Time's a Changin

Today was a little bittersweet - no, not bittersweet, sad. Today Ella got one step closer to being ready for daycare by taking a bottle at her afternoon feeding instead of nursing. (We moved her mid-morning feeding to a bottle at the beginning of the month.) I have been so lucky to be able to nurse Ella as I know this is the best thing for her. I was so worried that I wasn't going to be able to nurse her, but was pleasantly surprised that it went so smoothly (minus the tube feeding, latching problems = using a nipple shield, spending the first 3 months pumping after EVERY feeding = overproduction = mastitis x3!!).
However, I didn't want to worry about finding the time (and probably more importantly the place!) to pump at school and therefore needed to wean her of her day time feedings. Luckily, I'm still able to nurse her in the mornings and evenings. (Also luckily due to my overproduction, we have a plethora of milk in the freezer!)

I can't believe my little one is getting so big! (17 weeks today!!)

3 Months

Today marks Ella's 3 month birthday. I can't believe that 3 months ago right now, I was trying to get some sleep at the hospital with my brand new baby girl laying in her bassinet next to me. (That didn't last too long before we sent her to the nursery!)

Looking back at her newborn pictures, she has grown and changed so much!
Ella is sleeping through the night (well, except for the past 3 nights which have not been fun...). She is not a very good napper, but we're working on that too. Ella is full of smiles and even some giggles - I can't wait for these to happen more often becuase they are the most precious sounds I have ever heard.

Ella is still totally fascinated by her hands. Every once in awhile she catches a glimpse of them as she's waving them around in front of her face and gets a look on her face like "Oh, there those things are!" and she sticks them straight into her mouth.

Ella is getting so strong and she loves sitting in her Bumpo. She can lift her head up during tummy time and even rolled over one morning! (It must have been a fluke though because she hasn't done it again.)

Ella finally got to meet her Great-Grandma Berta this month! She also got to meet her Great Aunt Jan and second-cousin Sarah.

They were all in town to help celebrate Ella's baptism! Ella was baptized on June 10th by Pastor Susan - the same pastor that married Mommy & Daddy!

Ella was so lucky to have her Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Jake stand up as her godparents and have so many people that loved her in the congregation watching (including Mommy's church grandparents who stayed for the second service just to watch her be baptized!).

Ella went to several new places this month! She was at the lake on her 2 month birthday.
Ella went to her first Royals game and got a certifacte to prove it!

Ella also went to the "big girl" pool for the first time. We didn't take pictures, but she didn't like it. A combination of it being too cold and nap time I think...

Ella got to go back to the lake for Yeomans' Smash Bash family reunion. While there she got to take another boat ride to dinner on the water at Jolly Rogers - Mommy and Daddy's favorite resteraunt on the water!

Most recently, Ella also got to go to Deanna Rose Farmstead for Aunt Megan's birthday. It was super hot that day, so we didn't stay long.

She has been such a joy to get to know and her little personality contiues to show itself more and more each day.  I couldn't imagine my life without her and I can't believe what a blessing she has been.

Mommy loves you Ella Bean!!

2 Months Old!

It's hard to believe that my little girl is already (over) 2 months old! It is crazy how fast these last 2 months have gone by. And a little sad how I'm already forgetting what some of those first few days were like (but then again, that's how people end up with more than 1 kid, right?). But I wouldn't trade these days for anything.

Ella is a great smiler and loves laughing at her silly mommy and daddy. She is an amazing sleeper - she sleeps from about 10:30-6:30 pretty much every night. We're working on a schedule for her OCD mama - eating is on schedule, but not naps yet. Ella is friends with everyone, she doesn't seem to mind who is holding her, unless she is tired, then she wants her mommy (which melts my heart). This big girl is holding her head up and even putting weight on her legs! (Her doctor said today that's what 4 month olds do!!) She loves to sit in her bumpo for short periods until her head just gets too heavy for her!

We learned that Ella is a great traveler. We ventured to the lake and she slept the whole way there and the whole way back. She didn't even seem to realize we weren't at home! She loved her swimming pool too. We took a boat ride and she slept the whole time!! I think she will be a water loving girl!

Ella's puppies have quickly adjusted - perhpas reluctantly - to the newest member of the family. They like to lick her toes (and her face, although I discourage that) and Ella seems to find it funny. The poor things do spend alot of time outside though...

 
Overall, things have been fantastic. I can't wait to spend the rest of the summer with this little girl. She is changing and growing every day and I'm glad I am able to watch her change and grow from home for a few more months.

Ella Grace Schulte

We have been so blessed by our baby girl now for almost 10 weeks. I wanted to take the time now though to go back and recount her arrival. I can tell that I'm already forgetting all the gory details! (That's how you end up with more than 1 I guess...)
So here it is, what I can remember anyway!

My due date was Saturday March 24th. I had a pretty good feeling Baby Schulte was not going to come that day! My mom and I went for pedicures, lunch at Jalapenos, and a LONG walk around the Arboretum. (All of which were supposed to induce labor.)

Sunday morning I couldn't bear to go to church and have people ask how I could still be pregnant, so we skipped out and headed to the Plaza for brunch. We had a great time eating on the patio at Cheesecake Factory and then walking around a bit. We then spent the rest of the afternoon running last minute errands to Buy Buy Baby and Walmart.

Monday was the big day - the day I was scheduled to go in for an induction. We slept in, took the dogs to the park, and finished getting the house ready to bring home our little bundle. We rushed to get out the door for my last doctors appointment and it was then that it hit me and I was an emotional wreck! I couldn't believe that I would be returning home a mom!! After a successful doctor's appointment, we headed to dinner at Cracker Barrel (a sort of smorgasbord last meal!) then back to the hospital!

I was checked in Monday night around 7:00 where they started me on some medicine to help me dilate.

Here I am after the fun has started!!

I was hooked up to blood pressure cuff, fetal heart monitor, and a uterine movement monitor. These three things plus the starts of contractions meant a restless night. (John didn't get much sleep either on his recliner bed.)

Tuesday morning, my doctor stopped by and checked me. I hadn't progressed very much, but he decided to start the pitocin and break my water. It was after that I decided it was definitely time for the epidural!! Contractions were not very much fun between my water breaking and the epidural, but as soon as the epidural was started, I felt MUCH better. I was able to sleep a little bit and most of all, relax. I progressed very quickly after that! Within about 4 hours I went from only 2 cm to 10 cm! When the nurse checked me and said I was complete I didn't believe her!! (BTW, I had an AWESOME nurse, Meagan. She was fantastic and did so much for me.)

After a little over an hour, it was time to call the doctor in. 15 minutes later, our little bundle was born! The doctor quickly flipped our bundle over so John could cut the cord then announce the sex.

 IT'S A GIRL!!!

I could not have been happier to have a baby girl.

Ella Grace Schulte

7 lbs. 14 oz.

19 1/2 in.

1:14 pm

She was perfect, healthy, and beautiful!!

John supervised her getting checked out by the nurses, then went to tell our parents who were waiting for the  news. (My parents just happened to stop by and were there when the nurse checked me and I was ready to push. John's parents were in the middle of getting lunch out. I'm pretty sure they left in such a hurry they left the tea on the table!)

Here are the new grandparents checking out their new granddaughter.

Sleeping peacefully the next day. Ella was born on Tuesday and we went home from the hospital on Thursday.

The new family!! (Tired) 

 John and Ella taking a nap. He was able to stay with us at the hospital because my bed turned into a queen.

Our hospital stay was great. We had fantastic nurses the whole time we were there (one even lives in our neighborhood!). We had several visitors: Nana and "Sir" Burki, Gaga and Papa Schulte, Aunt Jennifer, Uncle Jake, and Cousin Austin, GiGi and Bob, Great Aunt Cheryl, Rebecca, Emily, Jake, "Uncle" Tim, Megan and Chris, Karoll, and Pastor Roger and Pastor Susan.

Everything went incredibly smoothly - way better than I feared expected. We could not have more love or feel more joy for our precious baby girl.

And Baby Makes 3…

**So I’ve neglected my blog pretty bad; I know all my faithful followers are wondering (ha, all like 3 of you!).  Part of the problem was after so long I didn’t know where to start – so I’m just jumping right back in like it hasn’t been since July that I posted!! **

At least by next week it will!  After another disappointing check at the doctor’s yesterday (still at a 1, just like last week) we scheduled an induction for next Thursday, March 29^th.  My doctor wants me to come in Wednesday night since I seem to be not progressing very well then will induce Thursday morning.  It felt like such a weight was lifted off my shoulders to finally know that there is an end to this pregnancy!

I remember in the early days of being pregnant, I told my husband that I wanted to wait as long as possible to be induced.  I just couldn’t imagine wanting this pregnancy to end or feeling so impatient.  HA!  Was I wrong!!  Not that I should be complaining because I have had a VERY easy pregnancy – no morning sickness, little to no crazy cravings, haven’t gained much weight – I’m just so incredibly ready to be a mom and to meet this little guy or girl that’s been squirming around inside of me these last 39 weeks.  (Perhaps part of the lack of patience is due to not knowing the gender, I really just want to know what the baby is and be able to call “it” by “its” name!!) 

The doctor’s appointment yesterday was filled with all sorts of excitement.  Normally, we’re in and out within a matter of 15 minutes (I’ve been so blessed to have such a supportive husband that has made it to EVERY SINGLE APPOINTMENT!).  Yesterday we were there for about an hour!  John’s been concerned that I haven’t been feeling the baby move around as much (I think I’ve just stopped paying attention to it, plus it doesn’t have anywhere to do gymnastics anymore so it’s not as noticeable!) so my doctor ordered a stress test to make sure baby is still doing ok.  Basically, they strapped 2 monitors around my belly and made me lay on the uncomfortable exam table for 10-15 minutes.  One of the monitors was detecting uterine activity (aka contractions; none) while the other was monitoring the baby’s heartbeat.  I guess they were looking for a baseline heartbeat and then 2 bursts of activity followed by a return to the baseline.  Everything looked normal and they let me go before the usual 20 minutes.  But, I have to go back Thursday for them to do another test, just in case. 

While all this was going on, we were also trying to figure out when I could get my induction scheduled; my doctor originally had suggested we check in Monday night (the 26^th) and be induced Tuesday.  Well, that’s apparently a popular date because labor and delivery was full.  No big deal though, I can handle working 2 more days (I say that now…) and letting nature do more of her thing.  There’s a chance though that there might be an opening and I go in Monday night – we’ll just wait and see! 

Otherwise, everything’s been going normally; trying to get gravity to help me a little bit by doing some serious walking and driving on bumpy, gravel roads.  So far, it doesn’t seem to be helping!  I’m going to try to get back into regularly posting, but don’t hold me to it!!  J

39 Weeks!!