The Getting-Into-a-Groove Month - March 23, 2012

Here's our three month old!  This month has been a blast!  Small Ferrell laughs a little more, smiles a lot more, (just not for pictures,) and we have been able to take her out more.  She is so much fun!

We got to attend a test and tune for her dad.  He's in the #31 car.  She seemed to enjoy it, as she loves just about anything as long as it's outside, until we got to the high-pitched sprint cars.  I think that hurt her ears.  I covered them and we left right away.  I am glad we got to be there for Aaron for a little while, though. 

We had a cool snap and she grew just enough to finally fit into the adorable hat my friend, Elizabeth, made for Small.  I just love this picture and want to pinch her cheeks off. 

She loves people, which I am very grateful for.  She really likes hanging out with her daddy, grandparents and me.  She even rode around and mowed with her daddy! She has gotten chubbier this month.  She was such a stick when she was born, we are really glad to see some meat on her bones.  I feel like we are officially through the winter and she has not been sick at all.  I read that winter babies have an extremely higher chance of sickness so I was careful to only nurse her, always take my vitamins, and to eat nutritiously.  I think it helped.

We went out to take her bluebonnet pictures.  The entire time we were there, a mockingbird sang to us.  My heart swelled.  Ella is just the sweetest baby.  She lets me tote her around, show her off, and snap her picture everywhere and all the while she just watches and takes everything in.  I can see her little wheels turning in there.  She's a thinker.  We visited my parents a lot, I took her to visit our friends, Mike & Lynette Norrell, we went shopping in Arlington, saw the cattle drive in North Side, had lunches with Kandice and Marnie, and hung out outside a lot this month.  On St. Patrick's Day, we attended my friend, Molly's, baby shower.  We also had to do some shopping before hand and after the party we met some of my out-of-town friends at Starbucks for a moment.  Ella was so tired and the poor thing looked up at me with this very sleepy face but she still smiled at me because she is just that sweet of a spirit.  I love her!

Small Ferrell's 3 month stats:

Height:   23 3/4

Weight:   12 pounds, 3 ounces

Sleeping:   Short naps through the day/good sleeper at night with us.  She naps in her bassinet but sleeps with us each night.  When she falls asleep on my chest, I just want to stay there forever.

Eating:   Still just milk but I have given her a few drinks of bottled water occassionally.

My friends call me:   Ella T, Ella, Eleanor, Small Ferrell, Chubberson, Squeeky, Squeekerson, Ella Dove, Ella Bells, Baby Monkey, Baby Love...She has lots of nicknames.

New Discoveries:   She loves our faces and when she laughs, it's at us.  She loves to be outside and thoroughly enjoyed watching a storm roll in.  She just discovered the horses.  She gets very excited when she sees them and stiffens all up.

Her Accomplishments:  She started reaching for toys, batting at them with her daddy and then with Granny and Papa at 11 weeks!  She giggled twice at her daddy. 

Small Ferrell has many strengths.  She has been holding her head up mostly by herself since the day she was born and has also wanted to stand since that day as well.  She is very strong.  She has already rolled over, reaches for things and turns herself in circles.  However!  She is not a fan of tummy time.  I entice her with funny faces, songs, lots of toys, but nothing works.  She endures the 5 minute "work-outs" a few times a day and squaks for them to be over with around 3 minutes.  I am not sure why she doesn't dig it but I will keep trying as long as she is not tortured or irritated.

Basically, she is just a perfectly wonderful baby and I am overjoyed to spend my days with her. Seeing her interact with her dad and our parents and siblings continues to be my favorite moments.  I love this kid! 

The Month of Abounding Love - February 23, 2012

Our little cherub is 2 months old!!!  This month slowed down just a little; enough to catch my breath.  We had a very action packed month.  We got into a rhthym with running and she merrily goes along in the stroller.  She is not a fan of the car seat in the car but as long as we are outside, she is just fine all strapped in. 

She has from the start but Eleanor really loves her baths now.  She kicks and splashes and then gets all tensed up and stiffens up her arms and legs, which we have come to learn means she is extremely excited.  If she is having a difficult time calming down for bed, we just give her a bath and that usually does the trick.

Small Ferrell got to participate in her first Super Bowl!  She stayed awake for most of the game.  I missed most of the commercials this year because I was too busy smooching on her.

Her Uncle Rick and Aunt Jill came to visit this month also.  What a treat!  Jill made the most beautiful cross-stitches for Ella's room; one with her footprints and the other with a ribbon to tie her first clip of hair in.  We really enjoyed their stay and I didn't want them to leave.

She was finally big enough for me to put her in the polar bear suit I bought her ages ago.  I love that she pitched a fit (after about 45 pictures of smiles,) because it makes her look like a mean polar bear!

This month we also celebrated Valentine's Day and her daddy's birthday.  I had a lot of fun getting gifts for him from her this year.  We both just love this chubby, little munchkin so much!  Valentine's Day was extra special this year.

Small Ferrell's 2 Month Stats:

Height:    23 inches

Weight:   11 pounds even

Sleeping:  Very regular now.  Naps an hour at a time and sleeps a four hour stretch at night.

Eating:  Still just nursing but she is a fabulous eater.  I pump some milk and she will drink from the bottle pretty well.

My friends call me:   Baby Monkey, Chubberson, Squeeky girl, Squeekerson, Small Ferrell, Eleanor, Ella, Ella Bells, Ella Dove

New Discoveries:  Her hands!  She also notices things in the nursery.

Her Accomplishments:  She has rolled over front to back twice now.  She moves her head pretty well and has no problem holding her head up.  She stands with our help, has very strong legs and prefers to stand rather than sit or lie down.

She doesn't like tummy time much, which surprises me considering how strong her neck is.

She smiles more and tries to giggle.  She loves her daddy and follows his voice everywhere.  She enjoys listening to me read to her and I sing her little songs I make up and some Otis or Bob Marley.

Every moment I have with her is special.  Watching her with her dad, grandparents, and loved ones are my favorite moments.  She is surrounded by so much love and so many people who care about her.  It melts my heart.

The Sleepless Month - January 23, 2012

Our darling daughter is 1 month old!  If I've slept in a month, I simply can't recall.  I do recall the changes that have occurred in our lives and the level of acceptance that so easily came with those changes.  I was not expecting that.  I anticipating a much harder transition but some things just come naturally.  The day we brought her home, Christmas Eve, I was exhausted and so was Eleanor.  Aaron must have been, as he had been all over Tarrant County, attending to me and the baby at the hospital, finishing our Christmas shopping, making sure our exchange students were ok and tending to our animals' needs.  He did not show any pains of fatigue, though, and instead, carried on happier than ever.  The Monday after we brought Eleanor home, we had to return to the hospital for a simple follow up.  She is doing well and we were told she seemed incredibly strong and healthy.  On the way home, Aaron got us Popeye's Chicken.  I was nursing the baby and she was a little fussy but I was starving so Aaron spoonfed the rice to me.  I could hardly eat, I was crying so hard.  Hormones, fatigue, hunger, overwhelming feelings of love and gratitude...all of those things together equate to tears.

As for our little girl, she has grown and changed and accomplished so much in these 31 days. 

Small Ferrell's 1 Month Stats:

Height:  21"    
Weight:   9 lbs  2 ozs
Sleeping:   Eleanor sleeps more regularly than when she first came home.  She sleeps about 2 1/2 to 3 hours at a time. 
Eating:   She nurses very well and is growing fast. 
My friends call me:  Small Ferrell, Eleanor, Ella, Purple Monkey, Squeeky, Ella Bells

While my mother was holding and playing with her, Eleanor actually laughed a little for the first time.  She smiles a lot but not because of us.  She smiles in her sleep a lot.  She does sometimes smile at us when she first sees us. 

We had a lot of visitors this month.  Most notably was our nephew, Jason and his family, because of the distance and the fact that they drove here with three kids; one being an eight month old baby.  Eleanor attended her first Stock Show Parade and Stock Show, which she slept through, but we got great pictures. 

Welcome to the Party!

She's here!  After seven short months and two long ones, Eleanor Trinity Ferrell arrived at 1:15 a.m. on December 23, 2011.  She was named more than 12 hours after being born because we couldn't decide.  She weighed 5 pounds, 14 ounces and was 18 1/2 inches short.  Aaron called her Purple Monkey when he first saw her.  She was tinier than I imagined she would be and she had a lot more hair than I imagined as well.  She cried soon after being born but then our wonderful nurse put her on my chest and she nursed for a moment.  Instinct is a remarkable thing to witness.  Soon after, she lifted her little head like she was two months old and smiled at Aaron and I.  I know many people won't believe that but it is absolutely the truth.  I will never forget that moment.  The feelings flood back to me each time I recall that face, that beautiful smile, that most happy event.  My mother and dad, Aaron's mother, and our nephew and niece, Tracy Lee and Jenn, came in just after she was born.  I was so happy to have them there to welcome our daughter.  Several things are a blur from that evening but two things remain; I have never felt so calm, so much love and so much peace in my life.  Also, I had a much stronger appreciation for the love of our mothers at that moment and I will never forget that feeling.  How did we get so lucky?

Language Barrier

Howdy!  I am Small Ferrell's mom, Shanna.  Small Ferrell doesn't know English yet, so until she does & is capable of writing it as well, I will be posting here on her behalf.  First, I'd like to note that even though it has been said more times than I can count, time goes by way too quickly when you have a baby.  Small Ferrell will be six months old tomorrow and I can honestly say that this has been, by far, the fastest six months of my entire life.  I just absolutely can't believe how fast it's gone.  There are not enough words to describe my feelings about it.  Because I am bordering on being annoying on the topic, I will now move on.  Almost.  Because the time has gone so quickly, and I have been living in the moments as much as possible, I am just beginning to post on her blog.  So you will find the many months preceding to be posted in a clump. 
As I type, she is wriggling on my lap and making a funny screeching noise while she attempts to type (she may be a genius,) as well as chew on the hair tie on my wrist.  She is also blowing bubbles, which she does a lot lately.  I hope I never forget this moment.  Now she is standing on my lap (she is also very strong, like her dad,) and leaning her back against my front.  Her arms are outstretched and she is getting rigid, which she does whenever she is excited or intrigued.  I LOVE THIS KID & EVERYTHING SHE DOES! 
My next few posts will be monthly updates of her.  Although I have not kept a blog for her until now, I have been diligent with her baby book and my journal.  So I have plenty of resources to refer to while posting each month.  Until then, see ya later, alligator!

~Shanna