Perspective

Holy Toledo!  I honestly felt like it had been only a week or so since my last blog post but I guess it's been a bit longer. 

So!  We are back from our vacation that we took to California.  It was quite good.  We had a lot of fun, got to see family, and at the end of each day we were all exhausted.  Eloise started to sleep through the night while there.  Apparently she wasn't sleeping as well in her little cosleeper because of the small size and when she was given more space in the pac n play she started sleeping all the way through the night.  So there you go.  Jack played hard and slept hard.  It was such a change compared to what we were used to before with Jack.  Jack is/was a some what decent sleeper when he's not being thrown off by new babies being brought home (well, it was just one baby).  :)  He used to NOT sleep well though when he was away from home in his pac n play.  Holy cow.  We are talking 3-4 wake ups and then us finally letting him sleep with us out of pure exhaustion.  He's old enough and plays hard enough now that he sleeps no problem in the pac n play and what a welcome change that is!  Yesssss!  So good sleep was had by all!  :)

My wonderful parents treated us to plane tickets from Phoenix to San Francisco so that we could have some fun at our old stomping grounds.  We flew in and had to wait two hours for our rental car.  Once we finally got it we went and got take out at our favorite Chinese restaurant in San Francisco...and then made the trek down to San Luis Obispo.

I had told Jason that I had very few expectations regarding the trip.  Mostly I just wanted to be outside the whoooole time.  Because of the heat it's been a little hard lately here.  Of course part way through the trip we got rain.  Kinda funny considering they are in a drought and of all the days for them to finally get rain it's when we are there.  I was a little disappointed but there wasn't much to be done about it.  :)  It was also funny because it was HOT and muggy.  My in-laws house was hotter then our house at home and we keep it at 80 degrees during the day and 78 at night.  Go figure eh?  :)

Despite the weird weather we had a lot of fun.  The first day we were there we went downtown and had tri tip sandwiches and mini donuts at Farmer's Market.  It was super yummy.  :)

We were also able to go to the beach.  Jack had a blast!  Well, until I let him fall face first into the surf and he sucked up a bunch of water.  Oops.  He recovered quickly...but wasn't as keen on the water after that.  ha!

Miss Eloise sorta enjoyed the beach.  I don't think that she was thrilled about the wind.  I was having trouble getting her hat to stay on her but realized that the wubba nub apparently has multiple uses.  :)

Mama has some crazy beach hair!  And I'm totally okay with it.  ;)

At the end of our trip we were able to sneak away for a couple of hours (where we found out that Eloise does NOT like bottles...nope, nada, no way.)  Anyways, Jason and I were sitting in Apple Farm having our dessert and we started talking about our trip and SLO.  We came to the realization that while SLO/California will always have a special place in our heart...it's not the end all of happy existence.  I think that as of late I've been pinning for California and kinda had it built up in my head as this utopia where "I'll be happy if I move THERE" type of thing.  I realized while in California that by golly...I actually kinda LIKE where we live.  Like I could maybe stay here for a while and be okay.  I mean sure it's hot.  And sure this city lacks a little character in many ways...but it's not all bad.  The people are really and truly nice.  So friendly.  There are TONS of young families.  The town is very affordable and we might actually be able to buy a house one day...AND have me stay home with the kids.  What a concept.  :)

The hardest part is being away from family.  I wish Jack could see all his grandparents more often.  Also Jason's brother is starting to have kids too and it would be so nice to be near them and have our kids grow up together.  I guess for now, visits will have to suffice.

Anyways, God used our trip to California to some how help us see that we are where He wants us to be.  I thought that the trip might ruin me and make me miss "home" even more but in the end it didn't.  In the end it made me thankful and glad that He is active in our lives, directing our paths.  I know that Arizona is where He wants us for now.  For how long?  I'm not sure.  For however long though I think I'm more willing to accept this place as home...that is as long as we don't find any scorpions within a mile radius of our house.  When that happens?  Peace out Arizona.  ;) Ha!

Anyways, it was an awesome trip.  Thank you so much Mom and Dad for the extra bonus to San Francisco.  We had so much fun.  Jason especially loved the fog that was so thick it felt like it was raining.  Me?  Not so much.  I think I prefer the heat!  ha!

2 Months of Eloise May

Our little Ellie May is TWO months old!
And what a doll she is.  <3

Can I tell you a little secret?  So, immediately after giving birth to Jack I didn't feel a strong connection and bond.  I mean there was love and SOME connection, don't get me wrong.  It just didn't run as deep as I thought it would...it didn't encompass me and engulf me and fill me with joy.  Before I had Jack though I had read blogs and stories of other mothers who felt the same way.  I know myself well enough to realize that I am not highly emotional.  I was thus a little prepared for this possibility.  I kept telling myself in the hospital as I sat holding my newborn, "It will come.  Just wait."  And by golly it sure did.

When I was pregnant with Ellie I was afraid it would be worse.  You have so much time to connect with your first baby in utero.  You focus so much on them, pray for them, sing to them.  With Ellie...especially before my belly was huge I would go hours forgetting that I was even pregnant.  I didn't feel as "connected" with her in my belly so I was afraid it would be much worse once she was born.  Fortunately it was about the same as with Jack.  I loved her, I thanked God for her being ours, and I waited once again for that deep bond to form.  And again...it came.  Jason always knows when it comes too...which makes me happy that it's evident to the outside world how much I love and cherish my children.  I sometimes get afraid that because I'm not super emotional/lovey dovey that my kids will feel a loss in that department.  I feel like God has blessed that desire though and there is something within me that easily goes beyond my weaknesses for my children when it comes to outward affection.  Now if only that were the case in some of the other areas of my life that I'm weak in...ie PATIENCE!  ;)  Ha!

Anyways, all that to say...we are well along in our bonding and connecting with Miss Ellie May.  She is an irreplaceable part of our family and I'm so happy she is ours.  I cannot express how undeserving I feel to be put in charge of these two little darling souls.  I pray that we serve our God well in this area.

So, Eloise at two months...

This girl gives smiles freely (but not to the camera...she just stares and frowns at the camera)  All you have to do is talk nice to her.  ;)  She better grow out of this before she hits her dating years.  Ha!  For example, I was getting coffee and I had her and Jack in the double stroller.  I was putting cream in my coffee and she started to fuss a little.  I was just going to let her cry a second while I finished getting my coffee ready when a darling old lady saw the opportunity and started to talk to Ellie.  Ellie immediately stopped fussing and gave her the biggest coo and smile.  Love it!

 She is gaining more and more neck control.  She still bobbles here and there but it's getting easier and easier to hold her with one arm...which is a welcome ability with a toddler running around.  :)

It's funny to have a boy first and then to have a girl.  I really don't remember Jack cooing.  Like ever.  Eloise started doing it right around the time she started smiling.  She actually rarely smiles without letting some sort of noise exit her mouth.  So fun. 

Nursing is going well.  She seems to handle my fast let down much better now.  We just went through a pretty good growth spurt where she was nursing close to every 1.5 hours (during the day).  That's over though which is nice. 

Still sleeps like a champ at night.  Girl loves her sleep.  She has slept through the night probably 3 or 4 times recently but for the most part will wake up around 4 am to nurse. I tried letting her not be swaddled last night (well just her arms free) and she woke up at 12:30 soooo...back in the swaddle she went.  Weaning Jack of the swaddle was SUCH a big deal last time so I was thinking maybe it would be nice to not let her get too attached to it.  She still has a pretty strong startle reflex though so I think I will just wait until that goes away to try again.  Cause mama loves her sleep too.  ;)  She is still sleeping in our room.  We are going on a trip to SLO and I figure I won't move her into the crib until we get back.  Once we do though...I think into the crib she goes.  She sleeps so well that I think if I use the monitor to hear her I can get to her before she wakes Jack up.  She grunts for a good long time before she will let out a cry and usually the grunting is enough to get me up.  :)

She recently had her 2 month appt at the pediatrician.  She is 10 lbs 4 oz which puts her in the 30th percentile.  She is a bit over 23 inches making her 80th percentile in height...and her head is like 60th percentile.  Basically she is long and lean.  Love my little string bean.  :)

And there we have it.  Eloise May at 2 Months!  <3