Lately...

I've been such a bad blogger lately! Things are going well and time is just sailing by. It's really hard to believe that Abby is almost 6 months old already. We are dealing with some recent sleep regression as she has started practicing rolling over in her sleep. Then she wakes up on her side or tummy and screams and screams! Silly girl. We still haven't started solid foods yet. About a week ago Dave and I gave her a little piece of mushy banana when we were all sitting at the table together. She didn't really know what to think and spit it right back out! I'm going to make a batch of sweet potato purée soon and we will start her on solids in a few weeks. I really can't believe that she has been exclusively breastfed for nearly half a year. She's getting so chunky and filling out quite well, and it honestly makes me really proud that I'm the one that's been able to feed her for all of these months. That being said...nursing is still not something I really enjoy. I find myself jealous of families that formula feed - it offers so much more freedom and flexibility. But breastfeeding is our choice, and I'm so grateful that Abby and I have been successful so far. I'm trying to look past all of the reasons I don't care for breastfeeding (pumping, worrying about supply issues, engorgement even after all these months, painful latching and let down) and enjoy the precious time with our girl while she's still little and so completely dependent on Dave and I for everything. Abby has finally started relaxing a little more now during nursing sessions, so that has been a positive development. She still occasionally hits, scratches, bites, and kicks me...but there are sweet moments too and I try to savor those for what they are. I know that these baby days will be gone before I know it and that at some point I'll probably even miss nursing her. She still gets one pumped bottle every night before bed and really loves it! I've also been working hard to get a really nice freezer stash of milk saved, and I have about 175 ounces so far, which I feel great about!! Dave and I are going camping and tubing with friends next weekend and Abby will be staying with my parents, so quite a bit of that freezer stash will be used up for that trip. She hasn't been away from us overnight in a while, so I'm a little nervous but I think she'll do great. I'm SO excited for some adult time with our friends and some fun in the sun! Enjoy some recent pictures of miss Abigail...