Corinna is 1 year!

Our Baby Bubbles is growing up!  It hardly seems possible that a year has gone past since we were touching her soft newborn skin, admiring her squishy fat rolls, and nuzzling her downy fine baby hair.  I wrote about her entrance to this world here, and she's been a delight and joy in our home ever since.  

Jonathan was on his way to Germany on her birthday, so we kept it a low key affair and will really celebrate when he gets back.  She did have her first taste of cake on her birthday.  Chocolate, naturally!  On the day she arrived, one year ago, we feted with chocolate cake, so it was only fitting.  And tasty.  As an added bonus, Matthew made the cake.

 She wasn't sure at first what to think of it, and regarded it rather suspiciously. 

Then she decided it was fun to mush and squish before giving it a tiny taste. 

But when she tasted it, she was sold!

Then she attempted to lick her plate clean.  Num!

Please sir, can I have some more? 

For her gross motor skills she is now walking and even attempting to run!  She climbs stairs, ledges, and Daddies.  

She can throw, but sometimes forgets to let go of the ball at the right time.  Corinna also invented a game in which she puts her head down onto the ground like so:

and immensely enjoys it if you copy her.

For fine motor skills, the girl has a knack for opening things that ought not to be opened.  She's beginning to use a more refined pincer grasp when picking small objects up, but still often prefers to use her other fingers in addition to her index and thumb. 

Corinna babbles and says ma ma ma and da da da, but we don't think they are actual words yet.  Clearly she is understanding more of the world around her though.  When I say a word such as "Matthew" or "phone" she will direct her attention to what was named.  She also understands "No" and doesn't much like it!  Corinna loves to play peek-a-boo and to chase and be chased by her big siblings.  She bobs to music, and laughs and squeals when something pleases her.  

It is getting more difficult to hide things from Corinna.  If she catches you in the act of hiding an object away she is not fooled anymore into thinking that since it is out of sight it is therefore gone.  Oh no!  Even if she doesn't see the actual hiding space she is clever enough to start looking.  I took my phone away from her and quickly secreted it away without her seeing where.  She started ransacking my purse, my pockets and my hands looking for it.  

She is growing is so many ways.  I am really going to miss "baby" Bubbles, but I am looking forward to the antics of "toddler aka hurricane" Bubbles.

Corinna is walking!

Corinna took her first few intentional steps on Tuesday night.  Three days later she can get to standing without holding onto anything and can walk the full length of the room.  She has a lot of cheerleaders!

Hurricane Bubbles, part 2

Corinna is at that stage: the one where nothing really holds her attention like destruction. And that, only briefly.

Tired baby, tired mommy

Untitled, a photo by jbellis on Flickr.

Six Month update

It is hard to believe that 6 months have already passed!

Baby Bubbles has more than doubled her birth weight and is now 17 pounds even and 26.5 inches long.  This puts her at the 75th percentile for weight and height.  She's a good sized girl, as my biceps will attest.  She loves to be held, and so spends a good portion of her day in my arms. 

Just this week she discovered that she can roll around to get to objects she wants...and so the exploring mischief phase begins!  Her main goal in life is to get anything and everything she sees into her mouth.  Keeping small bits of flotsam away from her will be challenging with three older, messy siblings. 

She can sit up with just a little support, otherwise she topples over after a few seconds.  So close!  

Today, Corinna's first tooth broke through so she is back to her cheerful self.  She is a happy baby and people often comment on her sunny disposition.  "I never see her frowning, does she ever cry?"  She is generous with her gummy grins and bestows her dimpled smiles upon anyone who talks to her.  And when she smiles, she smiles with her whole body.   Her arms flail, her legs kick, and the corners of her eyes crinkle with joy. It is delightful.


No one can make her laugh quite like Isaac.  She thinks anything he does is hysterical.  Here he is just being himself, much to Corinna's amusement. 

Teething Woes

Happy baby bubbles has transformed into teething baby bubbles.  She is NOT pleased.  Still, her happy nature comes through and she grins between bouts of tears.

Just got most of a dose of tylenol down her (always a sticky process) and we're waiting for that to kick in so she can nap.


Teething is NO joke, folks.  It can make the mildest of babies super cranky and miserable.  Poor Bubbles.

Corinna loves swinging at the playground

Corinna loves swinging at the playground, a photo by jbellis on Flickr.

This is a fun age. Happy Baby Bubbles.

Welcome to Melissa's beauty parlor

Melissa loves styling hair.

 

Corinna was more interested in Melissa's shirt.

 

  

Beautiful girls

Rolling, rolling, rolling

Corinna started rolling over this week.

She grabs her feet like so:

And then flips to her side:

From there she sometimes makes it onto her belly.  And then squawks.  Loudly.

Rolling over is mostly accidental at this point. 

She also loves grabbing her feet and attempting to suck her toes.  At times she gets so excited by her success that she kicks her legs...and then loses her toes.

Halloween 2011

The kids could NOT wait to go trick-or-treating this year. We managed to get ONE measly picture of them in costume before they raced out the door. In fact, Isaac was ready to go in his underwear and made a beeline for outside. Jonathan had to catch him and remind him get into his tiger suit first, and he loves the tiger costume. He spent at least a half hour the first time he tried it on chasing his big brother and sister around the house and yelling ROAR!

Melissa wanted a cyclops this year so we worked together on it. Matthew scooped, designed, and carved his "alphabet face" pumpkin all by himself this year. Not bad at all!

Everyone had a good time going door to door for candy. Isaac figured out the drill pretty quickly and raced ahead of the big kids so he could be the one to knock and ring the doorbell. Pity the poor adult who didn't react on the first ring, because Isaac was not patient. "Wee wee wee!" [trick or treat!] Bang bang bang! "Wee wee wee!" Bang bang bang!

Isaac was thorough, too. I [Jonathan] would have to pull him away from the houses with no lights on; he wanted everyone to give him candy.

We did three cul de sacs on our way out. Then Isaac started to get tired at about the same time as Matthew's candy bag started to get full. (I emptied Isaac and Melissa's bags from the trunk or treat Saturday; I left Matthew's in the bottom. Heh heh heh.) So everyone was okay with heading back. Isaac faded quickly though, starting to drag after just one more street. "Tu veux retournez chez Mama?" (Do you want to go back to Mama?") "Yeh." He was still torn; houses not yet plundered beckoned, but he allowed me to lead him past the next street while Matthew and Melissa went down it.

Isaac and I stopped at a couple more houses on the way, going so slowly that his brother and sister caught up with us just as we turned into our driveway. And everyone feasted on candy, including yours, who exacted the traditional Daddy Candy Tax.

4 Months and Growing!

Took Corinna to the doctor's office for her checkup this week.  She is now 14 lbs 10 oz and 25.5 inches long.  That puts her at 75th percentile for weight and 90th for height.  She's a good sized baby.

It is amazing to me how fast she has grown.

Here is Corinna and Isaac when she was just 4 days old.  

And today.  

She looks enormous in Isaac's lap!

Isaac is a good big brother.  He likes to hold his baby sister, sing, and play games with her.  Corinna doesn't really "get" his games yet, but she seems to enjoy his antics and tolerate the volume.  

Corinna has lost the new baby "bobbly head" and has gained a neck.  When held horizontally, her back is straight, head up, and her arms and legs extended.  It's super baby!  She likes to bat at, grasp, and chew toys, but her favorite toys are her fingers and toes.  

She is easily our drooliest baby and soaks 4-5 bibs a day.  Corinna also likes to blow bubbles, hence her nickname, Baby Bubbles.  She coos, gurgles, and seems to carry on a conversation when you talk to her.

The girl is a good eater, obviously, and very efficient.  She typically breastfeeds every few hours.  Sometimes she likes to snack on and off, but usually she's all business and done in less than 10 minutes.  Corinna is now at the distractible age.  If her siblings are being loud, she'll pop off and crane her head to see what the excitement is.  

At night she likes to bounce to sleep on our large exercise ball.  A few weeks ago we had a temporary crisis when the ball broke.  Corinna had a couple of nights without it and was not pleased.  Order was restored when a new ball arrived.  

At night she sleeps between 6-7 hours at a time.  It is glorious.  And unprecedented among Ellis babies, I might add.  

We sure enjoy our sweet, happy, Baby Bubbles.  

Smiling Corinna

(August 29th) Corinna at 13 weeks

I just realized that I forgot to post these pictures.  Corinna is a smiley, happy baby (most of the time).   As I type this she is waking up hungry and grumpy, so she isn't always sunshine and lollipops.  Still, as long as her tummy is full, her diaper clean, and she is being held or has toys to amuse herself she is pretty happy. 

Pretty in Pink

Some smocked dresses that Grandma Ellis originally made for Melissa.  I'm so glad that we can use them again!

Corinna at 7 weeks.

And at 11 weeks.

 

Dressed to impress with lace, beads, embroidery, and dainty smocking!

Girls are fun to dress.

A new centerpiece

A new centerpiece
Originally uploaded by jbellis

Baby Bubbles

It took us a while to figure out Corinna's nickname.  We tried a few on for size, Baby Bird, Birdie...., but ultimately Corinna picked her own name out.  Bubbles.

She spends a good portion of her day squirming happily and blowing raspberries and bubbles at us. 

Miss Bubbles it is!

[Jonathan adds:  *I* came up with the nickname.]

All tuckered out

Sleeping like babies.

Corinna likes bath time now.  Here she is at 9 weeks (she's ll weeks currently).  She likes to kick, squirm, and splash in the water.  Her body is getting very long now, and while she does have some baby pudge, I think most of her growth is going into her length. 

Easy baby

So far Corinna is by and away the most mellow and easy Ellis baby.  She's rarely fussy, and while she prefers to be held most of the time she doesn't mind being placed on the floor to bat at her toys or rock in her swing. 

Best of all this child is a great sleeper, at least during the night.  At one month she would sleep for 4 to 5 hours at a time before waking to eat.  During the past few weeks she goes to sleep for the night around 11 and wakes up about 7!  This is unprecedented among Ellis children!  About half the time she does wake up to eat once in the night, but on nights she didn't I'd wake up with two huge, tight boulders on my chest.  More recently my body has adjusted and my breasts aren't so full and uncomfortable in the morning.  When she does wake up, she eats, and eats, and EATS off and on for the first few hours. 

I don't have any secrets or tricks, this is just her nature.  Matthew was an intense and challenging baby; Corinna is a happy and easy baby.  Melissa and Isaac fell between the two extremes.  (Though Isaac was fairly easy too).  As far as sleeping goes, she rests best when swaddled but that doesn't account for everything.  I think it is just further proof that these small people arrive with their personalities, sleep schedules, and natures already determined.  All we can do is love and parent them the best we can. 

Things that amuse Corinna

 Ceiling fans. 

Jonathan put her in a box of clothes directly underneath the ceiling fan so she could watch the blades go 'round and 'round. She was entertained for probably 10 minutes. 

Corinna's baby blessing

Sunday July 24th was Corinna's baby blessing.  As soon as Jonathan started the blessing she yelled.  She continued to express herself loudly the entire time.

After the blessing, the bishop got up and said it brought back memories of when his oldest daughter just howled during her blessing over 30 years ago.  We all know Larke, his daughter, so the congregation chuckled at his remarks.  (Later the bishop's wife told me he got a bit choked up thinking about it.)

The first speaker got up and said that he was speaking in slot usually reserved for the youth speaker, but we already heard from her today.  The congregation had a good laugh at that!

Here are some pictures Christine and I snapped after church.

Sisters

Two generations of sisters

The girls

The guys

 

The whole crew

All dressed up in her finery

Aunt Christine

 Cousins!

Cute baby Gwendolyn exploring