Ella Rae - 6 month newsletter

Dear Ella,

You're half a year old! I can't believe how big you've gotten and how much you've grown.

You got your first tooth last Friday. Hopefully that explains your fussy mood. Daddy and I have been wondering what's happened to our happy baby. You've also had a bad cold, but today you seem much happier.

Oh, that paci. You kind of like it. And if it falls out in the middle of the night you want it back. So, up I go to put it back. Just as I snuggle back in bed and start to doze off, you lose that paci. Something's going to happen to that paci. I'm just not brave enough yet to do anything about it. But soon.

You've been rolling for about a month now and can sit up by yourself for a few seconds at a time. I guess because of your new perspectives you don't like to lay on your back on your play mat anymore. You like to be held sitting up where you can look around and see. Well, that's fine, but I've got stuff to do! :)

I got smart and put you right in the middle of the living room in an old car seat. That way, you can look around all you want without being held. You really like to sit up. You like to sit in the kitchen this way and watch me cook and clean. It's nice to have the company too!

Sometimes you don't know what to think of Riley. If she is dancing and twirling around it's hard for you to focus on her. Today, she was coloring next to you and you really loved that. You also like to spend time in her room laying on her bed. She loves to entertain you for a few minutes while a make your bottle or something like that.

You were pretty sick a few weeks ago. I stayed home with you one day, not because of anything other than I knew you didn't feel right. You were so fussy and that morning I hadn't been able to get dressed or your ready. It was time to go to school and you hadn't even had anything to eat. You were very fussy. So we stayed home and you slept quite a bit and fussed some. After lunch you seemed better. So the next day I sent you to school. At around lunch I got a call saying something was coming out of your ear. I was expecting a bunch of ear wax. Your Daddy was able to go get you and I went ahead and made an appointment for the next day to have you checked out. I couldn't wait to get home and check out your ear! I don't think anyone could have prepared me for what it was. I've never seen so much PUSS coming from someone's ear! It was really bad. Your doctor said you had had a bad ear infection, unbeknownst to us, and it had ruptured your ear drum.You never ran any fever or pulled at your ear, so we had no idea you had an ear infection. After one dose of antibiotics the puss stopped and you felt much better.

Ella, you are the sweetest, cutest, most precious little thing. We love you so, so much.

Love, Mama

School Girl

Dear Riley,

Because I work at Bullard, you were able to start pre-K this year. You'll have to go to pre-k for two years, but that's ok. All the more to learn!

You really love your teacher, Mrs. Sanders. You've met so many new friends, too. Your favorite friends are Mollie, Brooklyn and Jonah.

When I drop you off in the mornings, the two principals are waiting to help all the kids get out of the cars. Without fail, you began talking about the most random things to the principals. "My pants are a little too small." They weren't too small, they were capris pants! "Today we're in the truck. It's my dad's truck." "My tummy hurts." I almost croaked when you said that! Or something to the effect of, "That's my little sister. She's just little and goes to her own school."

You've learned so much and the year is just half-way finished. You sing new songs just about every week. If it's set to a song, you can learn it so quickly! You've learned the months of the year, days of the week, plus countless other little jingles. I really surprised you the other day when I sang along to a new song you'd just learned. You couldn't believe that I knew that song, too!

Nap time at school is an ordeal. You're just not a napper and laying still and quiet isn't really in your nature. You've had two notes sent home this year about how you are disruptive during nap time. You were in a lot of trouble for it this last time, and it really had an impact on you. You told me from now on you want to lay quiet and still and not get in trouble. I asked you if it felt good to do the right thing and you said it did. We'll see!

Yesterday you asked me if I missed you while you were at school. I told you of course I did! Some days I am so busy I don't have time to look up. Other days when I'm not so busy I do wonder what you're doing. I hope you're being a good friend, learning all you can, and missing me, too!

You've got so much to learn and you really enjoy it. I hope you never lose this love of learning!

Love you sweet baby,

Mama