Ellie @ 8 months

*Ellie will be 9 months tomorrow (what!?) so with these monthly posts I think I will keep going along with how I have been doing it...unintentionally waiting until the month of said age is close to being over (or like last months totally over) I'll shoot for the last day of that month. I feel like that will be the best way to truly document what's really happening at that age.*

Likes:

Pulling herself to a standing position by holding onto anything within arms reach... couch, bench, tub, sister's back (sometimes hair... ouch!), mama's leg. You name it and this girl will use it to stand up.

Crawling- boy, is she a good crawler! I sort of miss the rolly poly she used to be, but Ellie is so happy to get to see the world as it was intended to be seen (right side up) that it's hard to be too sad about it.

Eating anything that is not meant to be eaten. Paper, grass/twigs/leaves, dirt, plastic. pretty much anything that she could choke on or anything that is just not advised to eat the more she enjoys it. The picture at the top of this post, if you look closely you will see the dirt on her face that she tried to eat before the picture was taken.

Taking baths without her baby bath seat.

Sleeping in mommy and daddy's bed... we only allow it in the early morning (for her last meal of the night) when she briefly wakes up to eat. She sleeps like a dream in our bed, unfortunately I do not when she is in it... she sleeps like a starfish.

Playing with the letter magnets on the fridge.

Sneaking off to the bathroom hoping to find some paper to eat- this has now started a closed door bathroom policy.

Being carried in the babyhawk.

Finding me when I leave the room. Say if I am in the kitchen she will come find me and when she does she lets out the proudest little giggles.

Having a reliable schedule. She has been sleeping so much better since we have been proactively keeping to a schedule. We still like some flexibility so give or take an hour seems to be just fine.

Sleeping on her belly! We've got a belly sleeper now!

Rubbing her eyes and tugging on her hair (sometimes pulling little handfuls out) while she is nursing.

Being read to.

I found her in the hallway like this- Maisie is always trying to dress Ellie up.

Dislikes:

Food- apart from the occasional organic baby puff things or a few cherrios here and there.

Having her mouth fished out when she is inevitably eating something she should not be.

Being constipated. who knew that was even possible from like 3 cheerios?!

Getting dressed after the bath.

Having a stuffy and runny nose- baby girl got hit by a terrible cold. It was 3 extremely rough nights and dare I say even rougher days. She cried for hours from being so uncomfortable or from sheer frustration. She is now gradually getting back to her pre-cold schedule and will hopefully catch up on all the lost sleep.

First face full of water... yeahhh she wasn't too happy about the feeling of water in the nose.

Legs stuck in the crib slats.

Skills:

Signs: "milk" and "more". Now we are working on the signs "all done" and "please".

Claps and waves.

Can drink with a straw.

Holds out her arms to be held.

Starting to say dada more to Austin.

Firsts:

Eating in her high chair- she only manages to eat a couple bites, but we're trying.

Visit to the duck park:

Learned to crawl and pull herself up on things.

Time swimming.

Trip to Utah.

Things to remember:

How she gives the biggest open mouth slobbery kisses.

Her breathy surprised laugh.

Her happy almost pant-like quick breathing.

The way she whispers.

How happy her voice sounds when she says "mama"- it goes up like a whole octave. 

The certain giggle she reserves just for Maisie.

The way when she's upset or hurt how she will immediately crawl to me for cuddles.