Our Sweet Elle

I would try to re-cap our entire summer, but it could probably just be summed up with these pictures. I was large and pregnant for the beginning of summer and the boys and I spent many days at the pool. The latter part of the summer was spent cuddling this precious new addition to our family. 

Ellen Virginia was delivered on July 7th, at 12:40 p.m., weighing a tiny 7.4 pounds, and was 20 inches long. Both Matthew and thought she would weigh 9 pounds, based on both boys being over 8 pounds, and me feely huge. We were totally wrong. The delivery went great, and for a third c-section, everything went according to plan. I was so thankful for the medicine this time, as they were out of it with Shepherd, and my recovery with him was pretty miserable.

We named our little Elle after Matthew's grandmother Lou Ellen. We have always liked the name Virginia, and my grandmother's side of the family is from there, and as she says, she will never leave the state of Virginia. We thought we could pay her a little tribute by including her favorite state in her name. :) Plus, we are saving her actual name in case we ever have another little girl!

I knew Eli would do pretty well with his newest sibling, but really wasn't sure how Shepherd would do. He is certainly our grumpiest child yet, and I thought he might be a little jealous. He did great though. Both boys were smitten from the second they laid eyes on their little sister, and haven't shown a moment of jealousy yet. They may fight with each other, but the second she wakes up from her nap, they are right in her face, goggly-eyed and smothering her with kisses and baby talk.

She pretty much has us all wrapped around her teeny tiny long fingers. We weren't sure if a girl after two boys would feel any different, but it does. EVERY single child is a perfect gift, and this little girl is such a fun addition.

So far, we think she looks like me and a little bit of Shepherd. She looks nothing like Eli's newborn pictures, but of course, she's changing every day, so we keep seeing different glimpses of who she looks like.

She is a petite thing, and at 11 weeks old, weighs a little over 10 pounds, and can still wear some of her newborn clothes. We had some reflux and oversupply problems the first few weeks, and the poor thing was pretty uncomfortable every time she laid down. She pretty much slept on upright on my chest while I sat up during the first 6 weeks. She is now taking some reflux medicine, and I have been working to even out my supply so I quit drowning her in milk.:) She wouldn't take a paci, but just last week, found her thumb, and now sucks on her thumb as soon as she gets sleepy.

She is seriously a dream baby right now. Both the boys were pretty particular from the beginning. Eli had to be bounced and held a certain way, and almost never went to sleep by himself. Shepherd had dairy problems, and was colicy, and would fuss and have to be held all day. Elle hardly every fusses, and smiles every time someone talks to her. She is just starting to coo, and we have been trying hard to get some good laughs out of her. She's given us a few so far- so sweet!

Although I really don't like being pregnant, I really like babies. They are the best tangible gift of how God loves us, and I am in awe every time our family grows. Bring me all the babies, I say. :)