She really is...

...a good baby. Never mind any of the belly-aching that goes on here from time-to-time. I love you Ellie Rose!

-ED

Oh well...

...back to the drawing board. After a couple of nights of sleeping well, Ellie was awake at 1am Sunday morning and 3am Monday morning. Really, it's not that bad; it's just that we've been spoiled by her good sleeping patterns prior to now. Still, we'd really be happy if we could figure this one out.

-ED

What a week

EM can probably tell you better than I can, but for the last week or so Ellie has been waking up anywhere from 1am to 3am. That wouldn't be so bad except she hasn't gone back to sleep without great effort on our (OK, mostly EM's) part. This has not made for a particularly enjoyable week, especially when you consider we've been blessed (spoiled) with a baby that would sleep throughout the night since she was about eight weeks old. Anyhow, Ellie managed to get through all of last night without waking. So now I am hopeful that this "phase" is over with and she'll go back to spoiling us.

-ED

Friends

Yesterday we spent some time with Becky, Jonathan and Payton. Ellie was captivated by her new friend - two years her senior. The food and the company were yummy, and we hope to do it again before too long.

-ED

So cool

So two weeks ago, we began the process of teaching Ellie to self-feed. It's been a slow and unproductive two weeks on that front. We'd feed her a couple of "stars" a couple of times a day, and she'd just play with the rest - pushing and raking them around on her tray, occasionally picking one up and promptly dropping it. Well, that all changed today as not once, not twice, but three separate times she actually picked up a star... held it out at arm's length... sized it up... and then slowly... but surely... put it in her mouth. I clapped and cheered, and she smiled in return. It was so cool! Too bad EM missed it, but I'm sure Ellie will do it again soon enough.

-ED

7M

Coincidence?

Back in September, I had a trying time with Ellie only to be reminded - by cold, harsh reality - that my challenges with the little one were nothing to complain about and, in fact, weren't really challenges at all. Well after last night's "trouble", I am reminded again that we have it good; and, it saddens me to report that Keri Still lost her battle with ALS and now Copeland and Kellyn must struggle on without her. RIP.

-ED