6 Months

Helen began eating vegetables (and loves peas, green beans and mixed vegetable) but gags on all fruits (like pureed apricots, bananas and blueberries!) She started rolling over more frequently, saying "Ba Ba Ba" and "Da Da Da" and began to watch her brothers with even more interest. She loves to "stand up".

She is learning to sit, but always arches her back and locks her legs so that it's impossible to get her into the sitting position. I have to trick her into it. When she is laying on the ground, her legs are up in the air. I grab a wrist and an ankle and, keeping her sort of folded in half, pull her gently up into sitting position. Voila!

Check out the outfit Ian selected for Helen. While the mixed patterns are a little dizzying, notice how the colors all coordinate! Ian loves to pick her clothes, and Joseph loves to select her bow and headband. 

She still needs pillows behind her, otherwise she lets out a good cry when she topples over (which is currently about 60 seconds after sitting her up). Even though she doesn't move around much yet, she is still content to be on the floor. She also enjoys being held and will hold onto my shirt with a tight little fist while I carry her around.

 Even though Helen and her Daddy don't get to see much of each other right now, (she wakes up after he leaves for the day, and goes to bed at 6 pm, an hour or less after he gets home from work), Helen absolutely adores him. She lights up and starts her legs 'a kickin' when she sees him, and is thrilled by his tickles and funny voices. Their relationship is sweet to watch. 

Helen normally lets out a couple small whines to let me know when it's naptime or bedtime. But if I have stashed her away in the baby carrier while I do dishes or chase the boys on their bikes, she is even more content than normal and naptime and mealtimes can easily pass without a sound from her -- she is just so happy to be carted around with a good view!

People frequently comment that Helen looks a lot like Joseph, especially in the eyes. I actually think her looks and temperament are more like Ian at this age. Her wider, chubbier face, puffy cheeks and dimples, ears closer to her head, and her little lips just seem more like Ian as an infant. She's very even tempered, patient, pleasant and more low-energy (she will sit and examine things for long periods of time and doesn't need a change of scenery very often). All of this reminds me of Ian. Joseph was very high energy and physical, and thrived on attention and interaction. (We thought it was so funny how Joseph would stare intently at someone until they finally noticed. Then he'd grin and start talking to them.) 

Also like Ian, her Little Blues are beginning to change to Baby Browns. 

A doll crib my mom and I found at the Round Top antiques show. I love the bedding and mattress my mom made for it! They boys really enjoyed using it for their own babies until I hid it away in the attic. 

Our baby girl is so much fun!