Ellexia's Name Meaning

One of the most exciting things about having a baby(besides having a baby ;) is choosing a name. I always had names picked out that I liked..what girl doesn't? But when it came time to actually name my baby. I started to not like anything. Choosing a name was fun, but also so challenging. Before we knew what we were having we looked at both boy and girl names. But for the life of me I just hated all boy names. I'm pretty sure that was my mother instincts working, because I just always had a feeling I was having a girl. As soon as we found out we were having a girl, picking out a name became tough. Mainly because both my husband and I are so stubborn we wouldn't agree on anything. We actually had her middle name picked out first, it was a compromise as well. Caleb always wanted to name his son Schylar but I don't like that name at all, especially not for a boy. We came across Skye, and we both liked it for a middle name. 

There are names that we both liked. So we made a list each and read what the other had and circled the ones we agreed on. Our list became smaller and smaller over time until we were down to our top picks. My husband's top pick was Alexia and mine was Elliana, and I wanted to call her Ellie. He wasn't against Ellie but didn't like Elliana. I liked Alexia, but I wasn't a fan of the spelling because I had my heart set on calling her Ellie as a nickname. I remember our ride home from the beach thinking how could we possibly make up our minds and agree on a name. Well it just hit me, what if we change the spelling of Alexia since I did like that name a lot, to Ellexia. And then I can still call her Ellie. We both win. Of course he had to sleep on it. He always said that he would only call her Ellexia, but now that she's here, he calls her Ellie. And he has admitted to that she just looks like an Ellie. So once we wrote out the full name it just felt like that was our baby girl's name. Once we agreed we sat on it for a few days before revealing to family her name. Only family and close friends knew her name, just because we both didn't want to reveal her name publicly until she was born. And I'm so glad because it made announcing her arrival even more special.  

Does her name have a meaning? Yes, of course. Even though the spelling is changed, it still has the same meaning. So here's a breakdown of her name 

Ellexia- Defender of man, helper

Ellie- bright shining one. Light

Skye- Sky

Ruth- This is my mom's maiden name. There weren't any boys in her family to carry on the name. So she put it in my name. And I always said if I have a girl, I will put it in her name. 

I love her name but I already get funny looks because I'll tell people we call her Ellie and they don't understand until I explain how her first name is spelled. Sorry baby girl for giving you a name people will always ask you how to spell. But your mommy has dealt with the same thing, and it'll be ok <3 I hope she grows up loving her name as much as we do. She's defiantly the bright shining sky of our world. 

❤️

Three Month Update

Happy THREE months baby girl!

She's officially considered an infant and not a newborn anymore. Excuse me while I just shed tears over that fact. She has grown so much. I already miss my tiny little baby that would just sleep all day long, and who couldn't even fit into newborn clothes. But on the other side of things, I love seeing her grow and learn new things. Seeing the world through a baby's eyes is amazing. Everything to them is new and wonderful that they just take everything in. Every month I try my best to look back on the day she was born and remember everything that happened. I never thought I would forget so much considering I had it a lot harder. But I truly only remember bits and pieces. 

I know I'll never forget the moment I met her. That moment was worth all of the pain and exhaustion.

Her little personality is really starting to come through. She loves to be talked to and she'll respond back mainly with squeals and smiles. I keep track of her growth and if she's meeting milestones through different apps. This girl is only three months but she is acting like she's four and half months...I think I may have my hands full the older she gets ;) but you keep on learning little girl!  I'll probably say this all the time. But watching her grow and learn just really is incredible. 

Seriously having a little girl is the best! Getting to dress her up and take pictures is just so fun. It helps that I have a little model on my hands that enjoys it! But she is defiantly a little diva because she will let me know as soon as she's done and had enough of pictures. 

Weight: 11 pounds. 

Height: 21 3/4 in

Eye Color: Still a pretty blue. 

Hair Color: Light brown/blonde AND ladies and gentlemen...it has some red in it now!! 

Diaper Size: Size 1!

Clothes Size: I had to officially put away all of her newborn clothes...so sad. She wears 0-3 months most of the time. But some of her pants are 3-6 months.

Sleep: During the day I'm lucky if she sleeps an hour. But she usually takes an evening nap that is two hours. At night she goes 3-4 hours stretches. We had one 7 hour stretch and that was amazing. But I think she was/is going through a growth spurt.

Eating: Every 2-3 hours during the day. Night is 3-4 hours. She has a semi-schedule down. 

Likes: Being talked to. Her toys, especially her owl. She just snuggles up with it. Still loves going places. She's such a good baby when I have errands to run. Loves to be naked and have her belly tickled. 

Dislikes: Hates going to sleep. She will fight it so much. 

Still throws a fit when she gets dressed but not as much. 

Milestones: She will rollover now! But not everytime she's on her belly. She's been reaching out to grab things. And she especially loves to feel her blankets and toys. It's cute because she will watch her hand open and close. She's been holding her head up so well now. We got some giggles going on to. Oh how I can't wait for the first real belly laugh!

Firsts: She had her first daddy-daughter day and loved being with her daddy all day. Celebrated her first Christmas and got to bring in the New Year. You can read about those here

Personality: She is such a little ham. She smiles and giggles all the time. She just is a social butterfly and loves seeing people and being talked to. 

<3

Ellie's 1st Christmas and New Years

Friday December 25th, 2015

Ellie's first Christmas! 

I know she's not going to remember her first Christmas but I will and I had planned to take pictures all day. But that was an epic fail because both Caleb and I were  sick with colds and just didn't remember. I did get a few pictures and at least we got some as a family of three. 

Since we all were feeling better by New Year's Eve we defiantly partied. Especially since it was Caleb and I's one year wedding anniversary! Getting to bring in the New Year with my little family was just so fun and I'm so excited for what this year will bring. And no, we are not planning on having another little baby. I can't even tell you how many people ask me that! Like I want to enjoy every milestone Ellie goes through and just give her 100% of my attention. 

So here's some pictures of our Christmas and New Year's Eve

Christmas Eve at Ellie's great Grammy's house 

Christmas Day

The big kids playing with toys at my parents

Someone is a little goober

Selfie with mommy 

Family selfie

Ellie trying out her new activity gym

New Year's Eve

And milk drunk by 10 pm. She knew how to party!

I can't believe the holidays came and went just like that. But having a child makes the holidays seem more magical. 

I can't wait for next year! 

💕

2 Months

Some one is super happy and excited to be 2 months old!

(Mismatched socks...because if you've ever washed baby socks. You'd understand)

Our little turkey. Celebrated her first Thanksgiving 

With her cousin who is just three weeks younger than her. They are seriously adorable. 

Getting in the Christmas spirit in her reindeer jammies 

"Helping" mommy with Christmas gifts

She just adores her daddy

These past two months have been filled with so much love and joy. And of course have flown by. It's weird because two months have gone by so fast but at the same time it doesn't seem like that long at all. 

I'm just amazed every day with this little girl. She may be only two months but she definitely is a baby who likes to be on the go. Our daily routine consists of at least one outing. I've been to Target so much recently, and have spent way to much money because um how am I supposed to avoid her clothes? As long as we go out she is really content and will take a nice long nap when we get home. Makes us both happy. I definitely have the cutest shopping buddy! 

Exactly two months ago today, after 28 hours of the worst pain I have ever experienced. This little princess arrived into the world and changed my life. I will never forget that day or everything I went through. But I'd do it all again for her. Being her mommy is the greatest blessing. 

2 months old

December 16th, 2015

Weight: 9-9.5 pounds. She's such a little girl. But she's defiantly getting some chunk and has the cutest little rolls. 

Height: 21 3/4 in

Eye Color: Blue! Over the past month they have been getting more blue and everyone keeps saying they'll be blue. And the doctor who delivered her said she's going to have blue eyes! Neither Caleb or I have blue eyes but they do run in both our families. 

Hair Color: Light brown/blonde 

Diaper Size: Size 1!

Clothes Size: Some of her newborn clothes still fit but others are to small. But she's fitting into more of her 0-3 months

Sleep: During the day maybe 2 hours. But if we go somewhere she takes a longer nap. She loves car rides. Night time...she hasn't gotten on any schedule yet. 

Eating: Every 2-3 hours during the day. At night she can sometimes go for four hours. But she's constantly growing still so I don't expect her to have any routine yet. She eats when she's hungry. Even if it might have been an hour ago. 

Likes: Bathtime is her favorite! Also car rides and going places. She is mesmerized by the Christmas tree. She just loves looking all around. She just smiles so much when she's talked to. Also she has mastered the squeal. It's pretty adorable. Loves to sleep on mine or Caleb's chest and be all snuggled.
Dislikes: Hates going to sleep. She will fight it so much. Seriously little girl, you're going to adore sleep one day...

Lately she has been throwing a royal fit when she gets dressed.
Milestones: She ALMOST rolled over! She just couldn't quite get those legs to move. But I think soon she'll be. She's really starting to focus on objects and tries to reach for them. She's so active already and just seems so curious about the world around her.
Firsts: I started work, so this is the first time she's been away from me. I don't know who is more upset, me or her? I'm so grateful that I only have to work part time so I don't have to be away from her to long. She also calmed down and fell asleep on her daddy for the first time. Usually she only wants me to so I'm glad she is learning that she can be comforted by her daddy. Ellie also celebrated her first Thanksgiving. She ate and slept like most people do on Thanksgiving 😉
Personality: She is such a sweetheart! I can't wait to see how her personality develops. 

10 Things I Wish I Knew About Postpartum

So during my pregnancy each week I read a few different apps as to what was going on. And I read a few books. Things that prepared me for each week. Also I read a lot about labor and delivery. 

What I didn't read a lot about was recovering. And what would happen after the baby is born. There is a lot out there about this topic. But I just didn't feel like it was that necessary. I'm such a naive first time mom, huh? If you're a first time mom-to-be I highly suggest you research about what happens to your body after the baby is here. And especially if you're having a hospital birth, it's a good idea to have an idea of what they do after your baby is born. 

Every recovery is different, just like every birth is different. Some have an easy time and some have a hard time. Since I had a pretty hard labor and delivery, my recovery hasn't been a breeze either. So here a few things that happened to me afterwards that I was so clueless about. 

1. Body Shakes- Lucky for me, my whole body shook the moment I got admitted to the hospital. But that has always been my way of showing nerves for some reason. What I didn't know is that it would become uncontrollable and hurt. And get worse right after the baby is born. It's your body's way of dealing with all the hormones. My entire body was so sore for a week after. 

2. Swollen Legs- My whole pregnancy I didn't deal with being swollen. Well apparently if you're pumped full of fluids during labor your legs will swell so much. And they'll also feel like 20 lbs each. My doctor kindly told me that it'll go away in three weeks. THREE WEEKS?! I was terrified l. Thankfully after just a week they're back to normal. 

3. Dignity- Yup, you'll lose that and not feel ashamed. There was a lot of things that I used to care about that went out the window after I had Ellie. I basically was useless the first few days and could barely bathe or dress myself. Caleb was the biggest help and never once refused..no matter what I asked of him. 

4. Bleeding- Okay, I knew that I would bleed a lot. But what I didn't know is that while in the hospital nurses would press on my stomach and push out blood every so often....as if I wasn't tired of pain already. They have to make sure your uterus is going back down and it's not like they press to hard, but after going through labor and delivery. It's not a nice feeling. I didn't want anyone touching me after I gave birth...so it was just miserable. And they aren't kidding when they say you'll be wearing a diaper. But after putting in healing tuks pads and pain reliving spray, I had not a single care about what I was wearing, at the time. 

5. Aches and pains- After delivery I experienced the worst body aches. And they didn't go away until the second week. I literally felt like my whole body was beaten up. I actually looked like it because I bruise so easily and I had a lot of IVs in both arms so I had so many bruises. And if you have back labor, or something happens to your back during labor. Be prepared for it to hurt really bad afterwards. I see a chiropractor and I highly suggest going to one after you give birth to set your spine back into place. 

6. Cramps and contractions- I don't think I knew about this. When I got home from the hospital I started having the worst cramps I have felt. Thankfully I know quite a few people who have given birth that reassured me that they're normal and it's just everything contracting into place. But I seriously thought I was about to have another baby....(yes, I'm pretty dramatic) 

7. Breastfeeding- This is probably a whole other post within itself. But I never knew how hard breastfeeding was. And I'm talking about the pain. I think I have forgotten all about the birth pain because every time I fed Ellie I just cringe because it hurts so bad. I was told the first few weeks are the worst so I just did everything I could to distract myself...."conceal...don't feel...."

8. Emotional Mess- While I was pregnant, I actually didn't have crazy mood swings. Of course I could be moody here and there but not the "typical" pregnancy mood swings you hear of. The week after I had Ellie...I cried. A lot. Anything would put me in tears. Most of the time it was just looking at her. Poor Caleb would ask me what's wrong and I would say I have no clue. We would end up laughing about it because I was warned that I would be flooded with emotions. Of course I thought that I would be in the clear since I handled pregnancy emotions well. Nope. I wasn't. And I still will cry over things. Mainly unknown. 

9. Exhaustion- Not only are you trying to recover...but you have a little life that you have to care for. Most newborns have their days and nights mixed up, so you can kiss a goodnight's sleep goodbye for a long time. I have never felt so tired but yet I still find energy to take care of her. It's a weird feeling. But I certainly long for a night's sleep without interruptions. And sleeping when the baby sleeps? Uhhh yeah that's not possible when I know have things to do like clean, laundry, make food, shower, and  etc. Even though I should rest more because I can't recover unless I'm rested. 

10. Your body- It's hard to describe. But you will not feel like you even know your body. Which makes sense because you just went through so many changes in a matter of hours. And the feeling of "normal" won't return for weeks but it slowly comes back. 

In the end of it all. You will feel the most deep indescribable love for someone. And everything that you're feeling kind of just goes away. You're putting someone else's needs before your own and I think that's why it's easy to forget all the pain that we just went through. And even though I had a really hard labor and delivery, it was all worth it for my daughter. I would go through it all again, just for her.

I Wasn't Prepared For....

When you're pregnant you get told a lot of advice, stories, dos, and don'ts. Many people will tell you about their pregnancy and tell you to prepare for certain stages. Like prepare to completely break down when your shirts become belly shirts and your jeans don't go past your hips. Or to prepare for the crazy cravings that hit and you make your husband run to the store after a long day at work. You read all the books, articles, and download a hundred different pregnancy apps all to prepare you for what's ahead. 

I was prepared for every stage of pregnancy. 

Then the closer you get to your due date you'll start to prepare for labor. You'll decorate the nursery, plan baby's coming home outfit, and pack your hospital bag. You'll prepare for labor and delivery by taking a childbirth class and reading articles online. Or you'll watch birth videos on YouTube. 

I was prepared (as much as I could be) to give birth. 

But what I wasn't prepared for was for everything that happens after pregnancy. 

I wasn't prepared to feel such a deep love for someone I didn't even know. Or to shed so many tears. I wasn't prepared to fall even more in love with my husband by watching him turn into a father. Or to cry just by watching him take a million pictures because he just can't get enough of his little girl. I wasn't prepared to feel such a strong sense of being a mama bear. I do everything in my willpower to protect my baby and to keep her safe. 

I wasn't prepared for all the happy dances my husband and I would do over her little burps and for everytime there's a poopy diaper. Or saying bless you everytime we hear a little sneeze. I wasn't prepared for all of the lack of sleep but in those quiet hours of the night are times I cherish because I know one day will come when I won't be awoken and needed at night. 

I wasn't prepared to put someone else's needs before mine so much that I'll forget to eat but it doesn't matter as long as she is happy and taken care of. 

I wasn't prepared to feel a even more deeper connection with my husband as we both learn how to be parents and to figure things out together. Or that my love only grows stronger for him as he gently kisses her forehead everytime he holds her. 

I wasn't prepared to have to hold myself together watching someone prick her foot and squeeze blood out of it to check her jaundice levels every week. But I had to be strong for her because I knew she needed her momma for comfort. 

I wasn't prepared for all the struggles breastfeeding would bring. All the pain I knew. But I wasn't prepared for her to develop breastfeeding jaundice and to be losing weight, and having a doctor basically tell me I'm a horrible mom because it just seemed like she wasn't getting enough to eat. I was told to supplement countless times. Something in me just didn't feel right about formula and I knew breastmilk is the best thing for her.  So I didn't give up. And now her jaundice is almost gone and she's gaining weight. Newborn diapers are a thing of the past and she's now in 0-3 months clothes. 

I wasn't prepared for little eyes to look up at me and smile making my heart just explode. And to shed even more tears seeing her grow up right before my eyes. Or to just stare at her in awe of just how beautiful she is. 

I wasn't prepared for what motherhood would bring. Of course I have wanted to be a mom, probably my whole life. But there aren't any books or apps that prepare you for motherhood. It's just something you learn along the way.

God gave me his greatest gift, and I will always feel incredibly blessed that he chose me to be her mom. And I promise to my daughter that I'll be the best mom to her. 

❤️

One Month

One month! 

How do I have a one month old already?! Time has been flying...didn't I say that a lot when I was pregnant? 

Being a mom is one of the most exhausting, frustrating, and hardest jobs. But it's even more amazing, rewarding, and most joyous. My daughter brings so much joy to my life. Having a baby is such a blessing. It's such an incredible feeling looking down at her and knowing that just 10 months ago she was no bigger than a poppyseed and now she's here in my arms. 

So how has Ellie been?! I decided to continue updates but not of me anymore. I'll be doing monthly updates of her! She's constantly growing and I wanted a way to document(and remember) things. So here's her one month update! 

1 Month

Weight: 7 lbs 8 oz is what she weighed at the doctors. 

Height: 21 3/4 in

Eye Color: Blue gray. But I know they'll change 

Hair Color: Light brown

Diaper Size: Newborn but even those can be a little big depending on the brand. I love the honest company diapers but they seem to run big. 

Clothes Size: Newborn still. I've had to buy more because most of the outfits are 0-3 months and she swims in them still. 

Sleep: Oh little girl, she will sleep amazing if me or her daddy is holding her. But as soon as we put her down she wakes up. We have a little bassinet in our room to keep her close and she just doesn't like it. So far she will sleep 2 hours in it. Hopefully here soon she gets used to it because I'd love longer sleep stretches. 

Eating: Every 2-3 hours during the day. At night she can sometimes go for four hours but that's still rare. She has days where she will want to eat every single hour. You'd think she would be 10lbs with how much she eats. 

Likes: Eating. She would probably just eat constantly if I let her. She loves music, when she fusses we will put music on and she'll get quiet to listen. Loves bathtime. Loves to lay in daddy's lap when he's playing video games. Sleeping cuddled up in a warm blanket close to us, it's my favorite too! Nothing like having a cuddly warm baby. She loves car rides and target trips. 
Dislikes: Getting her diaper changed. Hates it. And being naked in general. Also she hates to be moved if she's comfortable. And really throws a fit if mommy is taking to long to feed her. 
Milestones: She's already holding her head up so much. I've gotten a few smiles and one or two coos. Of course it could be gas. But I'll take it! 
Firsts: She had her first bath in her tub at 2 weeks old. It was hard at first because her daddy has to hold her since she's so little. First target trip when she was just a week old. We took her on her first walk last week since the weather here was unusually warm. She lasted about 5 minutes. 
Personality: Even for being a month old. She already has a tiny personality. But I know it's only going to grow and I'm so excited to see her develop one. 

❤️

I got the outline from this gorgeous momma' blog: http://lauraplusco.blogspot.com/2015/10/emma-1-month.html?m=1

Definitely check out her blog. Her little girl is so adorable!