Ella's 16th Week

Here are some pics from Ella this week - she'll be 16 weeks on Saturday and has had a big week of playing, smiling and laughing, and working on building those neck muscles!

What a sweet face!!


Awwwwwwww


Telling me a story about her day...


Standing up - what a big girl :)


Lots to think about

Videos!

Here are some little video clips of the angel from this afternoon.

Practicing lifting that heavy head!


Happy girl

Flippin' the Bird

Hahahahahaha

First Giggles

Ella giggled for the first time on April 7. I had her on her changing table and was getting her changed for bed, and she was smiley and happy and all of a sudden giggled three times. At first it didn't hit me that it was unusual and I just thought how happy she was, then I realized that it was the first time she had ever laughed - soooo sweet!

Then, she laughed at the same time for the next three nights - always when we were changing her for bed. On the 4th day she giggled right at me when I was holding her in the afternoon, and it was so adorable. Since then she's getting a little more liberal with her her giggles - she's definitely not full-out laughing but it is truly a giggle and makes me whole day when she does it!

Lifting her Head

Just when I thought Ella couldn't be any cuter, she started lifting her head when she's on her tummy and there's a whole new realm of fantastic photos for me to take! She's definitely not been a fan of tummy time but we've been pretty consistent with it and I asked daycare to make sure she gets tummy time every day as well, and it finally seems to be paying off.

Before, she'd grunt and groan while she smushed her big noggin into the ground, and would pretty much just start crying after a little while. Now she pops her head up right away and can lift it to 90 degrees. It's still not consistent but she has made HUGE improvements with it in the past week and has even rolled over onto her back from this position!

Here she is showing off her new talent!

All ready to go

Here is the little princess right before we left the house one day last week - just too cute!!

Sleeping Angel

After Ella wakes up to eat for the last time during the night, I bring her into bed with us so I can feed her in bed and we can snuggle with her for a few hours in the morning. Then I get dressed while she is still asleep, then I wake her up once it's time to get her ready for the day.

Here is what I get to look at while I am getting ready - no wonder it takes me so long to get out of the house in the morning!!

Daycare

I went back to the office full-time on April 7, and started Ella in daycare the week before so I could get used to the transition. The first day I dropped her off was just heartbreaking - I cried on the way to the center, sat in the backseat with her crying, cried on the way in there, had to stop in the bathroom on the way to the infant room, and then finally pulled it together after I had been in the room for several minutes.

It was so hard to say goodbye to her the first day, and then I spent the next few hours watching her on the cameras online. I was hiring for a new position at work, and I had scheduled 3 interviews in a row so that I had distracting work that I had to do, and that definitely helped take my mind off things. I picked her up after just a few hours every day that week and by the 4th day it was much easier. Kelly came on Friday and so I kept her out that day for three days with her before heading back full-time in the office. Mom was here the next 2 weeks and picked her up early in the afternoon most days, so she was only there about 5 or 6 hours a day which made me feel even better.

The first week back in the office wasn't too bad, the biggest adjustment is how long it takes me to get both of us ready in the morning - I am getting up almost an hour earlier than I used to, but getting to work an hour later than I used to. But I wouldn't want to rush things in the morning - I really enjoy how cheerful and playful she is in the morning, and I feed her twice in the morning so that she needs less bottles at daycare. So, for now it's just adjusting to a lot less sleep and trying to get as much done the night before as I possibly can.

I feel really comfortable with the daycare - it's a 5-star facility and just about 7 minutes from our house, on the way to work. The teachers in Ella's room are wonderful - they have been there since the center opened and have their own children there as well. They completely humor me and do whatever I ask, and have helped make this transition be as successful as possible. Best of all, I can watch Ella on the cameras online all day long - her crib is directly under one of the cameras and I know when she's eating, sleeping, playing, etc. - it's really cool.

I like the chance to talk to the other mothers if I drop her off or pick her up and they're there, and it's really cute seeing her there with the other kids. Even though she really can't play with them, they'll sit in a little circle and look and smile at each other - just precious. So, as hard as putting her in daycare has been, I think things are going as well as they could be.

Aunt Kelly's Visit

Kelly, my best friend from college, came for the weekend April 4-7. We had so much fun together and it was so great to see her, and of course Ella enjoyed her time with Aunt Kelly!


Ella standing on Kelly's lap





What a sweet pair!

Ella at 3 Months

Ella turned 3 months on April 5, and is such a happy sweet little baby. She is really aware of what is going on around her, so cheerful and smiley, and coos and 'talks' to us all the time.

She has this big happy grin that she does many times a day, and a 'shy' smile where she'll smile with her eyes and mouth but then covers up her face with her hands like she has a little secret. She can bear some weight on her legs and likes to 'stand up' with our help, and holds her head up very steady whenever we hold her upright.

Her hands are always in or near her mouth, and she can hold her two hands together and twist them around. She is fascinated by her hands and will follow them with her eyes with a lot of interest. She startles MUCH less frequently, really only when she is asleep and hears a loud noise like a dog barking or kitchen cabinet closing or something similar.

Ella is just such a wonderful baby - she is happy, content 99% of the time, sweet and smiley and loves to cuddle. She definitely has her moments of general fiesty-ness but that's just a part of her charm - she knows what she likes!

Her eyes are still a bright blue and so full of expression, and her cheeks become more and more kissable every single day. Her eyelashes are so long and her little nose and mouth are just perfect. She is truly an angel!!

Here are some pics of her 13th week:

Holding her binky - she can take it out of her mouth and hold it (just can't get it quite back in yet!)


Passed out after a big breakfast (notice the drunken face and milk dripping out of her mouth)


Enjoying her Spider Chair



Sleeping with Daddy


With Gramps

Aunt Erin & Ella

Steve & I went to a wedding on March 29 and Erin and Josh came for the weekend to babysit. They did such a fantastic job with everything and it was sooooo great that we were able to go out for the night and enjoy ourselves with Ella in such capable hands =0). Erin sent me lots of text message updates throughout the night and tried to send some pics - they even got some awesome video of her smiling and cooing at them. And Erin swears that Ella said "Aunt Erin" -- the jury is still out on that one.

Some pics of the 2 of them

Uncle Tate, Aunt Julie & Ada

A few weeks ago I took Ella down to Pinehurst to my dad and Donna's house to visit them and to introduce Ella to meet my stepbrother, his wife Julie and their 3 year old Ada.


Ada enjoyed holding Ella on her lap (with some help from Aunt Julie :-))


With Uncle Tate


Julie is expecting another baby this summer and I just found out it's another little girl, so Ada will have a baby sister in a few months!