Baby Ella hasn't been faring too badly in the heatwave, all things considered. "She's been a bit more moan-y during the day and I think it's because of the heat," James Jordan says in their new Strictly Parenting column. "Although she's still been sleeping well at night so that's good."
READ: James and Ola Jordan settle debate on who baby Ella looks like
The thoughtful parents have done everything they can to keep her cool, with James explaining: "We've had all of the windows open everywhere and we've kept the curtains closed, so we're trying to keep it as cool as we can but it was still 29 degrees in there the other day!" Ola adds: "I have a little water spray that I've been spraying Ella with, and she's been enjoying it."
WATCH: Baby Ella is chatting away to herself after Ola hides camera
Of course, they have also taken their five-month-old for little dips in the pool, although they also make sure she gets plenty of shade. "It's lovely having a pool," James says. "But the sun is so hot that I don't want her in it for a long amount of time.
"She does like having a paddle though. We are thinking about sorting out baby swimming lessons for her. I wanted to take her to a baby swimming class but I'm not sure if they're open but someone might come round here instead."
Ola adds: "I'd like her to be a good swimmer and not to be scared of water, because I don't like it."
They have been taking Ella out in the pool
The pair have been seeing a lot of James' parents over the last few weeks, and James opens up about how his dad, Allan, has been doing.
"He's doing okay," the former Strictly pro says. "He's such a positive person. My mum says she can tell he's tired but he's out in the garden doing bits.
"The other day he rang me and we drove to a builder's merchant because he wanted to get some stone for the garden. I'm going round on Friday with a friend of mine and we're going to dig out some of the garden for him. He's one of these people who are always doing something.
Allan was diagnosed with a brain tumour earlier this year and is undergoing treatment
"It's tough because he's having his chemo every day and radiotherapy five days a week for another six weeks, and that alone is a stressful thing to be going through. But then he comes home and he'll go out in the garden and do stuff. He's put in a concrete base for my mum's washing line."
Ola agrees, saying: "He's really keeping himself busy."
MORE: Ola and James Jordan's baby daughter Ella makes the cutest ballerina in tutu
"Which is the best thing," James continues. "Positivity is very important. He's still struggling with his speech, but it doesn't let it get him down. If he speaks to people he doesn't know, he says, 'Oh sorry, I've got a problem with my speech,' and they just say, 'Oh it's fine.' My mum said he'll still speak to anyone, he's just trying to keep things normal really."
The proud parents are set to mark baby Ella's six-month milestone on 27 August, and James reveals his dad's birthday is just a few days later. He says: "We haven't really thought about marking the day for Ella, but my dad's birthday is on the 31st and we'll probably do something for his birthday, I don't know what yet. It would depend on the weather, but we'll do something."
Little Ella will be six months old on the 27 August
The pair often take adorable videos of little Ella's antics, but Ola reveals that since her daughter will often become more focused on the filming, she hid a camera to see what Ella would do when the camera wasn't on her.
"I was hiding my phone so she couldn't see the camera because usually as soon as I get my phone out she looks at me and stops what she's doing, so I love that she's just talking and making noises and sounds to herself."
Ola opened up about her happy baby Ella
James adds: "She experiments a lot with the noises now. And she's just putting her toes in her mouth now! There's a moment in the video when she's talking to herself then she notices her foot and that's it."
Ola continues: "She is a happy baby. As long as there are people in the room with her. If you walk out of the room, she's not so happy. She wants to see you, so if I'm doing stuff in the kitchen, I'll have to take her with me. Leave her by herself, she's not so happy."
Ella has been dealing with the hot weather
James adorably recounts the moment Ella woke up from a nap earlier this week to check that someone was nearby, saying: "Ola had gone shopping for some bits and pieces and Ella fell asleep on her belly on her mat, and when she woke up before Ola got home, she pushed herself up and the first thing she did was look around to see if she could see anyone, then she saw me and chilled out again. She just really wants to know people are there."
READ: Strictly's Ola Jordan enjoys sweet bonding moment with baby Ella
After a long time in lockdown, she is finally starting to see her family friends and relatives again, some for the very first time. "Yesterday we took her to a pub in the garden with my mum and dad and my uncles," James explains. "She was just so good, and everyone was commenting on it, that she's a chilled baby. She will just be watching everyone, and she's so quiet.
Baby Ella is growing up so fast!
Ola adds: "It's so nice for her to see everyone. Everyone is so different and it's interesting to watch her. We don't let everyone pick her up because of the situation, the only people who are really picking her up are James' mum and dad and my sister."
Read more from the couple's Strictly Parenting column here
