Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
EE for September 29
longest and best nap of the day, but it often ends when her brother
misses her too much.
EE September 28
bundled and cozy and watched the first part of the game from the
comfort of her stroller seat. Then she wanted to get involved and
enjoyed playing with me and her brother and looking at the ball field
lights.
The hat she is wearing was made by Ann Hoemann as a gift for Daniel...
it didn't fit Daniel, but fortunately her head is more delicate and
perches on her head really well!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Dear Elsie,
You are living your fifth month, and it is now The Fall. This is my favorite time of year, perhaps because growing up, my sisters and I had fall birthdays. I also enjoyed the beginning of school years. I loved getting new school supplies, jackets, and jeans. The fall is just such a nice time of year here in Mid Missouri, and already the same leaves that were just emerging on the day of your birth are losing their green and will fall from the trees. You are growing older.
During this month, I've noticed how much your muscle movement in your MOUTH is developing. You can blow bubbles, buzz your tongue, lick your lips, suck on your lips, smack your lips, manipulate chew toys in your moth, and alter the shape of your mouth to alter the noise your mouth makes. You are going to talk sooner than your brother, I predict, because he rarely did these things so early.
We started to feed you some baby cereal and I think you actually enjoy the sensation of the spoon better than the act of eating. That's understandable. You just took to the spoon and sought to hold it for yourself to explore. This shows me some of your independence, which I do not usually notice as you enjoy company and are so dependent on others for care and entertainment at your young age.
Your brother is still (by the whole) charmed by you and pleasant towards you. You are his Elsie Buggy, and he tells us when he thinks you need to eat your mommy's milk, when you have pook in your diaper, and when you are happy. He is generally right in reading your mood and desires! You both coo and gurgle and laugh with each other and that is just delightful.
I'm struggling to give you the lap time and reading time that I would like. Know that you don't get as much of this time as your brother had. It was so important for me to read him several books at increments during the day because I though he might experience language delay being a boy who seemed naturally drawn to mechanics. I was sort of proving myself as a mom and didn't know exactly what type of balance to achieve. For you, I see that you are making great eye contact, being perceptive of people's emotions and actions, and you seek to interact with us. I think you are more naturally drawn to communicate. You listen to most of the books I read with your brother, and you often try to chew the board books I read you. You become frustrated that I turn the pages at a faster pace than you would like. However, since I've been a mom to Daniel, I realize that the three or four books we read together each day are probably enough and that you have a smart little brain regardless of what I do. I realize we'll have plenty of time in the next several years to read and interact and that your brother will be able to read to you, too.
Elsie, you are a VERY TALL baby. When we are out and I see other cute babies, I often think they are your age when they are really 8 or 10 months old. You are as tall as they are! Your muscle control and facial expressions also seem more like an older baby than an infant. However, you are still soft and snuggley and not at all close to crawling, and I know you'll grow into your height one day. Your mother and father and brother are all quite tall for their age/gender.
I wish I could write you a letter every day, but it is my hope that you'll have the blog posts I write for you and on my personal blog to know me better. It is very difficult for me to keep track of posts on three blogs, and writing is one of my creative outlets and relaxation modes, so please do read and enjoy the posts I write. Your brother has many more posts than you do simply because he was born before you were. I had more time with him to spend documenting his weekly adventures. For you, I have a better camera, which is a plus and advantage to being born into a family with more gizmos!
I wish I could write to you every day and express my love, concern, and hopeful ambitions for your life because one day I know we will disagree and you will feel distant from me. I hope that having this is for you is tangible evidence that I am a real person who loves you and wants a strong and positive relationship with you. I look forward to being your mother as you grow into an older human being, and I delight in you as a baby. You are such a clever girl and your heart is so full of joy. I can tell you will be a charmer because your dad melts whenever you are around. I can tell that you will be a clown because you and your brother play little jokes on each other and make one another laugh. I can tell that you are going to play an important and irreplaceable role in my life.
I love you, darling baby girl.
Your Mama
You are living your fifth month, and it is now The Fall. This is my favorite time of year, perhaps because growing up, my sisters and I had fall birthdays. I also enjoyed the beginning of school years. I loved getting new school supplies, jackets, and jeans. The fall is just such a nice time of year here in Mid Missouri, and already the same leaves that were just emerging on the day of your birth are losing their green and will fall from the trees. You are growing older.
During this month, I've noticed how much your muscle movement in your MOUTH is developing. You can blow bubbles, buzz your tongue, lick your lips, suck on your lips, smack your lips, manipulate chew toys in your moth, and alter the shape of your mouth to alter the noise your mouth makes. You are going to talk sooner than your brother, I predict, because he rarely did these things so early.
We started to feed you some baby cereal and I think you actually enjoy the sensation of the spoon better than the act of eating. That's understandable. You just took to the spoon and sought to hold it for yourself to explore. This shows me some of your independence, which I do not usually notice as you enjoy company and are so dependent on others for care and entertainment at your young age.
Your brother is still (by the whole) charmed by you and pleasant towards you. You are his Elsie Buggy, and he tells us when he thinks you need to eat your mommy's milk, when you have pook in your diaper, and when you are happy. He is generally right in reading your mood and desires! You both coo and gurgle and laugh with each other and that is just delightful.
I'm struggling to give you the lap time and reading time that I would like. Know that you don't get as much of this time as your brother had. It was so important for me to read him several books at increments during the day because I though he might experience language delay being a boy who seemed naturally drawn to mechanics. I was sort of proving myself as a mom and didn't know exactly what type of balance to achieve. For you, I see that you are making great eye contact, being perceptive of people's emotions and actions, and you seek to interact with us. I think you are more naturally drawn to communicate. You listen to most of the books I read with your brother, and you often try to chew the board books I read you. You become frustrated that I turn the pages at a faster pace than you would like. However, since I've been a mom to Daniel, I realize that the three or four books we read together each day are probably enough and that you have a smart little brain regardless of what I do. I realize we'll have plenty of time in the next several years to read and interact and that your brother will be able to read to you, too.
Elsie, you are a VERY TALL baby. When we are out and I see other cute babies, I often think they are your age when they are really 8 or 10 months old. You are as tall as they are! Your muscle control and facial expressions also seem more like an older baby than an infant. However, you are still soft and snuggley and not at all close to crawling, and I know you'll grow into your height one day. Your mother and father and brother are all quite tall for their age/gender.
I wish I could write you a letter every day, but it is my hope that you'll have the blog posts I write for you and on my personal blog to know me better. It is very difficult for me to keep track of posts on three blogs, and writing is one of my creative outlets and relaxation modes, so please do read and enjoy the posts I write. Your brother has many more posts than you do simply because he was born before you were. I had more time with him to spend documenting his weekly adventures. For you, I have a better camera, which is a plus and advantage to being born into a family with more gizmos!
I wish I could write to you every day and express my love, concern, and hopeful ambitions for your life because one day I know we will disagree and you will feel distant from me. I hope that having this is for you is tangible evidence that I am a real person who loves you and wants a strong and positive relationship with you. I look forward to being your mother as you grow into an older human being, and I delight in you as a baby. You are such a clever girl and your heart is so full of joy. I can tell you will be a charmer because your dad melts whenever you are around. I can tell that you will be a clown because you and your brother play little jokes on each other and make one another laugh. I can tell that you are going to play an important and irreplaceable role in my life.
I love you, darling baby girl.
Your Mama
Monday, September 26, 2011
Family Photo from September 25, 2011
One of us was taking a nap, one was having found memories of her
childhood, and one was making sure one of us didn't throw rocks at
geese or fall into the lake.
EE for September 26
about how to ring the bell, and she was simply fascinated.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
EE for September 25, 2011
Elsa has begun to eat (enjoy?) some baby food in her 22nd week of
life. She is eating organic brown rice cereal, which seems pretty
bland, but she does manage to eat most of what we serve her! She
enjoys slurping spoons, too.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Elsa Everday for September 23
months. She sways from side to size, never rolling the whole way, but
often grabbing toys from one side, playing with them, and then
transferring them to her other side.
The shirt she is wearing was a dress for newborns that I bought before
she was born and is my FAVORITE clothing I've gotten for her. The
leggings were made as cut off girls'knee socks and made into leggings
by her Grandma Douglas. The pink and brown diaper is one that I
bought for her when I found out I was having a girl and its one of my
favorite ones for her to wear to match outfits.
The blanket she is playing on is from Grandma Becky and Great Grandma
Landolt. Daniel often steals this blanket from the floor to use on
his bed!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
a picture for you
or with a friend) and can hold toys or extended amounts of time. She
really enjoys toys that crinkle and playing with the pages of brightly
colored cloth books. Of course, she is often interested in the toy
her brother is playing with, which leads to a lot of "MINE!!!"s
echoing in the house during play time!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
DDD and EE for September 20
see what he was up to, and he said, "Dee Dee read to Elsabuggy!" She
lay on his bed and he told her about this book.
It was precious.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Laying Poolside
On our last use of the pool this September, Elsa lay on a chair. She had woken up from her nap and was content to use be amused by watching her dad and brother in the pool.
She was so relaxed!
One of these photos made it on the local 5 PM news "photo finish". We actually didn't see it, but several people we know called us or emailed us about it!
She was so relaxed!
One of these photos made it on the local 5 PM news "photo finish". We actually didn't see it, but several people we know called us or emailed us about it!
EE for September 19
fabric of her dress, but just recently has been able to lift it high
enough to cover her eyes. She does seem to really enjoy peeking and
hiding!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
I Turned My Mom into a Baby Wearer!
She only did cloth diapering and home made baby food because it was
normal for her culture and part of her budget. It wasn't an
eco-choice or healthy safety choic like it is for lots of moms today
who have other options.
She did not do baby wearing or co sleeping or avoid vaccines or do
breastfeeding. Those weren't in her culture at the time.
Last weekend we took a walk to a family cemetary and I knew EK needed
some cuddle time and to be upright so she'd sleep in the car on the
way home better. My mom wanted to hold her, but I advised her to wear
EK in a sling. All I had was a sized hotsling, which had shrunk
because of drying it on high heat in the dryer (big bummer!). My mom
was a trooper and squeezed into it anyway! The end result was an
adorable grandmother/baby bonding time.
I am not sure that I advocate baby wearing over teaching a child to
walk or explore the world in a more independent manner, but I
certainly feel like there's a time for baby wearing as a matter of
nurture.
My mom said she enjoyed the experience! Maybe I'll get her in a Moby
wrap on our next visit!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Elsa Everyday for September 16
seconds. However, it was long enough to capture her beautiful new
dress and sweet smile!
EE and DDD for September 14
woke up. Elsa and I decided his idea for the morning was pretty good!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
EE for September 13
parade to start on Saturday.
Monday, September 12, 2011
A(n Occasional) Cry Baby
So I wrote recently about how you never cry.
And then you started!
Your brother is responsible for some of the crying, namely, when he says, "Whack Elsie!" or "Pull Elsiebuggy!". Those are not good signals for your pain threshold.
You also cry when you get startled, especially when you are falling asleep. For example, you were at my Bible study and the speaker, a very passionate woman named Beth Moore, said, "Praise God!", which made you jump. You bumped your head in your jump and started to howl. I think you are a little sensitive to Beth Moore.
You cry and fuss around 4 PM, and I think its teething pain. It lasts until you go to bed (inconsistently, but you're not feeling super peachy and friendly when you are not crying) or until I give you baby Tylenol.
You also cry when I lay you down for your nap/nighttime. When I pick you up a second later, you sigh and stop crying. You rest your head on my shoulder or face and seem to beg to stay cuddled up longer. When I put you back down, making sure you don't have a gas bubble to bother you, you cry again. This cry lasts about a minute, and then you settle down and accept that its napping time. You fall asleep in about five minutes.
You also cry when you are overtired. So I try to avoid that. Those are some LOUD, dramatic cries.
Your cries include a good, long howl and often include tears.
I hate to see you cry, but you are sweet when you pout. And your volume is impressive!
And then you started!
Your brother is responsible for some of the crying, namely, when he says, "Whack Elsie!" or "Pull Elsiebuggy!". Those are not good signals for your pain threshold.
You also cry when you get startled, especially when you are falling asleep. For example, you were at my Bible study and the speaker, a very passionate woman named Beth Moore, said, "Praise God!", which made you jump. You bumped your head in your jump and started to howl. I think you are a little sensitive to Beth Moore.
You cry and fuss around 4 PM, and I think its teething pain. It lasts until you go to bed (inconsistently, but you're not feeling super peachy and friendly when you are not crying) or until I give you baby Tylenol.
You also cry when I lay you down for your nap/nighttime. When I pick you up a second later, you sigh and stop crying. You rest your head on my shoulder or face and seem to beg to stay cuddled up longer. When I put you back down, making sure you don't have a gas bubble to bother you, you cry again. This cry lasts about a minute, and then you settle down and accept that its napping time. You fall asleep in about five minutes.
You also cry when you are overtired. So I try to avoid that. Those are some LOUD, dramatic cries.
Your cries include a good, long howl and often include tears.
I hate to see you cry, but you are sweet when you pout. And your volume is impressive!
EE September 12
nealry five months old in this photo!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
EE for September 11
home from a visit to her grandparents' was very LOUD for nearly an
hour.
Friday, September 9, 2011
a picture for you
on a train caboose.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
You've Got Busy Hands!
Elsie,
Something I notice about you that I didn't notice with your brother is how you are always touching! You manipulate fabric all the time, reach for objects to hold, and pat many objects. You grasp. You pinch. You touch, touch, touch. Its interesting to me because you started this at two months and now as a four month old, I can count on you to be busy with your hands when you nurse. You enjoy the different shirts I wear and seem to take note of different textures. Your arms are getting long enough to reach past my collar bone and up to my face. Its sweet to feel your gentle graze (or not so gentle whack!). I am so curious to see how this sense develops into a talent for you.
I try to give you a variety of textures nearby, and it does seem to stimulate your activity. The photos below have many different fabrics, and while you were swinging side to side you brushes the afghan and muslin blanket with your fingertips.
Love
Your Mama
Something I notice about you that I didn't notice with your brother is how you are always touching! You manipulate fabric all the time, reach for objects to hold, and pat many objects. You grasp. You pinch. You touch, touch, touch. Its interesting to me because you started this at two months and now as a four month old, I can count on you to be busy with your hands when you nurse. You enjoy the different shirts I wear and seem to take note of different textures. Your arms are getting long enough to reach past my collar bone and up to my face. Its sweet to feel your gentle graze (or not so gentle whack!). I am so curious to see how this sense develops into a talent for you.
I try to give you a variety of textures nearby, and it does seem to stimulate your activity. The photos below have many different fabrics, and while you were swinging side to side you brushes the afghan and muslin blanket with your fingertips.
Love
Your Mama
Elsa Everyday for September 8
first morning nap!
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