The other day Ella's socks were popping off her feet, her pants were more like shorts and her shirt was a having a hard time snapping shut. I checked to make sure she was not turning green with bulging biceps. It became clear that our lovely newborn has not morphed into the incredible hulk but instead is a full-fledged 15 pound baby. Tricky time. She even acts like a stereotypical baby. She puts her toes in her mouth ...check, she coos...check, she bounces up and down....check, pulls on hair, glasses and red beards, check,check, check. The child even has ham hocks. And strong, let me tell you, don't let that chubby cuteness fool you, she has a left hook that will knock the glasses clean off your face. Everything is met with a wide stare, once it has become familiar, Ella will give it a grin and try to pull it into her mouth. The world is a never-ending buffet when everything has the potential of entering your mouth. I knew babies drooled but this child is a never relenting waterfall of saliva. Thankfully, we have bibs, that if we change out every hour, we have a shot at keeping her in the same shirt for a full day. Nothing seems to please her as much as crinkly things that can fit in her mouth, whether that be the 20 dollar toy or the cheese bag. Fitz has also become worthy of her attention. After all he moves and if she is quick enough, she can grab onto his ear. Fitz just seems confused by this now, not so new attention. He is pleased to be getting attention, not so pleased at the product of the attention. He behaves in a stoic manner as his ear is being pulled to the ground and we try to unwrap her fingers. We are getting re-introduced to our child as she introduces herself to the world.

4 months on the 4th year

Ella turned 4 months on Drew and my 4 year wedding anniversary. Both seem unbelievable to me. 4 years? Really, I thought we went on our first date just last year, I could have sworn we got married just this summer. That was 4 years ago? What have I been doing? You mean we had a baby? But hasn't Ella been with us forever? There was a time before Ella, what in heavens name did we do?
Marriage to Drew has been a wonderful thing, nothing at all that I thought it would be. Well, almost nothing, there are a few things that turned out how I thought. The china we got for our wedding looks exactly how I thought it would when we eat off of it, as a married couple. But other than that, I have been surprised at how surprising marriage is. I can say the same thing for having a child. Before you have a baby, people you do not even know, will stop you and say, "congragulations, is this your first?" I would have thought that an odd question, but having friends and family that have had babies I knew what was implied.... What everyone said and what I find myself thinking now. You have no idea what it is like to have a baby until you have one. I had no idea. I read books, I asked questions, I read more books, but I had no idea. There has never been anything that has changed me and my life so ultimately, profoundly and quickly as having Ella. Ella is such a huge shift that there are now two parts to my life, B.E. (before Ella) and A.E. (after Ella) and I know that I was there for both of those times but it is hard to reconcile the priorities I use to have with the priorities that I have today. Nor can I explain how blessed I feel. If I could go back in time and tell the B.E. me anything, it would probably be what everyone said to me...you have no idea, however your wedding china still looks the same.

Welcoming Committee

Let me set the scene for you with this video. In the beginning of the video, I am chatting up Ms. Ella and then in walks her Dad... As you can see, her Poppy got a much better response from Ella than her poor ol Mom. I use to attribute this to Drew being the new kid in town, relatively speaking. I could not blame her, that child has known me in ways I hope to never know myself. Coming from a small town, I also can fully understand the excitement of someone new coming round. A new boy was mystery as well as a clean slate in a small town,where everyone know everyone's business. A new boy was someone who had never dated any of your friends, had never seen you eat dirt when your were three and in my case, not see your Dad pick up numerous dead animals on the side of the road. However, I have noticed that I will get the same response from Ella as long as I have been out of eyesight for a good hour or so. I can not tell you how lovely it is to walk in and have someone act as if you are just fabulous and isn't it wonderful that you stopped by. I have read that once you left a baby's eyesight, it as if you do not exist, so you showing up again, well that is just a pleasant surprise. I imagine this would equate to me walking into my kitchen and finding a homemade chocolate cake that MaMa had just baked, or reaching into my pants pocket and finding 100 bucks. If those inanimate objects could see, they would probably see me smile just as big as baby girl does in this video. Too bad for those inanimate objects, cause I tell you it makes you feel like, well, a 100 bucks.