E A T
This was a big month for Holland as we introduced solid food! She was ecstatic - she's been anxiously watching us and wanting in on the excitement. We started with wheat cereal and I'm pretty sure she only ate about 3% of it - the rest came right back out. She's gotten much better with it - after milk for six months there was an adjustment period. I also made butternut squash this month and she liked it as well.
Aaaand that's it. I'm so embarrassed to admit she's only had these two so far. Sweet potatoes are next on the list and then I may give fruit a try. A lot of it is just due to (lack of) timing and the ease of breastfeeding. It's quick, easy, and there's zero clean-up. I have to remind myself that regardless of ease for me, I need to step up my game and get this girl eating more solids.
That being said, breastfeeding is still going really well! I went to Charleston for several days this month so I pumped two weeks beforehand and she did great with bottles while I was gone. I was curious if she'd take thawed milk but Michael said she didn't have any issues! Whew!
No teeth yet but it's obvious they're close. So much drool and she chews on everything in site.
P L A Y
Holland is definitely the epitome of a third child. She wants to be involved in all of the action and is quite the crawler these days! It's still an army crawl but she is SO fast and I've lost her multiple times in our home after leaving her in one room and coming back a minute later to no Holland. Her arms are so strong and she seems to love the challenge of keeping up with her siblings.
Her favorite toys are phone chargers and dirty shoes. Awesome. I can line up five baby appropriate toys and she heads straight for danger. It's harder this time around because (with the twins) we were able to fully baby proof the house. That's a wee bit impossible when you have two older kids also living at home. Lots of redirection happening around here.
On her 7-month birthday she sat up from a crawl for the first time. It was so cute to watch her figure it out - she was so surprised when she realized she'd sat up on her own. She still loves to stand up on our legs, whether it's facing us or looking out at everyone else.
She's more consistent with waving back when you wave to her and her hand-eye coordination is impressive. We were at Mimi & Papa's house and Jude was playing with battery-operated cars on a track. They move incredibly fast and each time one would zoom by she'd scoop it up with her hand and then hang onto it.
She also celebrated Halloween this year by dressing up as Hei Hei from the movie Moana. It consisted of us dressing her up, taking cute pictures with her siblings, and then leaving her home with Gaga & Poppy while the rest of us trick or treated (it was really cold that night)! She'll come with us next year for sure!
S L E E P
Sleep is ridiculous. There isn't much consistency - sometimes (rarely) she sleeps through the night but more often than not she wakes up once or twice. I believe I've said, "We're going to try CIO this weekend" about six times and have yet to commit. It's especially hard when she sleeps next door to Jude & Sloane. CIO means she'll most likely wake up the twins who need to go to school in the morning (and get a good night's sleep). We'll get there.
Holland typically takes two naps a day - one around 9:30a and the other around 1p. She will occasionally take a third nap in the early evening - it all depends on the length of the previous two and her overall demeanor. She easily falls asleep in the car, which can be pretty miserable for the rest of us because that means her naps can be as short as 15 minutes. Yuck.
Bedtime is 7:30p and I do Holland's bedtime routine while Michael is reading to the big kids. My hope is to move her bedtime to 7p but with Michael getting home late most days I hate for him to miss out on time with her in the evenings.
Dear Holland,
What a fun month it has been with you! You continue to meet all milestones with ease and are ahead of the game with most. I'm equal parts proud and devastated because I realize how fast the baby days are flying. Not to mention you are quite large for your age so you're already looking more like a toddler and less like a baby. Stop it! Stop it right now!
You are so sweet, Holland! You are such a joy to be around and your huge grin is contagious. You don't care to be left alone and now that you're on the move you really don't love sitting still. Leisurely brunches are a thing of the past as you have no desire to sit still for a meal.
You're finishing up a box of size 3 diapers and then we'll move to 4. You still fit into 6-12 month clothing but I'm now only buying 12-18 because you fit in those as well. You wear size 70 or 75 in your Hanna pajamas and size 2 shoes!
Your hair hasn't grown much in the last month - it's still hard to tell if it's going to stay dark. Your eyes are a gorgeous blue and your skin has lightened considerably. I've also noticed a few eczema patches but nothing (yet) like Sloane. We're watching it closely so we can make sure you stay comfortable!
Everyone says you look like your daddy, who just so happens to be your favorite person in the world. It's hard not to be jealous but it's so much fun to see your face light up when he walks into the room. Apparently feeding you multiple times a day (and night)... basically keeping you alive... is not what wins you over - hurumph.
Holland Claire, I'm still searching for the perfect nickname for you. Right now I call you the most ridiculous things (seriously - RIDICULOUS) and in the highest pitch voice because I can't even help myself. I've even called you certain names and then stopped mid-sentence because it doesn't even make sense. Your mom is very tired.
You have been the best addition to our little family. Jude & Sloane adore you just as much as we do. I have mixed feelings about you growing up so fast but I truly can't wait to see what you'll do next. You are so loved, sweet girl!
Love - Mama
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