Thursday, May 3, 2012

Eloise Strawn is Growing!

Eloise turns 4 months old on Saturday, May 5th. So quick! She is a growing girl, and this is what is going on in her life.

-Talking all the time. You should hear her right now. Her coo-ing that started a few months ago has turned into a less-graceful squeaking and grunting.
-Grabbing her sister's attention. It is still always a huge deal when Rosalie notices Eloise. The obsession has not worn off! Rosalie is certainly in love with her sister. Eloise seems to play it cool and give Rosalie an all-knowing smile, as if to say, "You just wait until I can keep up with you, and I will definitely use this to my advantage."
-As soon as someone makes eye contact with Eloise, she almost immediately returns the smile. She has been doing this for a few months. Her cousin Madelyn has nicknamed her "Big Smiley" as a result.
-Sleeping in a swaddle. She used to be a better sleeper. She has become a light sleeper, and unless the conditions are right (access to the breast), she doesn't stay asleep long. What happened to the girl who would just fall asleep on the bed while I changed loads of laundry?
-Rolls from back to tummy and gets stuck 9/10 times. The 10th time she lasts about 5 seconds on her stomach before freaking out. She is NOT a tummy girl like her big sister! Why she still attempts, I'm not sure, but I'm glad she is getting in her exercise. She does roll both to her left and right, too.
-"Wheezing." It is technically not wheezing, but "Elo-wheezy" has been diagnosed with a soft larynx. When she is in certain inclined positions, such as her carseat, her soft larynx slightly obstructs her breathing, so she has to suck extra hard to get enough air. We've been working with a pulmonary pediatric specialist, and he is confident she will grow out of this soon. I've already noticed it happening less.
-NOT drinking from a bottle. We were way too lax about introducing a bottle, probably because we knew I wouldn't be returning to an office setting, and she doesn't even take a sip from one. Never has. Probably never will. What a beautiful thing for my child to be so dependent on me. It is also beautiful when I know she has a full belly and I can have some unattached time.
-Gnawing on fingers/blanket. We noticed that her front left tooth has poked through the front of her gum. We're not sure if this is why she likes to nosh on her fingers or a blanket, but I don't blame her. Having a tooth poke through like that can't be comfortable.
-Being ultra-cute, as evidenced by this photo from today


Her 4-month checkup is on Monday, so we'll have her weight and length then. I'm paying less attention to those stats this time around, but she is certainly growing. At least her torso is anyway :)