Harper 6 months!

Wow!  A whole half of a year already. I am so excited to get to this new stage again. It was one of my favorites with Addison. Some nicknames we use: harp, harps, harper girl, chunks, and chunkers :)

• We started foods around 5 months but really only a handful of times. Now at 6 months Harper will usually have one food in the afternoon per day. Some days we skip still. She has tried: apples, bananas, pears, squash, blueberries, cinnamon, and peas. 

• 16 pounds 3 ounces, 26 inches. 

• Nighttime is still a nightmare. Now that she has outgrown her bassinet and rock n play (safely) I do lay her in her crib at the start of the night. She's usually pretty good about going to sleep in there. However, she still wakes up often- wiggling or hungry. By midnight she's always in bed with me. I really don't mind her sleeping with me, she's quite snuggly :) But I know that I'm setting us both up for disaster. Addison woke often to eat until a year, and once a night until 18 months. But she never slept with me. It was rough waking up and making bottles. Keeping Harper with me is easy because she's nursing.

• The past few days she has gotten good at sitting for short periods of time! She also catches her balance using her hands. I think within two weeks she will be a pro!

• Still no teeth! I thought a month ago she would have one soon but nope! 

• Loves Mickey Mouse! 

• A big struggle with us is she has major fear of 'strangers'. Basically anyone she doesn't see daily. She screams and gets thoroughly upset, especially if she has just woken up or is startled. It's seemingly getting worse. It started around 3 1/2- 4 months. And if I'm not around at all she will scream until she falls asleep or I return- even with daddy. The ONLY time I'm not with her is when I am at a photo shoot.  I've read this is a good healthy trait to have- but it sure makes things stressful and difficult. I'm okay with not being able to have free time to myself as she goes through this period- which could last awhile. But I do have to work, and there's nothing I can do about leaving her :/ 

Otherwise she's a pretty happy and healthy baby girl! She loves to smile and grab mommy's face.