Ella At 5 Months

Age:  5 months

Weight:   Around  16 lbs 2oz ( I weighed myself first, then again holding you on November 30th.) 

Height:  Around  27 inches, not really sure though.  You can look at the picture to have an idea.  

Milestones: On November 5th you sat with your hands on the floor all by yourself.  During tummy time you now push yourself up so we can see your tummy. You are finding out that Mommy and Daddy are funny, which means you are giggling more.  You love looking, holding and munching on to your new pacifier.

Best Moment:  Seeing you sit on your own, you are growing up way to fast. 

Worst Moment:  Waking up multiple times a night.  :)

Hair: Your hair is getting a little longer and thicker in places, but you still have some bare patches from rubbing your hair off.

Eye Color:  They are still changing color, turing a green or brown color we think.

Who you look like: Daddy

Clothes:  You are wearing 3-6 and 6-9 month clothes and are filling them out much better.  Some of your 3 month clothes still fit, it had warmed up for a couple days so Mommy took your summer clothes out for you to wear.

Sleeping Through the Night: Nope.  You wake up usually  three to four times during the night.  Usually when we first put you to bed then around 12:00 am, 4:00 am, 6:00 am, and finally waking up for the day around 7:30am to 8:00am.

Schedule: You go to bed any where from 7:30 pm to 8:30pm.   You wake up around  7:30 am to 8:30 am, just depends on the day and what time you went to bed the night before. You are still not a napper, Mommy can get you to take one or two naps but you want to sleep on Mommy and not in your crib.  

Eating:  During the day you like to eat any where from every hour and a half to every two and a half hours.  

Teeth: Not yet, thank goodness. 

Diapers: Still size 2 of Earth's Best diaper. 

Travel: We didn't travel this month but Grandma and Grandpa came to see you.

Biggest Change:  How interactive you are.

Extra Comments:  You have been crossing your ankles while sitting, it's pretty darn cute.  You also love to "talk" and squeal before you fall asleep.

Ella at 4 Months

Age:  4 months

Weight:   14 lbs 10oz (50th%) at your Drs. appointment on October 29th. 

Height:  26 inches (90th %)

Head:   40.5 cm (37th %)

Milestones: You love grabbing and sucking your soft blocks and anything else you can get your hands on.  You have giggled and squealed a couple of times, it is adorable. You are able to bear wight on you legs when we hold you upright and have you "walk" around.  You love to "walk" and bounce, we just need to get you a jump and play, so Mommy and Daddy don't have to bend over.  When you are on your tummy Mommy and Daddy put our hands by your feet and you push yourself along the carpet, face planted as you scoot along.    

Best Moment:  Hearing you giggle and squeal, excited for when you start doing it more.

Worst Moment: Finding Meeko in the crib with you while you were sleeping.

Hair: Your hair may be getting a little longer in places, but you still have some bare patches from rubbing your hair off.

Eye Color:  They are still changing color, turing a green or brown color we think.

Who you look like: Daddy

Clothes:  You are wearing 3-6 and 6-9 month clothes, however the 6-9 month clothes are a little big and long on you.  Not sure if any of your 3 month clothes still fit, since it has gotten cooler out you've been wearing the longer sleeved clothes.  

Sleeping Through the Night: Nope.  You wake up usually once or twice during the night.  Usually around 12:00 am or 4:00 am then around 6:00 am or 7:00 am.

Schedule: You go to bed any where from 7:00 pm to 8:30pm.   You wake up around  7:30 am to 9:00 am, just depends on the day and what time you went to bed the night before. You are still not a napper, Mommy can get you to take one or two naps during the day for only about a half an hour each. 

Eating:  During the day you like to eat any where from every hour and a half to every two and a half hours.  

Teeth: Not yet, thank goodness. 

Diapers: Still size 2 of Earth's Best diaper. 

Travel: We traveled to Iowa and Minnesota so we could compete in the MM Race, it was a beautiful day.  

Biggest Change:  How big you have gotten.

Extra Comments:  When you get really upset you snort, it's pretty funny. You also love sucking on your bottom lip, fingers, thumbs, fists and your blanket toy; pacifier not so much.  

Ella at 3 Months

Age:  3 months

Weight:   Around 13 lbs 2 oz ( I weighed myself first, then again holding you.) 

Height:  Around 25 inches, not really sure though.  You can look at the picture to have an idea.  We will find out at your 4 month appointment.

Milestones:  On September 2nd you rolled over for the first time and you rolled over three times in a row.  Mommy didn't catch the first roll on camera but she got the 2nd and 3rd.  Daddy was at work but loved seeing this special time on camera.  Daddy was able to see you roll over in person a week later when you rolled over 3 times in a row for him.

Best Moment:  Having you baptized in Ohio, it was a beautiful day.

Worst Moment: Not sure we had one.  :)

Hair: Your hair has finally started to grow back on top of your head, it may even be getting a little longer.

Eye Color:  They are starting to change color, turing a green or brown color we think.

Who you look like: Daddy

Clothes:  You will probably get one more wear out of the 3 month clothes, then they will be packed away. Your 6 month clothes fit much better, however the waist on the pants are big on you.

Sleeping Through the Night: Some nights you are sleeping until 6:00am, Mommy is happy to get a little more sleep but is still up to check on you every couple hours.  Other nights you wake up around 4:00am for a brief feeding then again around 7:30 am.

Schedule: You usually go to bed by 8:00pm or 8:30pm.   You wake up around 7:00 or 7:30 am. During the day Mommy can sometimes get you take a couple naps ranging from half an hour to two hours long.  However you'd much rather stay awake and hang out.

Eating:  During the day you like to eat any where from every hour and a half to every two and a half hours.  

Teeth: Not yet, thank goodness. 

Diapers: On August 29th you graduated to size 2 of Earth's Best diaper. Your poos are still every 2 to 4 days, when you have to go you definitely fill the diaper up.  :)

Travel: We traveled to Ohio so you could go to your first wedding and so you could get baptized.  We had a wonderful time and the family loved seeing how you've grown.

Biggest Change:  Mommy and Daddy are loving how much you are "talking" now, so much fun.

Extra Comments:  You made Mommy and Daddy laugh when you sneezed and milk came out your nose, wish we had the video camera rolling then.  You love taking baths, specially since you discovered splashing.  You now start out the night sleeping on your side in the fetal position then roll over onto your back once you are sleeping.  You have figured out a way to hold on to your binky by placing your arm over your mouth.

Ella at 2 Months

Age:  2 months

Weight: 12 lbs 1 oz (60th percentile)

Height: 24 inches (94th percentile)

Head:  38 cm (37th percentile) 

Milestones:  You now smile at Mommy and Daddy, specially in the mornings and in the evenings when Daddy gets home.  You also love to make sounds, sticking your tongue out and playing with your owl toy.    You are getting stronger every day, able to lift and hold your head up longer and higher during tummy time.  You are also able to move on the floor during tummy time and while you are in your crib.  We will put you down facing one direction and you will squirm until you are facing the other direction.  Slept through the night until 6:30 am.

Best Moment:  Having you meet your extended family on both sides, they absolutely adore you.

Worst Moment: When Mommy and Daddy had to take you for your 2 month shots.  Mommy felt so bad she cried while you were screaming.  

Hair: You have been loosing some of your hair on the top of your head, a little on the sides and back of your head.

Eye Color: Right now they are still grey, at times they have a hint of blue.

Who you look like: As you get older we are able to see a little more of Daddy in you, specially how your eyes squint when you smile.  However you are lucky to have Mommy's skin coloring.  

Clothes: You out grew some of your 0-3 month onesies a few weeks ago but Mommy thinks that brand runs small.  The majority of the clothes you wear are 3 month, they fit you much better since you are filling them out more.  You are wearing few of your 6 month clothes, with room to grow.

Sleeping Through the Night: Some nights you are sleeping until 6:00am, Mommy is happy to get a little more sleep but is still up to check on you every couple hours.  Other nights you wake up around 4:00am for a brief feeding then again around 7:30 am.

Schedule: You are now going to bed by 8:00pm.  However you have a cranky time that starts around 7:00pm, fighting the sleep fairy the entire time.  You take a couple naps ranging from half an hour to an hour long.

Eating:  During the day you like to eat any where from every hour and a half to every two and a half hours.  During the night you sometimes wake up once for a light snack.

Teeth: Not yet, thank goodness. 

Diapers: You are still in size 1 diaper, we are using Earths Best and  7th Generation diapers.   We are pretty sure you will be graduating to size 2 pretty soon.  Your poos have changed to every 2 to 4 days, when you have to go you definitely fill the diaper up.  :)

Travel: You had two big road trips this month.  First you and Mommy went to Iowa and Wisconsin to visit family.  Then two weeks later you, Daddy, and Mommy went to Ohio to visit the other side of the family.  The first leg of both road trips went really well, you only woke up to eat once.  However coming back home was a different story, we had to stop multiple times and you were not a happy baby.

Biggest change: How big you have gotten, you are now filling out your car seat.  You also "talk", wiggle and smile much more when you are excited about something or see Mommy or Daddy.

Extra Comments:  You don't love "tummy time" as much as you did, now you just get mad and frustrated.  You had your first bath, didn't care for it the first couple times but you now love your bath time.  Mommy and Daddy had to move your car seat straps up, since you are getting so tall you weren't fitting.  You went for your first ride in your Daddy's hot rod car, you slept the entire time.  You now know that you have a hand, you like watching and love sucking on it or some of your fingers/thumb. 

Ella at 1 Month

Age:  1 month

Weight: Around  10lbs 2oz (I weighed myself first, then again holding you.)

Height: Not really sure, you can look at the picture to have an idea.  We will find out at your 2 month appointment. 

Milestones:  You are getting really good at holding your head up and turning it when your'e on your belly and when Mommy is burping you.  You also love looking and grabbing your butterfly toy.

Best Moment:  Spending time with you and seeing how you have already changed so much this past month. Smiling and following with your eyes when you look at Mommy and Daddy, we love that smile!  Mommy and Daddy love you very much!

Worst Moment: When you were having projectile vomiting at a week old.  That was very stressful and messy for Mommy and Daddy.  We think that you were just being a little piggy and eating too much, this brought relief to us. 

Hair: You have a head full of dark hair, not as much as Mommy had at this age but more than Daddy had.  As for your hairline it looks like you may have your Daddy's, but only time will tell.

Eye Color: Right now they are still grey, at times they have a hint of blue.

Who you look like: We are still unsure at this point who you look like, at times we can see both of us in you.  You definitely have Mommy's feet but unfortunately you have Daddy's toenails (they tend to be ingrown, so sorry.)

Clothes: You have been in 3 month size clothes since you were born, you are now filling them out a little more.  Mommy and Daddy have a feeling that the clothes wont be lasting until you are 3 months old.

Sleeping Through the Night: You are still up every 2-4 hours to eat, even when you don't wake up Mommy does and checks on you.  

Schedule: We are still working on one.  There were a couple days where it seemed we had one but they were lost when you had a few cranky days.  

Eating:  You have made nursing easy and painless for Mommy.  During the day you like to eat any where from every hour to every two hours but at night you can go longer.  Daddy gave you your first bottle when you were three weeks old and you did wonderful! So glad you like the bottle as well.

Teeth: Not yet, thank goodness. 

Diapers: You have graduated to a size 1 diaper, we are using Earths Best since they are a little smaller than the 7th Generation diapers.   You have had some good blow outs where it has gone past your belly button and up your back, you had a sponge bath that night.

Travel: Just around the Peoria area.  So far you love your car seat and pass out the second we start driving, hope this lasts. This week we will be going on our first road trip to visit Mommy's family, fingers crossed. 

Biggest change: How big you have gotten, you are now filling out your car seat.  You also "talk" and wiggle much more when you are excited about something. 

Extra Comments:  You love falling asleep during "tummy time".  

Welcome Ella Joyce Rosendaul

 Our sweet baby girl decided she couldn't wait till her due date to enter this world, which was in another 9 days.  Ella was born on June 16th at 9:35 pm.  The day started out like any regular Saturday, I did have a little cramping but didn't think any thing of it.  While Scott and I were getting ready to leave the house to go to the Farmers Market and a car show after, this is when the action started.  I walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth when I felt a "pop" down low with some cramping right after.  I turned to Scott to tell him what I had felt, a minute later I had concluded that the "pop" I felt was my water breaking.  We called our Dr. and she instructed us to leave for the hospital immediately.  By the time we left the house my contractions were three minutes apart.  We arrived at the hospital around 10 am and they didn't have a room for us, so we waited in the waiting room for a few minutes.  Then they moved us into a temporary room for a period of time before we were taken to our delivery room.  Once there the first part of my labor went pretty quick, 1 cm to 10 cm in about four hours.  While pushing they found out Ella was flipped and wouldn't come out in the position she was in.  So for about 4 hours (plus or minus) we worked on getting her turned, this entire time I was pushing with each contraction.  Finally all our hard work paid off, Ella was in the correct position.  By this time I was exhausted, and my contractions where getting further apart and became less strong.  The doctors then introduced pitocin into my IV to help me through the last part of labor.  It did the trick, after about one to one and a half hours later our beautiful daughter Ella came into this world at 9:35 pm.  She weighed 8lb 7oz  and was 19.5 inches in length.  She is perfect and beautiful, even with the bruising on her face and head.  (This was from me pushing while she was in the wrong position.)  She has a head full of dark hair and grey eyes at this point.  We see parts of both of us in her and are excited to see how she changes and who's features she has.  Ella is the love of our life, we find ourselves just staring at her while she sleeps.  Here are a few of Ella at the hospital, more to follow.

38 Weeks

How far along?:  38 Weeks  

Total weight gain/loss:   About 38 pounds, the past month I have gained weight like crazy. A lot of it is water weight, my legs, feet, ankles, and hands are pretty swollen.  By the end of the day my feet look like they belong to someone else.

Maternity Clothes?:  Yes. 

Sleep:     I am up 3 to 4 times a night, mixture of going to the restroom and changing positions. 

Stretch Marks?:   Nope, hope it stays that way.

Best moment this week:   Getting to see our little girl via ultra sound.  We were told that she has hair and weighs 7 pounds 5 ounces at this point in time.

Miss anything?:   Having my hands and feet not being swollen and painful.

Movement?:   Yes, since she is getting bigger her movement isn't as drastic. 

Food cravings?:   Not really, but I love eating fruit!

Anything making you queasy or sick?:   Nope

Labor signs?:   None.:(

Symptoms?:     At times there is more pressure on my bladder and under my ribs. My major symptom is being very swollen, not comfortable. 

Belly button in or out?:  I think it's pretty even, hard to see my belly button at this point.  

Wedding rings on or off?:   On, just because I can't get it off.

Happy or moody most of the time?:  Happy!

Looking forward to:  My body progressing.

Gender:   Girl!

 First picture is of our little girls face.  Since she is down so low her face is pushed up against me making it difficult to get a good picture.  The picture below that is showing that she is a little girl.  The two pictures on the right are of her body and head I think, can't remember.  

This is what the crib skirt looks like that I made with a co-worker of mine.  She was nice enough to make a cute little blanket with some of the left over fabric.

34 Weeks

How far along?:  34 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss:   About 28 pounds, the past month I have gained weight like crazy.  Hope it slows down, but not holding my breath. 

Maternity Clothes?:  Yes. 

Sleep:     I am up 2-3 times a night, mixture of going to the restroom and changing positions. 

Stretch Marks?:   Nope, hope it stays that way.

Best moment this week:   Finishing getting things ready for our little girls arrival. 

Miss anything?:   Wearing my "normal" clothes.

Movement?:   Yes, since she is getting bigger my belly is now moving as she does.  It is starting to get uncomfortable as she is right under my ribs at times.

Food cravings?:   Not really, but I am loving myself some dark chocolate and watermelon!

Anything making you queasy or sick?:   Nope

Labor signs?:   None

Symptoms?:     At times there is more pressure on my bladder and under my ribs.  Also my hands and feet get a little swollen after I have salty food.

Belly button in or out?:  In, it's my belly ring that shows in the pictures, but it is starting to even out.

Wedding rings on or off?:   On

Happy or moody most of the time?:  Happy!

Looking forward to:  Our last lamaze class this week.

Gender:   Girl!

Baby Rosendaul's nursery is coming along...

 Scott and I put the crib together a while ago, it was a night full of fun.  When putting the crib together we definitely work better as a team.  There are some items we still need to buy; touch lamp for late night changing/feedings, changing pad cover, crib sheets (all which is on our Amazon baby list) and to find someone who would like to make our crib skirt for us.  So if you are that person, get in touch with me.  ;)  The mirror I found on Craigslist, Scott painted it and did a wonderful job!  The decorations are shower gifts from friends and family.