posted by Kristin on Jan 24, 2009 |
The last two weeks, Elisa seems to have had a number of incipient skills come together to amaze her parents with all the new things she does every day!
Two weeks ago, Elisa amost sat independently for the first time on Mommy’s lap during Sabbath school, actually supporting herself briefly without leaning against Mommy. Up until this time she had always fallen forward over her feet when put in a sitting position. On Monday (Mommy’s first day back at work!), she pushed herself up from falling over her feet for the first time, but not all the way up. In the next couple days, she started falling over sideways rather than forward when sitting. Last weekend she started sitting on her own on the ground for a few seconds before falling. At this point, she frequently sits for multiple minutes, grabbing toys around her and bringing them to herself.
We have also seen more work with her feet. She has been putting her feet up in the air for the last few weeks…
A couple weeks ago she started actually grabbing her legs…
then her feet…
Then last Sabbath she got her feet into her mouth!
Another change has been her interest in cereal. We did take a bit of time off since she actually seemed to be sleeping less. But this last week we have gone to two, then three meals of cereal each day. She has shown continued interest in the food and enjoys playing with the spoon and trying to feed herself. Far too soon we will be on to other foods!
She has enjoyed standing for a number of weeks and went through a long stage where when we pulled her up 
from lying down she wanted to come up as stiff as a board. At this point she is getting more steady on her feet (but not too steady!), holding onto only one hand here and there and even grabbing the edge of the coffee table and standing for a couple seconds when helped. She has also started kneeling, sometimes going down to kneeling from standing and staying there for a while.
When we got back from Colorado, we did invest in a playstation in which she sits in the seat and goes around the toys. She just barely reaches the ground, so she has yet to move herself around the toys. But she has enjoyed the piano and yesterday learned to flip the little book that changes the piano from notes to animals to musical styles – and we hadn’t even modeled that for her except maybe once at the beginning!
posted by Kristin on Jan 24, 2009 |
Since we were in Colorado for Christmas, Elisa has been rolling from side to side – looking more and more like the pirate ship ride at the amusement park that goes side to side before it goes upside down. And Wednesday night she finally rolled over from back to front instead of just front to back! The best part is we got the first roll on video! (But we still have to upload it!) Mommy had been trying to tempt her to roll by putting a bear she was enjoying just out of reach and she got the bear without rolling! So Mommy was just about to give up videotaping when Elisa decided to roll over, bear and all!
True to the personality she has been showing, she rolled over again twice in the next 10 minutes and multiple times the next day. She also put together a few rolls the next day, rolling from back to front, front to back and trying to keep rolling in the same direction. This means that play mats and blankets are no longer as helpful and we are starting in on playpen training!
The last 24 hours she has taken her enjoyment of shrieking to a new level. She has shrieked from time to time the last month, usually a sign that she is ready for a nap. But the last 24 hours she has decided somewhat just to shriek – not necessarily because she is excited, tired, bored, or anything else we can figure out. This evening Kristin’s mom was asking when she seemed to shriek and the pattern this evening was whenever she was awake! Perhaps we should invest in ear plugs…
(Written January 16, 2009)
posted by Kristin on Jan 24, 2009 |
Elisa has had (at least) two new experiences while we have been out in Colorado for Christmas: her first cereal and some time playing in an Exersaucer.
As with most traveling, we’ve had some good nights and some bad nights of sleep. We’d been putting off cereal since Elisa seemed to be content – but two bad nights of sleep, coupled with late afternoon feedings during which she didn’t seem to be replete pushed us to attempt cereal. So the day after Christmas Elisa had her first cereal, which Mommy was surprised to find out was much more liquid than she thought! We sat her in cousin Donovan’s high chair, wearing Donovan’s bib, and spooned liquid into her mouth. Of course, plenty of it spilled, but more because of Mommy and Daddy’s aim than her reaction. She first was a little confused by the spoon and wanted to help hold it, but then started lapping up the milk. Eventually (despite the comment at the end of the video – coming later – that she was done), she got more and more excited about the cereal and waving her arms. Mommy and Daddy tired before she did and the last ounce or so was given in a bottle and gulped down before she went on to nurse.
We have been planning to get Elisa an Exersaucer, but figured we would wait until after this trip so we could experiment with others’ toys first! Even though her feet barely touch bottom, she has enjoyed bouncing. She has quickly discoverd the toys that spin and has expanded her repetoire to a new toy almost every day we have been here. Today she also turned herself around a full 180 degrees in the seat – and at least Grandma Rood got to watch her do it!
So all in all, Elisa has had an eventful Christmas trip! Hopefully the trip back will be a little better than the trip out (as her first trip with a layover, after the 3rd short nap Elisa, Mommy and Daddy were all very tired!) but we are still very proud of our little girl and how well she does while traveling! It has been fun to watch as she learns something new every day!
(Written December 27, 2008)
posted by Kristin on Jan 24, 2009 |
We are celebrating Christmas in Colorado with Kristin’s brother Jeff and her folks and much of her dad’s family. This includes Jeff’s son Donovan who is 13 months old and cruising around like crazy. It has been fun to watch the two of them together!
Donovan quickly took to Elisa, holding her hand when they were in their car seats next to each other, helping her play with the Exersaucer, patting her head, trying to crawl in the baby gym with her, and calling her “kitty.” Since Donovan appears to have three categories - mommy, daddy, and kitty – this isn’t quite as strange as it sounds. But when she is sleeping, we have to decide if “kitty” means Elisa or a teddy bear or…
This has also allowed us to explore what it is like to have two kids since we have had a few days where we’ve taken care of Donovan while Jeff worked. Kristin has realized that 13 month olds are much more tiring than 4 month olds…and is celebrating that any other kids God grants us will be more than 9 months younger than Elisa!
(written December 27, 2008)
The last two weeks, Elisa seems to have had a number of incipient skills come together to amaze her parents with all the new things she does every day! 
Another change has been her interest in cereal. We did take a bit of time off since she actually seemed to be sleeping less. But this last week we have gone to two, then three meals of cereal each day. She has shown continued interest in the food and enjoys playing with the spoon and trying to feed herself. Far too soon we will be on to other foods!
from lying down she wanted to come up as stiff as a board. At this point she is getting more steady on her feet (but not too steady!), holding onto only one hand here and there and even grabbing the edge of the coffee table and standing for a couple seconds when helped. She has also started kneeling, sometimes going down to kneeling from standing and staying there for a while. 
When we got back from Colorado, we did invest in a playstation in which she sits in the seat and goes around the toys. She just barely reaches the ground, so she has yet to move herself around the toys. But she has enjoyed the piano and yesterday learned to flip the little book that changes the piano from notes to animals to musical styles – and we hadn’t even modeled that for her except maybe once at the beginning!
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