Nola's 6, 7, 8 & 9 Month Update!

General/milestones

Nola you are now nine months old, the same amount of time you were growing inside me. I'm sorry I haven't kept up to date with your updates, there wasn't any big changes between five and six months so I thought I'd pick things up again at seven months, then eight months and before I knew it here we are at nine months old!
You have grown a lot, especially your hair it's getting thicker and thicker! You have become more smiley, you 'talk' a lot making an 'aahhh' sound and you have continued to work hard at holding objects and rolling over. You have been rolling all the time these past couple of weeks and you're getting pretty good at it, you did bump your head at the weekend and bruised your head.

Seizure wise they made a come back unfortunately. When you were six months old I noticed when you were sleeping sometimes you eyes would open and then flicker, I was pretty sure they were seizures. So I sent a video over to the epilepsy nurse, I didn't hear back but then received a letter for an appointment at Addenbrookes with the paediatric neurologist, it turned out the epilepsy nurse had forwarded the video to him. He put you on a third medication and told us he would see you again in July.
The next day you began to have infantile spasms again so called I the neuros secretary and explained. The Dr called me that evening and said we'd stick with the plan, which was introducing the third medicine over four weeks and that should hopefully stop the spasms.
 It didn't so our appointment was brought forward and we saw him again a couple of weeks ago and he said the next stop was to put you on steroids. I really didn't want to put you on these as the side effects aren't great. But the with the overall outcome of infantile spasms there really is was no other choice. You have been an absolute trooper on them though Nola, you've just been amazing so so good! Very quiet and dazed at times but you have been smiley at times too. The good news is they stopped the spasms quickly and they have kept away so far! We started to wean you yesterday on your nine month birthday so I'm hoping that will be ok as I know it can be difficult for some little ones.



I don't think your development has gone back, if it has only a little. You wanted to roll for ages and you're doing it consistently now! You also want to sit up by yourself, you're getting there. I know you'll do it, I'm so proud of you! You're still not overly keen to use you hands, although you'll bash things and try to grab them if you're in the mood. A few weekends ago you mastered blowing raspberries and couldn't stop doing it! You haven't done it as much since you started the steroids.
 You cut your first tooth just after you turned six months and the second one followed shortly after!
In April you had your first trip abroad to Disneyland Paris, you were far better behaved than your big brother! It was such a nice getaway, not in anyway relaxing but wonderful to getaway...Disney is magical!
We were chosen to be ambassadors for Turtle Tots which is very exciting! We started our swimming lessons in May but have stopped for now due to your immune system being suppressed whilst on steroids. You love being in the water and did lots of splashing around.
 I moved you up to size 4 nappies at some point but discovered today you still fit in a size 3! 

Wearing purple for world epilepsy awareness day!

Feeding

Nothing has changed about your appetite! You still love milk and of course I started weaning you at six months. I gave you different vegetables first, broccoli, potato, carrot, cauliflower, parsnip, peas, green beans. You liked most of them but broccoli made you heave he first time, you were fine after that though. You definitely prefer sweet though as you can't get enough of fruit and yogurt! You are loving eating solids!
Milk is still very much a favourite, you have three to four bottles a day 5-6oz, I mix a bit with one of your medicines in the morning and at night. I have been putting some of steroid doses in.  

Sleeping

Mostly you sleep through the night but there have been a few times you've woken up very early, to be fair you happily lay there kicking your legs and playing with your feet. Mostly you have been waking around 7am.

 

Weight

I can update your weight this time! You were weighed at the hospital a couple of weeks ago and were 8.16kg = 17lbs9oz which is lighter than I thought you were!

Clothes

You are mainly in 6-9 month clothes but also wearing some 9-12 month bits.
 

More Nicknames

The nicknames keep coming!  Here are what came out last time and below there's more!     

30. Kee Kee
31. Kee-Kai
32. Beauty
33.Beauty Weauty
34. Tutti Fruitti
35. Pumbles
36. Kee-Kai
37.Pooch
38.Poochie
39.Poochie Woochie
40.Poochie Woocha

With big bro at Hampton Court Palace

 

Your Likes

• You still love snuggly cuddles...I do too!
• Milk and food
• Bath time still makes you happy and now swimming does too
• You love being out and about
•  Watching trees, they make you very excited for some reason
• Big brother playing with you (when he's not being too rough!)

Your Dislikes

• Waiting for milk or food
• Still not a fan of being dressed or undressed, although you don't grumble as much
• Still being disturbed

In all honesty there's not a lot you kick up a fuss about right now, you are so chilled!

That's it my darling girl, until next time!

xxx



 

 

5 Month Update

General/milestones

I said it with your big brother, and I'm sure I'll continue to say it but I just don't know where the time goes, I can't believe you are 5 months already!!!
At present your seizures are under control (high five!!!), since the last update you've had one ambulance ride to hospital, your third lot of immunisations and an eye clinic appointment!
I'm convinced your seizure activity changed each time you had a round of immunisations, a week or so after the first set you experienced seizures for just over a week and then they stopped. A couple of days after the second set you began to have the infantile spasms, followed a few days later with another type of seizure. Then the day after your third set you stopped having any spasms. Coincidence I'd just increased the dose again? I'm not certain nor am I convinced but fantastic news  that the spasms are currently at bay! But before that last set you were a bit poorly.
 After the first and third set of jabs parents are currently advised to give their babies three doses of paracetamol to help prevent a temperature. Having the combined jabs, including the one for meningitis means you were more likely to get a temperature. I gave you two doses but because you'd been sick in the evening and I was already loading you with your anti epileptic medicine I didn't want to go over board you and give you paracetamol whilst your temperature was normal. That was a mistake!! I woke up about 4am to hear you chomping on your hand, which was unusual for you as after going several hours through the night without a bottle, you'd normally be screaming! I felt your head and you seemed to be on the warm side but still took a bottle and drank it all. I then checked you with the thermometer and your temperature was on the high side. So I gave you  some paracetamol which you vomited back straight away so I didn't finish the dose. You then had a long, nasty set of spasms so I rang 111 for some advice as I was worried. They dispatched an ambulance based on the information I gave them.

This pramsuit makes me laugh because it makes you look huge!!!

When they arrived the paramedics checked you over, as your temperature was still high and your heart rate was out of the normal range they took us to hospital. By the time you were checked in A&E and again on the children's ward everything was back to normal, thankfully. After a couple of hours we were sent home, with the overall medical consensus that you had a reaction to the immunisations.
  Apart from that little drama you had your eyes checked and we found out you have growths behind your left eye. At the moment they don't seem to be causing you any problems, time will tell but fingers crossed they won't affect your vision.
Development wise, you can see that having the seizures under control is making a change to your progression. You are more awake, I guess because there are no seizures to make you tired and your body has got used to the medicine. Being awake for longer means more time to interact, you are smiling more and you have giggled a couple of times which is the best sound, it melts my heart! You babble a lot and over the last couple of weeks you began a high pitched shriek/cry/shout and use it when you're both happy and upset. You still only give eye contact on your terms, when you're being held you usually avoid eye contact but will look at people when you are lying down.
This month you had your first bath with your big brother, you thoroughly enjoyed it but I didn't as I was worried you were going to slip out of my grip! You are still in size 3 nappies. Overall you seem to be on the whole just a lot more chilled out, you really like your oball and have started to grip hold of it. You absolutely love chomping on your hands and fingers and will stare at them for ages!

Enjoying your oball

Feeding

You appetite still hasn't changed, you would drink milk continuously if you could!. You were still having 5oz bottles, five times a day, sometimes alternated with a 6oz bottle but now you are on five 6oz bottles. If you do wake during the night I will give you less to help you go back to sleep.

Absolutely love looking/chomping/sucking your hands and fingers

Sleeping

You are continuing to sleep through most nights from anything between 9pm-11pm usually through until 7:30am-8.30am. You have slept through more this month but there are still times you have woken up.

 

Weight

I haven't had you weighed since the last update.

Clothes

Clothes wise you are mostly wearing 3-6 month clothes with some exception here and there. Such as a newborn size cardigan!

More Nicknames

I'm still coming out with random nicknames.  Here are last months and below there's a few more!     

26. Baboo

27. Baboose

28. Baboosey

29. RoRo Beans

 

    

Your Likes

• You still love cuddles especially if you're tired
• You still  love your bottles
• Bath time continues to be a favourite
• You still enjoy getting out
•  You still like watching and listening to Eliot
• The dummy is still soothing, mainly when you're tired.

Your Dislikes

• Eliot being 'too cuddly' or on the rough side
• Still having clothes put on/taken off if you are not in the mood
• Still...Being disturbed when you are comfy

It's been a more positive update Nola,  I hope next month there are more positives to write about!

xxx

 

I've linked this post up with Jenny's 'Bumps & Babies' linky!

 

 

Nola You're 4 Months Old

 

 

Little Nola your turned four months old just over a week ago. This is the second update I have written about you and boy have things changed since I wrote the last one.

Right now I'm not sure if you will ever be able to read these.

In hospital

General/milestones

I think the biggest change is finding out you are very likely to have a rare genetic condition. You began having seizures just before you turned 12 weeks, although when they started I did not realise that's what they were. I will explain in more detail in a separate post but you were admitted to hospital for three days at the beginning of December where lots of tests began to try and find out what was causing you to have seizures. You had an attempted MRI scan which couldn't be done because you were awake, an EEG test and different bloods taken. There were some abnormal results from the EEG tests so an urgent request for an MRI was made to try and get a good look at your brain. You didn't have any seizures whilst we were in hospital which is typical and didn't experience any more for a couple of weeks. You then had a MRI under general anaesthetic where some growths on your brain were discovered. The discharge letter I received said the findings were 'highly suspicious' of  a specific rare condition, something until that day (19/12/17) I was oblivious to. It's a condition that affects people differently with symptoms ranging from mild to severe, so right now we don't know how affected you will be. 

The day before you had the MRI you began having these odd spasm type movements which I know now are another type of seizure. On Christmas Eve night I ended up taking you to the children's ward because you were having these spasms following a different type of seizure. We were admitted so you spent your very first Christmas morning in hospital which was so sad. You did get discharged as you hadn't had anymore seizure episodes but within a couple of hours you went back via an ambulance as we were advised to call 999 if you had a seizure that got to three minutes long. So we spent the next two nights there until we saw the paediatric consultant who specialises in epilepsy. You were prescribed medicine to control the seizures but the spasms went on and you were put on another medication aiming to stop them after the results of a second EEG were worse than the first. Last week you had a heart scan which also revealed you have two growths on your heart, you then had an ECG which fortunately revealed your heart is working as normal at present. We also saw a specialist at Addenbrookes hospital who agrees it's highly likely you have the rare genetic condition but no one will confirm it until we have the genetic blood tests back. You have an appointment at the end of the month to have your eyes checked for any growths. It's all been hard to take in as it would be for any mummy, I still don't think I've fully got my head round it but I will be with you every step of the way, I'm so sorry this has happened to you, you are so brave!

Apart from all of the drama that you've had, what else has gone on since my last update?

You had your first holiday at Bluestone in Wales, unfortunately this was when the seizures really kicked in so we didn't make the best memories.

In December you were chosen as one of the new brand reps for Petal & Grace, a beautiful hairband company on Instagram. Their bows make you look even cuter than you already do!

You still enjoy cuddles and can be very snuggly, sometimes you won't calm down if you're upset until you are being cuddled, sucking your dummy and having your face stroked!

One of the most upsetting aspects of the seizures is that they can affect development unless they're under control. This has happened with you, before this all started you began to giggle, even though we only heard it once or twice, it was starting to happen. Since around Christmas day you barely smile, if we're lucky we see maybe one smile a day. I'm told once the seizures are under control you are more likely to reach the general baby milestones.

I've had to move you up to size 3 nappies, as you are growing into a right little chunk!
You've had your second round of routine immunisations and due the next batch soon. 

Feeding

One positive is that your appetite hasn't changed, you still love your milk and guzzle it down. You are still having 5oz bottles, usually five a day, sometimes more as there have been several nights you have woken during the night and needed a bottle to settle you. If you've had a very long stretch sleeping overnight I give you a 6oz bottle and have tried 6oz bottles before bed to see if that helped with sleeping few but it hasn't always worked!

Sleeping

Most nights you have slept through but there have been several where you have woken up once and at worse, twice. You're actually sleeping more than you're awake at the moment. I've been told it's probably down to a combination of medicine and seizure activity.

Your second EEG test

Weight

You were weighed last week when we saw the specialist and you're now a whopping 14.7lbs thanks to all the milk you've been knocking back!

Clothes

Clothes wise you still fit in some 0-3 month clothes but some are too small. You are also wearing lots of 3-6 month clothes too and most need some growing in to.

More Nicknames

I wrote a post about your name and the nicknames I had come with so far. I still can't help the random names that pop into my head. Roly is still the one I'm using the most! Here are the ones I added last month and below there's a few more!                    

23. Rooka Took
24. Rooky
25. Angel cake

Cuddles with big brother at Bluestone!

Your Likes

• You still love cuddles
• You still  love your bottles
• You still love having a bath, if you're crying beforehand you immediately stop
• You really enjoy being out and about
•  You like watching and listening to Eliot
• You still enjoy being sung to
• You like your dummy a lot now! It's very soothing for you when you want it!

Your Dislikes

• Still...Sudden loud noises
• Still...Being taken out of the bath
• Having clothes put on/taken off
• Still...Being disturbed when you are comfy
• Occasionally still...Being put in the car seat

I'm sorry it's not been a more positive update Nola  I hope next month there is more good news to write!

xxx

 

I've linked this post up with Jenny's 'Bumps & Babies' linky!

Your First 10 Weeks Nola - Update

16/11/17

 I've linked this post up over at letstalkmummy.com 

My darling Nola, this is your very first update. It's sooner than I did your big brothers' first update but later than I wanted or planned. I'd been meaning to write an update ever since your turned two weeks old but life flies by and all sorts of things get in the way. But thanks to Maisie from lovemaisie.com who shared that she had written about her sons' first 10 ten weeks I thought I would do the same too (except you're actually 11 weeks today) before you get any older!

Just a few hours old

General/milestones

You have changed so much in just a small amount of time, when you arrived I couldn't believe you were a girl (I really thought I was having a boy!). You were so different from your big brother in size, you had the tiniest features, hands and feet whereas Eliot had huge hands and feet! You weighed between 7lb11oz and 7lb12oz, so again smaller than your big bro thankfully...I really thought I'd be birthing a ten pound + baby. Even though you were much daintier than your brother I could see him in you and there are some photos where you look so alike.
You made a  lot of grunting and adorable squeaking sounds as well as snorting, in fact you are still doing all three, just not as much.

To begin with you slept a lot during the day and not as much at night. You were feeding roughly every three hours, except when you slept for longer periods. Now, apart from the odd occasion you sleep through from anything between 8:30-10pm to 6:30-8:45am-ish which is pretty darn good, keep it up please!
From the very beginning you have loved your cuddles, as you got older and more alert during the day it became harder to put you down...making it difficult to get things done so we began to use a carrier which you loved. You still like it now but can take a minute or two to settle in it if you are cranky. You also enjoy studying faces and spend a long time looking/gazing at them when you are in the mood.
You began to smile in secret at me around 4-5 weeks, I wasn't certain until I caught you grinning at me whilst in your car seat. Not long after you began to coo as well when being spoken to
When you were seven weeks old you took part in something rather exciting! Asda filmed some short films for their website about baby care and you and I feature in their nappy one. You were extremely well behaved and didn't make a sound during the filming.
When you were around eight weeks you began to start whacking the toy hanging over your bouncer and have really started to take notice of it over the past couple of weeks.
You have strong control of your head/neck and seemed determined from birth to have a go at holding it up as much as you possibly could, very much like Eliot!
At eight and a half weeks I reluctantly moved you up to size 2 nappies, I just want you stay 'little' for as long as possible.
You had a BCG immunisation at two weeks old and your first round of combined jabs just before you turned ten weeks old. Needless to say you were not happy, you screamed like I'd never heard you do before, it was awful! Luckily you were ok afterwards but did spend a lot of the next day sleeping. 

Wearing a sleepsuit Eliot also wore in hospital

Feeding

I was determined to try and breastfeed you but unfortunately it didn't work out. You did try to latch on but even with help whilst we were in hospital it just didn't happen. During the first few days you had some expressed breast milk and of course formula, you have Aptamil like Eliot did.

At the start you were having between 2oz and 4oz, although there were a couple of occasions you were sick so it was obviously too much for your tiny tummy. Now you are having five bottles a day, four 5oz bottles and a 6oz bottle when you wake up. Again like your big bro, you adore your bottles... you literally down them! However you cry/scream for a few seconds when it's finished, you are really not happy when that happens! 95% of the time you bring your wind up very quickly, sometimes all that has to be done is to lift you up and you'll burp. I think you may get some colicky pains as you can be unsettled and upset at times. I haven't tried gripe water or infacol to see if they help yet.  

Sleeping

As mentioned above, you are currently sleeping through the night which is amazing! You tend to 'cat nap' in the day unless you are in the car or pram where you will sleep for longer. It seems as though you are going to have a good sleep but it can be just after ten minutes when your eyes pop open wide awake! You have slept in your crib (which used to be Eliot's) next to me at night since you came back from the hospital.

My dinky girl

Weight

You have continued to put on weight since your arrival, which is great to know you are thriving. To be honest you don't need to be put on the scales, it's easy to see you're putting on weight when you finish every bottle! You really started to fill out a few weeks ago. Last week you were put on the scales and weighed 11.46lbs.

Clothes

As I was convinced I was going to have another nine pound + baby I only bought a couple of things in 'up to 1 month' size but as you surprised me being so dainty, you were able to fit into 'first size' and 'up to 1 month'. Even now some of them still fit you, not for long (sob, sob)! Mostly though you are wearing 0-3 months.

More Nicknames

I wrote a post about your name and the nicknames I had come with so far. I just can't help it, random words fall out of my mouth and they stick so here are some to add to the list...

17. Little old man

18. Noly

19. Noly Poly

20. Noly Poly Roly Roo

21 Roly Roo

22. Roly (at the moment this is the one I'm using the most)


Your Likes

• You love cuddles
• You love your bottles
• You love having a bath, if you're crying beforehand you soon stop
•  You enjoy studying peoples faces
• You really enjoy being out and about and taking in different environments
•  You like watching and listening to Eliot
• You like giving your toys above the bouncer a whack
• You show an interest in baby books
• You enjoy being sung to and seem to like the song 'Wonderwall' by Oasis and 'Incy Wincy Spider'
• You like your dummy, more so over the past week or so

Your Dislikes

• Sudden loud noises
• Being taken out of the bath
• To begin with you were very selective about your dummy, spitting it out at times
• Being put down for too long
• Being disturbed when you are comfy
• Being put in the car seat

So I think that's about it for now, you are growing and changing to quickly! Until next time,

xxx

Eliot's 16 Month Update

General/milestones

This month we have seen some changes, you are saying more words, conkers, duck, tractor, digger, star and you will sometimes copy things we say. You also hum along to certain nursery rhymes like 'Twinkle Twinkle' and you know when to sing 'star'.
You will sit down for longer periods of time and play with your toys or read your books, usually leaving a trail of destruction around you! Something that you do which is quite funny is back into people because you want to sit on their lap and you keep getting up to do it over and over again!
We went away to Dorset at the beginning of the month with Nana J and Grandad, you enjoyed staying in a caravan and were so excited to explore when we arrived. Whilst we were away we took a trip to Peppa Pig World which you enjoyed, it was just a shame it kept raining.

You are still getting faster and faster and mostly like to run to get around. We are experiencing more toddler tantrums when you don't want to something, you really let yourself be heard which isn't always helpful when we're out.
You still love watching Peppa Pig and have taken more of an interest in other programmes, you won't really sit and watch them unless you are in your highchair.
I don't think I've mentioned teeth for a while but you definitely have more, two of your back teeth have come through, one on each side.

On holiday



Feeding

Food is still a bit hit and miss, if you're really hungry you will eat well but will often refuse foods. I think as you're getting older you want to do it yourself, as you are an independent little fellow! You are getting to grips with using cutlery by yourself.
One thing that you never turn down is egg. Whether it's boiled, scrambled or in the form of an omelette you absolutely love it!
You are still having milk in a bottle three times a day.

Weight

We haven't had you weighed since we met with the health visitor, I'm more than sure you are continuing to put on weight.

Clothes

Some 12-18month clothes still fit you but you are wearing lots of 18-24month bits. We had your feet measured and surprisingly you were still a five and a half.

Sleeping

Sleeping is usually good but you have had the odd night of waking up crying, once possibly due to teething. You nap in the day for an hour or two.

Your Likes/Dislikes
Your like and dislikes are pretty much the same as last month

• You don't like having a poopy nappy changed and will run away
• Dancing from side to side when music is playing
• You like reading/looking at books
• You love moving toys from one place to another
• You love tipping things all over the floor
• You like to be sung to, especially nursery rhymes
• You have become more interested in Peppa Pig
• You adore being mobile, to get around independently is really your most favourite thing
• You are  still obsessed with the washing machine, still particularly at Nana & Grandads
• You love the cats and stroke (grab) Mimi, Coco still runs if you enter the same room
• You still enjoy nursery rhymes
• You love playing with balls, rolling, kicking or throwing them
• You don't like the noise from hand dryers in public toilets
• You continue to battle when having your nappy changed, it normally takes two of us

xxx

Eliot's 14 Month Update

General/milestones

Monday was bank holiday, we went away for the night with Nana J so that's why I'm late again with your update!

This month you seem more and more like a little boy and no longer a baby, (although you'll always be my baby!) you just seem so big! You definitely look older than 14 months and people are often surprised when they ask how old you are and we tell them.

I have noticed that you are spending more time playing wtih/exploring your toys, you are also more interested in your books and will sit looking at the pages and turn them. You'll also happily sit and look at a book with an adult, usually Grandad! One of your favourite things is pulling all your books from the shelf and putting them on a chair in your room or all over the floor.

It's also become more apparent how much you take in as you know a lot of things we're talking about or ask you to do. You are saying a few more words, tick-tock (you also wave your finger, Nana J taught you this), car and of course mama, dada, nana. You wave hello and goodbye, when we ask you where someone/something is and they're not there you hold two hands out to say 'gone'. You also do this when something falls on the floor or if someone leaves the room. You applaud yourself when you point to the clock and say tick-tock as you've got used to us doing this. It is funny and so cute! Nana J bought you a new book which plays a few different nursery rhymes and you started to dance to incy wincy spider. You rock on your feet and sway side to side, again it makes us chuckle but it's adorable. 

When you want something you will point at something and grunt, you have been doing this for a while but I'm not sure I've mentioned it.

 

A clip of you saying tick-tock

 

Unbelievably in just over a month you've grown a whole shoe size! I know baby/toddler feet grow fast but I didn't expect it to be that quick! I think you will cost us a small fortune in shoes! Back to Clarks we went and ended up getting a pair of fitted trainers that have a flashing light. You were measuring a five and a half H but they seemed a bit wide, so you have a G fitting.



Generally you love the fact that you are fully mobile and want to walk/run everywhere, not always in the direction we need to go! You are more steady are your feet but still have little falls, they don't bother you unless you really hurt yourself. You just get back up and get on with it. As Nana J says, you're a typical boy.



Feeding

These past few weeks you have really been off your food and fussy. Even with things you used to love, you won't even try never mind eat. Like mango for example, you would polish half a mango off no problem but now you'll only seem to eat it if I leave the skin on and you can suck it off yourself. I'm not sure if it's just a phase or fussy toddler territory that we're in with no return! I hope it's just a phase as it was lovely to watch you gobble your food and enjoy it.  You are happy eating a few things, banana, omelette, grapes, raisins, crackers, peas, pasta and of course things that you shouldn't eat much of! Everything else is a bit hit and miss, some days you'll eat it, others you won't and quite often you'll refuse altogether.
Mummy did buy you some toddler cutlery, you like eating off the fork and can put the food in your mouth by yourself.
We tried giving you your milk in a beaker but you weren't too keen so we're still using the bottles for now.

Weight

Mummy cancelled your 8-12 month check as we ended up not being in London, so we still haven't had your weight checked. I will have to chase them to book another one as they haven't called back with an appointment yet.

 

Clothes

You are still in 12-18 month clothes, some are a bit more snug than others so you won't wear them for much longer. Mummy has also found more 12-18 month clothes in your wardrobe that I'd forgotten about so we need to try and get some wear out of them!

You love throwing and rolling balls

 

Sleeping

You've slept through most nights this month, occasionally as usual you've cried in your sleep but settle with a dummy. There was one night where you were very upset and you only went back to sleep after having some milk. I think your teeth might have been bothering you.
 

Mimi cat loves you and always rubs her head on you

Your Likes/Dislikes

• You adore being mobile, to get around independently is really your most favourite thing
• You are  still obsessed with the washing machine, still particularly at Nana & Grandads
• You love the cats and stroke (grab) Mimi, Coco runs if you enter the same room
• You still enjoy nursery rhymes
• You love playing with balls, rolling, kicking or throwing them
• You don't like the noise from hand dryers in public toilets
• You continue to battle when having your nappy changed, it normally takes two of us

I can't believe how quickly you're growing and changing little man, I wonder what 15 months will bring?!
Lots of Love Mummy xxx

Cheeky Chappy!





Eliot's 13 Month Update

 

 

General/milestones

Mummy is late again at getting this post up! I can't believe how quickly the months fly past!

This month you have learnt to clap your hands, if someone says 'clap hands' or sings a song with those words you will clap hands! If I'd written this post on time I would still be saying you are very confident with walking but today you actually walked by yourself, lots of steps and did it several times! We are so so proud of you! Unfortunately you also banged your head against your cot when you tried to get up, so you have a nasty bruise :( 

We bought your first pair of shoes as you liked being on your feet outside holding our hands, they will be a necessity now you can walk by yourself. You were actually a lot more co-operative than I thought you would be when you had your feet measured. You are currently a 4.5 H and have a pair of Clarks Doodles.

We are still experiencing the tantrums, particularly when you can't have your own way. After talking to various other parents, you aren't the only one and I've been informed these will last until at least your second birthday!

Your first shoes!

 

Feeding

You have been on and off your food this past month, even some of your favourites! I think it could be because of the weather. It has been so hot and I know I don't feel like eating a lot so perhaps you feel the same. Raisins have fast become a favourite snack and you gobble these up! Nana Mary has been treating you to ice creams when you're out with her so you've learnt how to lick them and won't share with anybody! You've also tried some diluted pure juices, you didn't like the orange but you are a fan of apple and mango juice!

Weight

We have your 8-12 month check booked so I will be able to  update this in your next update!
 

Clothes

Nothing has changed here.

Sleeping

You had a very unsettled couple of nights when we stayed at Nana and Grandad's, I think you were too hot! 

Your Likes/Dislikes

• You are back to loving the washing machine, particularly at Nana & Grandads
• You love ice cream
• You don't like sit on rides when they move
• You stilldon't like having your nappy changed

Enjoying sitting on a ride and 'driving' but you cried when it started to move!

 



It's crazy how much you've grown and changed! I put some clips together of you from 7-13 months...

 

We love you lots

xxx

Eliot's 1 Year Update

 Trying out one of your birthday presents

 General/milestones

Eliot Jude, I still can't believe you are already a whole year old. It seems like yesterday I had a bump and now here we are, already looking back on your 1st Birthday celebrations.
It was your special day on Thursday, (technically not until 3:54pm) Mummy and Daddy came in to you singing Happy Birthday and you greeted us with your lovely smile. You opened (with help) and played with some of your presents before we all went out for the day. You were a model and we went to Battersea Park Zoo but I'll write all about that in a different post. A couple of days later we had a party for you with close family and friends.

This month you are getting more confident with walking with support and have taken a few steps by yourself more than once, clever boy! I wonder if next month I'll be writing that you're walking all by yourself?!

A new thing this month is that you have started to point to things and talk, planes in the sky, animals and other things. It's very cute and makes mummy and daddy laugh.

You have another new tooth at the bottom. I think you may be teething again as you have been putting your fingers in your mouth and chewing them.

We've had some more of the tantrums, like I mentioned last month, often when you are tired. You get very frustrated and show this through pinching (quite hard) so we're hoping you'll grow out of that sooner rather than later.
I am ever so proud to be your mummy, you have changed so much in the space of a year, it is amazing to see you grow and learn.

Proud Mummy at Battersea Park Zoo on your Birthday!

Feeding

Food is still a favourite but there are times when you are fussy and won't eat very much. You tried grapes again properly and seemed to enjoy them. You are not a greedy baby, you will stop eating when you've had enough and will push it away.
I changed your milk from formula to cows milk on your birthday, you haven't noticed the difference and drink it happily. You still have three bottles a day but I'm thinking about moving your milk to a beaker for you to drink out of.

Weight

I still haven't had your weight checked and we missed your 8-12 month check with the health visitor...oops. Daddy was meant to change your appointment but had problems getting through. 

Clothes

You are still wearing 12-18 month clothes and some 18-24 month bits. You got lots of new bits for your birthday, hopefully you'll get to wear it all before you grow out of it!

Your first experience of sand

Sleeping

Most of this month you have sleeping well. Sometimes you cry in your sleep, perhaps you've had a bad dream. If we give you your dummy you normally settle very quickly.

Your Likes/Dislikes

• You love your new trike that nana J and Grandad bought you for your birthday.
• You don't love the washing machine as much as you did.
• You love being on the move and trying to get hold of things you shouldn't be touching.
• You don't like having your nappy changed

 

 

The cake we ate on your birthday

Until next month, Love you lots
xxxxx

Eliot's 11 Month Update

General/milestones

My little man, I can't believe that in one month I will be writing your 1 year update, 1 year! I can't believe that you've been in our lives for 11 months.

We looked back on some video clips when you were around 2 months, if we didn't have them it would be hard to believe you were ever that small.You seem like such a little boy now and not a baby!

You have hit some big milestones this month, you have just started to crawl and can pull your self up to stand. Here's a little clip of you on the move...

You were fine at the end, there wasn't a bump fortunately but you did have a big bump the other day. Which worried mummy and daddy but you stopped crying quickly and went back to your usual self.

You still like to walk around holding on to our hands but now you know you can get to what you want independently you will plonk yourself down and start crawling (usually towards the washing machine).

You also have two new teeth! That have come through next to each of the top two. I think you are still teething as you keep putting your fingers in your mouth and chewing them.

You are strong willed and we've seen glimpses of tantrums to come! You don't like being taken away from something you are enjoying like the swing or washing machine. When I change your nappy you can be very wriggly, making change time increasingly difficult! Sometimes when I'm carrying you and go into or leave a room you will start thrashing around and whinging because you don't want to go in or leave.
I'm not sure if I've mentioned that you give kisses, not always but sometimes you will give us a sloppy kiss! You like giving pictures and toys kisses!
You are also waving now which is very cute!

We've had some lovely weather this month so we've enjoyed picnics and parks.

 Blurry photos of you standing as you can't keep still!

Feeding

You still love your food but have had a funny few dinner times when you've refused to eat most of it but I think this is due to you teething. You also like to taste food before you eat it just to make sure you like it!
Bottles are still the same, you have three a day, two 7oz and a 5oz.

Weight

We haven't checked your weight but your 8-12 month check with the health visitor will be soon so we will find out then.    

Clothes

You are now wearing mostly 12-18 month stuff, even some of that only just fits but there are still a few larger 9-12 month bits that still fit you.

Sleeping

You have been waking up quite frequently because you have got yourself into an awkward position and can't turn back. As I've said I think your teeth have been bothering you so that's disturbed your sleep. Thankfully so far you are pretty happy going back to sleep.. 

My cheeky monkey

Your Likes/Dislikes

• You are obsessed with the washing machine and will sit for ages putting stuff in and taking stuff out

Other than that I don't think there's anything else that is too much different from a couple of months ago apart from you are much happier in your 'big boy carseat' than your old one!

I still can't believe you will be a whole  year next month!
Love you lots
xxxxx