Dear Malia Belle,
Oh, how much we love you beautiful little girl. You are such a yummy baby, I am so sad we only have a few more months of your yummy baby stage, but at the same time excited watching you grow.
You have completely got the hang of eating now and you are like a little bird when you are hungry, opening your mouth, waiting for the spoon. But when you are done eating, you are done...your mouth closes up and if any food gets in there, you spit it out. You have tried many new things this month; cauliflower whipped with butter, raspberries with banana, cherries, rutabaga, puffs, pumpkin with curry and coconut milk, sweet potatoes with cinnamon and coconut milk, salmon... The only thing you haven't been super crazy about is the salmon and I think that has to do more with texture. You like things mostly pureed, not too chunky and the salmon doesn't have that smooth texture. I will keep trying though! You are still nursing, about every 3 hours during the day. You are still quick and efficient, but nurse much better in your room, where you are not distracted by your brother!
During meals, you love using your voice...you like to scream. It is really loud and I'm sure you are trying to tell us something. You already have quite the temper, a super temper if things aren't going your way. If I have to take away one of your bath toys, for a second, while I wash your hands, you freak out....push your body up and throw a big tantrum. If we've been having fun somewhere and it is time to leave, you do not want to get into your car seat or stroller. You do the arch your back thing..which I don't really have a lot of experience with since your brother never really did it. Luckily, right now you can be easily distracted by a toy and I can get you buckled into your seat.
Sleeping has been great this month. You have been sleeping longer stretches and usually just get up once in the night. Some mornings I actually wake up feeling rested, well sort of rested. I think it is interesting that you are sleeping longer stretches since you are teething, big time right now, but I'll take it. If I have nursed you around 2:00 or 3:00, then when you wake up again at 5:00, I haven't been going into your room. You actually fall back asleep, which is so great. You are taking 2 naps a day now, one in the morning, usually from 9:00-11:00 and then another one in the afternoon, from around 1:00-3:00ish (sometimes closer to 4:00). It is amazing because I put your sleep sack on, which you help with now, give you your binky and blankie, and then just put you in your moses basket...no rocking or anything crazy...and you fall asleep. You still love sleeping with your blankie on your face and you just might be the biggest baby still in a moses basket...but you just love it and we haven't had the heart to move you out of it.
You are such a happy little girl, always smiling and laughing with us. Some other fun things your happening in your life right now:
-giving baba kisses now
-riding in the stroller like a big girl, no more car seat-kekoa said, "hey, she is in my seat"-he likes sharing the blanket with you
-riding in the shopping cart like a big girl
-master at switching toys from hand to hand and taking your binky out and getting it back in your mouth
-really can't stand to be on changing table, have to have toys nearby to keep you distracted
-love to sing and dance and be goofy
-trying to communicate
-clapping your hands
-still not really doing much on the floor, except rolling from you tummy to your back
-two bottom teeth coming in
and of course...you love, love, love your ge ge. Just can't stop staring at him and laughing at whatever it is he is doing. It is the best.
We love you sweet baby girl.
love,
your mama
