Brenna is 9 Months Old!

Brenna turned 9 months old today!

Although no new teeth have emerged over the past month, this girl is on the move.  Brenna prefers to stand rather than sit and can stand without being held up both holding onto the couch or her play table, and just today, without holding onto anything for about 5 seconds.  She can also roll back and forth from her back to her tummy in both directions.  In just the past few days, she confidently crawls onto her tummy from sitting and can spin on her tummy to reach things around her.  Also just a couple days ago, she can walk holding on to both of our hands.  It won't be long until we have a walker!  

You know, I haven't talked about naps in many months, may be because there's not much to say, but Brenna takes 2 naps a day for about 20-40 minutes each.  Brenna's bedtime is about 7:30pm but she still wakes at least a couple times a night, usually 11:00pm - it's amazing how she wakes up just about the same time EVERY night - and probably a couple more times during the night. She wakes between 7:00-7:30am, but at least it's not earlier than that!  

She's also enjoying eating real food, her favorite being pizza - but before you gasp at a baby eating pizza, it's nothing more than a pizza crust with a bit of tomato sauce and a scattering of shredded mozzarella cheese.  She also loves most fruit, especially pears - you'll never see a pear disappear so fast! Grapes cut into fourths are another favorite.  Her pincer grip (thumb and index finger) is also improving, and she loves using it every morning on her Cheerios.  

Brenna waves her arms A LOT to communicate, sometimes it means she's excited, other times, it means she is frustrated and wants my attention.  If she's in her highchair and waves her arms, it means she wants out and wants nursed instead of real food.

Such a cutie.

(I wish this picture was better focused.)

Ellen at Rhythm Time

Ellen has participated in Rhythm Time weekly since she was 5 months old. Brenna began this term, too, and loves it. Ellen is now in the highest level, the preschool level, and is learning the basics about music for the first time.

In Ellen's class, the children are asked to conduct in front of the class to increase confidence, not necessarily to make them wave the baton to the beat of the music. Ellen didn't volunteer to conduct until a few weeks ago, and now every time the children are asked who wants to come to the front of the class, she jumps up for her turn.  I love to see the look on her face while she conducts... the tongue helps, too!

The past few classes the children have gone to the front to sing a verse of "Old McDonald" according to the puppet they've picked out.  Ellen has a sheep puppet on her hand this time.  Frank, the teacher, is impressed with the clarity of the words when she sings and how on key she is.  I'm very impressed, too!

Thankgiving

Happy Thanksgiving.  We have so much to be thankful for: our beautiful daughters, our loving family, our house, our jobs, food on the table three times a day, and our salvation, just to list a few.  We celebrated Thanksgiving with dinner yesterday evening.  Jeff's former colleague and friend, Gareth Morgan-Jones, came from London to visit overnight, too.

I made a pretty basic, albeit delicious, dinner: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and of course, a pumpkin pie, the 6th of the season!

 Ellen created this Thanksgiving turkey with Carol this week.

Gareth came bearing gifts - the fanciest gingerbread men our girls will ever eat - from Harrods!  He gave Jeff and me a cheese and cracker gift box also from Harrods - looking forward to enjoying it!

Brenna is 8 Months Old!

Brenna is 8 months old! Our happy baby girl has had many surprises for us the past month.  A few weeks ago she rolled from her tummy to her back for the first time, but surprised us a week later by rolling back and forth from her tummy to her back and back to her tummy.  We were absolutely delighted!  Brenna has also started to clap, bringing her left hand to her right.  What's more is when I say "Clap, clap!"; to her, she understands and will clap!  In addition, she will look at Jeff when I say, "Where's Da Da?"  So she understands at least two words for sure: Da Da and clap.  Her own language skills have also developed to saying "da da" among other consonant sounds.  She also loves to blow bubbles and squeal.  At mealtimes, she's able to pick up smaller pieces now, even Cheerios, but not quite yet with her pincer grip.  No new teeth yet, but there has been lots of drooling and chewing going on.  

More pictures of our gorgeous girly

 

Love this picture!

Clapping!

Brenna surprised us this evening by grabbing her Tommee Tippee cup and taking a drink all by herself!

Halloween

Happy Halloween!  

Our Halloween, and the week leading up to today, has been quite low-key, but we've done a few things to "celebrate" here and there.

On Tuesday, our Mum's group together for a little "party". Ellen dressed up as a Halloween Princess (she was convinced of it, at least.)  

Brenna was a Halloween Kitty.

 The Girls together. (Getting a picture of them together was a very frustrating experience. This was the best I got.)

 The Kiddies enjoying their snacks. From left: Elli, Eva, Miss E and Luke

 

On Wednesday, Ellen created this Trick or Treat bag at a craft session at the community centre.

 

To begin a family Halloween tradition, I made pumpkin chili and cornbread.

 Brenna enjoyed her chili and cornbread.

Ellen helped to hand out candy to the Trick or Treaters.  She thought it would be fun to dress up and go around the neighborhood asking for candy.  We told her that she'd be big enough next year togo trick or treating next year.

Brenna is 7 Months Old

Our gorgeous Brenna is 7 months old today!  Since last month she is able to sit-up unsupported and two little, very sharp teeth have appeared.  Our happy baby loves to laugh, babble and make a loud inhaling noise.  Even though Ellen says Brenna is a "tiny little baby" while drawing a circle with her finger on her hand, Brenna is growing beautifully and her upper body strength is improving.  She still loves to try food and is amazingly successful chewing her finger foods.  Brenna and Ellen love giving each other kissies and huggies and continue to grow closer together.

Our beautiful, intelligent, lovely Ellen amazes us every day... despite the "terrible twos"...

 

 

Brenna is 6 Months Old!

Brenna is 6 months old today!  I feel we've reached an important milestone; it should get somewhat easier and more fun from here...right?  Most of the past month has been spent with our family in Ohio.  Brenna loved meeting her extended family for the first time (besides Gramma and Palon). Brenna has rolled over from her back to tummy for the first time and has begun to wean. We're still waiting on that painful first tooth to make an appearance - I sure hope it does this month!  While in Ohio, Brenna also got her first ear infection and a viral tummy infection - both we're still battling.  The tummy infection is actually bothering her more with sudden, long-lasting cramping pains, around the clock.  On a positive note, I'm starting to see Brenna and Ellen's sisterly affection take place. Ellen is becoming increasingly affectionate and attentive to Brenna... it's just lovely and heartwarming to watch.

Brenna watching her big sister trying to make her laugh

"Baby Ellen" - she looks like such a big girl in this picture!

I started to give Brenna tastes of real food over the past month, but today she sat in her highchair for the first time. She loves tasting food and will even grab the food or my hand when she's sitting on my lap.

Before I started filming Brenna on our bed this morning, she was so cute playing with her lamb... too bad it didn't last for long once the camera was rolling.