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!
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