Hanna at 6 months

Our little Hanna has been in our arms for 6 months now, and they are stronger and more contented for it. Babies leave such a feeling in your arms.  It is a sweet warm sense that settles in deeply through the muscles. Being experienced I know that this opportunity is short-lived but that the sense lingers (I am hoping forever), so I try to soak the sense of her little-ness in.

 Hanna is held frequently in between the transitions of daily activities. She is held by multiple people everyday and is carried about. Hanna loves to go outside and really enjoys the spring breeze when it blows her hair. She comes along to the scheduled events of each day in her carseat. She generally likes car rides and plays with a little pig that hangs from the handle.

When we are home Hanna spends time under the activity gym, in her swing, in her bouncy seat, in the bassinet but mostly in someone's arms. We finished painting her room and I am really pleased with how it turned out. Pretty and serene. We set up her crib and I washed and put the bedding on. She has napped in her crib but hasn't spent the night in her room yet. I don't have the curtains yet so it is really bright in there.

trying out her crib with all of her buddies

 At the beginning of April, Hanna got her first taste of solid food. The whole family was exited for this milestone, so we delayed it multiple times till the whole family was home to share it. Hanna was an eager participant and seemed to enjoy the rice cereal. She didn't quite know how to handle the spoon but her little mouth and tongue were enthusiastic. Everyone got a chance to give Hanna a spoonful. She grinned at all of the attention as she sat in the highchair. Hanna looked tiny in the huge high chair and kept leaning to one side. Since then Hanna has gained a lot of trunk control and she can now sit up on her own. A few weeks is a long time for a busy baby. Hanna had cereal each evening and was happy to sit with the family at dinner. But as the week went on Hanna stopped sleeping. She had been sleeping soundly for 6-9 hours, then eating and going back down for a few more hours. All of a sudden she was waking up every 2-3 hours. She got a rash that covered her face and torso and eczema spread over her legs, chest and back. Her digestive system seemed distressed, with lots of gas pain, so we stopped the cereal. The digestive distress and skin reaction subsided after a week but she hasn't gotten back into a good sleep pattern. It has been four weeks and I am exhausted. In those weeks Hanna also got her first two teeth. Her bottom gums had been really swollen so we were rubbing them with oragel. Then one night the swelling on one side went down and there was her sharp tiny white tooth. By morning it's twin was right beside it. We never see them because her tongue covers them when she smiles or when we pull on her chin to take a peak.

Hanna's hair is coming in under her baby hair and the baby hair is falling out. Her hair is soft and orderly, with her cowlicks giving her a natural part. She has rubbed a thin section along the back of her head but it isn't very pronounced. Her eyes are getting darker and continue to be very expressive. Hanna is still a generous smiler. She has her 6 month check-up later this week so I'll get her stats then. Dr. Reilly heard a murmur last time we were in, so we will follow up on that again. They had seen a hole on her heart during the  echocardiogram when she was in the NICU but the back flow was negligible then. We have an appointment with John's Hopkins in July to do the echo again. So please join us in praying that Hanna's heart is strong.

We are so blessed to have her.