3 Months Old Photo Shoot - by Kelly

My amazing friend Kelly came over last Thursday, November 5,  to take Ellie's 3 month pictures.  She captured so many amazing shots - especially when you consider that Ellie was not feeling that great.  We were originally scheduled to do the session on her actual 3 month birthday, the 4th, but had moved it back a day.  Kelly did such a fabulous job that it is hard to choose my favorites, but here they are:

Songs in 6/8 time

I have discovered that Ellie loves it when I sing "jaunty" songs in 6/8 time.  It gets her to smile and coo every time, even if she is crying or a little whiny.  I sing to Ellie all of the time, and knew that she loved Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam.  The other morning when I was getting her dressed, I tried Have You Done Any Good in the World Today, and it was such a hit that I dusted off every energetic 6/8 song I could think of (which was only Who's On The Lord's Side, Who?, and I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In,  for which I could not remember all of the words, so I had to make up some of my own).  It is great to have these songs in my back pocket for when they are needed.  I think it is the meter and the tone that Ellie likes the best.

Ellie has been kind of laughing for a week or so, and a couple of days ago I caught her first actual laugh on video!  I am so happy that I just happened to be taping when it happened.  It is a long clip, but if you fast forward to about 2 minutes and 10 seconds, you will hear it yourself!

Does Ellie look like us?

I remembered that my friend Beth had this on her blog ages ago with her first son, so I found the site in her archives and tried it out. It is funny to me that the "image detection" software came up with these results!

Ellie's First Funeral

Today Ellie attended her first funeral, for Bill Gabbitas.  I know Cheryl better, having been her visiting teacher twice (for just a few months each time), and attending Institute classes and Education Week together.  I also have the privilege to be acquainted with three of their daughters.

Brother Gabbitas was always the first one to greet you when you got to church, and he always used flattery, calling every women a beautiful girl or telling her how pretty she looked that day.  Whenever I asked him how he was doing, he always said he was just as mean and ornery as ever.  He could get away with saying that, because those attributes in no way describe him!

The funeral service was very nice, with each of the 7 children speaking.  The comment that stuck me the most was from Tiana, who said that other people's names were always safe in their home, because her dad always looked for the good in people and spoke about them positively.  What an honorarium!  I need to be better about that.

Here is a quote that sums this up perfectly: 

You find yourself refreshed by the presence of cheerful people.  Why not make earnest effort to confer that pleasure on others?  Half the battle is gained if you never allow yourself to say anything gloomy.  ~Lydia Maria Child

After the funeral, Greg & I stayed to help put on the luncheon.  Ellie was so good (but no one is surprised, right?).  Our friend Alesha stole her at one point, and put Ellie to sleep just by walking around with her.  I put Ellie in her car seat in the kitchen, and she slept for a long time, which allowed us to help fully.  Wasn't that nice of her?

So it has been a good day.  It is good to celebrate Brother Gabbitas' life - even though his death was unexpected.  My thoughts and prayers continue to be with Cheryl as she is adjusting to the loss of her dear husband.

3 months old!

Ellie turned 3 months, or .25 years old, on Wednesday.  Where has the time gone?  It seems like we have only known her for a short time, and yet it also seems like she has always been here. 

She seems to be feeling better today - hopefully she is getting all recovered!  Ellie was doing well enough yesterday about 7 that she laughed for the very first time.  It was so sweet that it brought tears to my eyes.  I am a total sap, I know, but it was amazing to hear her.  She was laughing so much that I called Greg and put the phone on speaker so that he could hear her also.  So precious!

...inspiring...

I needed to read this today.  Check it out.

Poor baby is sick...

Poor Ellie has been sick for the very first time today.  She is not a spitter-upper or a puker, and she has thrown up twice today and has been running a fever.  Just in the last 90 minutes, she looks like she feels a lot better, and is talking and smiling, and her fever feels like has broken for the most part.  Poor baby!  We have tried so hard to prevent sickness, and we made it 3 months, so that is a victory of sorts...

Sunday Dress

Check out Ellie in her new tights and $2 D.I. sweater: