UPDATE:
Bella hasn't grown much but her growth from her WIC appt this week was:
8.56 Pounds
26 Inches
For an update on her current routine.
She is still a sweet and calm little girl. And very sensitive. She likes the indoors better than the outdoors and enjoys taking two naps a day. She goes to bed around 8 and enjoys nothing more than mommy snuggles. Bath time with brother it is all laughs and giggles. With Mom and the soap it is all wiggles and whines. She is still in size 3 diapers. One nice thing is that Bella NEVER leaks she hasn't for months and months. I don't know if it is just her or girls in general, but I love not having to worry about so many extra clothes when we go out! She has been wearing 9/12 months for quite a while in clothing. She is mainly a 12 monther now though. Bella loves to roll and try and crawl away while any changing is in pursuit. It is quite a game of chase.
Hair, hair, hair. If only. Bella is starting to grow some lovely locks! Okay, Okay it isn't much. But I love playing with her hair already. I can't wait for more. Since we started bows from the start she seems to not mind them. Putting them on can be a battle if I take to long. Fortunately she leaves them on and never tugs at them or anything. Cross your fingers that this is a sign for a good still little sitter while Mommy practices her hairdos :)
MILESTONES:
A few of her current victories!
Teeth: 1, 2, 3, 4
1st tooth was declared by her occupational therapist when checking her mouth. Well hey there Bella time to open up an voice your little tooth buds a little louder. (Aug 9)
2nd and 3rd tooth arrived much by force in August right before she turned 10 months. Poor girl it was so tender. She banged her mouth on the drawer knob while trying to pull herself up
unsuccessfully. First time my Bella bled, the budding top front teeth and thinning gum
didn't make for a good impact spot. Not a happy day. Doctor says no worries. (Aug 15, 17)
4th tooth bottom left decided to join us after a long night of crying at the beginning of September. Mommy and Daddy love nothing more than staying up all night taking turns with a sore mouthed crying Bells. But it was better by morning when it finally decided to debut. (Sept 1)
Food:
Well if you didn't know our Bella has been refusing food for months. She was a solid food Nazi. It was very frustrating. Baby Rice Cereal, Baby food fruit and veggie, table foods- bread, cereal, applesauce, crackers, etc. ALL made her gag, throw up, or go into lock down mode. So the doctor recommended occupational therapy at the hospital. Which is a growth therapist for young children/babies. Our first appt was scary and after hearing all about the worst case scenario developmentally and physically he ended with or she could be stubborn and got spoon syndrome. Where she fears the spoon. So just spill baby food around and let her play, explore and eat herself. We tried and were somewhat successful. What really did it in was those chompers. With her new buds she started to be a little more confident and within a few weeks another appt and all we got the thumbs up that she is over the solid food discovery hump. All is good now and she enjoys all the tabletop foods or "real" food broke into bits. She is a little slow at feeding herself and usually needs help getting it in her mouth, whether it is us putting her hand to mouth or slipping some inside for her. She mainly likes baby food from the new pouches that she sucks through to get it or we push it up for her. She isn't a sippy cup or bottle fan. But we are definitely happy with her new food exploration. Even though she decided to be stubborn and wait till teeth before she opened her mouth to solids.
Movement:
Loves crawling best. But cruising is good to. And letting go and standing alone is nice too. The occasional secret steps are fun but she is definitely not into showing off her secret steps to crowds. She has just started to very deliberately letting go of the couch or chair and taking careful steps (1-2) and then plopping down to crawl. It is fun! And a new step in the right direction!
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| Practicing her steps and stumbles. |
LIKES
Favorite Foods: Blueberry/Bannana- Baby Food Pouches, Tropical Blend Yougurt Drops, Cheese, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, Bananas, Sucking on Apples.. OH and Chocolate! If you can't tell by the specifics she is a picky eater!
Babbling is a common past time. She is a little shy so she does it at home and alone mostly but I love it! She makes all sorts of sounds her newest is "dadada". She also likes to make lots of high pitched sounds, happy yelps and such are a common Bella distraction we enjoy.
She is very gentle with soft touches and cautious smiles. She likes other babies but is not the one to go up and introduce herself she sits on the floor by Mom and plays quietly. (A world away from Connor, YES!) But she does grab faces so beware of her nails.
She likes the vacuum. Yes Connor's greatest fear, is her best friend. It comes out of the closet, Connor screams and runs to his bedroom and literally waits under the covers in his bed. (Never taught him that.) Bella on the other hand will sit quietly and yelp when it first turns on and then crawls right beside it as we clean and wants to get on top of it and play with the cord and hold on to it and cruise beside it. She even tries to follow it into the closet and is not happy to have the door closed and her vacuum friend gone.
She is not a loner... she has to crawl and find brother and be standing write next to Mom with one hand tugging at me. And yet she decided to take crawling trips into Connor's room, even at night when it is all dark I find her playing in there. Silly girl, she is braver then her brother.
Music and singing on TV. She especially likes Backyardigans from Nick Jr. and Super Why from PBS.
She recently discovered the kitchen towel drawer. She opens it and throws all the towels out.
Hiding under Connor's high chair, while he eats.
Watching Brother.
DISLIKES
Independent sleeping. Being held and cuddled is best.
HATES having Mommy force her fingers in her mouth. Whether it is to take a foreign object out of her mouth before she swallows (which is rare because she is not to into mouth exploration), or when Mom tries to check what teeth are budding. Both end in a fit of screams. Probably because this is rare and she isn't used to it like Connor was.
Bella is much more sensitive than Connor and is very mellow around crowds, straight faced and Mommy aware. She is a stranger danger model. And if Mommy or Daddy walk away she unleashes the back arches and the screaming. But when were holding her she is an angel!
She can be a drama queen as she learns to walk. Every fall and bump is a cause for a scream, and every jerk or startle is cause for alarm. And my dear Bells knows nothing better then that cries come with tears. Everyone is alarmed with her water works but when you see them daily it is no surprise to us. She does the cutest pouty face alive! We know it well!
She already gives Connor the silent treatment when she deems any action to rough or of unkindly behavior.
The SUN!
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| Tired and Zoning out to Kung Fu Panda. |
