update on L's naps

So on Tuesday, Elodie sat unassisted twice for like a minute and an half and like once yesterday. She's also learned who to flex her body to make the bouncer really bounce. She reminds me of Sara but Sara did it even more. Too cute! Also, on Saturday & Monday, she fell asleep in the Pack N Play by herself so I've been trying to have her take her naps in that this week. Yesterday she took a great nap in the jogger and then one 45 minute and one 30 minute nap in the Pack N Play. It takes her a long time of whinning to fall asleep by herself. The last two weeks I had been going on a drive 2-3 times per day to get her to fall asleep in the car and then I'd either do errands w/her asleep or come back to the house, park in the garage, roll down all the windows and leave the door to the house open so I could monitor her.

tummy time with daddy on monday night

giggling with daddy on tuesday night

Talking and giggling...

A couple days ago, dave said he thought Elodie sat up on her own. I think it might have been possible if she was already part way up since she does do situps. Anyhow, yesterday she sat all by herself on grandma karen's lap and today she sat on dave's lap. She can only do it for a few seconds but pretty cool. I didn't get a picture of those moments but I did get one of her sitting forward on her own. Other than that, she babbles a lot and giggles a lot.

Video of L talking.

Video of L giggling.

Dave & L after church. :)

L sitting forward :)

Daddy reading L a book before bed

Yesterday, Saturday October 20th:

Dave's mom came down to help us plant tulip bulbs for next year. It was a beautiful day (high was 80F) and they were able to accomplish a lot. I helped a little...chopped some plants (I'm good at distruction! :D) Elodie fell asleep on the porch in the pack n play. too cute!

Anyhow, here are a couple videos of her laughing:

Video giggling 1

Video giggling 2

October 19th:

She was facinated with her purple halloween socks and it took forever to get her to look up, but I still couldn't get her to look at the camera or smile. She's still cute though!! She's wearing her "daddy is my hero" shirt from grandma, pants from cousin Mekdes, and socks from auntie jenny.

October 18th:

This is a 9 month outfit that grandma got her.

My attempt at a "photo session" look. :)

4 months old on October 18th

from babycenter.com:

Your 4-month-old's development: Week 1

Beginning to understand the role of language

Researchers believe that your baby can now understand all the basic sounds that make up his native language. Between this time and 6 months of age, your baby will develop the ability to make some vocal sounds, which means you may hear the words you've been dreaming about, namely "ma-ma" or "da-da." While child development experts say it's too early for your baby to connect those sounds with you and your partner, that won't make hearing them any less exciting.

You can encourage your baby's attempts at communication by mirroring or imitating his expressions and sounds. He may try to imitate you now, too. Say "baa" and he may try to say it back.

Reacting when your baby makes noises or tries to say something will help your baby learn the importance of language. It'll also help him better understand cause and effect. It's great for his self-esteem, too. He'll begin to realize that what he says makes a difference.

Expand on what your baby says and try to give it meaning. For example, you can say, "Yes, that is a ball!" Soon, his "ba" will become "ball."

Time for solid food?

For the first four to six months of life, your baby gets all the nutrients he needs from breast milk or formula. Still, parents are often eager to start their babies on solid food.

It's true that your baby's digestive tract is more developed now and his tongue-thrust reflex is starting to fade, so it seems a logical time to start feeding him some solids, such as pureed baby food or cereal. But there are good reasons to wait, too.

Starting solids later may cut down on possible allergic reactions, and ensures that breast milk or formula won't get crowded out of your baby's diet. And if you're hoping that eating solids will help your baby sleep through the night, studies have shown that you can't count on that happening.

The debate over when to start solids continues. If you're unsure about when to introduce them to your baby, talk to his doctor. ***our doctors have said to wait until at least 6 months old to lessen the risk on allergies***

Babies love to check themselves out in a mirror. In fact, faces are your baby's favorite things in the world to see at this age. Hold your baby in front of a mirror and watch his delight. He won't understand that it's his own reflection until he's about 7 or 8 months old, but he'll enjoy the view. And the motion of his hands in the mirror will capture his attention.

October 17th:

shirt from grandma, pants from cousin Mekdes, halloween socks from auntie jenny


she likes to flail her arms around




I left her on the activity mat and went to do some laundry. I came back upstairs and she had rotated herself around to reach the toy hanging out of the bin.


she's in the laundry basket :D

Monday, October 15th:

Elodie had her 4 month old visit to the doctors. She got her vaccinations and Dave & I got flu shots. L can get hers when she's 6 months old. Elodie was 14lbs., 11 oz. (75th percentile) and __ in. (50th percentile) so she's gone down in percentiles (she's not growing as fast), which is ok by me...maybe then her clothes will fit her longer. The appointment took forever (over 2 hrs!!) b/c first they were running behind, then they forgot to put our chart up so the dr. didn't know we were in there, then they forgot to tell the nurse that we were still waiting for Elodie's vaccinations. I was beyond frustrated by the last incident, especially since my mom was waiting for us at dinner in Boulder.

October 13th:

Grammie Ann got L her first doll. She had given it a bath (licked it all over) by the time we left the store. I also got her a little blankie and she love to lick that too.


doggie slippers from the mayernicks :)


Dave's tired so he wants to sleep on L :)

October 11th:

L can now touch all the toys dangling from the activity mat (complements of cousin Justin & Kristy vls)

L: 3-month-old: Week 4

Your 3-month-old: Week 4

Your baby loves to reach out and touch anyone and anything he can grasp onto. With increasing coordination, he can reach for and pick up things that pique his interest. You can help him practice his grabbing skills by outfitting his crib and playpen with fascinating toys, especially ones that squeak and rattle. Spending time in an activity saucer or under a floor gym has the same effect.

How your baby's growing:

When placed on her stomach, your baby will lift her head and shoulders high, using her arms for support. This mini push-up helps strengthen her muscles and gives her a better view of what's going on. She may even amaze you (and herself!) by rolling from her back to her front, or vice versa.

You can encourage this skill through play: Wiggle a toy next to the side she customarily rolls to in case she's interested enough to try again. Applaud her efforts and smile. She may need your reassurance since her new skill can be frightening.

Getting more selective about people:

By now, your baby may respond to your presence, your voice, and even your facial expressions by kicking and waving her arms. Your baby, who up to this point probably smiled at everyone she met, is also beginning to be picky about the company she keeps.

In large groups or with unfamiliar people, your baby may need time to get comfortable. Allow for transition time with strangers or when leaving her with a sitter.

When she's safely in your arms, though, she's likely to be interested in interacting with other people — especially noisy, boisterous children because they're more active, more amusing to a baby, and physically less imposing.

Tuesday, October 9th:

Monday, October 8th:

Grammy & Elodie:

Mom & Elodie:

Saturday, we went to the Denver Art Museum and saw an exhibit from the Louvre.

On Sunday, we went to church and then my mom, Dave’s mom & grandma babysat while we went to see Spamalot in Denver (complements of Dave’s mom). It was really funny.

Friday, October 5th:

Another borrowed outfit from cousin Mekdes:

Four generations:

Dave, Elodie, Karen & Robin

Thursday, October 4th:

Borrowed outfit from cousin Mekdes…

Mommy’s night out with the girls (Grammy babysat)…

Wednesday, October 3rd:

Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park with my mom J

Tuesday, October 2nd:

My mom arrives and Elodie’s all dressed up J

our little ballerina :)

3 mos. 3 wks on Monday 10/1...

from babycenter.com:

Your 3-month-old's development: Week 3

By now your baby has gone from being a passive observer of the world around her to being — or, at least, wanting to be — an active participant. Some babies this age even like to try "standing." If your baby seems to want to stand up while being held securely on your lap, it means her leg muscles are probably sturdy enough to try this new sensation, at least briefly. **Elodie's been standing since she was born :) She likes to go up and down, up and down...

Nodding off

At last, your baby's sleep patterns may start to settle down, giving you some rest. Many 4-month-olds sleep for a six-hour stretch through the night, though others still wake for an occasional feeding. Some babies take until age 6 months or later to sleep through the night, though, so don't get your hopes up! Two daytime naps are usual now. **Elodie sleeps bet. 8-10 hours a night!! but hardly naps during the day**

Beginning to interact with others
Your baby's starting to draw conclusions about the world around him. He's looking at everything with curiosity, even his own reflection.

Prop an unbreakable mirror next to him or sit him in front of your mirror when you're getting ready. Your baby won't realize that it's actually his image in the mirror (this usually begins to happen well into the second year), but that doesn't matter. He'll love to stare at his — or anyone else's — reflection, and he may show his delight by an all-out gum grin.

Your baby may stop sucking his thumb or bottle to listen to your voice. By cooing or making noises at him, and by describing even the most mundane household chore, you're not only connecting with him but also encouraging him to express himself. Wait and see if he "answers."

Your baby is becoming more animated and engaging (even with others) — flashing smiles, oohing, and cooing. And the fun has really begun as he's starting to laugh.

When you're with friends, keep your baby nearby so he can hear the richness of human interaction. He'll enjoy watching the antics of other babies, toddlers, and pets, but keep up your guard: Neither he nor they know the rules of safe engagement just yet.

Grab and go
Anything within your baby's reach is fair game now. While he's mastering his grabbing skills, give your baby interesting things to hold: lightweight rattles that are easy to grasp, a plastic or rubber ring to hold with both hands, squeaking toys, or soft stuffed animals.

Your baby will start to favor one hand for a while and then switch to the other, but you can't really tell whether he's a lefty or a righty until he's about 2 or 3 years old.

cutie...

Complements of Uncle Dale & Aunt Candy…