Poor Baby

Ellis is just now getting over a nasty virus and ear infection. The poor baby is exhausted and so are we! She is feeling much better today, but still isn't quite back to her normal peppy self. We are sure that in a few days with lots of rest and love (and plenty of medicine), she will be all smiles.
Here are a few pictures from earlier this week, before all the icky sickness began.

Ellis laughing through some of her physical therapy stretches

Sacked out on the couch

Baby in a bumbo seat! I love her little feet.

New Glasses!

Ellis said, "I'm going for retro glam, but tell me honestly. Is it too much of a look?" And I said, "No, baby. You are totally pulling it off."

Better and Better

Ellis had a great week and continues to get stronger every day. She has made really good progress with her speech therapist and is swallowing better than ever. She can still only have one teaspoon of milk a few times a day by mouth, but being able to swallow it without gagging or aspirating is a tremendous step forward. Ellis is also tolerating very slow increases in the rate of her food through her feeding tube, which means a little more time each day she can spend doing other things. Her impatient Mama tried to increase the rate too fast this past weekend and learned her lesson. It was a messy, icky, smelly lesson.
Ellis also officially loves Sesame Street now, especially the Muppets. Her favorite books right now are a set of Sandra Boynton board books, which entertain us at the same time (thanks Eric!). And Baby Einstein DVDs have been helping us all to learn a little more sign language in spite of having the production value of my seventh grade history project video. If only I could invent something babies love...

Ellis and her lamb trying on her pretty headbands

We had a little photo shoot because I love this outfit

Ellis put herself into this pose. I think we have a little supermodel on our hands.

She's also very into showing off her shoes

Baby in a Beret!



 Ellis enjoyed a visit this weekend from her grandmother Robin and Ken. I have been thinking back to the last time they visited and how much she has grown and improved since they saw her last in October. We can hold Ellis now and read stories before bedtime without stopping every couple of pages for suction. (There are times we still have to suction her trach every two or three minutes, but there are other times now when we can go as long as 15 or 20 minutes.) Now during the day I can play with her on the floor and do her physical therapy routines because she is tolerating her food much better. And perhaps most encouraging are the times now when she signs "Mama" or "Daddy" or reaches out for us to hold her. Her signing still isn't consistent but we are thrilled to see evidence of language development, which is something we have been worried about since she got her trach. The daily stresses of caring for her sometimes make it difficult for us to see the big picture, but we know God is blessing Ellis in many ways, and we are so thankful.

Adorable outfit courtesy of Miss NJD!







Ellis Is Six Months Old!

The sweet baby turns six months old tomorrow, and we plan on celebrating with papaya and apple slices (some of her new favorite things to taste) and a visit from her grandmother Robin and Ken. Ellis had a great check up this week, and her doctors are still very pleased with how well she is doing. She weighs 17 lbs. 1 oz. and is 25" long. She's in the 75th percentile for weight, which is exactly where her doctors want her to be. The only news we were not thrilled with is that Ellis needs glasses because her right eye is much more farsighted than her left. This is something that can improve with time if she starts wearing glasses now, so we picked out some pretty pink frames, and she will get them next week. Like many of the medical interventions Ellis has experienced, we wish she did not need her vision corrected but we are thankful that something is available to help her. We are praying the glasses do the trick, or else we might have to patch one eye for a while. We're also hoping she tolerates wearing them for now and can move to contacts soon. I promise I am not making that up. Her eye doctor puts most of his babies in contacts because they make vision more normal than glasses. But first we have to see how she does with the glasses.

 












Pretty mirror butteflies surround her crib



Ellis during speech therapy with her "toothbrush"

Ellis's Flensted butterfly mobile





She loves watching the shadows as much as the butterflies.



For Christmas this year, instead of buying each other presents Greg and I bought a new camera. So we hope to be able to share lots more great pictures!



A New Year

Happy New Year! Ellis was wide awake for ringing in the new year, which proves further that she is a night owl just like her parents. I guess sometime before she goes to school we will have to get her on a regular schedule, right?
Greg and I were able to get out a little this week, which was very refreshing. My wonderful parents came to babysit so we could go see a movie and go out to eat for the first time in a long time. Ellis enjoyed the extra attention and is quickly learning that grandparents are the ones who will let her do absolutely anything she wants, including taking her pjs off and licking peanut brittle. They are now her favorite people.
Greg and I were also able to take turns attending our church services for the first time since bringing Ellis home. She still isn't able to go yet, but we hope someday in the future we can all go together. We have the best church family, and we so appreciate all the prayers and encouragement. We were touched to learn that our Sunday School class made care packages for all the families at the Ronald McDonald House, where we stayed when Ellis was in the hospital, and delivered them all the way to Cincinnati in Ellis's honor.  What a tremendous help that was to those families, as we know first hand. We also have some super friends and coworkers who made donations to the Ronald McDonald house this Christmas in Ellis's honor, and since I don't know how you feel about me publishing your names, I will just say thank you to you generous elves.





Napping

Tomorrow Ellis has a check up and eye exam, so we are praying for good reports. She is making such good progress but also has many obstacles to overcome. We are so proud of our little girl.

A Very Merry Christmas



Ellis spent Christmas day with us and her grandparents Jan & Russell surrounded by more presents and twinkly lights than she has ever seen before. She could tell something special was going on from the moment she woke up that morning and stayed excited and wide awake the entire day. Ellis loved opening her presents (with a little help) and finally gave out from exhaustion late that evening. Santa brought her some new fun toys, lots of clothes, books, and other Christmas goodies.



What's that I hear on the roof? Reindeer hooves?



Ellis carrying on a conversation with her new lamb.