Almost 8 weeks

Well, it is hard to believe that my baby girl will be 8 weeks old tomorrow. Each and everyday Elliana is growing before our eyes and we are having so much fun watching her personality unfold.

This past month, we are proud to announce Elliana has accomplished the following :
* learned to smile socially
* mimics other reactions (my favorite of which would be sticking out her tongue)
* sleeps through the night! YAY!
* weighs in at 11 lbs, 8.5 ounces! Such a big girl! :)
* plays socially with her turtle toy
* is learning to drink from a bottle (though is still not a big fan)

We have so much fun with Elliana and are so very blessed to call her our little girl.

Our Little Valentine

Every year, T.J. and I celebrate Valentine's Day by doing small little things to remind each other of our love for one another. We try not to do too much on this day since we believe that every day should be Valentine's Day, not just once a year on February 14th.

This year, we have received our best gift yet...our baby girl Elliana Rose, our little valentine. We hope you enjoy her new pictures!

Cousins

Last Saturday, Elliana was introduced to a few more cousins, Adelyn and Asher Berndsen! The Berndsen family came over to visit Elliana, and I think it is safe to say that the girls had a great time! Although Adelyn & Elliana are 7 weeks apart in age, they are practically the same weight and definitely have the famous Berndsen "cute" gene.

Below is a great picture of Asher, but the girls haven't quite mastered the art of looking at the camera yet. Maybe next time :)

1 Month Update

Today marked Elliana's one month birthday, and what better way to celebrate than to go to the doctor for a clean bill of health. In one month, Elliana jumped from the 68th percentile of weight up to the 78th percentile, which means she now weighs in at 10 pounds, 6 ounces!! We knew she was getting big when the 0-3 month clothes began to fill out more, but knowing of her new weight confirmed our suspicions.

The doctor was amazed at how alert and attentive Elliana was and said numerous times that she was acting much older than a 4 week old. We have always thought she hadn't acted like a newborn, and has exhibited incredible neck and head strength, but to have a medical professional confirm her progress felt pretty great. Elliana is already smiling at Mommy & Daddy and showing some traits of a baby much older than she is. Since I can tell that I am bragging, I will stop now so I don't become one of those annoying moms who brag all the time. :)

Our Little Cheerleader

I just had to share some pictures of our little cheerleader taken this past weekend. In honor of the super bowl, our church had a special super bowl service and Elliana decided to dress up for the occasion.

The first picture is Daddy & Elliana at church before the service began. And, that second picture is at home when we told our little princess that the team she had been cheering for was not in the super bowl.

We hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we do!