Ixnay on the Solids

We took a month-long trip over the holidays to California and Australia: one week in California, where Ella was baptized (on Dec 23rd), two weeks in Australia, and one week in California. Michael, Ella and I traveled together for the first 3 weeks, and then Michael returned to NY to get back to work, while Ella and I spent the last week in California visiting my parents and recuperating from the Sydney-LA flight.

Ella was a trooper the whole trip. She adapted quickly to the different time zones and the new places and faces. She didn't demonstrate any 'stranger anxiety' when meeting new people, and was content to be held by anyone. She didn't cry much on the flights, and received compliments from grateful passengers after each flight. The only two challenges resulting from the travel were than she didn't sleep well at nighttime, and halfway through the trip, she started boycotting solids. She refused to eat, regardless of what we offered her and preferred to nurse exclusively (wouldn't take a bottle either).

Since we got back two weeks ago, we have decided to take some time off from pushing solids and wait for Ella to signal an interest in trying food again. She sits at the table with us for meals during the day, and we always make some food for her in case she's interested in trying it, but so far, she hasn't wanted to eat.

We've been home for two weeks. Three days after we landed in NY, Ella came down with a fever, cough and cold, and she's still recovering. Two days ago, I got a similar bug, so we've both been dragging and going a little stir crazy recently, being mostly home bound.

This weekend has been a highlight because Michael is home so he's taking care of Ella. She's enjoying the playtime with Dad, and I'm sleeping as much as possible to shake the cold. Today at lunch time, she ate some pear (via her mesh pacifier) and gummed a carrot stick, which gives us hope that she may try some food again soon.

Later, she and Michael went for a walk, and she wore a t-shirt Michael brought for her as a souvenir from a trip to London last year. Wagamama's was a favorite restaurant when I lived in England, and there is a Wagamama's next to the Cisco office in London where he visited.