16 weeks....

Time is already flying by! Scott and I were talking just yesterday about how we couldn't believe that next week is already Elli's 4 month birthday! It is hard to imagine that I was just beginning my pregnancy with her a year ago (although I didn't know this yet....)!! We had a relaxing weekend and are looking forward to another one this weekend. Elli is still getting over her cold, but sleeping really well at night. She averages anywhere from 10-12 hours a night and takes really good naps during the day. She takes 1-2 short naps in the morning and a long nap in the afternoon (yesterday this nap was 4.5 hours long!!!!!). She still LOVES to snuggle and has been enjoying practicing standing up!


Her acid reflux is getting much better. We've been slowly stopping the medicine to see if she's grown out of the reflux and she's done really well. Next week, we have Elli's 4 month check-up! We're not looking forward to the shots, but are excited to see how much this little lady has grown!! At the last appointment, her dr. told us that we'd probably be starting Elli on oatmeal at 4 months and that we'd talk more about it at this appt...so we're excited to start this journey of solids!!

Posing on the chair in one of her new outfits from Easter!

Picture of her and Daddy before church! That service was the 1st one since Elli's been born that I've gotten to hold her in church....typically our friends or family are usually the ones holding her during church!
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Grandpa B. came to stay with Elli on Friday night as Scott and I went out to dinner with friends! He was in mansfield for the weekend and didn't mind driving the hour to watch Elli.

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Here are pictures of Elli playing. There are 2 main toys that she loves....a little book that crinkles and her Sophie.

Daddy making Elli laugh!

He's just so funny!!
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We've been putting Elli in her exersaucer for the last couple of days. She hasn't yet discovered how to play with the toys on there, but just looks at them and smiles when we play with them.
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Before we left to come back to Columbus on Mother's Day, we took Elli out to the jungle gym that Grandpa B. has been working on for her and Kensley. This is her and I swinging together for the first time!

Enjoying some swinging in a "big girl" swing!

Who can go higher??

Didn't know what to think at first....
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Scott, Elli, and I went to the mall on Saturday and stopped by the verizon store. Scott was insistant that I needed a new phone! So, I have been playing around with my phone and I'm able to take video and post them on here. This was taken yesterday after Elli's 4.5 hour nap. She's always happiest in the morning or after a nap!! Please feel free to turn off the sound....no one wants to hear my baby voice or "kissing" sounds (which always gets a smile out of Elli)!!


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I can't end this post without giving a birthday "shout out" to our perfect little pup! Bella turns 2 (or 14 in dog years) on Friday! We're celebrating with our friends and their dogs at the dog park on Sunday! Our dog park is awesome and has an area where the dogs can go swimming.....one of Bella's favorite things! Then we'll all head back to one of their houses for cake and ice cream (there will be cake for the dogs too:) ) Invitations were emailed to our friends yesterday....luckily they know our deep love for our dog and weren't surprised at all by the invitation! Happy Birthday Bells....we couldn't ask for a better pup!!!!

Mother's Day, Birthdays, and Dedications

Well....Elliana is 15 weeks old and I can't believe we are nearing her 4 month birthday! It doesn't seem possible that she is already that old! She had a great day today at daycare. They really seem to be enjoying her there and she has a huge smile on her face each morning as her "teachers" greet her! Scott and I are really pleased at our choice of daycare. Everyone is very nice and personable! Even though Elli only goes there 2 days a week, they treat her like every other kid there! She has her picture on a raindrop outside the classroom and even "makes" crafts like the other kids. I was so excited to see the Mother's Day craft they made me! Our daycare does different events. This summer the kids will have a chance to go swimming (or in Elli's case dip her feet in a little pool). Today I picked up a permission slip for her to go "swimming." She will does this every Thursday this summer. We're excited to see if Elli likes dipping her feet in the water and are happy that our daycare does activities like this!

We had a busy weekend and busy week so far! We went home last weekend for Mother's Day and got to see a lot of family! Daddy surprised us on Thursday night and told us he took all day on Friday off to spend it with us! We got to Nana and Papa's house around 7:00 or 7:30 on Friday night....it was nice getting there earlier than 9:30!

Yah for a day off!!

"Uhhh....Uncle Aaron....why are you making that face?"

Ross had Elli for a good part of the evening on Saturday. She fell asleep like this in his arms....she was soooo tired!!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY VANDER!! I can't believe Vander turned 6 years old!! Wow....he is getting so big! We were able to celebrate his birthday on Saturday with the whole family and Grandma and Grandpa Wamsley!!

The dinosaur cake....

Make a wish Vander!!

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Pictures with the cousins.....

Trying to get a good picture with all 3 of them....

One of my college roommates was telling me this morning that she thought Elli still looked like Vander.

And this is the best we got. Good one of the boys....Elli looks like she's trying to push a big poo out!! I'm thinking Dale Hollow will be the perfect time to get a good picture of the 3 of them....We'll be able to try multiple times!!

Picture with Nana L....their first mother's day together!!
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On Sunday, we went down to Indy for Kensley's dedication. We spent the day with lots of family (both sets of grandparents, mom and dad, carla, jeremy's family and jeremy, amber, and kensley).

Smiling Kensley!

Roberts Family Picture

Mom and Elli's first Mother's Day

So I know Mom's eyes are almost closed here, but I had to post this picture! This is the BEST picture I have ever gotten of Elli. She's looking right at the camera smiling big!

Family picture
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Photo shoot of the girls....

"Kensley, if you'd just look at the camera they'd stop making us sit here like this"

"Elli, I can't help it....it's hard to concentrate and look at the camera when you have treats all over your dress. I want to eat them!" Ok, Ok Kensley....no more "big girl" jokes....promise. Uncle Scooter said you looked like you had slimmed down a bit!!

Someone is funny.....

Someone is really funny

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We are all on the mend in this house! I'm hoping a relaxing weekend will speed up the recovery! Elli has been a great sleeper despite being all congested. This has helped Scott and I get over being sick....we've had a couple good nights of sleep!

Here is a link to Elli's 3 month pictures. Our photographer sent us this....the pictures are a little blurry, but you get the idea.

http://video214.com/play/tZLixU9APTdHmmRsQlE0uQ/s/dark

We've been so busy the past couple of days being sick! Finally, Scott and I are free of our fevers and Elli seems to be doing a little bit better and less congested. Here are a couple pictures until I have more time to write which will either be tomorrow night or this weekend. The first picture is from Elli's 3 month pictures and the 2nd one is our first Mother's Day together!!

14 weeks

This past week has been pretty uneventful! Although I am only working 2 days, I am extremely busy at work! I am realizing that it is very hard to do my job on a part-time basis due to all the paperwork involved!! Thankfully, I'm starting to settle in with my new company and am enjoying it; even though, I painfully miss Elli those 2 days!! Elliana is 14 weeks old and I can't believe how big she is getting! She was in newborn clothes for what seemed like forever (she was a tad behind on height and weight when she was born)....but she is right on track now and even fit into a 3-6 month shirt today! I couldn't believe it! Elli still has a cold....hopefully she will be over it soon!

I try to take the kids (yes, when I say kids I mean both Bells and Elli! Bells will always be our 1st "baby") on a walk at least a couple times a week. It is hard to fit this in with Elli's nap time! Usually by the time we get diaper changed, eat, and get the stroller ready, she is gearing up for another nap. Bella LOVES her walk time and Elli really enjoys being outside!!

Getting ready for our walk! I know....she can't get any cuter!

Ok, Mom. Stop taking pictures and lets go!!

Bella taking a rest playing ball.

I'm not sure why this picture turned this way when it uploaded, but it did! We did some tummy-time outside.

More time on our tummy. I can see a visit to the Kentucky Derby in her future with her hat like this!!

Time to go back home....
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Elliana is a good napper! She takes a good 3-3.5 hour nap in the afternoon...this is extremely nice. This is usually when I am able to get housework done! When Elli sleeps, she moves ALL over the place. The past couple of days she has managed to move to the side and get her arm stuck between her breathable bumpers and the crib rails. She is a mover! Her breathing monitor typically goes off multiple times each week because she scoots herself in a little corner of her crib and the monitor doesn't pick up her breathing. She is no longer getting feedings during the night, but we do have to get up to put her paci back in her mouth or move her to get the alarm off.

The past week or week and a half we've noticed that Elli will take her right hand and run it along...up...down...in circles on the sheet or on your shirt (if she is sleeping on you) before she falls asleep. It cracks us up! You can tell she is tired when you start to see that hand go!!

After a nap!!

Stretching after a nap.

Close up picture....

Sleeping beauty!!

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Tummy time before going to see friends....

She couldn't keep her eyes off the dogs playing (Bella and Hunter....our friend's dog)

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Sticking out her tongue!!

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Hanging out with her friend, Siena! Siena is exactly 1 month younger than Elli.

Elli looks like a chunk compared to Siena, but I definitely wouldn't call Elli a chunk
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My Shiner

This last picture is at the request of Sarah. I look horrible in this picture, so don't judge! Sarah couldn't believe Bella gave me a black eye. Well....she did. As I bent down, Bella jumped up and BOOM....right in the eye. It started to swell immediately. This happened last Wednesday about 30 minutes before heading into work. It actually looks REALLY good compared to what it did! It is healing well and I still love my Bells like crazy!!

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We are gearing up for a weekend in Indiana. This might be be our last trip home for awhile (unless we go to the Indy 500). We have been extremely busy since Elli has been born, so we're looking forward to a low-key summer (we've got a couple trips planned....one of which we just booked our flights last night!!!!). We are finding out how exhausting it is packing all the things we need for her and typically takes us quite some time!! We're hoping it is a relaxing weekend with few trips of taking Elli in and out of the car seat and hoping she gets all naps in. Elli isn't the most pleasant baby when she catnaps all day and it makes it hard on Scott and I by bedtime! I'm look forward to Elliana and I's first Mother's Day together.