Halfway!

Daryn is 6 months old today! I just can't believe it. Before she was born, we had no idea what her life would be like at this point. It is such a miracle what a happy, normal life she is living. We are so so grateful we have the opportunity to raise her and love her and call her ours. She makes me want to be the mom she deserves.

She had her 6 month appointment yesterday. 

Her stats:

Weight: 12 lbs 8 oz (< 3 percentile)

Height: 22.5 inches (< 1 percentile- not even close to being on the chart)

Head circumference: 16 inches (4 percentile)

She has pretty steadily gained about 1.5 lbs per month since she came home, and she is right on her own growth curve, so the doctor is please. And I love those chunky cheeks and double chin! When we brought her home the second week of June, she weighed just over 4 lbs and the green preemie outfit below was too big on her. She still wears (big) 0-3 months but we're making progress!

 Skills: babbles, coos, laughs, grasps toys and puts them in her mouth, scoots around on her back a little, can roll from her side (almost all the way on tummy) to her back. Can bear weight on her legs and is getting close to sitting. Loves dancing and music, and playing on her floor gym. Sleeps 7-9 hours at night and nurses 6 times a day. She sees physical therapists twice a month and we are hopeful that she might be able to sit and roll by Christmas. I'm not too worried about it though, because she is doing so amazing and just has her own timeline for things. She'll get there. This girl is tough as nails with all she's been through!

Also, sadly, this girl is pretty sick, so this was the scene in our bed around 6:30 this morning, after a very long night. (Can you see Lance's head hiding from the sunlight?)

Snow

Our first snowy day on Saturday. Reagan was thrilled!

 And so was Daryn! Her very first experience with snow!

 Although, she didn't really like it hitting her face, so she got to sit in her stroller in the garage for a little bit and just watch the flakes fall.

 While we did this:

 Snow much fun!

Bonus: Can you say twinners?

 

They are almost exactly the same age in these pics. Just under 6 months. You can see for yourself how much older Reagan looks than Daryn. That's a preemie for you!

Disney on Ice

On Friday night, we had a "Girl's Night" with me and Reagan, Genevieve and Chiara, and Meagan and Grace. We took the kids to see Disney on Ice in Salt Lake, and it was so much fun!

Reagan got all dolled up for the occasion.

 My first time painting her fingernails and first time french braiding ever! I'd say the hair was more successful because it didn't involve dark blue nail polish all over my living room carpet. I don't want to talk about it anymore. Let's move on to the bright spot in my evening: an unplanned trip to La Jolla Groves with the husband and babe before the show. Yum!

Waiting outside Energy Solutions for Chiara. Of course Mickey had to come with us!

I was a little worried about whether Reagan was old enough to enjoy the show, but she loved it and behaved so well! For example:

 The first picture is her at the beginning of the show and the second one is 20 minutes in. You can see she had barely moved a muscle!

Mickey and the gang.

Lion King.

 This is when the awe wore off and Reagan really started to get into it!

 And by the time Ariel rolled around (her favorite part), she was dancing and singing!

A brief intermission.

 

And then Peter Pan! They can fly!

 It was such a fun night. The show was done so well and the ice skating impressive!
It was great for me to have some bonding time with my big girl and Lance to have some with our little girl.

Halloween

The holiday festivities lasted several days in our house, starting on Sunday. The girls got dressed up in their pumpkin Sunday best for Stake Conference!

 That evening, we carved pumpkins. Or at least started to.

The evening came to an abrupt end when this happened:

 We finished the next night for FHE. We went simple and easy this year. A BYU "Y" for me, and a Mickey Mouse outline for Lance and Reagan (no pictures, good things it's easy to imagine).

 Then the big day itself rolled around. Lance had been up most of the night before working on a deadline, so he stayed home and worked from home that day. So nice! After a breakfast of ghost bananas, orange-celery pumpkins, and jack-o-lantern pumpkins, Reagan was off to gymnastics! They asked the kids to wear their costumes that week, but since Reagan's flower costume wasn't really compatible with climbing, tumbling, and jumping, we had to improvise. She went as Sleeping Cinderella!

 Daryn was so excited for her first major holiday!

 Finally, after naptime, it was time to get the costumes on!

 What a cute pair!

Reagan had to show off her whole costume

 And Daryn was willing to humor me too!

 Then Meagan and Grace got here, and the girls were ready to go!

 Reagan mastered it quickly, and squeaked out "Trick or treat!" and "Stank you!" and every door!

 Lance and Daryn stayed at home to pass out candy until we were almost done, then joined us for a few minutes.

 And we lost Daryn's pumpkin somewhere on our street. So sad :(

We were done by 7, and right when we got back Stuart and Genevieve and the kids got here for our little Halloween dinner/party. The kids all ate some candy and watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" (a classic), while the adults talked and got the food ready. A yummy dinner complete with chili and mummy hot dogs! It was so fun to hang out and see everyone's cute costumes, and the kids went to bed tuckered out. A very successful holiday :)