Week 47-March 9-March 15-Wow baby, I need to become strict again with your bedtime. For weeks, you have been staying up FOREVER and while I love you more than anything in this world, I do need some 'me' time. So tonight, bedtime resumes at 6:30.

Papa and I have noticed that you will raise both your arms above your head, so Papa started saying, 'Papietta!' which means victory in Russian. So every time we say it, you raise your arms or vice verse. We both roll over laughing each time you do this.

You are getting taller now and thus able to reach higher places, like the tops of our nightstands and bookshelves. This means all breakables are pushed back further and books and magazines are removed as well as heavy objects. It is adorable to see you reaching your tiny arms for something and your delight when you do reach what you want is emotionally satiating.

On the 14th, you began waving hello. Awesome! Now when we walk down the street or Papa enters a room, you wave hello. You truly make our hearts melt.

We love you!

Week 46-March 2-March 8-Hey baby! Now you have begun to repeat what Papa and I say to you. If we say, "DA", you do too. If we say "Bye, Bye", you say "BA BA". It is incredible. Once a month on Mondays, I go to an evening class from 7:30 to about 9:30. Papa comes home early from work to stay with you. Unfortunately (for Papa), at this point in time, I am the only one who can put you to sleep so when I came home at ten at night, you were happily chattering away, playing in your play area and Papa was sprawled out on the couch, ready to pass out! I could not believe you were up so late. As soon as you saw me, you came crawling over for hugs and kisses. A few minutes later, you were out like a light, snuggled in bed. I suppose you were just waiting for me. I find it quite flattering. You make me feel important.

When I ask you questions, or tell you things, you understand. When I ask, "May I have a kiss?", you will give me a big, open mouth droolly kiss on my face. It is fantastic! If I say, "Come here", you come. At night, sometimes I have to roll over you so you can nurse on a different side, I say, "Let's switch sides" and you wait patiently for me to move. If I move without saying anything, you holler at me, so I know that you understand what I am saying. You also comprehend when I ask you if you want to drink water, or nurse. You are definitely the smartest girl around! I love you, my heart and soul!

Week 45-February 23-March 1-On Wednesday, we drove over to our friend's house, Melanie and played with her two daughters, Mikaela and Naomi. Melanie and I packed all three of you into her minivan and drove to Mount Baldy. The idea was to have you play in the snow, but it was so foggy and windy that we didn't even get out of the car. It worked out though because by the time we got up the mountain, all three of you were sleeping. Going back down, was another matter. You began to cry and I didn't know why, until I felt my own ears pop. I figured that was what was happening to you. So I gave you water from a sippy cup to drink while we slowly wound our way back down the mountain. Each time you wailed, poor Mikaela cried as well because her ears were sensitive to loud noises. Naomi slept through it all.

On the 24th I realized that your hair is now long enough to really brush it for the first time. Each time you go through a change, such as from hairless to hair, I think I am going to miss what was, but I find myself so enamored and taken with your new abilities that I am too overwhelmed to miss the past. I find myself too stimulated with the present.

You love to move things like our laundry drying rack, our kitchen stool and rugs. It gives you a sense of strength, independence and control. Your assertiveness is beautiful and we wonder if it is a baby developmental thing or a personality thing, only time will tell.

You are now standing up for longer periods of time. Your little legs and feet are growing so strong, as is the rest of you.

Your teeth are so sharp right now-like razors-if something is in your mouth and we need to get it out, it hurts! Lately, when you are sleepy, you have wanted to be held and not put down, so I am holding you a lot.

I have been getting you ready for bed a little later than usual, and so, when I lay you down on the bed to change your dipe and put on your pajamas, you cry and fuss. It is hard for you to lay down when you are so overtired.

You intentionally go where I ask you not to go, such as the fireplace, near the computer cords and to the head board of our bed where you like to scratch (it makes the worst noise!). You are very independent now, you can play alone for long periods of time, although you and I both like it better when we play together.

One day I was looking for a toy that you had thrown. I looked everywhere and couldn't find it. After watching me for a few minutes, you crawled over to the dresser and reached under it, and got your toy. Needless to say, I was amazed! You knew exactly what I was doing and when I couldn't do it, you helped. You also help me pust the stoller and grocery cart when we are in the market. Mama's best helper!

One day we needed to go somewhere in the car and I had so much to carry, so I put you in the stroller and carried everything else to the car. When I took you out of the stroller to put in the car seat, you began to cry and I realized that you thought we were going to go for a walk. I apologized and now never put you in the stroller unless we are going to go for a real walk. I had no idea until then, how much you truly enjoy them.

You are fearless. It is a trait Papa admires very much. Even when Zed growls at you, you just continue doing what you do! Your toys are being spread out much more than ever before. I find them in the far corners of the house which tells me that you are becoming more and more mobile.

My baby is growing up so quickly. We love you so much.

Week 44-Feb 16-Feb 22-Hi Baby! Now you have two new teeth on the top, which makes four total on the top and two on the bottom, so six. Six sharp little teeth that help you chew your food. We play ball. You pass me one of your little brightly colored plastic balls and I roll it back to you. I can't take credit though. The person responsible for teaching you to throw the ball is Grandpa. He showed you how to throw it to the dogs and how they would bring it back to you. A couple of tries and you were hooked!

When your hat falls and covers your eyes, instead of taking off the whole hat, you can just push it back out of your eyes.

On Sunday, Papa, you, Zed and I went to Mother's Beach in the Marina. It was a cool day, but still so much fun to be outside all together. We put you in a swing in the play area and Papa swung you so fast that your little cheeks were pushed back. I was a little worried, but you didn't seem to mind one bit. Beginning Monday, you have started bringing toys with you on walks, to your naps and when I carry you around. You just like to hold onto something. It is adorable to see this attachment of yours.

You are standing without holding onto anything now. You also have begun scratching walls. I cannot stand this sound. To me, it is the same as if you were scratching your fingernails against a chalkboard. I never stop you though, but it makes me shudder every time.

You have been pulling down the cover of your car seat when we travel in the car. I pull it up to shade your face from the shining sun and you pull it back down again. As long as you are comfortable, its fine by me!

Wake-up time for us has always been seven am, but lately you have been waking up at six. I am sleepy and so is Papa. You, however, are bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for action. You pull my hair, crawl over Papa and play with you toys. I usually end up getting bonked in the face with them, but can catch a few extra zzz's while you play.

You let me know when you are done with bathtime. You will come to the edge and stand up for me to pick you up. You love bubbles and are fascinated with them! But I don't think you like the sound of the bathtub running. That is usually when you make a beeline for me.
I love you baby!

Week 43-February 9-February 15-We are creeping up to week 52, baby girl. It's so exciting! After spending almost two weeks at Grandma's and Grandpa's house, we are back home in Pico. It always takes us a few days to reacclimate into our routine. You have to get used to napping by yourself, especially since we were both sick, we were always sleeping together. We are also both stir crazy from being couped up for the past several days. We need to have some playdates, but are waiting until the last of the sniffles subside. When I am in the kitchen cooking, you always come in now to keep me company. Your hair is growing so beautifully and is a silky golden blonde. I love you honey!

Week 42-February 2-February 8th-Hi Angel Girl! I am way behind in my entries. Life has been busy! Delfina babysat you when Papa and I went out bowling for his birthday. You like her and she loves you. She calls you princessa! So far, she is the only one I am comfortable leaving you with. You bumped your little head one day and started to cry a little. I looked at you, made sure you were fine and told you so. So you stopped crying and just rubbed your head a little and went on playing. So sweet. It was the first time you touched a spot that hurt. Your motor skills are developing rapidly.

Now you enjoy opening and closing our laptops and cabinets. Whole new worlds are waiting to be discovered by you. You also love crawling into small spaces like underneath chairs, into boxes and cabinets. You are getting pretty good at it too, you duck your head so it doesn't get bumped.

One day we were driving around with my mom and she said that you are really well adjusted and whatever it is that Papa and I are doing, we are doing it right with you. This is a high complement coming from her and made us both feel special.

On the 7th, I became really ill. It turned out to be a combination of the flu and strep throat. I always wondered who took care of a baby when the mama gets sick. It turns out the mama still takes care of the baby. I was pretty out of it. I couldn't eat because my tonsils were so swollen so I lost about 8 pounds, plus you are still nursing, so I felt pretty weak. I felt badly that I didn't really have energy to play with you or read or sing either. Papa paid a lot of attention to you when he came home from work as did Yaeli when she came over to visit. So did, of course, Grandma and Grandpa. Luckily for me, you are very understanding and patient. We were staying at my folks house to help take care of my mom while she was recovering from her double mastectomy, but I was fairly useless due to being so sick myself.

Alright baby, I am signing off. I love you! You are our entire world!

Week 41-January 26-February 1-Hi Baby! We went to Vegas to visit Babulia and Dadulia for their 40th anniversary. It was fun, but not really a place for babies. There is so much smoke everywhere, even on the non-smoking floors of hotels. You were an angel the entire drive, 5 hours, out there. Papa's folks were so excited to see you, they hugged and kissed and giggled with you the entire time. You stayed up late, and loved all of the blinking lights that the city has to offer. As much as we tried to keep you on a schedule, it never is the same as when we are home living our routine. So you stayed up late late late. We were only there four days, but by the second day, you were over-stimulated and worn out. Thursday night, the night we arrived, we all went to dinner to celebrate. Friday night, Papa, you and I went out to dinner with my cousin Howie and his wife, Sonila. Baba and Dada went to go see a show. It was a little late for you and so I ended up taking you out to the car to nurse and you fell asleep in the dark peacefulness of the night. On Saturday night, Papa and I went to see a show and Baba and Dada watched you. It was so much fun to be out in a city like Vegas. We walked around, talked, ate and took in all the sights. We finally got home at one in the morning and went to pick you up. You were out like a light in Baba's arms. Very sweet to see. I know it lit up her whole trip. We went to a breakfast buffet and Papa fed you lots of yummy food, which you happily gobbled up. You are a great eater. You will eat whatever we are eating! While we were there, you perfected your first word. Da Da Da! You have said other sounds repeatedly before, but this is the first time you will repeat it, if we say it, which makes it officially your first word. Most babies first word is "No", but yours is yes. Such a positive, beautiful angel girl we have. We really couldn't have gotten any luckier. You are absolutely perfect, and charming! It was a fun, whirlwind trip, and then we went home. You slept most of the way, which made the drive easier for your father and I to have some time to connect with each other. You are so pleasant to be around and to travel with honey, you are truly the perfect child. I love love love you!

Week 40-January 19-25th-Hi Baby! I cannot believe you have been around for forty weeks. You have been out longer than I was pregnant with you. You are changing every day! Now you find things funny. If something is out of place, or I use a silly voice, you laugh. You understand what is ordinary, and what is not. If I wear sunglasses, you think it is funny, or if I place one of your toys in a different spot, you will smile.

You have been making music! You rub your hand against your mouth and use your voice to make music. It is the most beautiful sound I have ever heard!

We had a playdate with Gabriela and you shared your toys with her. You handed her my car/house keys and then promptly took them back. I was so proud of you. You will hand me toys sometimes too, and food. It is very sweet. You have been standing up all by yourself and then you fall down, sometimes hard. Most of the time, you just get up again, sometimes you fall a little too hard and need a cuddle and a few kisses to make the hurt go away. You are also crawling so fast. I will put you down and walk into the next room and the next thing I know, you are in the room with me! I love you so much, honey! You are my heart and my soul!

Week 39-January 12-18th-NINE MONTHS! Hi, my baby! You now are saying "AI, AI, AI" all the time and you love to crawl after your little rolling balls. Every Wednesday, we go to Mommy and Me at Aish. This week, some little girl pulled your hair and hit your head because you were interested in her toy. You didn't bat an eyelash, although her mommy was horrified. You love to eat books and lately you have been nursing while kneeling. Kneeling is the latest action! You kneel in front of boxes in order to pull whatever is on the inside out.

You love to sit on my father's lap and throw the ball to his dogs, Rudy and Abby. You laugh and laugh so hard. It makes us all laugh! Your favorite songs right now that I sing to you are Doe, a Deer, This Old Man, I'm a Little Teapot, and ABC's.

We went to Mammoth with our friend, Ben and while we were there, you climbed up your very first set of stairs. I am very proud of you, and you were proud of you too! We went to several restaurants, in which you were perfectly behaved. You ate peas for the first time and played in the snow. I actually went snowboarding while you and Papa went off to play in the wilderness. Papa got some great shots of you in the snow. In the condo, we stayed, there was a pine cone with sharp needles on it. This is the only thing I have ever seen you scared of. You didn't even touch it, to know that it was prickly, but you didn't want to. It is almost as though you had a sixth sense about this cone. Papa went around collecting every pine cone he could find for you, but you still didn't want to touch it even though you were interested in them.

While I was in the shower, you were playing in the bathroom. I looked down to check on you and you were standing at the shower, looking up at me! I was so shocked I started laughing and you laughed too, your little face getting wet from the spray! I had never seen you do that before. You are pulling yourself up and standing. Great big girl of mine! You like Ben and he likes you. He asks to hold you and you let him. I love you my angel! You make my world better!!!

Week 38-January 5-January 11, 2011-Hi Baby, this week you have done tons of standing and kneeling. I watched you at Grandma's house trying to look into a box she has on her kitchen floor. You actually stood, using the box as support. You really are motivated to move! On the sixth, we were in our kitchen and I watched as you made a beeline move towards Zed's water bowl. There are three things which you are endlessly fascinated with, 1-the fireplace, 2-the dirty wheels of your stroller and 3-the water bowl. So instead of stopping you this time, I just waited to see what you would do. As you came close to the bowl, you laughed and grabbed the edge, and tipped it over. Water everywhere! On the floor, on you...and you were pleased as punch! Victory!

We have a game that we play. As you head for the fireplace, you laugh and I say, Ellie, Elisheva, No, no, no!!!. You stop, turn, look at me, and then continue on to the fireplace. I run and grab you and we both laugh and smile!!! This happens throughout the day with the fireplace and the water bowl.

You are so squirmy when we change your diapers. It is very difficult changing you. You have to many places to be and things to explore. On the night of the ninth as I was changing you, you actually became very angry with me. I have never seen that look before in your eyes. It passed and then you were fine again, once I let you be.

At bedtime, you are very funny, you talk, and move about, snuggle with me, get on your hands and knees and roll around. Finally you settle down, and sleep, or I put you in the Pack n Play for some quiet time before bedtime.

This weekend, we got together with Jake and Yana for lunch and coffee. As we were sitting down to eat, we ordered Bloody Mary's, (mine was virgin), Yana was holding you and you grabbed her drink and spilled it all over you, her and the table. The spill wasn't a big deal, but I felt badly that you were wearing vodka! Later on, at the cafe, Jake was holding you. Next to him was a flower pot with little yellow flowers. He kept picking them, one at a time and handing them to you. You were so interested. You kept twirling the flower in your fingers, inspecting the petals so carefully and then you would pull the flower apart, start to complain that it was gone and he would pick another one for you. This happened over and over again. It is really sweet to watch the two of you together. I love watching you learn about the world. I can see you develop in front of me.

All of a sudden, you don't like to wear bibs. You scrunch your little face up and protest, LOUDLY, whenever one approaches you. I have know idea what brought this on. You also won't let me feed you with a spoon. I get to put the food on the spoon, hand the spoon to you, and you put it into your mouth. So independent!!!

I love you more than life. You are my heart and my soul!!! You make me part of something bigger than just myself. Thank you.

Week 37-December 29-January 4, 2011!!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR BABY! Your very first New Year's Eve. You spent it partying with Grandma and Grandpa, apparently watching tons of television to my dismay. Papa and I were out until three in the morning celebrating. It was so much fun. I can't believe we were out so late. I don't remember the last time I did that. We had so much energy, we could have stayed later, but we didn't want you to wake up in the morning and not have us there beside you.

This has been a busy week. The three of us went to Mammoth together. Beautiful, but very cold. I need to get you some proper snow clothing; we couldn't sit you in the snow, nothing you have is waterproof! It was a great car ride; you were absolutely a dream to ride with. Now when we hold you in our arms, you like to jump up and down. You make so many new faces. You are very expressive! AAAANNNDDD!!! You CRAWLED for the very first time (much to Zed's dismay!). Your little knees have bruises on them, but it doesn't slow you down. You love to crawl over to the bookshelves and pull off the books and munch on them. It is time to babyproof the apartment. You made your way to the fireplace and were reaching in to touch the pilot, when I shouted, "EL, EL, EL" and ran over to grab you. You whined and jumped. I have never raised my voice to you like that and I wasn't angry, just trying to get you to stop before you were hurt. By the following morning, Papa had disconnected the pilot, so now there is no flame. We were sort of hoping you wouldn't pay it any mind, since it has always been there, but no such luck and you tend to continue going to the places we specifically ask you not to go. What can I do, you're my daughter! This is exactly how I was when younger. I had to learn for myself, not just listen to what people said.

You now will pull off your hat if it is bothering you, or covering your eyes! Usually you wave it back and forth for a while before sucking on it! When we try to put you down when you don't want to go down, you stiffen your little body. So opinionated! Your fascination with bins and boxes continues to grow. When I fold laundry and place it into the hamper or a bin, you love to get on your knees, reach in, and pull everything out. You are now kneeling, by the way. We have to be careful that you don't accidentally tip something over and have it fall on you, or you fall into it. When you have had enough of being in the pack-n-play you get on you knees and bang your tiny fists against the mesh. If this doesn't work fast enough, it is accompanied by shouts of protest. One night, you were yelling so much, you didn't realize that I came into the room. Once you did, you literally stopped mid-yell. Crazy!

My mom keeps a kid drawer in her kitchen and among other items, there are several plastic measuring cups that you love to chew on and bang while flapping your arms. The fact that you can make noise is very empowering to you. It is incredible to watch my parents, my father especially, concentrate on his work with you banging away noisily. This patience of his, did not exist when I was little, so it is really a treat to see it now, and with you.

You, my love, now have a fake cry. At first, I did not know what it was, but after several rescue attempts for a girl with no tears on her face and only smiles, I realized you are learning how to play me. I can't help it though, I still come, and you know this!

You sprouted two bottom teeth. So now there are four. The top arrived together, but the bottom two, came one at a time. If I am looking at you, the right one came in and then the left almost immediately after.

I figured out that when you nurse, if I don't pay attention to you, that is when you chomp. And when I say chomp, I mean HARD! Nothing makes me want to wean like you doing that. You haven't bitten in a few days but my nipples are sore nonetheless. I suppose the thing to do in the case of biting is to raise my voice and take away the boob. I haven't raised my voice yet, but I do gasp, explain to you that you can't do that and take boob away for a little while. You do not like this but usually we have to go through it two or three times before you either stop biting or I just take away boob. Which means that you weren't really hungry anyway!

Boob biter or not, you will always be my baby girl. I love you, my heart and soul!!!!