No More

I think that the time has come that Grace is done nursing.  She has started to bite me.  She bit me for the first time a few days ago and I didn't anticipate it continuing.  I thought at that point that it was by accident.  Then yesterday, Thursday June 21, when she bit so hard that it cut me, I knew at that point that the time was very near for her to stop nursing.  I just didn't want to be bit every time she ate.  I tried mutiple times since then and she continues to bite me.  It makes me really sad that all of the sudden, I think, that we are going to be done with it.  I have come to realize that it isn't good for her or I to put us through the stress of it.  I have been very fortunate thus far to have been able to nurse her to almost 8 months.  I realize that there are many moms who can't or don't make it this far.  I should be more thankful and stop being sad.  I guess it makes me sad because it means that Grace is growing up and that special time that we share (just her and I) is probably no more, it will just come in different forms/times.  In my head I imagined that I would be weaning her gradually this summer so that by fall she would be more comfortable with the whole process.  It will take some patience and time for us all to adjust to this new part of her life.  We will make it and it will all soon be forgotten.  I will just keep reminding myself that.

7 months!

                                                                   cousins!

                                                             Look mom, no hands!

Happy Father's Day Dad!

Lounging in the pool!

7 months

playing in the grass

playing with Madison, we're going to be the best of friends!

Where has the time gone?!?!  It seems like just yesterday we were on our way to the hospital in the downpour in the wee hours of the morning only to have our daughter born a few hours later.  What an adventure it has been so far and I am sure that in the days to come it will only continue to be an adventure.  I have enjoyed every minute (even in the tough times) and feel blessed to have been given our precious daughter.  She never ceases to amaze me at the things she figures out at such a young age.  She figures out things that we don't even teach her such as drinking from my water bottle.  Grace knew right away to put it to her mouth and stick her tounge in it to get the water.  She is developing quite a little personality.  She talks/screeches/blows bubbles all the time.  Some say that she sounds like a peacock!  I have compared her to a screeching cat.  It is cute no matter what she sounds like!

TEETH!!!

Grace has two bottom front teeth!  I am so excited about this!  I texted Cody to tell him (he was teaching) and he called when he was done and I said "Grace has a tooth!"  He said "You are really exctied about it, aren't you?"  I said "Yes, I am!!"  I know that it means that she is getting older and I would love to keep her little a while longer, I am happy to have met this milestone.  She hasn't had any symptoms other than being extra fussy.  Little did I know, until today, that the fussiness was due to actually having the teeth come through.  I (we) had been suspecting it would happen soon, I just thought that I would feel a bump on her gum to give me some fair warning.

When I first discovered her teeth, I only saw one, it wasn't until later (while she was screaming) that I found the other.  Grace will be 7 months old on Saturday.  We had her 6 month check up last week and she is 16 pounds 14 ounces, just right and I don't remember the exact height measurement but it puts her in the 15%.  I don't think that that measurement will every be very high!  Grace continues to move all over by rolling.  She is working on sitting up and I am sure that it won't be long before she does that on her own.  Grace "talks" all the time too, lots of noises/sounds.  She enjoys eating food too (when her gums aren't hurting), all fruits and veggies (even those disgusting green peas!).  Today I gave her a "mum-mum" (dissolveable rice stick thing) and she loved eating that.  We also have been helping her learn how to drink from a sippy cup.  She doesn't quite have the hang of that yet, but it too will happen when she is ready.

During the Memorial Day weekend, we visited Jesse and Maria.  She has become a good little traveler.  For the most part, she is so laid back and just goes with the flow.  We did several things that weekend and she was so good.  We also visited Aunt Cindy and family and got to try swimming for the first time.  She loved that too!

Last weekend we met up with my college roommates and families for a reunion.  She was such a good trooper that day too.  Next year, she will be running right along with all the others!