1/2 a year for my baby!

I think back to the morning when I had decided that I just HAD to take a pregnancy test. I couldn't bear to wait any longer. The thoughts/questions/wonder had swirled in my head for 2 long weeks and I needed to know. I made myself leave the bathroom for the two minutes it would take for the test to figure out positive or negative. What was it going to say? Were my suspicions correct? Would we really have a baby 16 months after our first little girl?

I waited.

My hands felt clammy. Cold. 

Matt kept sleeping. Probably with one eye open.

The 2 minutes were up. 

I went back into the bathroom and stared at the counter. What reflected back at me was this simple sign.  + My heart raced, then it soared, and maybe even leaped out of my chest {at least it felt like it could have}. There was a baby growing inside me. Talk about Mother's intuition. Matt kept telling me I was wrong, mistaken and couldn't possibly be pregnant. But I just had that feeling. Little Allie Joelle was on her way long before we knew she was a girl or even what we'd name her.

But God knew! He knew we wouldn't be complete without her. What felt like craziness, insanity or a *surprise* to us had been sovereignly predetermined by God Himself and every day I thank Him for giving us what I never would have chosen on my own...having my second so close to my first.

Allie is pure joy! She lights up our home all.the.time. Sometimes I look over at her just to see what she's up to and catch her smiling or laughing to herself. No one is around playing or talking to her. It's just her. But she coos and kicks her legs as if everyone's attention is on her. 

She thinks her big sister is the coolest thing ever. Even if Reese is having a bad day (...which seem to be more and more lately) Allie is thrilled just to have sis walk by her chair or bumbo. 

We have transitioned to solids. In every way Allie is opposite her sister. She's a great eater and so far loves her cereal and chicken. Over the next few days/weeks I intend to introduce vegetables and then fruit. A good friend of mine told me back when I had Reese that her Peds doctor recommends introducing meat first because it's the least likely to cause an allergic reaction plus it being protein holds much longer in their tummies. I'm glad I listened.

Allie was an incredible sleeper as a newborn/early on baby. It wasn't unusual for her to go 9-10 hour nights without waking up. I don't know what snapped but around 3 months she started waking up 2 sometimes 3 times a night. Such a sad realization that gone was my good sleeper. Enter pureed chicken. We just may be seeing light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Last night was the first time since 3 months old that she slept 10.5 hrs straight. I'm really praying and hoping this continues!

I still need to schedule her 6 mo check up so I don't quite know her stats. I'm assuming high percentages! She's graduated to 9 mo clothes and at 6 mo is wearing what Reese wore at 12-14 mo. Just craziness at how different these girlies are. 

Allie's nicknames at present: Aggie, Aggs, Ju (taken from Ju Ju Be), Allie Ju, Aggie Ju and Shuggy Doo...those last few are from Matt and I as we tend to be nickname fanatics. Poor girl!

Allie, you are our precious gift from God. We can't imagine our family without you and praise the Lord for your sweet 6 months of life. We pray, just as we do for your sister, that one day you would know Jesus Christ personally and repent of your sin, loving Him all the days of your life. God's ways are greater than ours and His thoughts MUCH higher than our thoughts. We are so thankful you were part of His plan for us!