What day is it?? My days are beginning to run together! Let's see...Monday was a good day...Ella went down for the night on Sunday night at 9:30 and slept all the way until 6am! Those nights are always my favorite...and it was the first night in months and months that I actually slept through the entire night without waking up once! Josh and I both worked and Ella was at the sitter's for the day...although she came home in a different outfit...it was not the one she arrived there in...glad she was at the sitter's for that one ;)

Tuesday morning...ehh a different story...Ella was up at 4:48am and ready to eat...no problem...she eats and goes right back to sleep...when I get woken up at that hour...I rarely can go back to sleep...so I laid in bed hoping to fall asleep...which never happened...that was a, "stop and get coffee on my way to work" morning :) I picked Ella up after work...normally Josh picks her up every night but he has night training for a few days this week...so I was on duty...we came home and she was all smiles....

 

However that didn't last for very long...she was super fussy...the fussiest she has ever been...I did everything I could think of...she had multiple diaper changes, a new outfit put on, we sang every song that I knew, played with every toy we own, went in the swing, walked around, ate...she would be happy for 5 minutes...then get fussy...over and over...finally at 8:30 my patience was worn out and I thought...I'm sure she must be ready for bed...my plan was to rock her in the dark room with hopes that would make her sleepy and put her right out! Well we go downstairs and as I am holding her getting ready to sit in the rocking chair...she spits up...and I won't go into details....but eeewwww....so that was what had her so cranky...I quickly laid her down on our bed...so I could peel my soaked t-shirt off...after spitting up...she was instantly happy...I rocked her for a few minutes (which she didn't really need - she was out within 30 seconds!) and put her to bed...which I then also went to bed!

Wednesday morning was a repeat...up at 5am...however I was able to fall back asleep this time...until 7 at least :) Grandma and Grandpa O'Bryan came over for a visit...so that was exciting! Ella had a bath today...bath time really isn't her favorite...every time I put her in the bath tub...she just gives me this look of, "what are you doing mom??" She just stares up at me puzzled....but the minute she is out of that tub and in her towel...she just grins and grins!

 

Ella spent her afternoon napping, and we read lots of books, she helped Mommy fold laundry and do some organization, and we played with toys...we had a busy afternoon :)

This is Ella in her new PJ's and playing with her favorite...Katie the Caterpillar! 

Long Week!

Where to start...what a busy week we've had! I ended up working all week this past week as my work is installing a new computer system. So extra training had to be done...and I was helping put our inventory on the new system...working full time with a young baby is hard work! Needless to say - I'm not ready for full-time for a while...I really missed having those few days off with my little girl!

Well we survived the earthquake! What an experience that was....I don't recall ever having been in an earthquake like that before! I was at work in our lab. And in our lab it is all glass shelves and lots of trays stacked up for the "jobs"...well those shelves and trays started rattling...and I kept saying over and over, "is this an earthquake, do you think we are having an earthquake??" Finally someone answered and said, "yeah - I think it is an earthquake." Well that was all I needed to hear...I threw the glasses that I had in my hand on the table and ran :) Josh never even felt it! He was outside when it happened at the shooting range and they never felt it out there. Although he felt a few of the aftershocks! The one at 1:00am woke him right up...and I slept through that one!

Then there was the superglue accident this week...Josh was super-gluing something together...and called for my help...I went into the kitchen to see a mound of super glue on the counter...I immediately grabbed a sponge and started to wipe up the superglue...I stuck the sponge under the sink to run it under water...and I went to let go of the sponge...and it stuck to my fingers...so I pulled and chunks of sponge stuck to my fingers! Well Josh didn't see the sponge stuck to my fingers...he was concerned about getting the glue off the counter...so he grabbed the sponge and started to scrub at the counter...sure enough he did the same thing I did...except he had it worse! I had tears running down my cheeks from laughing so hard...it finally wore off...time for a new sponge...and time to get rid of the super glue! :)

Ella is growing like a little weed...she will be 3 1/2 months on Tuesday...although she is still in all her 3 months outfits...it won't be long and we'll be moving up a size. She has her next Doctor appointment on the 23rd...so still a few more weeks to go before we see how much she weighs...my arms can definitely tell you she has gained some weight though :)

Here is a little picture of the princess sleeping...I felt like the only time I saw her this week this is what she was doing!

3:53am

3:53 A.M.....yes that is the time Ella woke up this morning....as did Mom. Well it's really not that unusual - she normally is up anywhere from 3:30-5:30 most nights...eats and goes back to bed. Well I was trying to be nice...so when Ella started to wake up at 3:53...I thought well I am going to take her upstairs since Josh will be up at 4:30...and I wanted him to be able to get all the sleep he could. So upstairs we go...Ella eats and I put her in her swing...I went and laid down on the bed that is upstairs. When I went to go lay down - around 4:30 - Ella was still awake, but happy. I of course never go back to sleep....but instead "rested" for a bit...thinking about the day ahead of me. 5am - might as well get up and get in the shower (Ella is now asleep). After my shower, I'm downstairs...and Josh comes down with Ella...I was like what are you doing?? He told me that she woke up. To which I responded...well was she crying?? He said no - just looking around. (This wasn't part of my morning plan - I thought for sure she would sleep the entire time I was getting ready...but clearly this was not going to happen)...but we made it out of the house in time (by 7am). I again - thought she would sleep the entire way to the sitters (she does every morning we go) - again she proves me wrong...never once closed her eyes! The sitter said she did get a good 2 1/2 hour nap in this afternoon! And as I type this - Ella is fast asleep in her swing! :)

So work from 8-5, pick Ella up, come home and make dinner, feed Ella, bathe Ella, fold and put away a load of laundry, dishes, prepare lunches for tomorrow...I am EXHAUSTED now...and to top it all off...this cold just hit me about 30 minutes ago :( My sore throat was all better by Sunday...I was feeling good...and all day I have been sneezing...I knew it was coming!! I just wanted to get that off my shoulders - Super Mom ;) Ok not really - I know Moms all over the world do that everyday...it's tiring....8:30 is my bed time tonight :)

Well we did have a pretty quiet weekend...yesterday we lost power for about 3 hours...we came home from church and I was going on and on about how I loved AC - church was really warm yesterday...and then not even an hour later our power goes out (which means so did the central air)...so it quickly became nap time for all since there wasn't much else that could be done :) All those chores would just have to wait!

Here is a picture of Ella ready for church....

 

It was really funny...I got Ella ready to this point...then I handed her to Josh...while I went and got dressed for church. He put her in her car seat and added socks to her outfit. I come upstairs...and looked at her and burst out laughing...he put white socks on and had them pulled up (they almost reached her knees!) - I said what are you doing with those socks?? He said in a very practical tone - her feet were cold. Daddy - it's all about fashion ;) It's ok - he'll soon learn! So Mom removed the socks! And instead added a blanket around her legs for the car ride.

Ella likes to Share...

Well Ella has learned to share...her sickness that is! Ella is feeling almost all the way better...still a little stuffy...but her cough is almost gone...but yes...now she has given it to Mom :( Although all I have right now is the really sore throat...I'm sure the rest will come...so Ella and I are still sleeping upstairs while Josh is downstairs...I'm really trying to avoid getting him sick too! And so it begins I've been told...the start of many colds to be shared! :)

We had quite a lazy day today...Josh was off...although he wasn't lazy...he finished a 16 page paper today...for his Masters class...which I proofread for him...a 16 page paper on China and their business ethics...not pleasurable reading :) Ella and I played this morning...and then she took a 3 hour nap this afternoon....yay for me...I took an hour nap while she slept...which was much needed!

Ella has learned something new again! She was just reaching out and grabbing her toys...today I set them down on her belly or next to her and she was picking them up all by herself! So cute to see her get excited that she was holding her toys all by herself!

Well tomorrow brings more of the same....errands to do, chores around the house...Ella's cousins sent down lots of toys for Ella to play with...so I need to find a home for all these toys...so I think I will be doing some organizing tomorrow!

Chatty Cathy...

So little Miss Ella today has been such a "chatty cathy!" She has just been making all kinds of noises today...I couldn't resist posting a few pictures...

Ella only took about a 45 minute nap today - that's it! I tried all kinds of things to get her to go to sleep...rocking her, singing to her, feeding her, giving her the paci...she wasn't having any of it...I set her in her boppy lounger while I stepped into the kitchen to make dinner...I peak around the corner...and this is how I find her...

All that talking finally made her sleepy! :)

Ella is Feeling Better...

Cold vs Allergies - it was her first little cold! :( Over the past few days Ella has gotten through her first cold. It started Saturday night with her coughing quite a bit through the night...then Sunday came and that's when the sneezing began...she dealt with that all day Sunday with a little fever to go along with it. Sunday night I kept her in her swing for the night as I didn't want her to lay down as that's when her coughing begins. So I made up the bed in Ella's room (we have a double bed in her room as well...which serves as our "guest room/Ella's room")...and brought her swing in there for the night. Monday comes, and thankfully my mom was able to come and watch Ella...I really didn't feel comfortable bringing her to the sitter's as she was coughing and sneezing...I didn't want to share the love with the other kids there! So Ella got to spend the day with her Grandma! I came home Monday night and the poor little girl was looking a little rough :( Her cheeks were all pink, eyes were red, and she was so stuffy! I took her temperature and it was a little higher...so I gave in and gave her some baby Tylenol (the Doctor said she was allowed to have some after her shots a few weeks ago - but I hate to give medicine unless it's absolutely necessary) -so Ella got 3/4 of a dose of baby Tylenol....grape flavored...she was a BIG fan of that - she sucked it right down :) Then I had also read about bringing them into a steamy bathroom...so I ran the shower with the door closed...and after a few minutes I carried her into the bathroom...and we hung out in the steam for about 10 minutes...she liked that! She was holding her head up and looking all around and best of all - breathing a little easier. She slept again in her swing. Tuesday it was more of  the same...Grandma stayed with her again...still a little cough, stuffy nose...but no fever. Again - slept in her swing. Now it's Wednesday - and she seems to be doing much better. Still has a cough whenever she is laying down - so I think I'll keep her in her swing for another night. We all survived her first cold! :) I got little sleep as I was always waking up to check on her and making sure that she was breathing ok...but with a couple cups of coffee I was good to go!

This is a picture of Ella after her bath Sunday night...she wasn't really happy about the bath, getting out of the bath, being wet....she just wasn't feeling good!

So I have to tell you of my amazing deal on diapers/wipes! My friend Erin told me that she bought her diapers from Amazon...and I was like really?? I happen to LOVE Amazon and always do about 75% of my Christmas shopping from there - it's just one of my favorite sites! So I check it out...do a little research...and found that they have some good deals! I signed up a while back for Amazon Mom or something like that - so it makes you an Amazon Prime customer - free 1 day shipping, etc. So with these diapers I found that you get 15% for being an Amazon Mom, AND if you sign up for subscribe and save - you get another 15% off! YAY! Subscribe and save is you put yourself on an automatic order (1 month, 2 months, 3 months or 6 months) and they send you what you have on your "subscribe and save" order for whichever duration you pick. So my bargain - Josh only likes the Pampers Swaddlers with little color changing line that shows when they have messy pants :) If the color has changed and its really bright...he knows he's going to be calling me to help :) So they had those - 234 diapers for $51.44 - BUT after my Amazon Mom/Subscribe and Save deal - I got them for $30! I was quite excited...same goes for wipes - I like the Huggies Natural Care wipes - $15 for 648 wipes! So $45 and I know that will last for at least 6 weeks - not too bad! Whoever thought I would be price checking for diapers and wipes - not me! :)

Cold vs. Allergies...

First - I went through and read my last post - yes there were a few typos and misspellings - sorry - I don't like to make mistakes in my writing...however, my "mommy mind" at 10:00pm got the best of me :)

Well is it a cold or is it allergies? Ella coughed some last night. Which of course made for a restless night of sleep for mom - every time she coughed I sat up in bed, reached for my glasses (because I can't see without them!) and peered over the edge of her pack and play and waited for her to move and make a little noise...which of course she always did...but I needed that reassurance that yes she is in fact breathing and is just fine. Finally at 7, after tossing and turning all night, I got up and Ella was just looking around waiting for someone to pick her up :) We came upstairs and Ella had breakfast and got some fresh clothes on...and then her sneezing began :( She sneezed about 10 times in an hour...which of course seems like a lot to me. So the slightly paranoid person that I am is researching online about cold vs. allergies in infants....the conclusion....I have no idea?? She has only coughed once in the last 3 hours, sneezed quite a bit, is rubbing her eyes a lot...and that's all I've got so far....so I swept the floors, did a little dusting, and soon will be vacuuming...to see if that helps. So we decided that we would be skipping church today :( Josh actually had a training that he is doing this morning with the academy and I don't want Ella around other kids...in case it is a cold...or maybe just her immune system is a little weak. I just put her in her swing and she went right back to sleep - I'm hoping she has a good long nap!

Yesterday we had the discussion of right handed vs. left handed. Josh is a lefty, and I am right-handed. What will Ella be?? Well of course it is too early to tell...but we noticed that Ella when she goes in for the grab - is favoring her left hand....time will tell! :)