A Very Helmie Graduation

So today is THE day. Helmet Graduation Day! It feels like it has been so long coming, but really the time has flown by. Ella was in the helmet for about 5 months total (from 6.5 to 11.5 months old). Its crazy to think how much development she has undergone in that time. She's a different baby. She was just starting to sit independently when we got the helmet and just starting solid foods. She's now so very close to walking, feeding herself 3 meals a day and 2 snacks (won't let Mama help her!), and talking up a storm. Odd that this helmet graduation is bittersweet in a way. Another milestone achieved with the passing of time.

Ella's last helmet sleep last night. Here she is crumpled at the top of her crib, sucking her thumb. :)

Here is a bit of a review of our helmie wearer over time :)

6 months

Milestones: Sitting up on her own. Eating Purees (loves all fruits and veggies, except peas!) Uses rolling as a means of transportation. First word: Dada. Sigh.

Helmie Day One. Poor Bobo!

Her helmie after paint coat one. Atrocious! I was terrified it wasn't going to work.

Awww, look how chubbo she is! And how big the helmet is on her!

7 months

Milestones: Commando crawling, transitioning lie to sit, able to pick up small objects off the floor.

 I am not very happy about sitting on this push toy.

8 Months

Milestones: Full hands and knees crawling, pulling up. Giggling all the time. :)

Wheeeee!

9 Months

Milestones: Crawling at the speed of light, cruising, beginning to want to feed herself.

10 Months

Milestones: Jumping from object to object when cruising, walking holding parents hands or using walking toys, perfected pincer grip, rejecting all purees (Poor Steve. This broke his heart!)

 Vacuuming is a skill she didn't learn from me.

11 Months

Milestones: Self Feeding, standing up from the ground, standing unaided, thinking about taking that first step! Talking all the time. Vocabulary of about 10 words, 5 or 6 used correctly (Mama!, Dada, Nana, Papa, BuhBye, Baby, Dog).

Oh Mama, I'm so tired I'll just lay down on your legs and suck my thumb.

Now that we are helmet 'graduates' and the cool weather is coming, we are much happier to exchange our helmet heads for adorable winter hats. Thanks to Robynne at Princess C Creations for the awesome hats!

Ella's first duckface. 

So today we had our helmet graduation party. I wanted to wait until Ella was a year to give her her first real taste of sweets. But I thought that this was more important in a way. We 'earned' this! So happy Helmie Graduation to my sassy little pudding pop, Ella! We love you baby girl.

The lady at the store asked me what a 'helmie' was. It was a bit hard to explain.

 Hmmm, what is happening?

 What IS this thing?

 DELICIOUS! MORE PLEASE!

 This is the best thing I've ever eaten. 

 Yumm.

Out of the way MAMA! MORE CAKE!

So that ends this saga of Ella's Melon. :) Because her melon is pretty darn perfect.

All it took was 5 months of sweat (mostly Ella's) and tears (mostly mine). I think I'll keep blogging though. :) So if you interested in following our story as it continues, as I guess life doesn't end at 1 (ha!), feel free to follow us at:

www.candidmothering.blogspot.ca

Ella's excited for a new world of blogging!

To finish this blog off, we take it right from the mouth of babes. This babe, being Ella. And what does Ella have to say to her helmie, after six months of wear?

:)

Thank you to all my lovely readers who were so supportive during the last six months!