Ellis at 8 Months

I figured I better right this post now since Ellis will be 9 months old in 3 days.  I usually do this post at the beginning of the month. I had planned on taking some more pictures of Ellis to go along with this post and I never got around to it so this post got pushed back too.So, without further ado here's what is going on with Ellis at 8 months.

• Stats: 13 lbs 12.5 oz, 25 inches, and 16.5 inches head circumference. After 1 week of nursing her every 2 to 3 hours and filling her up with solids, she had gained 8 ounces. Then, when we went to the GI doctor she was almost 15 lbs but that was with a wet diaper.
• Although she isn't crawling, she can sure make her way around the room. She rolls all over, turns herself around, and does this kinda sorta army crawl thing.
• You can tell she really wants to be mobile. She's working on getting on her hands and knees. Sometimes she lays on her belly and kicks her legs and arms in and out like that's going to magically pump her body across the room.
• Her teeth are getting very close to poking through her gums so she's chewing on everything.
• She still loves to jibber jabber and she loves to squeal.
• Parker really makes her laugh. It's so cute!
• When she gets mad, one of her veins in her head bulges out and her birth mark on the back of her head gets really red.
• She is still a mama's girl.
• She is a good eater. She loves carrots, sweet potatoes, apple sauce, mangos, and pears to name some.
• She loves to sit up and play and is working on transitioning from sitting up to laying on her belly. She can do it but it takes her a little bit of work to do it. She ends up with one leg straight out and one leg bent back. I think she looks like a cheerleader.
• She loves to sleep on her side. Sometimes she sleeps on her belly, but has her legs turned to the side so it's like half and half.
• She's becoming more social, but she's a little cautious to give a smile to someone other than family talking to her. Strangers can still send her to tears if they approach her in a way that she is not comfortable with.
• She's very good at independent play. She will have her moments though when she's in a clingy mood. Those are the days I get little done except at nap time.
• She's going to end up being a tough little girl. Parker will roll her around on the floor, try to pick her up, hug squish her, and give her kisses that seem almost inappropriate for brother and sister (I've been trying to explain to Parker that mommies and daddies kiss differently than others.)
• Ellis gives some good open mouth slobbery kisses. They are quite sweet but very wet.
• She continues to wedge herself deeper and deeper in our hearts. I don't know how she does it since I love her so much, but my love for her continues to grow and grow.

Please continue to pray that Ellis will continue to grow by leaps and bounds. So far, the doctors seem to think that the cause of her failure to thrive was lack of calories. We have an appointment with and endocrinologest (sp?) tomorrow since she has some cousins with a disorder of that nature. However, it would be almost impossible for her to have the same thing although I guess there's a possibility that there could be something related. I will also take her for her 9 month check up for them to monitor her growth. We are praying that she is growing and will soon catch up to what she needs to be.