Tag: Pearl Girl


Jul
2013

Eleanor Pearl at Two Months

categories: baby, family

 The last two months have flown by, a weird phenomenon that occurs when your days are measured in 2-3 hour intervals. Our Eleanor Pearl is already 2 months old. I can’t believe it. She is sweet and beautiful and pretty perfect in our opinion.

She weighs 12 pounds 2 ounces and is 23.25 inches long.
85 percentile for height and weight
Her head measures 15 1/2 inches. 
65th percentile for head size
Loves snuggling and being outside.
Loves her baby gym and her big brother’s voice.
Starting to smile and react.
Loves being worn in the Ergo by Mama and Daddy.
Sleeps 6-7 hours at night.
Exclusively breastfed.
Has already outgrown all of her newborn clothes and newborn cloth diapers.
Wearing 0-3 months clothes and one size cloth diapers.

May
2013

Eleanor Pearl at One Month

categories: baby, family
Eleanor Pearl 
One Month Old
Weighs 10 lbs 2 oz
21 3/4 in long
85 percentile for weight and height
50% for head size  – making her the only one in the family with a normal sized noggin 
 Loves bath time in the sink, snuggles, being outside, and mama milk.
 auburn hair that falls naturally into a mohawk
beautiful blue eyes (I hope they stay!)
 sleeps 5-6 hours straight at night
naps like a champ except for the early evening
 Loves being worn in the Ergo.  
Precious and lovely in every way.
  We are so thankful to the Lord for this good and perfect gift of our daughter.  We are so in love with our sweet Ellie girl.


May
2013

Welcome to the World, Eleanor Pearl!

categories: baby, birth, family, pregnancy, recipes, trying for a vbac
Our family is delighted to announce the arrival of our beautiful daughter, Eleanor Pearl Eby.
Our sweet baby girl arrived on Monday, April 22nd at 3:56 pm.
She weighed 7 lbs 14 oz at birth and was 20 inches long.
She is amazing and perfect and we are so in love.
These past two weeks have been filled with lots of snuggling,
mama milk, family, and learning to be a family of four.

My parents came to stay with us the first week, and we would 
have been lost without them.  The Bear asks for Dede and Poppy
every day at least twice a day.

We had a successful all natural VBAC birth, and Ellie Pearl and I are both healthy and happy.  If you are a c-section mama considering VBAC, it is totally worth it in my opinion.  You can read our Trying for a VBAC blog series here, and I’ll post more of our birth story soon.  

Ellie and I are getting into the groove of nursing, but she had a severe tongue tie that made it difficult at first.  We’ve had to have it clipped twice, because the first time didn’t go far enough.  Hopefully this will enable us to have a long and healthy breastfeeding relationship and will prevent any speech difficulties as she gets older.

Her tiny hand in mine melts my heart like nothing else.

My youngest brother, Matt, drove 6 hours each way to come and meet his niece.  The Bear asks for him daily as well since he went back home.  
She loves skin to skin snuggles with Daddy.
Here we are ready to go home from the hospital.
We are so thankful to the Lord for the safe arrival of our sweet baby girl, Ellie Pearl.  

Apr
2013

Pregnancy 2.0 Update: 38 Weeks

categories: baby, birth, pregnancy
This is what happens when I forget to ask Jed to take a picture.

I can’t believe we are really almost there.  From here on out I’ll do weekly updates until our sweet girl arrives.  Because we are trying for a VBAC and lots of people have lots of questions about what that entails, we’ll be live tweeting as much as we can during the birth.  You can follow along on Twitter or on the Bare Feet on the Dashboard Facebook page for those updates when labor begins.  You can read my other pregnancy 2.0 updates here, and read all my pregnancy posts here. This sweet baby could come any day now, and we are so ready to meet her.

38 Weeks Update
Feeling: like a manatee – wishing I could float all day
Wearing: Muumuus, basically. And sandals.  There is a reason that ladies used to go into “confinement” those last weeks of pregnancy.  It ain’t pretty.  
Weight Gain: not telling, but significantly less than last time
Pregnancy Side Effects: waking up 18 times each night to pee, lots of Braxton Hicks contractions
Progression: My cervix is 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced and in the mid position.
Craving: nothing really
Baby:  Weighs about 7 pounds and is fattening up for birth.  She has moved down into a -3 station.
Gender: Girl!  (We sure hope that ultrasound was right or we’ll have a lot of pink stuff going to waste.)
Name: We still haven’t decided and are open to suggestions.  
Nursery: I have a sweet little set up for her in our room with our bassinet, cloth diapers, clothes, and hair accessories, decorated with a banner made by a friend. 
Preparations: The bag is packed.  Our on call people for Bear are ready. I want to freeze a few more meals this week.  I’m heading to the chiropractor for an adjustment to help baby girl get into a good position.  We are trying for a VBAC.  
To-Do List: freeze more meals, bounce on the birth ball, make more headbands and bows, practice relaxation techniques for labor

What’s on your to-do list?


Mar
2013

Pregnancy 2.0 Update: 36 Weeks

categories: baby, pregnancy

Woohoo, three pregnancy updates in a row!  We are on a roll, people.  You can read my other pregnancy 2.0 updates here, and read all my pregnancy posts here.  We are now entering the home stretch, and are sooo ready to meet our daughter.  Because we are trying for a VBAC and lots of people have lots of questions about what that entails, we’ll be live tweeting as much as we can during the birth.  You can follow along on Twitter or on the Bare Feet on the Dashboard Facebook page for those updates when labor begins.

36 Weeks Update
Feeling:   Great!  I have lots of energy so far this week, which is a big change.  
Wearing: Muumuus, basically. And sandals.  There is a reason that ladies used to go into “confinement” those last weeks of pregnancy.  It ain’t pretty.  
Weight Gain: not telling, but significantly less than last time
Pregnancy Side Effects: waking up 18 times each night to pee, lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, hip pain, swollen feet and cankles
Belly Button: Still in.  It never popped with Bear so I’m assuming that it won’t this time either.
Craving: raw carrots and Cadbury Eggs 
Baby:  She has officially moved down and is engaged in my pelvis. Her head is putting pressure on my cervix, so it is 1 cm dilated, 50% effaced, and at the mid position. She weighs about 6 pounds and is fattening up for birth, and is about the size of a bowling ball.   
Gender: Girl!  (We sure hope that ultrasound was right or we’ll have a lot of pink stuff to sell on Craigslist.)
Name: We still haven’t decided and are open to suggestions.  
Nursery: We have the paint, but haven’t painted.  Bear will continue to live in there until he is ready to move to a big boy room this summer.  Mini Bear will room with us for the first few months for convenient night time breastfeeding and mommy’s paranoia.  
Preparations: This week we are packing the bag and preparing the house for her arrival.  Next week I plan to freeze some meals.  Some friends are throwing me a little sprinkle this week, too.  So fun.  We are trying for a VBAC.  
To-Do List: pack hospital bag, prep a changing station for our bedroom, work on decorations for the nursery, make headbands and bows, practice relaxation techniques for labor

What is one thing you wished you had packed/plan to pack in your hospital bag?


Mar
2013

Pregnancy 2.0 Update: 34 Weeks

categories: baby, birth, family, pregnancy, recipes
I’m really trying to update every two weeks from here on out, so I’ll have it for Mini Bear’s baby book and for the 7 of you who want to know how the pregnancy is going.  You can read my other pregnancy 2.0 updates here, and read all my pregnancy posts here.  

34 Weeks Update
Feeling: Sick – I’ve been fighting a cold/cough scenario for the whole week.  
Wearing: anything that fits, lots of flowy skirts, wide shoes – even my super wide Keens are tight now
It might be time to bust out the old Birkenstocks from college, much to Jed’s horror.  
Weight Gain: not telling, but significantly less than last time
Pregnancy Side Effects: I still have ankles, but my feet are super puffy. I’m having Braxton Hicks contractions all day long.
Belly Button: Still in.  It never popped with Bear so I’m assuming that it won’t this time either.
Craving: Sweets and sushi.  I eat vegetarian sushi while pregnant, but I’m longing for the real stuff.  
Baby: She is head down and has moved down significantly.  Yay, I can breathe again!  She is now over 4 pounds and is about 18 inches long, the size of a small pumpkin, opening and closing her eyes and reacting to light.
Gender: Girl!  (We sure hope that ultrasound was right or we’ll have a lot of pink stuff going to waste.)
Name: We still haven’t decided and are open to suggestions.  
Nursery: We have the paint, but haven’t painted.  Bear will continue to live in there until he is ready to move to a big boy room this summer.  Mini Bear will room with us for the first few months for convenient night time breastfeeding and mommy’s paranoia.  
Preparations: We created our birth plan with our doula, and I’ll share it with y’all soon.  We are trying for a VBAC.  We pretty much have all the necessary items for our sweet girl, with a few more things to check off the list.    
To-Do List: work on decorations for the nursery, make headbands and bows, practice relaxation techniques for labor

When did you start packing your hospital bag? 


Feb
2013

Pregnancy 2.0 Update: 32 Weeks

categories: baby, pregnancy

It is has been a shamefully long time since I’ve posted an update on pregnancy #2, and I have a myriad of excuses you don’t want to hear. The most common are: I didn’t fix my hair or put on make up so I can’t take a picture or Jed’s not home so I can’t take a picture. I apologize for the photo quality above, but I cannot procrastinate another day or this child will be here.  Poor second child, already lacking the documentation of the oldest child. It stops today. I’m 32 weeks along and feeling great most of the time. Here’s the rundown:

32 Weeks Update
Feeling: great, alternating with tired, large
Wearing: anything that fits, lots of flowy skirts, wide shoes
Weight Gain: not telling, but significantly less than last time
Pregnancy Side Effects: feet swell when I walk too much, tons of Braxton Hicks contractions
Belly Button: Still in.  It never popped with Bear so I’m assuming that it won’t this time either.
Craving: Sweets! But I gave them up for Lent… 🙁
Baby: weighs close to 4 pounds and is about 17 inches long,
moving around like a champ
Gender: Girl!  (We sure hope that ultrasound was right or we’ll have a lot of pink stuff going to waste.)
Name: undecided – We have a few front runners, but haven’t decided on a final winner.  
Nursery: We have the paint, but haven’t painted.  Bear will continue to live in there until he is ready to move to a big boy room this summer.  Mini Bear will room with us for the first few months for convenient night time breastfeeding and mommy’s paranoia.  
Preparations: We toured our new hospital Monday, and will meet with our doula in the next few weeks to prepare the birth plan and work on pain management techniques.  We are trying for a VBAC.  We’ve stocked up on cloth diapers and have a few more things to buy for our sweet girl.  
To-Do List: work on decorations for the nursery, make headbands and bows, practice relaxation techniques for labor
What is one thing you did to prepare for the birth of your child?

  


Oct
2012

Pregnancy 2.0 Update – Months 1 and 2

categories: baby, pregnancy
I’m almost to the end of my first trimester!  I can’t believe it has flown by so fast.  I’m so ready for the energy and lack of nausea that comes with the second trimester.  It was so fun to announce the pregnancy and start to pray and plan for Mini Bear.    
After The Bear’s birth, it took me almost a year to lose the 42 pounds I gained during his pregnancy.  It was HARD work losing that baby weight.  I was back a few pounds below my prebaby weight, but still hadn’t rid myself of the dreaded c-section tummy.  The second I found out I was pregnant again, my uterus said, “Oh yeah, I got this. ” and proceeded to pop back out.  I made a promise to myself that I would not eat everything in sight this time and gain weight at a healthy pace.  So far I’ve kept that promise.     
 Month One
I felt great and was super excited to be pregnant again.  No big cravings took hold, and I was just a bit touchy because of the hormones.  
Month Two
All hell broke loose.  I was nauseous all day every day, and dizzy as well.  I couldn’t even get it together enough to dry my hair for this picture, which is a snapshot into the crazy.  I was so hormonal and snippy, I probably need to apologize to Jed and Fisher daily for years to come.  Still no cravings to report.  I had my first OB appointment and had a sonogram, which showed a little bleeding near where the placenta was forming.  This freaked me out and she ordered me to have no strenuous activity for 2 weeks.  She also told me about the wonder treatment for pregnancy nausea, Sea Bands.  Things got a little more manageable after that.  
I’ve created a little poll in the top right corner for you to vote for Mini Bear’s gender.  What do you think Mini Bear will be?  Vote in the poll and you have a 50% chance of being right.