You Are My Sunshine... in February

Some Feb Faves:

Some of my favorite all-time pictures - lots of love!!

Saturday, February 11th at the Library of Congress

Monday, February 13th

Monday, February 13th

Jovie has a death grip these days!

Kisses

Mommy doesn't look so great, but Jovie does!

February 17th - check out the shoes! :)

February 18th

Cute as a Button!

February 20th

Sunday Afternoon Fun!

It was such a fun little Sunday afternoon for our family. But really quickly, I want you to admire cutie Jovie in her Sunday best. (This one is on loan from Madeline - we love the hand-me-down chain with our friends!) Jovie and I went to celebrate Ruth's baby dedication.

After a really long nap this afternoon and a good lunch, Jovie was ready for some fun. It was unseasonably warm for a February day, so we drove to Belle Haven Park.
The favors at Ruth's birthday party were bottles of bubbles, so we introduced Jovie to a fun big-kid activity.

"Hey, Dad - Isn't this cool?!"

She watched the bubbles and even popped one.

Cutest ever!

Jovie and Daddy hanging out by the Potomac

Hiking the Dyke Marsh Trail (trying to save the Baby Bjorn from spit-up)

Jovie loved the hike! She smiled, talked and waved her arms for the whole walk through the marsh.

Reading the sign at the end of the trail

It was all so interesting to look at...

...but...

...not as interesting as her mittens.

Love my baby!

Conked out on the walk back to the car

At home, Jovie ate a yummy dinner. She likes peas a lot now! She grabbed the bowl when they were gone.

"Can I get the leftovers?"

"Where did they all go?"

Jovie has made those little Sunday afternoon adventures that we love even that much more fun!

Happy 1st Birthday, Ruth!

Ruth was the first of the group of 2011 babies to turn one! We went to her birthday party to celebrate.

Jovie and Daddy hanging out

Ruth and her Mommy blowing out the candles

Getting into the spirit!

Jovie and Mommy hanging out at the party

Yum! Enjoying the party cups

Playing together (Jovie on the verge of upset)

Opening her presents. Happy birthday, Ruthie! We love you!

Six Months - What?!

Yep, today's her half birthday. Oh my.

Stats:
Length - 28", 98th percentile
Weight - 18 lbs 5 oz, 75th percentile

Here are the giraffe comparison pictures (and more)!

I love how she's holding the giraffe's hand in some of them

She brings such joy! And what a "grown-up" baby she is these days.

• She vocalizes so much, and there are some pretty funny sounds, including grunts. The grunts are especially funny when she's repeating after one of us. She'll also make the grunts and then wait for our reaction with raised eyebrows and a little smile.
• She loves when we "work-out" together (i.e. I do the "Mommy and Me" workout video and she comes along for the ride). Actually, she loves to move constantly, and is a squirmy wormy when we hold her.
• Her appetite for craziness has only grown - she loves to dance, bounce, fly around, scream, and anything generally crazy makes her smile and laugh. In fact, if we want her to laugh, we have to get crazy! (Kind of amazing what fools we turn into for her. :)
• Speaking of laughing, what's funny today isn't always funny tomorrow. Something that makes her laugh hysterically one day is only mildly amusing the next. Keeps us on our toes.
• This is also true about her skills and quirks. She gets on kicks, and then abandons them. Some kicks are longer than others, (Her constant tongue-sticking-out phase when she was little lasted a couple months. Her funny arm raised lounging pose only lasted a week.) but very few things stick around. Now that she's a champion sitter, even rolling over has almost stopped.
• Her coordination has improved a bunch, and she can even take her bottle in and out of her mouth and play with it while she's eating. And still finish without making a mess. And she can shake her rattles!
• She reaches for you now when she wants you to hold her. It's awfully sweet and endearing!
• Has a dangerous reach these days-anything within a 3 foot radius is fair game, and anything that she grabs goes into the mouth.
• Sleeps like a champ at night, but fights those naps quite a bit
• Eats all different kinds of mommy-made baby foods these days

She plays like such a big girl now!

We went to the Newseum to celebrate her half birthday.

Do I even have to say it? We love her a WHOLE bunch!