Valentine's Day

First Valentine's Day, and a photo shoot by mom :) She's five weeks old, its going so fast!

be mine :)

a smile...sort of.

another smile

Three and Four Weeks

Elaina is four weeks old today and continues to do great. She has been having a few nights of not wanting to fall asleep after she has eaten, which makes for a long night for mommy; but then last night she ate at 1030pm, went down around 1130 and did not get up until 5am, so that was exciting! We went on our first family outing last week. Nothing big but just the three of us went to eat at Bono's haha, it was nice and she does so good being out. I am feeling more and more back to normal, getting some energy back and am in no pain. Elaina has just been the best baby so far, we are so blessed! She also took her first bottle last week, Daddy got to feed her and she took it no problem. We are trying to do one bottle at night so Silas can feed her and so when we want to go out and when I go back to work she will take it no problem. So far so good, she doesn't seem to mind as long as she gets some milk. Just this week I think she is starting to smile at us. Its not really smile, but she looks at us and when we talk to her she gets a big open mouth sort of grin, and her dimple comes out...so cute! She is also getting more and more vocal. She does not do much cooing she does A LOT of grunting, it sounds like she is going potty all the time :)


Three weeks



Four weeks 2/7/10



four weeks

2 weeks old

Elaina is two weeks old today! She is still doing great. She is sleeping well at night, she sleeps 3 hours at a time and is starting to do a four hour stretch every now and then..hopefully those increase!! She went to her two week well check this week and is 8 pounds and 2 ounces! I think I am getting more use to her being with me all the time. I still get stressed out when I think about taking her out by myself, especially having to feed her so often, but I am trying to remember it has only been two weeks and I'm sure it will get easier the more I take her places. She is more alert now starting to really look at her toys and focusing on our faces. Here are some pictures of her at one and two weeks old.


one week






bath time




8 lbs 2 oz




napping with daddy




two weeks old 1/24/10

Elaina's Birthday

Elaina Kate Dudley was born on Sunday January 10, 2010 at 345 pm. She is a healthy baby girl!!! The first week home has gone amazingly well, thanks to all my help. Silas has fallen very hard for her and is loving being a dad. He is even taking entire night shifts so I can sleep! Can't believe how much we both already love her. Here are some picture from her first week.

A little beat up after birth...


First family photo


First time seeing mommy



First day home from the hospital

40 weeks

Well, 2 days until my due date...I had a dr apt today and I have gained 49 pounds and they checked me today and I am 3 1/4 cm dilated and 80% effaced. The dr said she didn't think I would make it until my next apt on Monday but if I did they would schedule an induction. I'm just so happy to know that by next week I will get to meet my little girl! I am definitely hoping it is sooner rather than later and not by induction but who knows...I'm just so excited! Not much else going on at the moment, my thoughts are consumed by having this baby! I know Silas is ready as well. Can't wait for life with a newborn to begin. Its funny the different perspectives on what Silas I think it will be like. My opinion is that he doesn't have a clue...but we will see :) He thinks it is going to be easy and I think it is going to be really hard. I hope it is somewhere in the middle of both of our assumptions. Either way it will be worth it and I know I have plenty of help. This is just a quick update on my progress and I hope next update is post baby!!!

37 weeks!

I'm 37 weeks and so excited. At my last appointment the doctor said she is head down and dropped. I have gained 44 pounds and weigh as much as Silas does now!! Good thing it doesn't bother me and I just keep on eatin!! I may regret that after the baby comes but oh well :) I am going to the doctor every week now, they are suppose to check me at my next appointment but I have my doubts that they will since they start checking you at 38 weeks and I will be 37 weeks and 5 days. The doctor I saw last week said they would but I see a different doctor this time so we will see...The biggest change for me that has occurred recently is how swollen my feet get, especially after I work a couple days in a row. I actually had pitting edema, where my finger print stayed in my ankles for a good 10 seconds after I pressed on them.

Here is the funniest thing that has happened yet during my pregnancy. I worked a 12 hour shift on a Sunday and at the end of the day went to get into my car. Well, a large van had parked next to my car, right on the line...I opened my door, it was touching their car, but this belly would NOT fit though. So I had to go to the passenger side, take off my shoes and climb over the seat to get in...I was a little nervous that I would not make it! The worst part is that there was someone sitting in their car across from mine watching me the whole time. They were on their phone and laughing really hard...I know they were laughing at me.

Here are some pictures...



Now we just wait and see...will she come early, late or right on time...

32 weeks

I'm 32 weeks along now and just had my 32 week OB appointment today. All is well with me and the baby. Her heart beat is strong, they say she is growing like she should. They never say anything about my weight gain so I assume its ok. So far I'm up to 33 pounds. She is moving around a lot and kicking me in the ribs. Although, I guess shes not really kicking me since they said she is actually breech right now, so her head is up by my ribs and her butt is down. I had a talk with her today and she has 8 weeks to turn herself the right way!! :) I'm also fighting off some kind of upper respiratory sickness. I think maybe its a cold that is taking FOREVER to go away. I felt so bad by the middle of the week I was convinced it was the flu, but I never had any fevers and it is clearing up now, just taking forever. One of the joys of being 8 months pregnant and having a cold is that you cant really stop a sneeze from coming out or a forceful cough...and sometimes...it makes you pee on yourself. Silas has found this fact to be hilarious....it is pretty funny.





I had my first baby shower on Saturday. It was amazing. I was so surprised at how many people and gifts were there. I am so blessed!! The cake was so cute, it was decorated to match the theme of the nursery and the flower arrangments were gorgeous!! I have the two best sisters ever and a great cousin in law too :) It was so fun to come home and really go through everything and see what kind of stuff she got. Silas sat in the living room with me and just stared at it, then he was like so...I am really gonna be a dad. It was cute. I think it finally hit him with all the baby stuff that came in the house.





For the next few weeks I am busying myself in the nursery. Putting away clothes and decorating, hopefully it will be done soon and I can post pictures. It is turning out so cute. Her daddy built her a shelf to hang on the wall to hold her quilt until we can use it. I thought that was really sweet and it looks so good.


Only 8 more weeks to go!!!