With LOVE,
Chris, Amy & Elli Duncan
Santa Came EARLY!!!
Since we'll be traveling back to Texas for Christmas this year, I told some of Santa's elves that the Big Guy needed to stop by the Duncan house a little early. Much to Elli's delight, he listened to our request and made his way down our chimney on Friday night!! She woke up Saturday morning to a living room full of toys just for her! And though she couldn't express herself very eloquently, we think she was just ecstatic with surprise!
In all seriousness, we had a wonderful morning celebrating our first Christmas as a family of three (plus a very excited Nana!). We opened stockings, ate yummy waffles, drank peppermint hot cocoa, and tried out all of the wonderful things that Santa left for us. My sweet husband got me a Willow Tree Angel family figurine...I cried, but are you surprised? Elli got a bounce-a-roo thing that is just amazingly elaborate (Santa had lots of fun putting it together!), and a really cool music sitting station that she absolutely LOVED. Even though she didn't really understand what was happening around her, it was so much fun to share such a special time with her. We are starting our own traditions as a family, and it was truly the best Christmas that I've ever had.
Here is our day, in pictures...
My sweet angel baby
Chris and I...oh so happy!
She wants that ball so badly she can taste it!
Daddy, getting some sugar!
I think she's having fun!
Elli & Nana playing w/ Rudolph
Wow...what a day!!
New Addiction...
This could be bad. VERY bad! I was browsing a KellysKorner blog a few days ago, and she mentioned that she gets most of her little girls clothes off of ebay for super cheap. It took me a day or so to check it out for myself, and now that I have I'm totally kicking myself for being so curious! This is why I don't try new foods...I become addicted and they're usually bad for me! But that's a different story...
Back to the adorable (in my opinion, anyway) dress at the top of this post. Guess how much I paid for this NWT (that's ebay lingo for "new with tags" in case you didn't know! Oh yea, I know the lingo now!) gem? Just guess! $15??? No! $10??? No! $6.41. Yes, you read that right. I bought this Gymboree dress, totally new, for $6.41!!
This could be trouble!
Nap Time
This is what I found when I went in to wake Elli up from her nap this morning!! She had managed to maneuver herself so that her feet were propped up on one bumper, and her head was propped up on the other :) And she was just giggling away...it made my heart melt!!
Easy Treat...
Wanna know a super quick, and super yummy recipe for some Christmas Goodies???
Here's one of my favs:
Ritz Crackers
Peanut Butter
Chocolate Bark (or morsels)
Make a "sandwich" with the Ritz crackers and peanut butter. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate, and dip your sandwiches in it...cover completely. Let dry on parchment paper and enjoy!! Oh so yummy!!
"Heaven is the Face"
I saw Steven Curtis Chapman on "Good Morning America" this morning, and heard him sing part of one of his new songs, "Heaven is the Face". Initially, I thought it was pretty good...not great, but pretty good. And then I heard the entire thing in my car today...wow. That's all I have to say. Wow. I just sat there and cried as I listened to the words. It is an absolutely beautiful song filled with grief & hope at the same time. It's about his little girl who was accidentally killed by his son about about year ago, and the "Face" that he is talking about in his song is that of his sweet baby girl. I'm going to post some of the lyrics, but I highly encourage you to get the song off of iTunes...it's totally worth it, it's gorgeous!
"Heaven is the Face"
Steven Curtis Chapman
Heaven is a sweet, maple syrup kiss
And a thousand other little things I miss with her gone.
Heaven is the place where she takes my hand
And leads me to You
And we both run into your arms.
But in my mind's eye I can see a place
Where Your glory fills every empty space.
All the cancer is gone,
Every mouth is fed,
And there's no one left in the orphans' bed.
Every lonely heart finds their one true love,
And there's no more goodbye,
And no more not enough.
And there's no more enemy (no more).
Love Me Some Christmas!!!
What a week! After getting off to a rather rocky start, I think we ended on an especially good note :)
Elli is still having difficulty sleeping for longer than about 3 hours at a time. For about 5 days the week before last, she only woke up once during the night...that was short-lived. Starting last Monday, she was back to her trademark 3x-5x/night. I was exhausted! So, on Wednesday I decided to try "Cry It Out". Ummm, it did not go well. I started on her first nap and she cried for an hour straight....and that was the end of that. (Yes, I'm a wuss!!)
I decided that neither she, nor I, was quite ready for the CIO method. So instead, I decided to really work hard at understanding and getting familiar with her schedule. I realized that I've been going-going-going so much lately that I haven't really had time to see when her little body gets tired. And sure enough, after a week of really paying attention & writing things down, she has a pretty consistent schedule that I seem to have been neglecting. Now that we're on the same page, I feel like I'll have a much easier time w/ sleep training. And after talking and praying w/ a really sweet friend, I think I will be ready to re-attack the CIO technique once we get back from Texas after the holidays. I'll definitely let you all know how it goes!!
On a different note, the Christmas spirit has definitely made itself at home in the Duncan household!! Our decorations are up (though those have been up since the weekend before Thanksgiving!!), all the presents are wrapped & under the tree, & Christmas music is the ONLY thing that plays on the radio in my car! We tried to go to the Christmas Fest yesterday, only to find that it had been cancelled due to weather...super bummed! But, we drove around looking at Christmas lights instead...super fun!! Elli had her first picture w/ Santa last week (she did great!), and I'm going to start making all of my Nana's yummy Christmas goodies tomorrow. Oh how I love this season!!
At church this morning the choir put on a wonderful concert of Christmas carols. I cried as Mary & Joseph, with baby Jesus, made their way into the sanctuary during one of the songs. This year, as a new mother, I saw the manger scene through different eyes. I listened to the cries of that sweet baby and could actually picture what it must have been like in Bethlehem when the Son of God was born. I can't describe the emotion that I felt...there really aren't words. But it reminded me, yet again, of how much I have to be thankful for this year. First and foremost, that I am forgiven because of the sacrifice of my Father.
I hope that you all are having a wonderful holiday as well. That you are getting to spend time with those that you love, and that you are enjoying all of the things that this season brings. And I am wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas...just a little bit early :)
Happy 3 Month Birthday, Elli!!!
Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone...
It's on to the Christmas clothes!!!
All I Want For Christmas
is a Baby Gap Gift Card!!!
Have you SEEN their sweet baby clothes? Oh my gosh...SUPER cute!!
Here's a preview:
Thanksgiving Festivities
What a difference a year makes!!
Last year at Thanksgiving, Chris & I were in Germany with his dad & Donna. We visited the Cologne Cathedral, the Luxembourg National Cemetery, and lots of little towns in between. We marveled at the Christmas Markets, drank warm gluwein, and ate weinerschnitzel for Thanksgiving dinner at a little place called Mom's. Life was good.
This year, my dad, Chris's dad, Donna & Grandmama all came out to Columbus to celebrate Thanksgiving with us in our home. It was the first one that I've ever hosted, and I had so much fun preparing our house for our visitors. We talked and laughed, played Mexican Train, braved Black Friday crowds and enjoyed being together. We had a traditional Thanksgiving Feast; turkey & dressing, sweet potato casserole, green beans, corn, rolls, homemade cranberry sauce and 4 pies. It was soo yummy, and I'm still full!
But the biggest difference between this year and last wasn't the location or the food. It was that we were able to share this Thanksgiving with our precious daughter for the 1st time. Last year I was dreaming of a baby to call our own. This year, all of my hopes, prayers and dreams were a reality. I am so very thankful for the blessings that have been bestowed upon our family. And this year...Life is GREAT!
Nana to the Rescue...and other news :)
I am so blessed. Truly, I am. After feeling like I was losing my mind last week, I cried mercy and asked my mom to come out for a few days to help me. Now she doesn't just live down the block, mind you. She lives a good 9 hours away. Yet...she came. No questions asked, she came. And it was exactly what I needed.
Do you ever feel like your mom just has all the answers? I mean, I just don't understand how her mere presence can calm me down sometimes. Her gentle reassurance that I am, in fact, a good mother was so sweet to hear. Chris can tell me that all day, but I guess hearing it from my mom, someone who's been through everything herself, just makes me feel like she might just know what she's talking about :) I am so thankful for her.
Elli is doing much better now that she's eating better! There are times when she'll eat upwards of 6 oz! Uhhh, considering I was only able to give her 3 1/2 at a time I'm surprised that she was sleeping at all!! She's doing well with the formula, she doesn't seem to notice a difference at all really. And her sleeping is getting a little bit better as well. I won't say the problem has totally gone away, but we're improving and that's all I can ask for :)
She's still such a happy little baby. You might be surprised since it seems all I do is complain about her lack of sleep! Gosh, I really need to work on that! She's so curious these days, and seems to learn something new every day. Her new "trick" is grabbing the rings of her bouncy chair. She just loves it, and will crack herself up doing it! I just love seeing her little face light up when she does something new...it makes all of those sleepless night totally worthwhile :)
By the way...
Thanks everyone, for your VERY helpful swaddle tips!! We've now purchased a sleep sack, and we're ordering another swaddle blanket tonight (just in case). Can you tell that the sleep deprevation is getting to me?? This normally frugal girl is willing to spend just about anything to get at least 4 hours of sleep :) You guys are great! Keep those tips coming and I'll keep you posted on the results!
Hungry Girl
Yesterdays phone conversation w/ the pediatrician's office....
Nurse: Hi Amy, I was just calling you back to address your questions about Elli's sleep patterns.
Me: Uhh, yes. You're my last resort...I just can't help but think there is something wrong. My baby wakes up every 2 hours during the night and she's 11 weeks old.
Nurse: Well, every baby is different, so what works for one might not work for another.
Me: (totally dejected) Well, thanks anyway. I do have another question...I'm only getting about 3 oz when I pump, and when I give her the bottle at night she's taking upwards of 5 oz. Could it be that I'm not producing enough milk?
Nurse: (silent for a moment) Well shu-gah (we're in the South remember), that could be the problem. Honey, you're baby's hungry!
So, much to my utter embarrassment, I have been complaining about my sweet child's sleep patterns when really she's just been super hungry! I think this is the first of many bad-mommy moments! But, we're on track now and will be supplementing formula after every feeding from now on. We'll see how it goes tonight...I'm hoping for a miracle :)
To Swaddle or Not To Swaddle
Elli has always been swaddled at night. If she's not wrapped up super tight, her hands go crazy and she'll wake herself up. We were even swaddling her when she was in her bouncy seat beside our bed and she did fine. Now that she's in her pack 'n play (and if you're wondering why she's not in her crib, just read a few posts down!), she HATES to be swaddled. She seems to be okay when we first put her down, but after a few moments of serene silence she has a meltdown and starts screaming. The thing is, if we take it off of her she can't sleep b/c her arms still seem to have a life of their own! So, what to do?? I'm thinking of retiring the actual swaddle blanket, but maybe just using a regular blanket instead (though I have to say that I haven't had much luck with that in the past). Any of you mommies out there have a similar problem?? I'm all ears if you have any tips or solutions!
Lofty Goals
I'm on a decorating kick! I am constantly looking around my living room thinking about what I can move around/add/get rid of/paint. Chris calls it an obsession, I call it...well, maybe an obsession, but whatever! So on Thursday I made the hour trip up to Tupelo, MS to Hobby Lobby. I had this wonderful vision of all the great things I would get to help make my living room look better. I just knew that I'd walk out of that store w/ a basket full of goodies. I had a plan, I had the money, I had these great lofty goals, and do you know what I bought? Do you know what I walked out of there with???
A glue gun!
My plans were foiled the minute I started looking in the Christmas section. I got overwhelmed, lost focus, and essentially just gave up. I'm thinking that the next time I go I should take a buddy!
Halloween
We had a great Halloween this year!! My dad, sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew all came out to meet Elliana for the first time, and we had a blast. We went to the Fall Festival at a local church, and then Chris & I took everyone up to the base to go trick-or-treating. Thanks to her wonderful grandparents, Miss Elli had three cute outfits for the evening. She started off the day in her sweet "My 1st Halloween" onsie, then changed into a pumpkin, and ended the night as a flower. Some people might think that's a little over the top...not me!! I loved it!! She was a great sport and let us take lots of pictures. Thank goodness she's pretty laid back! What would I do if she wasn't into letting me dress her up all the time?!!
It was so wonderful to get to see my niece and nephew again. We made cookies, watched movies, played in the yard, and just enjoyed being together. I hate that I miss out on so much of their lives, but it just makes me truly appreciate the time that we do have together. I love being an aunt, and I'm so excited for Elli to have 2 of the greatest cousins in the world :) Here are some pics of our weekend...
First Halloween
Elli as a flower
Such a cutie!
I love this little pumpkin!!
Papa & Elli at the park
Landry & Elliana
She had a GREAT 1st Halloween!
The Thompson Family
It's an Elli World!!
Life around here pretty much revolves around Miss Elli these days, and I can't say that I mind a bit!! She is such a joy, and I feel so blessed to be able to spend every day with her. I have to admit, I was feeling a little bit overwhelmed in the beginning (but what new mom doesn't, right?). But now that we've got a little routine down I don't feel so...well...completely helpless! I'm happy to report that our nights are a LOT less stressful now that we've moved Elli into our room to sleep. I know, I know, we totally went backwards on the whole sleeping arrangement thing. She started out in her crib from day one and now, at 2 months, she's in our room. But, you know what? I've learned to accept the "whatever it takes" advice. And, it works for us so I'll take it :)
Each day brings with it something new. She is smiling all the time now, and laughing occasionally! She can focus on things, and definitely knows her mommy & daddy's voices. She loves to look in her little mirror when she has "floor time", and she's staying awake for a good hour before she starts getting sleepy again. We're still working on the napping w/o being held...she doesn't like that so much! And, she's not a big fan of "tummy time", but we try to find other ways to help her build up her little neck muscles. She LOVES to go places and be around people. I think she takes after me in that arena!! She's just so much fun, and I wake up happy every morning knowing that she's ours...what a tremendous blessing!
I thought I'd share some pics of her just being her :)
October Adventures
I just love the Fall! I think I write about it every year...the leaves changing, the weather getting cooler, the fact that Thanksgiving & Christmas are right around the corner! What's not to love?! This year, I'm so excited to be hosting Thanksgiving for the first time ever! I'm a little nervous...ummm, cooking a turkey?! A little intimidating! But, ultimately, I can't wait to have our family out here & to share the holiday w/ Elli. Super fun!
October has proven to be the month of visitors. First we had Chris's Grandmama & Aunt, this weekend my brother & his wife will be visiting, next weekend my mom comes out, and then my dad, sister & my niece and nephew will be here to help us celebrate Halloween! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again, and to introducing Elliana to those who haven't met her yet. I'm sure they'll fall instantly in love :) I'm trying to think of some fun little halloween treats to make/buy for my niece and nephew...any ideas??
Elli had her 2nd pediatrician's visit a few days ago, and then got her first round of vaccines the day after that. She was a trooper. Her mom...not so much! I think I cried more than she did! There's just something about seeing your child hurting that breaks your heart. Oh, I just love that little girl and when I saw her face crinkle up & that lip start to quiver, I just melted! I'm totally in love w/ our new Dr, too. He held Elli for her entire visit, gave her a little kiss, and just sat and talked w/ us like we were the only patients he had. It was a much better experience than we had with her first one. I'm so thankful that we found a Dr. who really loves children and honestly wants to get to know our daughter. Miss Priss has gained 2 lbs since she was born, so she now weighs 9lbs, 5 oz. She's now in the 50% for her weight and 75% for her height. She's a growing girl!
Let's see...what else? Oh, we went to the Pumpkin Patch last weekend! I'll be sure to post some pics of that soon :) I think that's just about it for this little family. Hope you are all having a great week!
Smiles
I don't really have anything profound to write today...not that any of my last posts have been profound! We're finally starting to get settled into our new routine as a family of three. Chris started back to work after a WONDERFUL 2 months off. People were always asking me if I was ready for him to get back to work, and honestly, I really wasn't. I loved having him home w/ me, and after living in England and enduring his crazy schedule over there, I think I enjoyed our time together even more.
Elli and I have been having a great time hanging out this week. It's really the first week that we've had without any family here, so been having fun figuring out our own "groove". I'm reading "The Baby Whisperer", and highly recommend it to all you future mommies out there. If you've read my blog at all, you know that I'm an avid reader and it probably won't surprise you to hear that I've read just about every baby book that I could get my hands on. "The Baby Whisperer" is, by far, my favorite. Tracey, the author, just seems to know babies...hmm, I guess that's why they say she has the whispering gift! Anyway, now that I've been following some of her advice I feel like Elli & I are connecting even more than before. She's always been a really good baby, but now it seems like she's even better because I can read some of her cues and can sometimes predict and prevent a potential meltdown...sometimes is the key word :) We're still working on the sleeping thing, but I take it as a good sign that I'm only getting those 2.5 hrs of sleep nights every other night now. At least she's letting me recover a little bit!
But the BEST news of the week is that she's starting to smile!! Much to my dismay (and his utter joy!), Chris was the one to catch her 1st. But, today while we were reading "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" her little mouth turned up and her eyes shined! Of course, I cried...I'm such a softy! And no, I'm not surprised at all that I caught this little glimmer of a smile while reading to her...she is related to me, after all :)
Hope your week is filled with lots of smiles as well!
~Amy
30 Days with Elliana
Exactly one month ago today, our lives changed forever!
It's been 30 days since we welcomed sweet Elliana into this world, and they've been the absolute best days of my life. She brings us such joy and has been a bigger blessing than I could have ever imagined. Chris and I were talking last night about how weird it is to feel such overwhelming love for someone that can't talk to you, can't really show affection, and who is just so tiny. But, oh my gosh, do we love that little girl. I love her sweet baby smell, the way she puts her teeny fist up by her face when she sleeps, her cute noises, and how she looks at me in the middle of the night when it's just her and I. I thought I knew how it would feel...but I couldn't have possibly fathomed how wonderful it would really be.
Thank you, Lord, for this precious gift. I am so very, very thankful for her.
A Day in the Life
Elliana's days are still pretty much dominated by sleeping, eating, and pooping. Oh, she's going to hate me if she ever reads this!! She'll be 4 weeks old tomorrow, and we're already seeing so many changes in her. We bought her some newborn onesies the day after we brought her home b/c she was too tiny to fit into anything that we had. Well, she's now almost too big for all of them!! It's sad to think that I'm already going to have to start putting some of her things away. I just can't believe that we're already to that point!
We're still having some issues with her sleeping habits. I was asking her the other day how her mommy & daddy's love of sleep was not somehow passed down to her. She didn't really have an answer, though I think I caught a glimpse of a mischievous smile :) So, here's how a typical day goes for our little munchkin...
6ish AM ~ Eat
6:30-7:30ish AM ~ Kick feet, look around, grunt (A LOT!)
7:30-9ish AM ~ Sleep
9ish ~ Eat
Repeat all throughout the day, bringing us to...
6:30ish PM ~ Bath, Lotion/Massage, Story, Prayers
7ish PM ~ Eat
7:30-9:35 or so PM ~ Sleep, put in crib, wake up, cry, get soothed, suck on pacifier, spit out pacifier, cry, get soothed, put in crib, suck on pacifier, spit out pacifier, cry...you get the idea :)
9:35ish - 10 PM ~ Sleep
10 PM ~ Eat
10:30 PM ~ See above 7:30-9:35 PM :)
So, you see, we haven't quite gotten the hang of the nighttime routine yet...but I'm still hoping that our sweet girl will get it by the time she's a toddler! No, I really am just kidding (not about her schedule b/c that is oh-so-true!), but about her getting it. I realize she's still an infant and it's pretty hard to get frustrated w/ her when she's just so darn cute!
Speaking of cute...here are some new pics of our sweet-ums from the past 2 weeks.
Elli in her crib...I think she likes Mrs. Bear!
Our little family before Chris & I's first post-baby date night!!
Elliana & Grandad Mike
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