2 Months Old!

Being 2 months old really makes me tired at the end of the day!

Elena Elizabeth turned 2 months old yesterday.  She had a great day sleeping in (yes...I did have to wake her up to eat yesterday morning...last night was a COMPLETELY different story, though)...we played a lot yesterday and even watched a few minutes of Baby First TV.  She can really focus on the television while I hold her.  Yesterday the show was playing music while a person drew a picture with lots of colors.  It was neat to watch her eyes move as the artist worked.  I know she enjoyed the bold colors, too.  We also read lots of books.  She really does love books...and I couldn't be happier about that!  We had some down time too and she helped me make some vegetable soup.  All in all, it was a great day.
Elena is able to hold onto some objects now.  She enjoys her multi-colored rings since they are easier to handle.  Tummy time is still great...she is as strong as ever, but after a few minutes, she gets fussy and wants to get up.  We just get on the floor a few times a day for exercise since she can only handle it for a few minutes. Elena loves to suck on her fists and she is even beginning to hold onto her binky at times...this frustrates me when it's time for her to sleep because she'll pull it out of her mouth and then get mad because she doesn't have something to suck on! God forbid she doesn't have that binky to suck on :) Swaddling at night is still helping with this, but most nights she prefers her arms free.

Tummy Time!

Monkey butt!

I needed a rest this afternoon!

Tomorrow Elena goes to the doctor for her two month check-up.  I'll post her information sometime tomorrow...hopefully.  I know she will have to get some shots, so tomorrow may be a bit difficult when we get home.  I know shots can really mess with a child's system, so we'll see how it all goes.  I know I'll have to be super strong holding her tomorrow as the doctor administers the shots...WE WILL MAKE IT!!  :)
Two weeks from today will be my first day back to work.  Sometimes I am just fine with the idea of heading back and other times I want to burst out into tears because I don't want to leave her...it's like going from one extreme to the next.  I know it will all be wonderful once we get a routine going...venturing out into something new can always be hard...especially for someone like me.  I also have to remember that this little girl is only 2 months old and establishing routines is not totally feasible for now.  Again, this is difficult for me!!
Here we go onto month number three...I can't wait for all the new milestones ahead!

Friday Fun!

Today Elena and I made a trip to Jefferson City, MO to meet all the teachers that I work with.  It was a great visit.  I'm just SO glad Elena chose to behave herself for most of the time.  Going back to school with her today made me realize how much I love my job and that I am looking forward to returning to it.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE being here at home with Elena and it's been the most amazing experience, but I think getting back out there in the world will help not only me, but Elena too.  Even though she is so little yet, getting out there to expand her horizons now I think will only benefit her in the future. These next few weeks are going to fly by and it will be hard not spending my entire day with baby girl, but knowing I have such a loving environment to return to at school makes me feel great about heading back to work.  Thanks to my Gordon Girls for such a fun visit today!

 I was very alert early this morning before we left!

 But, I was SO tired by the time I got home!

Mom pulled my hood up once, but I liked it down to keep me warm :)

8 Weeks Old!

 I turned on my side when mom wasn't looking!

 I started out nice and comfy...

 Then I just kept sliding down further and further as I fell deeper into sleep!

Close up! I LOVE my binky!

Our little girl is 8 weeks old...can you believe it because we sure can't??!!  Elena is just growing and growing and changing with every week that goes by.  As of Sunday, she has found her fingers and hands to suck on.  It is pretty amazing to see her take her hand and put it to her mouth to suck.  She isn't sticking whole fingers in her mouth, just mainly making a fist and bringing it to her mouth to suck.  She, of course, still enjoys her binky when it's time to go to sleep or very fussy, but it's good to know she has also found another object to help soothe herself when she's upset.  Elena continues to be very alert during her awake time.  Today we read 5 books and looked at lots of pictures and she held her focus the entire time!  She just LOVES books with bold, bright colors.  Her favorite book right now is her Spanish/English Book of Colors...her eyes just open wide when we go through the whole thing...sometimes I'll read it to her several times in a row just to see her eyes light up at the bright pages. 

Elena has not been napping much the last few days.  She has been wanting to be up and awake to see what's happening around her.  This doesn't make for much time to get things done around the house, but we do a lot of talking together, so I guess we're just bonding, huh?!  I'm glad I have a baby carrier that allows me to carry Elena around the house while I do some housework...today we made some vegetable soup, vacuumed, together and did some laundry.  We were somewhat productive!  She even fell asleep for a little bit while I was vacuuming...she just loves it.

I just finally got her down for a bit to take a nap.  She loves to be wrapped up and warm, so I have a fleece blanket around her for now...we are only swaddling at bedtime and that has helped her sleep well during the night over the last month...Thanks Tracy for that tip.  Mittens, our cat, likes to perch on top of our furniture and watch (or protect) Elena, so as I type this, I continue to peek out into our living room to make sure Mittens doesn't get close to Elena and he, like always, stays put on top of the couch where he can watch her.  He's a good big brother...just like Homer ;)  Next week Elena will be 2 months old and will have to go to the doctor again for a well visit and some shots.  I am not looking forward to it.  I also go back to school in 2 weeks...time has really flown.  I'll keep everyone posted next week on how Elena and I do at the doctors office...more to come soon!

7 Weeks Old!

I can grip some of my toys!

Sleepy girl

I LOVE my swing!!

Our Elena is officially seven weeks old today!  Every Wednesday, I think back to the day Elena was born.  Wednesdays have always been busy days for me.  It seems that there were always meetings, classes, or other errands to run on Wednesdays.  Of course, Elena's due date was on a Wednesday, so we continued the trend of a jammed-packed Wednesday back in November.  Only, that Wednesday was the best ever.  Our bundle of joy came and all has been wonderful ever since.  Juan and I just can't believe how big she is getting.  Elena is smiling and interacting a lot more now than she ever has before.  She makes lots of cooing sounds and is very alert.  We have been reading lots of books and singing our ABCs everyday. I'm so glad she is developing well and pray that it continues forever!
Juan and I also found our babysitter for Elena once I go back to school.  We went to meet Brenda yesterday and she is going to love and care for Elena just as we do.  I am really happy to take her to a person who has so much care for children.  I know it will take some adjustment on all of our parts, but I am just so thankful that we have found someone to trust with Elena. It will be hard to be away from her all day long, but I am looking forward to Elena interacting with others outside our house.  I know it will be SO good for her.  I preach this all the time to parents at school, so now it's my turn to follow my own advice. Only a few more weeks of full time mommy duty at home and then it's back to reality.  We can do it!

Reminiscing...

As I sat on the couch for awhile this afternoon looking at Elena asleep in her swing listening to the lullabies that it plays, I got a bit nostalgic thinking back of all the "wonderfulness" that was my nine months being pregnant.  Is it weird that today I am missing being pregnant?  I mean, here I am looking at the most precious thing in our world and I miss having her in my belly!  All the pokes, jabs, and cramps that she gave me along the way were some of the most amazing feelings I've ever felt before.  Today I am just reminded of how lucky I was to have such a healthy pregnancy from day one.  I am beginning to lose baby weight (Woo-hoo!!), but I kind of miss that huge belly I had at the end of the pregnancy.  I guess now that the holidays are over and the "realness" of everyday life is kicking in, I just miss the routine of my pregnancy.  Normal, right?!  I head back to school in less than a month and it is bittersweet...I mean, I am really excited to see all of my students and friends again, but that means less time with my sweet Elena.  She is going to grow so fast and I hope being away from me will help her grow into a strong, independent girl.  This is my hope.  I don't want her to have to cling to me all the time...it's a big world out there and I want her to be able to live and enjoy it all with and without me! Here's to the last month of maternity leave...I will definitely be making the most of it snuggling on those cold winter days (even though it's about 70 degrees today) with our baby girl!!

Happy Snow Day!

 

This is how I spent my first Snow Day!

 This is all we got and it turned into a Snow Day...geez.

I like to hold onto mom's pinky while I sleep!

It's January 12th and the weather yesterday was about 60 degrees, I had some of our windows open, and here we are today with wintery weather keeping us home on our first snow day!  Well, I guess I would have been home anyway, but we got to enjoy an extra day this week with dad home! I'll also get an extra day off at the end of my maternity leave, so it will be a great birthday present since I have to go back to work right after my birthday.  We have been enjoying ourselves today just lounging and watching TV.  Elena has been napping on and off, which is good because she was up almost every 2 hours last night...ugh.  This was the first time this has happened in a few weeks now.  Needless to say, I wasn't the happiest person waking up to put a pacifier in her mouth every two hours, but that was all she wanted!  I have a feeling it is going to be VERY hard to wean her off of it when it's time.  We will have to get creative.

Elena is 6 weeks old as of yesterday.  She is beginning to show some of her milestones.  She is cooing and making sounds when we talk to her.  She is focusing on faces and large objects too.  Keeping her head up has not been a problem for awhile now.  Elena is VERY strong.  I hope this development continues.  She is almost to the point where she can grasp a toy ring on her own.  She even holds onto her pacifier at times to keep it in her mouth. Up until last night, I would have said that her sleeping patterns are improving...I guess we'll see how tonight goes ;) All in all, she is one amazing baby.  I love being home with her during this time to work with her...reading books, tummy time, etc. have all been wonderful experiences so far.

I can hold my head up all by myself!

Moving on...
Last weekend was Elena's first road trip to St. Louis.  She got to meet the Keeven side of the family and most importantly, meet her great grandma and great grandpa.  She was excited to meet them.  It was a beautiful moment seeing my grandparents hold her for the first time.  I am so glad we were all healthy and able to make the meeting a success.  My grandpa turned 85 years old on Sunday and I'm glad we were able to bring Elena as a birthday present.  Below are a few pictures from her first trip...she had lots of fun and snuggle time!!

 My aunt Erin loves to snuggle me!

 Great Grandpa is already in love!

 Hi Grandma!

 Aunt Michelle is another one of my favorite snugglers.

 

 My cousin Hayden held me just right.

 The Keeven girls with the newest addition!

This was just another picture I took the other day that I couldn't resist putting on here...

Love you so much too, Daddy!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of our family and friends!  We have had a whirlwind end of 2011 and are ready to begin anew in 2012.  Lots to look forward to this year as we embark on being parents of a baby girl.  Elena has been the coolest thing to ever happen to Juan and I.  She is just a doll.  Everyday we learn so much about ourselves by taking care of her.  It is amazing how much instinct we have as parents and how much babies have not knowing anything about the outside world.  We marvel everyday at what God has graced us with!

Today, Elena is 5 weeks old and it was Juan's first day back at school after a nice Christmas break.  It was great having him home again for awhile to help with Elena.  Now just us girls are left at home during the days to talk, read, nap, clean, cook, do some laundry, cuddle, and listen to music!  Mom especially loves when she gets a second to write on the blog since baby girl is napping for now! I am so happy that I still have a little over a month to spend at home with Elena...I know this time is going to go by so fast, so I cherish every second I can.  I am honestly loving the time here at home not having to go out in the cold.

This weekend Elena is going to get to meet the Keeven side of the family.  She will get to meet her great grandma and great grandpa for the first time.  It will be pretty amazing and a great birthday present for great grandpa.  Pictures will come next week after our visit.

Here are some more pictures from the last few weeks...

Olivia came to visit!

January 1, 2012!