The Ellis Family: Olivia's Updates

Apparently, we have a good baby. I'm not just saying that. People tell us that all the time. She is Mommy's little tag-along. So where mommy goes, Olivia goes. When I go to lunch with the girls, Olivia goes. When I go to bunko, Olivia goes. Basically, if I do anything during the week, Olivia is in tow. And she is pretty good! She sits and plays with her toys, and once in a while lets out a scream to let us know she is still there. But mostly she sits there and looks cute and wins everyone over. Although, a recent trip to Pizza Inn (a Japanese type Cici's), left us with soda spilled all over the table. She has go go gadget arms. This was the first time anything like this happened to me. I sat my soda down on the table, turned around to get something, and noticed ice cubes coming out the bottom the high chair. I was thinking, "now, why is it doing that?" I look up to find a very frightened and chilled Olivia with an empty cup and soda all over the place. I didn't know what to do, or how to handle it. I'm sure I looked like a crazy mom, just standing there staring at her. I just couldn't believe she spilled it, and I didn't know how she reached it. Luckily, I snapped out of it quickly, and got her cleaned up. And the other experienced moms that were there helped too. And assured me it would happen again. This was after I had to dig bits of the receipt out of her mouth because she was sneaky and tried to eat it. Needless to say she is reaching and grabbing, just trying anything to get her hands on stuff. But when she isn't pouring soda all over, she is mostly quiet, apparently unusual for an 8 month old. When people comment on this, I assure them she isn't the same at home. She must get stir crazy and bored when we stay in all day, because she quite loud and demanding. I guess she must just like to sit back and take the world in when we go out.
On Tuesdays I go to a bible study class and I put Olivia in the nursery during my class. The girl that heads the nursery is the same girl that babysat Olivia during the Christmas Party (Theresa). And she swears Olivia is really good in the nursery. She says that the other helpers fight over who get to watch her since she is so easy. Also, she says the older kids (2-3 yrs) love Olivia and always tend to her. I am always shocked to hear this. I just picture Olivia screaming the whole time I leave her. But apparently she just sits there and smiles and waves her hands. Once in a while she throws in the "mean face" and wins everyone over. Get this: This week when I went to pick her up, Theresa said "Oh today we played Lets Pretend We Are Olivia, so the older kids would calm down and be quiet." What? So they played this game and the older kids just sat down and smiled with Olivia. I'll have to try to play this game at home some time!

Olivia's latest adventure is Alligator Steps. http://www.alligatorsteps.com/
It is a developmental play group program. Olivia is in the Inchers (6mo-12mo). We go each Monday for an hour. It is basically structured play time. There is a leader who tells us what to do and how it will help. Olivia loves it and just laughs the whole time. She is the youngest baby and the only one not crawling. But she sees the other babies crawling, and that has caught her attention. All week she has been trying really hard to crawl, and she is getting really close! She just can't keep her legs under her. I bet a couple more trips to Alligator Steps, and she'll be there! She isn't having these other babies doing something she can't. Here are some pictures of our crazy baby! You can see in some of the pictures her hair is growing and getting curly at the ends.

Brrr. It got cold here for a week, and we had to break out Grandma's jacket!