Beckett's 16 & 18 month updates :)

18 Months

Age: 18 Months!

Stats: ALMOST 22 lbs ;)  

Clothes: 12-18 months and a few 18-24 

Favorite Foods: Meatballs, banana's, and you've become as obsessed with waffles as I am!  Smart boy :) 

Favorite Words: Hello, Dada, Lola, Ellia (which sounds like Elyah lol)  You will say other words, but only on your time, you refuse to repeat something after you've said it, stubborn much?  Oh yeah, and you still will only yell mom or mama over the baby monitor, NEVER to my face, it's making me crazy! 

Favorite Activities: Building with blocks, vrooming your cars around, reading, organizing mommy and daddy's bath products in the shower, organizing the water bottle cabinet, chasing the dogs, and playing in your play room :)  Daddy installed a video camera in the playroom, so now you can play in there all by yourself while I feed Ellia.  You absolutely love the independence & I love the peace and quiet during feeding time ;)

Least Favorite Activities: Having your diaper changed... You throw a fit 9/10 diaper changes.  You're far too busy... ain't nobody got time for that ;)

Favorite Things: Your blocks, car toys, Cars the movie (you bring the case to me asking to watch it at least once a day), dance parties with Daddy in the bathroom, bath time, your teepee, & giving kisses (which is one of my favorite things)

Signature Moves: You like answering other peoples phones, you've answered grammies a few times and had some lengthy conversations with her friends haha

You love to give hugs and kisses!

You have some of the cutest dance moves I've ever seen.  You can't help but bust a move if there's music on!

You're still obsessed with your paci clip... Something about it is so comforting to you :) 

Mom's 'Proudest' Moment: I seem to be forgetting diaper bag essentials on just about every outing we make... Whether it be forgetting your sippy, paci, diapers or wipes, there always seems to be something missing!  Let's blame it on pregnancy brain ;) 

Dad's 'Proudest' Moment: Daddy showed you feeding the dogs...  Now we have to kennel them during dinner time, otherwise, you take it upon yourself to feed them a second dinner!

Other Milestones: You learned how to climb up to the window sill in the family room... We have Lola to thank for that!

16 Months
Little Beckett Bean you are the light of my life.  Your sweet little giggle and your precious little grin are just a few of the things that make me smile from day to day :)  I can't help but take a few minutes every night before you go to bed to just hold you.  The last few nights you've let me rock you just like how I did when you were itty bitty and words can't describe what it means to me.

The highlight of your day, every day, is when daddy get home.  You cannot wait to wrap your little arms around his neck :)  It is, in fact the sweetest thing I have ever witnessed!  Lately, you and daddy work on learning your letters for about 30 minutes a night and I truly think it is your favorite part of the day!

You're so independent for a little guy, you want to do EVERYTHING on your own.  It's made for a few power struggles, but nothing we're not able to work through :)

You also love your animals!  The dogs never fail to put a smile on your face and I can't help but laugh when you laugh at their silly behavior!  I love seeing that our dogs bring as much joy to you as they do to me :)  You are also a huge fan of Grandma Jojo's kitty.  You just love to snuggle up and rub your face in her fur :)

Beckett bean, in just 2 short months you're going to be a big brother!  And we just know that sweet baby Ellia has the best brother out there :)  We love you baby boy!

Age: 16 Months!

Stats: 21ish lbs  You're a little guy :)

Clothes: 12-18 months

Favorite Foods: FRUIT.  BANANA, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are you all tim favs.  You also love waffles, just like your mama and never turn down a bowl of cherrios with yogurt.  You also like green beans, sweet potatoes, any kind of meat and when you're teething you can't get enough popsicles!  They're your favorite :) 

Favorite Words: Hello takes the cake!  You say 'heh-woh' about a million times a day :)  That and 'bubble'... I'm not sure how that became a favorite, but if you're speaking, chances are you saying Heh-woh or bubble, which really sounds more like babble ;)

Favorite Activities: Climbing EVERYTHING.   Throwing stuff, chasing the dogs around in circles, talking on the phone (and you use just about everything you own as a phone... from a book to a block) 

Least Favorite Activities: We have established the word 'NO' and you hate to hear it.  It sends you into a toddler sized tantrum, which is far from enjoyable.  One morning you decided you didn't want your socks and shoes on, so you screamed for 25 minutes straight.  I'm fairly certain you forgot why you were mad and ended up crying just because you knew you were mad about something.  Hoping these incidents become less frequent!  We know our reactions to these outbursts will shape your future behavior, so we are doing our best to keep our calm :)  

Favorite Things: Tiger, your A&A Dream blankie, any car toys, building blocks, popsicles, throwing food to the dogs when you think we aren't looking, your swing, answering the phone, and ripping all of your clothes out of their drawers.

Signature Moves: 

Everything is a phone to you!  You name it, remotes, blocks, the baby moniter... if it slightly resembles a phone, you pick it up and ever so sweetly ask, "heh-woh??" And the few times you've actually gotten your hands on a phone you have managed to call Grammy Sally... We're still not sure how you figured that out!

You will refuse the paci if it's given to you without it's ribbon clip because you HAVE to tuck the ribbon in between your nose and paci and rub it.  It's adorable :)  You also love your Tiger and Blanket for bedtime.

When you get mad, you walk or scoot backwards and it is the funniest and cutest thing ever!  

Mom's 'Proudest' Moment: I gave you sweet potatoes one night without realizing they had gone bad.  You got so sick and I felt like the worst person in the world!  You got even with me by vomiting all over me right after I had gotten out of the shower.  

Dad's 'Proudest' Moment: Daddy taught you how to climb out of your pack & play... He was very proud, until he realized we won't be able to use it as a short term babysitter anymore!

Ellia is One Month Old!

 Sweet little Ellie Bellie, how can you possibly already be a month old??  You have fit so perfectly into our lives and there are no words to describe how much we love you :)

Weight: We see the doctor Wed. so we'll know then, but I'm guessing our sweet girl is finally back up to her birth weight and maybe even closing in on 6 lbs :)

Height: Will update after dr appointment

Clothing size: Premie shirts and leggings, but you've gotten too long for your premie sleep & plays, so you've moved up to the NB size, even though they're pretty baggy...  There's a few nb outfits (mostly Baby Gap) that look HUGE.  I imagine you'll be in the NB size for quite some time.

Diaper size: Newborn

Cutie Pa Tootie :)

Feeding: Breast milk.  Breast feeding has gone completely differently this time!  Unlike Beckett, Ellia immediately latched on and we haven't had any problems.  I will try to write a post on our breast feeding experiences in the near future, but right now all I can say is heat compressions have been a saving grace!

Milestones:  Sleeping through the night!  Because of your size, our pediatrician wants us waking you every 4 hours at night to make sure you're getting adequate nutrition, but there have been a few nights I've been so exhausted I've forgotten to set an alarm and you slept 6-8 hours.  Talk about amazing!  & let it be known, you don't appreciate being woken for your nightly feedings.  Most nights it takes a good 20 minutes for me to wake you up enough to eat.  Hoping we get the okay to let you sleep through the night at our next appointment!  

You are also holding your head up like a champ!  Even at our appointment 2 weeks ago our pediatrician commented on your strength.  

You are so alert!  You love looking around and I love watching your surprised & curious expressions :) 

For a baby that was classified as a premie, you sure are making big strides!

Loves: You are such a little snuggle bug!  As long as you're being held, you're a happy camper :) You love being carried in the KTan, being swaddled up tighter than a burrito & I just know you're going to love all the hugs and kisses you get from your big brother :) 

Dislikes: You aren't particularly thrilled about not being held.  Generally, as long as you're in someones arms all nice & cozy, you're a happy camper :)  You also don't like the paci... You would much rather use me in place of it lol although, that's not a habit I'm okay with you developing!

Adventures: You went to meet Santa, went Black Friday shopping & helped me make some sales at a craft show!  For a one month old, you've ventured out quite a bit!

Mommy and Daddy could not get through the month without: Your grandparents! :)  They've all been so helpful through this first month!  & a shout out to my mom, who's helped me with laundry, washed more dishes than I care to share, and helped keep Beckett entertained on days that I feel like I need a break.  We're so fortunate to have your grandparents in such close proximity to us :) 

those forehead wrinkles, swoon! 

Ellia's Birth Story

Ellia's birth story begins early on the night of November 16th.

Our doctor had spoke about inducing the 16th, but since it was the day of my sister in laws bat mitzvah so we asked if we could hold off on the induction a day or two, so long as it didn't pose as a danger to the baby.  Since Ellia was no longer brain sparing & our no stress test/ultra sound went well Friday the 15th, they scheduled us to come in the evening of November 17th.

Saturday was spent running last minute errands, doing last minute laundry, and getting ready for our newest little addition!  That evening, while getting ready for Lexie's Bat Mitzvah, I started having some pain down my legs, especially in my thighs.  I didn't think much of it, I had body aches the entire pregnancy, but this time it was seemingly more painful than previous aches I'd had.

As the night progressed, the pain in my legs became more and more unbearable.  I couldn't stand for longer than a 30 second period without feeling the need to burst into tears.  I told Michael I was having some pain, so we decided to leave around 10:30.  I cried the whole way home and for the following hour.  The pain in my legs not only worsened, but also I began to have severe pelvic pressure and became pretty sick (I also got really sick right before I went into labor with Beckett).
Though I wasn't having contractions, we decided it was time to call our doctor.  The on call nurse felt it was necessary we go in to be checked.

Michael grabbed our half packed bag, I packed a little bag for Beckett and we piled into the car.  My in laws are on the way to hospital so we dropped B off there on our way.

Of course, as soon as we got the hospital, most of the severe pain I was having had subsided, though I was stilling experiencing extreme pressure in my pelvis.  Honestly, I figured they were going to check us out, tell me I was fine and send us home (which was fine with me, because I hadn't packed half the things I wanted in our hospital bag lol ;))

Once we were settled in our room, they hooked me up to the contraction machine just to inform us what we already knew, I was not having contractions.  The nurse said she figured there was no need for us to stay, but would call our doctor and see what she wanted to do from there.  This was when I insisted on a pelvic exam, the amount of pressure I was having couldn't have been normal.  The nurse immediately validated that E was extremely low, I was 80% effaced and 4 cm dilated.  A big change from my appointment I had the previous day.  Our doctor confirmed that it was best we stay and that if contractions hadn't begun by the following morning, they would induce by using pitocin.

What followed was possibly the worst nights sleep I've ever gotten.  We got to the hospital at 1am, confirmed we needed to stay at 3am and following that we were consulting with nurses about paper work and what not every 30 minutes or so.  I'm pretty sure I got about 45 minutes of uninterrupted sleep.

At 7am I still had yet to experience a contraction.  So our nurse started the pitocin drip.  She told us contractions would likely begin quickly, but that she would continue to increase the dosage every 30 minutes until they began.  1 hour went by, no contractions, 2 hours went by, still no contractions, and then 4 hours went by with, you guessed it, no contractions.  So the doctor broke my water in an effort to get things going.

My husband and I had discussed the epidural ahead of time and during the 4 hours we waited for the first contraction to pop up.  Since the labor process seemed like it was going to be a lengthy one, I wanted to hold off on getting the epidural until I was at least 6 cm dilated.  (and my husband was 100% on board because he didnt want to miss the bronco's game haha)

The time between my first contraction and hitting 6 cm was small, much smaller than expected.  And contractions began to get more and more intense more and more quickly.

Right around the time things started getting uncomfortable.

Is it terrible that I just want to smack that smile right off his face??  

Haha just kidding... but seriously. 

When the anithesiologist started the epidural I was 7 cm dilated, when he finished I was 9 1/2 and our doctor announced that it was time to start pushing.

This is when I lost it.  I yelled for the anithesiologist to up my epidural & he explained that epidurals aren't an on/off switch, they're really more of a dimmer & it was going to take time to kick in.  Then a doctor I don't know walked into the room ready to deliver E in case our doctor didn't make it in time.  Like I said, I lost it and begun spewing profanities at every person in the room.  There was NO way I was going to start pushing.

I've gone back & forth about sharing this, but in the end I'd like to have some of these memories documented.  I was so upset with Michael I actually made the statement: "I'm going to kick you in the balls so hard, you'll never be able to find them!"

What can I say... labor really brings out the best in me?

I also insisted someone bring me waffles throughout the labor process & let it be known, I was in fact promised waffles, but after E was born the nurse informed me I couldn't have them because they stopped making them at 10 am.  Rude.

The next half hour or so was spent pushing & I honestly don't remember very much of it.  I do remember how supportive and amazing Michael was :) he kept reassuring me we were almost there and helped me keep going when I felt like I couldn't.

"She's here!  You did it babe!"

Hearing E's first cry was certainly unforgettable :)  They skipped her measurements and immediately set her on me.  Seeing her, hearing her cry, & knowing she was okay took such a weight off our shoulders.

(I know I shouldn't laugh, 

but E's face kills me here haha 

she looks so displeased! 

It's totally a "put me back where I came from" kind of face ;))

Ellia Elizabeth Alpert was born November 17th at 12:16pm 

She was 5 lbs and 5 ounces

The next hour of snuggling our sweet baby girl was pure bliss :)  Our families came to meet her, Beckett met her (although, he was much more interested in pressing buttons on medical machines haha) and wouldn't you have it, my epidural was finally in full force!  So for the next 4 hours while I was 100% immobile we snuggled our sweet girl, introduced her to Beckett and our families, and geared up for the Bronco's game, of course :)

Thumbs up from big brother!

Watching the game :)

Those 2 days in the hospital were just as amazing as I remember them being with Beckett.  Not a worry in the world besides loving on our sweet newborn.

Melt my heart!

Words cannot describe how grateful we are to have two beautiful, healthy babies.  Before Ellia was born it was so hard to know what to expect.  How would Beckett handle having a sibling?  How would we handle parenting 2 under 2?  Truth is, we still don't know what to expect.  We have a lot to learn, but our hearts are full and we can't wait for the adventure ahead :)

I've had a lot of inquiries asking how Beckett is handling our newest little addition.  Truth is, he has blown us away.  That doesn't mean we haven't had our moments, it just means he's handled it much better than we (I) expected him to.  He gives Ellia kisses, calls her 'El-Yah' and loves to hold her hand, it's so so sweet!  He's even got the sharing thing down.  You can imagine how thrilled I was to see him shoving his sippy cup in her face so she could have a drink ;)  He has filled the role of being a big brother perfectly & we couldn't be more proud.

Also, before I go I think it's important to give a shout out to my amazing husband.  He has truly just blown me away over the month.  From the second we stepped into the delivery room to this moment now, he has done nothing but cater to my every beck & call.  Vacuuming, dishes, laundry, diaper changes, grocery shopping, you name it, he's been on top of it.  He's made sure to take complete care of our dogs which currently includes acting as their body guard on morning and evening potty break because of the pack of coyotes that's moved in behind our house.  Thank you, hubalicious, for making my job a little easier while our family transitions from 3 to  4 :) (or a family of 7 to a family of 8, if you count the dogs ;))