Ella welcomes Annie June!

It is such a bummer that we have to celebrate Annie turning four months old with a bunch of shots, but at least her second round of vaccines was much less traumatic (both for her and for her mama) than her first. She showed off for Dr. Sommer, cooing and babbling and grabbing at everything, from the stethoscope to Dr. Sommer's bracelet. Annie is 15 pounds, 25.5 inches long and in the 80th percentile for everything. She has also started to roll, and as she gets closer to mobile, I'm starting to panic about the choking hazards strewn about the house in the form of Ella's vast toy collection.

Ella herself is hitting some major milestones. This kiddo is definitely reading, though sometimes she lacks the patience to actually sound out words and, after figuring out the first syllable, will just guess at what the word might be. "chair. chocolate. chalkboard." She can also swim, though we haven't witnessed this talent ourselves. We have to take the word of Miss Colleen, her swimming instructor. Ella has taken two sessions of lessons with the kiddos at her preschool, and we got a written report last week that proclaimed Ella had passed level II and can do the front glide and crawl. "Incredible!" Miss Colleen had written across the top of the report. Of course, Ella insists that her teacher's name is actually "Miss Chlorine." "And I LOVE her!" Ella added.

Annie is "talking" (vocalizing more and more) and Ella is reading!

7-3-09 - original date of post.

We just returned from the second annual Williams family trip to Bunker Hill on the Jack's Fork River in southern Missouri. So many things were the same this year as last - the queen anne's lace and brown eyed susans blooming along Highway 17, the fried chicken for Sunday lunch, the sound of the water, the s'mores by the campfire, and the lightning bugs sparkling in the dark. Of course, there was also much that was new. Ella's sister Annie and cousin Trey got to dip their feet in the river for the first time.

If you ask Ella about the trip, she might tell you about getting bitten by a horsefly, skinning her knees on the rocks, or how daddy taught her to pee in the river. More likely, however, will be stories about hiking to the spring and Lookout Point, getting desserts at both lunch and dinner, or catching a firefly and whispering a wish into her cupped hands before letting it go, carrying her small dream on its wings. I will not forget watching a firefly walk to the end of her middle finger - as if it were a runway - and take off into the air. I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach our girls the joys of collecting rocks and catching fish. But I am even more grateful for the gift of time spent with my brothers and their families. My heartfelt thanks to Ella and Annie's Mimi and Grandpa Mike for making the weekend possible.

(To see the more than 60 photos from this trip, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/laurenzoewilliams/BunkerHill?authkey=Gv1sRgCOCAvajvmrOtCQ#)

6-17-09 - original date of post.

Want to know what Ella is doing in summer school all day? So do we. It is so weird to send her off with a lunch box and some sunscreen and then pick her up at the end of the day without getting to talk to her teacher. She is attending the after-school program called "Adventure Club," which is staffed by University of Missouri education students, so we don't actually talk to her kindergarten teacher at the day's end. Instead, we get most everything through the lens of a five-year-old. Consequently, here is what we know. Her friends are named Noah, Bebe, Paul, and "Miss Rosie." At circle time they sit on pieces of tape, and no, the pieces of tape don't have their names on them. They sing songs and read books. When Ms. Moore says, "Awesome possum," you are supposed to stop playing and put your hands on your head. On the first day, when she "forgot" that her lunch contained a juice box and thought she had no drink, she was given a chocolate milk carton by someone and reported, "It was sort of free!"

The great part about this summer school experience is Ella's enthusiasm for this next phase of her life. She wanted the whole family to accompany her on the first day, not so much for comfort but to mark it as the significant occasion it indeed was. We had planned to all walk the three quarters of a mile to Russell Boulevard Elementary, but the weather did not cooperate. Instead, we all piled into the car - baby and dog included - and drove through the pouring rain. She gave me and Annie hugs, and Spencer walked her into the building. When he returned, Spencer reported that Ella immediately spotted a friend she had made at orientation the week before, blew a kiss to him over her shoulder and headed over to her friend to compare water bottles. She "dove right in," Spencer said. And we love this about her - her confidence and her optimism. As my friend Tonya said, "Look at her fly!" Fly on, Ella! We love you.

6-12-09 - original date of post. Our main focus these days is sleep. Mostly Annie's sleeping habits - when, where, how, and how much - and my general lack of sleep. I return to work on June 22 (boo), so for the past couple of weeks I've been trying to be better about paying attention to how long Annie has been awake, noticing her sleepy signs, and putting her down in her crib for naps so that maybe getting her to nap will be a bit easier for her sitter. Pop came to visit at the beginning of this sleep work, and I felt sort of bad that we spent much of his time here trying to figure out how to get Annie to sleep in ways other than nursing and how to get her to stay asleep. We finally resorted to long walks with Annie in the stroller. However, I'm happy to report some recent progress. As I am typing this, Annie is taking her second nap of the day. Her first nap was two hours long! In her crib!

As for my sleeping, Spencer recently came to my rescue, suggesting that I pump a bottle before bed and let him get up for the first feeding. So now I get to sleep from 10:30 pm or 11:00 pm to 4:00 am instead of just until 1:00 or 2:00 am. And just a couple of nights ago Annie surprised us by sleeping for nearly 7 hours in a row! Go, Annie!

5-31-09 original date of post. We've had a big couple of days around here. First, Annie had her two-month well baby check up and she's a chunky little babykins! She is now 12 pounds and 5 ounces, jumping from the 50^th to the 90^th percentile for weight. The poor thing got her first round of vaccinations, and I don't know who was more traumatized, Annie or her mama. That night Annie had a couple of bouts of crying-bordering-on-shrieking, and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. When the Tylenol finally kicked in (the administration of which seemed to cause as much distress as the pain her legs where she had received her shots), she gave me a couple of tired smiles and drifted off to sleep, at which point I fell apart in Spencer's arms. She is now back to her gentle self, thank goodness, treating us to small smiles and coos.

The other big event of the weekend was Ella's preschool graduation. She and her classmates treated us to songs, skits, and a lot of laughs. We marked the occasion by giving her a big girl backpack she can take to Russell Boulevard Elementary in the fall. Our first baby is kindergarten bound! Congratulations, Ella!

5-14-09 - original date of post.

Question: What do you get when you have a newborn and a five-year-old with a cold who can't keep from kissing the baby?

Answer: a baby with conjunctivitis.

Actually, we didn't get a firm diagnosis of pink eye from the doctor, but her left eye is definitely weepy and gunky, so we still got a prescription for antibiotic eye drops. It is no joy to administer eye drops to a squirmy 6-week old, but really, it is nearly impossible to get Ella to stop touching Annie's face. At least she has become a better hand washer, making bubbles and standing at the sink for a count of 20. Also, our trip to the doctor's office allowed us to find out Annie June's official measurements: she's 11 pounds and 1 ounce and 22 inches long!

None of us can resist kissing the cheeks of our newly smiling sweetie. Annie delighted Ella with all sorts of smiles this morning - she is very interested in her big sister!

5-8-09 - original date of post.

We haven't had a doctor's appointment recently, so I don't have an update on Annie's official height or weight. I will tell you that her gorgeous knees are getting a bit dimpled, and she has those delicious little creases at her wrists. She's filling out quite nicely. And she should be, the way she is eating! Her love of nursing rivals Ella's at this age.

I may not have any current stats, but I will make some predictions for the future. Annie's eyes will be brown. Her hair will be straight. She will worship her big sister Ella, who wants you to know that Annie has treated us to a few smiles and that she is starting to use her voice! We've heard a couple of coos. Her voice is kind of low and lovely.

Ella is using her own voice quite a bit these days, singing and singing and singing along with her Disney CDs. At this very moment, she is in the bathtub singing "Que Sera, Sera" to Spencer. We look forward to the day Ella and Annie can perform duets!

4-21-09 - original date of post.

I just noticed that Annie June is sleeping in most of the pictures we have of her, which is funny, because she does not seem to sleep all that much. At least at night, that is. Or maybe when she is sleeping is the only time I have my hands free to actually take a picture. If she is awake she is most likely nursing. Not that I'm complaining. I am trying to soak up every minute with Annie that I can since I know my maternity leave will be over way too quickly!

Other Annie June facts. She is in the 50th percentile for everything except for her head size, which is closer to the 60th percentile. At her last doctor's appointment she had gained eleven ounces. She's a good eater. Go, Annie! She is also extremely tolerant of her big sister's manhandling. Ella loves her, just a little too enthusiastically at times.

Speaking of the big sister, she is now registered for kindergarten! I can't believe our first baby is about to start school. At registration night, after speaking with Ella for just two minutes, the principal labeled her "precocious." This was right after Ella told him that his last name (Shumacher) sounds like Chewbacca.

4-5-09 - original date of post. Ella wants to tell you a little about Annie June.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

4-1-09 - original date of post.

Ella wants everyone to know that her baby is here! She came two and a half weeks early, and she brought the spring with her. It rained and even snowed a bit on the day she was born, but the day she came home it was sunny and the streets were lined with flowering trees.

Anna June Williams Thompson (named after my mother, Ann, and Spencer's mother, June) was born at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 after a very fast labor. I labored at home for about 11 hours and we and our doula made it to the hospital just an hour before Annie was born. She came out in three pushes, and the bag of waters had not broken yet when her head emerged. The nurse later told us that this is being born "in caul," and it is quite rare and special. A quick search online tells us that various cultures have a range of myths on caul bearers like Annie, believing that she will be everything from magic or psychic to a tireless traveler across oceans. She is also supposed to be protected from drowning, which is a huge relief to her mama. Now I just have to worry about the choking and suffocating. And her gorgeous little neck snapping like a twig.

We are all head over heels in love with miss Annie June, particularly her proud and loving big sister, Ella, who has nicely agreed to share her web site with her. Thanks everyone for your well wishes!

Comments
Welcome little AJ!! Davis was born in caul too, so you are in good company. Well, at least *I* think so. Well done, people! She's gorgeous.
- stefanie

3-7-09 - original date of post.

This evening Ella announced that she is really "interested at things." Namely, "how things are made." After a little prompting, she elaborated, saying that she'd like to know how to make metal, plastic, money, cotton, and zippers.

One thing she has already learned a bit about is new babies. She had her "big kids only" class at the hospital a couple weeks ago, and she practiced changing a diaper and found out what happens on the day a baby is born. She got to see two brand new babies in the nursery and ride a hospital bed up and down, up and down. She also made a birthday card to give to her little sister when she arrives.

Spencer and I are likewise preparing to welcome this new member of the family. The nursery is painted a sunny yellow and the crib is assembled. Freshly laundered onesies and gowns are folded in drawers. We don't have diapers or the car seat yet, but we have started the packing list for our hospital bag. And I am practicing being awakened several times a night, but instead of a crying baby I'm dealing with a tiny bladder. We're not quite ready for our new arrival, but we are getting there and enjoying wondering what daughter number two will be like. As Ella would say, we are very "interested at" meeting her.

1/31/09 - original date of post.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Apparently, five is the age where you start loving roller coasters. We celebrated Ella's fifth birthday with a surprise trip to Disneyworld . (After last year's germ-infested kids' party that resulted in pink eye, a sinus infection, and a four-day-long fever, we decided to head somewhere warm this year.) It turns out that Ella shares Spencer's fondness for thrill rides, theater (including the makeup), and Disney itself. She also shares his affection for pork.

"Daddy," she announced at dinner this week, "I'll love you forever because you love bacon." That's our girl.

Speaking of love and Disney, I think that company's movies are single-handedly responsible for Ella's most recent theory about how such feelings develop. "Two people dance with each other and then they get in love." After multiple viewings of Cinderella and Wall-E, I can see why she has come to this conclusion. But, I have told her, this is not how it happened for Spencer and me. There was more laughter than dancing. However, there might have been some music involved. And maybe a little bacon.

Happy birthday, Ella!

1/3/09 - original date of post.
At about 7:30 on Christmas morning, we heard Ella's door creak open and the patter of feetie pajamas on the wooden floor. Then there was a pause, a sharp intake of breath, and Ella came running down the hall and burst into our room.

"Santa ate the cookies and left me a note!" She announced. "Did he leave anything in your stocking?" I asked. "I don't know - I didn't check," was Ella's reply. I love that her initial excitement was not over the ridiculous bounty of gifts under the tree or a bulging sock of treats but was instead about a plate of cookie crumbs and a little handwritten thank you.

Later, talking over her Christmas day with Pop and Grandmother Linda on the phone, Ella confessed, "I thought I was on the naughty list, but when I went to look at the tree I got presents and the nutcracker I wanted, so I must be on the nice list!" Hmm. Either Ella has been up to some mischief that we have not yet discovered, or I used the "Santa is watching and wouldn't like that behavior" line one too many times.

Who knew that we had room in our shoebox of a house for even more toys and goodies? It turns out that we do. And who knew we could feel even more blessed by the love, support, thoughtfulness and generosity of our family and friends? It seems that we can. Merry Christmas to you all, and we wish you a peaceful and happy New Year!

Happy holidays from Ella and her classmates!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

11/24/08 - original date of post.

It is a week for giving thanks. Ella, in particular, is thankful for a wish granted. She is getting a little sister. During the ultrasound we got to see daughter number two flip and flop and even break dance a little. On the way home from the hospital Ella exclaimed, "Our family is going to have two fun girls and one crazy girl!" "Which one are you?" I laughed. "I'm a fun girl," she said. "And mama's a fun girl. The baby is CRAZY."

Also crazy are the number of Christmas events and decorations already popping up all over the place. We took Ella to the holiday parade this past weekend where she collected an obscene amount of candy and theorized about how Santa got to Columbia to ride on his big float: "He came down from the sky. He must have a really big ladder." She told us some of the things she likes best about Christmas time (besides the candy), and these include "the snowball fighting" and the "Christmas shuggle." "Shuggle," we've finally deduced, is garland and tinsel, and we have no idea of this Ella-word's origin. But it's fun. And a little bit crazy.

11-08-08 0 original date of post.

Happy belated Halloween! I know, you all are already dusting off your turkey basters and dreaming of pumpkin pie. We're still a little dreamy about our own pumpkin. Ella was a joyful jack-o-lantern last week. Pop and Grandmother Linda were in from Texas to enjoy the fall weather and join Ella in the trick-or-treat festivities. (And as a bonus, hear Barack Obama speak at the University of Missouri !)

For those of you who haven't heard the news, this time next year we'll have two little trick-or-treaters! Ella's getting a little brother or sister this April (we'll find out which at our ultrasound in a couple of weeks). Ella has requested that the baby be a girl. But, she has assured us, "If it is a boy, I'll still keep it." Whew.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Create a free baby website