Eight Months of Eloise

My determined Elle,

Just like Elle Woods, know that you can be both pretty in pink and smart. If anyone ever tries to put you in a box, bust out of it. If they tell you you can’t do something, prove them wrong with your actions. Be curious and kind and studious and funny and whatever else you want to be all while expressing yourself with whatever style fits you. You have our full support, and we're ready to watch you do your thing!

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Growth:

At your last appointment, you weighed 16 pounds 13 ounces and were 27 inches long. Six month onesies are snug because of your height, but the jammies fit just right. Mom bought a set of 6-12 month clothes since that will give you more room to grow into through the summer.

Your very wild hair will fit in a pony tail now, and you don't seem to mind it! It's cute! We went to a restaurant the other day, and you had your head in my lap while drinking your bottle. I was eating with my other hand and dropped enchiladas on your hair, and it made the biggest, wildest hair, even after washing!

You crawled! I knew you were getting close because you could get yourself to your knees and rock, but I asked you to wait until I was done teaching camp so that I wouldn’t miss it. You listened because the Friday afternoon after camp, we were all hanging out in Mom and Dad’s room and you just took off! I was nervous because Sully did not crawl this early but you just crawl in circles wherever we are, and it’s the best. I love that you can follow us around and have some more independence.

Already, though, you are pulling up on things and standing in your bed, so I think walking may be on the horizon, too.

Milk:

Insert all of the feelings here, but I am officially done pumping and feeding you! I think my math is right, and we’ll make it to a year. But if not, formula will be great, too. You already have an ounce of formula a day to help your body combat a dairy allergy, and you tolerate it well, so the pressure is off. Our freezer is full, and I’m thankful. Thank you for making the experience so enjoyable and special!

Food:

You are doing so well with food! Your favorites are smashed blueberries, cucumbers, and these banana oat pancakes I make. So far, you’ve had almost 50 foods, so halfway there! Shellfish is the only real allergen we’re afraid of since you broke out in welts after I kissed you. We thought it happened again with almonds when you had oats cooked with almond milk, but we carefully tried it again, and you did fine. Hoping it was just a bad allergy day (though your skin scared me to pieces!).

Sleep:

You are a champion napper! So much, in fact, that I keep having to wake you up because I don't want you to sleep 3 hours. I'm working with Mrs. Brittany to tweak them in hopes you can sleep a little better at night. You've been waking up once a night for the last two weeks crying, and you are hard to settle down. When you do wake up from a nap, though, you are in a terrific mood!

Favorite Moments:

Crawling: Watching you crawl is my favorite part of the month. I’ll hear a small slapping sound and look down to find you crawling one little hand and leg at a time to wherever I am, and it’s the sweetest. You are so content to find a toy and play with it, crawl somewhere else and play with that, and so on. It’s adorable! You also love to be wherever Sully is and now you can get there which makes you happy (though I can’t always say the same for him.)

Summer: Even though it’s hotter than it should be outside, we’re making the best of it. A lot of days, we’ll use the inside of the garage as a home base and play in the driveway with the water hose or in the garage with a water sensory bin. We’ve also gotten to play with our friends some, and I love watching all of you guys interact.

Likes/Dislikes:

Loves:

-Sully

-trying to eat tissues or paper

-snuggling in the mornings

-blueberries

-bath time

Dislikes:

-being in the high chair for a second longer than when you’re through eating

-getting dressed on your changing pad

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I'm so excited to watch some of these with movies with you (way in the future)! We can have girly movie nights with nail polish and lipstick AND still know we are smart, capable women :).

Love,

Mom