2 months and counting

Hello loved ones. I write this post as I hear Ella's vocal vibrations on the monitor at 1:30 in the morning awaiting our child to fully wake up and be fed. All is well in the land of the Jones'. How are we? Well, the parents out there who read our blog... you remember the days of your 2 month old and the non parents... you have no idea! A week day includes me going to bed at 10-12 waking up every 2-3 hours to feed the creature, finally getting up permanently at 6, and taking random naps through out the day until John comes home in the evening to relieve me. The best part of the week is Saturday and Sunday mornings when John goes on Ella duty and I get to sleep soundly until 1 pm. The weekends are the greatest for obvious reasons, all three of us get to love and snuggle for 2 straight days (I do miss the days where John was home from Friday - Monday). Obviously mishaps, milestones, and stressors all happen in between. For instance; John has gotten the three Ps (puked, pooped, & peed on) and has taken it rather well for a new time daddy. Breastfeeding always presents me with new challenges but we continue to prosper. Sleeping through the night and infant entertainment have been our current obstacles. My good friend Jen used a rubics cube metaphor for parenting; it seems your so close to solving the puzzle and one false move and your right back at the beginning.

Ella has had some great milestones in the past week or so. She has been smiling randomly at us. She follows a dove that makes a cooing sound with her full head (thank you to Pat Painter who gave us the cute toy). Ella tries to stand with support from mommy and is now attempting to step up my belly. Today Ella was trying very hard to roll over while we were playing so I helped her along by letting her push off with her foot from my hand. Its great to see that there's something going on in the tiny brain and she's not just a blob. Another not so significant but interesting milestone is Ella has grown out of most of her newborn outfits. A little sad that I must see some of these cute little articles go, especially the brown cords that mom sent. :( But excited that our baby is a happy healthy eating machine.

Halloween is just around the corner and John's parents will be joining us for the celebration! I will say I am very excited to have them up. I admit defeat and will ask for help with house-hold chores and general baby care when they get here. John and I are looking forward to a date night at the movies. The Boxermans are having a "1st Halloween" party for all the new parents we have met along the way in our pregnancy journey. The Boxermans, us, and two other couples we met in our natural birth class will hopefully be in attendance. What will Ella be on her first all hallows eve you ask? Why a snowboarder of course. I made a foam-board snowboard and decorated it with permanent marker and glitter glue. I then found some yard-sale booties and stuck velcro on the bottom of them and the top of the board. I also borrowed some puffy paint from Jen to create make-shift goggles on one of Ella's beanies. I'm super excited about it and pictures will come soon!

On another topic I have been getting a little home-sick lately. I am immensely looking forward to the holidays and sharing the joy of our little baby girl during Christmas time. She loves strangers so all family and friends will get their fair share of baby snuggles.

Surprisingly I got through a full post without the little one waking up. Please keep us in your thoughts, especially at 3 and 6 am. :)