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| "Cheese!" |
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| Showing off five! |
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| And baby sister, just for fun. |
Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts
Monday, March 7, 2016
Celebration.
We celebrated our five year old with pink cupcakes, some presents, and one family coming over, because that's what Ellie wanted.
Friday, March 4, 2016
5.
I was so scared you wouldn't talk.
I was so scared that my entire life would be caring for you.
I was so scared of so much, and you aren't scary at all.
Ellie, thanks for five fantastic years with you.
Thanks for being our sensitive and sweet girl, for being the best big sister, and for making everyone laugh.
We adore you.
I was so scared that my entire life would be caring for you.
I was so scared of so much, and you aren't scary at all.
Ellie, thanks for five fantastic years with you.
Thanks for being our sensitive and sweet girl, for being the best big sister, and for making everyone laugh.
We adore you.
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| Newborn. |
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| One. |
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| Two. |
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| Three. |
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| Four. |
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| Five. |
Friday, June 26, 2015
Different.
Today is my birthday, and it happens to be one of the birthdays I normally love, because I bump up an age group when racing.
Not that I'm running right now. Thanks, Caroline.
As Ellie sits beside me stirring a piece of toy fried chicken in a cup with one of my real wooden spoons, yelling "Don't touch it Caroline! It's SUPER HOT!" I have a minute to think about how this "milestone" birthday compares with the one five years ago.
Five years ago, we had just moved and a few days after my birthday, we would learn that we were expecting our first child. Nesting consisted of adding things to our home - a crib, baby toys, a very heavy dresser.
Have you heard about Ellie's dresser/changing table? Matt wanted something sturdy. We picked it out by walking around BabiesRUs while Matt shook tables. We picked a super, huge, heavy, sturdy dresser.
It arrived in a box fully assembled, nearly blocking our front door, 150 pounds of dresser in a box. I was 20-something weeks pregnant and not exactly the picture of super strength when I'm not pregnant. Matt was working late that night. I called him in a slight panic. Matt had to recruit a neighbor to get the dresser inside once he arrived home from work, and giant dresser box lived in our living room for a couple of weeks until we recruited a sucker/friend to help get it up the stairs.
Five years later.
We're having another girl. Nesting consists of me GETTING RID OF STUFF. Mostly, I walk around the house saying, "Why do we own so many ____?" Our local crisis pregnancy center, hospice thrift store, and parent listserv probably appreciate this form of nesting. I've become very generous.
But seriously, Caroline will have Ellie to entertain her, so she won't need that much, right?
And none of my shoes fit anymore anyway (tear.)
And in five years living in middle-class America, you acquire a lot.
And in five or six years of teaching, you acquire a lot that really doesn't need to live in your basement while on LOA.
With Ellie, I spent most of my pregnancy worried about her health, her disability, her NICU stay, her heart surgery, etc, etc, etc.
With Caroline, I have spent most of my pregnancy trying to teach and parent through morning sickness and exhaustion, while worrying that Ellie is going to over-love Caroline. Emotionally, I'm better. Physically, this is harder. I ran a 10K when I was pregnant with Ellie, but no such thing this time around.
There are seriously very few things we need for Caroline. I made a list: Carseat base, new monitor, some sheets. (My friends at work threw me a baby shower. I had to think hard to register!)
My girls will be different, and have their own personalities. As one friend put it, "Caroline has to be fairly relaxed, because Ellie is already the alpha!" I wonder if Caroline will look like Ellie as a baby. I wonder if she'll be a better sleeper. (Although Ellie was a great sleeper up until heart surgery gave her lots of energy!) I wonder if Caroline will be as particular or as funny. I wonder if she'll be sweet and quiet or loud and enthusiastic.
Ellie is becoming a better helper already. The mail arrived as she was "cooking the really hot chicken." I asked her to get it. First, she told me she had to cook the chicken, but then I guess she could take a break, because she brought me the mail. She then went back to cooking but recycled the junk mail as requested. A little sign but an important one... Ellie is growing up.
Happy Friday and happy weekend!
Not that I'm running right now. Thanks, Caroline.
As Ellie sits beside me stirring a piece of toy fried chicken in a cup with one of my real wooden spoons, yelling "Don't touch it Caroline! It's SUPER HOT!" I have a minute to think about how this "milestone" birthday compares with the one five years ago.
Five years ago, we had just moved and a few days after my birthday, we would learn that we were expecting our first child. Nesting consisted of adding things to our home - a crib, baby toys, a very heavy dresser.
Have you heard about Ellie's dresser/changing table? Matt wanted something sturdy. We picked it out by walking around BabiesRUs while Matt shook tables. We picked a super, huge, heavy, sturdy dresser.
It arrived in a box fully assembled, nearly blocking our front door, 150 pounds of dresser in a box. I was 20-something weeks pregnant and not exactly the picture of super strength when I'm not pregnant. Matt was working late that night. I called him in a slight panic. Matt had to recruit a neighbor to get the dresser inside once he arrived home from work, and giant dresser box lived in our living room for a couple of weeks until we recruited a sucker/friend to help get it up the stairs.
Five years later.
We're having another girl. Nesting consists of me GETTING RID OF STUFF. Mostly, I walk around the house saying, "Why do we own so many ____?" Our local crisis pregnancy center, hospice thrift store, and parent listserv probably appreciate this form of nesting. I've become very generous.
But seriously, Caroline will have Ellie to entertain her, so she won't need that much, right?
And none of my shoes fit anymore anyway (tear.)
And in five years living in middle-class America, you acquire a lot.
And in five or six years of teaching, you acquire a lot that really doesn't need to live in your basement while on LOA.
With Ellie, I spent most of my pregnancy worried about her health, her disability, her NICU stay, her heart surgery, etc, etc, etc.
With Caroline, I have spent most of my pregnancy trying to teach and parent through morning sickness and exhaustion, while worrying that Ellie is going to over-love Caroline. Emotionally, I'm better. Physically, this is harder. I ran a 10K when I was pregnant with Ellie, but no such thing this time around.
There are seriously very few things we need for Caroline. I made a list: Carseat base, new monitor, some sheets. (My friends at work threw me a baby shower. I had to think hard to register!)
My girls will be different, and have their own personalities. As one friend put it, "Caroline has to be fairly relaxed, because Ellie is already the alpha!" I wonder if Caroline will look like Ellie as a baby. I wonder if she'll be a better sleeper. (Although Ellie was a great sleeper up until heart surgery gave her lots of energy!) I wonder if Caroline will be as particular or as funny. I wonder if she'll be sweet and quiet or loud and enthusiastic.
Ellie is becoming a better helper already. The mail arrived as she was "cooking the really hot chicken." I asked her to get it. First, she told me she had to cook the chicken, but then I guess she could take a break, because she brought me the mail. She then went back to cooking but recycled the junk mail as requested. A little sign but an important one... Ellie is growing up.
Happy Friday and happy weekend!
Monday, March 16, 2015
New Toys.
Ellie's birthday a couple weeks ago led to some fun new toys in our house, but one of my favorites was Squigz. I had never heard of them, but check these things out.
The Squigz Starter 24 piece set
is on Amazon. Ellie used them to make a reindeer and to practice fine motor skills. I was pretty surprised that there was such an awesome toy I'd never seen before, but they're pretty fun for the grown ups, too.
The day after Ellie's birthday was a snow day, which meant we stayed inside and did lots of crafts.
Despite the weekly photo yesterday featuring her very sad face in glasses, Ellie likes them and wears them fairly consistently.
The Squigz Starter 24 piece set
is on Amazon. Ellie used them to make a reindeer and to practice fine motor skills. I was pretty surprised that there was such an awesome toy I'd never seen before, but they're pretty fun for the grown ups, too.Ellie also loved another fine motor toy, which I've seen before from my kindergarten friends but I hadn't purchased yet. These Magformers are another big hit in our house.
Fine motor skills have been the bane of Ellie's existence ever since she figured out how to walk, and her now consistently-worn glasses are making a big difference.
The day after Ellie's birthday was a snow day, which meant we stayed inside and did lots of crafts.
A few days later, we picked up the new glasses. Ellie has worn this pair much more consistently than her first pair. A few things helped this time around. First of all, Ellie was willing to try on glasses, which led to a better fit. Secondly, Ellie is much more aware that "glasses help to see!"
Despite the weekly photo yesterday featuring her very sad face in glasses, Ellie likes them and wears them fairly consistently.
And some more, just for fun...
Saturday, March 7, 2015
A Penguin Party For a FOUR Year Old.
Ellie celebrated her birthday with friends this morning at a little penguin party at our house.
I vowed to keep my work to a minimum, a vow I mostly kept. Since we had two snow days in a row instead of two days of parent teacher conferences, I added a few last minute details, but only details I could pull off without leaving the house.
Ellie had a blast.
Almost all of the food was purchased. I got bread from Great Harvest, I bought cupcakes from Fresh Market, and I even ordered custom cookies instead of pouring hours into cake pop production.
The only things I made were a quinoa salad and a bowl of blue jello "ice." I purchased black and white plates and straws on clearance at Target a few weeks ago, and I just added pink and blue sparkle scrapbook paper labels to bring in some color. I had plain white plates and pink bowls leftover from other events to use as serving dishes for Swedish Fish and goldfish crackers (fish food for penguins), and we also put out fruits and veggies.
As Ellie gets older, she understands much more about parties and traditions. On Wednesday, she knew she was four and got presents. Today, she knew it was her party day, that we would sing "Happy Birthday," and that her friends would come over and eat cupcakes.
Tip: If you purchase mini-cupcakes, don't use a giant candle. The cupcake was a little too top heavy and fell over on the plate. No one was injured and we didn't start a fire, so I'll consider it a success.
We also had a penguin bean bag toss in the basement for the kids to play with, and I covered Ellie's little table with paper and put out some crayons.
Ellie loved playing with her friends. Throughout the snow days, she would repeat the names of the friends coming over to play.
The penguin beach balls were party favors for the littlest guests, and the big kids got toy penguins and crayons. Everyone got a custom penguin cookie.
Since Thursday's storm covered our landscape with snow and ice, Ellie and I made crockpot hot chocolate. The big win? It's gluten and dairy free. Almond milk, cocoa powder, a little sugar, a pinch of salt, and bit of cinnamon. Amazing. We adapted it from this recipe.
Four is off to a pretty good start.
I vowed to keep my work to a minimum, a vow I mostly kept. Since we had two snow days in a row instead of two days of parent teacher conferences, I added a few last minute details, but only details I could pull off without leaving the house.
Ellie had a blast.
The only things I made were a quinoa salad and a bowl of blue jello "ice." I purchased black and white plates and straws on clearance at Target a few weeks ago, and I just added pink and blue sparkle scrapbook paper labels to bring in some color. I had plain white plates and pink bowls leftover from other events to use as serving dishes for Swedish Fish and goldfish crackers (fish food for penguins), and we also put out fruits and veggies.
As Ellie gets older, she understands much more about parties and traditions. On Wednesday, she knew she was four and got presents. Today, she knew it was her party day, that we would sing "Happy Birthday," and that her friends would come over and eat cupcakes.
Tip: If you purchase mini-cupcakes, don't use a giant candle. The cupcake was a little too top heavy and fell over on the plate. No one was injured and we didn't start a fire, so I'll consider it a success.
We also had a penguin bean bag toss in the basement for the kids to play with, and I covered Ellie's little table with paper and put out some crayons.
Ellie loved playing with her friends. Throughout the snow days, she would repeat the names of the friends coming over to play.
The penguin beach balls were party favors for the littlest guests, and the big kids got toy penguins and crayons. Everyone got a custom penguin cookie.
Since Thursday's storm covered our landscape with snow and ice, Ellie and I made crockpot hot chocolate. The big win? It's gluten and dairy free. Almond milk, cocoa powder, a little sugar, a pinch of salt, and bit of cinnamon. Amazing. We adapted it from this recipe.
Four is off to a pretty good start.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
FOUR!
This girl entered the world with high drama. "We will be happy if she gets to 34 weeks" turned into "induction on due date" turned into "c-section the next day."
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| Brand new Ellie. |
Ellie spent her first three weeks in the NICU, healing from duodenal atresia surgery and learning to eat.
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| So many wires. And the first kind of tape they used gave her a rash, so she looks a little rough. |
Ellie had a rough first six months with open heart surgery added to the mix. But by a year, she was a pretty healthy kid.
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| First birthday party prep. |
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| She really, really liked the blue icing. |
Ellie, we love you so much, and we can't wait to see what the coming year has in store!
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| Second birthday party. She wanted a moo party. |
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| Her third birthday was on a snow day. |
Happy fourth birthday, my sweet and crazy girl.
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| A few days before her birthday, I asked if Ellie would go outside for a photo shoot. She said no. She did agree to play with her own camera inside. |
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
On the Eve of Four.
Dear Ellie,
Four years ago, Daddy and I were at the hospital. We went on a Wednesday night, very late, after we went out for dinner and talked about meeting you on Thursday. The doctors were going to give me some special medicine to help you hurry up and meet us.
We'd been waiting for you for awhile. Even though your due date was March 3, the doctors told us that babies with duodenal atresia are lucky to go to 34 weeks. That would have been the end of January or early February. Mommy's friends planned a party for you super fast!
We ended up waiting a long time for you, so on March 3, we were very ready for your birth. You had other plans, and were born on March 4. (Friday. Not Thursday.)
There was a time when I was really scared for you to be born. I was scared of your tummy surgery. I was scared when the doctors fixed your heart and gave you your zipper. And, as silly as it seems now, I was scared because of your Down syndrome. Mommy actually worried that you wouldn't talk!
Ellie, thank you for being you. Thank you for being funny and sweet and stubborn. Thank you for showing me that Down syndrome isn't scary, and for being way tougher than Mommy and Daddy when the doctors had to fix your tummy and heart.
My favorite things about you right now:
If someone is sad, you go to them and tell them, "Be happy!"
You insist you aren't tired, but you'll curl up to sleep next to Daddy or me.
You are very literal and make me laugh. The other day when I used the phrase, "Who knows?" you responded, "I have a nose and Mom has a nose!"
You are becoming more responsible and helping clear your plate, throw away trash, and get things when Mommy and Daddy ask. (For example, "Go get your shoes.") That may not seem like a big deal, but your listening ears haven't always been the best.
I'm proud that you want to learn your letters and numbers, and that you must be learning something at school because you surprise me with new knowledge.
Ellie, you have two speeds - on and off. You keep us on our toes.
You are wonderful and beautiful and I can't imagine life without you. I'm writing this a bit earlier than it will post, thanks to the unexpected day off we had. You are asleep next to me, after insisting on "NO NAP! Just a rest in Mommy and Daddy's bed." One of your hands in on my shoulder and typing this is awkward, but I'm afraid to move you and wake you up.
Happy almost-four.
Love, Mommy
Four years ago, Daddy and I were at the hospital. We went on a Wednesday night, very late, after we went out for dinner and talked about meeting you on Thursday. The doctors were going to give me some special medicine to help you hurry up and meet us.
We'd been waiting for you for awhile. Even though your due date was March 3, the doctors told us that babies with duodenal atresia are lucky to go to 34 weeks. That would have been the end of January or early February. Mommy's friends planned a party for you super fast!
We ended up waiting a long time for you, so on March 3, we were very ready for your birth. You had other plans, and were born on March 4. (Friday. Not Thursday.)
There was a time when I was really scared for you to be born. I was scared of your tummy surgery. I was scared when the doctors fixed your heart and gave you your zipper. And, as silly as it seems now, I was scared because of your Down syndrome. Mommy actually worried that you wouldn't talk!
Ellie, thank you for being you. Thank you for being funny and sweet and stubborn. Thank you for showing me that Down syndrome isn't scary, and for being way tougher than Mommy and Daddy when the doctors had to fix your tummy and heart.
My favorite things about you right now:
If someone is sad, you go to them and tell them, "Be happy!"
You insist you aren't tired, but you'll curl up to sleep next to Daddy or me.
You are very literal and make me laugh. The other day when I used the phrase, "Who knows?" you responded, "I have a nose and Mom has a nose!"
You are becoming more responsible and helping clear your plate, throw away trash, and get things when Mommy and Daddy ask. (For example, "Go get your shoes.") That may not seem like a big deal, but your listening ears haven't always been the best.
I'm proud that you want to learn your letters and numbers, and that you must be learning something at school because you surprise me with new knowledge.
Ellie, you have two speeds - on and off. You keep us on our toes.
You are wonderful and beautiful and I can't imagine life without you. I'm writing this a bit earlier than it will post, thanks to the unexpected day off we had. You are asleep next to me, after insisting on "NO NAP! Just a rest in Mommy and Daddy's bed." One of your hands in on my shoulder and typing this is awkward, but I'm afraid to move you and wake you up.
Happy almost-four.
Love, Mommy
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Life at (Almost) Four.
If you ask Ellie her age, she'll tell you four, in anticipation of her birthday next week. She has requested a present to open, with a box. That's all the guidance she's given us on gifts, aside from a request for a puppy that will not be granted.
Life with Ellie at almost four....
* Although her speech isn't that of her typical peers, she chatters nonstop and she's hilarious. Her Lego giraffe is currently eating from a Lego-window-turned-giraffe-feeding-trough. According to Ellie, the giraffe is eating salad. She picks up new phrases (she told Matt that he's "a hot mess of snow" the other day) and new words constantly.
* Ellie's favorite activities include coloring, playing with her dolls, and playing with her stuffed animals. She loves books. Her current favorites are "Zoozical" and "Elephant and Piggie." She loves her stuffed Curious George and her baby dolls. She has been starting to help in the kitchen more, and loves to mix and stir.
* Motor skills continue to be hard for Ellie. Her glasses helped some, then she scratched them beyond belief, plus, we're getting a stronger prescription, so we're on a glasses time-out while we await the arrival of the new pair. Ellie can do a forward roll and swing from the rings, but she can't walk on a wide balance beam yet. She finally started jumping in the past six months or so and it's her favorite thing to do! She loves to be a kangaroo, a frog, or just a jumping Ellie.
* Ellie is super silly. She loves to put her boots on her hands instead of her feet. She made Curious George jump on my laptop, so I said, "Ellie, tell George where he is allowed to jump." "George, jump on the table!" Ellie yelled with an evil little smile my way. "Ellie, the real rule." "On da floor, George," she sighed.
* A girl after my own heart, Ellie does not like the cold. Or the wind. Basically, all of the photos in this post required bribery.
I remember a long list of fears for Ellie, but she seems to be just fine. Happy almost fourth birthday, Ellie. You make the world a sunnier place. Up next (or whenever I get work done): A penguin party!
Life with Ellie at almost four....
* Although her speech isn't that of her typical peers, she chatters nonstop and she's hilarious. Her Lego giraffe is currently eating from a Lego-window-turned-giraffe-feeding-trough. According to Ellie, the giraffe is eating salad. She picks up new phrases (she told Matt that he's "a hot mess of snow" the other day) and new words constantly.
* Ellie's favorite activities include coloring, playing with her dolls, and playing with her stuffed animals. She loves books. Her current favorites are "Zoozical" and "Elephant and Piggie." She loves her stuffed Curious George and her baby dolls. She has been starting to help in the kitchen more, and loves to mix and stir.
* Motor skills continue to be hard for Ellie. Her glasses helped some, then she scratched them beyond belief, plus, we're getting a stronger prescription, so we're on a glasses time-out while we await the arrival of the new pair. Ellie can do a forward roll and swing from the rings, but she can't walk on a wide balance beam yet. She finally started jumping in the past six months or so and it's her favorite thing to do! She loves to be a kangaroo, a frog, or just a jumping Ellie.
* Ellie is super silly. She loves to put her boots on her hands instead of her feet. She made Curious George jump on my laptop, so I said, "Ellie, tell George where he is allowed to jump." "George, jump on the table!" Ellie yelled with an evil little smile my way. "Ellie, the real rule." "On da floor, George," she sighed.
* A girl after my own heart, Ellie does not like the cold. Or the wind. Basically, all of the photos in this post required bribery.
I remember a long list of fears for Ellie, but she seems to be just fine. Happy almost fourth birthday, Ellie. You make the world a sunnier place. Up next (or whenever I get work done): A penguin party!
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Happy Third Birthday.
Happy birthday to my funny, energetic, shark-loving, early-waking, coffee-requesting, dancing, laughing, silly little Ellie.
I am so thankful you are part of our lives. We are proud of you and we love you beyond belief.
Three years ago, you finally arrived, stubborn enough to show up on your own timetable, and you haven't changed a bit.
Thanks for making us laugh every single day.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Celebrating Three (A Few Days Early).
This morning began with my daughter demanding that I sing "Happy Birthday to you!" to her stuffed shark.
Traditionally, I have gone all out for Ellie's birthdays. Themes, cake pops made in advance to match the theme, all the decor taken from Pinterest ideas.
Her first birthday party was a celebration for our family. She made it. We made it. NICU, GI surgery, heart surgery…. that chapter officially ended with her first birthday and we moved onto living life.
Her second birthday was still grown-up-centric.
But today was all for Ellie. I bought her favorite foods. The party activities consisted of kids decorating little terra cotta pots containing seeds that (hopefully) will grow, playing with all of Ellie's toys and puzzles, adding flower drawings and stickers to the white paper I taped over the coffee table, and celebrating with cake.
We invited the neighbors over, but we kept it relatively small.
Matt determined that the theme of the party was "optimism," since it featured gardening and we're under a winter storm watch for tomorrow night.
I felt the burden of being a working mom for this birthday. All of the food was purchased, with the exception of a quiche with store-bought crust. The cake was purchased this morning. I had no real theme.
But Ellie didn't care about that stuff. She wanted to see her friends and blow out candles.
After Ellie successfully blew out the candle on the third try, everyone wanted a turn, so a crew of little girls all "blew out" the candle together, pretending but oh-so-serious.
Ellie is now asleep on the couch next to me. She's snotty and exhausted, but she went to sleep happy. Her official birthday is Tuesday. I have work, followed by class, so we're celebrating early as a family as well, and showering Ellie with a little extra love this weekend.
Thanks to those of you who have walked beside us. On Friday night, I had the joy of meeting some blog readers and some of the folks involved in various aspects of providing information to women who have received a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis. I'll post about that separately, but I felt like the timing coinciding with Ellie's birthday was very appropriate.
Enjoy the weekend!
Traditionally, I have gone all out for Ellie's birthdays. Themes, cake pops made in advance to match the theme, all the decor taken from Pinterest ideas.
Her first birthday party was a celebration for our family. She made it. We made it. NICU, GI surgery, heart surgery…. that chapter officially ended with her first birthday and we moved onto living life.
Her second birthday was still grown-up-centric.
But today was all for Ellie. I bought her favorite foods. The party activities consisted of kids decorating little terra cotta pots containing seeds that (hopefully) will grow, playing with all of Ellie's toys and puzzles, adding flower drawings and stickers to the white paper I taped over the coffee table, and celebrating with cake.
We invited the neighbors over, but we kept it relatively small.
Matt determined that the theme of the party was "optimism," since it featured gardening and we're under a winter storm watch for tomorrow night.
I felt the burden of being a working mom for this birthday. All of the food was purchased, with the exception of a quiche with store-bought crust. The cake was purchased this morning. I had no real theme.
But Ellie didn't care about that stuff. She wanted to see her friends and blow out candles.
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| Ellie blowing out the candles on her cake. Win! |
Ellie is now asleep on the couch next to me. She's snotty and exhausted, but she went to sleep happy. Her official birthday is Tuesday. I have work, followed by class, so we're celebrating early as a family as well, and showering Ellie with a little extra love this weekend.
Thanks to those of you who have walked beside us. On Friday night, I had the joy of meeting some blog readers and some of the folks involved in various aspects of providing information to women who have received a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis. I'll post about that separately, but I felt like the timing coinciding with Ellie's birthday was very appropriate.
Enjoy the weekend!
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