Months 7, 8 & 9
The last couple of months have gone by in a flash. Penelope is getting bigger everyday (about 19 lbs now!) and starting to make that transition from little baby to little girl. It's hard for me to believe that the last update I did was at 6 months...she has changed so much since then!
Over the last few months, she's gotten her two front top teeth - complete with a little gap in between - and it's really just the cutest. Another bottom tooth broke through and the way she is teething on the sides of her mouth, I'd say a few more aren't far behind!
Around 8 months also brought the end of nursing for P and me. It wasn't a momentous occasion (but if you want to read a really sweet one, check out Daily Garnish's story!) but rather a series of events that led to finally ending it...p starting daycare, I being back at work full time and also finding pumping to be increasingly difficult to squeeze in coupled with lack of production once pumping became more of a full time thing. Not to mention that P started to simply outgrow it.
It makes me sad because I really cherished our mornings and all that time we spent together, just Pen and me, over the first 6 months especially. It really became such a part of my life that it almost felt weird to stop doing it. It still amazes me what the human body can do and I'm so glad that I had a good experience with breast feeding. With P being in daycare, I back at work full-time and solid foods taking over as the star, I realized I was continuing to do it more for my own sake. And then when she started getting frustrated with nursing, I knew the time had come. I do feel a little sad that we didn't get a momentous occasion as a last feeding (instead it was significantly less Earth mother-ish and more like fussing and frustration), but I think it's probably better that way so the chances were lowered significantly of me bursting into tears at the fact that my baby is growing up and needs me less (I know that's not really true). So now were on formula and solid food only. Sniffle.
But I'm proud of us for making it to 8 months, 6 of which were only feeding her breast milk. It's kinda crazy to think back on the fact that I did that. Wow. (Aside: I can do a longer post about my experience with breast feeding if that is of interest since I found it to be sooooo helpful reading about other bloggers' experiences. Don't want to go tmi though if that's not if interest, so let me know! End of aside.)
Oh and with that in mind, P got sick for the first time! (And i cant help but connect the two). Last week I got a call from her daycare that she had a 103 fever and it turned out to be Coxsackie. Have any of your kiddos had that? Also known as hoof and mouth disease, it essentially meant that she ran a high fever and suffered from throat blisters. Not fun for baby or Mom, but I did love the extra snuggle time that she allowed. She has also been battling some cold and sinus situations and I just continue to apologize to her for inheriting my unfortunate sinus issues.
In the eating department, I have quite the foodie baby on my hands. She loves yogurt, applesauce, oatmeal, peas & edamame, sweet potatoes and now eggs.
Basically any mashed fruit is also a win. I've even started giving her tiny pieces of food when I'm eating and have learned to always have a snack on hand for her. We are getting to the point where if she sees people eating she wants to eat too, and I love that so much. My hope is that she will love all foods as much as her daddy and me, and I know that starts early! I can see that a transition to mostly finger food is in our near future. This past weekend we went out for breakfast and she enjoyed some hard boiled eggs, pancake bits and tiny tastes of oatmeal. She thought it was the best thing.
Penelope is not quite crawling yet. She sits, scoots and lunges from the sitting position, but she hasn't really figured out how to get herself up and go. She has been trying to pull herself up though so I could kind of see her being the baby who goes straight to walking.
Lastly one of my favorite thing to date is that she has started clapping. And not just any clapping, but at the appropriate moments and it is hilarious. The best is while watching Mickey, when he comes over the hill she applauds as well as when they do the hot dog dance...it's as though she is commending them for a job well done.
So that's what's been going on the last couple of months. P is such a happy baby and I'm thankful every single day that we made it out of that newborn crying stage and she turned into such a content little girl.
Can't wait to celebrate the upcoming holidays with my little love bug! I know her first birthday is already creeping up in the back of my mind...please.make.time.stand.still.
3 Comments | November 5, 2013 | Share Article | Email Article | tagged Baby Talk Tuesday | in Penelope Jane Print Article | Permalink
Reader Comments (3)
Oh man! Can't handle all the cuteness!!
I love her! That photo of you guys in your Giants gear is priceless! I don't go anywhere without snacks! Puffs are a lifesaver, love her with her hand right in the tub! Good job nursing so long! It is hard, hard work! You're doing great mama! xoxo
Just so adorable, love looking at these pictures!!