6 Months ago

Six months ago we had just brought Penelope home from the hospital and my sister Marisa was in IL helping us. We also got to watch General Conference like this:

General Conference wasn't as easy to watch this time around. Penelope is much more alert, to say the least!

Here are some more 6 month comparisons:

Coming home from the hospital

Hanging out at the Zoo (OK, this is more like 5 months, but I wanted to show the car seat comparison).

Lordy, Lordy, look who's 40...er, I mean 6 months!

Today is Penelope's 6 month birthday!! This picture is a good depiction of what she does all day--puts stuff in her mouth.

We went to the pediatrician today. P is now 16 lbs 2 oz and 27 5/8 in. long. That's my girl, long and skinny!!

She's just so precious. Her hair is getting longer in one chunk in the back and up front. She still kind of looks like a balding old man with fuzzy hair and a comb over! I love it!

Penelope now has two bottom teeth. The second one popped through last Sunday. She still likes to chew on Dave's and my finger, but it's much more painful (for us)!

Penelope Rolls Front to Back!!

Pardon my dorky-ness and over-excitement, but Penelope just rolled front to back for the first time, and she continues to do it. She hasn't rolled back to front in about 3 weeks, but this morning I found her on her tummy in her crib (but she wasn't happy about it). A few minutes ago she rolled back to front when I wasn't watching. I let her hang out like that for a minute, and voila!, she rolled to her back. Maybe she's not as lazy as I was starting to suspect. I am warning you, I might post a few more videos because you get to see her little personality in each of the videos I took.

Colonial Market and Fair at Mount Vernon

Our weekend started out with a bang! We went to Mount Vernon with my best friend Becky Jex. We only live 10 minutes away, and we bought an annual pass, so we'll be coming to visit quite often. This weekend was the Colonial Market and Fair at Mount Vernon. There was a historic 18th century market with artisans and demonstrations.

Penelope didn't like the reenactment of the loading and firing of the regiment's weapons--she burst into tears, but it was fun to see a historical representation.

Dave and Penelope thought it was fun to walk around the grounds. The whole estate was originally 80 acres, and is still a historical working farm. But you do have to work in historical clothing, so that might deter some farmers these days.

See, proof Becky came with us. I love having good friends around!

I imagine this was an 18th century version of a show choir...they just kept singing about grogg and tobacco. I wonder if Glee will do a mash-up with that song; somehow I doubt it. :(

We didn't see most of Mount Vernon, in fact we didn't go on a mansion tour. But, this weekend only the boat tours of the Potomac were free--our main reason for going. Here we are on the boat tour. Penelope seemed to enjoy herself, and I sufficiently dosed up on dramamine so I enjoyed myself, too. I was a little loopy on the way home and for the rest of the day, but you do what you've got to do! Dave is used to my dramamine-induced delirium at this point in our marriage. He just laughs when I start slurring my words and stop to stare at nothing. Thanks, Dave!

Dave and I were excited to visit Mount Vernon. Penelope was excited to try and eat my jacket. Typical.

Boat tour. This is Penelope's "you pulled out the camera so I'm not going to smile" face.

I made sure to do my Saturday work. Mom and Dad taught me well!

In front of a typical home for the slaves.

When Hairbows Attack

This is one of Dave's favorite pictures of Penelope. But not two minutes later her hairbow attacked. Too bad without the bow she looks like a boy.

When hairbows attack Penelope just lies there and doesn't know what to do with herself:

Labor Day

Labor Day wiped out Penelope. Well, actually, no more than usual. On Labor Day we took the metro into DC and went to the National Zoo. Anything that is run by the Smithsonian is free, and so the zoo was free!

Penelope was really good the whole day. When it was nap time she quietly fell asleep in her stroller. Otherwise, she just hung out with us and enjoyed the zoo. My friend Amanda (from grad school in IL) teaches in DC so we met her at the zoo and spent time with her. Super fun!

Dave with the kimodo dragon (not sure how to spell that).

Penelope saying hi from the Panda habitat.

Chillin'

I think there might be a tiger in the background, but either way, Amanda was kind enough to take a shot of me and Dave. We never get those any more!

More Games

It appears from the previous video that Penelope has a hard time getting the burp cloth off of her face. Most of the time that is not the case. This time she happened to take a while to get the cloth off. She seems to know when she's being filmed and alters her behavior.

Peek-a-boo is a game she plays with mom. With Dad, she plays "if I kick my legs Dad will sing a silly song until I stop kicking." She immediately starts kicking when she sits on Dave's lap. We have successfully conditioned our baby to play games with us. :-) Here is a video of that: