half a year with june ellen.

{this was written at the end of january,

but i just uploaded all of the pictures 

and finished it up.}

on sunday a friend in church asked me if june was 6 months old yet.


"not yet," i said.  "it's on the....um....26th, yeah!  the 26th."


"well today is actually the 29th......soooo...." my friend said.


and then i said woops!  and whispered a quick happy six months, baby, in june's peach fuzzy little ear.  maybe it's because she's a third child that i didn't realize the day of her actual half-year birthday, but i honestly don't think that's the reason.  i think because as cliche as it sounds, i celebrate every day with this little tubby girl.






things i don't want to forget about june, at 6 months:


~the way she wakes up in the morning, talking to herself in a quiet voice, moving her blankets and staring at her hands like they're something new to her.  then when i look over the side of her bassinett, she smiles at me, grabs her blanket, and buries her face in it, only to peek out at me a second later.  if i'm not there, she starts to cry.


~when i hold her, she keeps one arm extended, waiting for something to grab if it brushes by her hand.


~which brings me to her vice grip,  the one she's had since she was fresh on earth.  

she grabs anything and everything she can get her hands on.  more specifically, my hair.  i'm now remembering why i chop my hair off after every baby is born....


~she knows the sign for "milk" and can actually do it!  either that, or she's just trying to grab the air, but since she makes the sign when she's hungry and saying "bubbbbb" or when she sees a bottle, i'm going to choose to believe she knows what she's doing.


~when she's playing happily on her own, she makes the funniest squealing sounds.  she sounds like a balloon, when someone is letting the air out slowly and at a high-pitched tone.  


~she scoots around on her belly, going forwards and backwards.  the girl can move.  by 6 months, leah was already crawling but i have to say, i'm glad june is taking her time. i'm guessing she'll be crawling by around 8 months.  


~she is super snuggly.  she wraps her arms tightly around me and buries her head in my neck, and moves her legs up and down like she's trying to inchworm her way up and over my shoulder.  


~she has the funniest laugh.  she sounds like a little baby machine gun popping off, and when she laughs hard, she starts crying, just like i do.  she and i have had many laugh-offs that lasted 10 minutes or more. she laughs, then i laugh at her laughing, then she laughs at my laughing, and on and on.  


~she loves music.  anytime i sing, she immediately lights up and smiles.  anytime music comes on in our home, she's searching for it.  i sing the beatles "hey jude" to her every night, but i change the lyrics to "hey june" and she smiles as soon as we start.  i've had a song with each of my kids, and i think this one is ours.


~bath time is her absolute favorite.  once we turn on the bath water, she is all squeals and smiles.  she loves to splash and squash bubbles with her chubby little fingers.


~for the most part, she's a great sleeper.  and on nights when she's not, i'm reminded of how awesome she actually is.


~she sits, she claps, she fake coughs, she rolls.


~she is just so content.  i love that about her.  she is calm, and so happy.  and has honestly been a heart-healer for me in so many ways.  


and now, for pictures:

this is what she looks like when i start singing "that's amore" in my loud opera voice: 

{it's been making her laugh for months now and still does}

this is what she looks like when she's trying to grab the camera:

here are her toes:

this is what she looks like when she's trying to figure out what i'm doing:

here is her adorable profile:

this is what she looks like when her brother comes into the room, and she stares at him while he talks:

this is what she looks like when her brother says "hi" to her.  she adores him:

and this is what she looks like with a diaper on her head:

so grateful for 6 months of happiness with our little junie bug.