Half Way Baby!

I am 20 weeks along now and doing fabulous! We had our BIG ultra-sound last week. The baby is as healthy as it could be and everything looked perfect. We are still on track for a 8-8-2010 due date and the baby's gender is still a surprise to all, including the ultra-sound tech and our doctor (just the way we want it)! The baby's heart rate has been at a steady 15o bpm almost every appointment. I have been gaining weight appropriately, according the my doc, and have gained 9 pounds so far (I have been the same weight, week to week, as I was when I was pregnant with Ellison). Ellison enjoyed seeing the baby during the ultra-sound too, we talked about it the whole day before our appointment so she knew what was going to be going on. She just stared at the screen in awe. I have been feeling great and enjoying every little movement since I first felt it at week 15. Jonathan has also had no problem feeling our active little one the past couple of weeks. The baby gives me random kicks and punches throughout the day, but at night, when I finally lay down in bed, the baby really goes to town for a good length of time.

Here is our babe.

I am 18 weeks in this picture

Elle's new, but temporary crib/bed is shown below (she is illustrating how she goes to sleep in her "new pecial bed" - aka new special bed). I haven't said to much lately about Elle's sleeping, because the last time that I did, I jinxed it. Anyway, to make a long story short, we had enforced some new sleeping rules and for 4 weeks we were all getting the best sleep that all three of us have had since Elle was born...until she learned she could climb out! We had her crib at the lowest setting and somehow our little girl with her little but very strong and athletic (ha) legs were able to swing up and pull her body over. This only went on for 2 days and 2 escapes total. One escape was clean and early on in the night, the second was not so clean, and in the middle of the night. So we converted her crib to "a day bed" setting. We thought we would try this before bringing in the double bed from our guest room. How does this solve things? We are still in question ourselves. She gets out on average 2x a night and gets put right back in. It is a work in progress and hopefully we will have all of the kinks worked out by August - or I will be checking into the nearest hotel or mental institution.
We recently got a new "shipment" of clothing from my cousin's daughters and in it was a bee Halloween costume. Here is your 2010 Halloween preview, minus the black and yellow striped body suit. Ellison has been requesting to wear the "buzzy bee" headband and wings and has enjoyed playing the role of buzz buzz.

she was hopping in circles getting dizzy!

I had to take this picture of Jack, he was holding on to Tasha the hippo for quite a while and smiling at her while we were reading books.
Ellison still loves her jungle gym and hardly allows Jack in it alone. He seems to like it too, but not as much as she does! It's so funny how old baby toys are so appealing now that their is a baby around - I know this is very typical for all toddlers when a new baby comes into the mix, it's just funny to watch.

Ellison is helping Jonathan "mud", Elle calls it painting. We are in the process of remodeling our bathroom and like most projects, this job cannot be finished fast enough. That is why we are making our daughter help us! j/k

So happy the snow has gone away!

Jonathan, Elle and I have been enjoying time outside on the swing set ever since the the rain has stopped and the snow has left us!

Here is Elle on the opposite side of the "teeter-totter swing".

Going down!
"Daddy catch me!"
Elle on the "big" swing. She still goes in the "little kid/baby swing" but has been spending more time in this one.

She knows to hold on tight now and wants to go higher and get under-ducks!

Petting the neighbor's fake baby bunny.

And of course our little buddy Jack. I had to take this picture of him stuffing both of his hands in his mouth. He loves to suck on his fingers, but this was truly a mouth full!

What a happy guy.

Our week

This is my first week watching our nephew Jack, and we have all been having so much fun! Jack is 3 months old now and has his eye on Elle, watching her every move. He smiles at her as she plays. Elle is so cute when she talks to him, she says "what are you doing baby Jack"? She wants to play with all of his baby things, but will remind you that she is "a big girl". Elle loves helping with him, she wants to help hold his bottle, and change his diapers - even wipe him. Jack is such a happy baby, and a great sleeper, he has really been a joy to take care of. We can only hope our little bundle on the way takes it easy on us like Jack has.


Ellison is really wanting to get after the dangling toys, and Jack is completely entertained.

Taking some time to herself to apply some lip moisturizer to her lips and the surrounding area.

Big smiles!

While Jack was napping Elle hopped in to try his seat.
Kisses for her cousin.

Again, a little alone time reading books in mom and dad's bed.

We had a visitor in our back yard the other evening around 4:45pm, Ellison and I watched in amazement.

3 movies plus more

Elle showing off her new Dora pj's from Grammy and Grampy.

To illustrate how behind I am at blogging...this is my 15 week side profile pic. If you've been looking at our pregnancy ticker, I'm 17 weeks! Anyway, as I always say, "better late than never."

Comparison picture:

I was 18 weeks pregnant with Ellison

Ellison entertaining herself. She loves to dance/hop to music!

Ellison showing off one of her favorite numbers that she learned from story-time at the library. It's called "Open Shut Them." In case you can't understand her, she is saying, "open shut them, open shut them, give a little clap. Open shut them, open shut them, put them in your lap. Creep them, creep them, right up to your chin...(then she has had enough). The rest of it goes..."open up your mouth, but do not let them in!" She probably would have finished, but it was getting late, and she had alread gone through it a couple of times.

Backyardigans song, except where she says "nap" it's supposed to "snack"...a little trick I pulled to get her ready for sleep.

Princess dress, tent, and ABC's

I have been slacking big time on blogging lately...but here are a couple pictures, plus a video to catch everyone up on what Ellison has been up to. The pictures below are from a recent stay in Wausau at my parent's house.

This is one of the many articles of clothing we have recently received from my cousin's family. This dress is Ellison's favorite, she calls it her "princess dress". She just so happens to be waving around her "princess wand" too!

Elle in her private tent. Only a few specific things were allowed inside (I was not one of them). *Notice her "big sister - to be" shirt made by our friends Katie and Danielle.

Ellison loves her new blocks (a Valentine's gift from my cousin Liz), but the bag was just as much fun.

Some quiet time reading books. I love when she does this!


FINALLY! After months of trying to record her singing one of her many songs, I caught her while singing the ABC's. She was already on her 5th time through singing them, but I asked her to start over and sing to her turtle, so she didn't mind me holding the camera! She loves watching herself sing, and sings along with her video.

-We will be sending this video to the American Idol crew as one to watch for in 15 years!

30 years old! 12 weeks pregnant!

Ellison enjoying some yummy vanilla Birthday Cake with peanut butter frosting that my mom made. This was one of my requests of birthday cakes, the other being Angel Food cake with a citrus drizzle. I know, 2 birthday cakes, I couldn't choose, so my mom made me both!"more please" one of Ellison's favorite sayings

Here I am holding my sweet nephew Jack at my Birthday lunch at Pappadeaux's Seafood Restaurant. Ellison wanted to see her cousin plus get my attention Tim, Marcy, Jack, and G.G. (aka Great Grandma June) - sorry to cut Jenna out.

Also at lunch, Jer and Laur.

Being shy for the camera - it is really hard to get a good "smiling" picture of her these days.

Our attempt at a family shot while everyone else was busy eating. We thought this was pretty funny that Ellison's head was completely cut out, nice aim Jonny! -good thing we get lots of other pictures of her!

I was so lucky to spend my 30th b-day with my family!

Here are some funny shots of Elle playing around on the couch.

Lots of static during winter! I'm constantly licking my fingers and pasting her hair down!

Watching TV for most people is a sedentary activity, but not Ellison! She loves the Backyardigans! She will tell you all 5 of their names, what animals they are and the sounds that they make!



Playing with her shadow

(check out her new hair-cut that Grammy gave her)

This morning as I was putting her laundry away, we came across her swim suits, she just had to have this one on (which is a little small on her).

Ok, time for the pregnancy pics! Here I am today at 12 weeks and 5 days!
Everything is going great! I go to the doc. on Tues!

comparison picture:

12 weeks pregnant with Ellison