Sweet Eloise Jane, today you are 6 months old!
You continue to be such a happy, laid back, smiley little girl who is very observant of the world around you. This past month brought a LOT of growth for you, especially in the sleep department! Here are your official 6 month updates.
How old? 6 months old!
How big?
*At your 6 month appointment you weighed in at 17#12.4oz (77%) and were 27.5 inches tall (95%). Your head circumference was 17 1/8 inches.
You are still what we joke is our "Giant Baby," given your big sister Iyla always measured TINY! For comparison, here is HER post & stats from 6 months old:
You have almost 6 pounds and 2.5 inches on her at the same age!
*You are comfortably fitting into 9-12 month clothing and are between a size 3-4 diaper.
Here's another fun side by side size comparison with your big sister. Same 9 month outfit, Iyla on the left wearing it at 11 months old and you on the right at 5.5 months!
*Also of note: BABY THIGHS. Oh, the delicious rolls on those thighs of yours! Your big sister never really developed rolls, so I am nibbling on yours every single chance I get.
They are the BEST!
Sleep? This was a BIG month in the sleep department for you! You went through official sleep training and now go to bed sweetly and peacefully around 7pm. For awhile you were only waking up one time at night to nurse (around 1:30-2am) but the last couple of nights you have been pulling the 2x/night gig again, around 11:45pm and 4:30am.
You are usually ready for a 1st nap 1.5-2 hours after waking, then 2.5-3 hours after that nap an afternoon nap occurs. These range from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the day! There is usually another 30 minute nap in the late afternoon.
Your sleep routine is to nurse (or have a bottle before bed), get a diaper change, get into your sleep sack, then be carried to your room where we turn on the sound machine & close your curtains. We sing 1-2 songs while cuddling and then I lay you down drowsy but awake. You almost always roll immediately to your side (you're a side sleeper!) and put your thumb in your mouth (no more pacifiers!). Then you'll either go right to sleep or will rock yourself side to side until you fall asleep.
I swear you know we're watching you....
Eating? You typically nurse every 2 to 2.5 hours, though in the past few days you've pushed the time between feeds back to 3-4 hours. You occasionally will get a formula bottle on days when your appetite exceeds my supply. Before bed I'll nurse you in the bath then also give you a bottle of 3-4 more ounces (which you easily polish off!).
We are going to start solid foods with you in the next couple of weeks after we get the green light from your doctor. I have a feeling you will LOVE this adventure! You are entranced every time we eat and always watch in earnest as food goes from our plates to our mouths.
Vocalizations?
*This month you've started doing "mama" and "baba" sounds. Your babbling is now starting to sound like an actual conversation!
Telling me something really important
New interests/skills?
*You've been exploring textures and objects a lot more over the last week, studying things intently first through touch and then through taste!
*You've starting batting and slapping at things in a rhythmic motion.
*You've recently realized you can SPLASH in the bath! Whole.new.world. You start swimming lessons next week and I suspect you will love those!
*You are rolling a lot more from your back to your tummy (always to the right). You will hang out there for a little while before getting stuck and starting to complain, as you haven't mastered rolling back down yet!
*Holding your bottle. You like to "help" and still love taking milk from bottles!
*Your big sister Iyla makes you laugh like no other. In the bath she spits water onto your belly and you erupt in long giggle fits. The same thing happens when she plays peek-a-boo with you. You two just adore one another, which never ceases to make my Mama heart swell.
*You've gotten so much better on walks and in the car, and are able to be awake and content for much longer periods! Now if we could just get my hips to cooperate more so those walks can become a regular event....
*Your hands are CONSTANTLY in your mouth. All day every day. I'm curious when your first official tooth might come through!
*You got to meet my dearest friend Jenny this past month. She came and stayed with us for a long weekend, and both you and Iyla were smitten. It was so sweet to see.
Selfie with Auntie Jenny
Favorite things?
*Your teething sticks
*A blue teething ring that has different textures on it
*Your teething necklace beads
*Baths
*Your big sister
*Being outside
When big sister's away, you get into her toys and play!
Daily Schedule
*Wake anywhere in the 6- 7:30 range.
*1.5-2 hours after waking, 1st nap. If this happens in your car seat on the way to Iyla's school, it's 30 minutes to the minute. At home, it can often be 1-2 hours long.
*After your nap, there is 2-3 hours of play time, where you rotate through several baby stations at home- each lasting about 5-10 minutes. These include:
-Your
Bumbo chair & play table
-Your baby swing
-Playing on the back porch
-Your exersaucer
-Your play mat
-Your high chair
-Your Bjorn chair
-A blanket & toys on the floor
*After about 2.5 hours of play time you're ready for a 2nd nap, which ranges usually from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours.
*After the 2nd nap, there is about 2 more hours of play time until a 3rd catnap in the afternoon.
*Bedtime in the 6:45-7:15pm range.
How's Mama?
*My cycle made a momentous return this past month. This was the exact same time- around 5.5- 6 months postpartum- that it returned after having Iyla!
*Overall my hips are doing much better, though having said that my left hip has again been off the past couple of days, making it really hard to walk.
*My headaches have gotten much better! I think the myofascial work in addition to the increased sleep has worked wonders for my overall health.
My sweet girls
Here are a few more photos from your past month:
You have the most INCREDIBLE big blue eyes, which we can thank your Papa for!
Happy 6 months sweet Eloise Jane!
We love you so, so much and can't wait to see what the next month has in store.
