One Month Old

Time flies when you're fresh out of the womb!

Peace & Quiet

All three babies are asleep at the same time, allowing me two VERY productive hours.
(Shout out to the Boppy for getting Ella to sleep on her own in her bassinet.)

Welcome, Ella

I solicited Kathie, my sister-in-law/photographer extraordinaire, to take Ella's first professional pictures when she was two-weeks old.  We were surprised how cooperative Ella was during the shoot, even laying still on a ledge (yeah, Mom wasn't so keen on the idea, but Dad was right there just in case).  The images came back beautiful and we are sure to cherish these pictures for many years to come.  Here are a few of our favorites!

Happy Independence Day!

We kept it low key this year since Ella is still so young.  Our parents came over for an informal BBQ of bratwurst (yum!) and grilled sweet corn fresh from our weekly veggie box.  We followed it with apple pie and watermelon--perfect summer food!  Here are some pictures of how we spent the fourth.  (Notice there is a lot of lounging/napping going on.)

The puggies felt festive.

Remy looking "All-American" in his stars and stripes tank and madras pants.

Someone was "milk drunk"

Family pug pile!

Wearing My Baby

I've been experimenting with different baby carriers to find the right one for me and Ella.  For a while it felt a little futile.  Ella does not like the sling, or maybe I just put her in it at the wrong time (she was a little fussy).  She seems to be okay with the Moby, but the lack of head support made me nervous once she was in it.  Also, the thick fabric seemed to suffocate her and this weather doesn't seem conducive to bundling her up like that.  It's super comfortable to wear her with it, but the long length of fabric makes it feel cumbersome to put on (especially when we'll be out and about).  So today I tried the Mei Tai carrier (thank goodness I thought ahead and purchased several carrier options), and it's working like a charm.  Easy to put on, and she's snug as a pug in it.  The soft structure gives her a little head support and keeps her face from being smooshed into me.  I also like that it has a larger opening where I can see her face more easily and make sure she's breathing okay.  I think I'll definitely use the Moby when she gets bigger, but the Mei Tai is definitely my carrier of choice for now.  And I am overjoyed that I am now hands-free and able to get some stuff done around the house while keeping her close!

It reminds me of when I was carrying her inside of me.  Hard to believe that was just three weeks ago! 

Even in the carrier she likes to sleep with her hands near her face.

Settling In

Ella is three weeks old now and I can finally say that we are getting used to having her here.  It's amazing how one little person can initiate so much change in our day-to-day lives.  My body is now adjusted to sleeping in a few hour chunks and we are starting to follow some sort of "routine" to make things feel more "normal" again.  Every day still sees many challenges and changes, but it's definitely a blessing to see our little one grow leaps and bounds in such a short period of time.  Here are some more pictures we took this past week. 

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A Successful Outing

In an attempt to feel sane and in hopes of getting a glimpse into what my life will be like with an infant, Ella and I had our first outing alone.  Well, it wasn't exactly alone.  Thankfully, one of my best friends, Kathy, came with us to get lunch at a local restaurant.  With the exception of Ella throwing up in her car seat on the way there, we had a pretty successful outing.  A quick wipe down and outfit change in the car, and she slept in her stroller the entire time while Kathy and I were able to catch up.  It was a much needed venture, and though I still feel a little clumsy toting a newborn around, it was nice to be out in the world again (even for an hour at a time).  Thanks Aunty Kathy for your company and extra hands!!