Ella is 5 Months Old

I need to find more time this week.  Joe and I are working on projects all summer and since we just got home from visiting family last week, we are straight back to work.  So this might be a bit brief, but I will definitely get through the stats.

Nicknames:  Ella Bella and Little Miss Wiggles

Weight and Length:  We don't have another doctor's appointment until next month, but I believe she is about 15 pounds.  We just recently increased her bottles to 6 oz. at each feeding.  She usually eats right when she wakes up, also at 11am, and then 3pm, 5pm, and 7pm.  I also nurse at least five times too. Although most nights she sleeps through the night, sometimes she will wake up and I usually give her a bottle then, since I know she will sleep a little longer in the morning if I do that.

Temperament:  It seems to me that Ella is becoming a happy baby as she gets older.  She still lets us know when she is not happy, usually she will grunt or growl if she doesn't like what is going on, but for the most part she is a smiley baby.  Ella is very ready to learn how to crawl.  She can roll all over the floor and she can turn around in a circle, but she hasn't quite figured out the forward movement yet.  I am going to give it a month, since she moves all over the room.  I don't remember Jack ever being like this and it is so fun to see her explore the surroundings.  It makes her so happy too (unless she gets stuck somewhere and then she will growl).  In addition, she got a new toy, which not only keeps her busy for a very long time, but she gets so excited to play in it (Jack gets jealous and wants to use it too).

First Experiences:  When I knew that my mom was going to be making a trip to Canada, I asked her to pick up a jolly jumper, which can only be purchased there.  You can ship it to the United States, but the shipping costs are super expensive.  So luckily the timing was just right and we saw my parents the next week and we were able to pick it up.  She LOVES it.  I have yet to find a toy that keeps her interested and she loves that she can be in a standing position.  I enjoy seeing her smiling face too.  It has already come in handy, since we used it at my parents house this past week, then at the rest stop on the drive home and about three times since we have been home.  Maybe I'm the one that loves it....

Ella was also blessed in my church this month. I was so worried that she was going to scream bloody murder through the entire thing, because she is older and I figured she would be so aware that she might freak out!  Fortunately, she was quiet and the message was very sweet and special to me.  I was thankful to have so many family members there too.  And she was wearing my dress from when I was little and baptized as a Catholic! What a little cutie.

 Items/Toys That We Love:  Of course I have already been raving about it, but Ella loves her jolly jumper.  She is also a big fan of a little butterfly that is very tactile and makes lots of crinkly noises.  And since she is moving around so much lately, she is starting to grab at her brothers toys as he leaves them on the floor.

I'm looking forward to the next month, since we will be giving Ella food for the first time.  OMG time is going by so fast, and before I know it I will have a two year old and a one year old!!