Baby Grace Elizabeth

[MissJuly10]

Aww sounds like she's doing fab and you and OH are fabby parents.

Hope you had an amazing first Mother's Day hun, cannot believe she's 5 months old already. x x

 

[Bella2]

ahh thankyou Miss July hope you are well. I know scary how quickly time flies! xx

 

[Bella2]

Took Grace to be weighed today, she's now 15lb 2oz! Told the health visitor I had started her on babyrice, she said "what made you start early?" which made me feel a bit like I was doing something wrong but she's only a week away from 24 weeks. I said I'd basically started because she was waking again in the night after having previously slept through. She was fine about it just said to keep her on the babyrice until 24 weeks and then start her on the veg purees. We walked to the children's centre as it was such a lovely sunny day, I've bought a pink parasol for the pushchair so we got to test it out today

OH is on nights this week so was able to give Grace her babyrice for lunch today, she was all smiles having daddy feed her Also set up her highchair, she's still a little bit small for it so may keep feeding her in her bouncy chair for a couple more weeks until she's used to it. Tomorrow we have baby massage, it was last weds night she was really unsettled after not enough sleep so plan on coming straight home after tomorrow so she can have a nice long nap

Here she is in her highchair having a "practice" with her spoon....

 

[MissJuly10]

I'm ok thank you, just awaiting follow up appointment to discuss all our results so hopefully we'll know what's happening soon.

Lovely pics, she's got beautiful eyes! x

 

[Bella2]

Grace has been a bit irritable the past few days, she's getting frustrated as she wants to be doing more than she is capable of! Keeps rolling onto her tummy then reaching her arms out in "crawl like" motions then grizzles when she doesn't get anywhere Been quite a challange as I feel I'm constantly having to keep her entertained or change her position. She's most happiest in her door bouncer but I only leave her in there for a maximum of 20mins once or twice a day. If I have her on my lap she'll sit for a little while then want to get down, I think things will become a little easier once she can sit up unsupported as she will have a lot more freedom to play. That said she is now finally big enough for her sit in activity station, tried her in it this afternoon and she really loved it.

Today I went to a nearly new sale which was run by the NCT, picked up a few more toys for Grace to keep at mum's and my friend Emma's who will be looking after Grace when I go back to work. Got some lovely things. She's really enjoying her babyrice, today she was grabbing for the spoon trying to put it into her mouth before she'd even finished the current mouthful! Hopefully going to start on the veg purees sometime next week but going to play it by ear as she's not been pooing as regular and they have been a bit green (health visitor said could be a sign of digestion issues) so don't want to push things until she's really ready.

 

[Bella2]

BACK TO WORK!

Well first off I started back at work today! Thought I'd use my teabreak to update my journal! Had been feeling quite anxious about it, particulary because Grace has still been very unsettled but my friend who is having her text me a lovely picture of her this morning having her bottle. When I rang at lunchtime she said she was having a sleep but had been really good, think it helps that her children are on half term this week so she's had lots to keep her amused! Think it will definately do both her and me some good as I have been finding things quite hard the past week or two.

Has still been off her bottles still only taking 3 or 4 ounces a time so changed her over to size 3 teats which seems to be helping. Took her to be weighed yesterday, she's 15lb 4.5 ounces so has only gained 2 ounces since last time. Explained to the health visitors about her unsettled behaviour and got a bit upset with it all but they were lovely and assured me it's just a phase she's going through. Thought they could feel some teeth on the way too. Taking her to the doctors tomorrow as her poo is still dark green, also had to give her lactulose yest as she hadn't been for nearly 2 days. Have stopped the babyrice until I see what the doc says.

Off to Liverpool tomorrow night to spend Easter weekend with OH's family so looking forward to the break. Going to leave at 6pm which is Grace's bedtime so hopefully she will go off in the car. On top of all that have put our house on the market! Love our home but with 2 bedrooms and only one main reception room we are running out of space, especially with all Grace's things. Had our first people come to view it last night which was promising as only went on the market day before. We're not in any rush though, want to take our time finding the right home.

 

[Bella2]

EASTER IN LIVERPOOL...

Well Grace got on well while I was at work last Wednesday, my friend had actually bought a lovely notebook and written in it what they'd been doing which was a nice suprise. Had a lovely Easter weekend at MILs, spent lots of time relaxing and Grace seemed more chilled, sure she must have picked up on the fact that we were more relaxed and she seemed happier as a result. Went to Lytham St Annes one day and took her swimming on Easter Sunday but apart from that had lots of quality family time. OH enjoyed having time to spend playing with her and MIL got up with a few mornings so we could have a lie-in - bliss! Grace found a new love for TV! Sat on her Grandad's lap and watched Shrek!! Never really have the TV on at home in the daytime but she seemed fascinated by the different colours. She got really spoilt with easter presents, had some beautiful dressees bought for her and a lovely disney princess cutlery set to use when she's a bit older.

Took her to the docs before we went up there, he said that the green poo was fine so long as she wasn't in any pain and that starting her on veg would probably help her go a bit more frequent so we tried her on some carrot which she loved! Yesterday she had broccoli, was a bit unsure at first but then enjoyed it so I made a batch of different purees up and froze them. Going to try her on sweet potato tomorrow.

Poor baby has caught ANOTHER cold I have lost count of how many she's had. Apparently one of the babies we met up with last week had had one, and I didn't realise till it was too late. This one seems the worst yet though, her nose is streaming constantly and she has lots of phlegm giving her a chesty cough. Mum & Dad have her today while I'm at work, felt so awful leaving her this morn. Am sure she will get plenty of cuddles from her nanna & Grandad though

 

[Bella2]

HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY!

Happy 6th month birthday to my gorgeous baby girl! Where has the time gone? Can't believe Grace is half a year old already. Really feel like we've turned a corner in the past week or so, Grace seems much more happy and less frustrated/impatient. She can now just about sit up unsupported which has opened new doors in terms of her being able to play more freely. I just surround her with cushions and put lots of toys in front of her and she will happily play. Her cough and cold are still bad, although she is sleeping okay and having plenty of naps during the day. Feel as though I'm catching it now!!

Has not fancied her solids for the past couple of days, refused carrot and broccoli on friday and yesterday tried banana but she wasn't really interested. Think perhaps it's bacuase she can't really breathe and is under the weather. Going to try a little sweet potato today as she loved that last week.

Grace got on well at mum & dad's despite being unwell, mum just gave her plenty of naps and she had her formula little and often. Think they really enjoyed having her. She's getting taller, I had noticed her growing out of her babygrows so we're now having to go onto 6-9months size. Clothing wise she still has a few 3-6 that fit so we're at an akward stage really. Also when I compared her to my friend's little boy Oscar who's only 12 days younger there was quite a big difference in height! She's looking less chubby as a result as her legs and body are longer lol.

Here's a couple of cute pictures of her enjoying her first taste of carrot and sitting up all by herself

 

[Bella2]

HAPPY BABY!

Grace really is night and day from how she was a few weeks ago. She's been so happy and is enjoying being able to sit and play with her toys. She loves watching people, when we go food shopping she loves having a good nose around. She also takes a lot more notice of the cat now and will reach out to try and stroke her which is really sweet. Am feeling more settled going to work now, I miss Grace like crazy though, there's no way I could ever work full time! It makes me apprciate her even more and I look forward to coming her to see her. Takes a fair bit of organisation to get to work on time so I try to pack up the car and lay out outfits for me & Grace the night before.

Took her to be weighed Tuesday, she was 15lb 7oz. The health visitor commented on how tall she was! She certainly doesn't take after me!! She still hadn't been keen on solids this past week but today I realised it was a case of me feeding her when she wasn't hungry!! I had been feeding her inbetween bottles so today I gave her her solid food halfway through her mid-morning bottle and she wolfed it down! As of yesterday we started her on breakfast too, just babyrice to start with. So at the moment she has a bottle & babyrice at 7am, bottle & solid lunch at 11am, bottle at 3pm, bottle at 6pm (before bed) then a dreamfeed at 10:30pm. Will then go through till 7am the next morning. She's still on 5-6ounces of formula although tomorrow am switching to aptimal follow-on milk as she's now 6 months.

Grace has been very spoilt lately, OH's nanna went on a spree in Sainsbury's and bought her some gorgeous clothes in 6-9months & 9-12months so we're slowly filling up her wardrobe again. Have had to pack away more clothes she's grown out of so it was looking a little empty! Can't wait to see her in her little summer dresses and romper suits Come on sunshine!

 

[Piglet's Mama]

She's so so beautiful, can't believe she is 6 months old! x

 

[Bella2]

FIRST HAIRCUT & A TOOTH!

Had to write a journal entry today as Grace has reached 2 exciting milestones! Firstly this morning she grabbed my hand and put my finger in her mouth (she puts everything she can get her hands on her mouth at the mo!) and I could feel the top of a teeny tooth! It's on the bottom and just the tip of it has cut through the gum. Explains why she has been so ultra dribbly and sucking her thumb like mad recently, also had a little red cheek.

Secondly this afternoon she had her first haircut!! My mum's hairdresser is mobile so we went round mums, Grace sat on my lap and had a proper gown put round her so sweet! She didn't take much off as we do want to grow her hair but her fringe was in her eyes and she also still had a random long bit on top which remained after she lost a lot of hair when she was 2 months old so she evened it up. Have kept her first lock of hair to go in her baby book. She looks so cute, it's starting to grow over her ears but we've kept that bit long and will just tuck it behind her ears until it's a bit longer.

I was at work yesterday and she was a really good girl for her nanna & grandad, despite the fact it's been raining non-stop so she was indoors all day. She had a whale of a time playing with her toys and being lavished with attention from nanna & grandad. I missed her sooo much, I raced home from work so I could have lots of cuddles before bed

Grace has just started showing more of an interest in books, I've always read to her but in the past she didn't have a very long concentration span. I would read her a story when lying in her cot and she would often fall straight to sleep! So the past couple of nights after her bedtime bottle I've sat her on my lap in the nursery and read to her, she likes to get hold of the pages (they're board books) and flap them back and forth! She also pats the book and will look at the colours, and then turn her head round to me as if she's listening to what I'm saying! Sooo sweet! Me & OH both love reading so I'm quite keen to get her interested too.

Well that's all for today, taking her swimming tommorow, our local pool has finally re-opened so looking forward to that

 

[MissJuly10]

Awww cannot believe how quickly she's growing!

x x

 

[Bella2]

I know it's scary! She's got so tall, cleary doesn't take after me (i'm 5ft!!) x x

 

[Bella2]

Gosh is my little pickle really 6 months and 3 weeks old? I keep thinking of her as only just 6 months, this month is flying by! Has been suffering a bit the past couple of days with her teeth, been waking very early, not crying as such but fidgety/unsettled. Will also struggle at times to go off for naps during the day because of the pain. Calpol helps but is a bugger to administer! Ends up with most of it down her bib Mostly use teething powder & dentinox.

Still doing well on solids, we're working our way through a full list of fruit & veg, yesterday she tried peach for the first time. Going to give it another week or 2 then introduce meat & fish. Am losely following the cow & gate book but also have Annabel Karmel's which will come in useful for receipes later on. Had a great time swimming last week, bought a rubber ring with a seat inside so in the shallows she can touch the bottom and wade along on her own! She loves it. Aiming to take her once a fortnight.

Off on holiday to Devon a week today, shame this weather has been so nasty but will still be a nice break. Grace's first proper holiday how exciting! That said my packing list is massive!! Bought an inflatable bath to take as the cottage only has a shower, and borrowing a travel cot off a friend. Going to take jars of food for the journey then will make up purees whilst we're there. Going in convoy with OH's brother & gf so will make stops on the way with them (have a 6 hour drive!).

Have a busy weekend ahead, my brother is down from Nottingham, will be the first time he has seen his niece since Christmas! OH's mum also down so Grace will have plenty of fuss made of her!

 

[MissJuly10]

Aw, have a fantastic time in Devon, hope the sun comes out while you're there. x x

 

[Bella2]

Aw, have a fantastic time in Devon, hope the sun comes out while you're there. x x

Thank you lets hope so! So sick of all this rain! x x

 

[Bella2]

Grace's uncle Jamie was so pleased to see her at the weekend! He couldn't believe how much she'd grown since christmas. Had a lovely weekend with him and mum & dad, also with OH's mum & partner. They brought her a load of plastic balls so we made her a makeshift ball pit using cushions and she sat in there ages playing. Since the weekend she's started making these noises which sound a lot clearer than noises she has previously made as if she's attempting to form a word. All she says though is "bababa bababa" OH keeps saying "dad dad" to her and I keep saying "ma ma" lol it's a competition to see which she says first!

Got quite a bit of Grace's things packed yesterday, she has a huge suitcase! Have packed dresses with a choice of tights, socks and cardis so they will be adaptable according to the weather. Hoping to leave around 9am so will get to the cottage in time to get her bed and everything set up. OH's dad has booked us a meal in the pub next door for that first night, will be the first time Grace has been out in the evening since she was really small so hoping she will sleep in her pushchair. Thought I could dress her in a babygro and her sleeping bag so can transfer her straight to bed when we get back.

Grace was off her food yesterday - her teeth were really sore - hoping she eats more today. That said I'm at work and forgot to take her solid food to mum & dad's - feel such a bad mother! Dad is going to pop to the shop and get a jar for her.

 

[MissJuly10]

Ah how exciting to see which she'll say first!

x x

 

[Bella2]

Back from hols and we had such a lovely time! The place we stayed at was gorgeous, oldie woldie cottage with beautiful views over an estury. Only downside was OH and I had to have the room with bunk beds as was the only bedroom big enough for the cot too! Was quite fun though Were very lucky with the weather, only one day of rain all week so made the most of it, and Grace experienced many firsts! Spent a day on the beach, another day we went on a boat and then a steam train and took her crabbing off the jetty near the cottage. Was OH's dad's girlfriends birthday one day and he hired a boat which took us down the river and served up a lovely ploughman's lunch. Grace got dressed up in her little party dress!

Ended up using jars of food most of the week but poor baby ended up not being able to go the loo so well so today I have fed her plenty of fresh veg and seems to be doing the trick already That said I did try her on strawberries and blueberries for breakfast a couple of mornings whilst away which she loved. Her bottom teeth are almost fully through now, she looks so cute!

Here she is in her party frock...

 

[MissJuly10]

Aww she looks gorgeous, love her dress! Glad you had a good time, sounds like you all had a blast.

x x