Seven Weeks

Seven Weeks Old

Sweet eyes and lips

In action

Can't decide if she's happy or sad

Sweet talking Mommy

I see you!

Just another sweet week with my girl. We are getting into a little bit of a routine. Mary Ella is sleeping for 3-4 hour stretches at night. She gets up to eat in the middle of the night and again in the early morning. After that she gets in bed with me and we snuggle and snooze after Brad leaves for work. She wakes up a happy girl and is very alert, active, and talkative after her breakfast. She may stay awake or take a little nap until her next feeding, and then takes a good nap in the middle of the day in her crib on most days. That's when I get some Mommy time (AKA a shower, eat, and do a few things around the house). When she wakes up she pretty much wants to eat every 2 hours and be held or have my attention at all times. We exercise, watch some TV, and she loves to nap on my chest until her daddy gets home. When Brad gets home we juggle baby and dinner and hang out until bath and bedtime. Oh, and I almost forgot about changing about a hundred diapers a day. That's what's going on in our family these days! LOVE it! This past weekend was great. My mom came Friday because my house was in desperate need of a good cleaning. I didn't make her do it of course, but she watched Mary Ella while I worked and ran some errands. And she was nice enough to stay Friday night so Brad and I could have a date night. Every Friday night used to be date night in Mississippi, but we haven't had one of those in a while. Thanks, Mia! Then Saturday we got some family portraits made with Mary Ella and came home to watch a disappointing loss to Alabama and more college football. It was a lazy weekend, but we were due one of those. I think it was the first weekend we have been home alone together in our new house. Can you believe that?

Football and Five Generations

The real deal. Fayetteville, Saturday, Arkansas Football. I love the anticipation and excitement of the first football game in Fayetteville. The tailgating, fall in the air, the crazy fans, and the memories it brings back of my college days and dating Brad. This past weekend we traveled again to Northwest Arkansas for the Georgia game. As I'm typing this I wish I could say that we won our SEC opener, but it just wasn't so. It was however an exciting game, 41-52. I can't remember when I've seen a shoot-out like that from an Arkansas quarterback. I heart Ryan Mallet. Why can't we ever have a good offense and defense at the same time? Oh well, we are just happy to be there and have something to cheer about.

Mary Ella traveled beautifully again. She stayed with Gigi while we went to the game, and Sunday she went to church in Johnson for the first time. There was a line of friends waiting to meet her after services! Then she went to The Catfish Hole for the first time and out to Farmington to meet her Great Great Grandmother Dewey. Mary Ella is lucky to have two sets of Great Grandparents, but Dewey is her only Great Great. She has 15 great-great grandchildren age 5 and under!

Brad, Mary Ella, and Dewey

Five generations: Brad, Rita, Dewey, Mary Ella, and Oma Leta

The Many Faces of Mary Ella

Sad- the bow is too big, Mommy

Anticipation


Elvis grin



Solemn

Peaceful



Squeals of joy

Little smile

I can talk too.


Oooh

Yum

Six Weeks

Six Weeks Old

This week was a big one! Well, actually it was pretty lazy because of all the rain, but Mary Ella is starting to do some fun stuff. I love hanging out with her everyday, and just waiting to see what she'll do next. Brad asked me the other day if I liked staying home with Mary Ella better than teaching. I told him that was a dumb question.

I can tell her eyesight is improving. She turns her head to watch me. Her eyes can follow me across the room or even upside down. She turns her head when someone is holding her and she hears my voice or even my laugh. This is her on the changing table following me with those big eyes.

She has discovered there is a mirror above the changing table, and she looks at herself and me in it. I also know she has more control over her arms and legs. The other day I was making silly faces at her. I could tell she was focused on my mouth so I opened and closed it, smiled, stuck out my tongue, puckered my lips. You know, I was looking like a fool. Anyway, she reached up and touched my mouth with her right hand three times!

She also loves when I kiss her on the mouth. She opens her mouth and can't wait for another one. She also sorta gives me kisses back. I'll put my cheek down to her face and she just opens her mouth and gives me a big wet one.

Tummy time is improving. She can move her head from one side to the other and hold it up for some time. She loves her real bath. She just lays there and takes it all in. I think she was just cold before when we couldn't put her in the tub.

Mary Ella has found her voice, and how sweet it is. She coos and oohs and ahhs. I think she is trying to laugh with some of her smiles, but it sounds more like a squeal. My favorite time with her is right after she wakes up and is so alert and happy, and we just talk back and forth. I LOVE it!
She is enjoying more exercise time on her back and tummy. She can entertain herself for about 10 minutes kicking and moving her arms. That gives me time to take about 1/2 of a shower instead of having to wait until she is asleep. Here she is wrestling with her alligator. She's not too into toys yet. She would rather look and talk to someone or kick about without anything interferring.

She tries to eat his nostrils.


Talk to me, Mommy.

She is a scooter. This is towards the end of her nap. She starts out in the middle lying straight and ends up with her head against the bumper at the end and crooked. I guess this comes from her straightening and curling her legs under her. She has some strong kicks!

First Roadtrip

This past weekend we took Mary Ella on her first roadtrip to Fayetteville to stay at her Gigi and Papa's house. The reason for the trip was the twins' second birthday party. She slept all the way there and all the way back- 3 hours! I think we may have a little traveler on our hands. Let's hope so because we will be making that trip 5 more times this fall for Razorback games. I sat beside her the whole way in case she woke up I would be right there. She did well sleeping in the pack and play and actually slept almost the entire weekend because she was constantly being held by family. In the picture above, you can see she loves to look out the window. It wasn't long though before she was out.

Mommy, why aren't you holding me?

I love her eyes in this picture. I am so thankful she got the big ol' Harriman/Smith eyes. I just wonder if they'll stay blue or turn bright green like her daddy's?

Happy birthday Reese and Eli!

Five Weeks

Five Weeks Old

We started the week by taking Mary Ella to church, and she was a sweet angel again.

But when we got home she decided she was ready for her Sunday lunch too.

I think the face she is making in this picture is hilarious. I wish I knew what she was thinking.

This week was a busy week. We had 3 doctors appointments in 3 days. Not my idea of a good time, but Mary Ella did great getting out three days in a row. I had my follow-up appointment, and she had her one month check-up. She was up to 8 lbs. 7.5 oz., and was 21 1/4 in. long. The doctor was pleased with her growth, and Mary Ella took her shot like a pro. I couldn't even watch of course. It's a good thing her daddy was there. We also had an appointment at Children's Hospital for an EEG. I haven't mentioned this before because I didn't want to alarm everyone if it was no big deal, but Mary Ella has been having some tremors in her sleep. Her arms and legs jerk rhythmically. It's not a startle, and it doesn't wake her up, but it really freaked us out. We let her doctor know a few weeks ago, and she said she couldn't say it was or wasn't a seizure. But she ordered the EEG to see if anything was abnormal with her brain activity. It was a very sad experience walking into that hospital and seeing our baby's head hooked up to so many wires. But she did so well- never made a peep. We got the results back, and everything looks good, so hopefully it is nothing or atleast something she will grow out of.

Getting ready for Mommy's doctor appointment.

She got a little tired of waiting in the waiting room. Me too!

All tuckered out after her one month check-up

Getting ready for her EEG

Again, knocked out after her trip to the hospital

Her toe got caught in her gown. Too cute

One Month

I'm one month old.

And proud of it!

Look at that booty

First Game Day

Go Hogs!

Brad and I enjoyed another night out of the house Saturday night. Brad's parents came to Little Rock to babysit while we went to the season opener against Missouri State. It's great to be back in Razorback country! Especially after a win! Football season is one of our favorites, and this year we have high hopes. Thanks Gigi and Papa!

Four Weeks

Four Weeks Old

Sweet profile

Going for a stroll around the neighborhood

This week we got out and about. Our first trip out on our own was to Walgreens for diapers on Tuesday. Woo hoo! Then we got brave and went to have lunch with Daddy on Wednesday. The weather was beautiful, so we took a couple walks around the neighborhood too.

Sunnin' on the patio

Mary Ella LOVES to be outside. Sometimes this is the only way Mommy gets to eat her lunch. She doesn't love her bouncy seat, but she will sit in it awhile if she's outside or looking out the window. If she's fussy going outside is a sure cure.

Napping with Mommy

This week my cousins Jeff and Diana came to visit Mary Ella. They came bearing some very special gifts. In this picture with Diana she is wearing a one hundred year old dress. It belonged to Diana's mother, and it is BEAUTIFUL. The lace detail is amazing. We will have to have some professional portraits made in it. They also brought another vintage bunny outfit from the 30's and an original Madeline print by Bemelman. These were just a few things hanging around their house! Thanks Jeff and Diana for such thoughtful gifts. We enjoyed your visit!

A close-up

This week we tried napping in her crib. She loves sleeping on her side.

And her tummy. Don't worry people, I am watching her closely.

Getting some exercise on her play mat. I know it wasn't on purpose, but she actually grabbed a giraffe hanging abover her head and pulled it off!

Zoolander

Happy girl

We are also working on some tummy time, because Aunt Julie, the OT, says so. But this is what usually happens. She kicks around a little bit, grunts, raises her head a time or two, and then finds a comfy position and doesn't move. We'll keep working on it!