This last week I took Ella to my parents’ house to visit. (sans Joe) Most of the evenings were filled with my mom and I tag teaming the colicky cries Ella was throwing at us. But one particular night my mom went on an errand and Ella began to cry and I used one of our usual “tricks” to help soothe her by turing on her favorite music channel (at my parents it’s called radio disney - at home it’s called kids only) so I started to rock her while walking the floor but it didn’t seem to calm her then I put her on my shoulder to burp her to release any offending gas that may be troubling her. She started to fall asleep with her head on my shoulder while we were dancing aroung the living room…At that moment it happened … I fell in love with my daughter all over again and deeper than the day she was born. Her sweet face, the innocent despair of her colic and her emerging personality all staring at me.. love!

 The next morning 3 feedings later I removed the bottle from Ella’s cute lips and she started talking to me saying things like “ah-goo”,  “ahhhh” and “ehh” all the while giving gummy smiles and batting her eyelashes at me. 

Who knew that you could fall in love (again) with your daughter with late night dancing and early morning chats….

-Lisa

So the last few days have been getting easier. Either her stomach problems are getting better or we’re getting better at handling them! We’ve found that a car ride helps calm her down, maybe it’s the low vibrations that calm her stomach. Whatever the reason she slept for like 4 hours after a 20 minute car trip!

We’re starting up her college fund this week, very excited about that! If we can even save a portion of what we’ll need that would be outstanding.

I’m so in love with our daughter. I took the late night shift last night so Lisa could get a solid 8 hours of sleep. Turns out I was so nervous about the baby that I only got about an hour of sleep in spurts. I found myself watching her as she slept thinking there has never been such a beautiful baby or springing up every time she cooed or sighed loudly. (Which was about 100 times in 8 hours, hince the little sleep!)

Ella just took a late night bottle and went to sleep after about 20 minutes of fuzzing and sucking on her binky. We’re all prepped for the night and probably going to bed soon. It’s about 1am on my birthday, 29 and I have everything I ever wanted!

Blessed

So Ella is having tummy problems. :(  Few things will make her calm down from her screaming fits long enough to sleep or at least chill out between the hours of 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The following are the expections we have found

1) Running water - this works long enough to get a binki in her mouth if she is in the mood to accept it.

2) A cold or wet binki - again this works if she is in the mood for a binki.

3) A nip at the bottle - Already using food as a crutch? J/K!! I only let her have a suck or two then bait and switch for the binki.

4) The no fail NUCLEAR option. Channel 521 on Wow Cable…. Music Choice Kids Only  - Note -  : No other music channel will do. And this channel is particularly effective when they are playing Candy by Mandy Moore. Which is one of maybe 10 songs they cycle through over and over and over. LOL!

Poor little tummy….

I watch Ella grow every day. I worry whether I am making the right choices or doing the right things to help her grow to be the best version of herself. I appreciate now how my parent’s must have felt, not only my parents but all good parents. I thought I understood this before but I was wrong. She is like a fresh piece of clay and everything that I do will effect who she will become. WOW! Exciting and scary….

Today she let me tell her a story without getting cranky or bored. I don’t think she can pay attention that long yet … but still.

Uncle Jeremy came over on Saturday and did a real photoshoot. Here are a few of the really good ones.

Here are some new pictures of Lisa loving on baby Ella!

Here are some photos from the hospital and little Ella’s first week!

On Monday March 9th at 6:17pm our beautiful baby girl arrived! She weighed 6lbs 15 ounces and was 19 inches long. We were released from the hospital 24 hours later and we’re all home safe and sound!

Check back soon for our first round of pictures!