Eline at 8 months:

• Weighs 15 1/2 pounds and is around the 67th percentile for weight and 65th for height on the Down syndrome growth charts
• Is wearing a combination of 3-6 and 6-9 month clothes
• Is increasingly vocal, with lots of vowel sounds, spitting and the occasional guttural “g” or buzzing “b” sound
• Pays lots of attention to her surroundings, especially when brother is running around the room, and is easily distracted by activity or interesting visuals
• Startles at loud noises and sympathy cries with other babies/children
• Loves to be held, tickled, talked to, played with, read to and snuggled and often responds to interaction with big smiles, even from across the room
• Has tolerated purees relatively well – oat cereal, banana, avocado, prunes and apples so far, with prunes being the clear favorite – and is learning to take bites off the spoon
• Takes 5 oz. bottles of mixed formula/breast milk five times a day at around 7 a.m., 11-11:30 a.m., 3:30-4:00 p.m., 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.
• Usually takes a shorter nap in the morning around 9 a.m. and a much longer nap in the afternoon starting around 12:30 – 1 p.m.
• Goes to bed around 7 p.m. and sleeps until anywhere from 5:30 – 7 a.m. She will usually talk to herself and maybe doze a bit until we get her up around 7 a.m. Sleeps on her tummy and sucks her left-hand first and middle fingers. Usually gets a story and a few minutes of rocking and is then laid down sleepy but awake in her crib to put herself to sleep. I’ve also started giving her a little bunny lovey, which she seems to like to hold as she goes to sleep.
• Loves to play with her feet, kick her legs high into the air and explore with her toes
• Is still working on learning to sit unsupported and is not yet ready to crawl
• Has her first tooth on the bottom right most of the way in and has just cut her bottom left tooth
• Is on week two of thyroid medication, which has proven to be a hassle (The liquid medication has to be filled by a compounding pharmacy and is stable for only 8 days.)
• Has appointments at Vanderbilt on the 29th with an endocrinologist for the hypothyroidism and an audiologist for her hearing aid evaluation