4 Month Check Up

Elliott had her four month check up this morning. She endured 3 shots and she handled them fairly well. She has been fussy all this afternoon, but is resting now.

She weighed in at 15.2 pounds and 25 inches long. She is in the 80th percentile and slightly heavier than she is long, however is proportional and that is good.

Her first day of daycare was yesterday. She had trouble sleeping there, but it seemed to be okay. The worker there, Ms. Lacy has two young girls of her own and really seemed to care about the babies. She isn't there today due to the shots. I wanted to keep her home to watch her in case she had a reaction. She will be there tomorrow and Thursday, so hopefully she will continue to adjust.

The Doctor was impressed that she is rolling over from her back to her front and noticed that her upper gums are puffy meaning that she is starting to teethe. She will be eating Taco Casa before we know it! She tried green beans last night and seemed to enjoy them. Every food we have tried thus far, she eats all of! No picky eater here!

Crazy Week!

Check out her cute dress! She's in size 6 months, but already growing out of some of them!

Sleeping in her crib sans swaddle and all on her own!!

Wow! We had one CRAZY week last week! I feel like I am just now catching back up.

First, on Monday, Shaun got jury duty and it turned out to be a murder trial. He made it through all the rounds but the last one for selection. Whew it was close. We are lucky too because if he had been chosen he would have been immediately sequestered until after the trial which was projected to last 3 weeks. Bullet 1 dodged!

On Tuesday, Elliott started having trouble sleeping in the day time and was only sleeping for 30 minutes to an hour tops. Additionally, she started the fight with the swaddle. She didn't want to be in it, but couldn't sleep without it so thus the fight began. We started unswaddling one arm and after 3 days moved to the other arm. At night, she would try to sleep but would wake up every 2 hours hitting herself. She also was not sleeping well in her swing anymore and we were trying to transition her to the crib. So, needless to say Mommy got very little sleep at night and very little work accomplished during the day. This pattern continued through Sunday.

I also had to try to hunt down office furniture for my new counseling office with a cranky baby who screams in the carseat. I finally found some on Thursday in Gulfport and had to drive it back home in the truck as 40 mile per hour winds blew. But, office is now up and running!

Thursday morning our friends who moved to Texas arrived to stay with us through Monday. They have a daughter, Abi, who is 2 weeks younger than Elliott. They were here because they were in the wedding party of our friends Nikki and Kevin. Shaun and I officiated the ceremony. James drove 1 hour from his home and convinced the local Taco Casa there to separately wrap the taco ingredients and they brought enough tacos to feed Shaun for 3 days. He was a very happy boy!

Friday was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. The rehearsal went well. We brought Elliott to the dinner where she managed to throw up all over me and the floor within 10 minutes of arrival and scream after 30 minutes. Needless to say, we left fairly early. Saturday was the wedding and we were there from 12-3.

Dustin was gone, so in addition to all of this, Shaun was in charge and preached the main services Saturday and Sunday. He spoke on depression and Elijah and it seemed to impact a lot of our people in a good way. Shaun also had to write a paper for school Sunday night after such a busy day.

Saturday and Sunday was also Elliott's first time in the church nursery all weekend. We had been paying sitters to watch her on Sundays and on Saturday nights she was only in there while I was doing worship and then I would take her home.

Our friends left on Monday and then it was time for Mardi Gras. It was so good to have our friends here! They helped with Elliott and just blessed us! They are both nurses and James did peds for a while. When we started talking about the car seat drama with Elliott, he suggested that it might be the seat itself. So, we put her in their seat and drove her around. NO screaming, no crying, giggling and no drama! It was the seat all along, who knew?!?! Now we have a new Chicco seat for our very own and it is like a different world! She doesn't scream and she even falls asleep in it!

We went to Natalie's parent's home to experience our first parade with Elliott on Tuesday. The wind was terrible! So, we didn't make it to actually see the parade but we did enjoy the food and friends.

The rest of this week has been a blur. Big news this week is that we went and checked out daycares. We signed Elliott up to start daycare on Monday. This is a huge step for Mommy! But, we have to work and it will be good for her to be around other kiddos. She won't be going every day, but will be there on Mondays and Thursdays for sure.

This week Elliott has been like a different kiddo compared to last week! She is sleeping without the swaddle and in her crib. She is sleeping 7 hours at night! She even put herself to sleep during nap time! Trips have been great, no melt downs in the car or in the store. She is eating more solid food too. She eats cereal with apple sauce in the morning and at night she eats a veggie. Today is new food Friday, so we try peas tonight. Last night, she ate an entire container of sweet potatoes! She is in love with Elmo and just kicks and giggles when he is on the tv. She is getting so big so fast! She is 17 weeks, but will be 4 months old on Sunday. We go Tuesday to the Doctor and she gets her second set of shots.

That's it for now. Much love!

Jessica

15 weeks

Big Girl eating real food.......


Good afternoon!

I got busy and skipped our 14 week update. But above are a few picts from last week. Biggest news is that Elliott has learned to talk...kind of. Shaun taught her to growl. That's right! Growl! So now when you talk to her, she will respond back with growling. It is the cutest thing EVER!

She also has begun eating with a spoon. We are eating cereal with apple sauce and the verdict seems to be that she likes it. She is eating 6.5 ounces each feeding now and is almost impossible to keep satisfied. So, we went ahead and starting eating. I am still breast feeding her too, so we spend a lot of time feeding Elliott these days! Click the link below and watch her eating for the first time!

Untitled from Jessica Campbell on Vimeo.

Spring is in full swing here and the gnats are awful! You can't go outside without them eating you alive. I had hoped they wouldn't be here yet since we had such cold temps for here in January, but I guess you can't kill those devil birds! With that, our stroller time is limited so we are making trips to walk the beachfront instead. Elliott still doesn't seem to enjoy the car seat much. We have been going out running errands in the afternoon and some days she does ok, others she just melts down.

Work is going well. We are still just always busy but learning how to balance it all. Shaun and I are having to sync our calendars and balance watching Elliott but I am so grateful that we can be home with her for the most part. Starting in March, she will be attending church with us on Sundays as we can't afford a sitter all day on Sundays and Mondays. I pray that she will stay well and adjust quickly.

I am excited to share that starting in March, I will be doing all my counseling in a real counseling office and be in practice at a place called Islands Counseling. I'll be seeing children, women, and couples. I will start with one day a week and then see how it goes. I will actually get paid too! Whoo hoo!!! I should be on their website soon and am developing a client load now. I go shopping next week for office furniture. I will still see Mosaic people who need help and offer a sliding scale when needed. I will be earning my LPC hours and hopefully be fully licensed in the next year or so.

Shaun is getting certified to teach spin classes at the end of March and he will begin teaching a spin class or two each week soon. So, hopefully we can both lose our baby weight! :-)

I think that is all the updates for now.

Blessings!

Jessica

3 Months

That's right! Elliott is officially 13 weeks and 2 days old. I have been remiss in updating the blog, man time flies!

As you can see, Elliott is growing and growing. She is already out of some of her 6 month size clothing and about to graduate to size 2 diapers. She has learned that she can hold toys and sucks on her hands. She LOVES this bouncer chair. She sits in it and watches cartoons. Seems like she really likes Fraggle Rock and Sesame Street. Classical Baby, although better for her, doesn't catch her attention for too long. Although, she loves acoustic guitar music and we have her Uncle E play for her when he is in town visiting.

We made a quick trip to Texas to see Siti. She fell and broke her hip. She is back at the nursing home now and we are praying that she cooperates with the Rehab and will actually walk again. It was so special to have Elliott meet the family. I wish we could have seen everyone, but due to the snow, we lost an entire day and had to get back to MS. Boy that is a LONG drive with a baby, but she did great. Hopefully next time we can take more than a day to get back home.

That's all for now!

Jessica

9 Weeks

As usual, pictures first.....




Hello All,

Time just keeps flying by! Elliott is now 9 weeks old as of Saturday. She seems to just be growing and learning everyday. We are doing well on our schedule and are so close to sleeping through the night. I am looking forward to that day! Right now, she is sleeping 5-6 hours most nights.

Of course, we are having to adjust her schedule a little bit to fit, but overall it has made a huge difference.

Elliott is now smiling at us and cooing. She loves her owl mobile and smiles at herself in the mirror. We sing a lot and peak a boo and kissy face are favorite games. She loves music and she loves ghetto tunes and worship tunes. Perfect! We are taking her for walks as weather allows and are braving the car rides more often.

This week, we are interviewing a few potential babysitters. Shaun and I both have to work up at the church on Mondays so we need someone for that day and finding someone so we can have a night out would be a bonus! On Sundays, Elliott stays home while we work. I have hired our child care workers from church to watch her at our home. She did great yesterday and I managed ok. I only sent 3 texts to check in!

Church is still growing. We had around 900 yesterday. Mo Kids has expanded into another building and it is great! We have a ton of room now and can continue to grow without adding another service. It also allows for more room in our Lil Mo program. Now our 4 and unders have a new space for worship and teaching. Shaun is busy this week as we prepare for volunteer and community fairs. He is also busy training new leaders this week. He is scheduled to go to a training in Orlando the first week of February so Elliott and I will be on our own.

I am resuming seeing so counseling patients and have limited the number of patients that I will see. I currently only have 2. I think that is all for now....

Jessica

7 Weeks

Hello!

Elliott turned 7 weeks old on Saturday and started experiencing the 7 week old growth spurt. So, we have been feeding her all the time and the dreaded "45 Minute Intruder" that all the books warn about is alive and well at our house. During this growth spurt, it is common that babies wake up 45 minutes into their sleep and the only cure is to feed it. So, Elliott is really packing away the food!

I am dreading tomorrow because Elliott has a Dr. appointment and receives her first set of shots. I don't know who will be more upset, me or Elliott! Since Shaun is afraid of needles, looks like the girls will have to brave this one.

Shaun preached in the services this weekend at church. I have heard that he did a great job. He spoke on fear and courage. Check it out on our website: www.mosaicgc.com. I start back to work this Sunday and am excited and nervous. I have special helpers lined up to watch Elliott so that she does not have to go into the nursery just yet. I am excited to be there for the launch of our expanded children's area. We have outgrown our current space and are leasing a building next door just for our older kiddos! So, please pray for me, for this weekend, and for Elliott as she experiences her new Sunday routine.

I don't have any pictures to add this post. But, will have some next time! Until then......

Jessica

To baby wise, baby whisper, happiest baby on the block... info. overload!

First a few pictures. The last one is proof of Elliott's first tears. Tough times! We have started Elliott fashion time since we have so many cute 3 month outfits and it seems like she will probably outgrow them before she can safely make her debut into to world and leave the shelter of the house. Who needs a special occasion to look cute, right?!


Now onto the crazy stuff....

All of you know that I am a student by nature. I loved school, hence the 3 degrees. I loved the research aspect and acquiring new knowledge. So, I have been reading and researching in my limited free time all the different ways the experts think one should raise and train a baby. There is baby wise (not created by a pediatrician or child development expert, fyi). Then, there is the baby whisperer book. And don't forget the happiest baby on the block with the 5 S's.

I am working on the getting your child to sleep book right now.

Why all the research you ask? No, there isn't anything wrong with Elliott. But, we are trying to prepare for life when I go back to work and to help Elliott adjust. We have been tracking her daily to see if she had a natural pattern and found that she did. So, we have put her on a schedule based on that pattern but that works better for our schedules too. She is on a four hour schedule and hopefully this will lead to her sleeping through the night soon.

The rock and hard place moment for me concerns the rock not rock controversy. Baby Wise states that you must let you child cry it out when you put her to sleep and not use sleep props like a swing or rocking and shushing. The reasoning is that she will not learn to self soothe and be dependent on you to get to sleep.

The Baby Whisperer encourages parents to rock and soothe their baby's. But, you are to comfort them, lay them down and if they cry, pick them up and pat them and lay them back down. The reasoning being that the baby will eventually learn to self soothe.

The Happiest Baby on the block uses the 5 S's to soothe a child: swaddle, side, suck, shoosh, sway. It directs parents to use these to calm their children and get them to sleep. We have been using these since day one and it really does help to calm her and to get her to sleep.

So, we are trying to figure out how to balance the theories and what works best for Elliott. I tried the whole cry it out bit last night and ended up with an upset baby from 10-midnight ish.

She was awake through her entire 4 hour block. Not fun! I let her cry for 10 minutes and would pick her back up and calm her and lay her down and the process would start all over again.

Now, I know from my training that a baby will cry on average anywhere from 2-6 hours a day and that the APA states that crying is healthy and needed to facilitate sleep. We let her cry before feedings and for a few minutes every time before we put her down for a nap. However, we use the 5 S's to calm her and get her to bed. This method meshes with what I have learned about attachment theory and bonding.

So, bottom line. We are working on it! The 4 hour schedule seems to do well. Just need to figure out the whole how to soothe/ sleep thing. Pray for us as we seek wisdom and guidance in this. Oh yeah and sleep at night for Mommy would be awesome!

5 Weeks

Photos first and then the latest news.....

One of Elliott's newborn photos courtesy of our friend Heather! She was 2 weeks old here. I can't believe how much she has changed since then!

Elliott is 5 weeks old here. She enjoys her bath time. We just have learned not to do them at night because unlike some babies where baths calm them, baths just cause Elliott to be WIDE awake.
Once again, she is 5 weeks old. Daddy is doing a great job! He even braves the poop diapers like a champ now. He has been gone a lot this past week and we have missed him very much. I really appreciate his help and couldn't imagine doing this without him.

We are now 5 weeks old and doing well. Elliott had her month check up this week and has gained to right at 10 pounds and gained 2 inches in length. The Dr. said that she is doing great and can be expected to gain an ounce or 1/2 ounce a day. How crazy is that?!?

I think that she must be in a growth spurt now, as she is eating more and has been cranky the last two days. She has also started having tears when she cries. That is a sign of growth and it makes it even harder on us when she cries. Poor pumpkin!

Shaun is back to work full time and that leaves a lot of mommy and Elliott bonding time! We are getting more of a routine down and hopefully we will have a schedule that works for everyone soon.

I managed to make it out of the house on Friday alone and attempted to do some Christmas shopping. It was chaos out there! I never noticed how many people around you in public do things that are dangerous. For example, when walking into Target, there was a group of people standing right by the doors smoking. So, everyone walking in and out of the store had to walk through their smoke. My shirt smelled like it and it was only a minute that I was exposed to it. If Elliott was with me, I would have been one mad mama! While standing in the check out line, I was surrounded by sick people. The man in front of me kept sneezing without covering his mouth! And he looked like he should have been in the hospital he was so pale and sickly looking. The woman behind me had a terrible cough and I had to look back several times because I thought she lost her lung. To top it off, as I walked to my car, the woman parked beside me was sitting on her back bumper smoking. So, as I rushed to unload my bags into the back of the tiguan, I endured her smoke again and got to smell it all the way home until I rushed into the shower.

So, note to self, it is so not worth the trip for me right now! I'll shop online: quick, easy, and no inconsiderate people. My friends keep encouraging me to get out of the house and I do agree that I need to do so. If I go out, it won't be shopping, maybe to the gym or to get a pedicure!

Christmas is coming soon. I have been overwhelmed with the number of Christmas outfits that have been given to Elliott! It is a virtual 12 days of Christmas Elliott fashion show! She has also received several presents already and I think more Christmas cards than Shaun and I! We aren't doing the whole visit with Santa thing due to her being in quarantine still and the fact that Mall Santa's creep me out due to all my years working child abuse cases. Special side note: clowns, people who do puppet things, people who dress up Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, all make me nervous!

Shaun and I are looking forward to spending our first Christmas with Elliott. Shaun has to work due to how the holiday falls, but we are taking some time this week and next to enjoy. Shaun preaches on the weekend of January 1 and 2. We hate that we can't be home to see our family and friends. We really hate that we will miss seeing some of our family who only comes in during the holiday. And all the fun and food that the holiday brings! We are truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. We love y'all and look forward to seeing you sometime in the new year. You know, y'all can always come visit here too.

Merry Christmas!

Already 4 weeks?!?

First a few photos!

Elliott's first bath

Too Cute in her yellow suit!

Handmade bow from Jade

Wow! Time is flying by! I can not believe that Elliott will be 4 weeks old tomorrow! Our days are getting more routine. Sometimes it seems like the movie Groundhog Day.... diaper, eat, sleep, cry, diaper, eat, sleep, cry. But I love it!

Elliott is growing a ton. We had to take her to the doctor's this week for a rash on her face. No worries, it is super common and apparently she has sensitive skin like her mama. So, we have to wash all clothing, including ours in dreft and if anyone holds her, they must be covered in a blanket that we have washed to prevent her skin coming in contact with their perfumes, detergents, or other things. She weighed 9 pounds and 12 ounces on Monday! She is wearing size 1 diapers and 3 month clothes. We are working on a schedule that fits our needs and hers. She seems to be doing well. It is also neat because she has more awake time now and without crying. We really are blessed with a sweet baby and she is a good baby.

I am recovering still and it is getting easier each day. My blood levels are increasing and as they increase, I will continue to get better. My incision is healing and I am off of pain medication. I even get to drive now! In fact, I took my first trip alone to Walmart yesterday. It was weird to not be with Shaun and Elliott! So, luckily it was a short trip!

I hope that everyone is getting ready for the holidays. I can't believe that it is almost mid-december. Shaun and I aren't planning on doing too much for the holiday. He will have to work our Christmas services and preaches the first weekend in January.

I hope to return to working on Sundays starting in January. I am answering emails and phone calls, but am not attending meetings or working Sunday services. When I do return, I plan on keeping Elliott with me. It is cold and flu season and the Dr. has ordered that Elliott not be allowed out of the house until 6 weeks of age and recommends that she not go to the church nursery. I learned that mandatory procedure for a child who presents at the Dr.'s with a fever is hospitalization, ivs, and a spinal tap. So, needless to say, it is better to be safe than sorry.

That's all I know for now. Keep us in your prayers!

Jessica

Welcome Home Elliott

Hello All,

Well, the wait is over! Elliott is here and is healthy. She was born on November 13th at 10:37 AM. She weighed 8.5 pounds and is 21 and 1/2 inches in length.

I started having contractions Friday morning around 3 AM and we went to our regularly scheduled doctor appointment that Friday. She sent me to labor at home as long as possible. That Friday night we went to the hospital around 9 PM and the fun began. All night Friday I was in labor and Friday morning we tried to push for almost 3 hours. It was discovered that Elliott was head down but was face up and pushing was causing her heart rate to drop. So, we were rushed to do a c-section. I lost a lot of blood and required a transfusion of 3 bags of blood. That was done on Sunday and by Monday I felt better. Elliott was born with myconium and had to be in the nursery for most of the day on Saturday. Her sugar levels were unstable, so they were working on that as well. She was fine by Saturday night.

We left the hospital on Tuesday afternoon and have been at home trying to get a routine and keep up with the feedings, diapers, laundry, etc. Elliott really is a sweet baby and is doing great! We are supplementing with formula because she has such a big appetite. Like father like daughter, right? She of course sleeps most of the day and night. Shaun is a great daddy and king of the swaddle. I am in charge of feeding and diaper duty.Our church family has been great to respect our boundaries and privacy. They are also bringing us meals and have been such a blessing.

I will be posting pictures soon, but until then, just know that we are all okay and working very hard to get settled.

Thanks for your prayer and support. We need it!

Waiting Game

Hello Friends and Family!

Well, I am sorry to say that there is no news to report as far as Elliott watch is concerned. We are going to the Dr. in the next few days to check in and see if there have been any changes. Other than that, it is just a matter of waiting..... and waiting!

I think that I worked my last weekend service this past Sunday. Shaun is planning on continuing to work on Sundays until she comes. Sundays are just too hard on me at this point. I still work throughout the week and have meetings and appointments, but I plan to not be there this Sunday and hopefully Elliott will come next week or the next!

I've have gotten all my Christmas decorations out and plan to have the house decorated by the end of the week. Usually I set everything up the day after Thanksgiving and Shaun does all the outside lights that day. But, we are hoping that we will be learning to care for a newborn by that time this year, so we are preparing everything now.

I am also cooking and freezing side dishes for Thanksgiving dinner day and have ordered a smoked turkey this year so I think that Thanksgiving dinner will be covered. We are excited to have a couple of friends staying with us over the holiday so that we don't have to spend it alone and we can spend the time at home instead of trying to get out. They also get to help us with Elliott!

It finally feels like fall here on the Coast. High temps are in the 60-70's and lows are in the 50's. So, it is beautiful! We have been walking the pups a lot and keeping the windows and doors open to allow the cool air into the house. I love it when we get to this season. This is about as cold as we will get throughout the entire winter. It is still humid, but much more bearable than August!

I'll keep everyone informed if we have any news to share! Thank you for your prayers and support!

Jessica

Photos

Hello All!

Our friend Heather sent me some of our photos from our maternity shoot. Her hard drive crashed, so there is a chance that the rest of the photos may not be redeemed. The photos came at a really good time. I have been so tired and tired of being preggo. I LOVE her work and her. She is going to be taking Elliott's first photos as well, whenever that day comes!

People are so weird when it comes to being around pregnant women! Note to complete strangers: it is NEVER appropriate to tell a very pregnant woman that she is huge, big, and/ or ready to pop. Neither is it appropriate to try to touch a pregnant woman's belly, especially if you do not know her! Additionally, dear well meaning complete stranger, do not begin to tell a very pregnant woman on how she can induce labor by having sex and then describing how that method worked for you and your partner!

We went to the Dr. today and still there are no changes. The Dr. will not even talk about induction steps until after November the 14th, so until then...... we wait. And.......we wait!

Elliott could be quite the large baby if she decides to stay cooking until 14th or later. She should be about 8 pounds on Sunday, so she could be 9 pounds by delivery! Yikes!!! But, we are grateful that she is healthy and are ready to meet her.

Thanks for the encouragement and support!

Jessica, Shaun, and Elliott!

Sonogram Photo

I am adding the pictures from yesterday. As you can see, they are not very clear. At this point in development, the sonogram doesn't capture images as well because of the size of the baby as well as the lack of amniotic fluid. The first image is her foot. She is sticking it in the air and used it to kick the sonogram tech's machine! This is a profile of Elliott's face. You can see her lips and the tip of her nose. As you can see, she has a big head! We got to see her practicing her sucking with her lips and even her breathing. So cool! Now, if she would just decide to go ahead and introduce herself to the world, then that would be great! The little bubble looking things to the left is actually her umbilical chord. Right below that is her hand and fingers. The stuff around her nose is actually the placenta. Pretty cool, huh?!?!

7.2

Afternoon All!

We had our weekly appointment today and final sonogram. Ms. Elliott is still way head down and according to the sonogram, weighing in at a reasonable 7.2 pounds. Based on the due date, she could be a little over 8 pounds when she is born, if she comes at that time. I am totally ok with her coming NOW!!!

She is measuring right on target. Due to the crazy swelling in my leg and foot, I was sent over to the outpatient portion of the hospital where they did a sonogram on my legs to check for blood clots. I am clot free! I just have to rest my legs and try not to do so much.

The sonogram pictures are not very clear this time because she is so big and because she was constantly moving. We did get to see her practicing her breathing and sucking. She even showed us the toes on her foot as she tried to put them in her mouth. Her belly is very round and her heart is strong. Shaun asked the tech to double check to see if she is still a girl.... She is!

This weekend we went to the child birth class. The class itself wasn't that bad. The video that they showed us was super cheesy and from the 80's, but they gave us a tour of the labor and delivery room and the rooms where you stay after delivery. The L and D rooms are nice. I had already had a stay in one of those thanks to my fall a few weeks ago. The recovery rooms..... uhmm....... not so nice. They are clean and very 1980's themed and tiny. At least it is only 2 nights there though! Poor Shaun might not even fit on the pull out couch!

Hopefully, this will be my last full weekend working at church. I am trying to get things covered and Shaun is wrapping up his immediate projects. It is a tough time of year to try to do so simply because the holiday season is approaching, the church is growing, Mo Kids is expanding, and I'm losing a staff person. However, what great problems to have!

I will keep you updated and posted when anything new develops!

Much Love,

Jess

Full Term

Well,

It is official. Elliott is now considered full term and if/when labor begins, it will be GO time. The Doctor said that everything looks good and we are scheduled for our final ultrasound next week. So, I technically have 3 ish weeks left. The Doctor also said that I should be able to deliver an 8 pound baby no problem. Ummm.... yeah for me?!?! She also told Shaun that should the Rangers make the world series and be playing during the early stages of labor, that he can watch them on TV in the room. Glad to know he has questions about the important things!

I had hoped that Elliott would make her appearance today in honor of Siti's birthday, but so far, doesn't look like that will happen.

I have been thinking a lot today about Siti and how truly blessed I am that she was such a big part of our lives. I know that even today, she is making a difference in the lives of those she is around despite her illness.

I remember how I used to climb the tree in the yard at the house on Farrington and how much she would fuss and worry. "Get down dear, you could fall." I remember how I loved when she would pick me up from school when I was sick and make me homemade soup. "You need to eat, you need to eat." I remember how she sewed all of my Christmas dresses, special events dresses, and even altered my wedding dress. " I don't need a new sewing machine, mine works just fine." I remember how she tutored Shaun in Algebra and got him through his first semester at MSU. " You must learn and use your times tables, math is important." Shaun of course didn't mind all the free food that came with the lessons! "You are a big young man, you need to eat..you need to eat!"

I remember how she saved EVERYTHING and always scraped the bottom of the bowl or pan to ensure that every last drop was used. I admit, I save twist ties and scrape the bowl too. She taught me how to cook without ever measuring and not really following a recipe. She taught me how to clean a house and watch out for germs. I admit, I'm still a little prone to go overboard when it comes to germs and hand sanitizer!

Siti taught me how to love a man unconditionally and what it means to be an honoring wife. That love is truly patient and kind, it does not boast, it is not arrogant or self seeking. I have also seen how much it hurts to lose that love to such a crushing and unfair illness.

So, happy birthday Siti! I hope that I can pass on your knowledge to Elliott and pray that I will have half of the servant's heart that you do. Thank you Lord for Siti's!

So, maybe Elliott won't have her birthday, but I do hope that she has her heart! I'll update more next week after we have our final sonogram!

Blessings!

Jessica

Lesson Learned

Hello All,

Most of you know how umm... "determined" I can be. Some might even dare to label my determination as stubbornness. Well, being so umm...."determined" taught me a tough lesson yesterday.

So, what did I learn you ask? I learned that your center of gravity really is off when you are pregnant and that when you are 35 weeks pregnant, you should not run after escaping four year olds because if you do, you will get to visit the labor and delivery floor of the hospital.

So, yes, I took a pretty bad fall yesterday in the front lobby of the church and in a dress! Lucky for me, my ummm...assets remained fully covered and it happened 20 minutes into when the first service had already begun, so not EVERYONE saw it! We had an escaped kiddo running down the hall and I was up front and started running after him (without thinking) because I didn't want him to run out the front doors into the parking lot. I reached for the hood of his hoodie and fell forward right onto the big belly. Good news is it distracted the kid long enough for someone to grab him. I think if I had been wearing flip flops that weren't too big, I totally would have caught him! So, note to self: go buy new shoes! Just don't tell Shaun! :-)

Note to parents: don't give your four year old a mohawk and don't pierce his ear and give him a big blue topaz earring. He's not in a rap video and all your setting him up for is a life of delinquency! He's never going to be bank president or supreme court justice with that foundation. And when we tell you that he hit someone and then escaped, don't blame the worker, confront that kiddo and whip that butt! By the way, the name Tyler is officially added to my list of names that one can not name their child or they are destined to be one of my clients list. For a full listing of all names, just email me! Ok, I'm off my soapbox now...

So, what else did I learn yesterday you ask? I learned that the hospital where we will deliver Elliott is very nice and the staff are all very kind. I also learned that falls should be taken seriously. I learned that the amniotic sack is nature's way of creating an airbag for your baby and that when one falls, they can expect to be ridiculously sore and need to rest.

I also learned that Elliott is 100% ok and that according to the sonogram, she is weighing 6 pounds and 6 ounces as of yesterday! The sonogram tech told me that she is head down (very head down) and then stated and I quote.."Wow, she has a large head". Yeah for me on the day of delivery, whenever that day comes. Obviously, she did not get her father's melon! :-)

So, we spent most of the day at the hospital for observation and they gave me an iv to stop the contractions. I wasn't in labor at all... no dilation or effacement, but the contractions were more than the usual braxton hicks that I've been having for the last few weeks. I was ordered to rest for the rest of the day and to not chase kiddos for the duration of the pregnancy.

Lesson learned!!!!

Fish and Fried Bugs

Hello All,

We met Jan and Gary for a fun filled day in the french quarter on Tuesday. It was awesome to get to spend some time with family before Elliott gets here. We went to the aquarium, the insectarium, and the IMAX. At the insectarium, you can go to their bug cafe and eat the day's special. That day, the special consisted of fried wax bugs or chocolate covered bugs. Guess who had to try the bugs.......

Now, onto our latest Crouch adventure....

We had a great time yesterday in New Orleans with Jan and Gary, as always! Jan brought me some of the fishing trip photos, so there is now proof that I did indeed go fishing AND that I caught and touched fish. For all those doubters, yes I really did go on a two day camping and fishing expedition while being 7 months preggo. Yes, there was no bathroom and yes, I did sleep in a tent. Dad, aren't you proud??

My first big fish!!

Gary and Carter's boat..

Check out the big brown that Jan caught!

We took a picture of Shaun and Clayton, but it didn't turn out. That just means we will have to go on another adventure, this time with Elliott! What a fun trip!!!

Shaun and I are so blessed to have a family that loves us. We love y'all!

Happy Friday

I just thought I'd say hello and give a brief update about the happenings in our world.

Not much too exciting to report. We have been working like crazy just due to the sheer number of families coming to us that need help. That is a good thing! Shaun and I have begun to hand off some things in preparation for Elliott's arrival. We have a great team that can cover it too! I am excited because our friend Eric from the Met in Texas has begun coming here and directing our worship. He is also helping at Colonial too. Of course, our friend Terry is the Pastor there at Colonial and many of you know how instrumental he was in guiding us to where we are now.

We are having a church wide baby shower this weekend after the 11:00 Service. I am hoping that it all goes well and I look forward to seeing all my Mosaic Family. Seems like everyone is excited and ready to meet Elliott.

Elliott seems to be doing well. I am having difficulty bending now due to the size of my belly. I can still see my toes if I lean forward. We went to the doctor yesterday. There is still not an exact due date now due to her size and I measured 36 weeks. According to my original thought to be due date, I should only be 34 weeks and her sonogram measures her to be at 35 weeks. So, we are saying that we have 4-6 weeks left. Give or take a few weeks. She is still head down and the kicks are less due to the lack of space. Although, we can now see her butt on the side of my belly when she sticks it out. Based on the sonogram from 6 weeks ago, she would be weighing in at almost 6 pounds now! We go back again on October the 4rth, so we shall see what develops then. I am hoping that I get to take some time off soon to rest as I am get very tired very easily and still not a lot of sleep at night. The Doctor did say to start to really take it easy now. I am going to try!

I am looking forward to this Tuesday. Jan and Gary will be in New Orleans for a few days, so we will get to spend some time eating good cajun food and hanging out with them. I miss my family very much and it is good to have them here, especially now as we get ready for Elliott to be here.

We had an appointment for Tyson this past week too. He is doing great! He is still not 100 %, but almost. He had all his fur again and it seems like we are really getting to see his personality develop now that he finally feels better. He is super intrigued by Elliott's room. Every time I go in there, he goes and gets his toys from the living room basket and drops them in the floor of her room. He will continue to follow that routine until he runs out of toys or I shut the door the her room. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts!

That's all the updates for now. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

I

Just one year

Wednesday marks a very significant day in our lives and the lives of several of our friends. On September 15th of last year, we lost Jackson and Sebastian. In some ways, the loss seems to be very fresh and yet in other ways, it seems so long ago.

It is truly a bittersweet day for us. We are so grateful for our friends and family who loved us and supported us through this. We are so amazed how God has used something seemingly terrible to create in us a beautiful and useful brokenness that in turn has helped us to love and support others.

We are grateful for everyday that we have had with Tyson and seeing his willingness to love despite pain has been very humbling. We are also grateful that Preston is with us and still the same goofy friend that he has always been. We now have Elliott on her way to meet the world soon and are excited, scared, happy, and at peace all at the same time. Life is truly precious and a gift, whether it be the life of a child or a dog who we loved as our family.

Tomorrow will be a difficult day. This past Sunday, we lost two different church members in car accidents. Tomorrow on the anniversary of our loss, we will be helping our church family members as they say good bye to their loved one who was taken suddenly from them. A Father and a Mother lost their only son at the age of 26. I am grateful for the opportunity to mourn, worship, and celebrate together. I am humbled to be called to do something like this and to be able to use the pain that we experienced to help others.

Bittersweet too as we are preparing for Elliott to arrive and just had an appointment and found out she is still doing well and is healthy and may be arriving sooner than we had thought. And through all of this, we know that there is a purpose and a plan.

Thank you all for loving us and being part of our lives. As we go through tomorrow, may we all take time to appreciate the gift of community and fellowship that we have been given.

Much Love,

Jessica

website link

A few of you have had trouble accessing the site with our photo preview. If you have facebook, go to my wall and click the link that Heather has posted there.

If not, go to http://ellajreesephotography.com. On the bottom right, click the word blog. Once the new window pops up, go to the tab that says latest posts. Drop down, and click the Jessica and Shaun post. It will take you to her post about us.

Check it out!

Jessica