elsie - seven months

I am 100% in denial that Elsie is seven months old.  I don't know what it is about that age that is so hard to swallow (it was for me when Ryann turned seven months as well), but I just don't like it.  I'm cool with having a six month old.  A seven month old is practically one.  That's not cool.

Like babies do, Elsie just keeps on growing.  According to our oh so accurate measuring methods at home (HA) she weighs roughly 16 pounds and her length is a crap shoot. Chris was all "maybe 25.5 inches?"  In which case the doctor's office always measures her long, or she shrinks and grows between appointments.  So we will go with some where between 26-27 inches.  Haha.  She has pretty much grown out of her 3-6 month clothing, but since I don't really have any summer clothing in the 9 month or 6-12 month clothing sizes (how that is possible I have no idea), and it is a toasty 99 degrees in freaking September (get it together Mother Nature, I'll take maybe 75?  even 80 would do), I'm just squeezing her into the 3-6 month stuff anyway.  Thankfully the dresses just look like tops, so whatever.    We're still hanging on to the size two diapers, and just barely size two shoes.  I think she could keep some of the three's on, but again, it's hot.  Nobody needs shoes when it's hot.

headband

E nurses five to six times a day and now gets a couple of tablespoons of solids at dinner time.  I think she'd be perfectly content eating more, and more often, but I'm not sure her tummy would agree.  Even with just nursing and eating pears and prunes her digestive system is having a hard time keeping up.  Although it hasn't been quite as bad.  Elsie had her first taste of 'solids' (oatmeal) August 17th, and since then has tried peas, butternut squash, green beans, sweet potato, carrots, prunes and pears.  She hasn't objected to any of it, her mouth always wide open ready for more.  It is truly night and day compared to how solids went with Ryann.  Thank goodness.  Hopefully over the next month will continue to add new foods to the mix, and maybe next month Chris will let me give her some table foods.  Maybe...

I can't decide if sleep has really gotten better, or if I'm just so numb and indifferent to not getting consecutive hours of sleep that I just don't notice.  HA.  Elsie started fighting her third nap the last couple of weeks, so we're trying to make do with a two nap schedule.  The longer stretches of wake time are still pretty tough, but her naps are more consistently an hour+.  Unfortunately the loss of the second nap means bedtime just keeps getting earlier and earlier.  We really didn't want her in bed before 7:30, but she just can't hang.  So Elsie is regularly in bed between 6:45-7:00pm, and that is even pushing it.  Then, for the most part, she'll sleep until somewhere between 3:00-5:00am before wanting to eat.  Again, one wake-up doesn't really bother me, BUT if she wakes up before 5, then I am either up really early, or get an awkward amount of sleep before needing to get up and run so I'm back before she wakes up for the day.  Sometimes she'll wake up between 10:00-11:00pm, half the time she'll put herself back to sleep, the other half I wind up just going in and feeding her.

We introduced her lovey this month, a pink Angel Dear owl (like Ryann's, just a different color.  dumb mom move of course, it is going over really well with Ryann.  NOT AT ALL).  I'm trying to keep it just for bedtime and thus far it isn't an issue.  She definitely seems to love it, and now seeks it out if she wakes up in the middle of the night or something.  I love watching her snuggle it, I'm not sure why that really gets me all warm and fuzzy, but it does.

Over the past month Elsie has become much more mobile.  She doesn't really go anywhere fast, and isn't crawling, but she rolls more, turns around on her tummy, and scoots backwards like a champ.  E has been getting up on her hands and knees and rocking more and more.  She did it for the first time the day after she turned six months old.  Now she is trying to move her legs a little bit, but winds up plopping back down on her belly and flailing like a maniac.  Elsie is also getting stronger in the sitting department everyday, and can stay upright for long periods of time, but if I'm not going to be right behind her I like to leave the boppy there just in case.

Still no mama or dada or any distinct babbling of that nature.  She has truly mastered the high pitched screech, among various other obnoxiously loud noises.  Oh but the cutest things this month have been her little wave (daddy always gets the most enthusiastic ones) and the scrunchy nose smile, see here:

Some of Elsie's favorite things to do are chew on toys, bang toys into stuff, watch her sister run around like a nut, pull my hair, snap my tank top straps (punk), watch anything with a screen and hang out in the jumparoo.  I'm trying to remember to read to her more, it doesn't happen as regularly as it should, but then again as soon as I try and read a book she just attempts to shove it in her mouth or zones out, so there is that.  She also likes trying to drink out of my cup, and her sippy, definitely hasn't figured it out on her own yet.  She doesn't seem to have a favorite toy, but does gravitate toward the cheap plastic stacking cups and a Fisher Price camera.  Oh and books that make the scrunchy sound.

No doubt about it, Elsie is still a mama's girl.  Especially if she is tired or the slightest bit hungry.  Those times she wants nothing to do with anyone but me.  Sometimes daddy is ok, but for the most part, she wants mama.  And the tiredness and general fussiness is happening more and more.  My guess is she is actually starting to teethe.  Ryann got her first tooth between seven and eight months so it's about that time.  She is constantly scratching at her ears, but she doesn't have a fever.  We shall see.  I'm scared for her to get teeth, we've already been through a biting while nursing phase, and I don't really want to know what that feels like with teeth...

Overall though, I would still say E is a pretty darn good baby.  As long as you keep your distance you'll probably get a smile :o).  And she is relatively content to just be out and about before like 4pm.  After that, well, your guess is as good as mine.  If she has had good naps, maybe, otherwise it is just best to stay close to home so she can go to bed.  I love to just snuggle her.  Granted sometimes that results in me getting pinched or what not, but if I have the chance I love to just sit and hold her and kiss her and squeeze her.  I'm pretty much infatuated with her.

Miss Elsie Jo, I love you to pieces.  I'm so thankful you're in my life.