mommy&ellie

Since we have been home from our vacation in Nashville it has been mommy&ellie time. Chad has been slammed with call shifts - I guess you do pay for taking vacation!

Ellie & I went to Nashville by ourselves for Ellen's high school graduation. We made it there with no trouble~I loaded up right after her 6 o'clock feeding, and she slept til Crossville. We stopped to nurse/get gas, and then we made it the rest of the way! Graduation weekend was great~ Saturday was Anglea's graduation from Aquinas, we celebrated with her @ Amerigos~yummy! Then we went to Baccalaurette Mass @ FRHS. Sunday was actual Graduation @ Belmont then her PARTY!! We had a great weekend. Headed home Monday for Chad's birthday! It took us a little longer to get home ... road work, rain, long stop. Oh well, we made it & even got to eat out @ Carrabbas!

Last week was Ellie's two month Dr. check up. She is perfect, as we already knew, weighing in @ 13 pounds 8 ounces! She did great but then got 3 shots!! poor baby! She cried & even screamed out once but within a minute of me picking her up she was okay. I was determined not to cry with her but now totally understand why parents do... :(

We have just been hanging out together & wait for Chad to get home! We have been getting out for a walk on the pretty days & making a run to a store or the mall. She is sleeping so well! Usually 6 hours during the night & trying to get in to a routine during the day. One day last week was perfect - she nursed @ 12noon, 3, 6 & 9pm then slpet til 3 ~ yay!!! The best night is when she slept from 12-6 or 1-7, even 11-5 works for us!! I am attempting to let her nap in her crib, so far so good - but keeping her in our room during the night! She is just a JOY! She is talking more & more - definitely loves to hear her voice. She still loves bath time & riding in her car seat! She is really getting strong, holding her head up & pushing her arms straight during tummy time! We just love her to death & I am SO much enjoying being home with her!

We are not planning to go back to Nashville til June 17th & then we head to the beach that Saturday. Can't wait (sad that Chad can't make it) to see everyone for another whole week & meet up with Amanda & Emily. They are both vacationing close to us in Perdido Key, the same week!

Chad's Vacation

We had a wonderful week in Nashville! This was Chad's week of vacation & he went to Vegas for a few days with my dad, sister and cousins!

We planned Ellie's Baptism this day before she was even born. We knew it might be the only chance we had to all be home the same weekend. May 1, Ellie Marie was welcomed into the Church @ St. Edward in Nashville. Ann & Brandon were the maid of honor & best man in our wedding & how appropriate they are our 1st born daughters God parents! We are blessed to have them in our lives & such an important part of Elllie's life as well! After the Baptism we all went back to my parents house for dinner!

A disaster in happened this week while we were home. The rain began Saturday & continued into Sunday. The city flooded, it was the 1st disaster in Nashville's history. It was so sad to watch the news & see all that was ruined. Our house was ok & we were all safe, but friends & family were not as lucky. Some lost their homes, cars, family members. It was just awful!

The girls were out of school part of the week due to the flooding & water shortage. We had a nice week; visiting, eating lunch out, shopping ... I was able to catch up with friends. I met Monica for lunch & she introducd Ellie to her office friends. Wednesday was Cinco de Mayo ~ Ellie & I met Stacey & Cooper for lunch then went to visit Charlene. Chad got home from vegas & he was so happy to see his girl(s)!!

Thursday we went to Judson & introduced Ellie to Mom & Ann's work friends. Then dad took us out to lunch! Maggie & I got a manicure before we headed to Hermitage. Monica made dinner & we visited with Stephan & Aimee! Friday, Mom drove Ellie & I to Memphis! We met Amanda, Kate, Rachel, Kendall, Jack & Aundrea for lunch! I missed Aundrea's baby shower for Ethan on Sunday due to the floods. It was such a nice visit with them!! Then we went to pottery barn of course!

Saturday was Ann's graduation ~ we had her party that night! Sunday was my 1st Mother's Day! Chad made it special ~ he always does good but this was a special day! I was surprised with 2 sweet cards from Chad & Ellie, and a ring from Tiffany's!! I LOVE it~ We went to Church with my family, had lunch with his family, visited with his Granny before driving back home.

So, what a week!! It was SO FUN! We love spending time @ home with our friends & family, but were glad to be back @ our house too! Tuesday night Ellie slept for 6 hours!! Then the rest of the week she did 5-7 hours during the night~whoohoo! Our little sweetie is 2 months old & sleeping 6 hours!!! YAY~

6 weeks!

My little girl is already 6 weeks old!! It is hard to believe ~ I guess time really flies when you're having FUN!

She is such a sweet, cutie pie! She is still sleeping pretty good, 3-4 hours during the night! She is staying awake more during the day & tries to fight falling asleep for her naps in between feeding s during the day! We take a stroll around the neighborhood everyday (we try) & do our errands in the afternoons. Ellie loves to ride in the car ~ yay for our trips home!

She also loves to take a bath! Sometimes if she is fussy & I don't know why we just take a bath! She relaxes in her little sponge tub & is happy when she gets out!

We have caught her smiling several times! The first few weeks I figured it was just gas, but now I think she smiles at us! When she first wakes up in the morning & on her changing table are the best times to catch one! She is so happy~ but it is hard to get her smiling on camera still!

The funniest thing about our sweet precious little girl is that she poots & it is so loud!!! haha! I am sure she will hate this when she gets older, but she can rip'em! It is so funny to hear this big 'ol poot coming from this cute little girl! I swear, you wouldn't believe it was her & not her daddy or Pops! lol

We are excited to see Aunt Annie this weekend! Hopefully it is pretty so we can be outside! Then the weekend after we are heading back to Nashville~yay! May 1 - 9th! With lots planned throughout ... Ellie's Baptism, Memphis (daddy to Vegas), SISTA night, hair cut, lots of lunch dates, graduation&party for Ann & the list goe son! I can't wait!!! Hope to see some of you friends then~love

Road Trip

Our first trip to Nashville went well! It was BUSY to say the least with lots of visitors, but we enjoyed the beautiful weekend!

Ellie did great in the car. We stopped once each way to have a diaper change & feeding. She enjoyed stretching out once we got to my parents. And by Saturday night she was worn out! She was so happy to just lay down by her self with comfy clothes! She slept 4 hours that night!! yay~

Sunday dad & Chad played golf while us 'good girls' went to church! Then friends & family came over to my parents house. Ellie was a trooper! She ate one last time before we loaded up & slept through Knoxville!! Then another 4 hour stretch that night, twice!! yay again~ hope this becomes a habit =)

Friday before we left & sent in my resignation! I am going to be a stay @ home mom! It is still kind of hard to believe that I am not going back to work, but I am Really excited!!

Our next trip to Nashville will be for a whole week (with a day trip to Memphis planned!) thank goodness! May 1st ... we can't wait! CHad has the whole week off & going to Vegas for a couple days!

Miss Ellie is still doing great ~ 5 weeks old!

1 month already!?

Well, one month has just FLOWN by!

Our precious little Ellie was born exactly one month ago today! Our world has changed...only for the better! We are enjoying every minute with her. Yes, even when she wakes up in the middle of the night to nurse, I look into the craddle & can't help but to smile ~ she is ours, I LOVE her so much!

I am enjoying her SO much that we have decided that I am going to be a stay at home mom. Our families are wonderful & offered to come to JC any weekend that Chad & I were both scheduled to work! But it was stressing me out just thinking about leaving her, about working every weekend & always juggling whose weekend it was to come help. So it is official - I am not going back to work! I am very excited & looking forward to mommy & Ellie time 24/7!

We have had lots of visitors, actually Elllie has had lots of visitors! My mom stayed here for a whole week & ran this house for me! She was so wonderful, I wasn't sure if I could do it by my self! The day she left I just cried and cried, my most emotional day yet. It was hard to say bye especially not knowing when I would see her again! ok, enough talking about that ... tears!

The other hard days are when Chad is on call. He leaves @ 5am & doesn't get hme til the next day around lunch ... ugh!! We miss him so much during the day period but all day, night & into the next day is rough! He is such a good daddy & the best husband in the world!

The in laws came to visit for a weekend as well. My mother in law, Monica, stayed a few extra days to help me out a little.

Then my sister Marie came back & stayed a long weekend! She was so sweet - she cooked & cooked! It was that weekend that mom & maggie came up from a volleyball tournament in Chattanooga to surprise us for a over night visit! YAY~

Stacey & her kiddos came up for the day & we went out to dinner! It was a great day, so nice to catch up with her! Then Aunt Neen came up for two nights. We did a little shopping! She brought Easter goodies. Of course my friends from work came by one day ~ they both have daughters ( Avery & Kate) that will be in the play group here in JC!

And last weekend my dad came! It was our Easter surprise! He brougth Marie & Maggie with him! It was a great 24 hours ~ we even made it to church in one piece!!

Then this past Tuesday, Aunt kaka came by! it was so nice seeing ger & uncle Marty.

Lots of sweet friendshave stopped by or brought dinner!! Thank you to you girls!!

This weekend we are taking a road trip for the first time to Nashville! Lots more friends & family will be meeting babyEllie! We can't wait!

Ellie is here

So, I have some catching up to do!

I will begin on Sunday, March 7th; we went in for a cervidil induction. I was 40 4/7 weeks & the baby was measuring by ultrasound to weigh 8 pounds 10 ounces! All the family was planning to come to town tonight or in the morning. We were all so excited & I was so ready to meet her! So, we packed up & headed to JCSH @ 5pm.

All went well Sunday night. The cervidil was placed, I was already 2cm but she was still high. The Dr, said we would get started on Pitocin in the morning. Around 1 am, the contractions were coming too close together & the nurse pulled the medicine. Then she started my IV, gave me some pain medicine & I was hoping to sleep ... wrong! I contracted the rest of the night! But, I was doing ok & had decided to get an epidural for sure!!

Monday morning my new nurse & Dr. came in to check my status - I was 3cm & he broke my water. By 9am I was ready for an epidural & @ 10 they started Pitocin. I was comfortable!! All our families came in to visit & let Chad go down to get breakfast! Things were going good, just playing the waiting game.

At lunch time I was on like 5 ... ugh! Moving kinda slow! I took a little nap while everybody ate lunch @ Cooty Browns (yes its an actual restaurant, only in Johnson City=)) haha

Well, they all got back & @ 3pm i was 9cm!!! yay! its almost go time~Chad updated Facebook & told everyone to get the popcorn ready! I freshened up my face & Chad got the cameras ready! We waited for Dr. Drey to finish up next door & I was 9.5 @ like 4:30 ... how much longer!? I am so ready at this point! Ok ok so finally by 6 I was complete, 10 cm dilated! & at 6:15 we started pushing.

Well, at 7:15 is was still pushing. The night nurse came in & we kept going! Chad was updating the waiting room who were probably updating some of you!! Slow progress, be patient ... nothing yet! So, @ 8:15 - 2 hours later ... Dr. Drey felt like she had come down some more, but I was so tired & hurting pretty bad by this point. He offered to let me take a little break, redose my epidural & try again in a little bit. Ok, sounds good to me. It was also at this point that he mentioned c/section =( no no no - that was not the plan! So, I had Chad message my mom to come in for extra support!

So after a little rest & more meds in my epidural, we started pushing again. Not much luck though, after about 20 more minutes & no change - the decision was made to go to the OR for a section...

At 10:25 pm, after a very long day, baby Ellie Marie Moss was born!! Weighing in @ 8 pounds 12 ounces & 22.5 inches long!! YAY, she is finally here & we both did great! She had 8 & 9 apgars, the nurse let Chad bring her up to see me & we had our first moment as a family of 3! She was perfect~noting else mattered except that she was here & healthy!

I still couldn't believe she was really that BIG! No wonder she didn't want to come down! We took pictures & then Chad walked her to the NBN for all our families to see!

It didn't seem long before I was back in my room to recover, they let everybody in & then brought Ellie to me to hold for the first time! What a special moment, one that I will never forget! She is beautiful~

Lots of pictures were taken & I was so happy she was here, safe & sound!

Happy Birthday to our little girl~Ellie Marie

40 weeks ...

& no baby yet!

We had our 40 week/last Drs. appt yesterday. Ellie is est. to weigh 8#10 oz !! wow~ big girl!

She sounded good (FHR 130) & they even think she will have some hair! Everything looking perfect & my swelling has gone down even more this week, YAY! We are keeping with the plan to do a cervidil induction Sunday night with Pitocin starting Monday morning. Unless, of course, she decides to come on her own time before then!

We are anxious for her arrival ... like what if something happens & Chad is at the hospital - since tonight he is on call in Kingsport!!! Or, if she decides to come on my birthday - tomorrow?! All these what ifs! But we are really doing good, just playing the waiting game!

All of our family is planning to come here Sunday night/Monday morning. I am excited to see them! It has been over a month & I am missing them all! We have a surprise for everyone to wear to announce that Ellie is here~so cute! My mom & Monica (my mother-in-law) have goodies they are bringing! I hear there is a big basket of snacks for the hospital, yummy!

Well, just any day now! We will keep everyone updated with any news~THX