We made it through the first 6 months!! Hooray! I'm so happy those first 6 months are over. Life is so much better now! Ella is still not an "easy" baby, i would never use the words, "angel baby", or "chill", or "always happy", ha not even close! But things are really so much better, and this baby girl is getting to be so fun.
She smiles and laughs and babbles and wiggles and is just so interactive and curious about the world around her. Actually, she's a little too interested in new things, and by that I mean she is rarely content at home, around her same old toys and surroundings. Most of the time when we're just at home she gets restless and fussy very quickly and I have to give her all my attention and personally entertain her to keep her happy. BUT if I go anywhere with her she does great! She loves to see new places and new people and new sounds, etc. So whenever I take her on outings, people are like oh she's so good and so happy yada yada but the second we're at our boring apartment she's yelling and crying haha. So we take lots of walks and visit friends and walk around Target to help keep this baby girl entertained.
I think once she learns to crawl/walk and can actually explore things on her own she'll be happier at home-- that day can't come soon enough! It kinda bugs me when people tell me to enjoy this time while she's still immobile. I know she'll get into stuff and make messes once she can move on her own but honestly I don't care. I just want to be able to cook, or do some laundry or get anything done while she's awake without her being fussy/crying/yelling.
At 6 Months Ella:
-Has started solid foods! We're doing the baby-led weaning approach and so far it's working out great. She has tried bananas, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, avocado, and raspberries. We just cut them into big slices or spears that she can grab and then she puts them into her mouth and sucks and gnaws on them, she loves it and we love it too, because that way we all get to eat at the same time and Ella is happy and entertained:)
-Still loves clapping hands, it never grows old!
-Still loves music, especially mom singing to her
-Hates being put on her back, she can pretty much sit up on her own but still falls over so we always have to put the bobby around or put her in the bumbo or sit with her. But if we try to just lay her down on her back she loses it, I mean all out cries like we just stabbed her.
-Also still hates tummy time
-LOVES to stand, and if we lean her against something just right she'll stand on her own now
-loves water, loves bath time and she went in the pool for the first time this week and was happy as a clam
-Ella really really loves people, she loves when people, friends, strangers, whoever talk to her and smile at her
-Sleeps so much better. It makes me so so happy. In the past 6 weeks, she's gone back and forth from waking up 3 times a night, to 2 times a night, to 1 time a night, then back to 3 times a night, then down to just 1 time a night, back to 2 haha. Right now its 1-2 times a night and she sleeps anywhere from 10 and 1/2 to 12 hours at night and takes 2-3 naps. And she's completely in her crib now for naps, so no more swing, finally! Oh and I also got crib bumpers right around 5 months, she's always been a big kicker and was constantly kicking the wooden slates with her feet, so I put some bumpers on her crib and that night she slept the best she ever had!
-I still pump and she still gets mostly breast milk, but I have started supplementing with a goat milk formula, and she seems to be taking it pretty well.
-Still dairy-free. I miss pizza, I miss ice cream, le sigh...
 |
| Ella's First Easter!! |
 |
| First Time at the Beach! |
 |
| Hanging with Bestie Clementine |
 |
| Me and My Baby on Mother's Day:) |
 |
Despite all the craziness, sleep deprivation, and stress that she has brought into my life, I love my sweet baby girl so much!
Because she also brings joy, innocence and so much light and love! |
 |
| Ha, one of my tricks for keeping her entertained at home! |
 |
| She loves her cucumber! |
 |
| She woke up super early this day so we brought her into our bed just to snuggle, because neither me or Kyle were ready to get up yet and she actually fell back asleep in our bed (very rare) and slept for like another hour and a half! |
 |
| Enjoying some butternut squash |
 |
Helping mommy cook
(This was the first time I put her in the kitchen with me while i cooked and it kept her entertained for a good 20 minutes, now it only keeps her happy for about 2-4 mins) |
 |
| Standing girl! |
 |
| Avocado Face! |
 |
| First time swimming! She had a great time floating with me and Sarah. |
