Still no tooth in sight.

So for all that I was sure we'd be seeing some teeth by now, the smile remains toothless. She is sleeping ok now, but still chews everything in sight. I swear she's been "teething" for months now. The gums feel ready- just no chompers yet.

She is getting so fun- so much personality. I love hearing her talk, "Ba-ba-ba-ba-baaa," and "La-lala," and "da-da-da-da-daaaaa". Yeah. Lots of 'dada'... not so much 'mama'. But it isn't like she even knows what either of those things mean. It is fun to hear it, nonetheless.

Kate's first time on the grass was interesting... can't say she was a huge fan:




We hit the 7th month and are rapidly approaching 8 months. I can't believe how fast this first year is going. There was a little 12 day old baby girl at church last week, and she was sooo tiny. I said I didn't think Kate was ever that small. As it turns out- this baby was bigger than Kate when she was born! She was close to 9 pounds- Kate wasn't even 8 pounds! How quickly I've forgotten what an itty bitty little thing she was. Look at the comparison!



In a little over a week I'll be leaving my girl for almost a week to take my youth group on houseboats :( While I am excited about the trip, the thought of leaving my sweet girl for a week is tearing me up. I know Matt is the best daddy ever and will take great care of her- I will just miss her. Will she forget me? Will she get her first tooth or start crawling while I'm gone, and I will miss those things? Ahhh! Yeah. I'm a wreck.

We took her down to Crystal Cove last weekend for her first beach experience: it was beautiful down there! The last time we'd gone down there was the day I went into labor :) It was super sunny and the waves were huge! There were dolphins playing in the surf... it was a perfect Southern California day. Not sure Kate was a big fan... I dipped her feet in the water, and she wasn't terribly pleased. The water was a little cold and the waves were very loud... it might have been a bit overwhelming for a little squirt.



Well, we're getting ready to start our day... many more stories to come!

Teething is NO FUN.

I almost wish I could remember how it felt to start growing your first teeth so that I could sympathize a little better with my poor little lady. The two swollen bumps on her lower gums and her fussiness are sure signs that we'll soon see the appearance of Kate's first teeth! While it is an exciting step, it is rough. She has been Fussy McFusserson the past few nights and hasn't slept her usual 10-12 hours in a while. Oh well- if she needs the comfort in the night, then comfort she shall have.

I am not usually a huge fan of hot weather, but it is fun to be able to let Kate hang out in nothing but a diaper... those baby rolls of chubbiness are too cute not to enjoy now that it is nice and warm!

At her 6 month check up last week (even though she was 6 1/2 months) she was weighing in at 18.7 lbs. and was 26 inches long... big girl! We build them sturdy in the Conrad family. She is a lover of food- totally happy with her oatmeal, veggies and fruit. In fact, she seems to be more fired up about veggies than she is about fruit. Weird!

Here are some pictures from hanging out in her activity center (clothing optional- diaper required):




My mom and I have started our own little business: Kiss Me, Katie Handpainted Wall Letters. Right now we are just using an Etsy shop, but we're hoping to take it beyond that. We paint wall letters for children's rooms. So if you need a baby gift- we're your girls! Etsy is super cool- there is so much fun stuff on there, and it is all handmade. I could do some serious shopping on there! Cute shoes, purses, clothes, art... everything you could want!

Kate is continually fabulous- she can sit on her own like a champ now, and I can tell we aren't far from her crawling days... it won't be long now. She is such a happy, smiley little girl (aside from the teething fun). I am more and more in love with her everyday. Sometimes, when I am tired and frustrated, I don't feel worthy to be a mommy to such an amazing little miracle. She is just too perfect for words!

Well, we're well on our way to the 7-month mark... where has the time gone???