"She's Hungry...."

So we have an ongoing joke at our house...it's the, "she's hungry" joke. Josh doesn't like to hear Ella cry (fuss) as he feels bad that she is unhappy. So if he's holding her, or if she's having tummy time, or if she's swinging, or if she's doing WHATEVER and starts to get fussy - his instant reply is - "I think she's hungry." Call it "natural instinct" or maybe I am just lucky at guessing what her needs are...but my usual response is, "well she could be or she could be ready for a diaper change or she's probably sleepy." Nine times out of ten...she is just ready for a nap or a diaper change...there is the occasional time that his guess is right, and she is in fact hungry. So for now - I still get to hear, "I think she's hungry," oh about 15 times a day! :)

2 Month Check-Up

Today was the BIG day..."Shots Day!"

Before heading to the Doctor's, Ella had her morning bath (which she really isn't a fan of bath time). Her favorite is when she gets out and gets to get wrapped in her towel....

 

Now we're ready to go! 

At the Doctors office - Ella first gets weighed and measured...9lbs and 5oz, 21 7/8 inches long...still a little peanut! I see that and I have in my head that she is so small for her age...but then I remember that when we took her home from the hospital that she was 5lbs and 10oz...so she has gained almost 4 pounds in 2 months - which I say is pretty good. Her doctor was pleased with her weight - so I guess we're ok!

Ella's doctor and I had a talk about shots...they typically give 3 shots and 1 oral vaccination at the, "2 month check-up." Josh and I had agreed early on that we were going to space out her shots. I told her doctor that we were comfortable with doing 2 at a time and that we would return for the other 2. She was supportive of our decision, but wanted to make me aware that getting all 3 shots and the oral vaccination was putting her at the same level of "risk" as us taking her to the grocery store. I explained that I understand there are multiple opinions on shots and that we are going to get all of them - we just wanted to space them out. She was absolutely fine with that and scheduled Ella to go back next week to get the 2 remaining ones.

So - as I thought - Ella was not a fan of those shots! The nurse came in and said, "alright mom - I need you to hold down her arms." Which I did - Ella looked up at me - like what is happening to me?? I stroked her cheek with the side of my finger during the shots while Ella wailed (I kept my emotions in check - there were no tears from Mom!) As bad as it was - she did pretty well - once the shots were over she whimpered for a few minutes but the wailing had subsided...and she fell asleep in the car on the way home. Once we were home she did well - just wanting a little extra cuddle time this afternoon. She didn't really want to be put down but instead wanted to be held...and normally she is opposite - she loves her swing, loves to look at her toys, etc...but she was not having any of that today! She finally took a good nap starting at 4pm for a few hours...and she woke up a little happier - we had singing time :) And she was ready to play with her mirror...

Ella's 4 month check-up is scheduled on a day Daddy is off from work! :)

Model in the Making...

Have you ever seen the show, "Toddlers & Tiaras?" I think Ella may be the next big star - so I really wouldn't do that to my child...but wait until you see these pictures....

I haven't been able to choose a favorite - I LOVE them all!! My very talented friend, Hailey Hermosa took these pictures last week while her and her family were visiting. View her website to see more of her work (www.hermosababyphotography.com). Hailey lives in Hawaii now - I think we need to travel there for Ellas next photo session!! :)

Busy Day!

Ella had a very busy day today...she was good and slept in for Mommy until 8am...which I was VERY thankful for...because that meant I got to sleep in until 8am! :) After working 2 days in a row, taking care of my 2 fur babies, my human baby, and my "big kid" (aka hubby!), cleaning the house, cooking dinner, keeping up with the laundry - it makes for one exhausted Mama! (Again props to you full-time working moms for being able to balance it all - that's hard work!).

So back to Ella's busy day...after we got up and Ella had breakfast (lucky her went back to sleep)...ok so this is making it sound like she didn't have a busy day...but I promise she did...so while she slept...I cleaned for a few hours...then Grandma and Grandpa came to visit!!

After our visit with Grandma and Grandpa we made lunch and got ready to go visit with our friends Micah and Jackson...we had a nice visit and stayed for a few hours until it was time to go home and put dinner in the oven for Daddy!

We got home and I got dinner going...and while dinner was cooking...Ella was putting on quite the show for me....

Ella had this thing when she was younger about sticking out her tongue...it stopped for a few weeks until last night....Josh tells me after I got home from work that before I came home they were playing a game...and I said, "oh what kind of game?"...he proceeds to tell me that he would stick out his tongue and Ella would watch him and stick out her tongue in response and then grin really big! So apparently she was trying to get me to play this game with her this afternoon!

So back to Ella's busy day...Josh came home and said he had a study group that was meeting at 7pm at Barnes and Noble - did Ella and I want to go with him...sure we did! So we dropped Josh off at Barnes and Noble and Ella and I went shopping at TJ Maxx - one of our favorite stores! We came home with a few treasures for Ella - a little Calvin Klein outfit, and cute Carter's outfit for the fall - she is going to be styling! We picked Josh up and came home...and now Ella is fast asleep in her swing and getting ready to go to bed in a few minutes...whew - that was a busy day for a 9 week old! :)

Early Bird!

Report card number 2 - "happy baby" - I think we have a trend here :) Which makes me feel very blessed...Ella really is a very happy baby...she rarely fusses...she only gets fussy (so far) on 3 occasions...1) HUNGRY...2) In need of a diaper change...3) Fighting sleep.

Ella was an early bird this morning...I couldn't believe it...5:30am...and never went back to sleep for me..usually when she wakes up early...she goes right back to sleep...just not today...here are a few pictures of Ella's fun morning...

Love to smile at my rooster!

Ready to go Mom!

Day One...

Well as I stated in my last post - today was Ella's first day at the new sitter's and I was worried leaving her...well I am happy to report there were no tears (by Ella or by Mom!)...Ella did great and was sent home with a report card stating that she is, "a happy baby," and really cute! She also recorded when she ate, how much she ate, when she slept and how long her naps were...so clearly she's organized and has it together - maybe this won't be so bad after all! :)

Ella's really in a drooling stage now - kind of gross! I don't remember babies drooling this much so young - but then again what do I know about babies - this is my first one! And its not like I grew up around a lot of babies. However, according to my, "What To Expect - The First Year," drool is completely normal at 9 weeks - another one of those wonderful things to get used to (goes right along with diaper changing in my book - yuck!)

How cute is she! Ella loves to lay on her back and look to her side into her mirror...I've been told that's an O'Bryan trait...checking herself out! I guess that could be true...I can't pass a mirror without looking - you know you have to make sure that there isn't a hair out of place ;)

Josh and I were looking through some older pictures this past weekend...and came across this one from last May...here I am holding baby Zachary (one of my adorable nephew's) - good practice huh? Who would have thought exactly a year later I would be holding my very own!

Well "Day 2" is tomorrow - hope Ella gets sent home with a good report card! :)

Ella Makes Three...

Well I am a little late in starting a blog to keep up with the Taylor family...but better late than never!

Ella Joy Taylor joined our family on May 24, 2011...weighing in at a full 6 pounds and 19 inches long - she's our little peanut! As surprised and unprepared as we were - she has proven to be one of the best blessings we have received.

Ella graced us with her presence a little earlier than expected...she was 8 days early. As I went to work on Monday, May 23rd - little did I know I would be coming home with a baby! I had only been at work for about 30 minutes before I called Josh and asked him if he was ready to go to the hospital...he answered with a quickened pace, "are you ready to go to the hospital??" I replied, "the on-call doctor says I am." We arrived at the hospital where they ran a test to see if they were going to admit me - we were quite convinced it was a false alarm and they were going to send us home (which honestly I was hoping for - I hadn't mentally prepared myself for labor, nor did I have a bag packed!)...but nope the nurse came back and said we were there to stay! The only thoughts I had running through my head were...1) I need to call my mom and dad to see if they will come feed the dogs (our two chihuahuas) and to give them a list of things to pack for us! and 2) When is the pain going to start?? Josh walked the hall with me for a few hours before the Doctor wanted to hook me up to a machine. The machine monitored Ella's heartbeat and tracked my contractions....lucky for me...the machine showed I was having contractions - but I couldn't feel them. The contractions continued for another 5 hours or so - still I couldn't feel them...oh wait - now I can! They were hard and coming fast...about every 2-3 minutes and lasting 45 seconds to 1 minute...I buzzed the nurse after about 15 minutes of that and asked if it was time for my epidural (please please!). She left the room and came back about 10 minutes later and said my epidural was on the way - that made me smile for about 5 seconds before the next contraction began! :) Ahh yes relief was here...but wait...it wasn't! The first epidural didn't work...so Dr. Lee returned to take that one out and lets try something else - I didn't care what was going on - just please make the pain stop...ahhh yes now there is relief....everything was smooth sailing from that point on (on a side-note...to all who gave birth without pain medication - good for you....I couldn't do that!) The rest pretty much was a blur...until 1:00am on the dot - Ella was born :)

Our stay in the hospital was nice - lots of visitors...I could have done without the poking and prodding every few hours...but the nurses were just doing their job....finally it's time to go home...I was ready to be in my own bed.

We have experienced the many ups and downs as parents already...the late nights with little sleep to the smiles that light up her face. To summarize-the last 8 weeks have flown by...Ella has changed so much since she was born...to document her physical changes...Josh takes a weekly picture (same pose and same place every week) so we can see the changes. Her favorite thing right now is to stick out that bottom lip...which I have to admit...it makes me laugh every time!

Ella is getting ready to enter her 9th week...a few big things happening this week...1) Ella is going to a brand new sitter...she was recommended to us by the pastor at Hyland Heights...Josh and I went and met her this weekend...she seems nice and great with kids...I still have my hesitations...I don't "know" her...and I am having a very hard time accepting that I have to send my child to someone that I don't know...it's been a very emotional weekend for me...and I have a feeling I just may cry tomorrow as I pull away leaving her there...2) Ella gets her first round of shots this week...yes I do believe this may be the most emotional week that I will have experienced since Ella's birth...from what I have been told it is a cry that will break your heart as it's a cry of pain...a first for many 2 month olds...as they typically haven't experienced pain yet. So say a little prayer for me this week - I am going to need it!

Well I am going to leave you with a picture that I catch Josh laughing at often...she's a funny girl.