Carrots!

Mommy and Daddy had a big night planned for us tonight- we ate carrots for dinner!


They tasted okay, but I'm not sure I really like to swallow things yet.


Most of the carrots ended up on my face.


I made sure to get some on my hands and my bib, too. No reason to let a good thing go to waste without making at least a little bit of a mess!



I'll try eating some more tomorrow. My friends tell me that this whole "solid food" thing is a bit of an acquired taste. I'm not sure I believe them. Daddy had some licorice this evening that smelled pretty good, though...

I love my changing table.

It's the perfect height for me to look out the window and watch the cars roll by!

Meet my new cousin, William Campbell!

Campbell is pretty cute, but he's awfully small.


Auntie Manda told me that I need to be patient, because he will be more fun when he gets older.


For now, he just sleeps all the time, even when I tried to wake him up with my crying.


Mom says I could learn a thing or two about napping from him.

Some pictures of me playing!

Five months old!

Health and Growth

Elsie now weighs about 13 pounds (8%) and stretches to 25 inches (40%). She has been going through a sleep regression this last month, and doesn't like to sleep more than two hours at a time anymore. A few pleasurable nights have been spent in 30-minute increments. Yikes! Let's hope this passes soon!

Elsie's hair is also starting to grow back in, though we haven't figured out what color it is yet.

Activities

Elsie still enjoys going for long walks, especially with friends. She also likes spending time rolling on blankets in the yard, watching the leaves fall and the birds fly.

Elsie is making lots of friends at her baby group, which she attends twice a week. She loves looking at other kids, and has started reaching for them when they are next to her. She likes to hold hands with other babies, too!

Elsie's new favorite activities include chewing on Sophie the Giraffe, pulling her socks and shoes off, watching animals, and dancing to Raffi music.

Elsie also likes going to her Book Baby class at the library once a week. She likes singing songs, playing finger games, and reading books with the other kids. She especially likes the "Good-bye Song" when the facilitator blows bubbles for the babies to watch!

At five months, Elsie is finally old enough to play in her jumperoo, and she loves it. She hasn't really figured out how to "jump" yet, but she loves spinning around and being in charge of which direction she looks. She gets very excited when her cats walk by and sniff at her hands. She has even started reaching out to "pet" them...something they actually tolerate really well! We knew she would be a cat person! All four of us are so happy to have her in the family!


Comparison Photos:
One Week


One Month


Two Months


Three Months


Four Months


Five Months

Me and my friends at the Happy Bambino's Cuddlebugs Baby Group

Cora, Ben, Edie, Elsie, Henry, Veda, Maeve, Noah

That's me in the middle in my pink dress (I wore a party dress, because it was my 5-month birthday!). We were glad that we had a few bigger kids at class today, 'cause we needed them to anchor the ends of the line. We had a little domino effect going on before we got Cora and Noah to sit on the edges and hold us all up. We make a pretty cute group, though, don't we? I'll be sad when I hit 6 months and have to move on the the big kid's group!

P.S.
A note from my mom:
If you want some idea of how small Elsie is for her age, know that she is the third-oldest baby there, and only three weeks younger than the two babies on the ends! What a little peanut!

Family time in the backyard

I love the tub!

Bath time is my favorite time of day! I love eating my toes in the tub, especially when I kick at a washcloth with my other foot.


I am thrilled that I've gotten big enough to reach the end of my tub...I feel like such a big kid when I stretch out all the way!


Mostly I just love playing in the water...splashing makes me laugh and laugh!

Standing!

I've figured out how to stand with just a little help from mom or dad. I like to hold their hands, but I also like to chew on my fingers when I stand. That makes balancing tough, though.

Playing in the yard

Lately, Mom and I have enjoyed spending some time in our backyard when we get home from our daily walk. I love hanging out in the swing Deedoo gave us, and I especially like laying tummy-down in the grass so I can crunch leaves in my hands. I'm pretty sure they would be good to eat, but Mom won't let me try. Maybe next year...

Elsie's first Halloween Party

Elsie and I accompanied a few good friends to the Madison Children's Museum Halloween Party on Thursday. It was a blast! Elsie and I went as Farmer Catherine O'Leary and Daisy the Cow (the dangerous duo responsible for the 1871 Chicago Fire). Most of the activities were for tots a little bit bigger than Elsie, but she certainly enjoyed looking around at all the excitement. I was really glad that Elsie isn't mobile, yet...it would have been an easy place to loose a toddler! Elsie wanted me to tell you that her favorite part of the day (aside from hanging out with her friend, Nico) was wearing a costume with a tail!

Playing with Pongo

Elsie is getting big enough to be very interested in her surroundings. She's starting to enjoy watching her kitty siblings run around the house, and they are starting to get very interested in her when she plays on the floor. Here are some pictures of Elsie learning to pet Pongo.





True, it looks like he is cringing in the photos, but he was actually purring the whole time!

Rolling!

These are some of the first pictures of Elsie rolling. By the end of the first night she figured out how to roll, she had become so talented that she was able to roll over four times in a row from one side of the mat to the other without stopping. What a goofy kid!