Lovely Day

God is so good. He gives us just what we need just when we need it. Today He gave me sweet time with all of my family.
Ellie fell asleep in the swing about 6am and slept until about 10am. Ensley woke up about 630am. I took her breakfast upstairs and set up a "tea party" so she wouldn't wake Ellie up while eating and playing downstairs. We then played upstairs until Ellie woke up. I haven't been able to spend much quality alone time with Ensley recently because she usually wakes Ellie up when she tries to sleep. After lunch Ensley took a two hour nap giving me good quality alone time with Ellie. When Ensley woke up we all played together for a few hours. Then EJ and I had our first date night since Ellie was born. It has been a perfect day spending quality alone time with each of my loves and with my return to work coming in nine days it couldn't have happened at a better time. Thank you God!

Two Months

Miss Ellie had her two month check up today. She was 9 lbs 3 oz and 21.5 inches. Her pediatrician was pleased with her growth trends for the past month so I don't have to wake her up every four hours at night anymore!

Last Sunday Ellie had two bloody stools and since it was a weekend I took her to the ER after calling her doctor's after hours nurse line. After inspecting her diapers and evaluating her physically the ER doctor called the on call pediatrician and they agreed that she most likely has a milk protein allergy. The doctor recommended I go on a dairy free diet for two weeks and follow up with her pediatrician. I didn't realize just how much dairy was in my diet until I had to consciously count it. I used to have a large glass of milk every morning and at least one of my snacks throughout the day was a cheese stick, yogurt, or a bowl of cereal, not to mention the cheese that is in most of our meals and the occasional ice cream treat. Today I was told I need to remain dairy free until she is 9-12 months old at which point we hope she will have outgrown the allergy. Yikes! Just one of the sacrifices I will make for my sweet girl. I am so very thankful for the health of both of my girls and this is nothing in comparison to what so many parents face with their children and for this I am grateful!

In the past few weeks Ellie has become more alert and active. She loves to watch Ensley sing and play. It has been so precious to watch Ellie coo at her big sister as she "takes care of her". She has learned to fall asleep on her own in the 'amazing miracle swing' that Ensley loved at this age as well. She takes one or two long naps of 2-4 hours in the swing each day. Ellie enjoys bath time and even enjoys tummy time for about fifteen minute intervals.

God has truly blessed us with two precious girls! I never could have imagined how much I could love them and how sweet life could be with them.

Kids Say...

Here are a few of the cute things Ensley is saying these days

•She gathers her babies and stuffed animals and calls them her "buddies"
•In an effort to pronounce the letter L, she sometimes replaces "baby Edy" with "baby Edawee"
•If you are in her way she says "EXcuse me puhwease" unless you are blocking a movie she is watching then she says "ATCH OUT!" (We are working on her manners with that one)
•I set my alarm to ensure Ellie doesn't go more than 2-3 hours during the day without eating and everytime it goes off Ensley gives a surprised face and says "time to feed baby Edy, Momma!"
•when we eating lunch on vacation my grandfather "Daddy Bob" was mentioned. Ensley looked up and said "I see Daddy Bob". Misty asked Ensley where she saw Daddy Bob to which Ensley replied "at da gates". I don't know what to think if that but it made me cry. I miss my grandparents and wish my kiddos could have made sweet memories with them.
•After watching Toy Story on the way home from vacation, Ensley asked to go to "Pizza Panet". We don't have anything like that here do we just took her to a pizza buffet.
•one of my favorite things she says is "noonles" for noodles when we eat pasta.
•this morning she said "Good morning baby Edy. You doing fine? Gweat! Gweat!"

Beach

We spent last week at the beach with my family. My mom's boss has a beachfront house that she let us 'rent'...she practically gave it to us for the week. With my brother and his family living in Indiana and everyone having multiple families to visit during the holidays we don't have many opportunities to all be together very often. So this was a perfect week of hanging out and doing nothing. The weather was perfect all week and I came home rested and relaxed.

These are a few of my favorite things from the week:
•hearing the waves outside my window
•sitting on the porch, feeding baby Ellie, and watching Ensley play and laugh with the family
•going to church as a family and visiting with precious friends
•spending some time with my sister in law...we never get to visit just the two of us
•hearing Ensley talk about the beach and squeal with delight
•doing nothing but enjoying time away
•watching the sunrise from the balcony in the stillness of the morning while feeding baby Ellie reflecting on God's goodness.

After returning home Ensley saw the pool bag one morning and stated she was going to the pool. I told her the pool was not open to which she replied with a big sweet smile "I go to da beeeeeeach!" She did not like it when I told her we could not go to the beach today. She cried big tears, bless her heart.

I don't know when we will all be together again but I will always cherish the memories made last week.

One month

Ellie is one month old. I can't believe how fast the last month has passed. Ensley has gone to school a few days a week to give me time to rest and time alone with Ellie but I realized this morning that I have used those days and that precious time to clean house and catch up on laundry rather than cherish the time I have with Ellie. I have decided to dedicate the one-on-one days with Ellie I have left on my leave to cuddling and playing so that I don't look back in two months when I return to work and regret anything. This may mean if you come to my house you see two months worth of dust on my shelves and dishes in the sink from time to time (maybe we should start using paper plates) but that is okay with me!

Ellie Grace Wood

September 4, 2012. The day we have been looking forward to for nine months. Yesterday was my official due date. I had my forty week appointment scheduled at 1pm to have an ultrasound making sure it was safe to continue past forty weeks and to check my cervix. I had the same appointment with Ensley two years ago and went home with an induction day scheduled for the following week (but Ensley came three days before the induction). So EJ took off this time to go with me and help with Ensley during the ultrasound and we planned to take Ensley out for a fun afternoon with Mommy and Daddy after the appointment because we figured it may be the last time she had us to herself for quite some time. After the ultrasound my doctor came in to check me and said I was at 3 cm and she was sending me down to L&D to have a baby because my amniotic fluid measured low in the ultrasound.

Whoa! Surprise! We were going to meet "baby Edy" in a few hours!!! And my bags were packed but at the house and Ensley was with us which was not part of the "going to the hospital plan"...hmmm. This threw Little Miss Not Spontaneous (me) for a loop but it all worked out. We all went downstairs to L&D where I got checked in about 2 pm. Then EJ took Ensley home to get my bag while the nurse set up my IV and started my pitocin or "liquid evil" as my friend Sarah calls it. When EJ returned Ensley helped Mommy get in a relaxed state by cuddling like a sweet girl watching Clifford and Curious George. I told EJ there could not be a better way to relax and prepare for Ellie's arrival. My parents arrived at the hospital around 4pm to care for Ensley while I labored.

The labor went quickly and the delivery could not have been any faster. A dear friend of mine who is a doula sent me a message early in the labor process that said "stay totally relaxed and let your body do the work! be heavy in the bed. like you are falling through it! imagine the bed in the hand of the LORD and REST completely in HIM!" This was such great encouragement to me and those thoughts helped me through the process. Another dear friend who had her three precious little ones natural told me before I had Ensley that God created my body and the labor process and to let my body that He created do a job He created it to do. I was able to get through some of the intense moments by telling myself "let your body do it's job. Ellie will be her soon and it will be worth it." Then a verse from a song that I can't remember, "My hands are holding you", would repeat in my head until the contraction died off. I am so thankful for encouraging friends who prayed for me during the process. And EJ did a great job as coach yet again. He would rub my back when asked to and stop when I snapped at him...sorry honey. He kept me focused and encouraged me during the last few intense hours. I don't know that I could have made it through without him.

My doctor arrived about 9pm and broke what little water I had at 9:20pm. After five pushes and a little screaming (sorry neighbors), Ellie Grace Wood was born at 9:38pm.

I asked the nurses to apologize to the other new mothers on my wing for my loud screams at bedtime. One of the nurses said they were sending a girl home just as I started to holler and they told her to come back when she felt like that...bahaha! Poor thing. I hope I didn't scare her too much.

I cannot express how overwhelmed I am with God's goodness nor can I express how much I love my sweet daughters. Thank you God for a quick labor and delivery of a healthy and beautiful baby girl and for the family you have blessed me with!

Blessed

Wow! God is so good! God gave His one and only Son for me! That I might have life eternally! What!? The goodness of God my Father blows my mind. I do not deserve His love, His goodness, His mercy, or to be His child but because of His grace I am loved and I am His forever.

And God doesn't stop there...His blessings and goodness are poured out each day on me. My precious new daughter Ellie Grace Wood arrived last night at 9:38 pm. She is absolutely beautiful just like her big sister Ensley. When I think of the love I have for these two girls I am completely overwhelmed and I am reminded that my love for them cannot compare to the love God has for me or for my daughters or for you because He IS love. Wow!

God show me how to love like You do. I pray that Your love will never cease to amaze me. Give us wisdom to raise these sweet girls in a manner that will bring You glory and draw them near to You. Thank You for this new miracle in my life. I don't deserve your goodness and I am so grateful for the many many blessings You have given to me. Thank You for your Son, Jesus, and His sacrifice for me. Amen.

"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons(daughters) and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. (Deuteronomy 6:4-7 NASB)