6 months has come and gone

6 months, my how the time has flown by. We can't imagine our life before Cassidy, but really she's 6 months old already, so hard to believe. 6 months ago we were in the hospital, Cassidy yellow with jaundice soaking up the sun in the incubator and now look at us. She went for her 6 month check-up on Friday. We have a new pediatrician now since our insurance made us switch. The new doctor and team of nurses think she is adorable and several times she was referred to as the "Gerber baby." Cassidy is now 14 pounds 12 ounces (25th percentile) and 26 inches long (50th percentile). She is definitely a peanut, but a perfect peanut! And now a whole bunch of recent pictures.
Cassidy at 6 months, we have moved locations for our monthly shots now because she can sit up on her own!

Cassidy's cousin Emily (3 months) wanted pictures on her wall from all of her cousins. We'd been postponing this because what can an infant do for artwork. Well we decided it was time to make her first masterpiece so it could be framed in Emily's room. Here we are deciding what colors to use.

Using hands and feet we made a flower and butterfly. Thanks mom for helping, this is definitely more than a 1 adult job. Every time we changed colors Cassidy insists on rubbing her painted foot on my leg (thank goodness wet wipes take everything out).

The last bath in the baby tub in the sink. We decided since she could sit up and enjoy the bubbles it was time to move to the big tub. She is completely fascinated by bubbles, but very frustrated and they cannot easily be picked up in her hands.


First bath in the bathtub in her new seat. It went ok and she did enjoy the bath toys a little bit.For Brian's dad's birthday we went to visit and spent Sunday at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Brian's dad took this picture for us. The goal was the Shedd Aquarium sign in the background, instead we have this wonderful little boy in our picture (we laughed a lot on the way home about this picture when I discoverd what he'd done). It's a great picture of our family and this little boy on the sign :)

Watching the dolphin show.

Brian is showing Cassidy some fishies, she enjoyed them as much as a 6 month old can.

Cassidy helped Grandpa open all of his gifts. Someone needed to taste test all the wrapping and tissue paper.

Allison was a big helper and fed Cassidy at the birthday party. Good thing she took that babysitter class we just may need her someday.

4 generations of the Gerken Family. Brian, his grandma (Jean), his dad (Tom), and Cassidy!

Some quality time with Gretchen. They love to play together, that is until Cassidy gets a good hold on Gretchen and she runs away for safety.

6 month update

Accomplishments:

Can sit up on her own

Is just starting to raise her hand in a wave

Can hold her own bottle

Can drink out of a cup and sippy cup (with assistance)

Eats and loves all veggies

Has finally doubled her birthweight (apparently a milestone)

Can scoot backwards on her tummy

Can,wait for it.............................SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!! (officially since the first week of January...only 5+ months in the making....oh how sweet)

Before we sign off for our 6 month update I must share mine and Brian's absolute without a doubt favorite time of day. We love going in, in the morning when she's just starting to wake up to get her. We open the door and from the doorway you can see the smile. We both fight to see who can get to the crib first (when either of us realizes the other is going in for morning duty we drop whatever we're doing for this moment). That morning smile she gives us is absolutely priceless. Someday in 10+ years I can see us running into her room doing the same thing just staring at her and she'll think we're crazy, but I know we'll both never forget those morning smiles.