Gemma's 6 Month Update... A Month Late

I truly cannot believe I am sitting here writing this 6 month update on Gemma... and it's a month late! That's right, Gemma will be 7 months old THIS Sunday!! Can you believe it? Ah, I am just so amazed at how quickly it's all going.

So, logistically speaking, she is now 16lbs, 2oz. 26 in. long. I don't remember what they said her head circumference is, but does anybody really get excited about that? And now for her list of favorite activities:

Sitting (and playing with anything within her reach)

Learning to crawl (more on this later, including her favorite baby yoga poses!)

Experimenting with big people food (also more on this later)

Teething (well, she doesn't actually enjoy this particular activity, but it's happening - we should see her two bottom teeth soon!)

Skyping with friends and family (though she freezes up a little and just kind of stares at the screen)

Nursing (as usual. she is in that lovely easily-distracted phase though - not so fun for Mom)

Babbling like crazy (including the ever-popular 'mama' and 'dada')

Trying to play exclusively with things that are not toys (ie, shoelaces, Mom's cell phone, the computer, anything plastic, paper bags, Mom's hair, etc. although she still has a deep love for mr. duckie)

Bathtime (mostly because of her deep love for mr. duckie)

Jumping in her jumperoo (video to come)

Reading (well, being read to - if we're going to be technical)

And in her spare time, she's picked up the piano:

Getting ready to compose her first masterpiece

It was beautiful. You should have heard it.

Four Random Things All Thrown Into One Post

Yesterday, my best friend, Jaime, shared this link with me, so I thought I'd pass it on. What an incredible miracle! Let's just pray for the parents of that child, that they give thanks to God their baby was not harmed, and that they have learned their lesson to never, ever leave their children alone again!!

I also came across this amazing article from about a month ago. Very interesting stuff! Of course, Gemma isn't even close to ready for real food yet; she's only 3 months. But considering how fast the first three months went, I'm quite confident the next few will fly by as well, so there's no harm in reading up early! I've ordered both of these books from the library; have I mentioned how much I love the Cincinnati Public Library system? Seriously, it rocks. They have everything. Anyway, for those of you who are mamas to food-eating little ones, I want to hear your opinion about the article. What do you think?? Have you tried this? Has it worked for your kids? If you haven't tried it, would you consider it?

Next, I wanted to talk a little bit about my most recent library checkout, Bedtiming, by Drs. Marc Lewis and Isabela Granic. Devoured it in a matter of days. I like that it's not really a "sleep-training" book; it doesn't really tell you how to "sleep-train" your child, but rather when the best times to do so are. If you're like me, the term "sleep-training" might make you feel uneasy. For me, all that comes to mind is the "cry-it-out" method and I have these tragic visions of listening to my child screaming in the other room all night. 

However, the authors define "sleep-training" fairly loosely - it could be establishing a consistent sleep routine/schedule, getting your child to sleep through the night, nap sufficiently during the day, sleep in his/her own crib or bed, etc. They also assure the reader that there is no one way to "sleep-train" your child, that there are many viable methods that can be very effective, if used at the right time. Whatever your opinions on "sleep-training", if you are a parent to little ones, I highly recommend this book. Like I said, they do not push any one method; the book simply describes the periods of cognitive and emotional development of the child, and how each period of development offers either opportunities or roadblocks to the "sleep-training" process.

Rent it. Borrow it. Buy it. Just give it a read; it's well worth it.

Lastly, I'm looking for advice! We're going to be flying to San Diego in a few weeks. We are very  fortunate to have a nonstop flight, however, it is about a 4 1/2 hour flight, maybe a titch longer. I have read that it'll be best for me to nurse Gemma during take-off and landing, so I'll be doing that. But my concern is with the many hours in between take-off and landing. My little one does NOT take long naps; they usually only last 30 minutes. I just don't want to be that parent that everyone on the plane wants to stab by the end of the flight because Gemma won't stop crying or something. So. Anyone know any special tricks that work for a 3 month old?