4 Months

It's hard for Jose and I to believe that our sweet girl is already 4 months. She is growing up so fast and we fall more in love with her everyday.

Last month I mentioned that we really needed to work on sleep. Well, it has continued to be a struggle. Here's a break down.

Naps
Ella is an excellent napper in the morning and will go down for about 2 hours. The rest of the day is hit or miss. She'll go down for another nap in the afternoon and it only lasts 45 min. to an hour. She'll also take a nap around 5:00 because she is SO exhausted from the day. This nap only lasts for about 30 min. I'm hoping the morning and afternoon naps start to fall into place. Mom could really use a nap on Saturday afternoon too!

Nights
Ella is just like her Mom and loves routines! Jose and I have a nightly routine that we've stuck to since she was about 2 months. ( I blogged about it previously) She gets her bottle around 6:30, bath around 7:00, book around 7:15, and is ready for bed by 7:30. She goes down pretty easily in her crib and only wakes a few times for her Nuk. Here's where it gets tricky. Ella will usually wake up again anywhere between 12:30 and 2:00 for a 4 oz. feeding. Most nights she'll go right back down, but this month she's had a few nights where she can't settle down and cries for a few hours. She's also had SEVERAL nights where she is waking every 2 hours. The only thing that soothes her back to sleep is her Nuk. This means I'm up again to place it back in her mouth. Once down, Ella will sleep until about 4:00. This is where I need help. She will not go back down unless. . . . . . . you guessed it, she's in bed with us. And not just in bed, but so close to me that I cannot move or fall back asleep. So, needless to say, we are still working out Ella's sleeping habits and hoping that this coming month is better. Momma really needs a good nights rest!

So, other than our sleep issues, Ella is the happiest baby ever. She laughs and smiles all the time. She is also getting stronger every day. I'm anxiously waiting for her to roll over, but I think she has a ways to go. She still loves her tongue and will put anything in her mouth she can get a handle on. Ella loves to be sitting up and facing the action. Her Bumbo really comes in handy for that. I think she's really close to sitting up on her own. It's pretty amazing how strong she is. We have her 4 month check up and shots in a few weeks, so I'll keep you posted on her weight and height then.

Here are a few photos from our monthly session. Enjoy!

Looking forward to this month! I have a feeling it's going to be full of surprises!

Our Little Ladybug!

Well, I know I'm super late getting these pics posted, but it's been a crazy week! When it came time to think about Halloween costumes, my friend Kirtsten mentioned she purchased a really cute Carter's costume for her daughter Madeline at Costco. So, off to Costco I went. Unfortunately we had no luck. So, I called Kirsten and she purchased one for me. All the way in Montana! I had my mind set on the ladybug and boy did Ella look cute! She wasn't great when it came time for pictures, but we did manage to snap a few. Hope you enjoy them.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!

I love. . . . .

the weekends! 4:00 on Friday cannot come fast enough. Here are a few snap shots of Jose, Ella, and I. Jose and I are LOVING every single minute with our sweet girl. We are truly blessed.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Pumpkin Picking. . . . .

Today was the perfect day for a visit to the pumpkin patch. Jose, Ella, and I headed up to Ramona to meet my Mom and newphews Garin and Grayson. I'll let the pictures do the talking!!

A Special Delivery

When I got home from work today, I had a special delivery waiting for me........ An unexpected letter from my dearest friend Kirsten. Inside I found the sweetest note and some new pictures of her sweet daughter Madeline and their recent family picture. I can't tell you how much this made my day!

She even included a treat for me because we can't get coffee together!

Kirsten and I have been friends since we were born! We grew up together, have taught together, have seen each other get married, have babies, and the list goes on. She is the exact definition on what a TRUE friend really is. The kind of friend you can always count on, no matter what!

When Kirsten moved to Park City to be closer to her parents (my dad and step mom live their too!) I was heartbroken. I still remember when she drove off, car loaded with her entire classroom that she just packed up. Although we wouldn't be able to see each other every day or talk on the phone every night, I knew we would still remain close and that she would still be that constant rock in my life.

Thank you for being the person you are, for always being there when I need you, and for making the end of a very long week super special.

3 Months!

That's right! I'm 3 months old already. There are so many new things I've been doing lately. Let me tell you about them.

I love tummy time. Mom and Dad make sure I spend at least 45 minutes each morning on my activity mat and on my tummy. My activity mat is super fun and I love all my toys. Mom usually puts them all around me and I can grab them now. When it's time for my tummy, I can only last about 10 minutes.  But... I think my head is getting much stronger. I love to scoot all over. It's so fun!

I've also discovered that I LOVE my blankets in my face. They feel so soft and warm. I wish I could sleep buried in them, but Mom and Dad keep moving me. I think they're worried I might sufficate! I still don't sleep very well in my crib. I've only been able to last about 45 minutes. I have a feeling I'll be sleeping in my crib soon. I guess I better get use to it.

I have also started to laugh! A LOT! Mom and Dad are always doing crazy things to make me laugh. It doesn't take much. I think I'm the silliest in the morning. It's my favorite time of day.

My Grandma Cathy bought me a Baby Mozart video and I love it. I sit in my Bumbo and watch it with Mom and Dad. The songs are great and the colors and animals make me smile and laugh. I usually watch it in the morning before my nap. It really calms me down.

Ready for my nap!

I think I'm getting a tooth, so I've been drooling a lot and sticking anything in my mouth that I can get a handle on. Usually my fist or toy will do the trick. My Mom cut her teeth early, so it looks like I'll be doing the same. So far it hasn't hurt. Let's hope it doesn't hurt too bad once they come in.

Well, I thinks that's it. There's still one thing I really need to work on. SLEEP! Hopefully I start sleeping in my crib and I really want to try and make it through the night without having to wake Mom for some milk. I'm just so hungry around 2 a.m. and then I'm really restless until morning. I feel bad because Mom usually has to put me in bed with her so I calm down. I don't think she sleeps very well when I'm right next to her. I also know that she doesn't want me to get use to the bed.(I think I already am!) Hopefully I get things figured out this coming month.

Overall it's been a fantastic month and I've changed so much. I can't wait to see what lies ahead next month. See you then......



Back to Work I Go

Well, it's come that time where I must go back to work. When Jose and I first found out I was pregnant, we were so excited that Ella would arrive when I was out of work for the summer. That meant I would have all summer to spend with Ella! We then had to decide how much additional time I could take off work once she finally arrive. Once Ella arrived (she was 10 days late), we decided that I would only be able to take an additional month off. It's funny, when people asked me how much maternity leave I got (8 weeks because of C-Section), they all said, " Wow! That's great. What so many didn't know was that just because I get 8 weeks, doesn't mean I'm getting paid for it! It just means I get to keep my job. So, I ended up having to take an additional 3 weeks of leave through FMLA. I had the option of taking up to 12 weeks, but unfortunately Jose and I could not afford for me to be out longer. So.... here we are. My 11 weeks are up and I'm headed back to the job I love.

Yesterday was my first official day back. As you can imagine, my morning was tough. I woke up, pumped, prepared all of Ella's bottles for the day, got dressed, and was ready to go. Jose was great and kept telling me she'd be fine. This just made the tears flow even heavier, but I knew he was right. Hubby didn't have to work, so he spent the day with Ella. I have to say this made leaving a lot easier. Knowing she was home with Dad wasn't so bad, but it was the first day I had been away from her longer than 2 hours. When I finally left, Ella was sleeping comfy in bed and I think I gave her a million kisses before I walked out the door.

As I arrived at work, I tried my very best not to cry, but as soon as I walked in the door the tears began. Everyone was so welcoming and it felt so nice to be back. My dearest friend Meghan welcomed me with a yummy iced chai latte and treat from Starbucks and gave me something I was in desperate need of. A hug! Seeing her face and hearing her encouraging words helped me realize that I could do it. Everything WOULD be ok and this would become my new normal daily routine. The day flew by and it was as if I was never gone. I told myself to leave by 4, and I almost made it. At about 4:30, I grabbed my belongings and headed home to see the sweetest girl in the world.

I know it's not going to be easy to leave her everyday, but I know she's being looked over by people who adore her. This WILL become my new "normal"!