The Elf is 10 Months

We are a little behind the times here, but it is for a mostly positive reason. Last week we were on vacation. It was long awaited and anticipated and well...I will have to write more in another post, because it is Annelise's turn. So, here is my crazy elf.

One of her new nicknames (well it is not really new, we have been calling her it for a while) is Munch. This can be short for two things, Munchable (which she can be) or Munchkin (which she always is). It seems to fit her, so we go back and forth with Munch and Elf. Dave has also been calling her Annalala, because she LOVES to say "LALA" and she pronounces and emphasizes it wonderfully. I, on the other hand, have been calling her Lieshka. Before she was born, when we were choosing a name, this is what I knew I wanted to call her, but only recently really started using the name. I got it from this movie that is infamous in the F family..."Christmas in Connecticut". There is this whole debate because my brothers think we should not watch this movie on Christmas because it is not a Christmas movie, as in it isn't about Christmas, it only occurs around Christmas. I think that is LAME, especially since they wanted to watch "It's a Wonderful Life", which I would argue is not about Christmas either...but I digress. In the movie "Christmas in CT", the heroine's name is Elizabeth. She has a Hungarian "Uncle" who calls her Lieshka (of course I am using the German spelling, so who knows what this all means). It seems fitting, and I know my mom would LOVE to know I call her that.

One hap this month is I have started weaning. As you may or may not know, the Elf is a biter, and after getting my second breast infection I decided two strikes and you are out. I made it to almost 10 months and I feel that is an accomplishment. I think I might have considered doing this sooner, but the crazy has hated bottles until about a month ago, and formula is pretty foul in general, and sorry folks I am not going to pump for the next two months. After a week of giving her apple juice with the formula she is finally taking it straight up. I am still nursing her in the morning and before bed, and for now that is a decent compromise. I am now only putting my bobs in harm's way 2 times a day. I am not a big gushy nurser, but I definitely felt guilty as I was cutting her off, but I am over that now. Annelise is also such a cuddler that she has made me feel better about the whole weaning process, and now Dave gets to share in the cuddles. After she takes the bottle she gives me this big sideways hug and just rests on my chest and smiles up at me. I *love* me some Lieshka cuddles.

Eating food seems to be a fun habit for her, and she is weighing in at 16.5 pounds and 26.5 inches long. Both are below 5% which I only know because I looked it up. I guess the doc isn't worried, but he doesn't worry about much so that works for me. She is gaining weight and growing, which is the point. She has started this thing with her hands, she waves them in the air and twists her wrists when she wants more...though if I was being technical that is the sign for all done...but she hasn't quite picked up on the whole sign language thing. Funny side note...the other day Annelise was sitting on the floor and fussing. Hadleigh went over patted her on the back and said, "Baby do you want more Cheerios? OK, Baby, say more please" and then she took her hand and made Annelise rub her stomach (which is the sign for more) and then poured her some more Cheerios (yes we let her eat right off the floor).

Crawling does not seem to be in Annelise's future, although she is completely able to get from one place to another...she just doesn't crawl. She will scoot on her bottom, she will creep on her tummy, she will reach out to things and pull herself around, but will not crawl. I have seen her up on all fours maybe 2 or 3 times. She is not interested. Her main interest these days, and for the past month has been pulling up and cruising. She pulls up all day long. Her fav position is to pull up, be bent at the waist (because whatever she has pulled up on is short) and to walk around that way. It is funny to watch. I do not know what that all means. Maybe she will walk soon, or skip crawling, or maybe not. Who knows...in any case we are moving her up to the crawling room in the nursery. That is a BIG graduation.

Annelise LOVES Hadleigh and just spends her days watching her. Hadleigh can do almost anything to Annelise and she will not get upset, which is good so far. She loves putting anything in her mouth, pulling hair and shirts, and giving huge wet kisses. She is still sleeping relatively well...not as well as I would like, but probably decent by others standards...the thing is there is always someone who does worse and always someone who does better.

This month has been busy for her, she added the great state of Cali and South Carolina to her list of places she has been, and also added a bike and a boat to things she has ridden. She met some important peeps like Uncle Chris and Aunt Rubie. Overall she has really mellowed out and is such a joy to be around these days. I love my little elf!