Like many new parents, James and Ola Jordan are exhausted! Baby Ella's sleeping pattern has recently changed, and the couple reveal that she is waking them up at all hours of the night. "Ella's been sleeping differently," James explains in this week's parenting column. "She's been waking up more at night, and so she's waking up at three or four o'clock in the morning."
Ella is growing up so fast!
Ola adds: "She's still good but it's unusual! She's been quite restless so we're not sure if it's because it's hotter and she's a bit uncomfortable because she's hot but we don't even put her in her sleeping bag anymore." Suggesting that it could be the start of teething, James continues: "We try to make her as cool as possible and open all of the windows, but it has been particularly hot... or maybe it's her teeth coming out? She's been dribbling a lot and putting her hands in her mouth. There's something going on in there!"
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Speaking about their tiredness, James jokes: "I feel like someone has put a hot poker in my eyes... When I go downstairs to get the bottle, I am in a trance." However, Ola has grown used to the sleepless nights. "I feel like my body is getting used to it, to be honest," she says brightly. "I used to really struggle but now I'm fine. I look funny, but I don't feel funny!"
WATCH: Baby Ella has her first swim
Apart from Ella's new sleeping routine, the former Strictly pros have had another lovely week with their little one, who is now starting to become much more mobile - much to James' surprise when she accidentally scored him an injury earlier this week! "She can be very wriggly and can kick and head-butt you," James says. "She hit my lip so I bit into it and it was bleeding. We both cried, me and the baby!" He laughs. "She does head butt me then she cries, she did that once today. When she just throws her head forward and she's not expecting it. She laughs a lot more now as well."
"The best look she has is when you start talking or laughing with her she looks so excited," Ola continues. "Or she looks embarrassed and turns her head and lifts her shoulders, it's quite sweet. It's a bit of personality. She's started looking for us too. She's used to us. She fell asleep in the garden yesterday and as soon as she woke up she didn't know where she was. Usually she knows where she is, but in the garden, she looked panicked until she saw me and James. Then she sees us and she feels much more comfortable being with her mum and dad."
James and Ola with little Ella
The pair add that they need to start introducing little Ella to more of the world around her, as they believe she has grown very used to parts of the house during the COVID-19 lockdown. Ola explains: "Because of the lockdown she's been in the same two rooms for most of the time and she's used to that, so when we take her away from that, she freaks out. I'm going to have to help her get used to her own bedroom. She sleeps in our room so I need to put her in there more."
WATCH: James Jordan shares cutest video of baby Ella enjoying first swim in their pool
"Maybe have her nap in there during the day?" James suggests. "At six months is when we think we're going to put her in her own room with a monitor. I don't want to be one of those parents where you're sleeping with your child, but that's just my personal opinion. They should go in their room and stay there, then come for snuggles in the morning. Then again I'll probably be one of those parents who is like, 'Oh let her come into the bed!'"
Ella is discovering her arms and legs
James also gave an update on his dad Allan, who is thankfully out of hospital and back at home, but still a long way from a full recovery. He says: "My dad's out of hospital now and he's just come home. It's great news but he's really not very well at all. He looks very weak and fragile, but he's home now."
READ: James and Ola Jordan reveal one phobia they don't want to pass onto baby Ella
"His seizures are under control... We don't know what the deal is yet. But he's been seizure-free for four or five days now but he just looks very frail. The medication he's on can make him very tired. These seizures have wiped him out. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that rest and recovery and good food and no stress [will help] - because he's very similar to me that he gets stressed easily - he needs to chill out a bit. We're not out of the woods yet, but it's great that he's home. He's a very strong person but he said to us that he was struggling because there were people next to him dying. The curtains were drawn all the time so it was like he was in a tiny prison. He found it hard and he's a very, very strong man. And he said that he found it quite depressing. Hopefully now that he's home and he's happier, he will start to improve."
Tune in next week for the latest updates on James and Ola's parenting column!