Three?

A little over a year ago, I wrote this post, and talked about being a complete family. Lately though, I've been having these nagging thoughts about one more. The time surrounding Elodie's birth and the first six months of her life were traumatizing. I feel like I missed out on so many things I had hoped to reexperience. I wanted to nurse longer, relax more, and relish the newborn stage. None of that happened. It leaves a bit of a wound on my heart. Part of me feels like having another baby could bring a lot of healing, although there is no guarantee of a healthy baby or any of my wish list coming to fruition. So I'm not sure if I actually want another baby, or if I just need to work through some of the lingering grief. There are other reasons another baby sounds appealing as well. We are pretty isolated in Colorado, being so far away from family, so having a bigger family of our own sounds nice. Our kids really only have each other, with just one cousin who lives 900 miles away, and that's not how I envisioned things. I grew up with big extended families! And I really feel like being a mom is my calling in life. It's the most rewarding thing I'll ever do.

When I mentioned this to Brian, I was shocked that he didn't immediately call the hospital and schedule the next available vasectomy. Our biggest concern is financial. While I do plan to go back to work in the future, kids are crazy expensive. We would have a lot more money if we stick to just two. I know money isn't everything, but the stress of barely making it each month is very real. And of course, there's the question of whether this is even possible. Multiple doctors once told us we would never conceive on our own. But we've had two miraculous conceptions, one which gave us Elodie. So was she truly a gift from above, or did we somehow overcome our issues? One thing is for sure, we will never seek fertility treatment again. 

I am content. I love our kids. I am happy with our family. I feel blessed beyond my wildest dreams. But still, my mind is going there. For those who have been lucky enough to even have this choice, how did you know that you were done?

What Do Doctors Know? (And Halloween)

On October 26th, at 14 months and 10 days, Elodie took her first steps! She did two in a row, and then a couple single steps. Since then, she has upped her record to about 8-10 steps in a row. Brian is predicting that she will be fully walking by Thanksgiving. I think that's a fair prediction. Take that perinatologist! My daughter is not only going to walk, she's going to walk well within a typical time frame!

Hey, I'm walkin' here!

We were all sick for Halloween so we kept it pretty low-key. Brian took us to his school's Trick-or-Treat Street event and Noah scored a ton of candy. Then Brian took Noah to the only local neighborhood where houses are close enough together to actually make trick or treating possible. We carved pumpkins the night before as well, but Noah still finds it completely disgusting so Brian did all the work.

My "super" awesome kids!

I will admit, it was never my dream to dress up my daughter as a male sidekick for her first Halloween costume (she only had pjs last year), but none of the other infant costumes spoke to me. And it was cute anyway. She has the rest of her life to dress as a princess or a fairy or something else girly, if that's what she chooses. 

In other news, Elodie continues to get more verbal. She says yay, tickle, doggy, head, light, all done, all day, and uh-oh. She might also say daddy, mama, and hi. She's pointing like crazy, which is always accompanied with something that either sounds like "shky" or "da-ee." She's amazing. Noah is continuing to do well in Kindergarten. He loves to sound out words and spell them on paper. He makes me so proud.

I am so lucky to call these two beautiful children mine.

Stitch Fix #4

I was much more excited about this month after last month was so good. Initially I felt really "meh" about this box, but a few pieces have really grown on me in the last 24 hours. I would love to get feedback!

I tried on the Just Black Jimmy Skinny Jean ($88) with not much hope because once again they sent me the wrong size. And at first I thought, "Yup, too small." But after trying them on again today for Brian, I'm thinking they might actually be exactly what I've been waiting for. Thoughts?

The rest of my box included four shirts. Again, I was kind of blah about all of them yesterday, but after trying them on again today, a couple of them may be keepers. First up is the Market & Spruce Aleah Heathered V-Neck Dolman Top ($48). I like the color a lot (seems to bring out the green in my eyes), and I like the fit. I also have nothing currently like it.

Up next is the Market & Spruce Colibri Polka Dot Print Top ($48). The more I wore this shirt, the more I liked it. It could be dressed up or down, and it would layer nicely with a cute jacket (which I don't own yet). If I were still working outside the home, I don't think I would hesitate. Buy it anyway?

Obviously needs some ironing, too!

I was sent another sweater, the RD Style Minno Cowl Neck Pullover Sweater ($78). It's just okay for me, though Brian liked it a lot. I just don't think it's special enough for it's higher price, plus it's 100% acrylic, which is not my favorite. Also, is it just me or does it make my shoulders and upper arms look bulky? I feel like there is a balance issue somehow.

Last, I quickly threw on the Papermoon Minton Crew Neck Blouse ($48). I knew right away that trying it on wasn't going to make me like it. I was right. Plus, the pattern is too similar to another shirt I already purchased, and with less appealing colors. This one is an easy no.

What do you all think? Am I considering the right pieces? Also, any suggestions for my uninspired hair? I haven't cut it since June 2013. Ugh.

And as always, if you want to learn more, or try Stitch Fix for yourself, you can do that by clicking here!

(If there were any insane typos or obviously incomplete or incoherent sentences in this post, I blame Elodie who was sitting on my lap and constantly banging the keyboard. :) I can't tell you how many times I hit delete and attempted to retype my thoughts!)

14 Month Milestones

Elodie turned 14 months a little over a week ago. While I'm not sure how realistic it is for me to continue monthly updates, too many exciting things happened this month to ignore! Just days after turning 13 months, Elodie began to crawl on hands and knees. I knew it was coming, but I didn't expect her to catch on so fast. I think she only army crawled for a few weeks before switching over. And once she got it, it didn't take long for her to give up army crawling altogether. After she got the hang of crawling, she got much better at pulling up on all kinds of objects, including the baby gate, the wall, and my legs. It wasn't long before she started cruising furniture, and within days she was transitioning from one piece of furniture to another. 

And just in the last few days (so this technically should be in a future 15 month update), Elodie finally figured out how to stand up from the middle of the floor with zero assistance. She gets into everything now. :)

She now understands how to take steps holding our hands, and she likes to use her push toy to walk across the living room. Her OT is predicting first steps by Thanksgiving! And speaking of OT, Elodie had her annual review for her early intervention services on the 21st of this month. She met both of her goals (tolerating a variety of textures orally, and crawling), and moving forward she will only have feeding goals (increasing variety of foods and eating more by mouth). The most amazing part of the evaluation is that she was found to be in the "typical or less than 25% delay" in all areas of development except expressive language, where she came out with an age equivalent of 8 months. She is definitely getting more expressive though, and she is using the word "yay!" with meaning. So there you have it, our happy little girl's first word is yay. So appropriate! I also have noticed that she seems to greet Brian with "da-eee," and she often approaches me with "mamama," so she might have those words as well. I have been working hard on her cognitive skills, and I feel like I've seen a lot of progress there. She knows how to push buttons to make toys work, she can stack the rings on her ring stacker, and she finally gets the concept of putting things in, rather than just dumping things out. Elodie has also started pointing at objects and usually accompanies her point with a "yuh!" It's fun to see her catch on to her world and take more and more of an interest in it. 

The last big news from this month is Elodie's third tooth! A top tooth finally popped through the day she turned 14 months. That is five entire months since her bottom teeth poked through. I was starting to think she would only ever have two. The other top tooth should be making an appearance soon.

As for the month's activities, we enjoyed a couple of fall color walks, and went on our annual pumpkin patch outing. It was nearly 90 degrees the day we went, so we didn't stay too long. Elodie wasn't sure how she felt about it, but did cooperate for one nice picture with Noah and me. My mom also visited, and Elodie was a total cuddle bug with her for the whole weekend. It was adorable!

Finally, we saw the Stroke Clinic this month to reevaluate the blood clot Elodie was born with. She had to have a sedated MRI which is never fun, but the good news is the clot is still resolved and hasn't changed. The bad news is that they noticed an increase in the size of her ventricles. Her neurosurgeon was out of the office that week, so we have a follow up appointment on Thursday. Prayers and positive thoughts are appreciated.

Happy Fall everyone!

Stitch Fix #3

This is my third Stitch Fix shipment and I was honestly afraid to open the box. I told Brian that if I found one more purse, I was going to go ballistic! (I did complain last time, and was totally brushed off by customer service, assuring me that they pay very detailed attention to their clients' notes and feedback. Uh huh, right...) Think I found a purse?

No, thankfully there was no purse. :) Instead, I was pleasantly surprised with everything, and happy to see that they even included the right size jean this time! The third time's a charm they say, right?

I tried on the Just Black Adorra Skinny Jean ($88) first (pictured throughout this post), hoping to love them because I really could use a new pair. Unfortunately, they were at least 6 inches too long! The stylist wrote that they look cute cuffed, but I'm not going to spend $88 on jeans that aren't exactly how I want them to be. 

I then threw on the Pixley Edmond Chevron Print Henley Shirt ($54) since it totally caught my eye. I really like the colors, style, and fit. And it's really soft! Definitely keeping this one.

Next I tried on the 41Hawthorn Helix Pullover Sweater ($68). It's very simple, but also very soft, and I like the contrast between the dark purple and pink stripes. In person you can also see that the dark purple has hints of pink and blue threading in it. I have almost zero nice sweaters in my closet, so I think this is another keeper.

When I saw the 41Hawthorn Moni Abstract Chevron Stud Detail Blouse ($58), I almost gagged. It looked pretty ugly sitting in the box, but knowing that clothing can surprise me, I hesitantly tried it on. I actually think it's kind of cute. However, it is 100% polyester, and though it is unseasonably warm for late September, I was sweating within a minute or two of putting this on. I also think it's a little too formal and dressy for someone who stays home with two babies changing poopy diapers all day. So, it's going back.

Last, I eventually found a plain tank top and tried on the Market & Spruce Bri Knit Cardigan ($48). I almost didn't bother trying it on because I already have several thin knit cardigans similar to this one. However, I have always wanted a black or grey one because all of mine are bolder colors (royal blue, coral, navy and oatmeal stripe, hot pink, and teal). That leaves me on the fence. I don't find this one super special or anything, but it fits well and is very comfortable. Hmm.

So, I'm feeling much better about how this fix went, considering that I ended up liking everything. I'm feeling hopeful for what I'll see next month! If you want to learn more, or try Stitch Fix for yourself, you can do that by clicking here!

(Sidenote: I feel like I completely suck at taking pictures! Josey, how do you do it? Also, I hope you enjoyed Elodie's cameo between my legs at one point. And don't judge the dirty mirror. With two small kids I don't even bother wiping the handprints off. They'll just be there again in a few hours.)

13 Months

Army crawling, pulling to stand, waving hi and bye, shouting "tickle tickle tickle." Rocking life!

ONE! And Other Updates

I gave up on putting the sticker on her. Thank goodness this was the last sticker picture! What a challenge it has become!!

Per usual, I am way behind here. Elodie celebrated her first birthday (!) on August 16th. We had a very small party with the two couples who have offered the most support to us since Elodie was born. My mom and step-dad were also in town for the event. I wanted to keep it small because Noah's first birthday was too big and overwhelming for him, and I didn't want to repeat that mistake. I also tried not to take too many pictures, and just enjoy the day. My mom did so much of the prep for this party, and I'm afraid I never properly thanked her for that, so Thank You Mom!!! We did get Elodie a big cupcake for her "smash cake" even though I was fairly confident she wouldn't quite know what to do with it. She enjoyed the frosting and that was about it. I took the cupcake away before she got too messy, since cleaning frosting out of a baby's ears and eyes is an experience I only need once in my life.

Elodie made some HUGE gains in her gross motor skills just before turning one. She started turning herself around in a circle while sitting, modified army crawling, rocking on hands and knees, sitting up from lying down, and pulling herself to stand (using mostly upper body strength)! Since her birthday, the amazing progress has continued. She is now doing a full army crawl, leans forward from sitting to a four-point crawling position, attempts to scoot her knees forward, and is pulling herself to sitting on her knees, then can pull to stand from there using more of her lower body strength. One piece of big news I haven't shared is that I resigned from my position as a school psychologist, and started watching a 9 month old four days a week. She is a very advanced baby when it comes to her motor ability, and it is definitely motivating Elodie to learn new skills. It is so exciting to see such rapid progress, and I find myself constantly tearing up with pride. 

Elodie also continues to work on her communication skills. She waves in response to "bye bye", claps when she's proud of herself, mimics facial expressions, and has started to point a little bit. She can even do her "mean face" on command. It's adorable! She attempts to repeat some words, or so it seems, with "tickle" being her new favorite word to mimic. She also says a lot of "yeahs" and has recently enjoyed saying "mamama" in addition to all of her "dadadas." Finally! However, I haven't heard anything I would consider a "first word" since I haven't seen any evidence of her connecting meaning to anything yet. Elodie is also finding her voice when it comes to her opinions. Man this girl can scream! Don't make her mad, or you better watch out. She will sometimes lash out with smacks and scratches, and while I find it difficult to handle at times, Brian and I both appreciate that cognitively she knows what she wants and knows how to tell us!

Elodie is showing more affection towards people and objects with her improved motor skills. She likes to hug and wrestle with stuffed animals, and will also initiate this kind of play with me, Brian, and Noah. I love that she is able to come after me from across the room (usually by rolling) just to plow into me and giggle. With the increased affection I have also seen a huge increase in separation anxiety. Half the time I can't even cross the room to grab a fresh diaper without being met with wails. It's both endearing and exhausting!

In terms of her size, Elodie weighed in at 18 pounds, 9 ounces at her one year appointment. That is the 28th percentile! Her length was measured haphazardly as she was flipping out at that point in the exam, so she may or may not be 29 inches, which was around the 38th percentile. Her head was up to 17.5 inches, which was somewhere in the 90s as far as percentile goes. A little bit of a jump, but not a big worry to the pediatrician, so I'm not worried either. She wears mostly 12-month clothing, although 9-month bottoms fit better. We are still using size 3 diapers. She is still getting almost all of her nutritional needs from her g-tube and her interest in purees has plummeted. She is more interested in finger foods, but hardly consumes any substantial calories that way. I am in the process of weaning from the pump, and now only pump upon waking, and then just before the kids' bedtime. I want to keep at it until we settle Elodie on either formula or Pediasure. The dietician recommended Pediasure, but cautioned that she may not tolerate it as well as formula since it is more calorie-dense. So hopefully if we can start by cutting it with breast milk, it might make for an easier transition. We'll see. Her sleep is mostly good, but naps are changing. It's difficult with Noah's school schedule, since I have to pick him up right in the middle of when Elodie would normally take her afternoon nap. She is also spending more time awake in the mornings and taking her morning nap a little later, so trying to adjust her afternoon nap a little earlier doesn't work. Instead I force her to stay awake until after her early evening feeding, then put her down. The trouble with that is then she wakes up around 6:30, making it difficult to stick to her usual bedtime. I wish we could just make the transition to one longer early afternoon nap, but I don't think she's quite ready yet. I hope we'll figure out this new routine soon! 

As far as the rest of life goes, we participated in our first Hydrocephalus Association walk on August 9th and raised a little over $200 for the event. They made posters of all of the participants with hydrocephalus, and we got to keep Elodie's. So cute! It was really encouraging to see so many children and adults living full lives despite their medical condition. At one point I saw a young boy run past us and noticed his shunt. He looked like such a typical kid. I hope that will be Elodie some day!

Noah also started Kindergarten on August 18th. I haven't been all that emotional about it, unlike many of the other parents I know. I am mostly excited for him to continue to learn new things and develop into the amazing young man he is already becoming. Ok, so I did get a little teary as I drove to the school that afternoon to pick him up, but it was more of a "I am so lucky to have these kids" moment than a "my boy is growing up" kind of thing.

Noah's first teacher!

And yeah, as I mentioned, I made the very difficult decision to resign from my position as a school psychologist in August. Back in February I was presented with an offer to watch another baby 4 days a week. Her parents work with Brian at the high school, and it seems to be a great situation for all of us. Money is going to be extremely tight this year, which is really stressful, but I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to be a stay-at-home-mom during Elodie's early years. I always wanted that with Noah, but it never worked out. I will admit that being a stay-at-home-mom is way different and harder than I anticipated. This first year has kicked my butt and oh man do I feel like I never get a break, but it's worth it to see every milestone firsthand and know that Elodie is getting the best care available while she's still seemingly so fragile. I do miss adult interaction though!

I am sure I have forgotten many small details that I would love to capture, but finding the time to write this stuff down is getting increasingly difficult. I can't imagine I'll keep up with monthly updates now that Elodie is considered a "toddler," but I hope to continue to use this space as a place to document important memories for our family.

Stitch Fix Fail

I'm not even going to bother posting pictures. In some ways it felt like a duplicate fix. I got another ugly pleather clutch, another pair of one-size-too-small jeans (purposely distressed with big rips all down the thighs), and a black and white striped baggy shirt-sack. Plus a black and white cardigan that was ill-fitting and a flannel button-down which is not worth the $58 price tag. In my feedback from last time I specifically said that I do NOT need purses because I rarely leave the house without a baby and diaper bag. I also said that the jeans were maybe a little too small and that I wanted more COLOR with tops. So when I saw this shipment I was completely dumbfounded. Did the stylist not read the notes AT ALL?! Then I noticed that I had a different stylist this time, so I doubt she even saw the notes. I thought you stick with one stylist so they could get to know you and your general style and preferences. For those of you who have used Stitch Fix, have you had a consistent stylist? Would you complain? I don't think it's fair to lose my $20 styling fee when they completely ignored my feedback and sent me the exact same stuff I said I didn't want. I'm annoyed. >:(

My First Fix!

Stitch Fix is my dream come true. If you haven't heard of it, it's an online service that sends you clothes to try on in the comfort of your own home. Whatever you like you keep, and whatever you don't you send back. There is a $20 styling fee which can be applied to anything you purchase, but if you send everything back you're out the money. As someone who has always hated shopping in stores and dealing with associates, and also as someone who is completely clueless in regards to fashion, I was so excited to finally try it! I received a free code waiving my styling fee, and my birthday was yesterday, so it was time to treat myself! 

I asked for jeans because I literally have one pair that currently fits me and isn't totally worn out. They sent me the DL1961 Azalia Skinny Jean ($98). The fit is pretty much perfect, and I love the wash. From the side though, I feel like they make my flat non-existent butt look especially sad. They also were snug across my hip bones. I'm going to have to think about these.

The stylist suggested pairing the jeans with the Loveappella Milo Knit Top ($48). I didn't take a picture of the back, but it is solid black with a keyhole detail that I like a lot. I'm pretty sure this is a straightforward keeper.

Up next I tried on the Market and Spruce Corinna Striped Dolman Top ($48). This was pretty "meh" for me. I asked for color because a lot of my wardrobe is already grey and navy, so while it looks like something I would find in my closet, it's grey and white and I feel like it just hangs on me. I know that's kind of the look of dolman style shirts, but I don't feel like it's doing me any favors.

I had told my stylist that Brian and I were celebrating our anniversary next week, so she included the Brixon Ivy Harison Dress ($78) for the occasion. I like the embroidery and bead detail around the neckline, and I like the cut in the back, but I'm really not a fan of where it hits me just above the knees. (I didn't photograph that because I HATE my knees). I also don't feel like this is a dress I would be comfortable throwing on for the occasional night out, so I won't be keeping it. (Side note, the stylist told me to pair it with " strappy tan leather heels and drop silver earrings." Oh stylist, you have A LOT to learn about me!)

Last I took a picture of the hideous Street Level Juno Small Folded Clutch ($38), which I will not be keeping. I am not really a purse person to begin with, and I hate everything about this one. Brian said it looked like it was made from a "gimp's leather suit." Then he played 2 Live Crew's "Hoochie Mama" on YouTube and we both laughed. Nope, nope, nope.

Any thoughts from you all out there? Would you keep $98 jeans if they fit well?  I have until Tuesday to decide. (And Mom, I know you will audibly gasp at all of the prices, but sometimes it's nice to buy clothes that don't come from a thrift store. It's my birthday, damn it!)

Hate shopping? Want to try Stitch Fix for yourself? If you sign up here, I'll receive a $25 credit, and you'll be my new best friend for life. :)

Days I Will Never Forget

One year ago, my heart broke. On Sunday August 3rd, 2014, I went to the hospital for a external version to attempt to turn my unborn baby out of breech position. As it turns out, the baby had flipped head down that day, but something didn't look right. Noah was hanging out with my brother during the appointment. As we drove back to pick him up, I googled "enlarged brain ventricles" and began worrying. How could my baby, who looked so healthy and perfect at 20 weeks, have something so catastrophically wrong? When we got to the restaurant where we were meeting my brother and Noah, I saw my little boy playing outside the restaurant doors. As soon as he saw me, he squealed, "Mommy!" and ran towards me. And I started to tear up. "What if I never have this moment with our baby? Will he be able to talk? Walk? Understand who I am?" (I was still convinced Elodie was a boy at this point.) I will never forget that moment of grief and fear.

Brian remained optimistic, or at least pretended to for my sanity. The morning of August 4th, he busily finished painting the last coat of Jamaican Aqua on the nursery walls. He would later tell me he did so because he wasn't sure there would be a point to finishing the nursery after that day's doctor appointment.

One year ago today, we learned that Elodie had hydrocephalus. It was a heartbreaking day, probably the worst day of my life. There is no way to prepare for that kind of news. We were told our baby would probably never walk, talk, or feed herself. That she may not survive birth. There was no way to know her condition for sure, but it didn't look good. We were told to prepare for the worst.

Elodie has now been in our lives for 353 days. I still don't know what her future holds. But I do know that I'm okay with that. She may never be able to squeal "Mommy!" as she runs to my open arms (though I have faith that she will), but she is everything I could have wanted in a daughter, and more. She has taught me more than I will ever teach her, and she has made me stronger than I ever thought possible. And although there will always be scars, she is healing my broken heart each and every day.

Eleven Months!

In less than two weeks, Elodie is going to turn one, so I better get on this! We spent most of Elodie's 11th month in Minnesota visiting the grandparents. I hope to make a post about that soon, loaded with pictures of course. There were a couple of exciting new skills this month. Elodie learned how to clap while playing pat-a-cake with my mom and she will mimic waving! It's very cute to watch her get excited and clap her hands. She does it both spontaneously and when prompted. Elodie also started to mimic some sounds. After lots of peekaboo sessions with Grandmas, she started trying to say the word "peekaboo!" (Click the link for the video!) She also tried to repeat the word "teeth" with striking accuracy. Such a smart little girl! She continues to roll everywhere she wants to go, and began experimenting with scooting on her back. Elodie also learned how to make an adorable "mean face." So fierce! ;)

We had some issues with granulation tissue forming around her Mickey button (her gtube), and that was no fun to get taken care of, but it seems to be getting better finally. At the appointments I took her to for that, we learned that she currently weighs around 17.5 pounds, and she is 28" long. I think that's close to my size when I turned one. I really do think she takes after me! 

Elodie experienced lots of first this month including her first plane ride, her first boat ride, and her first road trip, but I'll save all that for my Minnesota post! There is a lot I want to write about this month, so hopefully I'll be back soon!

I seriously love those nose wrinkles!

Ten Months!

Once again, better late than never! Elodie turned 10 months old back on the 16th. I seriously can't believe how close we're getting to her first birthday. Time goes too fast! This has been a fun month since it included the beginning of summer! It started with Memorial Day weekend, which was unusually cold and we even saw snow. Blech! We didn't do much that weekend, but Elodie did try a lemon for the first time. We managed to capture her initial sour face reaction, but just like her brother she ended up loving it and continued to suck on it through the rest of our meal.

In addition to lemons, Elodie branched out to a lot of new foods this month. She has tried beans, ravioli, teething crackers, yogurt, and her new favorite, ice cream!

Meals are messier these days!

Trying (and loving) ice cream

We have tried to get out and enjoy nice weather days and see friends when we can. One of Brian's former coworkers has a little boy with special needs and she coordinated a play date with a bunch of special needs parents at the end of May. It was nice to get out and talk to parents who can relate to issues like g-tube feeding and shunt concerns. I hate to compare our situation to others' for a multitude of reasons, but our get together left me feeling incredibly grateful for how healthy Elodie currently is. It's scary knowing that it could all change in an instant, but in reality that's true for everyone so I try not to dwell on it. Special needs children definitely teach you to count your blessings and live in the moment! We also have visited some local parks and taken walks with the stroller around the "neighborhood."

This is supposed to be a bike trailer, but Brian walked them in it instead. The two kids were adorably snuggly in there together. 

In early June we also made our second trip to the Pine Grove Rhubarb Festival! It's basically a gathering of old (and new) hippies with a rhubarb baking contest and a super small town parade. Noah always loves any event where candy can be found, so he got a major kick out of all the people tossing candy, and Elodie was content just to sit in her stroller and take in all the sights.

As for what Elodie has been up to, she has definitely learned some exciting new tricks this month! First, we have seen the beginning of mobility. Elodie figured out how to roll to get places, and now there is no stopping her! It's really fun to watch her get where she wants to go, and I'm relieved that she's tolerating being on her tummy again. I look forward to seeing her get stronger and stronger! She also has gained the confidence to stand in place while holding onto something, but honestly it's not her favorite thing in the world.

Elodie also learned two fun games. She likes to play "sooo big" and peekaboo. When we ask Elodie "How big is Elodie?" she raises her hands in the air and we all say, "Sooo big!" And if she has a blanket or something similar in her hands, we can ask, "Where's Elodie?" and she'll pull it over her face and then pull it away again. It's so so cute!

Sooo big!

Elodie weighs around 17 pounds and primarily wears 9 month clothing and size 3 diapers, sleeps through the night in addition to two great naps a day, now has two teeth (the second bottom tooth popped through May 19th), and continues to be the happiest baby I know. I remain so incredibly lucky to have her in my life!

Could she be any sweeter?