Six Month Maggie

Last spring before I ever knew I was pregnant, God planted a seed in my heart for my Littlest.  One morning I woke up and I knew that some day I would know and love Maggie Bell Jones (I told Laura about it).  What started with a name we thought sounded like a beautiful little girl, became our little girl, who we've now known for 6 months.
Maggie's name came from two very strong woman in our family.  My father's grandmother, Maggie McDonald, who ran a working farm, and my Grams, whose maiden name was Katherine Bell (hence the reason we didn't put an "e" on the end of Maggie's Bell).  I find it interesting that as I learn more about her each and everyday I am seeing that she too, like the woman before her, is very strong. 

Right now she is showing us her physical strength, she could sit up on her own around 41/2 months, and by the middle of last month she was rocking back and forth on all fours, and now she is starting to crawl (much to my surprise, b/c Libs didn't crawl until after she turned 8 months old).  She's even pulled up on me a couple of times and on one of our toys...What?  Slow down baby girl! 
At 6 months old, she stands up for herself, when her big sister tries to bully her gently play with her, not with a cry, but with a yell that sounds more like "hey, don't push me around Libby."

She adores Libby though, and I sometimes have to stop myself from intervening, for right when I think big sister is being too forceful, or playing to vigorously, I'll here Libby laugh, then Maggie will laugh, and then my heart hurts..but in the most wonderful way. The hurts cause it's bursting way.  Then I scoop them  both up and squish them in my arms.

At 6 months old she says Da-da..pretty well actually.  I don't know that she is saying it to him, she seems to say it when she needs someone's attention.  Her voice is raspy and Kev says she sounds like a country music singer.
I just started giving her solid foods.  I was going to hold off a little longer, but her eyes would look so desperate at the dinner table, I gave in and mashed up some bananas the other day.  So now we've tried apples, and avocado, and I'll start some butternut squash tomorrow.  I think she just likes being involved.

At 6 months old her smile can light up a room...I think I mentioned before, that she smiles with her whole face, her whole body really.  It is fantastic.  I think that Bruno Mars wrote that way too popular song "Just The Way You Are" for her.  You can't help but smile back at her and when you do, she  laughs, which makes something that was already fantastic even better!

At 6 months old she does not like loud noises.  If I vaccume, or the dog barks she immediately tries to find me.  When we do find each other, she does that thing that she has done since we first met, where she nuzzles her head back and forth in my chest. I love this, and when it stops I plan on crying about it a lot.

I think that Maggie will always be the kind of girl that tries to find the good in all situations, b/c even when she cries if you look at her, she'll start smiling and laughing like she is saying "I really don't like what's going on here, but I'm working through it and I know it's going to be okay."

At 6 months old she notices everything around her.  She loves Trouble (the cat, not the act of trouble).  When she sees him, she makes this sound, like a low "oh." It is adorable and I need to film it before she stops this.
I am happy to report that depsite EVERYONE telling me that she looks nothing like me, Babs and I broke out an old baby picture  and if it weren't for her hairline, which is exactly like Kevo's, she looks quite a bit like I did at her age!

I will never tire of saying how Maggie Bell just feels like home...when I nurse down for nap time or bed, I  can't help but lean back and close my eyes and  think that sitting in that chair holding her is probably the most perfect place on earth. When I look down at her, if I'm lucky, I'll catch one more glimpse of those big blues eyes before she drifts off to sleep.
You can't catch time, but if I could, I'd keep this girl my baby forever.
Half a year down.  Happy half Mags!  xxx

Grace and Peace