Ellie: 5 months

Height:
Weight: 15 lbs. 4 oz.

About You: You are a drooler. Sometimes we have to change your outfit several times a day because you soak through. Everyone asks if you're teething, but no signs of teeth yet. You've started saying Da-Da (we think you learned if from one of the other babies at school). Right now you seem to just look that sound, but Daddy swears you know what it means. You stuck your thumb in a hole in a toy at daycare and cut it (twice). Your daycare teacher felt really awful about it, but you forgave her pretty much immediately. You seem to have a special talent for finding things to stick your thumbs and fingers into. Once you start moving around more, we're really going to have to make sure all the outlets are babyproofed. You've also started sitting up. At first you looked a bit like a surfer, constantly adjusting your balance to stay up. But you've gotten pretty good at it. You even sat in a high chair at a restaurant today.

Ellie: 4 months

Height: 24 in.
Weight: 14 lbs., 15 oz.

About You: You have won over all the hearts of the teachers at daycare. They love your easy smiles and your easygoing nature. I miss you the hours we're apart, but I love seeing you at lunch everyday. We thought you were ready to start solids. You would watch us whenever we ate and you'd open your mouth like a little bird every time food came anywhere near your mouth. But when we gave you your first spoonful of rice cereal you cried. We're going to wait a bit and see if you do better next month. Your favorite thing is peek-a-boo. You pull whatever is around (blankets, towels, your dress) over your head, then pull it down and look around to make sure everyone knows how funny you are.

Weekend

So many things going on right now, I don't know where to start. This week has been a weird one, I keep getting confused about what day it is to the point that Ava missed her last dance class today because I thought it was Wednesday...Yikes. I felt terrible, but she wasn't too upset about it.

On Saturday, Ava had her dance recital. Last year I was one of the chaperones for her class, but with the baby I couldn't do it this year. I didn't think much about it until Ava got sick while she was waiting for her class to perform. I thought she might be coming down with the flu, but she was fine once I was backstage with her. Stage fright. Another sign that she's getting older; she's starting to worry about what other people think. It makes me a little sad. She's always been so fearless and outgoing; I feel like she's learned this self-consciousness from me.

After her recital, we grabbed lunch at our favorite restaurant. Ava gave an encore performance for the other diners, so maybe she's not becoming too shy.

That night we went to the Summer Celebration for the fireworks. As we were walking down the midway with the bright lights and the smells and sounds, I realized that these simple but exciting family activities are the things that my girls will remember. These are the things that make a childhood.

We each picked out one terrible for us food (which isn't helping me lose the baby weight, btw). Ava chose a corn dog, which totally surprised me but she seemed to like it. (This photo cracks me up. I just brought our little point-and-shoot camera instead of the Nikon and I could not for the life of me get a good photo).

There was a guy juggling fire and bowling bowls. Ava loved this. I told her these are not things we try at home.

Ellie was pretty mellow about her first fireworks, the were loud but it didn't seem to bother her at all.

Ellie: 3 Months

Length:
Weight:

About You: During your second month you discovered your hands! We were having dinner at our favorite pizza place and you kept lifting them up and staring at them. You met my grandma (Grandma Ann) for the first time. You defintely recognize your mama; every time you see me you get all smily and kick your legs. You rolled over! The week before Mommy had to go back to work.You started going to daycare with Ava and mama went back to work. We're still trying to adjust to this. You love to reach up and touch your hair (and you have quite a bit) and you like to suck on your thumb or bottom lip.

About the World: Prince William married Kate Middleton. You decided we should get up at 4 am and watch the royal wedding (this may have been a coincidence, we're not sure). Terrible storms and tornados have swept through the country. Osama bin Laden was killed.

Ellie: Month 2

Length: 22 inches
Weight: 11 pounds, 15 ounces

About You: Your favorite things are blowing bubbles, cooing, and your sissy. You smile so big when you see her. You already know she's someone very important. You've also started making a lot of new noises and try to have conversations with us.

Where do babies come from?

Ava: "This is my baby sister. I bought her online."

5.25.11 Update:

"I found her in the woods."

"I borrowed her from Kmart." (We don't even live near a Kmart, I don't know where she even heard the name).

My sweet girls

Sometimes I get frustrated when I feel like I'm always picking up after everyone else and the house is never clean. Or when I cook dinner then have to take care of everyone else's needs and by the time I get to sit down and eat it's already cold.

But I hope my girls know how much I love them. And even when I get frustrated and grumpy, they are my treasures.

Ava is very mature, well-spoken and easy-going. Sometimes I forget she has a very tender little heart. Like the time she used too much toilet paper and clogged the toilet. Later in the week I discovered she had started throwing toilet paper in the trash can instead of flushing it because she didn't want to clog the toilet again.

Being a mom is the most important thing I've ever done. I need to protect and nurture those tender hearts and remind myself that if my girls are safe and warm and know they are loved, then we are greatly blessed and I can deal with a messy house and a cold meal.

Ellie: Month 1

Weight: 10.5 pounds
Length: 21 inches

About You: You first smiled the day after you were born and you haven't stopped. Your eyes are still blue, but Daddy is sure they'll be brown soon. You like to be held up so you can stand and your little legs are getting pretty strong. You've also started babbling in your sweet little baby voice and like to talk back to us when we talk to you. You don't like to sleep in your cradle or crib, but you're a pretty good sleeper when you're in my arms or your baby swing. Your big sister, Ava, loves to hug and kiss you.

About the World: It's been warm this week (it's supposed to be 60 degrees tomorrow!) and the birds have started to sing. It's finally beginng to feel like spring is coming. The news is filled with the ongoing tradgy in Japan. On Friday, March 11, a massive earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, causing an enoromous tidal wave and damaging a nuclear power plant. We've been praying for those affected along with the rest of the world.

Baby Lashes

Both my babies have incredibly thick, dark lashes.

So many people have commented on them lately. I wish I could take credit, but this is one feature they definitely don't get from me.

P.S. Ava's lovely Aunt Jessica took her to see Disney Princesses on Ice Sunday afternoon and she loved it so much that she has refused to remove her princess dress since.

Baby Ellie

Our Valentine's Day was interrupted this year with something better than chocolate or flowers (although my awesome husband got me both of those things as well).

I went into labor with baby Elizabeth Lee on Valentine's Day evening and she made her debut on Tuesday, February 15, at 12:54 p.m. -- about one week overdue. We were so ready to meet her!

She's a chunky little sweetheart at 8 lbs., 10 oz. and 20.5 inches.

Ava has been talking about her little sister Ellie long before we were expecting, so we chose the name Elizabeth so we could call her Ellie. It's been a long time since I've posted on this blog and a lot has happened in the interim, including the sudden and tragic death of my husband's father, Lee, three days after Christmas. We gave her the middle name Lee in rememberance of him and his excitement for his littlest granddaughter that he never got the chance to meet in person.