Weighing 11 pounds, 3 ounces, Ella Mae continues to grow! This week, she went on many walks with friends, spent tummy-times rolling from front to back, and chatted away! The walks below are with dad, mom, godparent Michael and Eve, and high-school friend Sonja Orban! She is clearly growing through her fourth month, and showing it by hitting “reset” on her sleep settings…we have invested in caffeine as parents.
This week, our little pumpkin enjoys pulling everything to her mouth. EVERYTHING. During tummy-time, she grabs all things in sight and num-num’s on them (drool is everywhere), and loves sucking on anyone’s fingers. During walks, she chews on anything in sight with wide grins. She also loves staring at reflections in the mirror and coos at other babies (most days). She’s discovered naps: once in the morning and once in the afternoon- and this has made for a much happier Ella Mae!
Reflection time!
Fall walks with Nola dog
the joy of naps!
The biggest transition this week was getting a monitor and putting Ella Mae in her own crib and room. Jeff and I thought that it would be a challenging transition. We had the game-plan ready: put her in a pack-n-play and slowly move it closer toward the nursery and further from our room. On the night of the change, she cried for an hour straight- clearly exhausted- and we finally gave up and put her in the crib. Within minutes she was completely asleep and slept through the night, waking once. This is the new trend! 7:30 is our new bed time and she wakes up once (sometimes twice) in the middle of the nigh, rising at 7:30 to begin the day! We are all quite happy with the new routine, and the monitor allows us a little more freedom in the evenings.
monitor! Sleep!
Ella Mae also met her future playmate: Kalen Thomas Lavelle, born early Saturday morning. He is such a handsome little fellow! She has visited a few times now, and they seem to get along quite well-considering that he is only a few days old 🙂
Mom, Kalen, Ella Mae,and Shawn (new dad!)
Ella Mae and daddy!
If you stop by our home, you’ll be sure to be greeted with many bubbles and spit noises. Ella Mae loves meeting new friends with her ‘farty noise’ sounds!
Cuddles in her fall jacket as we watch leaves falling
“Little Bits” as we call her, is growing! She had her 4-month check-up today and weighed in at 10 pounds 12 ounces (2nd percentile), measured at 23 inches (10th percentile) and had a 15 1/2 inch head circumference (33rd percentile). Though still tiny, the doctor has no issues. She is showing all developmental signs, eats heartily and smiles generously. She loved being in her doctors arms, and didn’t cry too long as she got her next round of immunizations!
This week we spent time with friends, like Ari at Centennial Park in Edina (lovely connected lakes!), had many snuggles together (trying on her new snowsuit- a little big for her still…), and spent time in our old neighborhood in South Minneapolis (Powderhorn park, so beautiful). Ella has been drooling up a storm, ‘chewing’ (we call it “nom-noming”)on anything possible, and reaching for toys during tummy time. She can roll from belly to back and back to side, and is sleeping in a larger crib to allow for lots of movement! (She sleeps with all arms and legs akimbo, and often we wake up in the middle of the night to see that she’s rotated in bed! How??) She continues to make us giggle and smile, especially when SHE giggles and smiles!
A walk to Powderhorn Park, where we lived pre-Ella
A walk with Ari, who enjoyed chats with Ella Mae
Nom nom nom! And yes, that’s her hand, my fingers AND the nuk in her mouth!
Getting ready with her winter bunting! Bear ears!!
Tummy time, she’s getting stronger each week!
Back home! Ella Mae weighed in at 10 pounds, 11 ounces this week. She spent good time with Cassie our babysitter, Chelsea (due very soon!) at Como Zoo, and Adrianne baking cupcakes! We have been working on morning and afternoon naps, and she seems to be growing with the amount of milk she’s taking in and the frequent wakings in the middle of the night. Pretty soon, she will need to move out of the bassinet and into a crib! This upcoming week, Ella Mae will get her 4-month check-up and shots. Wish us luck!
Time at Como zoo with a very pregnant Chelsea!
Baking cupcakes with Adrianne! Such fun!
Cuddles outside with Cassie. Ella Mae LOVED watching the big trucks go by on the street.