Ellen is transfixed by the fan. Sometimes she'll track the fan's movement with her feet. We understand that's not the most interesting viewing, so I've thrown in a couple of sneezes and her show of surprise following Brinkley's bark.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Robin's Kvellin' Over Ellen
This video is kind of long and mainly features backs of heads. But you do get to see Gangy go nuts over Ellen.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
More videos
Here's a video of Grandma and Grandpa Cox (that's Ellen and Bob to us grownups) meeting Ellen for the first time. In this clip, they're talking about baby Ellen's unfortunate growing resemblance to me.
Minutes later, (baby) Ellen gets fussy. Probably because Brinkley was trying to steal the attention.
And here's Ellen being a bit of a restless sleeper a week later. Check out the cute blue cloth diaper (and the cute dress from Gangy O'Hara). But if you're inclined to complain about how boring it is to watch a baby sleep, go ahead and skip this one.
At this point, I think we've cataloged just about everything she can do at the moment--save for nursing and messing up diapers, neither of which is really suitable for this venue.
Minutes later, (baby) Ellen gets fussy. Probably because Brinkley was trying to steal the attention.
And here's Ellen being a bit of a restless sleeper a week later. Check out the cute blue cloth diaper (and the cute dress from Gangy O'Hara). But if you're inclined to complain about how boring it is to watch a baby sleep, go ahead and skip this one.
At this point, I think we've cataloged just about everything she can do at the moment--save for nursing and messing up diapers, neither of which is really suitable for this venue.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Ellen's birth story
Apologies for taking so long to get this up, but we've been blessed with a baby who constantly wants to be held. So as much fun as it would have been to type this one-handed, I thought I'd wait until Ellen gave me a reprieve. For those who are interested, here's a (hopefully) not-too-detailed-yet-informative account of Ellen's entrance into the world.
After a couple visits to the doctor and being informed Ellen was already well-developed size-wise at over 8 pounds, we scheduled an induction for Monday, August 17. Being "scheduled" is basically like being on call where the hospital will call YOU when they're ready for you. Women who go into labor naturally and scheduled inductions with special medical needs (e.g. high blood pressure) are first on the priority list. If, after those women, the hospital has the room and staffing for you, they give you a call. Sean and I planned to have a fairly leisurely Monday, thinking surely the hospital would be busy and wouldn't give us a call until Monday night. Instead, we got the call at 1:45 a.m. We grabbed the hospital bag, said goodbye to Brinkley, and headed out.
After being admitted I was given Pitocin to start contractions and labored pretty easily from about 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. But then the contractions started getting a lot more intense and painful, so when we were moved to our delivery room I was very thankful to get the epidural. From 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. I continued to progress in labor (pain-free!) while Sean basically twiddled this thumbs and kept me company. We watched DVDs, he showed me funny headlines on theonion.com, and we got regular updates from our nurse on how things were going. At about 3 p.m. our doctor called to see how I was doing and told our nurse that if things hadn't progressed to the pushing stage by the time she arrived at 3:30 that she thought a c-section would be necessary. They didn't want to continue pumping me with drugs only to have to possibly end up in the operating room anyway. So, even though I knew going into this that a c-section could be a possibility, I really only had about a half hour to prepare mentally for the fact that I was most likely going to get one. Not that pushing was going to be a walk in the park, but major abdominal surgery was just as nerves-inducing.
When my doctor arrived she checked me out and announced that yes, we were going to do the c-section. Sean was outfitted in scrubs, we were both given a rundown of what the procedure would be like, and before I knew it I was being wheeled off to the operating room. I'm not sure if it was nerves, the extremely frigid temperature of the room, or both, but I had a terrible case of the chills/shakes the whole time. Sean was by my side throughout the procedure and was able to get the first look at Ellen as our doctor delivered her. I was so relieved to hear those first cries and hear Sean tell me that she looked great, and just like that, she was bundled up and Sean held her next to me so I could see her.
Ellen Ann O'Hara was born at 3:57 p.m. weighing 8 pounds 12.9 ounces, measuring 21 inches long (although Sean thinks her "cone head" from making her way down the birth canal gave her a bit of an advantage in the length department). By 5 p.m. we were calling our parents and family to announce the good news and by 6 p.m. the three of us were in our recovery room, where I'd be for the next three days.
Thankfully, I've had a very speedy recovery from surgery, and 10 days into motherhood I think I've got the basics down...although figuring a LOT out along the way.
It's hard not to sound gushy when talking about these things, so I guess I won't even try to avoid it. Sean, Ellen and I are so blessed to have each other, such loving, supporting family, and such wonderful friends. We are so excited to share our new family life with you all as Ellen grows!
After a couple visits to the doctor and being informed Ellen was already well-developed size-wise at over 8 pounds, we scheduled an induction for Monday, August 17. Being "scheduled" is basically like being on call where the hospital will call YOU when they're ready for you. Women who go into labor naturally and scheduled inductions with special medical needs (e.g. high blood pressure) are first on the priority list. If, after those women, the hospital has the room and staffing for you, they give you a call. Sean and I planned to have a fairly leisurely Monday, thinking surely the hospital would be busy and wouldn't give us a call until Monday night. Instead, we got the call at 1:45 a.m. We grabbed the hospital bag, said goodbye to Brinkley, and headed out.
After being admitted I was given Pitocin to start contractions and labored pretty easily from about 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. But then the contractions started getting a lot more intense and painful, so when we were moved to our delivery room I was very thankful to get the epidural. From 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. I continued to progress in labor (pain-free!) while Sean basically twiddled this thumbs and kept me company. We watched DVDs, he showed me funny headlines on theonion.com, and we got regular updates from our nurse on how things were going. At about 3 p.m. our doctor called to see how I was doing and told our nurse that if things hadn't progressed to the pushing stage by the time she arrived at 3:30 that she thought a c-section would be necessary. They didn't want to continue pumping me with drugs only to have to possibly end up in the operating room anyway. So, even though I knew going into this that a c-section could be a possibility, I really only had about a half hour to prepare mentally for the fact that I was most likely going to get one. Not that pushing was going to be a walk in the park, but major abdominal surgery was just as nerves-inducing.
When my doctor arrived she checked me out and announced that yes, we were going to do the c-section. Sean was outfitted in scrubs, we were both given a rundown of what the procedure would be like, and before I knew it I was being wheeled off to the operating room. I'm not sure if it was nerves, the extremely frigid temperature of the room, or both, but I had a terrible case of the chills/shakes the whole time. Sean was by my side throughout the procedure and was able to get the first look at Ellen as our doctor delivered her. I was so relieved to hear those first cries and hear Sean tell me that she looked great, and just like that, she was bundled up and Sean held her next to me so I could see her.
Ellen Ann O'Hara was born at 3:57 p.m. weighing 8 pounds 12.9 ounces, measuring 21 inches long (although Sean thinks her "cone head" from making her way down the birth canal gave her a bit of an advantage in the length department). By 5 p.m. we were calling our parents and family to announce the good news and by 6 p.m. the three of us were in our recovery room, where I'd be for the next three days.
Thankfully, I've had a very speedy recovery from surgery, and 10 days into motherhood I think I've got the basics down...although figuring a LOT out along the way.
It's hard not to sound gushy when talking about these things, so I guess I won't even try to avoid it. Sean, Ellen and I are so blessed to have each other, such loving, supporting family, and such wonderful friends. We are so excited to share our new family life with you all as Ellen grows!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
FIrst videos
Videos are big files and may be slow to load, but enjoy these clips of one-day old Ellen.
Camera Shy:
Big Sneeze:
Big Yawn:
Camera Shy:
Big Sneeze:
Big Yawn:
Monday, July 6, 2009
Countdown continues
Another month has flown by and I find myself a little nervous at the prospect of telling people the baby’s due date is NEXT MONTH! Granted, we’re at the beginning of July and her due date is August 22nd, so we still have about two months of time, but it’s getting closer and closer!
June was a pretty productive month for us as far as preparation for the baby’s arrival. We had our last (of three) birthing classes last week, for which Sean is truly thankful…but isn’t that part of the territory? The wife gives birth, but the husband has to sit through birthing classes and watch gory (albeit real life) videos of others going through the childbirth process? I think that’s plenty fair. :-) We have also toured the hospital, pre-registered and selected a pediatrician for the baby. In fact, on Father’s Day we got a glimpse of what the real thing might be like, as we made an unplanned trip to the hospital…but more on that later.
As I said, June was a pretty productive and busy month, but it started out on a sad note for my family. My Grandma Cox passed away and we all gathered in Minnesota for her funeral. We’re all going to miss her dearly, but at the same time we’re comforted in knowing that she’s no longer in pain, with which she’d been battling for many years. She was my last living grandparent, and I’m saddened that little Ellen will never know her great-grandparents on my side of the family. However, as my brother Joel pointed out in the beautiful eulogy he gave at her funeral, some of the best memories of my Grandma Cox will be passed on for years, including her amazing cooking, love for family gatherings and the beautiful quilts she was so talented at creating. Little Ellen already has two quilts made by her Great Grandma Cox in her room right now. While the passing of a loved one is never a fun occasion for which to gather, the bright side was that I was able to see my whole family one last time before Ellen arrives. Thanks to a generous bereavement leave through work, I was able to spend almost an entire week in Minnesota with my family, catching up and being together.
After returning from Minnesota, I started thinking about what I could do for Sean for Father’s Day. Although he wasn’t technically a dad yet, he’s definitely a dad-to-be, and for that he deserves a little something, no? His surprise flower delivery to my office for Mother’s Day was pretty sweet, considering Sean is typically very anti-flowers, yet knows I love receiving them. Some of you may already know this, but Sean loves Las Vegas. He always has a fun time there, even if he doesn’t win. So I started planning in my head how I might be able to arrange such a weekend for him. Although I wouldn’t be able to go on the floors much because of the smoke, surely we could lay a few bets down in the sports book, eat some nice dinners and maybe see a show. To my pleasant surprise, an offer for three free nights at Treasure Island was waiting for me when I got home. So we got busy planning our trip! We arrived on Friday afternoon and spent the weekend doing a little gambling, watching the College World Series (unfortunately ASU was knocked out on Friday night), eating at some great restaurants (Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill and Mario Batali’s Carnevino) and indulging in some spa services. All in all, a great weekend away!
On Father’s Day we ate at one of Sean’s favorite Vegas spots, the Mandalay Bay buffet, where he could indulge in all the seafood and brunch items his heart desired. We hit the road back to Phoenix and talked about what a nice Father’s Day it turned out to be, making sure we spoke to both of our dads to wish them a nice day. After getting back, unpacking and eating dinner, we took Brinkley for a walk, per our usual after-dinner routine. A couple blocks from our house I stumbled on some uneven pavement, and before I knew it, I was on the ground. Thankfully, my hands, knees and face took most of the fall, but I was still very aware that I’d fallen face-first and my stomach had hit the ground. We quickly got home, called my doctor, and headed up to the hospital to get checked out. I’m happy to report, after 24 hours of observation and monitoring in the hospital, everything checked out just fine. Little Ellen’s heart beat was strong and consistent throughout the night and I was just fine, save for some pretty ugly scratches on my knees and lip. Not exactly the kind of Father’s Day we planned, but it was good practice for getting to the hospital for the real thing later on! Sean was incredibly calm and supportive, yet appropriately hurried and urgent in getting to the hospital and doing everything he could to help. I can’t say I was anywhere near that…more like terrified and thinking the worst. I wonder if this is a sign of our parenting styles for the future…
To finish off the month of June, two of my girlfriends down here in Phoenix threw me a lovely baby shower. Many of the guests were people I don’t see on a regular basis, so it was nice to catch up with everyone. Everyone was so generous and now little Ellen has even more cute clothes, books, bath time items and bedding! Her room is really coming together and we can’t wait to show it to her. Sean did a practice-run with our video camera, filming the room, so take a look!
June was a pretty productive month for us as far as preparation for the baby’s arrival. We had our last (of three) birthing classes last week, for which Sean is truly thankful…but isn’t that part of the territory? The wife gives birth, but the husband has to sit through birthing classes and watch gory (albeit real life) videos of others going through the childbirth process? I think that’s plenty fair. :-) We have also toured the hospital, pre-registered and selected a pediatrician for the baby. In fact, on Father’s Day we got a glimpse of what the real thing might be like, as we made an unplanned trip to the hospital…but more on that later.
As I said, June was a pretty productive and busy month, but it started out on a sad note for my family. My Grandma Cox passed away and we all gathered in Minnesota for her funeral. We’re all going to miss her dearly, but at the same time we’re comforted in knowing that she’s no longer in pain, with which she’d been battling for many years. She was my last living grandparent, and I’m saddened that little Ellen will never know her great-grandparents on my side of the family. However, as my brother Joel pointed out in the beautiful eulogy he gave at her funeral, some of the best memories of my Grandma Cox will be passed on for years, including her amazing cooking, love for family gatherings and the beautiful quilts she was so talented at creating. Little Ellen already has two quilts made by her Great Grandma Cox in her room right now. While the passing of a loved one is never a fun occasion for which to gather, the bright side was that I was able to see my whole family one last time before Ellen arrives. Thanks to a generous bereavement leave through work, I was able to spend almost an entire week in Minnesota with my family, catching up and being together.
After returning from Minnesota, I started thinking about what I could do for Sean for Father’s Day. Although he wasn’t technically a dad yet, he’s definitely a dad-to-be, and for that he deserves a little something, no? His surprise flower delivery to my office for Mother’s Day was pretty sweet, considering Sean is typically very anti-flowers, yet knows I love receiving them. Some of you may already know this, but Sean loves Las Vegas. He always has a fun time there, even if he doesn’t win. So I started planning in my head how I might be able to arrange such a weekend for him. Although I wouldn’t be able to go on the floors much because of the smoke, surely we could lay a few bets down in the sports book, eat some nice dinners and maybe see a show. To my pleasant surprise, an offer for three free nights at Treasure Island was waiting for me when I got home. So we got busy planning our trip! We arrived on Friday afternoon and spent the weekend doing a little gambling, watching the College World Series (unfortunately ASU was knocked out on Friday night), eating at some great restaurants (Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill and Mario Batali’s Carnevino) and indulging in some spa services. All in all, a great weekend away!
On Father’s Day we ate at one of Sean’s favorite Vegas spots, the Mandalay Bay buffet, where he could indulge in all the seafood and brunch items his heart desired. We hit the road back to Phoenix and talked about what a nice Father’s Day it turned out to be, making sure we spoke to both of our dads to wish them a nice day. After getting back, unpacking and eating dinner, we took Brinkley for a walk, per our usual after-dinner routine. A couple blocks from our house I stumbled on some uneven pavement, and before I knew it, I was on the ground. Thankfully, my hands, knees and face took most of the fall, but I was still very aware that I’d fallen face-first and my stomach had hit the ground. We quickly got home, called my doctor, and headed up to the hospital to get checked out. I’m happy to report, after 24 hours of observation and monitoring in the hospital, everything checked out just fine. Little Ellen’s heart beat was strong and consistent throughout the night and I was just fine, save for some pretty ugly scratches on my knees and lip. Not exactly the kind of Father’s Day we planned, but it was good practice for getting to the hospital for the real thing later on! Sean was incredibly calm and supportive, yet appropriately hurried and urgent in getting to the hospital and doing everything he could to help. I can’t say I was anywhere near that…more like terrified and thinking the worst. I wonder if this is a sign of our parenting styles for the future…
To finish off the month of June, two of my girlfriends down here in Phoenix threw me a lovely baby shower. Many of the guests were people I don’t see on a regular basis, so it was nice to catch up with everyone. Everyone was so generous and now little Ellen has even more cute clothes, books, bath time items and bedding! Her room is really coming together and we can’t wait to show it to her. Sean did a practice-run with our video camera, filming the room, so take a look!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
3 months to go
Probably the most exciting news for this update is that we’ve chosen a name for Baby Girl O’Hara: Ellen Ann! First name is after her grandma Ellen and middle name is for her other grandma’s middle name, Robin Ann. It’s fun to be able to talk about little Ellen, although the term “the baby” is still pretty standard.
Little Ellen’s room is filling up quickly! Sean has already lamented the fact that the women in his family have way more clothes than he does, and Ellen is still many years away from shopping at the mall…I think he’s secretly afraid her first words will be, “Coach purse.” Like mother like daughter, right?
We’ve been so fortunate with so many generous friends and family members, that we’ve hardly had to purchase anything ourselves. A couple of friends had hand-me-down baby girl clothes to give me, which resulted in a gigantic collection of onesies, pajamas and other staples; some still in the packaging! Add in the generous amount of gifts we received at our recent shower in Kansas City, and little Ellen will not only be much more fashionable than her parents, but won’t need or want for anything for quite a while!
Last weekend Sean and I made the trip to Kansas City to see family and friends, as well as for the baby shower hosted by Lisa, Robin and Katie. Christian and Anna flew up from Florida, my parents drove down from Minnesota, and the two Bottger families made the trips from Omaha and Lake of the Ozarks. Plus, my dear college friend Jess flew in from Cleveland on Sunday morning after being a bridesmaid in a wedding the night before! It was so great to see so many people and catch up with everyone. The weekend totally flew by! We arrived Friday night, spent most of Saturday at Katie and Adam’s house (they hosted all of us for a delicious cookout lunch), had dinner with the Coxes on Saturday, had the shower on Sunday, then had a wonderful dinner with all the family members at Jim and Robin’s on Sunday night. Next thing we knew, we were flying back to Phoenix on Monday afternoon. A big thanks to everyone who made the trip to KC to see us, as well as for all the wonderful well wishes and generous baby gifts. We are always reminded of just how fortunate and blessed we are to have the family and friends we do.
Although we might be slowly slipping into the black hole of all things baby, we have managed to continue to lead fairly normal lives. As season ticket holders for ASU baseball, we’ve enjoyed attending games and watching the Sun Devils during this great winning season. We’ve even wrangled Brinkley into fandom, torturing him to pose for a photo with a mini ASU baseball helmet on. What’s cuter than a cute dog wearing a cute hat, right? We also had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see President Obama speak at ASU commencement. While my little point and shoot didn’t quite do it justice, I did take a few photos of the President on the big screen. After dreading what could have been a two hour security line, we were pleasantly surprised to find it only took a few minutes to get into Sun Devil Stadium. What wasn’t quite as pleasant was waiting for three hours for the speech (or the 90 minute wait at the concession stand to get some dinner). But it was all worth it. His comments were inspiring, funny, and touching. Also, although I'm more a mom-to-be than mother right now, Sean sent me a beautiful flower arrangement for Mother's Day. What a guy!
The next few months bring a lot of preparation, but we’re excited! In the meantime, we’ll be cheering on the Sun Devils as they try to make their way to Omaha; the first regional game is tomorrow here in Tempe!
Enjoy the photos below (including a shot of my favorite outfit from the shower)...lots of stuff in the baby room and we haven't even put the crib in yet!
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