Baby University - Nova Edition!

Nova has been busy this last month!  She's gone from largely immobile and stuck where I put her to fully mobile and ready to explore!  

...And she's pretty excited about it!

Here's an update on all of Nova's new skillz :-)  I'll do one on Addelyn next week (maybe), after she starts pre-school!

Eating

Nova has started eating daily meals, sometimes twice per day.  I've determined she can't have the normal baby cereals, so I made her some beef and carrot puree to get her some iron in her diet - something that is important after the 6th month, since their iron stores from birth are now about depleted.

Daddy's pretty excited she likes meat!  2 for 2!

One of our new favorite things for meal time is a mesh feeder with a soft fruit in it (peaches, bananas etc...)  Also known as a let-mommy-eat-breakfast-in-piece device.  We both think it is wonderful!


Sitting

Nova does a pretty good job sitting now.  She still falls a couple of times per day and as a result has a healthy respect for the floor and falling.  She's still working on getting to a sitting position from laying.  She can do it pretty well, but occasionally gets frustrated.  I don't think she has it quite mastered yet.

Sitting is cool!

Sitting is awesome!

Sitting is boring!  I want to be standing!

Crawling

Nova crawls almost full-time now!  She's about 70% crawling, 10% scooching, and 20% walking (with my assistance...most of the time).  She started scooching really well on August 14.  That next week she slowly started crawling more and more.  It started off she'd try to crawl then go to her belly after moving a hand and a leg forward.  Then she progressively got farther and farther until on the 21st she was crawling the whole way.  She still goes down to her belly if she has to go really far, though.

Standing/Walking

Nova can stand for a good 15-20 seconds without support (i.e. not even holding onto anything) now :-).  She can also pull herself to standing on pretty much anything, from pretty much any position.  This has proven to be a dangerous combination.  She regularly pulls herself to standing then just lets go and starts walking.  I've caught her every time she's done it, but her confidence is going to cause more than one bump/bruise, I think!

Look, Mom!  No hands!

Nova is getting better and better at walking!  When she's not too excited, she can get a good 5 or 6 controlled steps followed by a controlled stop.  Well on her way to meeting or exceeding Addelyn's record of not-quite 8.5 months :-)

Talking

We're still waiting for the coveted "Mama", though she's said "Ma" a couple of times when she is really upset.  She's started really trying to say "up" as well.  It's not too clear, but the intention is definitely there :-)

What a Comedian!

Nova is fine-tuning her sense of humor.  She frequently finds things HILARIOUS.  Some recent ones have been:  Addelyn, cucking corn, Addelyn, funny noises, Addelyn, loud noises, Addelyn, and Addelyn.

What We Do With our Days:

Eat, play, go for walks with sissy:

...And put things in my mouth:

Nom nom nom!

Seriously, though...this kid puts everything in her mouth!  It's pretty crazy.

Well, that's what Nova's been up to lately.  Next post will probably be celebrating her walking :-)

Nova Stats:

Age: 7 months

Weight: 18 lbs 6 oz

Length: 28ish inches

Drinks: no idea...she nurses about 8 or 9 times per day

Eats: once or twice per day...she is getting better at eating, but still isn't really into it.

Sleeps: 8:30pm-8am.  Most nights I feed her and put her down at 8:30, then feed her again when I go to bed, then she wakes up twice or three times before I'm ready to get up for the day.

Naps: usually 3 a day.  A short morning nap that she sometimes doesn't take, then a long 2-hour afternoon nap and a short evening nap.

Awake for: 2-4 hours at a time

Clothes size:  some 3-6 monts (onsies etc...) but mostly 6 and 6-9 months (sleepers...)

Motor skills: scooching, crawling, standing alone for 20 seconds, 5 or 6 controlled steps, pulling to standing sitting unassisted, walking in her walker very well, walking while holding onto hands, standing while holding onto something.

other skills:she babbles a lot :-)  definitely has stranger anxiety, and is very independent - can entertain herself for a while
words: Dada :-) up, "ma"

signs:  none yet for sure...I thought I saw her repeat 'ball' to me yesterday, but I'm not positive.  We're working on 'up', 'Mama', 'Dada', 'hi', 'Nova', 'Dance', 'ball', 'yay', 'Milk'