38 weeks old: visit from grandma and grandpa and 9 month check up

Eloise got a visit from her grandma and grandpa Harris last weekend. She played, got snuggles, ate lunch, and went to the park with them. She was a little bit shy but still enjoyed herself. No tears! A few photos from the park:

Very interested in the other kids

The Harris Clan

I like Grandpa, especially his mustache

This week I tried my hand at making some teething biscuits, a recipe for "baby biscotti." Here is her first experience with a homemade baby biscotti:

On Wednesday Eloise had her 9 month check up, a little bit early because her pediatrician will be out of the office for a couple weeks. We were asked to fill out a 5-page questionnaire called the ASQ-3 that assesses five developmental areas: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social. It required that we run her through some exercises and activities. She passed! Thankfully no vaccinations this appointment and she continues to follow her growth curve, despite a little appetite set-back with non-pneumonia (on second read of her x-ray by the radiologist, turns out it wasn't pneumonia!).

Height: 27.4" (47%)

Weight: 15 lb 9 oz (12%)

Head circumference: 17.24" (53%)

37 weeks old: grilling, piano playing, park swinging, and Mi Patio

Eloise has spent the last week enjoying the sun and warmth of Arizona. Saturday her aunts Teresa and Jill and her cousins Emily, Drew, Cory, Mateja, and Aidan all came over to grill and hang out. Eloise went down for a 2 hour nap soon after they arrived and I didn't get any pictures of them with Eloise before they had to leave. Boo! Only Teresa and Emily were left when Eloise woke up. The photo above was taken by Emily on the patio just after Eloise woke up from her nap. A couple more pictures from the day:

The youngest and oldest cousins

Grandma

Aunt Teresa

Grandma has a player piano and one day she let Eloise play it. Perfect timing because she is really into banging these days. Grandma says we should have dressed her in a recital dress.

On Sunday we met up with Jill, Mateja, and Aidan at a nearby park to spend some time together. Eloise loved watching her cousins on the playground equipment. At one point Mateja got in the bucket swing next to Eloise and she couldn't take her eyes off of her.

Someone is a little big for these swings

I don't feel like smiling

Yesterday was my birthday and we went to one of my favorite Mexican restaurants for dinner, Mi Patio. It has become a regular spot for my family over the years. Eloise made the rounds being held. She has a healthy dose of stranger anxiety so her time in others' arms is always limited, aside from Grandma. And Krin, who is apparently a baby whisperer.

Eloise loves Mateja

With Aunt Jill

With Krin the baby whisperer

With the birthday girl

And performing her latest trick, chin chewing

36 weeks old: third flight and Toby the dog

Dad's about to eat my belly

Eloise took her third flight on Sunday, to Arizona, and it was the easiest so far. It was just Eloise and me and we were lucky enough to have a whole row to ourselves. I was able to change Eloise's diapers across the seats instead of in the tiny bathroom, which was especially handy when she had a blowout outfit-changer. She was happy almost the entire flight just playing with her toys across the seats, climbing on me, and going for a couple strolls up and down the aisle. 

Eloise has been reacquainting herself with Grandma Zuber since we arrived and fell in love at first sight with Toby, her dog. She cannot get enough of Toby. She crawls after him from room to room, reaches out to touch him when he walks by, and unfortunately grabs his fur. When Eloise eats in the highchair he hangs out below hoping for food and she hangs over the edge looking down at him. He has been very patient with her but I can't say the love is returned yet.

I heart Toby

Eloise is enjoying the sun in Arizona. We have gone for short walks every day and made use of baby sunscreen, hats, and shades.

Too cool

Before we left for Arizona, Eloise and I attended our mama/baby play group for the first time in a few weeks. Every baby was crawling! She enjoyed seeing her baby friends again. A few photos:

With Metta, the other July 4th baby

Playing with Mateo's DJ turntable and Cora on her way to join

It's okay if Mom picks up another crying baby

Cheese!

35 weeks old: 8 months old, working hard, and pneumonia

Eloise turned 8 months old this week. Since she started crawling she has gotten a lot busier! Her days are filled with exploring and tiny grunts of effort. Everything is so interesting and she works hard to make her way over to something and use all her senses to take it in. The maraca she's holding in the picture below - she'll hold it out and look at it, turn it over in her hands, shake it, and then put it in her mouth. 

Ever since she could scoot she has been especially interested in the bag of recycling in the kitchen. Now that she's able to get herself more upright she tries to take that sucker down daily. 

Tiny dumpster diver

Eloise has been battling a bout of pneumonia this week. It came on fast with a wet cough starting last Tuesday and we took her to the doctor the next day because she developed a fever, difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, and general malaise. A chest X-ray revealed pneumonia. She's finishing up a 10-day course of penicillin, which has been no fun to administer, but she is feeling much better. She just started eating solids again yesterday. Poor thing has been sick nonstop since starting daycare in January.

Another challenge this week was that Eloise took a tumble and bonked her head on Monday. It left a red mark on her forehead. I put Eloise on our bed while I pulled out a box of clothes from under the bed. I had the box open and was looking down into it when suddenly Eloise appeared in the clothes. She had crawled right over the edge and fell into the box! Mom fail. Thank goodness she fell into clothes and not onto the hardwood floor. It was so scary! The red mark was gone the next day but I still feel like the worst mom in the world. Eloise cried for less than a minute and then did a happy dance a couple hours later:

Irish Jig?

Eloise has been working hard at climbing and pulling herself up more since standing in her crib last week, although she's not very steady at all yet.

 Climbing Mount Mommy

Grunt, grunt

I like to pull myself up and bang the top with my hand

Eloise does the cutest thing when she needs a break while crawling. She'll roll over onto her side and rest for a second. It looks like she's striking a pose.

Gimme a second

Okay, here I come!

Hi Mommy!