looking back at baby elise part 5: a year in photos

Elise turned one a few days ago!!!  Here's my last looking back at baby elise post.  I'm feeling a little behind on things around here... birthday preparation is a lot of work!  Stay tuned for the highlights of Elise's special day sometime later this week.  :)

 newborn

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

 10 months

11 months

 

12 months

looking back at baby elise part 4: first toys

 

6 weeks old (skwish is hanging from a toy hanger)

When Elise was just a tiny babe, I remember waiting with eager anticipation for her to reach out and grab something - anything!  At 10 weeks, she was able to hold a little rattle that we would put in her hands.  I liked the way the rattle would jingle as she moved, but when she dropped it, there was no way for her to pick it up.  I felt like we weren't really setting her up for success, so I just kept watching and waiting...  

 

12 weeks old

Finally, at 12 weeks, Elise reached out and grabbed the skwish!  I was so excited!  The skwish was large enough that she could pick it up even while lying on her back, and it was light with lots of good places to grab - she could pick it up just by snagging the elastic with her little finger.  I liked that it wasn't made of plastic, and that it made an almost musical sound when moved.  Oh, and the best part - according to Elise?  All the little knobs on the ends were just right for sucking!

 15 weeks old

Although we had a good experience with the skwish, I've heard a few bad stories about it, too.  If your baby plays with a skwish, please check it frequently to make sure all the parts are secure!

 19 weeks old

Here are a few more of Elise's first favorite toys:

teether ball
discoverer's meadow fabric ball
arch toy hanger 
flower fairy dangling figure
puzzle ball
kringelring clutching toy
pingi clutching toy
crinkle book
silicone teether rings
wooden grasping beads
black-and-white rattle
sophie the giraffe

looking back at baby elise part 3: handmade baby

Elise turns one in a month!!!  Over the next few weeks, I'm going to celebrate by posting some of my favorite memories of her first months that I haven't shared on itty bitty love.  :)
  

A handful of items made from FREE patterns that Elise has used and loved...  

 

 monster pants

ravelry pattern: Das Monster by Hrönn Jónsdóttir

burp cloths

tutorial:  mama says sew

reversible flannel receiving blanket

tutorial: stay-at-home artist

braided balls

ravelry pattern: Gevlochten Bal/Braided Ball by Marleen Hartog

 super simple skirt with lining

tutorial:  Straight Grain

Happy crafting!

one year ago today...

One year ago today, Hubs and I did a little pregnancy photo shoot after work.  I felt like I was about to pop and completely certain that I was going to give birth at any moment.  Little did I know that I still had 23 more days to go - ha!  I'm getting another looking back at baby Elise post ready for Thursday, but I thought it would be fun to take a little look back at myself, too! 

looking back at baby elise part 2: montessori mobiles

Elise turns one in a month!!!  Over the next few weeks, I'm going to celebrate by posting some of my favorite memories of her first months that I haven't shared on itty bitty love.  :)

black and white circles mobile

Elise's age: birth to 5 weeks

Notes:  I used a paper punch to cut lots of circles out of black and white paper.  Then, I sewed the circles into long strands with my sewing machine, and tied them to a wire hoop that Hubs made.

   

This was one of Elise and my favorite mobiles because the slightest movement of air made the circles dance!

the munari mobile

Elise's age:  birth to 5 weeks

Notes:  I followed this tutorial.  I made the shapes from felt - which I would not recommend!  Although they looked nice, they were heavy, and this is a seriously tricky mobile to balance.  The sphere I chose was a glass ornament found on ebay.

Elise and Hubs sleeping under the Munari mobile on our first day home from the hospital - Elise is only two days old!  Oh, how I love these people!!!

the octahedron mobile

Elise's age:  5-8 weeks

Notes:  This mobile was the easiest of all the mobiles to make!  I followed this tutorial.  With my mom's help, we put it all together in less than 2 hours.  I found the metallic card stock in the scrap-booking section of Micheal's. 

 

the gobbi mobile

Elise's age:  8 weeks and beyond!

Notes:  I used these instructions.  My mom and I spent an entire day making this mobile.  We even dyed the wool ourselves with Kool-Aid!  We attached eye screws to the wool spheres (they easily twisted into the felt), and then tied the string to them.  I've since taken this mobile apart, and we've been using the balls in other activities!

Although it isn't a mobile, I wanted to include this beautiful black and white quilt my mom made Elise.  At first, we hung it over the edge of her bassinet - Elise is 3 days old in this photo.  Later, it became a perfect spot for tummy time!

If you're feeling very pregnant and full of nesting energy, I would highly recommend making any of these mobiles!  I was so glad I had a little selection for Elise's first months of life. 

looking back at baby elise part one: nature baby meets mr. universe

Elise turns one in a little more than a month!!!  Over the next few weeks, I'm going to celebrate by posting some of my favorite memories of her first months that I haven't shared on itty bitty love.  :)

 

When Elise was two weeks old, we took her on a hike to Pine Creek Falls.  At the time, she didn't like riding in wraps or slings, but we were desperate to get out and do something, so Hubs carried her, sleeping, in her car seat.  It's only a two mile hike, but it was hot and Hubs thought his arms were going to fall off.  (Not to mention, I had just given birth to a 9 lb 2 oz baby, and had spent the past several months before that eating A LOT of ice cream!)  Anyway, I was right in the middle of teasing Hubs about how buff his biceps were going to be, when who do we cross paths with?  The muscle man himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Random.  Judging by how sweaty and breathless he was, we figured The Arnold was pretty impressed that Hubs was hauling a baby in a car seat around the woods!

Well, nearly a year has gone by, and we made it back to Pine Creek Falls this past weekend.  No celebrity encounters, but Elise road in a backpack instead of a car seat, and she was awake the whole hike, soaking it all up.  When we got to the falls, she ate cheese and cucumbers, and WALKED all around picking up sticks and rocks.  I am completely in awe of how much she's changed in a year.  Human development is amazing right?  My sweet little babe is growing up so fast - sigh - but I am truly savoring every moment of this adventure!

Hasta la vista, baby!