Double digit months! So hard to believe that we're only two months from her first birthday. This past month has been much more low key with us getting into a rhythm of our everyday lives. We've started watching Baby Cash, while still picking up the Gilstrap kiddos, and this has helped me so much too. We have our daily play time, nap times, eating, and everything else, and it makes me savor those moments of just Ellie and me that much more. We really needed this calm month, and I have been so thankful for it. I am learning each day still on how to be Ellie's momma, all the while gaining confidence in my ablities. This momma has also started exercising and following Weight Watchers, and am feeling good about that too! January is usually a gloomy month, but despite the cold weather and snow, we had a wonderful month with many, many Eloise milestones. Good job Ellie!
10 Months Old!
Weight: 17 lbs.
Length: 29 1/2 inches
2. Sleeping? Sleeping good at night still, though we've had to lower her crib! We've found our silly girl STANDING in her bed with her swaddle on. About made us have a heart-attack! She's mostly gotten back into a nap schedule, though some days she just doesn't want to take one. My crazy level is directly correlated to Ellie's naps, or non-naps rather, so I am so thankful when she does nap. On a great day, she'll take an afternoon nap for about 2-3 hours, and an evening nap after all the kiddos go with their mommas for about an hour.
3. Milestones?
My goodness! SO MANY MILESTONES these past two months, and many this month alone! She has really started in on the eating of solid foods now that she has two little toofies! And she's learning how to feed herself quite well too, though it includes a hose down afterwards. She's kind of learned how to drink from a cup too, though not quite a pro. Her little face looks so proud of all she's a accomplished!
She started doing this funny nodding thing this month, especially when we say "good job!", but many more times as well. We realized that we do that a lot when talking to her or asking her questions, so she is mimicking us. It is so funny, and even when she gets in trouble, she'll shake her head "yes" at us, like she's contradicting us already. Oh my! Silly girl.
We weren't sure if it was really happening for a while, but this month we are sure she's saying "Dadda"! The first time we were sure was when she stopped nursing, and immediately looked at Chris and said "Dadda". She'll say it often when she looks at him now, when he comes home, or even when she sees a picture of him while he's at work. She sure does love her Dadda.
Though she didn't say "Momma" first, she has started what we call "wallowing" me first, especially if I am holding her or laying on the floor. She did this some last month and drooled all over my face, but now when we say "give kisses", she will put her lips on mine, sometimes still with her mouth open though...haha! Baby drool on me has never been sweeter! It's probably my favorite thing she does right now.
Since we are down on the floor so much more with her crawling, we needed some new living room arrangments. We bought a new comfy rug, and some storage ottomans that better meet our family's needs now, and this has given Ellie the gumption to crawl A LOT faster and start pulling up on those ottomans. She loves standing at them, and looking into her toy ottoman for many minutes at a time. She is doing so much so fast, but we are enjoying every minute watching her learn and grow. What a big girl!
My goodness! SO MANY MILESTONES these past two months, and many this month alone! She has really started in on the eating of solid foods now that she has two little toofies! And she's learning how to feed herself quite well too, though it includes a hose down afterwards. She's kind of learned how to drink from a cup too, though not quite a pro. Her little face looks so proud of all she's a accomplished!
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| Eating her favorite...A cookie! |
She started doing this funny nodding thing this month, especially when we say "good job!", but many more times as well. We realized that we do that a lot when talking to her or asking her questions, so she is mimicking us. It is so funny, and even when she gets in trouble, she'll shake her head "yes" at us, like she's contradicting us already. Oh my! Silly girl.
We weren't sure if it was really happening for a while, but this month we are sure she's saying "Dadda"! The first time we were sure was when she stopped nursing, and immediately looked at Chris and said "Dadda". She'll say it often when she looks at him now, when he comes home, or even when she sees a picture of him while he's at work. She sure does love her Dadda.
Since we are down on the floor so much more with her crawling, we needed some new living room arrangments. We bought a new comfy rug, and some storage ottomans that better meet our family's needs now, and this has given Ellie the gumption to crawl A LOT faster and start pulling up on those ottomans. She loves standing at them, and looking into her toy ottoman for many minutes at a time. She is doing so much so fast, but we are enjoying every minute watching her learn and grow. What a big girl!
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| Our quick crawler! |
Ellie's Dadda had to lower her crib this month for sure, because our sweet girl has been busting out of her swaddles and pulling herself up in her bed. Liked I said, scared up to death! And it makes us both a little sad to make these changes, because it means she's growing up.
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| Look at that face. She's up to something! |
4. Activities and adventures?
This month's adventures are much simpler, as we get into a daily rhythm, but we are totally okay with that. The fall was so fun and so full of many celebrations, but it is nice to have some "down time" this month. We visited our very own Dairy Queen in Moore more than once, and took some sweet kiddos too. We love those Blizzards!
Our biggest adventure this month has been watching Cash Lewis, the sweet little ball of boy, who is the son of our good friends, Beth & Caleb Lewis. It's a challenge to manage two babies, and pick up two kids from school each day, but it pros definitely outweigh the cons. I am able to be with my girl all day, while still contributing to my family, I can help some friends out (while they help me too), I have gotten in more of a schedule where I accomplish more each day, I get practice for all the kids I think I want to have, and it all allows me to savor the moments when it's just Ellie and me. Knowing that this is exactly where I am supposed to be is really an incredible feeling, and I am so grateful for that.
We've had a couple playdates this month with my sweet momma friends and their boys. Ellie sure does have a wide selection of future husbands! :) But for now, a tall, slightly younger man, Rowan, is at the top of the list. Or at least that's what his momma, Sara, and I think. Tee hee.
We had some more beautiful snow this month too, which in then end, gave us two lovely snow days at home. It was lovely to have something to show for all the cold, and it stuck around for over a week. So pretty!
This month's adventures are much simpler, as we get into a daily rhythm, but we are totally okay with that. The fall was so fun and so full of many celebrations, but it is nice to have some "down time" this month. We visited our very own Dairy Queen in Moore more than once, and took some sweet kiddos too. We love those Blizzards!
Our biggest adventure this month has been watching Cash Lewis, the sweet little ball of boy, who is the son of our good friends, Beth & Caleb Lewis. It's a challenge to manage two babies, and pick up two kids from school each day, but it pros definitely outweigh the cons. I am able to be with my girl all day, while still contributing to my family, I can help some friends out (while they help me too), I have gotten in more of a schedule where I accomplish more each day, I get practice for all the kids I think I want to have, and it all allows me to savor the moments when it's just Ellie and me. Knowing that this is exactly where I am supposed to be is really an incredible feeling, and I am so grateful for that.
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| Getting ready to pick up the big kids for the first time! |
We've had a couple playdates this month with my sweet momma friends and their boys. Ellie sure does have a wide selection of future husbands! :) But for now, a tall, slightly younger man, Rowan, is at the top of the list. Or at least that's what his momma, Sara, and I think. Tee hee.
Another little guy we got to play with this month is Catie Forester's main man, Jack. Big eyes and the sweetest little voice are Jack's strong suits, among other cute qualities. It was hilarious to try to get a picture of these three all looking and not crying, and these are a few of our photoshoot.
Grandpa Tom & Lola celebrated their anniversary this month, so of course, we had to celebrate with them! They really enjoy Johnnie Carino's, or as Tom calls it, "Don Corlione's", and we went there.
We had some more beautiful snow this month too, which in then end, gave us two lovely snow days at home. It was lovely to have something to show for all the cold, and it stuck around for over a week. So pretty!
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| Chris was even inspired to make my car into a "Cars" character! |
5. Favorite baby item? Ellie loves any tiny toy she can grab with her hands and chew on it, so I'd say those are my favorite this month. She loves a little farm she got from Mimi and Papa for Christmas, as well as her musical laptop, and her piano that plays the "classics" from Grandpa Larry. Oh! But I also love our new rug and storage ottomans in our living room. We spend a lot more time on the floor, and our nice soft rug sure does help! And the ottomans hide all the baby, kid, and workout clutter we have accrued already.
6. Favorite moment this past month? I'd have to say again, that watching each new milestone have been the best moments this past month. We find so much delight in watching at dinnertime, eating and nodding her head in approval of herself or indicating she wants more, she is just so much fun. We've each had special moments this month with her truly saying "Dadda" and her giving me "kisses" when I asked for one!
7. Looking forward to this next month? Though I love the fall and Christmas season, I am really looking forward to warmer weather that will allow us to go on more walks, and not freeze our buns off in our house! I am also feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the work there is to do on the outside of our house still, including painting. I guess we'll just keep chipping away at it!
8. Visitors?: We haven't had any new visitors or meetings again this month, but time with friends and family on a weekly basis is what we love. There are so many people that love this little girl, and we are so overwhelmed by it! I love it so much, and am so grateful for it.
9. One thing I've learned:
I am a good mom. This has been a hard one for me to finally get to, but I now know that I am a good mom. For a long while, I felt hopeless, worthless, guilty, tired, overwhelmed, and like a had the weight of the world on my shoulders but now I am happy and grateful. I am learning my limits, and know when to better ask for help. And she's happy and healthy, and I have sustained her up until this point, so I feel like it is quite an accomplishment!
I am a good mom. This has been a hard one for me to finally get to, but I now know that I am a good mom. For a long while, I felt hopeless, worthless, guilty, tired, overwhelmed, and like a had the weight of the world on my shoulders but now I am happy and grateful. I am learning my limits, and know when to better ask for help. And she's happy and healthy, and I have sustained her up until this point, so I feel like it is quite an accomplishment!
10. My message to Ellie:
We have loved the simple moments with you this month, watching you learn and grow so much. With a comfy new rug to lay on, we are on the floor with you a lot more, and you reward us with your fast crawling, "kisses", and proud nods for yourself. We still look as each other daily and say, "Isn't she just SO BEAUTIFUL!?!" and "I love her so much!". You are so much fun and such a good and happy baby. Our favorite times are when you give us a little pat, reach your hands for us, snuggle up in our lap, or give us a very slobbery kiss. Dinner time with you is fun now for us too, as we have you try all kinds of foods from our plates and watch your big smiles as you feed yourself. It's hard to believe you are almost one already...This year is really flying by. You are our joy and every day with you reminds us of what a gift life is!
We have loved the simple moments with you this month, watching you learn and grow so much. With a comfy new rug to lay on, we are on the floor with you a lot more, and you reward us with your fast crawling, "kisses", and proud nods for yourself. We still look as each other daily and say, "Isn't she just SO BEAUTIFUL!?!" and "I love her so much!". You are so much fun and such a good and happy baby. Our favorite times are when you give us a little pat, reach your hands for us, snuggle up in our lap, or give us a very slobbery kiss. Dinner time with you is fun now for us too, as we have you try all kinds of foods from our plates and watch your big smiles as you feed yourself. It's hard to believe you are almost one already...This year is really flying by. You are our joy and every day with you reminds us of what a gift life is!
Here are a few more of our favorites from this past month:
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| Silly green bean eater! She's showing off, I think. |
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| With Uncle Darin & Uncle Tai! |
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| Such a fashionista! |
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| Sometimes dinnertime looks like this... |
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| I love how they look at each other... |
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| THOSE EYES! Looks so much like her Daddy... |
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| She's fast! |
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| Learning to love books |
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| Mornings with her, snuggled in our bed, are my favorite! |
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| She loves her doggie...And Lucy is learning to tolerate her too. |
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| I have to take a few of them almost everyday! Little friends. |
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| She's beautiful. But I'm partial. :) |
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