We found out that I was pregnant on 08.08.08, so it seems fitting to write about baby Eleanor today, 09.09.09.

She’s four and a half months old, seventeen pounds, and starting to wear her 6-9 months clothing. She’s *so close* to sitting on her own, I think she’ll get it within the next week or two. The cradle in the living room has been outgrown and replaced by an ExerSaucer from Brandon’s sister. It’s hideous, but Eleanor loves it.

She’s a charmer, smiling and cooing for us! She’s practicing all kinds of new sounds too. When she first learned how to razz and blow bubbles that was all she wanted to do. Then having mastered that, she moved on to various ah-ahl-aw sounds and also trying to squeal. She sounds like a very odd animal, but we’re looking forward to her first real squeals of delight! We figure we’ll get the really good laughs then too, since her laughs are still very breathy right now.

Look at that hair!

She can’t crawl yet of course, but she’s quite good at inching her way around. She can do a full 180º if given enough time and the inclination. She’s also an expert roller. She learned how to roll from onto her stomach at three and a half months old and now she does it almost immediately if she’s placed on her back. She finally flipped from belly to back (supposedly the ‘easy’ way to roll and usually the first) a couple of weeks ago, but she’s only done so four or five times.

Our doctor is splitting up the vaccines so that she only gets two shots at a time instead of four, but we have to go every month instead of every other. My heart breaks for her when she gets her shots, but she calms down seconds later.

Eleanor is still an exceptionally good sleeper, but she has been less consistent lately. Last night she slept 10 hours straight, but the night before she was up for a couple of hours in the middle of the night. The occasional night wakefullness started around the same time that she started taking longer naps during the day, so I guess it’s a trade-off. It has become even easier to put her to bed for the night though. I lay her in her crib while she’s sleepy but still awake, she stretches a little and gets comfortable, and then she goes to sleep.

I still let her nap on me a lot. Not because she won’t nap in her crib (she will), but because I love it and I know it won’t last forever. I’m going to miss her little hands holding on to me and her contented sighs, so I’m relishing it while I still can.

Some days I feel like I’m finally finding my rhythm with work, but then I have several unproductive days in a row. The shop is still closed for maternity leave and I really want to open it again, but I have a lot of work to do before that happens. I’ve been working on new designs, adding new products, and doing a lot of administrative work. Every time I think I’m close (“two more weeks!”), I realize that there’s still much to be done. I’m still blogging (hi!), but I have slowed down a little in that regard as well. I have a million ideas to write about but time is scarce. Thanks for sticking with me as I adjust.

All said, I just have to tell you… I love being a mama.