Six Months

• Eliza does really well with the chaos that is often around her. If I bring her out of her room from a nap when it is quiet and her siblings aren't in her face, she looks around with such a questioning, bewildered look. 

• I'm her favorite, but dad runs a close second. When he gets home from work she locks on him with her eyes until he gives her some attention. 

• She already is showing some stranger danger. When people hold her, or sometimes even look at her, her eyes get really wide and she starts to hyperventilate. If that doesn't get me to rescue her then she brings on the tears. 
• She got to spend some quality time with her best buddy Jack at the beginning of the month. 

• I don't wear my glasses very often so when I have them on she tries real hard to pull them off. But because Tanner wears his most of the time she doesn't even notice his. 
• She's getting really good at wriggling out of her swaddle. One night I found her asleep holding onto her ear. 

• I don't feel like we got much sleep at night this last month, but she's adorable so I guess I can forgive her. 
• She decided to start shrieking when she is really happy. It is a little intense but so cute to see her tense up her little body and belt it out. She is really chatty and its fun to see all the little sounds she comes up with. 
• My sister gave us this awesome winter suit that we have used so much. We went to the zoo when it was pretty frigid but Eliza slept almost the whole time, warm and toasty. 

• Just like her siblings, she isn't moving around much. Every once and a while she'll roll onto her side but thats it. Which is fine with me. I like being able to put my baby down and knowing that they'll still be there when I get back.
• It's so fun to see her wearing clothes that Mariah wore. Mariah is a month older in her picture and apparently it was easier to get Mariah to smile. But really, these girls are just the best! 

Girls Trip

For my mom's birthday this year all the sisters plus our parents got to be together for a long weekend. Tanner was so wonderful and took Friday off so that I could go. My dad played nanny for the weekend and watched Eliza two different times.
We started the weekend off by going to the temple. Emily hadn't gotten there yet because she is a responsible college student and had classes on Friday. It was so special to be able to be in such a sacred place with people I love so much.

After the temple we headed back to the hotel where I found out that Grandpa got to deal with a huge blowout and a fussy baby. Bless his heart, and the hotel maid who had to deal with the bright yellow stain on the bedspread. That afternoon we went and got pedicures/manicures. It was pretty entertaining watching my mom stress over what color she wanted.

The next morning Amanda, Katie and I worked out together and then everyone went swimming. The pool water was super warm so even Eliza got in. She's my first baby who has actually enjoyed the pool but I think it's because it was so warm.

Amanda had a photographer come take pictures for her birthday present to my mom. I got her body gel...so no surprise who the favorite child is. But at least the gel smelled like chocolate! Thats got to put me up higher on the list.

 Probably the most important picture taken, Eliza may have been the only reason I was invited. 

 The older I get, the more I realize how truly amazing my parents are. 

We even recreated an old photo...because thats the cool thing to do nowadays.

I now have a new respect for those families who do this all the time, it's harder than it looks. 

That night we got to go to Cirque du Soleil's Love. This show is all based on Beatles' songs so we were rocking out the whole time. Until the end when they played Hey Jude, and we all cried thinking about our little Jude and everything that he has gone through. But thanks to modern medicine he is doing so much better.

True to form, Eliza tried her hardest to get my dad to crack while I was at the show. This is what she looked like when we got back. My dad said every time he would lay her down she would wake up and cry again. So he finally laid her on a pillow and held the pillow until she fell asleep and then he put her down. Pretty clever I must say. And he still liked her by the end. Love is real.

On Sunday morning Amanda and Brittany flew out and the rest of us went to church (the full three hours...my dad is dedicated) and then it was time for me to head out. It was too short but so so wonderful. We ate a lot, laughed a lot, talked a lot, and cried a little, basically a perfect weekend. Next time lets get Dan and Tyler there, and all the spouses, and the grandkids. We'll call it a family reunion. I'm already counting down the days!

I didn't get into Pittsburgh until 12:45. Tanner waited up so he could talk to me on the phone (we all know that was worded wrong, when has Tanner ever talked for a solid hour? Obviously I talked to him.) for the hour drive home. That man is wonderful.

Also while I was gone he sent me this photo...he took the kids to a fellow resident's birthday party at a restaurant where the kids got to bring the balloons home. They made pumpkin chocolate chip muffins; he also took them to their homeschool co-op which ended up being canceled, oops. So they did watercolors in the 40 degree weather until they couldn't feel their fingers and toes. He also took them shoe shopping and bought them watches. I don't think the kids missed me one bit.