6 months old and her first holiday

Araminta is now 6 months old. She can sit unsupported for a little while, though we can’t walk off and leave her as she still tends to topple over when she’s done.

Over the Easter weekend we took Araminta on her first holiday. We went to Citrusdal and stayed in a guest house. Citrusdal is about two hours away and Araminta travelled really well! She was quiet for the most part, when she got bored we got a toy out for her and after about an hour and a half she started talking in a bit of a grumpy voice because she was thirsty, but no crying or anything like that, and once we found a place to feed and change she was quite happy to keep going.

The sun was coming in the front of the car so Jeff rigged this up to keep the sun off.

After a while, the temptation became too much for her.

She even managed a sleep on the very bumpy gravel roads.

Once there, we had a nice relaxing weekend. It was very hot so we didn’t do much. Jeff did manage to see some new birds, but mostly we just hung out.

Played with our toys,

and helped Daddy braai.

When we got home, she put her new-found mobility to good use and ‘read’ Jeff’s Time magazine.

Five months and three weeks

Time for the weekly update for Araminta.

I know nothing she’s wearing matches – at the start of the day it did, but pants and tops had to be changed *sigh* I do think that she looks very cute in the hat I made her. The main reason for taking this picture was to show Aunty Kerin that Araminta was playing with the toy she sent. She’s starting to play with this little bear blanket a lot now.

Araminta’s almost able to sit up by herself, and if there is something for support she’s fine for quite a while.

Here she is in her cot while I’m putting clothes away.

She’s started having trouble sleeping at night, lots of waking up for feeds, and sleeping for hours during the day. So we are trying to switch those two sleeping patterns around, wish us luck.

Not much other news, so I’ll be back in a few days with some more pictures for all the grandparents, uncles, aunties and interested parties.

Some more pictures

I thought you might like to see some mid-week pictures of Araminta. Kerin suggested that we take some photos that show here surroundings.

Here is Araminta in her cot. This is how she usually wakes up during the day. Very happy and cheerful.

She loves holding her toes.

We had a sheet on the floor for her to crawl on – she’s had a bit of reflux, so it was mostly to protect the carpet. She decided that being under it was much more fun.

Five months and two weeks

Araminta is now five and a half months. Jeff says we can now say that she’s crawling since she’s making forward motion across the floor. It looks kind of like an inch worm, but it’s getting her around just fine.

The Christmas parcel from Ruth’s mum arrived this week (took 6 months to get here). One of the advantages of having Christmas now is that Araminta is a little more aware of what’s going on, so we let her ‘open’ her present.

Thank you Grandma. She also spent some time shoving the finger puppet in her mouth, and would loved to have kept playing with the wrapping paper, but it was turning into a soggy mess.

Since absolutely everything is going into her mouth at the moment, we are expecting teeth sometime soon. Araminta has gone from being a very good sleeper to waking every two or so hours. We’re lucky that as soon as she has fed she goes right back to sleep. It has been extremely hot here and I think she’s waking up because she’s thirsty.

Not much other news, she’s still coming to choir practices with me and is well behaved most of the time, she loves music.

Oh, we’ve started reading to her more often this week too, and she’s enchanted by the books and listens to the story.

Five months and one week

Araminta continues to be a source of joy. There were no major milestones this week, just lots of giggles and rolling around on the floor. That’s certainly an incentive to vacuum more frequently!

Here are her weekly pictures.

Note the finger in the mouth, as usual.

She’s starting to grab onto things a lot now. Her pram toys are a new source of fascination. Araminta’s has made a few grabs at Mummy’s glasses and hair this week too.

For the last little while, Araminta has been spending an hour a day with Nana while Ruth has been working. For the most part she has been pretty good, though she is quite clingy when I get home after the 2 hour session on Wednesday.

Araminta has been coming to choir practice with me on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Mostly she lies on a rug on the floor and listens to the music. Occasionally she tries to ’sing’ along. Music makes her very happy and the college students love having her at rehearsal. If I leave her with Jeff they always ask where she is.

She’s suffering from reflux a little – this afternoon we went through 4 changes of clothes and a screaming session which lasted for about 45 minutes, which was no fun for anybody. Fortunately episodes like this aren’t common.

I’ll try and update more than once a week, but life is a little hectic since going back to work.