we had a great easter. we drove to p.a. to spend the weekend with my family. ella was amazing and great on the trip and from sk. she slept the entire time the car was in motion. we only had to stop twice (lloyd, north battleford) to change her and feed her. she is such a wonderful baby. we are the luckiest moms in the world.
ella met her great-grandma-gussie for the first time. they got along great. grandma (yes, that's my grandma) really liked her and they had a few hilarious little "conversations." mom, as usual, was totally smitten with ella and just showered her with lots of love. uncle brody and auntie tara were there too and were super sweet with ell.
we had easter dinner at grandma's house. my auntie cindy and uncle kenny were there, along with their daughter-in-law (my cousin-in-law), nicole, and their two grandkids, rhett and ria, and their son brennan and his girlfriend whose name i can't seem to remember. sorry. nicole knitted (crocheted?) these bright, colourful, wonderful matching hats for ria and ella! we love the hat. i hope it fits for a long time! also there for easter were pat and regan and cole and bj. i guess that was it. family gatherings are getting smaller now that the kids are growing up. everybody's gotta be someplace else. tobin's in minnesota. cheralyn's in germany. scott's in edmonton. kelly and catherine are in lethbridge. donnie and donna i guess went to calgary to have easter with carlee and kelly. brenda and richard were up north. my uncle laurie and shawn had to go to a funeral. and so on. anyway, it was a really nice day. ella played with rhett and ria and was generally her wonderfully adorable self - not crying or fussing or being any trouble whatsoever.
sunday we just hung out at mom's until after supper then headed down to saskatoon to spend the night at brody and tara's house. their house looks great. they've really done it up.
and finally, on monday, even though i wasn't feeling so hot, we took ella for her first visit to saigon! this was an important inauguration for any child of mine. jennifer was glad to see me, as always. we had a little feast, although neela got rushed by ella needing to eat.
did i mention ella achieved two new things this weekend? she started standing up on her strong little legs when you hold her up. and, she discovered she has fingers. she's spending tonnes of time threading her fingers and unthreading... and threading her fingers through her mommies' fingers and so on. it's soooooo cute. i love it.
last night i gave her a bath by myself (i.e. without neela's assistance) and she cried. guess we still need two mommies for the bath. wah.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Friday, March 25, 2005
easter weekend
well... we're going to sk to visit with nona (that's my mom) and uncle brody and auntie tara. ella's finally going to get to meet her great-granddaughter and a gazillion great aunts and uncles and cousins and stuff. it's our first road trip... first trip period with her. it seems we're going to have a carload!
Saturday, March 19, 2005
mom and baby yoga
ella and i went to mom and baby yoga this morning. it was great! i loved it - it felt like ... good to be back at yoga. and yet it was easy and comfortable. and ella got to participate. sometimes i held her while i held a position. sometimes she laid underneath me while i held a position. during shavasana she laid beside me and snuggled. erika's voice lulled her to sleep.
oh, also, i bought her some bunny ears to wear on easter.
oh, also, i bought her some bunny ears to wear on easter.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Elina snapped this amazing shot!
Ella came for lunch today with her mommies and Elina and Leslie. She really enjoyed herself, as you can see!!!!! (Thanks Elina, for this amazing shot!)
shots
yesterday miss ella had her shots. the dtap one - which is diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough) - and another which is for polio and meningitis... i believe.
one shot in each of her poor little quadricep muscles. there is a tiny red dot on each of her thighs now. my poor baby.
but apparently she was a trooper. she cried, of course, but didn't scream, and calmed right down when neela breast-fed her on the spot.
last night i held ella sitting up facing me in my lap and was talking to her. i laughed about something and she smiled this HUGE smile and laughed back. o my god, it was incredible. so i kept on laughing and smiling and she kept on too!!! this went on for about 3 or 4 minutes. she was laughing with these little cooing and exlamation sounds and her smile just lit up her whole face. wow.
wow.
one shot in each of her poor little quadricep muscles. there is a tiny red dot on each of her thighs now. my poor baby.
but apparently she was a trooper. she cried, of course, but didn't scream, and calmed right down when neela breast-fed her on the spot.
last night i held ella sitting up facing me in my lap and was talking to her. i laughed about something and she smiled this HUGE smile and laughed back. o my god, it was incredible. so i kept on laughing and smiling and she kept on too!!! this went on for about 3 or 4 minutes. she was laughing with these little cooing and exlamation sounds and her smile just lit up her whole face. wow.
wow.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
yogaessentialsbw
okay, ella and i are starting mom and baby yoga on saturday, and i just came across this photo, which made me laugh so much!! i love it!
sleep and shots
it totally makes me teary when she does stuff like that (see previous entry). when she gets on these little smiling rampages it's amazing. she'll just go on and on with that huge gummy smile and you just want to freeze the moment in time and save it for whenever you have a bad day. plus, i worry so much that she won't be attached to me because i'm at work every day so it reassures me so much if she if comforted by me and recognizes me and... well, you get the idea.
last night ella did an amazing thing - i fed her a bottle at 9:30, then put her in her crib with her mobile to do some kicks and have fun. around 10:15 she got fussy so i picked her up. immediately, she fell sound asleep with her head on my chest and her arms kind of wrapped around me, and her knees kind of tucked up under my breasts. god. it was so sweet, i held her like that for an hour, and must have kissed the top of her little head like once per minute. then we put her down for the night and she stayed asleep - and didn't wake up until 7:50 this morning!!! holy
cow that was a long sleep! we were actually kind of terrified to open the door and check on her - it seemed too long. we're always afraid something has happened to her when she's that still!
this morning she's getting her shots. i'm so sad that such little babies need shots already. i don't really want her to get them, but i also really don't want her to get whooping cough like neela had 2 years ago (caught from one of her students). it was a 3 month nightmare of coughing where she nearly broke several ribs and suffered extreme pain in her chest the whole time, not to mention the choking during coughing. so neela is taking her mom so that karin can hold her during the shots. that way she can associate pain with karin and comfort with mommy! hah!
last night ella did an amazing thing - i fed her a bottle at 9:30, then put her in her crib with her mobile to do some kicks and have fun. around 10:15 she got fussy so i picked her up. immediately, she fell sound asleep with her head on my chest and her arms kind of wrapped around me, and her knees kind of tucked up under my breasts. god. it was so sweet, i held her like that for an hour, and must have kissed the top of her little head like once per minute. then we put her down for the night and she stayed asleep - and didn't wake up until 7:50 this morning!!! holy
cow that was a long sleep! we were actually kind of terrified to open the door and check on her - it seemed too long. we're always afraid something has happened to her when she's that still!
this morning she's getting her shots. i'm so sad that such little babies need shots already. i don't really want her to get them, but i also really don't want her to get whooping cough like neela had 2 years ago (caught from one of her students). it was a 3 month nightmare of coughing where she nearly broke several ribs and suffered extreme pain in her chest the whole time, not to mention the choking during coughing. so neela is taking her mom so that karin can hold her during the shots. that way she can associate pain with karin and comfort with mommy! hah!
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
new stats!
ella has gained weight! she now weighs 12 lbs 11 ounces. my little chubster. they measured her too for height and she hasn't changed much since last check - however, the height measurement seems to be very imprecise, so we're not too focused on that.
she's 75th percentile for weight and head circumference, and 50th for height.
she's doing really well. now sometimes when you hold her, she hugs you - puts her little arms on either side of your neck.
unfortunately this morning she spit up something yellow. we called capital health link. they said if it's a one time thing then it's nothing to worry about but if it happens again that we need to have her checked. it's bile. poor little baby - i guess they can have acid reflux. speaking from experience, that is so not fun. so i hope she doesn't have that.
last night when i got home, neela had ell in her lap and when she saw me, she said to ella "look who's here!" and ella looked at me and smiled the hugest gummy little smile. sigh. so good.
she's 75th percentile for weight and head circumference, and 50th for height.
she's doing really well. now sometimes when you hold her, she hugs you - puts her little arms on either side of your neck.
unfortunately this morning she spit up something yellow. we called capital health link. they said if it's a one time thing then it's nothing to worry about but if it happens again that we need to have her checked. it's bile. poor little baby - i guess they can have acid reflux. speaking from experience, that is so not fun. so i hope she doesn't have that.
last night when i got home, neela had ell in her lap and when she saw me, she said to ella "look who's here!" and ella looked at me and smiled the hugest gummy little smile. sigh. so good.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
8 weeks
ella was 8 weeks old on friday. isn't that amazing? in 8 short weeks... life has changed so utterly. (for neela, udderly... hahaha)
today ella went to a playgroup. i know, she's too little for a playgroup - she's too little to play. that's okay. it was a very special playgroup - for lesbian and gay parents and their kids. it was really nice to see so many lesbian couples, and a few gay couples too. many of the kids were 5 and under. there were several babies too - ella being youngest for now. that's great because, if we continue to go, she'll have lots of wonderful friends who have 2 mommies or 2 daddies, and she'll know that it isn't so weird or uncommon.
one of the amazing things was we met a couple whose baby was born exactly one week before ella. they couldn't bring the baby since he is still in the hospital - apparently born very prematurely and still cannot pass the carseat test. poor thing. anyway, one of his moms is from uruguay! and, they are planning to send him to the same spanish immersion school that we plan to send ella to! so, if the playgroup thing works out - she'll actually not only know another kid at school already - she'll know another kid with 2 mommies! how great is that!?
also, there was a couple there who have two beautiful daughters adopted from china. it was nice to talk to them about their experiences of international adoption, since that is the plan for ella's little brother or sister!
update on ella's amazing development: she has started to say something that sounds remarkably like "mummmmummmuuumm" and the other day was kicking and shouting and being cute and suddenly said something that really sounded like "help!"... if "help" turns out to be her first word, social services will be a-knockin' at our door!
speaking of social services, we got a letter from julie (our lawyer) saying that they (soc. ser.) are waiving their opportunity to interview and "assess" me in the case of my adoption of ell. so, that's one more obstacle cleared. soon i'll be verified as her legal parent and we can send away for her birth certificate and all that stuff! we're going to have an adoption party. i think.
today ella went to a playgroup. i know, she's too little for a playgroup - she's too little to play. that's okay. it was a very special playgroup - for lesbian and gay parents and their kids. it was really nice to see so many lesbian couples, and a few gay couples too. many of the kids were 5 and under. there were several babies too - ella being youngest for now. that's great because, if we continue to go, she'll have lots of wonderful friends who have 2 mommies or 2 daddies, and she'll know that it isn't so weird or uncommon.
one of the amazing things was we met a couple whose baby was born exactly one week before ella. they couldn't bring the baby since he is still in the hospital - apparently born very prematurely and still cannot pass the carseat test. poor thing. anyway, one of his moms is from uruguay! and, they are planning to send him to the same spanish immersion school that we plan to send ella to! so, if the playgroup thing works out - she'll actually not only know another kid at school already - she'll know another kid with 2 mommies! how great is that!?
also, there was a couple there who have two beautiful daughters adopted from china. it was nice to talk to them about their experiences of international adoption, since that is the plan for ella's little brother or sister!
update on ella's amazing development: she has started to say something that sounds remarkably like "mummmmummmuuumm" and the other day was kicking and shouting and being cute and suddenly said something that really sounded like "help!"... if "help" turns out to be her first word, social services will be a-knockin' at our door!
speaking of social services, we got a letter from julie (our lawyer) saying that they (soc. ser.) are waiving their opportunity to interview and "assess" me in the case of my adoption of ell. so, that's one more obstacle cleared. soon i'll be verified as her legal parent and we can send away for her birth certificate and all that stuff! we're going to have an adoption party. i think.
Monday, March 07, 2005
things ella has done so far
things ella has experienced in her little life so far:
-survived a very serious squishing of her tiny head
-slept in her crib in her very own room on her very first night at home
-caused her mama to learn to drive very very carefully and ever so slowly and glare at the speedy drivers all around
-charmed the pants off all the nurses at our clinic
-been to see a lactation consultant with her mommies
-sat in her bouncy chair while milk-mommy (yes that's what we call her sometimes) took a shower
-moved from 50th percentile in height and weight to 75th percentile, which we all know proves she is *very* advanced for her age
-gone out for thai food
-charmed the waitresses at the pancake house around the corner from our house
-attended an amnesty international meeting
-shopped till she dropped at the largest mall in the world
-put on a stellar show for almost every visitor ever - cooing, sleeping, giggling, smiling, and kicking
-become the satisfied owner of 4 (count 'em) mobiles
-wooed the kitty from total hatred and suspicion to a state where now when the baby cries the kitty starts whining and prodding her mommies with, 'um, hello, help that little baby, she's crying'
-had two baby showers
-grown out of two sets of a dresser-full of clothes!
-fallen in love with her soother (i generally now refer to it as "here's your best friend, your soother" when providing it to her)
-come to have lunch with her mommy-that-leaves-and-goes-to-work-every-freaking-day at least twice a week
-fallen asleep in the following locations: her crib (yay!), the couch, the bassinet, the floor, mommies' arms, grandparents' arms, aunts, uncles and friends arms, nurses arms, the carseat, the bouncy chair, the swing, the stroller, the dining room table, mommies' bed, in front of mama's computer
-fended the kitty off from trying to sit on her!
-met her lawyer
-attended mama's book club
-accompanied mommy to several doctor's appointments and massages
-accompanied mama while having her hair coloured and cut (3 hours people!)
-been babysat by her grandma and grandpa
-projectile vomited
-had a blow-out (definition: pooped so much at once that it came out top and bottom of diaper to soak through not only clothes but into bouncy chair)
-learned how to grab things, especially mommies' shirts
-survived a very serious squishing of her tiny head
-slept in her crib in her very own room on her very first night at home
-caused her mama to learn to drive very very carefully and ever so slowly and glare at the speedy drivers all around
-charmed the pants off all the nurses at our clinic
-been to see a lactation consultant with her mommies
-sat in her bouncy chair while milk-mommy (yes that's what we call her sometimes) took a shower
-moved from 50th percentile in height and weight to 75th percentile, which we all know proves she is *very* advanced for her age
-gone out for thai food
-charmed the waitresses at the pancake house around the corner from our house
-attended an amnesty international meeting
-shopped till she dropped at the largest mall in the world
-put on a stellar show for almost every visitor ever - cooing, sleeping, giggling, smiling, and kicking
-become the satisfied owner of 4 (count 'em) mobiles
-wooed the kitty from total hatred and suspicion to a state where now when the baby cries the kitty starts whining and prodding her mommies with, 'um, hello, help that little baby, she's crying'
-had two baby showers
-grown out of two sets of a dresser-full of clothes!
-fallen in love with her soother (i generally now refer to it as "here's your best friend, your soother" when providing it to her)
-come to have lunch with her mommy-that-leaves-and-goes-to-work-every-freaking-day at least twice a week
-fallen asleep in the following locations: her crib (yay!), the couch, the bassinet, the floor, mommies' arms, grandparents' arms, aunts, uncles and friends arms, nurses arms, the carseat, the bouncy chair, the swing, the stroller, the dining room table, mommies' bed, in front of mama's computer
-fended the kitty off from trying to sit on her!
-met her lawyer
-attended mama's book club
-accompanied mommy to several doctor's appointments and massages
-accompanied mama while having her hair coloured and cut (3 hours people!)
-been babysat by her grandma and grandpa
-projectile vomited
-had a blow-out (definition: pooped so much at once that it came out top and bottom of diaper to soak through not only clothes but into bouncy chair)
-learned how to grab things, especially mommies' shirts
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