Ella's First Shabbas

The caring committee from our synagogue has been really helpful after my surgery. Twice this week, someone from the Temple has brought us food for dinner. Last night, we were given a Shabbat dinner of chicken, mashed potatoes, and a challah. I decided we should light the candles and eat at the table like a true Shabbas dinner so we moved the swing closer to the kitchen so Ella could join us. She hung out the whole time and looked all around.

Good Shabbas everyone!

She's Even Prettier When She Smiles!

Ella started to smile here and there about a week ago. Daddy got the first smile and Aunt Robin got the 2nd one. I didn't get a smile for a while, but finally got one before I left for my surgery. By the time I got home from the hospital 3 days later, Ella was smiling up a storm for Grandma. She even smiles once in a while for me now!

Ella Is Two Months Old Today!

I can't believe that Ella has been in our lives for 2 months already! She had her 2 month checkup yesterday and the doctor said she is doing well. She weighs 10 pounds, 4 ounces and is 21 3/4 inches long. She is in the 40th percentile for weight and the 32nd percentile for height. Her head circumference is 15 inches, which is also in the 40th percentile. I can't believe how big she has gotten. Ella has nearly doubled her birth weight. Here's her official 2 month photo and a few others that we took today. You can also see a few more photos from today here. There are also other photos from the last few weeks here.

Our Little Houdini

Ella has a new trick. Every night, we swaddle her in her Miracle Blanket (a gift from cousin Stephanie that really rocks!). For anyone not familiar with the MB, it is truly a miracle. We tried swaddling her in regular receiving blankets, but she always found a way to wiggle out of it within minutes. The MB is supposed to keep her from wiggling out of it. Or so we thought! The last couple of mornings, we come in the room to get her and this is what we find:


If it's not her arm that comes loose, it is a foot. One morning, she even had one arm and one foot out. It is truly hilarious!

Ella Gets a Taste of Alpharetta

Tom and I met Robin and Danielle at the Taste of Alpharetta (ToA) this evening. Our plan was to get there by 5:00 PM when it first started, but that didn't work out so well.

I had my 8 week post-pardum appointment with my OB this afternoon. The appointment was at 2:45 PM. I was finally called back to a room at 10 minutes to 4. She saw me at 4:15 PM and I still had to stop by another doctor's office in the same building to pick up some medicine. I didn't even make it home until 5:30 PM.

We arrived at ToA right around 6:00 PM and found Robin and Danielle. Ella was doing great in the beginning. She was sucking on her pacifier and looking all around. At 7:00 PM, I sat down to feed her, while Tom and Robin went off to eat more food. Ella was such a good girl! She even let Tom change her very poopy diaper in the grass (don't worry, we didn't actually put her on the grass directly, she was on her diaper changing pad!).

As for ToA itself, we were all sadly disappointed this year. Most of the restaurants that had booths were either fast casual, pizza places, or dessert. We finally found the "good" restaurants as we were leaving. Bummer that we didn't get to try anything we were really impressed with. But, we were very happy that Ella did very well on her first outing with thousands of other people!

Go Gators!

I'm thinking this post doesn't really need any explanation...

Not Her First Bath

We have been using the "blue" bath tub for all of Ella's baths but yesterday was the first bath without using the hammock (it's an attachment that hooks to the top of the tub until the baby is big enough to sit in the newborn part). Ella is now such a big girl that she now fits comfortably, and without sliding, in the tub itself. She really loved her bath for the first time yesterday. She is usually very squirmy and it takes both of us to hold onto her so she doesn't fall under. She was so happy yesterday that she actually sat still. If she was smiling yet, I'm sure she would have been smiling from ear to ear the entire time. Here are some pictures where you can really see how happy she is:



Enjoy even more pictures from her bath and other things here.