Dressing Up & Dressing Down

Yesterday we received a Christmas package from our dear friends, the Abbass', who live in Wisconsin. Inside was a cheese head made to fit a toddler. Ethan was ecstatic! The first thing he said was, "Cheese, Gromit!" He's been watching a lot of Wallace and Gromit these days. Later, we had the sister missionaries over for dinner and he insisted on wearing the hat all through dinner. Then when he and Ben went on an errand and he had to leave the hat behind, he cried and said, "I need it!" He's even incorporated it into his dress up gear this morning which consisted of his Mario hat, Superman cape and then the cheese head. A triple-threat superhero! Unfortunately my camera battery was dead so I don't have photographic evidence. At least I got these few shots from last night.



And check out this little nudie! Have you ever seen such a cute little naked baby? I think not. These shots were taken by our ever so talented sister-in-law, Rebecca. You should have seen what went on to get these shots. Maybe stuff like this always happens, but it was my first time at a newborn session. Since we didn't have too many options for lighting, we ended up taking these in the hotel room the North Carolina Mudricks were staying in. What a production it was with the hotel room thermostat cranking, me holding up a blanket as a backdrop with one hand, blowing her with a warm hair dryer with the other, pushing her around on the ottoman to get good lighting, a sound machine on and Rebecca working her magic! It seems Eleanor was super cozy and comfortable. At least enough to poop on all the blankets. That's my girl! Anyway, thanks Rebecca for the adorable pictures.

Getting to Know You

Getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me.


Not that Ethan has ever heard that song, so I think he was just taking his sweet time when it came to Eleanor. Yesterday when we asked Ethan if he'd like to hold Eleanor, he quickly replied, "Yes!" and held out his arms. Both Ben and I were surprised at his willingness, considering he hardly likes to give her hugs or kisses when we ask him. He was all about Eleanor last night. He must have really liked holding her because he wouldn't give her back! He would kiss the top of her head and pat it. Then this morning when I sat her next to him and then had to pick her up to feed her, Ethan said, "No, baby Eleanor sit by Ethan!"

Introducing Eleanor to the infamous Buzz Lightyear. He gave Eleanor Buzz's hand and said, "Nice to meet you."

And then of course he gave Eleanor his Sheriff Woody. It seems like Ethan can't wait for her to play pretend with him.

Drinks are on Eleanor

Look what came in the mail today! Once again, payday has come for the Mudricks. Unfortunately with our recent car troubles in October (thanks for nothing, Passat) the money is pretty much already gone, but at least we will get this little surplus before Christmas comes.

Not sure why she looks so ticked about it.

Ah, that's better.

And here are some smiling shots of our little gal that I took earlier today:

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful

Well we don't have a fireplace so the fire can't be delightful, but since we've no place to go, it might as well keep snowing. I guess this really is the perfect time to be cooped up inside with a baby. Over the past 30 hours or so, it has snowed about a foot and a half and we're supposed to get a good 3-5 inches today. Ethan is loving the snow, though I haven't been brave enough to go out there with him since I'd have to leave Eleanor inside. It also takes about 5 minutes just to get him in all his gear, but once he's outside he does not want to come back in. In the last 2 days he has cried when he has been forced to come inside for the night. Yesterday he spent a good half hour out there while Ben was snow blowing our driveway.




We've managed to stay busy inside, or at least I have with all the loads of laundry that come with a newborn. Ethan has been getting in the holiday spirit by watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" multiple times. Anything related to Christmas is referenced by the movie. In fact, the UPS man just came and when I got the packages from the porch he said, "that looks like Charlie Brown Christmas." It seems that Christmas is officially his favorite holiday. He loves the Christmas tree, advent calendar, Nativity scenes and just the thought of making a snowman. He always asks to play with the two newest additions to our Christmas tree:





I'll have to take pictures of Ethan all suited up, but for now it's time to go switch a load into the dryer.

One Month!

The trouble with having a baby that is born on the 31st is that I don't know exactly when she is one month old considering there were only 30 days last month. Either way, on the 30th or the 1st of December this little gal turned one month. She's actually not that little. She weighed in at 11 lbs. 4 oz. and is 22 3/4 inches long. With stats like that, it must be said that she is growing up way too fast!

Thanksgiving with the Mudfords

Since both kids are napping, it's snowing outside and I've got the spare time, what better thing to do than update the blog? Ok, maybe sleeping should be top of my list, but it seems these days I am not lacking all that much in the sleep department. I may have just jinxed myself, but Eleanor is a great sleeper at night. Granted she still wakes up 2 times to feed, but it's usually for about 10 minutes max and I never leave my bed. Thanks little girl!

Anyway, we're due for an update on the blog and since we just celebrated Thanksgiving with both Ben's family and mine (hence the Mudfords... get it, get it?!) I have pictures to document our trip. We ventured down last Wednesday and I must say that our children were exceptionally well behaved in the car. Eleanor cried for the first 10-15 minutes, but once we got going on the freeway she slept. Ethan did his usual half-hour power nap in the car (which is usually a recipe for disaster with a 7 hour drive) and was amused by the iPod and just playing with toys in his car seat the rest of the time.

While down in VA we were able to spend time with Ben's brothers and their families, my sister, parents and almost all the cousins. Ethan was never bored, Eleanor was always in somebody's arms, Eleanor was blessed by Ben after our Thanksgiving meal (which I didn't hear much of because I was trying to hush Ethan who was repeatedly saying something about Buzz Lightyear), we enjoyed delicious meals both at home and eating out, we saw Tangled (where Ethan said midway through the movie, "I need the iPod" and "I need to get out!"), went to Dumbarton & Oaks gardens in Georgetown, and I even got to go shopping alone with my Mom and sister! Needless to say we had a fabulous time and are already looking forward to our Christmas vacation with more family and adventures.

Here is evidence of all of our fun. Lots of pictures, so keep on scrollin'.

On the Mend

I guess we never really told anyone outside of family and a couple friends that Eleanor broke her collarbone in delivery. The diagnosis came about a week after she was born. When she was born, the pediatricians that were in the room noticed that she didn't have much movement in her right arm and contributed it to possibly her nerves being stressed. The next few days we noticed that she didn't use her arm all that much, and that her grip in her right hand was definitely not as strong as her left.

At our next Dr.'s appointment, he asked if she had gotten an x-ray at the hospital and said that he believed her collarbone was broken. He said that if it was broken it would heal on it's own and there would be a lump on her bone in the next few days. Sure enough at our next appointment her bone had developed the hard lump. After a couple days of pinning her arm sleeve to her shirt and being careful when we picked her up making sure to not hold her under her arm pits, her arm seems to be getting better. We still have an appointment with a neurologist on Monday, though we don't think it's completely necessary at this point.

Also, Eleanor had broken lots of blood vessels in both eyes when she was born. I guess being a 9 lbs. baby isn't all it's cracked up to be. At almost 3 weeks old she still has a couple broken blood vessels in both eyes, but they're looking a whole lot more clear than the day she was born.



And lastly because her umbilical cord fell off we were able to give her a real bath. These days they suggest that you don't clean the umbilical cord with rubbing alcohol since they say it prolongs the process of it falling off. To me it seemed like the umbilical cord was more grungy and disgusting and smelled funky. It came off in pieces too rather than one solid shriveled up piece. Every day it's looking better and less funky.

Unlike her brother, she hated her first real bath.

This is Ethan in one of his first baths.

She was much more content in the towels, but maybe that's because she pooped through both of them and onto our duvet cover when I took this picture.

And lastly, Ethan's disinterest in Eleanor has been slowly deteriorating. He now will give her a kiss at bedtime, will sit by her without crying out, "I don't want baby Eleanor!", and is still sensitive to her when he hears her crying. For some reason if he hears her crying in her swing, he'll go over to her and apologize saying it's his fault. Not sure why he does that and we try to tell him it's ok for her to cry and it's not his fault, but he insists it is. Sweet boy.

Don't mind the boy pj's on Eleanor. She typically wears girly ones, but man she spits up a lot. She brought it upon herself.

Successfully giving Eleanor her pacifier.

We're on Our Own

Now that reinforcements have left the Mudrick household, I guess it's time to update the blog. We've been busy around here with my parents, my brother Tyler and his wife Summer, my sister Natalie and childhood best friend Lindsey in town over the last few days. Don't worry, not everyone was staying with us, but it was great to have family around that could entertain Ethan for hours on end (and if they couldn't, the trusty iPad could for them). Ethan will sure miss the attention, and we will for sure miss all the help entertaining Ethan and Eleanor holding/snuggling so that we could relax. My angel of a mother even stayed up for 3 hours in the middle of the night with Eleanor crying most of the time so that Ben and I could sleep. At least I know now to stay away from pesto for a while.

Eleanor's 1st visitor, and baby holder extraordinaire.

Yes, we got my Dad to hold a baby. Unbelievable.

Lindsey quickly became known as "Aunt Lindsey" and stole Ethan's heart when she brought him a Buzz Lightyear present and watched Toy Story 3 with him.

Auntie Nattie and baby Eleanor. Not to be upstaged, she brought a stuffed animal elephant from India that had a Buzz Lightyear laser (aka a bindi) on top of it's head!

Since we can't get Ethan to hold Eleanor, this is as close to a family portrait that we have.

Life with 2 kids is going well so far, though I haven't spent more than 2 hours alone with both kiddos, so I guess I'll have to report on that some other time. Ethan doesn't seem super interested in Eleanor, though he does say, "Aww, Eleanor sad... baby Eleanor crying." which makes me believe that he really does love his sister. He will offer her his toys on occasion and her binky, but will not kiss her or touch her at all. He also refuses to call her anything but "baby Eleanor" which is funny since when we call her Ellie, he will quickly tell us, "No, not Ellie. Baby Eleanor." He overall seems to be adjusting well to life with another person in the house.

Sleepy smiles never get old.

Like her brother, this girl can make anything look good.

Ethan has managed to stay occupied with the bat cave that Eleanor so generously brought for him when she arrived.

So that's what's been going on around here. Plenty of fun, great guests, good food and lots of spoiling us and our kids. Is it too soon to ask for people to come back and visit?!?