Lucy- 3 Months

We got home from California and I finally had Lucy on a schedule! I realize now that it took me 3 months to get Ellie on a schedule but it seemed faster with Ellie. We spent most of the month of December trying to trouble shoot some nursing issues. Lucy was really struggling, she would latch on and off and was getting really frustrated every time she tried to eat. A few times she just screamed until I gave her a bottle. I did some research and came to my own conclusion that she had a tongue tie. She had all the signs and symptoms: dimple on the tip of her tongue, clicking sound while eating, latching issues, slobbering, etc. I scheduled an appointment with an ear nose throat doctor that was recommended by the pediatrician and the ENT said she wasn't tongue tied. I was at a loss. I saw a lactation consultant and she also believe that Lucy had an oral restriction. So I made an appointment with a board certified lactation specialist. She agreed that Lucy had an oral restriction and the only way to get her back to nursing would be to have a pediatric dentist laser both her tongue frenulum and her upper lip frenulum. I decided against the $400 procedure since she has been taking a bottle fine. So we are done nursing and thats kind of sad for me, I thought we would make it a lot longer. The stress, physical and emotional demand of trying to keep nursing was too much for me though. What's important to me is that my baby is healthy and happy...and she is!

Lucy is smiling lots, reacting to our faces

reaching for toys

loves sucking on her hands

loves watching Ellie and Rosie

wearing 3-6 month clothes (bigger than Ellie was)

I told Jared tonight that our family feels more complete with Lucy in it. It's funny that in just 4 months a little person can make such an impact on all our lives. We love having little Lucy around

Christmas

We spent Christmas Eve at home, just us. I cooked a turkey with most of the fixings, and Naomi's green beans (they're my new favorite!) It was a perfect relaxing evening, we set out cookies for Santa, opened up new pajamas and Ellie went to bed so excited to open her gifts in the morning. 

I think I woke up before Ellie did. As a mom A LOT of planning goes into Christmas. I had been searching Amazon for months looking for the perfect toys, making sure they were going to be played with, choosing things that kept us in our price range, etc. I was so excited to see Ellie's reaction to everything we got for her. She was a lot easier to shop for this year, no surprise this years theme was DINOSAURS. 

Christmas morning was great! Lucy slept in while Ellie, Jared and I opened gifts. We ate a late breakfast, played with toys and watched movies the rest of the day. We decided we better check out the lights in downtown before it was too late so we bundled up and went to the Christmas Village. 

I loved that Christmas was so relaxing this year. Jared has a 4 day weekend for both Christmas and New Years. One of my favorite part about Christmas this year was all the Christmas card we got. I set them up on our mantle and couldn't help but think about how blessed we are to have so many wonderful people in our lives. I have vowed to send out cards next year!

I had noses like this as a kid and loved them. Ellie sure looks funny with them on!

A view master from Grandma and Papa..with a dinosaur reel of course.

A complete dinosaur encyclopedia

Cash register from Grandma and Papa...."lets play BUY" Every time the cash drawer popped out she would say "oh thats started me" (startled)  

Ellie playing with one of her most expensive gift ...this stupid dinosaur egg. She saw one of these in a magazine and has asked for one ever since. I told her to ask Santa for one, which she did. I found one on Amazon and from the picture and for $13 I figured we get a couple of eggs. NOPE. One little egg with a lame dinosaur inside. 

Jared and Ellie...I mean Ellie and Dr. Grant dug out the dinosaur and Jared broke one of the legs off. Hope you liked it Ellie

turkey leftovers, I made stuffing waffles, they were awesome!

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Lucy sleeping under her new toy.

We moved the guest bed and transformed the room into a play room. We are loving it!

December

After almost a month away from home I was excited to get home and decorate for Christmas. We didn't waste anytime going to get a Christmas tree. We found the perfect tree this year, and realized that our tree last year was WAY to big. This year the tree was slender and perfect. We got two new dinosaur ornaments to hang on the tree and Ellie was SO excited to help me decorate this year. 

December is always busy no matter how hard I try to simplify the holidays. Naomi hosted the family Christmas party at her house and it was perfect. Delicious food and great company. There was even a moment when ALL the adults were sitting down eating at the SAME TIME. Is that some sort of Christmas miracle. Ellie got Dinosaur slipper from cousin Jade and her dreams became reality. She saw the slippers and her eyes became really intense, she couldn't get the slipper on fast enough. She was in dino mode. A few nerf guns were giving as gifts and so of course a war broke out. It was a great night and a perfect way to start off the Christmas season. 

We put some of Ellie's dinosaurs out at night, make them look like the came to life. She did not by it at all! 

"NO, there just toys mom!"

Ellie and her friend Cruz. We got to see our good friends the Clay's while there were visiting up in Salt Lake. 

Ellie"s first time out in the snow didn't go so well. She slipped and fell on her behind, she was not a happy girl, so I did what any normal parent does.....I took a picture. We haven't gone sledding once this year, I think we might just skip this year all together. Trying to take Ellie and pack Lucy up is just too much for me to think about. We did build a snowman in the front yard. Not so much we as me, Ellie sat and ate snow the whole time. 

I have a new hobby. WATERCOLORS! I am loving it. I tried my hand at it when I was home in November and I'm having a lot of fun with it. I've painted the Sacramento Temple, Mesa Temple, Oakland Temple, and friends house and Arches national park. I have a lot of ideas and might get enough finished to sell some at the farmers market this summer.

The picture below is my life all day everyday.

The Sunday before Christmas snuck up no me. I had thought this might be the year I buy Ellie a fancy Christmas dress, maybe even get the girls matching outfits. NOPE. They still looked adorable and this picture of the two of them melted my heart! 

Ellie pretending she is a velociraptor in the opening scene of Jurassic Park. The dinosaur obsession continues.

Ellie helped me wrap Jared's Christmas presents. 

Family dinner before Ellie spilled her entire cup of juice on herself and the floor.