Newborn photo session

We had a very nice (and patient) photographer come to our house last week to do newborn photos with Ella.  We spent 2.5 hours trying to get pictures.  Photographers like to have newborns asleep so that they can pose them and avoid crying baby pictures, but things don't always go as planned.  Ella had slept all morning and was wide awake and fussy for the whole photo session.  The pictures you see were taken during short sleepy intervals.  Gavin loved giving her kisses for the pictures.

Ella Week 2

Ella is 2 weeks old!  Her bilirubin levels went down and she has been off the lights now for several days...so that ordeal is over!  The strange thing is that she was never actually sick...it was all to prevent complications, yet it was so hard to be back and forth to the hospital and to see her getting stuck so many times.  It definitely made me feel for those parents of NICU babies and kids who are legitimately sick.  I can't imagine how hard that must be.  We are so grateful for our healthy babies!  Of course, if you call Gavin a baby, he will very quickly correct you--"I'm not a baby.  I'm a BIG boy".  Here are some pictures from the last week.

Ella Sophia

We are so proud to announce the birth of our daughter, Ella Sophia!  She was born on September 3rd at 11:31 pm.  She was 7lbs 6oz and 20.5 inches long (one ounce heavier and one inch longer than Gavin).  It will now be easy to remember our important family dates (our anniversary is Feb 3rd, her birthday is Sept 3rd and Gavin's birthday is Dec 3rd)!  At first, we thought she looked just like Gavin when he was born.  She definitely has the dark hair and same chin, but Gavin had much more hair and their mouths look a little different.  Gavin met her the next morning and was excited but a little hesitant at first.  By that afternoon, though, he was asking to hold her and even got upset when some friends came to visit in the hospital room and held her!  He has been quite a champ and says "it's ok Ella" when she cries.  He also loves to kiss her head.  The last week has been a bit hectic as her bilirubin levels were high.  While this is fairly common in newborns and has no long term consequences if treated, it has means that we have been to the hospital every single day since she was born and admitted twice for blood draws and phototherapy ("bili lights") until yesterday when we had home health set up the bili lights at home for us.  Now she hangs out on the light all day (except for nursing) and a home health nurse comes out to do the blood draw.  She really has been great despite all this.  She's nursing well and rarely fusses, except when she's hungry.  It's been tough on us with all the back and forth and seeing her get her heels stuck so many times.  I just want to get her off the dang lights and be able to hold her whenever I want and to interact with her like a mom and newborn.  Michael gets even less cuddle time because I at least get to nurse her every few hours.  Hopefully it will resolve soon.  Here are some pictures from her first week.  Gavin's bike is a present from Ella :-)