Ella is Eighteen Months Old

Our Curious Observer

Weighs: 18lbs 10.5oz 

Measures: 29.5 inches

Our friends and family who spend time around Ella always comment on her curiosity and her intense observations. By nature, babies are curious. They are after all figuring out a big world, but we have noticed Ella is extremely persistent in her discoveries. Long gone are the days of putting things out of reach or hiding them behind a pillow. Ella will go to any length to achieve a task she has set for herself. Her current stage of development is filled with daily moments of awe both for Ella and for us. 

Ella has adjusted to her glasses and is always looking around to check things out. Sometimes she remains reserved while she takes it all in and other times she chatters away. We are starting to hear more and more language. Although most of it remains a mystery we recognize mama, dada, Ella, Gerald, and da (that), and a version of outside on a daily basis. Distinct words will come with time. She has started to point at things that she wants, motioning repeatedly until we have found the correct object. When she is not pointing, she holds her hand up with fingers spread out and uses a high-pitched chatter to get our attention. In addition to her sweet chatter, we love her giggle. Her Pops always says that when she smiles, she uses her whole face. It is true. Her smiles and giggles are contagious. 

Ella is officially a walker! She started taking steps in mid-August and can now cruise around. When she gets excited she will drop down to bear crawl or crawl on her knees to get to a location more quickly. 

Our little foodie eats most anything we give her. She loves guacamole, Greek yogurt, oranges, eggs, chicken, meatballs, broccoli, graham crackers, raspberries, bananas, pancakes, and sweet potato fries. This month we introduced the fork and she is working hard to use it all by herself. She has finally figured out how to hold her bottle all by herself, but prefers we continue to do it for her. If you give her a cup of water with a straw, she is all about being independent.

Baby dolls have entered Ella's world. She loves to play with my old Cabbage Patch Dolls at Grandma's house. Sometimes she is super sweet and giving the babies kisses and other times she is tossing them around. We got her a baby doll for the lake that is the perfect size for her. The doll is 10 inches long. When she plays with that specific doll, I always think about the fact that at birth Ella was not much longer. Holding that baby doll reminds me of the skin-to-skin time I had with Ella in the NICU. I remember the first time I held her and being so unsure of her positioning with all of her tubing and lead lines. The palm of my hand covered her entire back. She may be small for her age, but to me she is a giant. She fills up my arms when I rock her at night.

Stacking cups continue to be a toy favorite. Ella loves knocking down a tower of cups Ross stacks for her. She has started to stack them on her own and can put them all together in order to put them away. 

Ella has finally made an appearance on the growth charts! She is in the 5th percentile for length. The extra inch has expanded her world height wise. She is constantly testing new surfaces seeing if she can climb on top of them. This month she mastered the ottoman at Grandma and Grandpa's house. I am sure the couch will be next. She also mastered climbing up the play side on her activity set, all by herself! When she did it for the first time my feelings were a combination of pride and oh no what is she going to get into now.

Outside time is a daily must for Ella. She particularly likes to spend time in our driveway exploring acorns. She has stopped eating chalk (for the most part) and will now color with it. Last week, it rained all day and Ella spent a good part of the day watching out the back door motioning that she wanted to be outside. We spent a lot of time this summer swimming and we are sad to see our pool time end. Here's to bathtub playtime until summer returns!

Here are some fun firsts from this month:

-Trip to the zoo with Cousin Emily

-Story time at the library with Grandma

-First official school book fair! Ella picked out her own book!

-Riding on the four wheeler with mama and daddy at Pop's house

-Swinging at the park

-Wore her first pair of Nike shorts! 

We are looking forward to the cooler temperatures and time outside with Ella, but we are not looking forward to going back into semi-isolation. Ella does not qualify for the RSV shot this year. We will need to take precautions to make sure we keep her as healthy as possible throughout the fall and winter seasons. It will be a big shift from our summer filled with adventures. Some will say we are being too overprotective or too cautious, but our mindfulness of exposure to germs will help keep Ella healthy and out of the hospital.

As always, we want to thank our village surrounding us and supporting us on our journey of parenthood. We are where we are today because of your love and support.  

Sixteen Months Old

Ella weighs: around 17 pounds

Ella measures: 28.5 inches 

Don't worry, she didn't shrink. Her feisty personality at the doctor's office has caused a few of our previous measurements to be a bit inaccurate.

Milestones this month:

- drinking from a straw! 

- strong standing

- walking with her walker
- saying Da-da! 

Ella loves: 

- taking things out and putting them in

- anything paper like

- exploring in the kitchen

- trying to get Mommy and Daddy's food

- playing chase 

- knocking down any tower Daddy creates 

- the splash pad and the pool

- reading 

Favorite foods:

- Ritz crackers

- greek yogurt

- watermelon 

- rice and black beans

- peaches

Health and Doctors: 

Ella is the proud owner of two new top teeth. We figured her middle top teeth would come after her bottom middle teeth, but it turns out her lateral incisors or cuspids (we can't tell which they are yet) wanted to come in first. Recently she started to sprout another tooth on bottom, which brings the total count to five teeth. 

Ella had tubes placed in her ears last week. She has had fluid sitting in her ears since her ear infection in April and we decided to go ahead and be proactive to resolve the issue. When we arrived at the front desk, the staff handed her a stuffed animal panda. Instantly a smile spread across her face. The procedure was quick, but waking up from the anesthesia was tough. Once we got her home she settled in for a long nap and woke up acting more like herself.

At our visit to the eye doctor, it was confirmed that Ella's nearsightedness had worsened. We got Ella fitted for her first pair of glasses. She was less than thrilled to have pair after pair of frames placed on her face, but we powered through. Most of the frames and straps were too big for her petite head, but we found a pair that will work. We have been working on getting her used to them a little bit at a time. Her current record for keeping them on before yanking them down is thirty minutes. 

What we have been up to: 

On July 1st, we celebrated 365 days of having Ella home. On July 1st, 2016 our 24 weeker became a NICU graduate. I remember the day as if it were yesterday. After hours of preparations at the hospital, we wheeled our little girl out in her red wagon and loaded her into our car. The eight mile car ride home seemed to last forever. The air was filled with a mix of emotions. Joy, fear, love. We were entering unknown territory. We were entrusted to take our then 5 pound 7 oz baby home. It didn't seem real. And then we pulled into our driveway. For the first time, 98 days post-delivery, we entered our home ALL together.    

This year we celebrated Ella's coming home day by visiting her NICU nurses and her neonatologist. A few of those women were there for her as she took her very first breath of life. They encouraged her from the beginning and reminded her that she had to fight. The others were by her bedside weekly and treated her as if she was their own. A year later they still keep in touch and celebrate each of Ella's milestones with us. NICU doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists are an incredible group of people. All of the Saint Francis NICU staff will always have a special place in our hearts. 

We celebrated Fourth of July weekend with family and friends. Ella attended her first Annual Trease Fireworks show, minus the fireworks. She got to taste her first ever bite of macaroni and cheese. She made it until the sun started to set and then bedtime became necessary. We spent the rest of the weekend at the lake where she played her little heart out with her cousins. We have seen a big shift in Ella's separation anxiety. She seems more content around others and is even willing to be held briefly by friends and family. It has been a win-win for all involved. Last week Ella and I took our first mommy-daughter road trip across state lines. We drove to Fayetteville to visit Aunt Jessa and spent the day exploring a new place and lounging by the pool. Ella even spent some time playing the piano. Ella could spend every day at the pool and be content. She is quite brave and wants to swim like the big kids. Swimming lessons will be a must next summer. 

Ella has been working on eating more and more table foods. Her current favorites are Ritz crackers and watermelon. She may be tiny, but she loves food! Anytime we fix something for ourselves she stares us down, willing for us to give her a taste. 

Ella has become even more mobile this month. She can crawl out of sight in the blink of an eye. I always tease that she could champion at long distance crawling. There is not one bit of square footage that she has yet to discover. She has realized that she too has the power to open a variety of cabinets and doors. Her favorite place to explore is my closet. It won't be too much longer before our little girl is independently cruising on her feet. Right now, she uses her walker and strolls along beaming with pride. She giggles as she goes because she is so proud of herself. We are enjoying every bit of this stage and we can't wait to see what happens next month. 

As always, we want to thank our village surrounding us and encouraging us as we continue on our journey of parenthood. We would not be where we are today without you. 

Fifteen Months Old

Ella weighs: 16lbs 10.5oz

Ella measures: 29 inches

Milestones this month:

-crawling up the stairs (all of them)

-crawling on/up anything really

-standing/balancing all by herself for moments of time

-sidesteps holding onto furniture

-feeds herself using a spoon

-using baby sign language for "more"

-beginning to eat more solid pieces of food 

Ella loves: 

-playing peek-a-boo with blankets

-books
-reaching the keys on grandma's piano

-pulling open pens

-the outdoors

-exploring anything she can get her hands on

-smiling when she gets a hold of something
 she isn't supposed to have

-people watching

-playing in the water

-pulling any folded laundry down from the couch

-chasing Mom

-Gerald, yes still

Favorite foods:

-greek yogurt

-potatoes 

-cauliflower and zucchini

-avocado

-banana

-blueberry applesauce 

Health and Doctors: 

It is officially known at all of the doctors' offices that our precious baby does not like being anywhere near a medical office. We are those people. The ones with the child screaming because she is being placed on the scale to be weighed. I don't blame her one bit after her season of shots. Her doctors deserve a shout out for being AMAZING! 

EThis month Ella was cleared from her pulmonologist (lung doctor). Since being taken off of oxygen in September she has not needed any interventions. During her NICU stay, her lungs were constantly referred to as, "wet tissue paper," so to hear that they are rebuilding their strength was music to my ears. Not to mention that this means one less doctor's office on the rotation.

Days later we visited the cardiologist. After an entertaining ultrasound, due to Ella's endless protest against it, we received more great news. Her pulmonary stenosis is continuing to grow with her at a normal rate. We will return in 9-12 months. If you are in need of a cardiologist, Dr. Kliewer is fantastic. She calmed both Ella and myself down after that ultrasound experience. We were all laughing by the end of the appointment. I am grateful for her understanding and calming presence. 

Ella is still rocking those two bottom teeth! They are much taller now and the cutest bottom teeth I have ever seen. 

What we have been up to: 

Now that we have cleared what is deemed as sick season, we have been out and about all around town. First up on our summer to-do list was Ella's first lake trip.  Grand Lake is the backdrop for some of my most favorite memories. As a little girl, I spent my summers there fishing, tubing, exploring, watching Fourth of July fireworks. As an older girl, I was proposed to there by the love of my life. I was excited to share such a special place with her. She was apprehensive at first, but turned out to be the cutest lake baby ever! I mean it really was not an option for her to not like the lake... but I love that it was her choice. 

Ella is content when she is playing in any kind of water environment. Splash pad, bath, small pool, big pool, lake she loves them all. When we approach any of them her eyes life up and a smile spreads across her face. At the splash pad, she stares as the big buckets of water fill up and drop down from above. She giggles as the water splashes down and goes across her toes. She has spent a lot of time in her baby pool outside and visited two different big pools. When she is in the water she kicks her legs constantly. We definitely have a little fishy on our hands! 

At 14 months old, Ella experienced her first trip to the grocery store with me. Thank goodness for Tulas! She loved it and it was one more thing on the list of things making me feel a bit more normal in the parenting department. Since then, she has been on multiple trips to the grocery store. And... wait for it... Ella has taken her first trip to Target! Doesn't get more normal in the mom life department than a trip to Target, right? 

Another big first for all of us this month was our first weekend away from Ella. Yes, you heard that right, our FIRST weekend away. Thank goodness for Ross's cousin having a wedding out of town because we needed a little push to get away and have some time to ourselves. Ella stayed with my parents and reminded them of what it was like sleeping with a baby in the house. Let's just say Ella is lucky she is so loved by them. They adore her. I adore them because they are my parents, but also because they constantly are helping us out. 

Ella is becoming much more social as we spend more time around other children. She has started to interact more with her cousins when they are around. When we have visited friends with babies she immediately crawls over to them and wants to see what they are all about. Or at least to see what kind of paci they are in possession of. She believes any Wubbanub in sight belongs to her. 

Ella is quickly becoming a book worm. We are participating in the summer reading program with the library and reading as many books as we can get our hands on. She has come a long way from barely being able to sit through Goodnight Moon. One of her current favorites is Madeline. 

As always, we want to thank our village surrounding us and encouraging us as we continue on our journey of parenthood. We would not be where we are today without you. 

Thirteen Months Old

Ella weighs: 16lbs 6oz

Ella measures: 27.5 inches 

Milestones this month:

-said, "ba-ba-ba"

-putting herself in sitting position and swiveling her legs around

-getting herself down from standing position without crashing

-repeats sounds we mimic that she has made

-feeding herself yogurt bites

Ella loves: 

-feeding herself yogurt melts

-people watching

-plastic Easter eggs

-her paci Gerald

-drinking water from cups

-pulling herself up on new objects 

-giggling

Health and Doctors: 
Ella has two teeth! Days after my last post, her two bottom teeth emerged. They are pretty cute! Her paci giraffe, Gerald, has made a comeback. Now that she has teeth, she can actually keep the paci in her mouth. She will drag that poor giraffe anywhere and everywhere. 

Our one year-old check up at the pediatrician's office went a little differently than expected. When we arrived, Ella had a slight temperature, which I had attributed to the teething, turns out it was an ear infection. Mom of the year right here. I am proud to say we went 9 months out of the NICU and through sick season before we required our first antibiotic. The infection cleared up pretty quickly. We went last week and she received her 12-months shots. This was her first round of live vaccines. As soon as Ella saw the nurse, she burst into hysterical tears, jutting her bottom lip out as far as she could. She is traumatized from months of Synagis shots. I don't know how those nurses do it. 

When we visited the developmental pediatrician, Ella was right in the middle of her ear infection and still not quite herself, but the doctor was able to complete the exam. She was pleased with the results. We will not need to see her again until after Ella's second birthday. 

We returned to the eye doctor this month. The exam revealed that Ella's nearsightedness will require her to be fitted for glasses when we visit again in July. Overall, the laser surgery has done the job it was supposed too. All of her laser scars still look great. The laser scars will limit some of her side vision, but she does have strong central vision. The doctor reminded us that her eyes are extremely fragile. She should avoid high-impact sports when she is older. 

What we have been up to: 

Ella becomes braver and braver with each new day. She tries her best to climb up anything she can get her hands on. She has a new game we call trust fall, where she is standing holding onto something and then turns around to see who is around and lets go. She has started to balance for a few seconds on both feet without holding onto anything. 

Her curiosity continues to evolve. She can find things that are hidden and intensely studies new objects placed in her surroundings. We were recently at a friend's house. Ella was watching their dogs as they walked around her. Without hesitation she reached out to pet them. 

We spent Easter weekend with family. Ella loved the plastic eggs. She could not get enough of them! The last weekend of her twelfth month was a busy one. Ella participated in her first March of Dimes walk. The cold weather caused much of the event to take place inside, but it was still wonderful! Her nurses, our family, and our friends joined us to celebrate Ella and all babies. She wore a onesie with the words: one pound miracle. I loved watching her take it all in. We baptized her the following day. Life is starting to feel much more normal around here. I finish up school this month and can't wait to spend my summer exploring with Ella. 

Ella turns ONE!

Ella weighs: 15lbs 4oz

Ella measures: almost 26 inches (will update after next appointment) 

Milestones this month:

-turning one! 

-pulling herself up to standing position

-standing while holding onto something

-reaching down from standing position to grab objects

-stranger anxiety...

Ella loves: 

-blowing spit bubbles! 

-splashing in the bathtub -guacamole

-banging objects together or banging them on the floor

-crawling ALL over the couch, her new trick is climbing on top of the pillows

-remotes, she now has her own, Ella sized

-exploring Cabela's magazines with Daddy

-stroller rides
-pulling herself up onto new objects

-playing "high-five!" with grandpa

-exploring new surfaces and textures

Health and Doctors: 
This past month was pretty quiet on the doctor visit front. Ella received her 5th and final synagis shot for this year. I am thankful she qualified for it, but also glad that the shots are over for the time being. 

Next week, we will visit the developmental pediatrician and our regular pediatrician for Ella's one-year checkups. 

We are still waiting for those teethers... she is showing all of the signs, minus the actual teeth popping up... maybe next month. 

What we have been up to: 

Chasing Ella around is our new favorite pastime. She enjoys the thrill of the chase and we are suckers for a cute baby. Ella recently discovered that she has more house than she thought she did. She has traveled from her room to the living room, roamed the kitchen, and made her way towards our master bath, drawn by the rushing sound of water running in the tub. The same sequence has occurred at Grandpa and Grandma's house where she spends her days while Mommy and Daddy are working. 

The couch is Ella's official "rock wall". I am seriously considering finding a way to build her an actual one in the future. One of her favorite things to do is race to the top of the couch, clamoring over pillows and blankets, all because I say, "I'm gonna get you..." The best part of this game is the shriek of laughter that she lets out. While she is turned with her back towards me, I state her name stretching out the LA at the end, she turns back to look at me and giggles some more. I do not see either of us tiring of this game in the future, unless she actually figures out how to get to the top, which is possible. 

Ella has finally started to love avocados! More specifically guacamole. She enjoys both baby version, avocado-cucumber-cumin, and the real deal. More importantly, she shares her mama's love for mashed potatoes. I mean what more could she need? She loves pears, sweet potatoes and carrots with cinnamon, and bananas. Her interest in self-feeding has picked up a bit. She successfully fed herself a few yogurt melts last night. The biggest smiled crossed her face as Ross and I clapped and cheered in what could be classified as your typical cliche proud parent moment. Yes, we yay'd in cute high-pitched voices with our faces scrunched up in excitement. 

Bedtime is the puzzle that continues to perplex us as first-time parents. If your baby isn't sleeping well, certainly do not come to us for advice. Nighttime sleeping for Ella is comparable to solving a Rubix cube, we always seem to be just one color off. To soften the blow of the bedtime tantrum, I tell myself it is simply because she loves us so much and does not want to miss out. I am still trying to figure out who deemed 6 hours as a reasonable amount of sleep to be considered "sleeping through the night." Is it really sleeping through the night when you go to bed at 8 and wake up 2 in the morning? We might have a micro-preemie, but I am pretty sure every parent and I share common ground with my previous statement. 

The weather is warming up around here, well at least a few days out of each week, and we are getting out and about. Walks to the park and listening to the birds outside in our tree are becoming more common activities. Ella visited her second restaurant, Yokozuna, where she enjoyed a nice plate of avocado slices. It felt way too "normal like" to be out at a restaurant enjoying lunch as a family. 

While moving forward this year, I have often found myself back in the past using events from the previous year as a comparison of time. The words, "this time last year," have left my lips often. After time, the comparisons turned into a personal therapy of sorts. The week leading up to Ella's birthday, I spent time remembering the events of last year. I had entered the hospital, unaware of what the week would entail. My world was turned completely upside down. We had entered unknown territory. As I recounted the moments, I found myself surprised by the emotions I encountered. I had prepared for sadness and maybe even some residual guilt, but instead was greeted each morning with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. My heart filled with joy, remembering each act of love we encountered that week. The nurses and doctors who worked tirelessly to bring comfort. The room service employees who completed their route a second time, most days, because my gluten-free ordered had not been entered correctly. The phlebotomists who visited my room at all hours of the day and night to draw labs. Our friends and family who put their lives on pause to sit with us, send us messages, and bring us food. And those we did not even know, who prayed for us and our miracle. They are all a part of our journey, every single one. And I am forever grateful for their presence. 

It may have taken a year, but now when I reflect on the week of Ella's birth, I am able to appreciate all of the amazing things that happened. There is a saying that says, "It is not joy that makes us grateful. It is gratitude that makes us joyful."

We had Ella's party on her actual birthday surrounded by our family. She turned one right in the middle of her party, 1:29 PM. I watched our little girl take it all in. I watched her smash a cupcake and crawl all over her presents studying each with intense curiosity. Joy filled the room. 

In celebration of babies world-wide, we we will walking in the Tulsa March of Dimes, April 22nd, at ORU's campus. Please consider joining us for the walk, donating to the cause- or both.  

https://www.marchforbabies.org/team/ellamarie

***A special thank you to everyone who donated scrapbook paper and board books for the NICU. We collected 52 books! 

Birthday photography by: Tiffany Tolbert.

Ella is Eleven Months Old

Ella weighs: 14lbs 13.5oz

Ella measures: 25.5 inches

Milestones this month:
-crawling on her knees!
-reaches for things when crawling
-moves things back and forth between hands
-sitting up all by herself for short periods of time
-going from sitting to crawling position
-finds things that have been "hidden"

Ella loves: 
-crawling to explore new spaces, if she knows we have purposely blocked an area off she is all over it
-checking to make sure she has an audience as she crawls towards new spaces
-sticking her thumb into the paci of her wubbanub Gerald
-chewing on those thick straps, high-chair, car seat, she finds them all
-pulling on any string or stretchy band she can get her hands on
-eating anything from her mesh feeder
-carrot puree
-patting everything to see what it does, she loves her pop-up toys
-playing Peek-a-Boo and pulling the blanket down herself

Health and Doctors: 
Ella visited her pulmonolgist (lung doctor). Ella has been off of oxygen since September and this month we finally said good-bye to the collection of equipment we have been storing. Now we can enter our office without greeting the mess of tubing and machines.  As Ella continues to grow and become more mobile there is potential for her Chronic Lung Disease to require more attention than it has recently. The doctor sent us home with a spacer and an inhaler. It can be used as needed to help support her breathing and lung function.

We visited the Scholl Hearing center to have a follow-up hearing screening. She did pass a check before we left the NICU, but it was important to check again. After two visits, she passed! They were able to get a wide range of frequencies tested. We will follow-up again in 6 months for good measure, but all looks good right now. 

Ella received her 4th Synagis shot. The tears really flowed this time. We have one left for this season. Although it hurts my heart to see her in pain, I am thankful for the injection that can protect her respiratory system.

What we have been up to: 

Ella is officially a mobile baby! So often in the hospital we would whisper to her how we would carry her as long as she needed to be carried. As we watched Ella pop up on her knees and crawl across the floor towards us our hearts filled with joy. We stared in awe. She continues to amaze us. We have plugged up all of the outlets and started to work on baby proofing. We have moved her crib mattress to the next lowest setting. 

She has started to enjoy solids a bit more. Although I have been quite persistent, she doesn't yet share my love for avocados. Carrots are currently her favorite puree. She devours her oatmeal each morning. She gums everything she comes in contact with, we are sure teeth are around the corner, but no official sightings yet. 

Ella is exploring her vocal capabilities. She says, "ma-ma-ma" and makes various other noises to let us know she is present. Thanks to an amazing friend, Ella has been introduced to a new batch of toys. She loves exploring them all. 

Together we celebrated our first Galentine's Day. Don't worry, I didn't share any wine with her. :) We celebrated the evening with a baby-safe paint session. She loved squishing the paint down and chewing on the ziploc baggy. I loved watching her explore something new. Her Pops has already contacted her to commission another one of her paintings. 

As I placed this year's Valentine's cards from Ross with my card collection I took a moment to re-read his card from last year. I found myself smiling and letting out a giggle as I read his words:

"This past year was full of trials and hard times. I wouldn't have wanted to do it with anyone else. This year will undoubtedly hold many more challenges. I'm looking forward to the journey though. Here is to another year of growth and support."

His words were written so tenderly after our year of job changes, surgeries, blood clots, injections, and finally becoming pregnant. Isn't life funny sometimes? Just when you think you have endured what you would consider tough times, life continues to roll out new surprises. 

In one month, we will have a one-year-old. Yes, Ella is almost one! Before I became a mom, I always found the phrases such as, "in the blink of an eye," or "time flies," so cliche. Now, I find much validity in all statements concerning the time-flying concept. As I look through pictures in preparation for her first birthday, I stare in disbelief. Has it really been almost a year? How could it be? It does seem like just yesterday that she was entering our lives. In fact, one year ago we had just announced to our families that our baby was going to be a girl. A month later she joined us!

My precious baby is turning one. It's happening. And we can wait to see what our baby girl does next!

In celebration of babies world-wide we we will walking in the Tulsa March of Dimes, April 22nd, at ORU's campus. Please consider donating or joining us! 

https://www.marchforbabies.org/AGrue

In addition, as a celebration of Ella turning one, we are collecting items to donate to the St. Francis NICU. I plan to donate the items on April 1st. 

--swaddle blankets

--scrabook paper (used to create door signs on rooms)

--board books in the following titles: Goodnight Moon, On the Night You Were Born, Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You, The Little Engine That Could, On the Day You Were Born, Guess How Much I love You, and similar titles.  

I will be happy to pick up items from you. :)