Another Frances first

We've entered the brave new world of Solids! I read somewhere that it's best to wait until a baby is a full six months old before starting her on solids, but I got bored yesterday and Mark was home (he'd made me promise to wait until he was home before I gave her solids for the first time) so I decided to give it a go. Frances was a little tentative at first...



...but all that practice gumming anything within arms' reach paid off quickly.

Eventually, she was anticipating that spoon for all she was worth. Next step, swallowing more than 50 per cent of the gruel!

Really, I think Frances was very pleased with the new activity. This morning she watched me take each bite of my cereal with longing in her eyes and an open mouth. Soon, Bubby Frances, soon!

A New Activity for Frances

Frances can't quite sit up on her own yet, but we were both a little bored today so we tried a new activity, swinging!

Frances did really well. She didn't tip over and she seemed to enjoy herself, at least momentarily. Then she remembered that she has hands, and that her favorite activity is sucking her hands, and that was about the end of her interest in swinging. Sweet but short.

Visiting Grandma and Grandpa

While I was at my friend Tara's shower, Frances stayed with her Grandma and Grandpa. They sent these photos from the visit. It really was a win-win situation. I got to visit with my friend and, it seems to me, they had a good time with Bubby Frances.

Look at that smiling face and those pink cheeks.

Frances meets Auntie Tara

Frances finally got to meet Auntie Tara! Tara was in Fort Smith for a bridal shower and Frances, Mimi and I were happy to attend. We've been trying to introduce Tara and Frances for months, but Tara's busy life in NYC is very demanding.

I think Frances and Tara hit it off. Clearly, they've both got excellent taste.






Frances gets to be a flower girl in Tara's wedding! She will be decked out in a tri-colored tutu. We are very excited, understandably. Now if her mother could just pick a reading for the wedding we'd be all set. Recommendations are welcome.

Five Months of Frances

Frances hit five months a few days ago. Time flies! Mimi snapped these photos for us. I couldn't pick just one, so I included them all.







Frances continues to knock our socks off. She doesn't have too many new tricks for me to report although in the past two weeks she has really started to master reaching for things. My glasses and hair are no longer safe and I may be returning to contacts and short hair soon. She has also started waking up at about 2 a.m., talking to herself for about 10 minutes and then going back to sleep on her own. This is a mixed blessing: I love listening to her talking to herself but I wouldn't mind if she slept straight through the night like she used to do. The biggest challenge right now is putting her to bed at night. She never seems to manage going to sleep without at least one period of inconsolable crying. Ah well, by next month she'll have new skills and new hurdles.

One last picture of Frances Elliott:

What a doll, even if I do say so myself!

Cousins, cousins everywhere, a.k.a. don't worry about the world population dipping anytime soon

Lindsay and her gang rolled into town late Thursday night and Jocelyn stuck around until Friday afternoon to see her. With all the cousins in one place, we just had to get a photo. It took a little coaxing...

(James making a break for it.)

...and a little arranging...

(Way to hold that squirmy Zoe, Clare!)

...and they weren't always thrilled with the idea...

(Frances, James and Zoe looking less than pleased; Nora and Clare doing their damnedest to look pleased.)

...but we eventually got a picture of all five cousins!

Left to right, we've got Frances Elliott (#5), Nora Ellen (#1), James Malcolm (#3), Clare Frances (#2) and Zoe Ann (#4). As far as I'm concerned, this should be the status quo for a couple years, but Lindsay may have other plans. They all did remarkably well together and even the parents survived with good spirits intact.


The cousins should be safe from similar torture all the way until June when an even bigger gathering of Haywards is planned. Poor things...