Watch Me Grow!

she's growing TOO fast!

So much for my attempt at a little photo shoot! I think Ellie was getting annoyed... :) She started out with a smile, but as I kept snapping away...I realized it's not all that easy for a 5 1/2 week old to try to sit up and smile! ha! As you can see, it totally wore her out! I just love how she sleeps with her little hands above her head... So cute!!!

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It's true when you hear people say that they don't stay small for long! Our little Ellie is just growing SO FAST! We went in for her 1 month appointment on Monday (she was actually 5 weeks at that point!) and she weighed in at 10 lbs. 3 oz. She is gaining at a rate of about 1-2 oz. per day, so by today she's probably around 10 lbs. 7 oz. or so. She's already added about 30% to her body weight since we brought her home from the hospital! All I can say is that I'm glad we adults don't put on weight that quickly! Yikes! :)

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Our little girl continues to teach us so much and so many lessons about our relationship with God... At her appointment, she had to get a shot. I hate these shots more than she does, for sure! She was all smiling and happy...just looking at me with these eyes of complete trust... Then all of the sudden...OUCH! A stick with a huge needle! I almost cried when I saw her little face all of a sudden turn from joy to blood curdling screams! It was as if she was saying, "Mommy, what did you let happen to me???" I know that this temporary pain is ultimately for her good... but she doesn't understand that now... It caused me to think that I am often this way with God... I experience pain and look at God like "why are you letting this happen to me?"... He sees the big picture when I do not... and He wants me to trust that this temporary pain in my life is for my best... His desire is not to hurt me, but to use these painful times to shape me and mold me more into the woman He wants me to be. Just like Ellie's shot will protect her from disease, these discomforts in my life are to protect me in the long run... I wish I could get that through my head at the time!

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So much more I could say, but will save it for another post...

Thanks for checking in!

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jen

One Month Old today!!!

What a FUN day today!!! Believe it or not, Ellie officially turned ONE MONTH old! The days are just flying by... We have had such a fun day... Jay and Jen came from Springfield to meet Ellie... Ellie LOVES Jen... she is just a natural with her! She also had several other visitors today... our friends Jana, Rodney, Heath, Kyle and Tracy and Bob and Alissa! I think she's really been overstimulated today! She's been held from the second she woke up, so she has not been lacking affection!

We feel so blessed to have gotten to spend one month with our sweet little Ellie...

It's a good thing I'm so cute!

Today was an "adventures in motherhood" day for me! I'm sure all of you Moms will laugh, but I'm just getting broken into all of this! Let me give you a snapshot of the beginning of our day... Let me preface by saying that after Ellie's middle of the night feeding...I was getting ready to change her diaper and put her back to bed when she proceeded to spit up all over herself. I had her laying in her changing table already and turned around to get something... When I turned back around she had majorly spit up... SO...I got a wet washcloth and wiped her down, changed her onesie, changed her diaper and put her down thinking that I'd give her a bath this morning...

So we woke up and got around a little this morning and I decided to venture out on a long walk with Ellie since it was such a beautiful day! Joel was gone to work on campus stuff, so we got out the big stroller and headed out! The walk went wonderfully and we had such a good time getting out in the sunshine! When we got home, I fed her, changed her, and thought this would be a good time for a bath! This would be the first time I'd bathe her totally alone. Someone has always been here to help me... So, I got her bathwater all run and got her in the tub... She LOVES her baths! We got her hair washed and I had JUST gotten the soap put on her body when, what does she decide to do? POOP all over IN THE TUB! SICK! So, what's a Mom to do? I quick picked her up and grabbed the shower head and sprayed her off, got her in her towel and hoped that we got all the poop off. yuck... all the while, she is just smiling away... :/ Of course this had to happen when I was all alone! So, I got her all cleaned up and then had to get everything else cleaned up! As I said in the title of this post... it's a good thing she is so darn cute! :) Joel said one day we'll just laugh about all these little episodes. I was KIND of laughing about this morning, but more than anything, I just wanted a nap by noon. :)

Joel and his sister have affectionately named Ellie, "Pocahantas Poops a lot" because she doesn't seem to have any problems with her digestive system. Yikes. I think we have like 10 poopy diapers a day! :) So, we've given Ellie a new theme song. I thought you all might enjoy hearing it... Little disclaimer...I've never heard the original song that this is based off of, but I have a feeling it's probably not the best song... but the baby version is hilarious. Check it out...

http://www.flowgo.com/funny/1258_dirty-baby-christina.html

OH! this song is even better! check this one out! http://www.flowgo.com/funny/1463_gruntin-n-dumpin-lil-dumplin.html


Thanks for laughing along with us today! jen

3 weeks old and counting!

Here are just a few pics of our little Ellie Hope at 3 weeks old! She is growing so fast!!! We weighed her after her bath tonight and she is already 8 lbs. 13 oz.

I don't think I could love this little girl any more than I do! Who knew a heart could hold so much love!!! Joel and I just ooh and ah over her all day long. She is SUCH a good baby! She's on a pretty good schedule and is only getting up once in the night to eat. Sometimes I have to wake her!

Her little personality is really beginning to show... She's very smiley and such a strong little thing. She can hold her head up for quite a long time and she's already turned herself over from her tummy to her back 3 different times. We are still hoping that's a fluke!

More soon... I just can't seem to find much time to write all that I want to! But wanted to get some new pictures up for you to enjoy...

love, jen