~ You have become even more loving and snuggly this month. You just love to be held by Mommy or Daddy and lay your little head down on our chest or shoulder. You have even started to pat us on the back when you give hugs!
~ We celebrated your first Christmas this year and it was so much fun. You absolutely loved all the lights, music, trees, and ornaments all season long. You also really enjoyed the wrapping paper and boxes on Christmas morning! 

~ Your big Christmas present this year from Mommy and Daddy was your very first baby doll and you are quite taken with her. As I already mentioned, you are such an affectionate baby and love to “give loves” to your own baby!

~ You are “talking” all the time now. Your official words are mama, dada, nana (banana), nah nah (night night), and ooh ooh ooh (the doggie sound). You have started experimenting with other consonant sounds too, though, and your daddy is pretty convinced that you said “cat” the other day when Tig (the neighbor’s cat) was on our front porch.

~
Your hair is finally starting to grow a bit more this month. It is
quite blonde and reminds me exactly of Anna Kate’s hair at this age. I
even gave you your first ponytail the other day!
~ You had your first pretty decent sickness this month. You woke up one night with a 102+ temperature. Flu has been traveling like wildfire around here, so I thought I had better take you in the next morning. You tested negative, but the doctor treated you for flu anyway. However, you really didn’t get much better, and in fact, you were starting to feel a bit worse a few days later. So, I took you back and your O2 levels were pretty low (92). They almost admitted you to the hospital on the spot, but we were able to get your oxygen up with an in-office breathing treatment. The doctor that day said that she was pretty sure it was bronchitis and gave you an antibiotic and made a recheck appointment for the next day. We came back and the third doctor examined you and said it was probably bronchiolitis associated with RSV. Great. 3 different diagnoses at 3 different visits. In any case, you are all well now and handled it like a champ!

~ As for your sleeping these days…it’s been a rough month! With all the traveling we’ve done, along with your little illness, you’ve really only been sleeping in your swing, or with Mommy and Daddy. However, since we came back from our Christmas travels a few days ago, you’re back to sleeping in your own bed and only waking up once to nurse! Hallelujah! You are pretty cute when you sleep in your swing though…you suck your right thumb and play with your ear with your other hand (just like your mommy used to do).

~ It seems like you have grown exponentially this month. You were 20 lbs. 8 oz. at your last doctor visit a couple weeks ago! I’m sure the fact that you still like to nurse every couple hours all day long has something to do with that.
~ You certainly like to eat and we haven’t found any foods you will refuse. You eat a lot of the same foods we’re eating as long as I make sure that they’re cut up small and cooked pretty soft. You have also started to use your own spoon. It’s a bit messy, but you have fun with it!
~ We still have all of our nicknames for you – Ellie, Ellie Gracious, Elle Belle, The Nor, Norsky (or Norksy if you’re Caroline) – but we’ve also added Ellie Pie this month. Not sure where it came from, but it seems like it’s here to stay!

Eleanor, you are the greatest. God certainly was smiling when he created you and gave you to us eleven months ago. We are so grateful for the gift that you are and love watching you grow.

And now for your pictures!