Cutest.Picture.Ever.

NEED I SAY MORE???

Ella is 3 Weeks Old - January 26

Ella turned 3 weeks old on January 26. She weighs over 8 lbs now and looks more like a baby and less like a newborn every day. Her cheeks are much chubbier than they were and her eyes are open so much more often. I know they're not 'real' smiles, but she makes faces that look an awful lot like a smile and make my day - I can't imagine how it will feel when she actually smiles at me. She is always in a happy mood when she wakes up in the morning and is content the majority of the time. Once she gets overtired she'll get fussy late in the day but other than that she is a happy and laid-back baby. Breastfeeding has gotten much easier and she definitely eats like a champ.

Mom, Erin & Josh came for the weekend, Ella is a family-magnet!



And Erin was so completely sweet with Ella - she held her almost the whole time and had the sore arms on Monday to prove it.







Check out that pose!




I got a pedicure on Saturday, and Steve & I went out to dinner and left the baby with our excellent 'babysitters' - this time there were no tears (progress!), and it was great to spend time together and out of the house.

First "Real" Bath

Ella's umbilical stump finally fell off when she was 18 days old, so that night we gave her first submerged bath instead of a sponge bath. The little baby tub still seems way too big for her, so we used the basin on the kitchen counter. I could not stop laughing at how precious she looked sitting in there!!

No more stump! Check out that 'big-girl' belly button



In the basin, sitting like a little frog




Drying off


Have you ever seen anything so cute??

Fresh Air

It's finally warm enough for a walk in the neighborhood, so I used the travel system for the first time to get a little bit of exercise. I got Ella bundled up and packed her in her carseat and into the stroller. She went to sleep almost as soon as I start pushing her around! It was so cute to look in on her sleeping; it was really bright out so I had to keep the shade low and just saw those little cheeks most of the time. Since walking is the only exercise I can do for the first 6 weeks, I'm hoping the weather cooperates and we're able to walk pretty consistently.

Ready to go!

2nd Trip to the Doctor

We took Ella for her 2-week doctor's appointment on Tuesday Jan 22.



She weighed 8 lbs 1 oz, almost a full pound above her birthweight - I was really happy about that and it gave me a confidence boost in how breastfeeding is going. She was 19 1/2 inches long (so she grew 1/4 of an inch). Her weight and head circumference were both 50th percentile, and her height is 25th percentile.

We asked some questions about her umbilical stump (still hanging on!), sleeping habits (the swing!) and all the noises she makes when she's sleeping. The doctor said she looks so great and very healthy, so she does not need to go back until her 2-month appointment, when she'll have to start getting vaccines.

Ella is 2 Weeks Old - January 19

Ella turned 2 weeks old on January 19. She already looks so different from when she was first born - her eyelashes are coming in and her hair is growing. Her eyes are still a dark gray-blue, I know they'll change but the current color is so gorgeous. She can definitely see our faces and focuses on them, and has a lot more 'awake' time than before. Her hands are always moving, and usually around her face. She's a very noisy sleeper and makes lots of grunts and groans while she's asleep - Steve says she sounds like a little teradactyl (sp?). She is just so incredibly precious.

Here are some other photos from her 2nd week.

So tiny and adorable





On Mom's birthday, the 13th - she was hoping for a shared birthday with Ella :0).
Now we have 3 January birthdays in the family (Steve's is the 30th)



So peaceful, and look at those teeny hands!


With Grandpa - Wednesday January 16th


Little snuggler


Very alert in her glider



Fast asleep in her sling




Maybe she's a lucky charm! Patriots win the AFC Championship and are headed to the Superbowl.

Visit from Grampy and Grandma C

Steve's dad and Carole came to visit and meet Ella on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. As we expected, Len fell in love with Ella immediately and didn't put her down all weekend :0).










It was a great weekend and we're looking forward to seeing them again soon!

"Going Home Outfit"

We couldn't resist - we found this outfit and bought it for Ella's "going home from the hospital" outfit since it was the beginning of January. Turns out it was over 70 degrees the day we brought her home from the hospital so there was not a chance she'd be able to wear it.

However, I was still determined that she'd get to wear it, so when she was 13 days old and we had a car trip to take and very cold out, I broke out the snowsuit and dressed her in it. Clearly, it was still waaa-aaay too big.



Besides being way too big, there was no possible way it would fit in the carseat. Here's what she ended up with instead:

Amazing Cheeks

I just can't get over how precious her cheeks are

Playing in her gym

So, there's definitely only so much 'playing' that a one-week old can do, but Ella does really seem to enjoy her gym from Erin & Josh and we put her in there once a day to play and for some tummy time.





Who's that pretty girl in the mirror??


I could sit and watch her in there all day - it's just so cute.

Jan 12 - One Week Old

Wow, it is hard to believe she's already been here a week. Last night Mom watched Ella so that Steve & I could go out to dinner - it was my original due date and never in a million years would I have guessed that on 1/11 Steve and I would be out to dinner, not pregnant, and Ella almost a week old. It was great to have some time out together but we both really missed her - I got tears in my eyes at one point and it was so great to come home to her. Oh and I had a margarita - first 'non-virgin' one in 9 months - yummmmy!

She turned a week old on Jan 12! Dad & Donna came up to visit for the afternoon.









That night, Ella helped us cheer on the Patriots in their win against Jacksonville



All this football is exhausting!

Ella's First Bath

On Thursday night it was time for Ella's first bath. Since we can't get the umbilical cord stump wet, it's just a sponge bath but still a milestone!! Just like in the hospital, she was not a big fan of the bath - but oh so rediculously cute!

Attempt #1:


Take 2! After an 'accident' on the first one, we got towel #2 to start again :)


Look how tiny she is!




All done

I Can't Stop Taking Photos!!

I had taken over 500 photos of Ella by day 4, and it just seems that everything she does, every pose, facial gesture, hand movement, is cuter than the one before and I just can't stop snapping pics of all of it - thank goodness for digital cameras! Here are some favorites from the first few days home with her.























Such a little cherub, I am constantly shocked and amazed at how sweet and precious she is.