Eloise has made it halfway to ONE! Woo-hoo, Eloise!!! Turning six months old is always such a big moment! Babies get to try FOOD for the first time! We have followed Baby-Led-Weaning with both of our girls, so they didn’t get food at all until their 6 month birthday (side note- Eloise technically started food about a week earlier than her birthday- she was born at 41+1 days, so her true 6 month birthday would have been September 19!), and they had to be able to do three big things before that too. or we would have waited even longer-(we also don’t let them have the food “earlier” according to their original due date, unless they can do the big three!) the biggest one- being able to sit up, unassisted for one whole minute. So, as you can guess, Eloise learned how to sit this month! Around September 5-I was finally able to get one, 40 second sit out of her, and that just isn’t long enough, plus all the other “sits” were 11 seconds, consistently. I actually was sure she was going to wait and miss her 6 month birthday, and it was almost funny…… I jokingly told her one day, “Eloise, no food for you, unless you can learn to sit up and do it for a whole minute!” Guess what- within 3 days, September 8, Eloise sat 2 whole minutes, and then did it again later that same day for another 2 whole minutes!. Like most other months, I swear she truly has her own agenda, and does things on HER time! Turns out, food seemed to good to miss out on!
By the way, when September 19 rolled around, Eloise was sitting like a CHAMP. So, she got to try her first meal! We started with breakfast and served up bananas, eggs, and avocado! She seemed to really like the eggs!
We also usually just jump right in with Baby Led Weaning. Since I am at home with the girls all day, and I have to eat too, it is easy to have us sit at each meal and try it out, straight from the beginning. (Don’t get me wrong- even for a stay at home mama, and farmer daddy- it IS TIME CONSUMING) Most people start with one meal a day with their little(s) and progress to more over the next 6 months. My thoughts are….I may as well knock it out, and again- I’m having to eat anyhow…so may as well work around their schedules.
For lunch we served up stuffed baked potatoes! She loved the baked potatoes! For snack we had a strawberry banana grain bar, that she LOVED. Dinner was egg roll in a bowl and peaches! She liked the cabbage!
The rest of the month was equally as exciting watching Eloise try more food! We seriously just love the expressions! Plus, seeing a child be their own person, and learn how to independently eat is just so cool! (If you aren’t familiar with BLW- you never feed the baby yourself, and the baby also never has baby food. They move straight to eating actual solids, or pre-loaded spoons!) Eloise has so far, LOVED food. I haven’t found anything she turns away, and she is eager and quick to try anything and everything! We’ve even ventured out for some fun foods- mexican, chick-fi-la, and pizza! It took about 5 days and she did have her first gagging experience, and handled it like a CHAMP! She worked out what was stuck, and was smiling and ready to eat more immediately! For the last couple of months I have been avoiding dairy, because Eloise did have a few bloody diapers a couple months back, dry skin, and could be a little touch and go with sleep. It did seem to help cutting it out, so I think it was worth it. We’ve slowly been working it back in to my diet and are easing it back in to hers! So, here are some more pictures of Eloise eating, because, why not?!
We’ve taken a few trips to the farm to see Daddy since it is officially harvest season! The trips down to him are hard- loading both littles up, a potty, milk, naps, and whatever we’re eating, all revolving around the naps, but the trips sure are sweet and worth it. It’s been super important to both me and Will to make the farm fun for the girls. We also know they don’t get much Daddy time several months out of the year, so it’s nice to keep him “in the picture” by heading down to see him. We all four enjoy it, and are so happy Eloise is getting to experience her first season! She was born during planting season, and I had a crazy recovery, so we didn’t make it down to Daddy back then!
The girls and I also spend a TON of time outside! We head to the park most mornings to stroller walk and then play. Eloise is still napping three times a day, but every now and then, she is awake to come out too! She got to swing in the bucket swings for the first time and now LOVES swinging! We also play in the yard a ton, and walk up and down our drive way….well, Eloise doesn’t walk…. ha.
The girls and I we’re so pleased with our last trip to the zoo together, that we went again! The trips this month have been SO good! We are pretty good at timing the drive around two of Eloise’s naps and one of Annabelle’s naps, we pack a picnic lunch, and bring bathing suits for Annabelle to do the water area right before we leave. One particular trip was extra good- the gorilla walked up to us at the window! We’ve also been taking day trips to Southaven to have Chick-fi-la for lunch and pick up things at Target and Sam’s Club, as we need them. The girls have been doing great. They definitely have their moments, and Eloise knows how to hit the PERFECT pitch when she isn’t happy….. like ear- ringing. It’s a quality she has had from day one… But, I’ve learned to know I have to kind of go with the flow and not have many expectations, and we all three do great together!
Another big moment for Eloise this month- Will’s cousin asked us if we wanted to go see Paw Patrol Live with her family. Will figured it could make it work, so we bought our tickets and headed to Southaven for the show! Annabelle had never been to a live show like this before either, but she was also two! Eloise got to go before she even turned 6 months! I guess there are some perks to being the second kid!
Eloise is still currently taking three naps a day. We get up early so her naps each start around 8:30-9:00am, 12:00pm, and 4:00pm or so. They range anywhere from 1-2.5 hours each. Usually only one 2.5 hour nap a day, the others about one hour. Eloise does seem to be regressing a little with naps, which is funny…. both of our girls have {LUCKILY} skipped the dreaded four month sleep regression, but both seem too show regression in naps. Eloise has been hard to settle, or wakes herself up and screams. I am starting to think she’s in that weird in between time on dropping to two naps a day, but just isn’t quittttte ready yet. Any regression is never fun, and Will has seen me ready to sit on the floor and cry some nights after these long days while he works like a crazy person, however, I will still take nap regressions over night sleep regressions ANY DAY…. though maybe I should rethink that… Will is at least home during the night hours… hmm.. But, let’s be honest- Eloise still hates bottles (believe me– we KEEP trying) so, it would still end up being me! Oh, and I do still night feed her once, around 9:30/10pm. That is also starting to get dropped. We had honestly been timing it around the same time Will takes Annabelle to pee, so that everyone is “occupied” and not noticing the other up for some reason.
We had a few visits with MommyAnn and Granddaddy! Unfortunately, Eloise was asleep for many of them, besides these pictured below!
Tummy time and back play are still in full swing! Mommy even keeps trying to trick Eloise in to getting on to all fours to promote crawling… Eloise knows though, and doesn’t take to the tricking!
Oh, our sweet, sweet Eloise!
We can’t do a monthly update without some sweet, (sometimes matching,) sister shots!
Six months with you, Eloise Kate, has been so very special. It has been fun, sweet, challenging, and entertaining. Surely you’ll keep us on our toes for the next six months and more to come!
The Cashion Life 