! In the best news of all, Kaycie magically started sleeping through the night on our third night there and has pretty much slept from 7pm to 6:30am every night since. (Excuse me while I pause to do a happy dance.)
Not only can she sit up like a pro now, she's also officially mobile. Not crawling, although she is DESPERATE to figure it out, but rolling around like cue ball on crack. She can very nearly fit under our new TV console, which is why if you come visit we have a giant stuffed animal and several pillows shoved under it. She has discovered a deep love for electrical cords. And computer cables. And anything else that might be close to the floor that she doesn't need to be eating. Heaven help me when she starts crawling. She's already mastered getting up on her hands and feet and rocking. I find her that way every single time I go to get her out of the crib. Except for the times I find her sitting up without assistance. And Greg swore she crawled one step to get a toy the other night. I don't doubt it.
She's mostly gotten over her fear of her grandfathers. Whew. She hung out in the back yard with her Papaw Hall one afternoon for like an hour. That is a huge relief.
At our last check in she was starting solid food, but shortly after I cut them out completely because she was having a lot of digestive issues. We started back the week she turned 6 months and it's been smooth sailing ever since. She'll eat anything I put on a spoon. At the 7 month mark I have a whole new list of things I can cook for her, so she'll be trying all kinds of new vegetables, brown rice, and get her first taste of chicken in the weeks to come. She's even drinking out of a sippy cup in her high chair! Sorta. If I help her hold it up. It's still a little heavy for her.
I've become a little more convinced that we're going to have a lefty on our hands. Back in March Lauren noticed that she seemed to have a left hand preference, but she was going back and forth between both hands depending on which was closer to the object. Since then I've noticed that when I feed her she always grabs the spoon with her left hand. And given the option she often chooses to hold things or pick them up with the left. Oh sigh. Her Papaw Butler is left handed. I hope that's not a sign! =)
Kaycie also got to meet her little cousin Braxtyn a few weeks ago. Braxtyn was born in January but has only been home from the NICU for a few weeks. They both seemed to get a kick out of staring at each other, and Kaycie was pretty interested in touching her. Just wait until the holidays, they'll both be getting into so much trouble!
I also started taking Kaycie to her first music class this month. It's a four week Kindermusic class at our church, but they do regular classes in the fall that I may sign her up for. She's really enjoyed the singing and dancing and staring at strangers. There are only a few kids in her class and she's the youngest and the only girl. I'm thinking about taking a stick next weeks to keep those boys away!
When I put her on the scale this morning she was just a smidge under 20 pounds. Such a big girl.
*We ate at Tacky Jack's 2 so much that one of the hostesses friended me on Facebook. We miss you, Marsha! Kaycie says hi!
