ellie's blessing

as an attempt to entice our family to omaha, todd and i decided to make a super weekend that they couldn't resist. we planned for ellie to be blest at church the same weekend as graduation. we had a couple bail (you know who you are and so do we), but many still followed through and we were so glad to have them in our home and to share with them this part of our lives.

todd gave ellie her name and a blessing may 17th. for those friends who are not familiar with our church, we believe in being baptized after the age of accountability (8 years old). so babies are not baptized. however, a priesthood holder (todd) gives the baby their name and a blessing. it was such a special opportunity where family and friends participated and showed their support towards our little family. todd gave a beautiful blessing to ellie.

ellie's dress was made by grandma melanson and her blanket was made by grandma karen. both were amazing, ellie looked like a princess. (i will add some photos that show this better later)

todd with ellie and todd's brother blake with his son ike (the first cousin ellie met)

ellie & ike

Graduation

todd graduated from law school may 15th and we are so excited! i am so proud of all that he has worked for. todd is an excellent example of preparation and dedication. he has worked very hard throughout the entire three years. it was a pity that he had to begin bar exam prep classes on the 18th- what a way to celebrate completing his jd!!! this is the only picture that we had on our camera, but when i get some from our parents, i'll add another couple.

i'm told it all began with conversation over the term "hooding."

we will be back

i have every intention on updating the blog: graduation, family visiting omaha, visiting family in utah/california/oregon, summer fun, anniversary, and of course... ellie updates! i no longer have my own laptop (had to give it back to the school when i retired), so i can only work on todd's laptop. that proves to be a bit tricky when he is away studying all day and evening. so, the only times i have ready access to the computer is when i have access to my husband, which i am learning to relish every last second more than ever! i will update, though, i promise!!!

catch up!!!

well, i'm back to work and things are busy, busy, busy! here is my attempt to catch loved ones up in photos....mommy and ellie time! (i actually got a photo of me with ellie).
ellie at the pediatric orthopedic's office, right after getting her harness removed. it took her a little while to move her legs out of the position they had been in for the past 3 weeks.
finally kicking her legs!!
out for a stroll- our favorite pastime. note: pants and socks are part of her wardrobe again;)
happy to be out of her harness.
ellie has taken up cuddling with stuffed animals. here she is with sprinkles.
so, i swore i would never put more than a small bow in my daughter's hair. however, even i could not fight the trend. this past week i learned how to make headbands with a friend.
it's a pity such a cute photo had to have this background. (when i went to take photos, todd insisted i take a couple with the utah utes blanket).
we love this sweater aunt darlene made and expect more in the future- in every color!

2 month check-up

ellie had her 2 month check-up on monday. that means shots- yuck! ellie did beautifully. she barely flinched on the first one, in her left leg. when the second one came along, in her right leg, her eyes got bigger than i've ever seen before and a tear came from her eye. then the last one, also in her right leg, made her cry. but by the time the nurse put the bandages on, ellie had stopped crying, and as i put her back in her carseat, she was cooing and smiling again. thank goodness!!! here are ellie's 2 month stats:
weight: 11 lbs. 7 oz. (75th percentile)
length: 23 1/2 inches (75th percentile)
head circumference: 15 1/2 inches (unsure of percentile)

todd and ellie enjoying some tummy time together:


ellie discovered her thumb a few weeks ago. it is so cute when she sucks on it, plus it buys me a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning! it isn't so cute, however, when she sticks her whole hand in her mouth and gags!!!
i can already hear todd's family cheering with her blanket and my family plotting their revenge!

good morning!

i tried emailing this video to ellie's grandparents, but it was too big. so, watch if you like, but it is over 2 minutes long and isn't required by any means. :)

ellie's new look

when ellie was born, the pediatrician discovered she had hip dysplasia. ellie had an ultrasound and met with a pediatric orthopedic, where it was decided we would wait a month to see if the socket improved. last week we went back for another ultrasound at childrens' hospital then went to the orthopedic again. while ellie's socket had improved from 51/52 degrees to 58/59 degrees (you want 60/61 degrees), the doctor thought it would be best to put her in a brace to help the progression.

so, this is ellie's new look for three weeks. we only take the top of her brace off to change her onsie & give sponge baths (typically babies don't get to wear the onsie underneath, but ellie developed a rash from the harness). ellie has been wonderful about all of it. after the three weeks, we will go in for another ultrasound. if all goes as planned, she will only need to wear the harness at nights for 2-3 months after the initial three weeks.
what is hip dysplasia? it is where the hip socket is shallower than it should be. this causes the hip to be unstable, due to the top of the femur (leg bone) not being properly located in the hip socket or not located where the hip socket is expected to develop. the pediatrician and pediatric orthopedic checked for a popping in her hip. it happens in 4 per 1000 births and is most frequently found in girls who are in breech position (which she wasn't) and are first-borns (which she is). if left untreated, it could result in a shorter leg & limp and premature arthritis & hip pain. we are so grateful it was discovered and is being treated now.