Catch Up

I haven't had an opportunity to post lately because my computer decided to make importing photos from my phone difficult.  It's funny because when I do get a chance to sit down and post, I think about what eventful things I could write about I lack inspiration.  While I think we've had some pretty remarkable experiences lately, to someone not directly related to us it may all seem rather ordinary or mundane.  The notable things to me are in reality just little developments.  Ella is napping more consistently now (and on her own), which is a big deal.  Since she was born, she's only slept well while held.  Once we got her sleeping on her own through the night, I figured it was a tradeoff for having to hold her during the day for her naps.  Now she's taking a 1-2 hour nap both in the morning and in the afternoon, all on her own in the pack n' play we have set up in our family room.  This is HUGE for me, because that means I can get stuff done around the house (or shop online--depending on my motivation that day).  

What other new developments?  She got her cast off a few weeks ago and she's been getting back into the groove of having two functional legs again.  Here are some pictures from the final days of life in a leg cast, and how happy she was to be free of it again. 

She got really good at sitting with the cast and basically maneuvering with it.

The morning of her cast removal, we took one final picture.

The night of the cast removal we took a nice long bath.  Ella LOVED being able to bathe again and slept like a, well, baby that night.

Ella has been just one happy baby and it's been so much fun watching her interact more and more with the world around her.  I have my 8 Month Update that I will post soon, but in short, it's pretty amazing how curious she is and how observant she is of everything.   Our days have fallen into a nice little routine, and it's pretty fun having a little pal to go everywhere with (even if it requires a lot more heavy lifting and planning ahead).

She loves a good read while shopping with me.

Quick snack on the go at the mall.

She really enjoys people watching.

Ella is starting to eat more and more solids these days.  She definitely prefers to feed herself, and while she only has 2 teeth, she can chew like the best of them.  She LOVES bread, fruit and cheese.  Basically, she has my palette.

Her favorite breakfast food: a frozen, whole wheat bagel.

Sometimes she will put herself to sleep while dining.

Ella's new favorite pastime is taking all her toys out of a box.  This can easily keep her busy for 30-40 minutes, which is one step toward her playing independently.

This lovely weather affords us lots of time outdoors.  Here is a recent shopping trip with the grandmas (who graciously watched Ella while I got my hair and nails done).  She was knocked out by the end of it!

Ella caught her first cold a couple weeks ago.  Thankfully, it wasn't too bad.  By the time I realized she had it, she had a low-grade fever and some congestion.  We made sure to keep her hydrated (lots of nursing--which she loved) and got her to sleep for most of the day.

With her new pal, Zebra.

Here are some pictures I snapped from Valentine's Day, which was pretty uneventful (not big celebrators of the holiday in this household).  But I thought these were pretty sweet.

Again, all pretty ordinary, but I think it's pretty special seeing her encounter each day with so much curiosity and spirit.  It definitely makes me appreciate all the small stuff!