Favorite Things About Elenore

To celebrate her 4th month birthday on Jan. 20th, I thought I would write a few things that Elenore has learned to do so far and some of my favorite memories of her four months on life out in the world. How time flies! When I was in my last months of pregnancy I would wake up crying from dreams about our last child leaving home and being empty-nesters. Jonathan laughed at me, seeing as we hadn't even had our first child yet, but time does go by so very fast and those days will be here before I know it, so I don't want to miss anything or forget about the little every day sweetnesses.


Looking intently at her Daddy soon after birth

Something I love about Elenore is that she is so alert and has always been very perceptive to what is going on around her. When she was being born, Jonathan said her eyes were open and looking around as her head kept coming out and slipping back in again. She stayed awake and looking around, locking her gaze onto us for the first 12 hours or so after she was born. She continues to love seeing everything. She is also very aware of people's emotions and reacts to them quite sensitively.

Elenore is a very happy girl. Before she gave "social smiles" she would always give a big, sweet smile just as she was falling asleep. She started smiling back at people right before we left Virginia, and whenever one came bursting out on her face, we all melted. She smiled at my friends Beck and Emilie with some of her very first smiles. It was nice to know she liked them too. :) She has now started laughing that adorable guttural laugh (followed by her signature squeal) at unexpected moments that are just a treasure! Elenore first laughed with me and her Auntie Anna while I was playing with her after a diaper change and I was blowing raspberries on her tummy. It was very exciting. I still have to work hard for one, but they are coming more and more frequently and just make my day!

When we moved in with Nathan and Anna, they had a little gym mat set up for her with hanging toys. She quickly started to bat and kick at them, until she mastered the art of grabbing them and putting them into her mouth. She is getting really good at grabbing things now, both with her long fingers and her toes. She has crazy long and strong monkey toes. She now grabs anything and everything and shakes it around and puts it in her mouth or licks it. She loves to lick everything! It is so funny to watch. She has a long, crazy fast little tongue and will get you in her grasp, licked all over like a puppy before you know it.

She started rolling over from her tummy to her back when she was two months old. The kind where she would accidentally fall over with a surprised look on her face. She just barely started rolling from her back to her tummy, this time with a little more control and purpose. She grabs onto something beside her, brings knees up to her chest and rolls over. Still struggles moving her arm out from under her to get all the way over comfortably, but keeps trying over and over. She is working on her core muscles and tries to sit up from a prone position, and will quite readily sit up when I let her grab onto my fingers. She will also come to a standing position, getting less and less wobbly all the time. When she does this all nakey, all wobbly and stomping around awkwardly, she reminds me of the little shorn sheep in the Pixar short, "Boundin'", It is so darn funny and cute! But yesterday she started supporting herself on things and holding herself in a standing position all on her own for a little with me close by to make sure she doesn't fall.

All these developments are very exciting, but they also make me miss my sweet little newborn girl. Here are some pictures of her while we still lived at BV and those early days of my sweet baby girl.

Sept. 20th 2009 Elenore Hazel was born at home. We're a family of three!

Elenore's first morning.

Holding Elenore is my Young Womam Laural and friend Jessie Jolley who rubbed my feet, painted my toes, brought me fries at work when I craved them, and basically was a wonderful support during my pregnancy, as well as praying for me while we were waiting for that blessing... love and miss her!

Daddy's Little Girl - so true! She completely melted Jonathan's heart when she showed up! She has such a funny serious face.

Daddy gets to feed his little girl! It was so sad not to be able to breastfeed, but a blessing to share in that special time with her daddy. He is so good with her! She loves him to bits, and now she is not happy in the morning until she gets to smile at her dad.

First (and last) bath in her little tub. She just looked too cute. But the tub was more hassle than it was worth, so we gave it away. I just shower with her, or use the sink if needed.

Laying on her Beatrix Potter blanket made by my friend and adopted Grandma BJ DeReus. Lovely embroidery and quilting! Thanks, BJ! And this is definitely not the only one she made us! Wow!

Sleeping in the sunshine... if you could only hear the snoring! She is a crazy good snorer!

More Snoring! Just so cute to look down and see that snuggled in my arms...

Had to do one of her "I Love my Mommy" shirt! Wiggle, Wiggle!

Halloween at the church chili cook-off in her fabulous chick costume. So Cute!

Two if my best friends, Emilie and Cammi. We were all pregnant about a month apart in a row. We got belly pictures of us earlier in order, this was our "the babies are here!" picture in a row. Elenore between the two boys, Jack and Caleb. Too bad we had to leave, she could have had her pick! :)

And these are the older brothers who would probably get her first before their younger brothers. My favorite Tommy Davis (not quite sure about the screaming, tired girl I was trying to get him to kiss goodbye before we left)

...And the adorable Joshua Cooper. Such handsome suitors!