Ella Update

Ella turned 3 months January 1st, she is finally sleeping more at night about 6-7 hours. What a relief, now we are all tying to catch up on sleep. She is smiling and babbling a lot, she is so sweet. She loves getting her diaper changed and watching her mobile. She also likes laying on her playmat hitting the toys. She HATES tummy time but we are working on it! She also loves to hear us sing!

Claire Update

Claire started Dance, Tap and Jazz class last weekend, she thinks it is the best thing in the whole world. She wears a skirt everyday over her clothes so I thought she would enjoy it.



















I gave Claire her very first haircut the other day, she loved it. Now she asks if we can cut it everytime she gets out of the bath.

Happy New Year

We hope everyone had a happy New Year. Here are some photos we had taken of the girls and a family picture.

Memorable moment #4

Claire and Heather got to spend the day together after Christmas, they act like they have never been apart. They played so well together, doing each others hair, playing dress up and drinking hot cocoa. Then Claire needed a nap so sharing got tough.

The Holidays in brief

Claire's favorite presents: Baby Alive or Baby Emma depends on the day, and her fisher price doll house world.

Ella's favorite present: GloWorm

My favorite present: Starbucks mug

Matt's favorite present: DVD Software

How many presents we all opened: Too many to count

Who was there: Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Tracy, Aunt Missy, Aunt Angie, Alex and Katie

Most memorable moment: Claire on Christmas Eve putting cookies and milk out for Santa, and laying in bed listening to me read her the book The Visit while she fell asleep whith Ella beside her.

Second most memorable moment: Claire waking up the next morning and saying, "Mama, Dada, come look Santa ate his cookies and drank his nilk!"

Third most memorable moment: Spending the days after Christmas in Windsor with family and watching Claire play with Alex and Katie.

Happy Holidays!

The first ornament video

Sledding

Matt took Claire sledding last week after we had so much wet snow. Ready, Set, GO!.

Reunion

I got to see one of my dearest friends I haven't seen in 10 years, Sara Jo. Here is a picture of me, Sara and the girls. She got engaged this weekend, Congratulations Sara!

Trimming the tree

Here are some recent photos. Claire had so much fun decorating the tree. Ella is smiling when you talk to her she is precious.

Our Little Peanut

Ella is getting so big, she had her two month checkup on Friday and is 10lbs 2.5 oz. I can't believe she was 4 lbs when she was born. She is such a sweet little girl.














Just 5 lbs in this photo...

Thanksgiving

We had Matt's family and my family all together this year. We have much to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving.

Trick or Treat

For Halloween this ear we went to a so called pumpkin patch in Scottsbluff, really just a farmer's house where he grew some pumpkins- nothing like Vala's.

Next we carved the pumpkins and invited our neighbor over, his name is Cole and he is 13, him and Claire were instant friends.


Last but not least was trick or treating-Claire was a fairy princess. Brama and Papa Hein came up for the festivities. First we went downtown to the local businesses who handed out candy, she had fun except for the scary monsters. She loved going with Papa. Next my mom and I took her to the mall where they hand out candy. What a zoo that place was, my mom and I had more fun at Bath and Body Works. Overall she got lots of candy and managed to say "Trick or treat" twice, despite all the practice we had the week before.




Ella was going to be an angel, my mom found a dog costume- you might laugh but it was the only thing small enough for her to wear- too bad the costume malfunctioned. Better luck next year.


Well I think that is it, Happy Halloween!

Updates

Ella is doing really well and continues to eat we went for her checkup at the Dr yesterday and she is already 6 lbs, 2 oz and has grown an inch! She was just 5 lbs 13 oz on Monday.a I think last night I got 4 hours of sleep so that is a new record, Matt doesn't get much sleep while he is here either. Ella sleeps really good during the day but thinks its fun to stay awake at night. It may take us a while to get her used to sleeping in a quiet room, quite a change from the sounds and lights of the noisy NICU.

Claire still loves "Baby Ella" but does have her moments when she tells me to "Put her back" (in her crib.) Most the time she says "Ahh she is so cute." I think she will be a great big sister.

Welcome Home Ella

Ella came home from the hospital this morning. Claire was so excited to have her baby sister home. My mom has been here all week cooking, cleaning and watching Claire so we could be at the hospital, thanks Mom!

Ella is 5 lbs, 9.9 oz today and eating great. Thanks for all your prayers it helped little Ella come home.

Ella Marie's Birth

Well I am not sure if you readers want to hear about the events leading up to Ella's birth but since I am also doing this blog so my children have a record of their life this is for you Ella! On Monday October 1st at 1:30 PM my water broke. I was only 34 weeks and 4 days along, as well I knew little Ella was breech. Therefore she would have to be delivered by C-Section unless she had some how turned around. When I went to the hospital they did an ultrasound and said she was in fact breech. Luckily Matt was in town on this day but had almost been sent to Edgemont, SD- someone was watching over us. My Aunt Sara who lives 40 minutes away in Torrington, WY graciously offered to come watch Claire until my mom arrived so Matt could go into surgery with me.

The surgery happened so fast, I had 4 nurses in my room all drawing blood, putting my IV in and other stuff to prepare me for surgery, they told me I would have a spinal block similar to an epidural but it would wear off in about an hour. I then was ready and walked into a room that was about 40 degrees, it was sooo cold. They did the spinal block which wasn't horrible just a sting in my back and then they laid me on the table and asked if I was feeling numb yet. The anesthesiologist stayed right above my head in case somehow the spinal wasn't working. Matt was then able to come in and held my hand while I shook uncontrollably through the entire surgery. They said shaking is normal I guess. After they took Ella out they let me see her head and then rushed her off to the NICU in case she was unable to breath on her own. Matt was able to go with her. Meanwhile I had to lay in the 40 degree surgery room for an hour until I could feel my toes. I was then wheeled to my room where I would have to lay flat for 6 hours. Usually if the baby is term they will bring the baby into the room soon after but since she was in the NICU I had to wait the 6 hours till I could get out of bed and go see her.

Finally at 1:00Am I was ready to walk to the NICU and see my precious little girl. She was so small, I had never seen a baby so tiny. She had lots of dark hair and looked like Matt. I wasn't able to hold her for a day or two later.

Since then we picked little Ella's name, we had Madeline picked out but it didn't suit her. We hope you like your name Ella! Ella was born on her Uncle Tracy's birthday, what a special surprise she was to everyone. Claire loves her new baby sister she calls her "Baby Ella".

Ella Marie Nietfeld

October 1st, 2007

4 lbs, 10.7 oz

18 3/4 Inches long

Me and my baby sister!

Welcome little Ella...