Ella's First Party!

As Hurricane Gustav gains strength and gets closer to the Gulf Coast, Bart and I have done just about all we can do to prepare. I can't believe its already a category 4! Safe travels to all my friends and family who are evacuating, and I'll be praying for all you who have decided to ride out the storm. One good thing out of all this is that I get to see Jenny and meet Briggs tomorrow as they have evacuated to Houston! Woohoo!

Today, Bart and I took Ella to our good neighbor's Necoy and Mel's housewarming party next door. We had such a great time. They had a spread of Philipino cuisine that was out of this world. They also had a roasted pig and some of the coolest desserts. When we first arrived, some ladies were singing at the piano - and we found out Mel has a great voice himself. But later, they broke out the karaoke machine. Well, that was right up my alley. Between the beer and spiked punch and the energetic crowd, you KNOW I had to sing a song or two. We had so much fun! How much fun did Ella have? She slept the ENTIRE TIME - blaring music and all.

We decided when we're trying to get Ella to sleep tonight, we will put the TV on volume 200! The more noise apparently, the better.

One last congrats to my friend Melissa's sister Mossy on her new baby girl, Katelyn Teresa. She was born this afternoon via c-section at 6 lbs 6 ozs. Congrats to the Bales family!

Love,

Mama Gelle

Doctors Update

Well, both Ella and I got a good bill of health from our doctors. It was a loong day taking care of medical business, but Ella was a real trooper.

First off was my appointment. Dr. Montgomery says everything looks great with my incision, and I can even start walking, so as soon as we got home that evening, we went walking through the neighborhood (ok, well Daddy and I walked - Ella kinda strolled!!)

While we were near the hospital, we went have Ella's second PKU test. I had no idea what it entailed - I just remember everyone saying how they cut into the baby's heel. So, there we are - Daddy and I putting our pride and joy on the nurse's table. What does my rock, my big manly husband do?? Turns around and nearly walks out the room!! So, I held her little hand while they pricked her heel with the tiniest little clicker. Her face was priceless. At first, she just kinda looked at me with her big eyes....then when the nurse starting squeezing the life out of her heel, her face went from happiness to sheer terror in 2 seconds. Luckily, it only lasted like 1 minute, and she was back to her sweet little self again. Daddy will never make it through her immunization shots!!

Now, if I haven't mentioned this before, its worth mentioning now. Bart and I have been great getting used to changing diapers considering that neither one of us have much experience on the matter. But at least once a day, she throws a curveball at us. In the middle of changing a poopy diaper, with new diaper wide open, she decides to tinkle - which looks like a bubbling fountain that seems to go on forever - forcing us to change her diaper again, her onesie, and the blanket beneath her. Always fun times....

So, next was her pediatrician appointment. There we are in the newborn exam room, and they ask us to strip her down to nothing and wrap her in this pink thing that looks like a giant napkin. Its time to be weighed. So, we bring her to the scale which looks like a big, cold, silver carseat - and the nurse weighs her. As soon as she's done, we go to pick her up and she is sitting in a LAKE of tee tee!! That girl....

Anyway, she is 21 inches long!! And she weighs 8 lbs 15 ozs - which is one ounce away from 9 lbs (had to explain that for all my friends who DON'T know how many ounces in a pound - I had NO idea what an ounce was until I had a baby - between her weight and bottles, I am a pro!) Doctor says she's looks great!!

It was a great day with our daughter (still seems crazy to say that).

Love,

Mama Gelle

Ella's Firsts

Happy Two Weeks Old, little Ella!!

Well, Mammy left to go home yesterday morning. It was a sad goodbye of course, but we took comfort in knowing we'd be seeing her again in two and a half weeks for the baptism. After she left (and we finished all our crying), I did pretty good for my first time alone with her. She was an angel, as always.

Last night, Daddy and I took her on her first grocery store trip to HEB. She slept the ENTIRE time, and it was so funny to park in the "customer with child" parking spot. Ha ha.

When we got back, Ella had her first real bath! Now that the umbilical cord is off, we were able to break out the bathtub and get wet!! She loved being in the water - not so much the hair washing. Hee hee. But she slept like a BABY (ha!) afterwards, which was great.

Tomorrow we both have doctor's appointments - I'm curious to see how much the little piglet has gained since she's an eating machine now. Curious to see what my doctor has to say too. Daddy will be busy chauffering us around!

Love,

Mama Gelle

Mommy made it!!

Well, I made it through a last minute date night without becoming a complete basket case! I didn't even cry before we left. And I only had to text message my mom 3 times and looked at her picture in my phone about 4 times during the movie...ha ha ha. Seriously though, we had a nice time, and the movie was funny so it kept me busy.


Last night, her umbilical cord came off, and she was wailing! Between daddy, mommy and mammy, we didn't know what to do!! We finally figured out she also had gas, so daddy took a midnight trip to Walgreens for some Mylicon. That did the trick, and we all finally got some sleep.


Today, Ella went to her first mexican restaurant!! Yes, we're starting early with her. Mammy will be leaving soon, so we couldn't let her leave Texas without one more trip to Los Cucos. Ella LOVED it. Ok, so she just slept the whole time, but she was smiling in her sleep!! Ha! Chips and salsa, here we come!



Mammy's leaving Tuesday, and she's going to miss you soooo much. We're gonna miss her too!! I'm not even thinking about right now...


Love,
Mama Gelle

First time away from mommy....

Another night of great sleep! She slept really well, only waking up for her feedings. She's really been a great baby. And mommy and daddy did well taking care of her on our own (with Mammy on standby, of course).

Here's a few pics of Ella throughout the day. She had a bath today, and there's another of her in her LSU attire (compliments of Paw Paw and Aunt Erin). She's already cheering for LSU!! (p.s. doesn't she look just like bart in that pic with her mouth wiiide open??)

I almost went to church with Mammy this evening - showered, got dressed and everything - and bailed at the last minute with a tear in my eye. I just couldn't leave my little love bug. Patrick and Erin are here this weekend, and we're attempting to go to the movie with them tonight. I'll let you know how it goes....

Love,
Mama Gelle

I'm baaaack, and heeeeeere's ELLA!!

Thanks to my wonderful friend and personal reporter Lacie, I am so glad to see my blog has been in good hands.

As I am sure you all know, IT'S A GIRL!!! Little Ella Pearl Farrell was born Wed, August 13th, 2008 at 5:55pm. She weighed 8 lbs 8 ozs, and she was 19.75 inches long. She has light brown hair, and so far, her eyes are grayish blue. She is absolutely perfect, but of course, I'm biased.

The c-section went smoothly, and I am healing well (thank God for meds!) Motherhood has been so much fun so far. It's a major transition, but we're doing just fine learning to be parents. I know we have a MAJOR road ahead, but so far, so good!! GOD BLESS MY WONDERFUL MOTHER for coming to stay with us and help us out. She takes some of the night shifts and helps keep the house afloat. I don't know what we would do without her, and Bart and I both are fearing when she leaves.

Ella is just a great baby. We finally have the kinks worked out with the feeding schedule, and although its not anywhere near perfect, at least we're getting a little more sleep! But she eats, sleeps and poops, eats, sleeps and poops - and then she makes the cutest little faces. We just love her so much.

I will do my best to keep posting pics on the blog. I haven't been able to go up and down the stairs quite yet, so I am not as easily accessible to a computer, but when I can, I will! Plus, I'm sure I'll have tons of funny stories at my first shot at motherhood.

Thanks to EVERYONE who has been calling, emailing, posting comments and sending their wishes. We appreciate all of you, and we can't wait for you to meet our little baby girl. Our original date for the baptism of Labor Day weekend has been cancelled - we just think its a little much to travel to Louisiana with her only being two weeks old. But we plan on going home soon, and I will let everyone know when we do!

Love,
Mama Gelle

Ella's Home!

Here are some photos of beautiful baby Ella and her wonderful family over the weekend of Saturday, August 16 - Sunday, August 17, 2008.

Mommy and Ella


Mommy, Daddy, and Ella


Up close Mommy and Ella


Mommy, Lovely Aunts Kelly and Shelly, and Baby Ella


Baby blogger Lacie, reporting live from Houston over the weekend, Mommy, and Ella



Stay tuned for more!

More Photos of Ella Pearl Farrell!

Here are some more photos of Ella Pearl Farrell. She's such a cutie! Enjoy!

Ella Pearl Farrell - 1 Day Old!

Ella Pearl Farrell - 1 Day Old. Thursday, August 14, 2008.



Here's Daddy and Ella!





More photos to come! Stay tuned!

It's a GIRL!!! Ella Pearl Farrell!

Introducing Ella Pearl Farrell!







Congratulations to Angelle and Bart on the arrival of their baby girl, Ella Pearl!

**UPDATE** 8 pounds 8 ounces; 19 3/4 inches long
Ella Pearl Farrell.....Mommy is awake and feeling great.....Daddy is ecstatic!


Mommy and Daddy awaiting your arrival today, Wednesday, August 13, 2008!



Here's a happy Mommy Angelle when she arrived at the hospital today!



Additional details still to come.........continuous coverage.....live news feeds.....stay tuned! :)

Cheerio,
Lacie

Final Thoughts...

Well, today's the big day!

I am sooo ready to meet you! I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep last night, but I did - and I dreamt of you!! Today, I am just tying up a few loose ends, about to take a shower, and then we are ready to roll. I am no longer nervous...just excited!! I mean, we're gonna be parents in a mere seven hours!! How crazy is that?

I cannot wait to see your little face and hold you in my arms.

Thanks to EVERYONE who has been so giving with great advice, checking in on the blog everyday, and offering well wishes. I love you all, and I cannot wait for you to meet baby farrell as well. I think I have someone who's going to update the blog for me as SOON as we have some news, so check back tonight if you don't hear anything via cell phone!

Next time I post, I will be a MOTHER!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhh!!!

Love,
Momma Angelle

Twas the Night Before Your Birth...

It's 10:30pm the night before your arrival, and I am a madwoman. You would think I would be calm and relaxed, but I can't sit still. I have already dusted the entire house, swept, did laundry and tried to vacuum, but your Mammy is threatening my life. I am just so excited and nervous and anxious and everything rolled into one.

Your Mammy and I went to the hospital today to have my blood work done. After that, we went get pedicures and manicures. Now I'll have pretty toes laying on that operating table. Tonight your Mammy cooked us a wonderful meal of smothered chicken, buttered potatoes and carrots. And Taunte Nel (aka Janel) came over for dinner too! We just got back from Sonic for a hot fudge Sunday (yes, I went out with a bang!!)

Tomorrow I can't eat OR DRINK anything after 8am. Not even water!! I am not going to be a happy person. The good thing is that I have to be at the hospital for 3:30 to check in, so hopefully the day will go by quickly. I can't wait to see your face. And although I am nervous about being in the hospital, I know it will be a piece of cake. I am soo ready for you to be here.

Love, Mom

There IS a light at the end of the tunnel!

Went to the doctor this morning, and I have a scheduled c-section for this Wednesday, August 13th at 5:30pm. The wait will finally be over!!

We listened to your heartbeat first, and it was literally right under my boob. This means you have hardly dropped at ALL. Then, he did an exam - my cervix was STILL not thinned, and I STILL had not dialated at all. I thought I was going to fall off of the examination table when he told me this. I mean, do you want to come out at all?? Crazy!

So, then we did an ultrasound to see how big you've gotten. I had only gained a pound, but apparently it was all you because after taking measurements, he calculated you are about a 9 lb baby, give or take a half pound. WHAT!?! I thought last week he said you weren't overly large?? Regardless, he gave me my options.

He said we could induce this week, but with my not being dialated, it would again be a loong labor to endure. Then with you being so large, delivering vaginally could hurt your shoulders or nerve endings to your arms, not to mention a large episiotomy (to which I start motioning scissors across my belly - CUT IT OUT!!) As much as I am disappointed to not deliver vaginally, I certainly don't want to harm you!!

I have to do bloodwork tomorrow, and the best time they could take me was Wednesday, Aug 13th at 5:30 - so, it IS great to know that you will soon be here (for real this time!!) I'm a little nervous about surgery because I have never been in the hospital, but I know women do it everyday - I know I will be fine.

So, that's the update! It's sooo good to know there's a light at the end of the tunnel!! Now, I have to go figure out what I am going to do with 25 newborn onesies and 200 newborn diapers. HA HA HA....

Love, Mom

Umm....eight - TEN - oh - eight! This isn't working....

Ahhh, another day down the drain and you are still not here. I am starting to wonder if you really want to meet your daddy and I. This morning, Mammy, daddy and I went to church. After lunch, we walked in Walmart for like an hour, going up and down all the aisles. I have given up on the whole "walking" theory to induce labor. In fact, I am living proof that ALL the theories are a CROCK!!

The only one I haven't tried yet is castor oil, but if I go to that doctor tomorrow and he tells me that I still have plump cervix and am not dialated, we will be stopping at the CVS on the way home!!

What do we do all day?? We literally sit around and WAIT for something to happen. Mammy does her counter cross stitch. Daddy stays busy fixing things around the house and catching up on work. And me? I just sit and stare into space in total disbelief that I have been pregnant for 40 weeks and 2 days now.

Your mammy keeps telling all her anxious callers that she's starting to believe that I may possibly not be pregnant at all. That I am just fat!! Tomorrow will make one week that she's been here waiting on your arrival.


Tomorrow morning is my "weekly" doctor's visit. He promised me last week that we WILL have a baby this week, so I am very eager to hear what he has to say. I will be sure to post on the blog as soon as we get back from the appointment, that is IF we come back to the house after the appointment. I'm pretty sure we won't be going straight to the hospital, but you just never know. Ughhhhh!!!

Until then, I'll just peruse through your nursery and dream about when you get here.

Love, Mom

Eight - NINE - Oh - Eight??!!

Well, 08-08-08 has come and gone, and you are still situated nice and comfy in my belly. Me and my hormonal state, I teared up last night watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics every time they would say "Eight - eight - oh - eight!" But I know that day just wasn't meant to be yours.

So, we're here again, another day, waiting! No pains. No aches. I feel great.

If you wait one more day, you'll have to share a birthday with your cousin, Christina Jo (and who wants to share a birthday IN the family!??) So, come on out today!!!!!

Love, Mom

Eight - Eight - Oh - Eight!!

Well, today is here. Your official due date. I feel as if we're all anxiously awaiting your arrival like stargazers would sit, staring up at the sky, waiting for a shooting star. Looking, waiting, hoping for just a little sign that its almost about to happen. Trust me, that's been me for two weeks!!

I will say that I felt a little different feeling last night at dinner...just tummy and back pain, but we didn't do enough walking yesterday to warrant all those aches, so I was hopeful. Yet, after a long night of waiting, this morning I woke up feeling great again and well-rested.

There's still hope for your 08-08-08 arrival. There was an article in the newspaper today about how the Chinese think that the number eight is a lucky number, and so to be born on 08-08-08 would be EXTRA lucky for you. I say, where's MY luck in delivering a baby today?!?

Despite the millions of text messages and emails asking "do we have a baby yet?" and "I hope today is the day!" and the walking and the spicy food and the countless other tips and techniques I have tried, I know you will be here soon. And regardless of when you decide to grace us with your presence, it will definitely be a lucky day for your daddy and I.

Love, Mom

Another day down and no action!

Wednesday down and still nothing!

Mammy and I went to my school today to put some things in my classroom. I really can't wait to get in there and decorate it to bits, but what we did today is about all I'm going to before you come. I'll have to do the rest when I start for the second six weeks. It was fun seeing some old friends though!

Then we went see Mamma Mia again (well, it was Mammy's first time seeing it). It was fun times. I walked a LOT around our school and shopping after the movie, and yet still no action!! Mammy, daddy and I met Tante Nel for dinner tonight, and it was great seeing her, as usual. We are ALL awaiting your arrival!

Aaaaaaanytime you're ready, little baby! Aaaaaaaanytime!


Love, Mom

Wimpy Tropical Storm Edouard

For everyone who has been asking, we are all doing fine after Tropical Storm Edouard. I've seen thunderstorms with more power!! The media made it sound like Katrina part II was coming up the Gulf of Mexico, but as the day unfolded, we saw reporters starving for an overturned street sign or tree branch. We just had some drizzles of rain, and it was an overall dreary day, which made me really tired. In fact, I don't think there was enough of a drop in the barometric pressure to even make you bounce, baby, much less drop!!

So, we're back to square one. Thanks a lot, Edouard!!

Love, Mom

Doctor Update

Well, I am convinced that you do not want to come out. I went see Dr. Montgomery today, and it was quite disappointing. I am not dialated at all. My cervix is pretty thick. And there is no sign of you making an effort to come out any time soon.

So, he's not going to induce on Friday (my due date). The main reason he won't induce is because it will increase my chances for a c-section, which I really don't want. SOOOOooooo, I have another appointment next Monday morning, and he said he won't let me go longer than a week late - so next week, no matter what, you'll be here!!

He also said that you're not an overly huge baby...to which I wanted to know WHAT THE HELL ELSE IS IN THERE!!?? But I trust the doc!! And he also said that sometimes the drop in the barometric pressure of the hurricane will cause the baby to drop. So, my mom and I are going to drive to Galveston tomorrow so I can stand on the beach and welcome Edouard with open arms. Ha ha....just kidding.

But seriously, BRING IT ON, EDOUARD!!!

Love, Mom

Welcome baby Briggs!!!

Hot off the press! My best friend Jenny and her husband Brock had their sweet little boy Briggs Matthew this morning at 8:22am! He weighs 7 lbs even, and he is just a cutie patootie!


Thanks to Aunt Lacie for visiting Jenny for me and getting this great picture above. Ha ha ha.

I talked to her a little while ago, and she is doing great! She started having contractions last night around 10pm, and by 2:30am, I had a text message saying that they were at the hospital and she was 4cm dialated!! This was it!! She also noted that YES, I will KNOW when its the real thing!! This morning at 5:30am, Brock sent me a pic of her smiling in her bed saying "Angle, the epidoral is the bomb!!" She also texted that "So far, its a piece of cake!" I hated to tell her, but frankly, the part I am most worried about had not happened yet!!

Then after the doctor arrived, she only had about 10 minutes of pushing, and Briggs was here!! I thought with all this excitement and adrenaline that I was feeling waiting to hear the news, it would get you in the right mode to come out, but no such luck yet!! Maybe Penne is right - maybe you are just content and comfortable in there, and you're not coming out without a fight!!

Regardless, I am soooo happy for Jen and Brock and baby Briggs!!
I can't believe that in that short amount of time, Jenny now has this new little person in her life!!
Isn't life amazing?? Now more than ever, I can't wait for you to get here.

Love, Mom