Month Eight

Dear Ela,

We thought you were growing fast before, but now we can barely keep up. You're talking up a storm -- mostly "ma ma" and "da da," but you create new syllables almost every day. You also love to make clicking noises with your tongue, including a fancy one that Mom and Dad can't replicate (we think that it must require toothless gums to execute properly).

This month we took you on your first hike, outside of Evergreen. You rode on my back and slept through most of it, but you did spend a little time enjoying the view and the fresh air. We hope that it's the first of many, many mountain hikes in your future.

Sharing a laugh with Clover.

Your playrug is still the hub of your activity when you're inside. While you appreciate your toys, your favorite activity is grabbing whatever cat or dog happens to be nearby. You've graduated from needing a pillow behind you, mostly because now you're primarily interested in moving forward. 

Showing us a preview of a much older Ela...

You love to launch off your bottom and get into a crawling position, and then twist and turn around in all directions. If you end up on your stomach, you're capable of pushing yourself backward right off the rug and across the wood floor -- until you reach the wall.

"Cloudbursting" in the front garden.

My busy spring schedule has required you to be adaptable. You've happily played in the front yard while I weeded, on the back patio while I watered seedlings, and on the kitchen floor while I cooked. These arrangements mean that you've sometimes put grungy stuff in your mouth (usually whatever you've found on the back patio), but we're just hoping for a strong immune system. You've also "helped" me in the greenhouse by pulling seedlings out of the trays -- they probably needed to be thinned, anyway.

"Sharing" with Declan.

Each week it becomes more and more fun to watch you and your friends play together. You have conversations and pass toys back and forth, occasionally with a bump on the head or a wrestling-style pin-to-the-mat move.

Gotta love these Dads!

You and your Dad go on an adventure in the neighborhood almost every day. On your walks you usually stop at the park for a little grass time. You love to play with the grass, and (of course) enjoy eating it, too.

Glowing girl.

We tried to make fingerpaintings for your Grandma and Grandmommy for Mother's Day. Unfortunately, my attempt at natural homemade paint was a bust. But, you had fun trying!

A budding artist.

On Mother's Day we celebrated with a family brunch. Lately you're not content to sit idly when other people eat, so we ordered you some eggs, steamed spinach, and apple slices. You enjoyed everything, but especially loved the spinach.

Yum yum!

This Momma couldn't be happier.

As I sorted through this month's pictures, I noticed that we always have photos of us on the couch...

Sharing a laugh.

You and I have spent so much time on that couch together. Remember when we used to do this?

Now we like to jump and play, but we also still make time for this...

I can't begin to count the blessings I enjoy as your mom, and I can't wait to see what adventures the next month brings. I love you, sweet one.

Love,

Momma

Month Seven

Dear Ela,

What a joy this month has been! You seem to get happier and happier every day. I love watching the pleasure you get out of your daily activities, like sitting on your play rug and slowly turning over your blocks, or gleefully grabbing Clover's fur as he lounges nearby.

Of course, life isn't all fun and games. There's the unfortunate reality of some of your Momma's fashion choices. And this month was a time of teething pain for you (but no teeth quite yet). At least, we think it was teething pain... Something was giving you trouble at nights when you were trying to go to sleep, but whether it was teething pain or growing pains we held you tight and gave you as much love as we could.

Food is fun!

The big news this month was that you ate your first solid food. You had expressed curiosity about what we were eating for a few weeks by this point, and we felt you were ready. Meals definitely became more fun (and messy) as we welcomed your presence at the table. In your first week of eating solids, you tried ground beef, seasoned sweet potatoes, avocado, lentil soup, salmon, quinoa, and broccoli. The broccoli was your early favorite, but it has since been eclipsed by pineapple.




And then there's still this... Introducing solids was a little hard for me, because it's such a big step toward independence for you to be nourished by outside food and not just Momma's milk. But we still have lots of time together nursing, and for me it's the sweetest part of the day.




You love making fun sounds -- lots of clicking and popping with your tongue. If you hear Daddy or me making those noises, you'll often mimic them back to us. You've also started saying a very distinct "mamamama" and "baabaabaabaa."

You're fascinated with faces. I think that your favorite way to connect with someone who interests you is to explore their face with your hands. We've been prompting you to use "soft hands," and you're becoming more and more gentle when you touch faces.

This month we enjoyed your first Colorado swimming trip at our local rec center. You seemed to regard most of the swimming session as serious business, but toward the end you started splashing and laughing.

Tired out... probably after a trip to the park!

You've started allowing us to put you in the stroller from time to time, and your Dad loves to wheel you around the neighborhood and up to the park.

We spent some time in the rehab facility this month with your Great-Grandpa Grumpy. I think that you are his favorite visitor. He loved winking at you, asking you questions, and listening to all the talking noises that you make.

You're growing so quickly, and our lives are very busy right now. But, you fill each of our days with so much laughter and so much joy. I love you, doodle-bug.

Love,
Momma

Month Six

Dear Ela,

How is it that you've grown another month older already? When you were first born every day was momentous. I remember what a big deal it was to me when you reached 10 days old (now you were in "double digits" -- wow!) and now another month of growing and learning has flown by. 

You weigh 14 pounds, 1 ounce. You are 25 7/8 inches tall. You're still kind of tiny according to the charts they use at the doctor's office, but we think you're mighty.

This month's oh-so-big accomplishment has been sitting up. You started balancing on your own for a few seconds a couple of weeks ago, and made rapid improvements every day. I told your Dad that by your six month birthday you'd be sitting like a champ -- and lo and behold, you were! Now your "tummy time" rug doubles as your sitting rug. You're surrounded by a ring of couch pillows, and happily play with your toys and your puzzles. Your absolute favorite thing is when Clover the cat decides to rest within arm's reach, and you can grab onto his fur with all your strength. Clover's a pretty good sport.

As always, you are an alert little girl, with wide-open eyes and an inquisitive gaze. Your Daddy likes to take you for walks in the park, and he always says that you spot interesting things (like birds in the trees) from a mile away. Daddy takes you to visit the dogs at the dog run and you watch the big kids play on the playground, and sometimes you swing together. It's always a grand adventure.

You're not speaking in syllables quite yet, but you LOVE to sing. Your friends (the ones that are boys) are sometimes startled by your squeals. We have wonderful conversations together, and I am very much looking forward to hearing more of what you have to say about the world.

With Anson & Kelly and Nate & Holly.

Your ability to be social isn't limited to just your family. You have lots of friends -- of all ages -- that you love spending time with. We get to do a lot of things with a group of moms and kids that live in our neighborhood. Our Friday afternoon routine usually involves walking down to Highlands Square (a nice 3.5 mile round-trip for Momma) and spending time on the patio of the local coffee joint. Momma drinks chai (or sangria, depending on her mood) and you play with your toys, chat with your friends, nurse, and nap.

With Lexi, Isaac (4 years) and Madeline (1 year). Madeline gave you all of your
girl hand-me-down clothes.

The next generation of sangha kids! Satori & Sarada, Ashwin & Chandra, Jyoti & Bodhi, and Faith.

As we've gotten to know other children, I've noticed that they seem to grow stupendously fast between 6 and 12 months. A 6-month-old still seems like a baby, whereas a 12-month-old is toddling around like a miniature person. I know that you'll be doing a lot of important growing over the next few months, and I'm thrilled that I'll get to watch you learn new things each day. I know it's going to be a wild ride, and we'll do everything we can to have fun along the way. And then, at the end of each day I'll cuddle you to sleep, and you'll still be my darling baby -- no matter how big you grow.

Love,
Momma

For Momma

Mother,
During those early, dearest days
I did not dream that you had
A large life which included me,
For I had a life
Which was only you.
-- Maya Angelou

A Daddy Can Dream

Ela- right now you are sleeping on my lap-- stretched across the boppy. And earlier this morning I took this photo of you. And in between now and then I took you on our first father-daughter stroll through the park up the street. I didn't carry you in a wrap or in a stroller. I just carried-- you. I like it that way. Just you and me.

You were very happy to be out and about in the warm morning sun. You are very observant and love to soak it all in-- never off in some other place or passively passing by. Always seeing what can be seen, and it seems, wondering in amazement at what all these new things are that we encounter. We went down to the lake's shore and saw several Canadian geese. A couple of them seemed very respectfully interested in you-- thinking you were just a little harmless gosling under my wing.

That really is what you are-- a little one, under my wing. And I couldn't be more thrilled about that relationship we have. I know you will teach me plenty over the the years; you already have. But I'm so excited to take this journey together, helping you to figure out all the simple and complex things that life has to offer; introducing you to so many new things. It will be very interesting to see what you gravitate towards in terms of your interests, interactions, and what your developing personality brings to every situation.

I know what "sticks" to you-- those things you do gravitate towards with full enjoyment-- are very much up to you. I'm perfectly ok with that. I will tell you, though-- I am very excited at the possibility, the potential for, even if slight, a few of those interests are some that your daddy is already interested in himself. I'll be ok if you don't care much for any of them, because I'll still get the opportunity to share in the things you do love. However, one of those things I'm keeping my fingers crossed about is that you'll share in my love of-- who could have guessed it-- photography.

Photography means using that keen sense of observation you already have. It means going out and grabbing those things you see with your eye and mind, but bringing your own perspective to each thing and expressing it, uniquely, with your own interpretation of it. Your own interpretation as you look back at each photo you've created, but also being able to share those images with all the different viewers of your photos-- as they each bring their own interpretation to what you've created. I want to share that with you. The act of observing-- while a very individual thing, can also be with great comradere. New discoveries shared together. Exploring in this way-- this fine state of Colorado we live in, with all the beauty. And beyond Colorado, adventuring to other parts of the country and world. The sharing of our own interpretations of what we see through our lenses, those moments captured. And again, the sharing of our interpretations of each other's photos. Beyond that, I'd love to share in building our skills, learning the latest technologies, the latest trends, the always-important post-processing of the photos, to see them through to a finished product, the displaying of them, admiring other photographers' work, and on and on. I'd love to see your passion for it be big, like mine. That would be so much fun.

I will say one more time-- if photography doesn't do much for you, that's ok. I'll survive. We'll just go have a tea party together, or we'll just put on your favorite song again (that's music!?), or help you practice for your next big debate. But just know, I will have my camera with me anyway and I'll be capturing all of these special times of you growing from under my wing, to becoming the amazing and unique woman that I know you will become--with or without a camera in your hand.

...Oh, look-- you're grabbing on to my camera strap!! Oh, a daddy can dream!

Month Five

Dear Ela,

Our big news as a family this month was our trip to Hawaii. When your Uncle Matt first proposed the trip (way back before you were born) I thought it was a little crazy. Could we really bring a 4-month-old baby all the way to Hawaii? But it turned out that all of my worries were unfounded. You were an absolutely joy to travel with. Before we left on the trip I decided that I was going to let you eat absolutely whenever and wherever you needed to -- and you did. We slept with you in our bed at the condo, and were even able to put you down for naps in that lovely big bed.

Ready, set, go!

And boy... how cool is your cousin TJ?!? She's exactly 3 months older than you, and she can already crawl and pull herself up on the furniture. You loved watching her do all of her "big girl" things, and I could tell that you decided that you'd like to be able to keep up with her. 

Look what we found!

I wore you everywhere we went in Lahaina -- pretty much all day, every day. Everyone on the streets loved to look at you and smile, because you were so adorable in your front-pack...this sweet little baby with blue eyes peering out and taking in the world! 

We noticed a big difference in your "tummy time" once we got home from Hawaii. Spending all that time with TJ inspired you, and you were even stronger and more active than before! You also started teething, and we got you a pretty little amber necklace. You still drool like crazy, but you're really not all that fussy. Once when you first started teething you were feeling pretty lousy, so I strapped you into the Moby and turned on Pandora to a kid's station (another thing we learned about in Hawaii), and danced with you until you were able to relax and go to sleep.

You and your dad have such a special relationship. He spends one-on-one time with you every single day, and you have lots of favorite things to do together. Whenever Daddy is taking care of you, you never want to sleep anywhere except in his arms.

At your first Super Bowl party -- with Nate and Brenna.

We're making lots of new friends in our mom & baby groups. There are some wonderful families in this neighborhood, and I hope that that babies you play with now will be your companions as you grow up. We go to the New Mom Support Group at the Giggling Green Bean, music class, get-togethers at all of our various coffee shops, wine tastings at Mondo Vino, and strolls through the neighborhood with our friends.

A rare occurrence -- asleep in the carseat.

You've recently started using your always-improving motor skills to pet (and grab) at Lucy, Clover, and Artie. I think that Clover is your favorite. He will lie next to you on your playrug, and allow you to grab at his fur and whiskers. Lucy tolerates you (sometimes) and Artie generally prefers to stay away.

Sometimes when we get you out of bed in the morning, your dad and I marvel at how much you've grown during the night. You're strong, alert, and engaged in the world around you. Most importantly to us, you're happy. You smile most of the day, and you have the most wonderful laugh I've ever heard.

Love,

Momma

Hawaii Vacation

We had the wonderful fortune to go on a 9-day trip to Hawaii with my brother Matt, sister-in-law Valerie, niece Tyler, mother Anne, and my mom's partner John. This was the first time that Ela met TJ (and her aunt and uncle) and it was fantastic to watch the babies together.

We took walks on the beach almost every day, cooked fantastic food, ate in wonderful restaurants, and generally had a great time exploring the town of Lahaina on Maui's west coast. We did some boogie-boarding and snorkling.

Ela was an absolute joy on the trip, and a real champ when it came to flying. She nursed anywhere, everywhere, on demand throughout the trip. She had her first dip in a swimming pool (which was an especially new experience since we don't take baths) and spent a little time in the ocean. She loved watching her big cousin TJ crawl and climb around everywhere. We noticed a distinct improvement in Ela's "tummy time" activities once she got inspired by TJ. Ela spent a little time alone with her Grammy and Papa John, and even rolled over for her grandma.

Here is the first set of photos from the Hawaii trip:
http://www.briankraft.com/Blog/personal/fuji-x100-destination-maui-hawaii/

And here is the second (more family-centered) set:
http://www.briankraft.com/Blog/personal/fuji-x100-destination-maui-hawaii-part-ii/