Dangerous Love

The perfect picture of life with these two right now:

 

Chloe loves that little Ellie so much! 

exhausted

this pretty much sums up how everyone around here is feeling...

 

p.s. baby spit bubbles are adorable!

i love my daddy

Seth has been out of town interviewing for the past 3 days and we are ALL so excited for him to get home tonight!

I am such a lucky girl to have a husband who is so involved in everything going on at home. He is hands-on in every aspect of our home life. He puts the kids to bed and reads them stories and makes them breakfast and plays with them when he is around. He is happy to help me vacuum the stairs or mop the floor or do the dishes (well, maybe not happy, but definitely willing) when I ask. Being on my own with the kids, I miss all those little (and big) things that he does to fill in the gaps. I think he must have been worried that I was going to have a break down while he was gone, because he has been calling to check in with me multiple times a day...or maybe he just missed us. ;)

It sounds like all of the interviews went well and we will likely have offers by next week from all of the clinics. Then we will have to actually make some big decisions, but it sounds like he is excited about whatever clinic we choose. As for me, I am just happy that we get to be together...wherever we end up!

momma-snuggles

While the kids went to church with Seth on Sunday, I stayed home to snuggle with my baby girl. I set the camera up and clicked my remote every so often in hopes that I would capture a picture or two of our new everyday and just how much I love this sweet little girl. And despite the fact that I much prefer to be behind the camera (even on a good day, much less a 4 days post-partum day), I was surprised to find a few images that made my mommy heart smile.

this is as close as I think I will ever get to "bottling" that newborn baby smell

thoughts from a new {again} mommy

Ellie is 5 days old today and I am feeling...

hungry all.the.time
emotional in an i-love-life-so-much-it-overflows-right-out-of-my-tear-ducts kind of way
happy to be able to snuggle kids on my lap again
a little giddy every time I bend over and can still breathe
full of milk...ouch. How do I forget that this will happen every time I have a baby?
so happy to be able to sleep on my stomach again
smitten every time I see that cute little newborn face
the urge to squish baby cheeks all day long
still hungry...are there any more ice cream sandwiches in the freezer?
like I should avoid wearing lipstick for the next 6 months unless I want to keep wiping it off of Ellie's fuzzy little forehead
so thankful for my grown-up little boy...and my mostly grown-up girl...and my silly little girl
worried about surviving when Seth leaves for three days of out-of-state interviews this week
lots and lots of love
not so happy about the still-huge state of my post baby body

so in love with my husband
energized...and yet surprisingly content to sit back and do nothing but feel the expansion and collapse of a little chest on mine
hungry, hungry, hungry...and thirsty
skinny enough that maybe my "post-baby" wardrobe will fit and I can put away the maternity clothes...nope, sure can't...that was depressing

happy that Ellie brought the spring sunshine with her from heaven :)
motivated to capture the little pieces that make up our life right now...teeny diapers...itty bitty fingers...kisses from big sisters...endless requests to "hold baby sissy"...swimming lessons...piles of books on the coffee table...wet swimming suits on the bathroom floor
completely unmotivated to turn on the computer
content that the beauty of family outweighs all that is not good in this world

but mostly, I feel as if our family is just a little more complete. I wondered before she was born, how she would fit in with this little family of ours. Everything was so perfect it seemed...3 buddies...3 unique personalities...lots of independence...lots of helping each other...lots of fun and laughter and silliness...and lots of love. But again, a sweet new little life has filled voids I didn't know existed and multiplied love exponentially. What a beautiful blessing she is!

And right this very second, despite the emotional tears in my eyes from writing the thoughts of my mommy heart, my body and my baby are both letting me know that it is time for a feeding. I think I better grab a string cheese first...

a little Ellie photo-love

Besides the everyday paparazzi happening around here, I haven't done an actual photo shoot yet for little Ellie, but I couldn't resist sharing a few quick photos of her sweetness...

You are welcome Uncle Michael and Sarah! :)

Welcome to the World Ellie

 

Ellie Tate

Born June 1, 2011

4:35 pm 

8 lbs. 15 oz.

20.5 inches long

Each little life that joins our family brings something so sweet and so unique. Each one teaches me new lessons about love and challenges me in new ways. Each time I wonder if I can possibly love another little one as much as I love the ones that are already part of my family, and each time the answer is an overwhelming yes.

As I look at you, sweet Ellie, I see so much of Chloe, a little bit of Morgan and the tiniest bit of Brynn, but I know you will be uniquely you to your very core! I am excited to experience this life with you! To see you grow, to watch your personality emerge and to shower you with love and kisses. What a treat it is as a mother to look on as your Daddy looks at you with those adoring eyes. You have captured his heart already. And as your brother wants to hold you and never ever ever let you go...he is a good brother and you are so lucky to have him. Your sisters love you so much too....they brought you a special blankie and rattle today and they wrapped it around you so snugly and sweetly that it melted my heart! They are going to be your very best friends and you will be so glad you have them! 

Last night, you had a flood of visitors coming to see you! Grandma Becky, Grandma Colleen, Grandpa John, Uncle Stephen, Morgan, Chloe, Brynn, Grandma Denese, Grandpa Tate, Aunt Smelly, Uncle Stinky, Grandpa Mark, Grandma Char, Aunt Allison, Uncle Mike, and Uncle Jonathan. And every few seconds my phone would buzz with messages of love and congratulations from family and friends who were so glad you had arrived. What a fan club you have already!

Welcome to this world Ellie! You have a beautiful life ahead of you, a family who loves you to pieces and a Heavenly Father who loves you enough to send you here to us!

xoxoxo
Mommy