Kisses with Aunt Karen!

Ellie's 3 Month Photoshoot

Ellie's 3 month pictures! OK, so Mommy and Daddy went a little crazy with all the pictures...and this is quite scaled down! :) Ellie was an angel and kept us all smiling and grinning with her!

(* Note: we took these at the studio, but they haven't been Photoshopped yet...wanted to get 'em up online ASAP.)

SQUEALING IN DELIGHT THAT SHE CAN MAKE NEW SOUNDS...

SUCH A LONG 3-MONTH OLD!

ANOTHER SQUEALING MOMENT...

THESE FEET HAVE ALREADY OUTGROWN PLENTY OF SOCKS, AND SHE'S JUST ABOUT IN SIZE 2 SHOES!

SOMEONE IS PRETTY SERIOUS ABOUT HER SPORTS!

DADDY'S MAKING SILLY NOISES - SHE CAN'T HELP BUT LAUGH!

LOTS OF SMILES!!! :)

Nearly 2 Months Old

Fun pictures of Ellie from just the last 2 days...she will be 8 weeks old this week!! Wow.


Looking up at Daddy while he was being silly, in between a yawn and a smile.



Pretty girl, with a pretty smile, in a crib, laughing at the mobile going 'round.



Mommy and Ellie - Mommy is pointing to Ellie's CUTE pink shoes. (By the way, they are size 1 and nearly fit her perfectly!)

For those that looked at previous entries on this blog, I TOLD you that she sleeps with her arms up. This bouncey seat is one of her favorites and she fell asleep in it just tonight with her arms up in the air. :)

Ellie's 1st Photoshoot

Finally! I'm getting some of these posted! We took these on New Year's Day, so Ellie was only 2 weeks old.




So, the first "funny" is that we purchased a medium-sized stocking ahead of time to "stuff" Ellie in to it for a picture. Alas, she didn't fit in to it! Luckily, David had a Santa hat and we used that. :)

The second "funny," and the picture that makes me laugh the most: we also purchased the medium-sized basket to curl her up in for some sweet little pictures. Not only did Ellie turn out to be 2 POUNDS more than what the doctors were estimating, but she was clearly too big for this basket. My favorite part is the feet!

Already, a sweet little smile!

In Mommy's hands...



Holding Daddy's hand...

Cute, "little" feet. Fun fact: Ellie's feet didn't fit the newborn socks we brought to the hospital for her to wear home!

Precious Sleepy Pictures

Who doesn't love looking at little babies sleeping?

This happened first, then "someone" got jealous that Ellie was asleep on Mommy's lap...so he curled up on Daddy's lap and struck a pose! See below. :)

Yup...even a smile on Symba's face!

A normal sleeping position for our silly, lil' one! :)

It started out on Mommy's lap (CLEARLY had just eaten and is cashed out from her big meal!)...

...And "someone" got jealous again and had to make his move. :) Poor child.

Elliana at a Week...or So

A little fun in Ellie's 1st week being home!

In Grandma Cerven's arms...with a cake topper we saved from a family shower to celebrate her arrival...nope, she didn't even get to eat any herself!

On our way to Ellie's first doctor's appointment...she wasn't too happy about it in this picture, but was an absolute angel the whole time we were there. Not one fuss from her, she was alert and happy and didn't mind the doctor poking and checking everything.

Ellie's first bath...but not really. Still had her umbilical cord there, so just a little washing...after the 3rd and most devastating diaper "explosion" of the day! I finally gave up on the wipes and had to wash her little body down.

We had just gotten back from David's studio, taking a quick family pic with the Cervens. Ellie was still in one of her Christmas outfits, so we snagged a pic of the 3 of us.

Elliana Jane is Born!!!

(*Added 2 more pictures that I missed before*)

Our precious daughter has arrived! Elliana "Ellie" Jane Cerven was born at 2:42am on Dec. 16th, weighing in at 8 lbs., 15 oz. and measuring 21 1/2 inches long. I ended up being induced since we missed our due date...so, the Pitocin was a little rough for me. Labor was totally surreal, though...I'm sure all you moms out there can understand how inexplicable the whole thing is: the good, the bad, and the ugly parts! :) Little Ellie is healthy, content, and loves to sleep. She's already smiling and squirming out of her swaddled blankets.

Anyway, I'm sure more to come when we can! It's practically all I can do to finally get a few pics up and think beyond "feed, burp, change diaper, sleep...repeat." :)

Last picture of my tummy as we head to the hospital!!


Last picture as "just us" - off to get our daughter!!


Just minutes after Ellie was born!! Content already... :)


A close up of a precious little face!


Her "leaving-the-hospital" outfit...check out the feet! :)

Our new family leaving the hospital!

A precious little smile already!!