Milestones and Memories! Weeks 21-24 - The End of Summer

Baby girl! you're now 6 months old!!! 

The end of Summer and beginning of Fall:

Week 21: August 21-27
The end of summer was full of incredible (and scary!) weather! On the 21st (Sunday), there was a Tornado Watch that turned into a Tornado Warning.  You, Dad, Puppies, and I watched the news and they said that the weather situation was going to come down Rt. 31 and go right over our house, so we battened down the hatches (closed all the shades, took down the outdoor umbrella, put chairs near the house) and had a Tornado party in our basement.  We camped out with computers and phones, a plush blanket, and waited for the warning to end. You entertained us by doing "Happy Baby" and chewing your toes, all while smiling. All safe, phew! On Tuesday we had an earthquake! Dad felt it, but the rest of us had no idea.  The end of the week was full of Hurricane Irene, and making sure we were ready for the rain, but more importantly, that Grandma and Grandpa and all of our other loved ones out east would be safe.   A hurricane, tornado, and earthquake all in one week!
On Friday night, we had a 2.5 hour family dance party that included a totally fantastic (in my humble opinion) playlist (Beatles, Tower of Power, Buddy Rich, music from Rent, Queen, Bill Chase, Bela Fleck, RHCP, DMB, Beyonce, & Chicago, among others) and encompassed cooking, eating, and cleaning up dinner, dancing, and rocking out on piano, bongos, electric guitar, and voice with Handsome Husband, Blue-Eyed Brother, Legobrother, you, and the pups.

On Saturday, you and I had a girls' sleepover in the house that consisted of an early bedtime, lots of snuggles, nursing, and sleeping (Does life get better?) The boys had a sleepover outside in their summer project treehouse (for the first time!). Don't worry, the boys didn't rough it too much - they had streaming wi-fi movies in the tree house (Star Wars, of course), blankets, pirate flags, pillows, and snacks galore, and there was a fire blazing right outside in the fire pit!
During this week, you also started sitting up unassisted for the first time, using a wooden and wire track toy from your cousins: Autumn and Adam.

Week 22: August 28-September 3
Dad went back to work this week and we started figuring out our daily routine together.  You slept in a bit every day, we went on walks, we cleaned and cooked, and made some trips in to my schools.  We also visited Liz and Addison to return my borrowed maternity clothes and pick up some toys and a bumbo; Addison held you and you two snuggled!

Week 23: September 4-10
BEB and LB went back to school this week - 4th and 2nd grade! This was the first September in 25 years (more, if you count pre-school!) that I did not start school, too.  Best. September. Ever! (Now, don't get me wrong, I love my job BUT. This is WAY more fun!) We had a dinner date with Andy, Carrie, and Henry at the start of the week, and at the end of the week, you attended your first brother soccer games!

Week 24: September 11-17
Sunday was Dad's first rehearsal of the new Syracuse Youth Orchestra.  The date of your birth will always be linked in my mind with the start of the end of the SSO/SSYO and then the start of this new endeavor, so it felt really special to watch Dad get this first rehearsal off the ground.  It was also the tenth anniversary of September 11, which you will learn about as you get older.  It will be interesting to see how you read about it and learn about it in your lifetime.  
Monday, you pushed all the way up onto your hands, with straight arms, for the very first time!

This week, according to a paper in BEB's school-work folder, he had to make a list of household line segments. His list: String, pencils, cords, straws, and... Bellabean's drool. Ah, brotherly love! 
We got brave this week and started taking our walks through Radisson with the puppies! You peeked over the edge of your stroller to watch them for almost the whole first walk.  So cute! 
Grandma and Grandpa came to visit and brought Grandma's amazing painting that hangs above our piano in the music room.  I actually missed you a little bit because they snuggled you so thoroughly.

You're just starting to stir from your nap, so I will sign off for now.  Love you SO much Bellabean.