Eluned G. Sharron Bethea » June 2008 Journal Entries » AboutMyBaby - online baby scrapbooks, photo albums, videos, birth and pregnancy announcements

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Thu, Jun 26, 2008 7:00 AM
Oops. I could've sworn Eluned's 6 month appointment was 6/27, this Friday. So yesterday when I got in to work I sent Will an email to let him know that I couldn't find the appointment card, and he should call over to confirm her appointment and get the time.

He wrote back at 10:45: "... I called. It's at 11 in 15 minutes. I'll get her ready." (I'm leaving out the first part of his email because this is a family website.)

They made it -- not on time, I don't think, but they made it. The appointment went well. Els is hitting her milestones. Dr. Zimble made some recommendations regarding eating and sleeping, which Will and I discussed when I got home. The freckle on top of Els' head that's bugging me is nothing (standard doctor advice: "Keep an eye on it and let me know if anything changes.").

Els had her 6 month vaccinations, so she came home and slept a lot. By the time I got home she was awake and cheerful.

Els is 14 1/2 pounds and 25 3/4 inches -- 25% for weight and 50% for height, just like at her last appointment, which means she's growing along her own curve (the way doctors like to see babies grow).

The one concern that Dr. Zimble did have is that Els tilts her head to the right. This isn't a big problem, but if she keeps doing it, it will affect the muscles on both sides of her neck. So Will and I have a new project to get her to straighten her head and neck. Thus far she's resisting us very successfully, but we've just started.

Comments:
Sarah: My mother told me that I had the same habit as an infant. Finally she discovered something I liked to stare at (a book with red binding--figures!) and she arranged the crib so I could stare at it, but I had to hold my head the other way. Low tech, but I was too stubborn to do it any other way. Did I mention mulish? Contrary? Of course, I've changed so much....

Anyway, it's just a suggestion, which might help or not. In any case, good luck!

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Sun, Jun 22, 2008 2:00 PM
Yesterday was a banner day. Eluned slept for at least an hour in the morning on my lap and over an hour and a half in the afternoon in her swing, plus assorted catnaps. She's half-asleep on my lap as I type this.

Her carseat is part of a whole system -- it just snaps right in to things like her stroller frame. So when she fell asleep in the car on the way home from an appointment, we just placed her carseat with her in it into the swing (minus its seat); she never even woke up.

Els has really started to master the grasp. I'll set her down for a minute with a toy or a blanket nearby, and come back to find she's pulled it over to her.

Yesterday she was showing off this new skill. She got a good hold of the knife on my lunch plate. She was fine, although she got her fingers covered in yogurt before we got the knife back. She also pulled my (empty) cup over and up to her mouth so she could drool all down the side.

Comments:
Sarah: Ho-ho-ho. and this is just the beginning, my friends. This child is going to grasp and learn about everything in sight and out of sight, too. And Mom and Dad are going to have lots of practice cleaning up. Has she started putting everything in her mouth? Yum!

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Sat, Jun 21, 2008 10:00 AM
Last Sunday was both Father's Day and Eluned's Dedication ceremony at Emerson Unitarian Universalist church. My parents and my Aunt Ginny came down for the ceremony, and of course my sister Rachel is here for the summer.

The ceremony was short and beautiful. Will, Els and I went up with my whole family. Reverend Anne addressed everyone, including the congregation, as well as the children in the congregation specifically. Her piece for my parents I think included something about "spoiling Eluned rotten." Reverend Anne also addressed Els, who actually looked like she was listening to at least part of it.

My Dad's family has a christening gown that we pass around. I and all of my cousins were christened in it, and now we're using it for the next generation; my cousin Jessica's son Will was the first. When we brought Els up in the gown and bonnet, Reverend Anne actually paused the ceremony for a collective congregational "Aww ... "

Afterward we took Will and my Dad out for brunch at one of our favorite restaurants. I changed Els out of the family gown before we left the church, and it's a good thing I did. Unfortunately we had unpacked our diaper bag and hadn't finished repacking it, so I didn't have a third outfit for her. So she spent most of brunch wrapped in a receiving blanket on my lap.

Comments:
Sarah: My guess is that Els is going to be--no, is now--a very intellegent, alert and perceptive human being. She wasn't the least bit frightened, and was obviously taking it all in and participating in her own way. Never have I seen such a look of concentration upon the face of a 6-month-old. My daughter, at that age, was easily distracted and got squirmy and restless after the first 10 minutes. Not Els. She listened and looked and absorbed every minute of it.

About the being spoiled rotten part? She'll hold them to it, I'm sure!

Aunt Marilyn: Love your pictures as well as your journaling. Els is beautiful and looks like she was enjoying her special day. I'm glad to know that the christening gown is being used again. Our congratulations and love to all of you.

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Tue, Jun 10, 2008 10:00 PM
We took Eluned to the pool for the first time this evening. It was the greatest thing she'd seen all day. I sat on the edge over the steps with her and let her feet dangle into the water. There was a 6-year-old girl in the pool with her father, enjoying the water the way a 6-year-old does. Eluned watched them intently. She was doing that thing we love, where she's looking all around like she can't take it all in fast enough -- the pool, the little girl, the lights and the moon ...

Comments:
Sarah: An experience sponge, learning as much as she can, as fast as she can. It's almost as terrifying as exciting, isn't it? I used to worry that my daughter would be over-exposed, or something, but my pediatrician told me that that's what they do--soak it all up like a sponge. And she turned out fine (though 6 feet tall!)

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Mon, Jun 9, 2008 9:00 PM
We took Eluned on our first big errand outing on Friday -- multiple stores, car rides, etc. It went well; Els LOVED the mall (this was her first time to a mall).

We started at the food court, in the corner. It was loud, and Will and I insisted on sitting for a while (to eat), so Els did get fussy there. Will finished eating just as she really got going, so they went for a walk while I finished my lunch.

Once we started walking around, Els was captivated. We stopped to nurse -- this mall has a lovely atrium with real couches -- and Els just took the edge off her hunger so she could get back to looking around.

Will also discovered (in Target) that Els likes us to do wheelies with her stroller.

We also went to Binky's. She runs a small store, too, so I went to pick up a couple of things. Binky was there and she and her staff were so excited to see Els.

Comments:
Carmen: Uh oh - she's gonna be a shopper.

Sarah: Yay! A day at the maul--excuse me, mall--with family, food, shopping and a friend's store. What more could you ask? Peace, justice and coffee?

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Sat, Jun 7, 2008 5:00 PM
Eluned is learning. We blow raspberries on her tummy, which she loves. She has learned that in order to blow a raspberry each of us has to take a deep breath first. When we take that deep breath she gets very quiet in anticipation. So we started playing with that, taking the breath and then holding it, but she can't wait too long. She starts giggling after a couple of seconds if we take a deep breath and wait.

Comments:
Sarah: I used to tickle my little sister and she'd laugh and laugh. When she learned to walk, I'd stand across the room from her and wiggle my fingers as though I were tickling her--and she'd start to laugh, even though I wasn't touching her. Isn't imagination a wonderful thing!

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Thu, Jun 5, 2008 10:00 AM
Eluned stayed with her first babysitter last Sunday night, my sister Rachel. According to Rachel, things went just fine. The little goofball hadn't slept at all that day, so by 9 p.m. she had reached that state of too-tired-to-sleep. Rachel's a trooper, though: she just held Els and walked around until Els finally fell asleep, just before I got home at 9:45.

The Emerson church choir, with Will in the tenor section, performed Faure's Requiem. They were magnificent. I could have taken Els and she probably would have enjoyed it -- she seems to love music and she definitely loves outings -- but most of my attention would have been on her, not the performance.

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