The first two weeks of Ellie's life were a time of figuring out nourishment, working hard to gain weight, and little to no sleep. While Ellie was a natural and excellent breastfeeder with a perfect latch, this little mama was unable to produce enough milk to help Ellie grow. She began to fall behind on the growth chart and was already smaller than expected at birth due to the cord wrapped around her neck 4 times. We made the switch to formula after 2 weeks of giving it all we had and Miss Ellie became the happiest we had yet seen her! While the decision was another tough one, it was the selfless option as pride was pushed aside and Ellie's belly could finally get satisfied. A happy healthy baby is always the best choice. Ellie beefed up quickly as we started formula during a normal period of growth spurt. She became a milkaholic quickly! We loved being able to finally see her grow and be playful and sleep well.
Ellie smiles in her sleep. She loves tummy time. She loves to sit up straight with help and look around the room. Ellie hates bath time. Ellie loves her jogging stroller and going for long walks with mommy- she takes a good long nap. She at times will be drinking a bottle and stop to look in my eyes, stop sucking and smile. Ellie loves to have stories read to her and turns her head to listen with eyes wide open. The end of a storybook tends to bring her into a good nap. Ellie loves to stretch and kick her arms and legs. She loves front porch sitting-a true Southern Belle.
Born at 6 lbs. 14 oz. and 20.5 inches long, Ellie now is ~ 9 lbs and 21.25 inches long. Her eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair are all growing longer. Hard to say if she is dark blonde or a light brunette....my guess is the latter.
We are so thankful to God for the gift and responsibility of being Ellie's parents. Truly, I say again what a true miracle her life is. We have endured so much to be able to hold this little nugget. I spent years of my life being told I may not have the option of safely having a child--to being told I could handle pregnancy but the window of time given to us was not lining up--to being able to beat that window of time with my good health--to undergoing several pre-pregnancy diagnostics to test my body's strength--to finding out I was pregnant with little Flicker--to then having my body threaten to abort her twice--overcoming that only to have a very intense car wreck that could have been fatal for both Ellie and I if God had not intervened--to overcoming Ellie's potential high risks for congenital heart defects--to remaining heart healthy myself//handling pregnancy better than medically anticipated--to a near emergent C-Section delivery as Ellie was losing oxygen and not able to move due to the cord wrapped around her neck four times--to daily snuggling and looking into her big bright eyes! What a journey. Many years involved. Praise God.
Thank you to all who have been so kind and respectful of mine and Eric's wishes and rules as we care for our baby to keep her healthy, help her grow, following her and my doctors orders for a healthy start, my recovery and as Eric and I both adjust and learn about the joy and challenge of being parents. They may seem silly to some, (friends and I have even joked about them together) but they serve a great purpose for the well being of our daughter, and again, we are thankful for the respect and love we have been shown from our friends. It won't be too much longer until we invite our friends over to meet the newest Gladden!
And now some photos of her first month of life!!: In the first picture you can see the cord wrapped around her neck, poor baby!
No comments:
Post a Comment