6 months old!

I can't believe how much you have grown this month.  Well, you have started crawling.  You started with some very impressive downward dogs, and then just took it from there.  You started eating solids!  We started off with avocado.  At first, you didn't know what to do!  You did insist on trying to feed yourself, though.  You do like avocado and you love sweet potato!  Right now, those two are keeping you pretty content.  You get a serving in the morning and at dinner and are taking down about 4 and 1/2 ounces of supplemented breast milk.  You are eating much better, you tummy seems to be better and you are sleeping better through the night...sometimes!  It vaires, and we still can't seem to put our finger on what keeps you up.  

We celebrated Halloween with you.  You rocked your SuperGirl outfit!!  You looked absolutely precious!  I personally loved the bow and ruffle tutu!  You are you brother had fun going house to house to say hello to the neighbors!  I think Jonathan was trying to steal your candy, too!  You are also starting to crawl up on things, like your Bubba's trampoline!  You look over at us knowing that you are such a big girl!  Daddy put up your swing on the playscape and you were in heaven!!  You loved the wind in your face!! I posted a picture of your brother in his swing when he was six months old and I cannot get over how much you two look alike!  My two beautiful kiddos!  Love you to pieces, Angel!

5 months old!

I can't believe you are 5 months old already.  Before you know it, you will be in kindergarten.  Ok, let me not get to ahead of myself.  Eleana, this month has been a month of firsts for you!  We finally got your milk issue under control.  We had the wrong formula and when Dr. Simone switched you, you have been a much happier (and less poopy!) baby!!  You drink about 5oz of milk every 3-4 hours.  We started adding a scoop of formula to mommy's milk, and that seems to hold you over much better.  You like to make your presence known.  You will often shriek when you are left alone, or to get our attention.  You love your Bubba, and in fact, you said your first word this past weekend... "Bubba".  You looked right at your brother and said it clear as day!  That made Jonathan feel so special.  He loves you so much!  You also said "dadda" the other day.  So mommy is feeling a bit left out!  You love to sit in your walker or lie on the floor in the toy room and watch him play.  One night, when daddy was working late, we had a "camp out" as your brother likes to call it, and you lied down on the pillow next to your brother to watch Paw Patrol!  I just love watching the little relationship that is developing with you two!  Well, you are also very much on the move right now!  You can roll from back to front now, and on your last well check two weeks ago, you propped up onto hands and feet.  Dr. Simone said you are doing things 6 and 7 month olds are doing!  You have made it to all fours and rock back and forth.  You are able to pull yourself across the floor on your belly and are able to sit for about 5-10 seconds before you lose your balance.  You are now wearing size 2 diapers and are still a little on the petite side, as you are still wearing 3 month clothes.  I personally love your little skinny jeans on you!  Pleas forgive me, because your mom is by no means a fashionista!  I'll leave that to your Aunt Cathy!!  So here's to another month, my Angel!  Love you lots!!  

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4 months old!

This has been a busy month!  Eleana is doing more and more everyday!  She is no longer sleeping through the night.  She wakes up at 3 or 4am most mornings to eat.  But, she goes back to sleep very easily and sleeps well!  She is eating about 5oz every 3 hours, and is starting to show interest in eating solids.  She loves to sit in her "big girl" chair at the table at eat with us.  She mostly fights, because she hates to be confined, but a few toys on her tray helps.  She loves to be with her Bubba!  When he does in her room to wake her up in the morning, she gives him the biggest smile!  It just melts my heart.  She loves to be in his room and watching him play.  She will lie on her stomach and watch him play with his cars.  She likes to reach out and grab whatever she can, but we really have to watch her now.  She loves to put everything in her mouth!!  She is learning to grab her pacifier, and can place it to her mouth.  On a few occasions, she gets it lined up just right and can get it to her mouth!  She really likes her walker, or as Bubba calls it, "her flying saucer!"  She is now able to manuever, mostly backwards, but can make her way to the side, and at times even get a few steps forward in!  She can stand supported, and was able to stand at the tub while I gave Jonathan a bath!  She has found her voice, too!!  She loves to squeal!  She can mimic sounds.  When I say, "I love you", she will say, "La".  She likes to blow raspberries and has even blow full on spit into my face!  She just giggles.  She is also quite ticklish!!  She can now giggle, and will "talk" up a storm.  She likes to make her opinion known!  She is able to roll from her stomach to her back with ease, and has almost mastered back to tummy!!  She can press fully onto her hands when on her tummy, and if you tuck her knees under her, she looks like she is ready to start crawling!  I have a feeling she will br crawling sooner than later!  Can't believe how fast time is flying!!  She will be a year before you know it!! 

We had the opportunity to baptize Eleana this past weekend.  Unfortunately, Father Eric really butchered her name!  He just got back from a pilgrimage to Rome, and needless to say, he was exhausted.  He kept calling her "Elena" and once said "Brezosky" instead of Brezovay.  It was a beautiful mass, and Eleana was great!  She slept through it until Father poured the water over her head.  She opened her eyes slowly and just smiled.  She didn't even cry!!  She wore the most beautiful Christening gown.  My friend Gloria Velasco's mom (who is 94!) made it, and it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!  So here we go, another month.  Just love watching this little blessing grow!  Here's to another month!!

Baptism

Ready for my walk!

4 months old!!

3 months old!

Slow down, time!!  3 months old already, and my how much Eleana has changed!!  We discovered at her 2 month check up that she developed a milk allergy.  Momma has gone dairy free, and we have seen a huge difference in things.  She is no longer fussing all of the time, she eats better, and her diapers and gas are much more under control!  ;)  Poor baby!  This past month, Eleana has been able to tolerate tummy time better.  She can lift up her head and hold it for several minutes.  She can also prop up all of the way onto her hands for a bit and for the first time on August 20th, she rolled from her stomach to her back!!  She is eating 4-4.5oz of breast milk every 3 hours or so.  We put up her high chair for the table, and she loves to sit with the family while we eat.  She is becoming much more interactive.  She will smile at you, coo, and I love the look I get from her when I get home!  Her smile is enough to melt my heart!  Eleana does not like to be held over the shoulder to burp.  Primarily because she can't see what's going on in front of her!  She loves to sit in Bubba's room in her bouncer or lie on her tummy on a blanket and watch him play.  When you hold her, she likes to stand on your lap and even tries to climb up your chest.  We tried the walker out the other day, and she loves being upright and in the middle of everything.  I went back to work on August 17th and she has loved spending time with Grandma in the mornings while Jonathan is at school!  Being away from my kids during the day is so hard.  Well, here is to another month!  I am blessed beyond words with these two beautiful kids.  I love watching Jonathan grow into a great big brother.  He loves to go in her room in the morning when she is waking up.  She will be lying in her bed, still half asleep and fussing, but when she hears her brother's voice, she slowly opens her eyes, and gives him the best little smile!!  I just love watching their relationship grow!  
Last month, we made our annual beach trip to Padre.  We introduced Eleana to the beach, the sand and the peace that we all have sitting out in the ocean air.  She slept most of the time, but when she was awake, she wanted to see everything.  We didn't try the pool out just yet.  One, they don't make swim diapers that small, and second, I was a little leary of getting her in so early.  But, here's to another month of milestones!  Can't wait to see what this little one is doing in the month to come!

2 months old and Happy Birthday to me!

Cannot even believe that 2 months has come and gone.  I go back to work in 3 weeks.  I am really dreading that, but know that Eleana will be in good hands!  So much has changed this past month.  Eleana is sleeping up to 5-6 hours at night, now.  She continues to nurse very well and is definitely developing a little personality!  She smiles at you if you talk to her, make silly faces or sing to her.  She LOVES her brother.  Jonathan can calm her down when she is crying and she loves to follow him around the room while he is playing.  You can tell that she wants to badly to do what he is doing.  She coos, is becoming much more vocal and definitely lets you know when she is NOT happy!  She is not a fan of tummy time.  I have yet to meet a baby who is, but she does do well.  She can turn her head from side to side, push up onto her elbows and has on 2 occasions pushed herself up to full on prone press up.  At two months, she is already telling me "no".  I was putting her to sleep the other night.  She was wide awake and it was late.  I laid her down, and told her, "Eleana, its late and its time to get to bed."  She shook her head at me, like she was telling me, "no."  Plus, she did it with a BIG ole smile!  So, needless to say, she is getting a little personality, is becoming much more interactive and really coming into her own.  Here's to the next month...

One Month Old!!

Eleana, I can't believe it has been a month already!!  You came into this world with a bit of a challenge, but God is good, and you recovered as if nothing happened!  You are just as beautiful as can be, and our family is beyond blessed to have you.  Of course, your brother was a little hesitant, and did ask why we had to bring you home from the hospital, but he is warming up to you and now, everyday he tells you how much he loves you!  During the first week, all you did was sleep.  You had mom and dad a little worried for awhile.  You didn't wake for anything!!  You started eating very well, though!  You are getting milk from mommy and you learned that process quickly!!  The first two weeks were a little rough at night!  That was to be expected!  At your one week check up, the doctor said you were already at your birth weight of 6lbs 15oz and by your 2 week check up you were already up to 7lbs 4oz!!  The doctor just kept saying, "you look perfect!"  I would have to agree!  By two weeks old, you were sleeping in your own bed.  You would sleep for about 3 hours before you would start squirming to eat.  But, you never cried, really, at night.  By this time, you are more on a schedule of eating every 2-3 hours during the day, and go as long as 5 hours at night between feedings!  You are much more alert during the day and your brother loves to do "tummy time" with you!  You even push off of mommy's hands to try to "crawl" up to the top of the blanket where he is!  He has been a big help, and even helped me change a poopy diaper!  He loves you more than you know!  He loves to hold you and even sings to you when you get fussy!  Some reason, his choice song is "Jingle bells!"  You are tracking mommy, daddy and Jonathan across the room, smiling, cooing, and even told your brother, "Heeyyyy" one day!!  You love your bath times!!  You just relax in the bath sling, and love to have the warm water poured over you!  You love to go for walks, even though you don't like being in your car seat!  Mommy started walks with you when you were one week old, and you go with us on a walk every day!  You've made your first trip to church, travel without any trouble and even made your first road trip to Killeen to see "Wela!"  Grandma and Grandpa are over the moon with you and you have so many family members that have thoroughly enjoyed meeting you, holding you and watching you change over this first month!

Love!

First trip to church

First bath!

Drama King and Queen

Cutie pie!

big help!

Girl Genius!

Crazy kids!

All smiles for Wela

The Brezovays

One month old!

Welcome to the world, Eleana Grace!

She is finally here!!  I went to see Dr. Blair for my 39 week check up on Tuesday May 26th.  He was surprised that I had not made any progress from the week before.  Still 3-4 cm and about 75-80% effaced.  He asked me, "how does this week sound?  Want to have a baby?"  I quickly agreed and after checking out his schedule, we agreed on Thursday for induction.  This was it, May 28th, our baby girl would be here!  
Mom and dad took Jonathan Wednesday afternoon and I was left to prepare for this little girl's arrival.  Of course, the reality was sinking in.  We went to dinner at Houlihan's that night.  Just Steve and I, our last dinner as parents of one!  We both got to bed early, but I was awakened about 2am with a horrible headache.  Unfortunately the headache lasted all night, and that was the last of my sleep.  I woke Steve up about 4:45am and we checked into the hospital at 6am.  They had me up and in my room and Dr. Blair broke my bag at 7am.  I should have known we were in for the long haul.  When they broke my bag with Jonathan, I remember a very definite "gush" of water.  With Eleana, there was a slight trickle, and Dr. Blair said she had a "fore bag".  Almost like a double bag.  This girl really didn't want to make this easy.  So we hung out for the next 2 hours.  I wasn't having any contractions and I think Steve dozed off on the couch for awhile.  By 9am, the Pitocin was started, and the contractions were coming a little more regularly, but still not too aggressive.  They checked me about 11am and I had progressed to 5cm.  They convinced me to go ahead and get the epidural because withe the Pitocin, things could progress quickly.  Well, they still didn't.  The contractions were not coming in any pattern and were not progressing so they increased the medication.  Now the contractions were coming so well, that the nurse was thinking of decreasing the Pitocin and to let my body do the work on its own, but Dr. Blair said to continue on a low dose.  Well, by 1:30, I had progressed to 9cm and was "almost fully" effaced except for a small area that had not fully thinned.  The nurse started to get things ready and her and another nurse hurried about the room preparing the table, the medical equipment, and having Dr. Blair on stand by.  "Ok, Christina, we are going to start pushing soon!"  This was it.  Everyone kept telling me that since this was my second the delivery should go much faster....WRONG!  We started pushing at 2:11pm.  After an hour, I had a feeling we were in the same situation as we were with Jonathan.  She was too big for my pelvis.  We tried counter pressure, I was pulling on a sheet.  They even had me lie down on side to see if she would turn into a better position.  Nothing.  I was getting so discouraged, but I had an awesome nurse, Renee, who was so encouraging and cheered me on the whole time.  Not to mention an amazing husband who kept me calm, and kept his cool the whole time.  Around 4:15, Dr. Blair arrived and pulled out the good 'ol vacuumm.  He tried, but still, she would not progress.  Finally, things were getting pretty intense, and in a very uncharacteristic tone, Dr. Blair said, "Christina, I need you to give me everything you have left. One more push, and we need to deliver her NOW!"  I gave it all I had and then one of the nurses climbed onto the bed and pushed down on my stomach to help push her out.  There she was.  Dr. Blair held her up and she was blue.  Something was not right.  They didn't put her on my chest.  They immediately took her over to the other table.  I remember Dr. Blair very calmly say, "get another nurse in here and get her on CPAP."  What the hell was going on.  As they tended to me, I was trying so desperately to see what was going on. I hadn't heard her cry and was totally taken aback when I heard the nurse say, "Apgar 5."  Not good.  Finally, I heard Eleana cry.  She still didn't have good color, but she was crying.  Next, they start talking about shoulder dystocia, and my PT pedi brain went into overload.  Dr. Blair then asked them to check for a broken clavicle.  By this time, I was an emotional wreck.  I was crying uncontrollably, and Steven just kept reassuring me that everything was going to be ok.  I finally heard the nurse say "Apgar 9."  Ok.  It was going to be ok.  Eventually they put her on my chest and I was able to hold her.  She was beautiful.  She was bruised, swollen and had quite a cone head, but she was perfect.  We kept an eye on her shoulder the next 24 hours, but that night when I saw her stretch and reach over head, I knew all was good!  We spent that evening getting settled into our hospital room.  After my family left and it was just Steve and Eleana and I, Steve looked at me and said, "Babe, that shit got scary today!"  You think!  He did such an awesome job of keeping me calm, and reassuring me, but deep down, I now know he was pretty scared too!  But, she is here.  She is beautiful.  She sleeps alot, she is breast feeding VERY WELL and we are working on getting a schedule going.  All, in all, things are good.  I am blessed with 2 amazing children, an awesome husband and a family that can't do anymore but love my two beautiful kids.  Life is good.  God is good!  ...all the time!  :)

The day before she is due!

Big Belly!

checked in!

Eleana Grace

Proud parents

Big Brother

Bubba!

First Brezovay Family of Four photo!