Jaxson's First Swim!

During our fabo trip to Dallas, Jaxson went for his first little swim in my parent's swimming pool!  He LOVED it!

My Daddy made him a little float, and it was the perfect thing for him! 

Floating with Grandpa and Gigi

Floating with Aunt Vallie

He is going to be a water baby for sure, which is perfect, because hubby and I both love the water!

Loving my Gigi!

Mom & Aunt Vallie

Lounging with Aunt Vallie and Gigi

I love our little water bug!

Jaxson - 2 Months!

So, my sweet baby is two months old!  Well, actually he was on July 14, so this is way late...but I want to make sure to document everything!

He is sleeping exculsively in his crib now.  He gives me 4-5 hours of sleep at night, which is wonderful!  I'll totally take it!  He is a great little sleeper.  He just wakes up to eat and then goes right back to sleep.

Dinner with Uncle Mac and Aunt Jenny

I like my bumbo chair!

Here are his stats -
Height - 24 inches - 97%
Weight - 12 lbs - 57%
He is wearing 3 month clothes

He smiles at us all the time.  It warms my heart.  He is becoming more and more fun and alert each and every day.  He is so sweet and innocent - it amazes me.  He loves to stand up in our laps, as long as we hold his little arms and balance him, he is good to go!  He enjoys watching ceiling fans and lights, and the T.V.  We don't sit him in front of the T.V. or anything, but if he is in a room with one, he is just drawn to it!

He is eating about 5oz of breast milk every 2-3 hours.  Breast feeding is going fine, but I pump just as much as I breast feed him.  It works for us.

Babywise is working!  The only thing we are having trouble with is our nap schedule.  If I miss the signs that he is tired (watery eyes, yawns, staring off into space), he gets MAD and really fights taking a nap.  If I catch the signs in time and put him down, he winds himself down and goes to sleep no problem.  I'm working on it :)

Hanging out with Uncle Don

His 2 month check up went really well!  He is perfectly healthy and has gained the perfect amount of weight.  Our dr. said his head is kind of small, but that's okay.  Mine is too; I can never find hats that fit my head!  He got his first round of shots, and my heart broken into a million little pieces.  It was horrible, but quick.  Our nurse was so kind and she gave them to him very quickly.  Our Dr. told us that he was old enough and weighed enough that he didn't need that additional feeding in the middle of the night.  He said that he could go 8 hours without eating, and that his body was just used waking up and eating then, and that is why he does it.  He said that the longer you wait to break them of that feeding the harder it is.  His advice was to let him cry it out for up to 45 minutes (oh my gosh, isn't that FOREVER), walking to the crib to sooth him with your voice, rubbing his back, or giving him a paci, but NOT to pick him up.  He said at this age he will cry himself to sleep (heart breaking...) after 45 minutes, but if we wait until he is bigger, he can cry for hours because he will be so much stronger.  So, we are going to give it a go.  Please wish us luck!

I am doing great.  I'm all healed and feeling so much better.  All the baby weight is gone, but I have some serious work to do.  My body is WAY different!  Getting more sleep has made me a much happier person, and I am starting to get confident as a Mom.  I feel like I know him best and can help him when he is upset.  That feeling was huge for me.  I love him more than I ever thought I could love anything or anyone!

Here are a few more pictures, because I just can't help myself!

Prayer Thursday

Hi Ladies! 

Wow, it's been a long time since I have done Prayer Thursdays on any type of regular basis!  Well, it's time to get back on the wagon!  I'm going to clean these up and start new, so if you have an existing request that I deleted, please let me know and we will put it back on the list.  If you have a new request, please put it in the comments below or feel free to email me - michelle.ann.ellis@gmail.com.  I would love to pray for you!

Could you please pray for our friend Jim?  His Dad has cancer and is currently undergoing treatment.  He is losing weight every day.  Please pray for his healing and his doctors.  Jim is about to move to Hong Kong to be with his family during this difficult time.

Could you please pray for my Grandparents?  They are living home alone right now with the help of nurses.  It is very, very difficult.  Please pray that they will let God guide them in their decisions for their futures and their care.  This is so hard on them and on my parents and it hurts to watch everyone go through this.  PRAISE - My Edaddy is able to drive again, and should be able to walk soon!  I am so proud of him and so thankful to God!

Please pray for my coworker Tanya.  She lost her father last week.  Please pray for her comfort and peace.


Please say a quick prayer for all the women waiting for God to bless them with husbands or babies.

Could you please say a prayer for Jaxson?  This is his first week of daycare and I worry about him so much!  Thank you!

Thank you so very much for all of your prayers!  Please let me know if we can pray for you!

My baby smiles!

I know this is a silly post, but I want to remember when everything happens, and this blog has become such a great diary for our family!

Jaxson is smiling!  The first time he smiled at me, I cried and cried.  It was like all the sleepless nights, worries, miserable breast feeding, painful healing...was WORTH it!  Like, you really do know who I am, you really do love me!  haha!

So, so rewarding!

Separation

So, hubby won a trip to the Bahamas for a reward for his performance at work last year.  Whoo who!  I am so proud of him.  The best part is that I get to go too!  Not for the whole trip, but for the second half when the other spouses get to go.  Originally, we decided that I would go Thursday - Sunday.  I thought three nights away from Jaxson wouldn't be such a big deal.

Well, yesterday, hubby called and said that we had to book our flights RIGHT.NOW.  Apparently he "forgot" to tell me that there was a deadline and it was that day.  Thanks babe.  And then he informed me that he needed me to go Wednesday - Monday because his company wouldn't pay for the other days due to the increase in airfare prices.  6 days, 5 nights away from my 4 month old baby????  I totally lost it.  I mean, lost it.  Tears, tears and more tears.  I just couldn't even entertain the idea of being away from him for that long.  I haven't been away for him for more than a few hours since he was born.  Will he wonder where I went?  What if he gets really upset and no one can sooth him?  Will he think I'm never coming back?  What if he gets sick or scared?

I came up with a great solution - I would fly American Airlines and go through Dallas and meet my parents at the airport to drop off Jaxson.  No good.  The company was only offering to buy AirTran tickets.  They don't have any flights through Dallas, only Atlanta.  My mind was running...Daddy's corporate office is there, maybe he could pick him up...no Michelle, that is not reasonable...I knew that.  Ugh.  After crying for about 2 hours and hugging Jaxson like there was no tomorrow, and that I certainly wouldn't have a tomorrow with him (completely unreasonable, I know), I decided to go to the one person that I knew would help me - my Mom.  She assured me that I was not crazy, that my feelings were completely normal, and that trips like this were important not only to my sanity, but my marriage.  She said she would drive to Houston and keep him for me if I needed her to.  She made me feel much better and assured me that I am a good mother, and that Jaxson will be just fine.  I am so thankful for her.

So, I called Hubby and booked my flight.  Then I held Jaxson through his nap and cried a little more.  I think I'm a crazy person.  I mean, who cries about getting to go to the Bahamas?

To you other Mommies out there, when did you first leave your little ones?  Did you have a hard time with it?  Or am I just unreasonably crazy?

Milestone - First Night in the Crib

I heartbreakingly decided that it was time for Jaxson to spend the night in his crib alone.  I was getting bad about just pulling him out of the bassinet and into the bed with me in the middle of the night.  So, I decided that I needed to break myself of that habit, and that the best way to do that was to have to get up to take care of him during the night.  So, I did it!  Well, he did it.  I don't think he even noticed, he woke up at the same times to eat, and went back down with no problem at all.  I am pretty sure it was harder on me than it was on him - haha!!

Dressed and ready for bed!

Dreaming sweetly.

Jaxson's First July 4th!

Jaxson had a fun filled July 4th weekend!  My parents came in town to spend time with us - my favorite!!  There is nothing like watching my precious parents love this little boy.  He has stolen their hearts for sure.  And, my Mom did the night time feedings, so I was able to sleep for two whole nights!  Praise God!  I still feel better and that was 4 days ago!  She is an angel.

Already the best of buddies

Daddy cooked us some amazing ribs! 

We also went to Jenny & Mac's house.  Jenny is Hubby's sister.  They hosted a wonderful afternoon with amazing burgers and great family time.  It was really nice having both of our families together.

Grandpa & Gigi

Here in Houston, there was a fireworks ban.  I felt really badly for all of the people that make their livings selling fireworks a few times a year.  I understand the band because it is so dry, but it makes me sad.  I'm sure doggies in the Housston area were thrilled - haha!  So, Jaxson didn't have any fireworks on his first July 4th celebration.  Next year :)

Jaxson and Grandpa share an excitement for NASCAR.

Etsy Rave! Custom Aprons

When I find something wonderful, I want to share it with you because I know how much I love finding great things on other blogs.

I got these aprons for hostess gifts for both of my baby showers.  I originally bought them for my girlfriends, and my Mom loved them so much that she suggested that I get them for my Dallas shower that her friends threw with her and my sister.

Look how cute -

Aren't they precious?  I got them from Gretchen at The Pretty Little Pearl on Etsy.  She was such a wonderful person to work with.  She let me choose all my fabrics, ordered them, and monogrammed the aprons for me.  She even gift wrapped each one with adorable tags with each girl's name.  And, she was fast, and oh-so-kind.  I will order from her again and again!  The girls just loved these gifts.  I also think they would be great shower gifts for a new bride with her new last name or monogram on them.  I got my Mom one that says "Gigi" her new grandmother name! 



Prayer Thursday

Hi Ladies! 

Thank you all so much for your prayers this past week!  If we can pray for you, please leave your prayer request in the comments below, or feel free to email me - michelle.ann.ellis@gmail.com

Could you please pray for our friend Jim?  His Dad has cancer and is currently undergoing treatment.  He is losing weight every day.  Please pray for his healing and his doctors.

Could you please pray for Kylie and her husband?  They are looking for guidance while making some big decisions in their lives.  Specifically a house remodel and a new car.  Please pray for God to speak to them and point them in the right direction.

Please pray for Christina.  She is my sweet coworkers cousin.  She is 23 years old and has been diagnosed with hodgins lympona and leukemia.  She is not doing well and her family is having a very hard time coping.  I can't imagine how hopeless and scared she must be feeling right now.  Please pray for her family and her doctors as well during this time.

Please pray for sweet Joanna and her husband, they are waiting for God to bless them with a baby!  They are the most adorable couple I have ever seen, truly!

Please pray for Sarah.  She is in the process of fundraising to bring little Silas home to his forever family!  Please pray that God will provide them the funds that they need to make this possible.

PRAISE for my friend Candice and her husband.  They are getting a baby!!!!!  God is so wonderful and works through us in ways we could have never imagined.  I couldn't be happier for them!  Please pray for the health of their little one - he or she is still cooking!

Could you please pray for my Grandparents?  They are living home alone right now with the help of nurses.  It is very, very difficult.  Please pray that they will let God guide them in their decisions for their futures and their care.  This is so hard on them and on my parents and it hurts to watch everyone go through this.  PRAISE - My Edaddy is able to drive again, and should be able to walk soon!  I am so proud of him and so thankful to God!

Please pray for sweet baby Bennett.  He was born oh-so-tiny, but has been getting bigger and stronger!  And, he's HOME!  You can read his little story here.

We have been praying for sweet Annika for awhile now, at the request of Kasey.  Please say a special prayer for her dear little body, that God will give her the strength to fight this disease.  Annika is 5 years old and was diagnosed with a rare form of acute lympocytic leukemia.  Please pray for her, her family and her doctors.  I can't imagine what her family is going through.  Isn't she beautiful?  Just look at that smile!



Please pray for sweet Sarah.  She is praying and waiting for God to bless her with a true Godly man that could be a wonderful influence to her young son to share their lives with.  Her testimony is so beautiful, I felt inspired just reading it.

Please say a quick prayer for all the women waiting for God to bless them with husbands or babies.

Could you please pray for hubby and I?  We are going through some growing pains in our changing marriage right now and I could use the guidance from God to help me act right :)  Thank you!

Thank you so very much for all of your prayers!  Please let me know if we can pray for you!

Show Us Your Life - Breakfast Recipies!

This weeks Show Us Your Life from Kelly's Korner is breakfast recipes.  I LOVE breakfast!  Everything about it truly!  Here is my super easy casserole recipe that I've made since college.  My Daddy has even made it his own for those early mornings a the ranch during deer season.

Here's what you need -

1lb Bacon (Cooked and crumbled)

1lb Breakfast Sausage (Cooked and crumbled)

2 Cups Shredded Cheese (I use cheddar)

1/2 White or Yellow Onion (Diced)

1 Green Pepper (Diced)

8 Eggs (Whisked, like you were making scrambled eggs)

1 Package of Crescent Rolls

Roll out crescent rolls to make one large sheet of dough in the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

Distribute all ingredients except for the eggs evenly over the dough.

Pour the eggs over the mixture.

Bake at 350, uncovered for 20-30 minutes, or until you can wiggle the pan and the mixture doesn't wiggle.

I love this so much because you can make everything the day before, cover the pan, and leave it in the fridge.  I love to sleep in a little bit, so it's perfect to just be able to wake up, pull the pan out of the fridge, whisk the eggs, pour them in and pop it in the oven. 

If you try it, let me know how it goes!