3 Months Old!

Ellison is 3 months old as of last week, and she learns new things every day! She is doing so well with tummy time and will sometimes even roll over. It doesn't happen often, but she definitely does know how to do it. She also picks her arms and legs up when she is on her belly like a little Superbaby! It is amazing how mobile she is already. She can turn herself onto her side from her back, and her newest thing is scooting herself backwards with her legs. She definitely has to be watched when she's on her changing table pad, because I'm pretty sure she could catapult herself right off the dresser if she wanted to. I have a feeling we are going to have an early crawler on our hands!

Caught mid-roll!

This week is already my fourth one back at work. It is so crazy how fast time flies! It is going well, especially since Ells sleeps through the night most nights. A lot of people have asked about who is watching the little lady when we are work, so here is the scoop! For the most part, I am home when Jay is at work and he is home when I am at work, since he works days and I work nights. We really only need child care when I am sleeping because I work multiple nights in a row! We are lucky enough to have a very loving grandma (my mom) who takes Ellison at least one day a week. She has also been coming in the mornings when Jay needs to leave and I am not home yet. We are very blessed! Ellison will also be going to an in-home daycare once a week. We are very lucky that we have a family friend who not only does daycare in her home but is willing to accommodate my crazy schedule! The day of the week she needs to go varies in a way that I don't think many daycare centers would appreciate. This was her first week going. I think it will be great for her - there are a few other little girls close to her age, so she will have some friends to play with when she gets a little bigger! From what I heard her first day went well and she came home with a very cute little report card that said she was a good girl!

First report card!

Ellison got to see Grandpa Jeff and Aunt Konneli play softball for the first time this week. She actually seemed to really like looking at the game...she probably thought it was TV. We usually have the TV on in the main room of our house, and suddenly she has realized it is there. And she REALLY likes looking at it! If she is laying on the ground playing and the TV is on she will try to turn herself so she can see it. I think Mommy and Daddy's days of catching up on TV during Ellison's waking hours are numbered!!! We don't want a little couch potato on our hands!

Watching TV...sassy!

Ellison and Auntie Kon at her softball game

Here's some pictures of the princess from her three month birthday...professional ones weren't in the budget but we took a lot ourselves!!! Hopefully we will get some taken professionally when she is 6 months old! Can't believe we are already over halfway there...

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend!!!

First Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day Mommy!!!

My first Mother's Day started with a lovely trip to church with Miss Ellison, where she gifted me with some spit up right down my shirt. She loves to share! Jay had to work, so Ells and I were going it alone. It is hard to juggle a squirmy baby and a hymnal! I believe she went through 4 bibs (5?) at church that day. She is the queen of drooling and spitting up! She also decided to show off her babbling skills during the reading of the Gospel. The little sass is lucky she's so cute!

I'm ready for church! (those shoes lasted about 30 seconds)

After church we went over to my mom's for a bit so Ellison could spend some time with her grandma on Mother's Day.

Grandma and Miss Ellison

She went in a hammock for the first time and I don't think she enjoyed it a whole lot.

What is this thing?!

She doesn't seem to like to be outside if there is any amount of wind blowing. She makes some pretty funny faces when wind touches her.

Ahh wind is getting me! Make it stop guys!!!

After that we went home to wait for Jay. I got beautiful cards from both Ellison and Jay. I haven't gotten my present yet but I've seen a picture and it looks awesome, I'll show it off on here when I do get it! Jay made a delicious dinner...he grilled steaks and made mashed potatoes (my fav!). He also made some amazing lemonade with a bunch of fruit in it. So good! It was a very nice first Mother's Day (and I can't wait for my gift!). It was sad that Jay had to work, but I was glad that I didn't have to! I know the odds are against both of us having off for any holiday, so this is no different. When I start feeling sorry for myself that we have to miss holidays as a family, I try to remind myself that we have important jobs and people at work need us...it's hard but it's the path we have chosen. And we can always celebrate another day!!!

I also try to remind myself of these things when I'm upset about working weekends when it's gorgeous outside (like it's supposed to be this coming weekend). Having to work weekends is never fun, but hospitals are open 24/7 and someone has to staff them! Since I knew this weekend was going to be awesome and I would be sleeping/working through it, Ellison and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather on Tuesday (even though what I really wanted to do was sleep after working Monday night!) and go walk around the zoo. It was her first time and I wish Jay could have been with us, but in Wisconsin you kinda have to take advantage of the nice days when they come! We have a zoo pass so we will have plenty of chances to all go together. Plus, I'm pretty sure Ellison doesn't know she was at the zoo. She didn't want to nap with her VERY tired Mommy at home, but she slept through almost the entire time we were out! Silly baby.

We took lots of pictures at the zoo so Daddy (and everyone who reads this!) could see how our day went. Mommy loved the weather and Ell was an angel. Even when she wasn't asleep. I can't wait to go back!

Ellison is 3 months old today. I can't believe it! Definitely the fastest three months have ever flown by. She is the best thing that has ever happened to Jay and I, and she is getting bigger and better every day!!! Love the little nugget SOOO much! Hope everyone enjoys the beautiful weekend.

Working Mommy

Last week, I went back to work. I was extremely stressed out about having to go back and I think I cried every day for at least two weeks before my first day back! I wasn't just worried about being away from Ellison - although that was definitely the biggest thing. Being a nurse in a cardiac ICU is a pretty technical job and I was so worried about not remembering how to do it! Good news...I remembered. Or at least I'm slowly getting used to it again! Being at work isn't terrible, although I find it harder to take care of sick babies now that I have my own baby at home. But it is definitely hard to leave Ellison, and getting used to working 12 hour night shifts after having almost three months off has been an adjustment. I'm sure it hasn't been the easiest for Jay either. He is now at home alone with Ellison three nights a week. But so far (5 shifts in), all of us are managing! Ellison has been sleeping through the night for a couple weeks, so I think that makes Jay's job a little easier. He has had off work for the first few days I was back, so we'll see how it goes for them once he is working too! I'm sure we will get into a good routine eventually.

Ellison and Nurse Mommy before my first night back at work

My job reminds me how blessed I am to have a healthy child! There are so many things that can be wrong with the human body and most of them I would never have thought about if I wasn't a pediatric nurse. It's a miracle so many babies are born healthy! I thank God every day for giving Jay and I our beautiful, perfect little girl.

Ellison gets more fun every day. She is "talking" a lot now! It is really cute when she tries to have a "conversation" with someone. She loves to play, bats at toys and will sometimes hold onto things. She found her hands this week and has been chewing on them a lot! She can roll from her belly to her back if she starts up on her elbows. She sometimes looks like she wants to crawl, but I'm hoping we have awhile before that happens! We have a bit of baby-proofing to do before we are ready for a crawler! Every day her head control gets better. Basically, she is growing bigger and more awesome daily!!!

Silly girl!

Caught mid-roll

11 weeks old, 5/4/12

12 weeks old, 5/11/12

Excited for my first Mother's Day today! Hope all the moms out there have a wonderful day...being a mommy is the best job in the world! Here is what greeted me on this lovely Mother's Day morning...

What a sweet, happy girl! I am so lucky to be her mommy :)