Anya is 6 months old!!!!

Well, I hope that Anya will extend grace to her mama when she reads this one day and sees that I've lumped 5 months of her life into 1 post. My last post was written after she had just turned 1 month old, so quite a lot has happened since then. This has been a beautiful, yet very busy and exhausting season for our family and I've just had trouble keeping up with everything.

Wow, where to begin? Baby Anya (this is Anlon's name for her and it has stuck - we all call her this) is just the sweetest, most easy-going baby girl. Although she was quite different during her first 8 weeks after her birth. Our little Raisin cried a LOT throughout the day, was very gassy and from about 8-10 pm there was virtually nothing that would calm her. Every night Vipul and I would take turns trying to soothe her. We got to the point where we dreaded the evenings. She was especially fussy while I nursed her and afterwards. We just thought she was very colicky, especially since a homeopathic gripe water did alleviate her symptoms for awhile. During my Aunt Jane's visit with us, she suggested that I ask our pediatrician about the possibility of Anya having silent reflux as Anlon had been diagnosed with. I was reluctant since Anlon had not exhibited any of these seemingly colicky symptoms, and I also didn't want to think that both of my babies could suffer from this. But as I discovered, it is very common for reflux to occur among siblings and we started Anya on Prevacid at 7 weeks. Within 1 week, she was a completely different baby. She became calm and content almost all of the time and was no longer gassy (I think she was taking in excess air during nursing as well as crying). I'm so thankful for Aunt Jane's wisdom and for her special time with us.

Month 2

7 weeks



8 weeks



I wish this wasn't blurry, but I still love it. She was smiling more and more at this point.





I really can't say enough about how wonderful Anlon is with his baby sister.



Many evenings spent like this.



2 months and 1 day

By 8 weeks, Anya was holding some of her toys with a tight grip. I would help her to initially grab something, and then she would keep her fingers wrapped around the item. Soon after this, she really discovered her hands and began staring at her right hand while making a fist. She must have been studying hard, because soon after this she successfully reached for a ring on her favorite animal Leonard the lion. (Anlon's favorite at her age too).



Month 3

Anya's third month of life was very busy as we prepared for our move to Charlotte. But we had some of the sweetest times too. She still woke up A LOT throughout the night and her napping was all over the place during the day. But she was so content most of the time. My sweet, sweet girl.

We spent a lot of time in our backyard during this month

Leaving Florida on her 3 month birthday - NC bound



Anya first laughed the week before we moved. We were at Anlon's PT appointment and she had just had a very large poopy that made quite a mess outside of her diaper. As I began to change her, she giggled. Best sound in the world.

Month 4

After a long road trip and a much longer week in a hotel, we were in our new home. She was such a trooper through all of the changes.







She keeps us laughing with her funny expressions!

One day she just started making bubbles :)

When she's trying to go to sleep while in her carseat, she turns her head to one side.

Her first trip to the zoo (on Anlon's birthday)

Ready for church! This dress is special to me because I bought it to have in some of our maternity photos.

Our friends Scott and Haley, along with their four little ones, stayed with us for a night on their way to Boone. Anya loved all of the attention she received. She even decided to impress her new friends by rolling from her belly to her back for the first time!





And just two weeks later, she rolled over from her back to her belly!!

Month 5

Just when I thought Baby Anya couldn't get any sweeter, she did. Aside from when she wakes during the night or when she's very overtired, she doesn't really cry. She used to cry during car rides, but she's decided they're not so bad after all. When she's hungry, she usually becomes more vocal and "talks" loudly. She's such a happy baby that when she developed an ear infection (still can't believe it as Anlon has yet to have one) the pediatrician was very surprised because she was so content.







I need to buy her more blue because it really brings out her blue eyes.

One morning she was so tired she just passed out on her play mat next to Leonard.

This apple is her favorite

I can't get enough of these legs!!!!!!!

 It's so fun to make her laugh. I could do this all day :)



 Month 6

 How in the world has six months gone by??? I really cannot believe that she's six months old today. There's so much more that I could write but it's 3:22 am and I'm fading. Starting now I'm not going to let so much time go by....

Enjoying some rays at our community pool

The bond between these two is already so evident.





No teeth yet but she's definitely teething and loving her fingers!

She had rice cereal for the first time about a week ago and loved it.

Butternut squash was next - I think we have a good eater!!!!!

My precious Baby Anya,
You are pure joy. I love your soft, wispy hair that is starting really grow. I love your big, blue eyes that say so much. I love your two little dimples under your right eye that appear when you smile really big. I love how kissable your cheeks are. I love your perfect lips that can make such different expressions. I love your little leg rolls - I could squeeze them all day. I love the sound of your sweet, sometimes raspy voice. And I could listen to your laugh all day long. I love how you grasp my hair with your right hand as we rock. I love that you're such a cuddle bug. I love how you make me laugh (like recently as you've started laughing the moment I open your door in response to your cries after putting you down to sleep). I love how you adore your daddy. I love that there's no one you love watching more than Anlon. I love that you have an incredibly happy disposition. I look forward  to one day teaching you all of the things that I am learning as a woman who longs to know God more. But for now, I'm just going to hold you close my little Raisin. I love you SO much.

Love,
Mama