8 Months

Eight months...is my baby girl really eight months already?!  It is hard to believe how far she has come since we took her home from the hospital in January.  She blows us away each day with things that she learns.  Here are some of Ella's "tricks":

Says Dada, Mama, Nana, Baba and Papa indiscriminately...oh, and she STILL loves to squeal/scream. I think that my constantly saying "we don't scream" in response has taught her this next trick - I had no idea until she started doing this that I have been accompanying those words with the following-

"no" (mostly to food)

She has started to crawl (though it is still quite slow and cautious)

She pulls herself up on EVERYTHING and has started "pseudo-surfing" across the coffee table to reach "desirable" objects.

She LOVES to stand.  In fact, if I need to get something done, I put her near something that she can pull herself up on or stand her in the crib.

She is starting (FINALLY) to really enjoy food.  She eats solids 3 times a day (7:30, 12ish, and 4ish).  We have been doing lots of mixed foods and, wouldn't you know, she just happens to love the Ella's Kitchen blends.  She loves feeding herself her bottle.  Aside from her middle of the night bottle, she eats at 7:30a, 12:00p, 3:00, 5:30p and 7:30p.

Sleep has been touch a go.  We're really not sure what the hang up is, but she occasionally wakes in the middle of the night practically inconsolable then she'll sleep great for over a week.  Most nights she goes down between 7 and 7:30 and sleeps until anytime between 2 and 4 (when she wakes up to eat 4 oz) then sleep until any time between 6 and 7:30.

My schedule has been really chaotic lately which has done a number on her nap routine.  She is still getting 2 naps a day, but now that she can sit and stand unassisted, getting her to sleep in her crib has become a back and forth of her standing/sitting and my laying her back down.  After about 5 times, she'll finally go down.

And TEETHING...well, what can I say...I feel like she has been teething since like 4 months but still no teeth.  She has been exhibiting all the tell tale signs for weeks and weeks and still NOTHING!

Ella is still wearing a combo of 3-6 month and 6-12 month clothes.  All her pants are still 3-6 months, but she is wearing many tops in the 6-12 month category with the sleeves rolled.

Ella loves light up toys but Sophie is still her favorite.

This month Ella has stayed home with a non-family babysitter TWICE while Michael and I went out.  She was a little fussy but did good both times.  Playcare at the gym is going much better.  I can actually work out again!  Christine's is still up in the air.  Gabriella seems to have good moments and bad moments (normally in the same visit).

Without further adieu - here Ella at 8 months old!