So Ella had another "first" this morning. She has a toybar on her carseat with a frog that has a mirror on one side and his eyes light up and he plays music, and there are a few bumblebees that spin around. Every morning when I put her in the seat I spin them around and tell them they're saying 'good morning to Ella' and play the music and she gets really happy.
Well today when I was driving her to daycare I heard one of the rattles going - I turned around and saw her little hand up in the air - she had actually reached out, grabbed it and was spinning it around!! What a little genius (hee hee) :=).
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
All About Ella
It's been awhile since I've written about the changes I've been noticing in Ella so I thought this would be a good time to get it all down, because she is changing so much everyday.
The most exciting thing I've observed lately happened last night. I was giving her a bath and she was really happy and kicking her legs around and splashing her arms. I clapped my hands and said "yaaaaa-aaaay Ella." She waited until I stopped clapping, then started kicking and splashing again - I clapped and said "yaaaay Ella" again while she grinned and laughed. We went back and forth probably 30 times. She never broke eye contact with me and would grin and carry on every time I clapped, and as soon as I stopped she would kick and splash again to get more cheers. She was actually learning that her actions elicit a response. It was pretty amazing to see her interacting like that.
The other new skill she's learned is to reach for, and actually grab and hold on to, her toys. The first thing she learned to grab was her binky, but now she can grab the toys in her gym and even some other toys we have for her. Of course she tries to put them right in her mouth as soon as she gets her hands on them.
She always plays with my hands when I hold her and she'll lace her fingers in mine, grip my fingers, and then try to bring my fingers to her mouth. She puts her hands on her bottle when she is eating a bottle, and she grabs my shirt, necklace, hair, anything she can get a good grip on while she is nursing. She loves sucking on her hands and fingers.
Ella is much more tolerant of tummy time now and can lift her head right up and get her legs underneath her, but just does not get what to do with her arms yet. I've never seen her roll over again after the one time I saw it, and it's like her arms are always in a position that will prevent her from rolling over. She doesn't put them underneath her at all and instead curls up her back and lifts up her head and chest that way, as well as lifting her legs and feet up back behind her at the same time.
She is very strong and sturdy in a seated position and can sit up with minimal support. She prefers to be in an upright position so that she can see everything that's going on. She likes to practice standing on our laps - also so she can see what's going on around her. When she gets fussy at the end of the night, she wants you to stand up with her and put her up on your shoulder so she can look around, and then she is perfectly content. Dare to sit down and forget it, she will let you have it!
In terms of her physical appearance, she still has big blue eyes that haven't started changing colors yet. Her hair is really growing, especially on the top, so I think there's a chance we have a little mohawk to look forward to in the near future (ha, how cute would that be!). Her cheeks and belly are perfectly round and she has the cutest little nose and perfect mouth that is always smiling and grinning. She giggles pretty regularly now which is just the best, to be able to make her laugh. Every time I put her on the changing table she thinks that's very funny and all you really have to do is make eye contact and smile at her to get a giant smile back. She is an amazing little baby, it's so fascinating to realize all the changes that I've seen in her in just the 4 1/2 months since she's been here!
The most exciting thing I've observed lately happened last night. I was giving her a bath and she was really happy and kicking her legs around and splashing her arms. I clapped my hands and said "yaaaaa-aaaay Ella." She waited until I stopped clapping, then started kicking and splashing again - I clapped and said "yaaaay Ella" again while she grinned and laughed. We went back and forth probably 30 times. She never broke eye contact with me and would grin and carry on every time I clapped, and as soon as I stopped she would kick and splash again to get more cheers. She was actually learning that her actions elicit a response. It was pretty amazing to see her interacting like that.
The other new skill she's learned is to reach for, and actually grab and hold on to, her toys. The first thing she learned to grab was her binky, but now she can grab the toys in her gym and even some other toys we have for her. Of course she tries to put them right in her mouth as soon as she gets her hands on them.
She always plays with my hands when I hold her and she'll lace her fingers in mine, grip my fingers, and then try to bring my fingers to her mouth. She puts her hands on her bottle when she is eating a bottle, and she grabs my shirt, necklace, hair, anything she can get a good grip on while she is nursing. She loves sucking on her hands and fingers.
Ella is much more tolerant of tummy time now and can lift her head right up and get her legs underneath her, but just does not get what to do with her arms yet. I've never seen her roll over again after the one time I saw it, and it's like her arms are always in a position that will prevent her from rolling over. She doesn't put them underneath her at all and instead curls up her back and lifts up her head and chest that way, as well as lifting her legs and feet up back behind her at the same time.
She is very strong and sturdy in a seated position and can sit up with minimal support. She prefers to be in an upright position so that she can see everything that's going on. She likes to practice standing on our laps - also so she can see what's going on around her. When she gets fussy at the end of the night, she wants you to stand up with her and put her up on your shoulder so she can look around, and then she is perfectly content. Dare to sit down and forget it, she will let you have it!
In terms of her physical appearance, she still has big blue eyes that haven't started changing colors yet. Her hair is really growing, especially on the top, so I think there's a chance we have a little mohawk to look forward to in the near future (ha, how cute would that be!). Her cheeks and belly are perfectly round and she has the cutest little nose and perfect mouth that is always smiling and grinning. She giggles pretty regularly now which is just the best, to be able to make her laugh. Every time I put her on the changing table she thinks that's very funny and all you really have to do is make eye contact and smile at her to get a giant smile back. She is an amazing little baby, it's so fascinating to realize all the changes that I've seen in her in just the 4 1/2 months since she's been here!
4 Month Doctors Appointment
Ella had her 4-month doctor's appointment on Friday, including 4 vaccinces, 3 in her chunky little thighs!
She has grown a lot since her last appointment, she was 24 3/4 inches (2 3/4 inches in just 2 months) - that puts her at 70th percentile for height (maybe we have a little b-ball player on our hands?) and she weighs 13 lbs, which is 45th percentile. Her head is also 45th percentile - wonder why it looks so much bigger when she is wearing a hat??
Unfortunately she had a pretty bad reaction to the vaccines and was unhappy most of the weekend. She was fussy most of Friday afternoon/night but then started wailing around 7:30 pm until I finally got her down around 8:30 pm but she woke up during the night and has been waking up every night since then. She had her first fever Saturday night (a normal reaction to the vaccines but still upsetting) and was just general not happy this weekend. Poor little girl. She's been in much better spirits the past few days but is still waking up during the night. Oh well - she is happy and healthy and that's what matters.
She has grown a lot since her last appointment, she was 24 3/4 inches (2 3/4 inches in just 2 months) - that puts her at 70th percentile for height (maybe we have a little b-ball player on our hands?) and she weighs 13 lbs, which is 45th percentile. Her head is also 45th percentile - wonder why it looks so much bigger when she is wearing a hat??
Unfortunately she had a pretty bad reaction to the vaccines and was unhappy most of the weekend. She was fussy most of Friday afternoon/night but then started wailing around 7:30 pm until I finally got her down around 8:30 pm but she woke up during the night and has been waking up every night since then. She had her first fever Saturday night (a normal reaction to the vaccines but still upsetting) and was just general not happy this weekend. Poor little girl. She's been in much better spirits the past few days but is still waking up during the night. Oh well - she is happy and healthy and that's what matters.
My 1st Mother's Day
It felt pretty amazing that I am actually a Mommy now and Mother's Day is for me!! It was great :). Steve got me a gift certificate to a day spa and 'Ella' got me an adorable card and picture frame that says 'my heart belongs to Mommy' - I love them! And Erin got me an engraved necklace that says Ella and my mom got me a locket with Ella's mongram and photos inside. Mother's Day is the best!
Happy Mother's Day to Us
Me and my baby
Happy Mother's Day to Us
Me and my baby
Monday, May 12, 2008
Sunbathing Beauty
So, not really! Ella definitely is not a fan of the sun and usually squints her eyes and refuses to open them when she's out in bright sunlight. We had her outside on a deck a few weekends ago and look how precious she is in her sunhat!!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Bath Time!
Ella was not a big fan of baths her first few months, and Erin and I gave her her first "tear-free" bath several weeks ago. Before that she'd do pretty well until it was time to wash her hair, then she'd get pretty fussy. But now she actually likes baths! Steve usually gives her a bath almost every night and she seems to really enjoy them as a part of her bedtime routine. It's so cute because she'll splash around and look at her hands and feet and concentrate on kicking and slapping her hands into the water. Precious!
And of course when she is all done she is the cutest snuggliest little baby ever.
And of course when she is all done she is the cutest snuggliest little baby ever.
She's Growing...
Last week I moved Ella up to Size 2 diapers and started dressing her in some 3-6 month onesies. The pants in 3-6 months are too big for her to wear yet but here she is in some of her new shirts!
Picture Day
Ella had her "school" pictures last Wednesday, here are some pics of her in the dress I dressed her in, she was so incredibly cute in it!!
Macho Like Daddy
Just like my first baby purchase was a tiny onesie that said 'Instructions not Included', Steve picked out a tiny onesie too and came home with it when I was just a few weeks pregnant. He showed it to me really excitedly - it was green with camoflauge print that says "Macho Like Daddy" - when I saw it I said, "Honey, you know we might have a girl, right???"...well, here she is, little princess in her macho onesie!
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