I wonder if I've done Elle's development justice with this blog. So much has happened in these past couple of months. Little things like her social engagement and her grasping objects have gradually improved each day. There are night and day differences with those aforementioned between now and, say, March but it's been so gradual that it's hard to blog about. I think i'm due for a development update.
On Feeding...
Feeding Elle solids was something I was really excited about. I originally intended on pureeing my own baby foods and bought a Beaba to do so. Well, the Beaba was returned yesterday and a trip to Whole Foods was made for the organic jarred stuff. The Beaba sat unopened on our kitchen counter for about 2 weeks before I decided to ditch it. It's an expensive gadget and I didn't want to play with it and then decide I didn't want it. As soon as I read the instruction manual, my reservations set in. This was supposed to be fun and not stressful. The bottom line is that this was something that I would have been solely responsible for and I just didn't feel like I'm organized enough right now. A year ago, absolutely. And if you're wondering about the baby lead weaning approach I mentioned below, while I think it's fascinating I'm too paranoid to do something like that. We will definitely give her chunks of solid fruits and vegetables if they seem appropriate but as an exclusive approach, definitely not. And I will be making some food over the weekends as a fun treat the old fashioned way (steamer and food processor). Everything in moderation, people.
On Mobility...
Elle started rolling over at 4 months from her back to her tummy. While she occasionally rolled over from her stomach to her back, it was a rarity. More often than not, she would roll onto her stomach and then do we Casey and I affectionately called "shrieking 360s". Basically, she'd pivot in circles on her stomach, yelling all the way. It was really frustrating and hard for her. Over the past month, her push-ups on her tummy have gotten stronger and she's trying really hard to tuck her knees under. She is really close and for awhile, I thought she would be crawling by 7 months. Now I'm not so sure. The reason is because she discovered another form of locomotion that she is STOKED about. Just this past Wednesday, she started doing several rolls at once. Back to tummy, tummy to back, back to tummy and is moving a few feets at a time. Pair that with her well-practiced "shrieking 360s" (minus the shrieks now) and she is able to go in any direction she wants.
On Sleeping...
Sleep is something that both Casey and I take very seriously with Elle. Not only would she be more difficult if she weren't well-rested, but she wouldn't be in an optimal state for learning about our beautiful world. Putting Elle to sleep was a struggle for a bit both during the day and at night. Sometimes it went well and was easy. And when it took time, sometimes she was so tired she was wired and sometimes she was so tired, she passed out. When it was hard, it was really, really hard. While she still was getting enough sleep throughout the day (due to our perseverance), it was time-consuming and also really sad seeing Elle struggle with falling asleep when she was obviously tired. So what did we do? I tried to take her perspective. Here we are playing one minute, and the next, she is being carried to bed, laid down, and expected to pass out because she's a little tired. There was no transition. Casey and I talked about it, and after a few revelations here and there, we formed a routine for her naps. We now carry her into our room, put her in her sleep sack, turn on the white noise, lay her down on her back, and give her a bottle. If she's just eaten, we make just 2 oz. Once she finishes it, we sit her up so she's sitting by herself, and wait for her to burp. Usually at this point, her head is slumped forward and she's burying her face in the burp cloth. Then we lay her back down, and read "Goodnight Moon" and watch her eyelids droop. That's it. No more struggle.
More often than not, she sleeps about 11 hours during the night (with only 1 wake-up at about 3:00 AM). Her wake-up time is getting earlier and earlier (between 5:00 and 6:00 AM) and it's really freaking Casey and I out. 5:00 AM is too early, Elle! I think she is waking up earlier because 1) it's lighter outside earlier, and 2) we are still co-sleeping. I've read that co-sleeping babies will begin to wake up earlier as they get older because they get excited about your presence and want to play. Sigh, it is time for an eviction. Casey and I have been slowly preparing to move her to her room. We bought black-out curtains, we rearranged the furniture in her room so she's no longer able to reach the curtains, and we lowered her mattress. We still need to install the video monitor above her crib and...have a game-plan. Casey and I are both reading a new sleep book now and slowly forming a plan. This is getting long. I should have made a post just about sleeping!
So happy it's still the weekend. Casey and I are going to bundle up the babe and take her to the park in a bit.
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