Our two month Treasure

July 28th - our first family picture:

September 28th:

Our sweet Ella Rhys is two months old today. We can hardly remember life without her. She has grown and changed SO much. I love to look back on all the pictures we have of her from her birth day until now. I love our two month old Ella, but I also miss my teenie tiny newborn baby. It almost seems like a dream when I look back at those pictures of her first couple of weeks.

Ella is smiling a lot now - so adorable. She is eating well and continues to thrive as you can see from her pictures! Nothing wrong with what we're feeding her! :) She has sweet little rolls on her arms and legs. And those cute cheeks . . .

As young as our baby is, it is hard to believe that we have already experienced some 'lasts' of certain things and we weren't even realizing it. We bought the last package of newborn diapers, dressed her in the preemie clothes for one last time, had our last night of nursing every two hours, the last time we could hold her like this . . .


It is a reminder to really cherish each moment.

We love being parents. We adore our daughter!




I've always loved Ella's curious eyes - here she is today, and below that is two months ago - the little girl hat captured our hearts . . .




And very importantly - on her two month birthday - we observed a very special family tradition . . . the Sunday afternoon nap. Kissing Ella to sleep . . .

First time parents . . . indeed we are

There is a fine line between loving on your kids and smothering them. By the look on Ella's face . . . I think we crossed it.

"Hey . . . you checking out my blog again???"

Thanks Dr Seeker . . . and few other pics

Today I had my post partum check up. It was actually supposed to be LAST week but I forgot. During my pregnancy I once turned up two days early for an appointment. This time I was two days late for it. Thankfully I realized before getting ready, packing up the baby and leaving the house.

I was reminded while visiting with our doctor today how God answered our prayers. We moved to Austin at 30 weeks into the pregnancy and we both definitely had anxieties about finding a doctor we could feel comfortable with. It is hard for me to express what a blessing Dr. Seeker was to us. You all know the story of us wanting to use a birthing center, desiring natural childbirth, dealing with placenta previa, having it resolve, developing cholestesis at 36 weeks, only to end up having to deal with my greatest fear afterall . . . a c-section. We could not have asked for a more skilled, kind hearted, compassionate doctor. I truly believe that Ella and I were in the best hands. I am so thankful for the care I received from Dr. Seeker. I sure wish there would be a way for him to deliver any future baby Whaleys.




And here's a few pics of our most precious baby Ella . . .



Check out my cheeks:


Waiting on Momma's Doctor:

Labor Day Weekend

We had a great Labor Day weekend. Saturday morning we had a web video conference with our teammates and Kairos coach. It was great to "hang out" with our good friends. Not only was it good to see their faces and hear their voices, it was so good to think about our move and ministry in Wollongong. For those of you who have not heard, all three of our families have hit snags in the via process. It is basically just a time issues, but has been quite discouraging. Processing times for most visas are surprisingly longer now. Our family has now decided to apply for a Religious Worker visa for Jason. We will work on the more permanent visa at a later date. I know to most people it seems ludicrous that we have to go through this lengthy and fairly costly experience even though I am Australian, we are married, we have enough money to migrate etc, etc. But it is just how things go unfortunately and just part of the process. If you took a look at some of the paperwork, you would quickly understand why it makes me want to set my hair on fire.

We have so many things to take care of right now. Most importantly our newborn baby, and ourselves. Ella is our number one priority and next to that if we get a shower each day and food in our bellies we call it a good day. But we can not forget the visa process, the passports that need to be applied for, the fundraising and so on. Yesterday, after three attempts, we succeeded in getting an acceptable photograph for Ella's US passport. The first time, Ella was just tired, hungry and mad that we kept interrupting her sleep. The second photograph showed Jason's hand as he propped her head up. The guy at the passport office told us he would send it in to "try". I was pretty sure that there was NO way that photograph would be accepted and that sending it in would just create yet another delay and more paperwork. So we tried once more at WalMart. We were able to snap a picture of Ella with her eyes open and looking directly at the camera. She looks rather mad and red-faced. Nothing like the sweet little girl we gaze at all day. But we'll take it and I am sure she'll have something to say about the picture at some point since it is good for five years! At least we can check that off the list.

Next we are waiting on Ella's "Citizenship by Descent" paperwork. This will allow her to become an Australian citizen. Unfortunately it will require another passport picture (don't ask why we didn't have them print more of the other picture). Sigh. And $110. And that is not the passport cost...just the paperwork. I say we are "waiting" because the Embassy is mailing us the application form. We printed it off at home but each page was cut off at the bottom because it was formatted to print on A4 paper and we couldn't seem to fix that. Its all the little things that seem to hold us back.

Anyhow...I digress. We enjoyed visits from some special friends on Saturday. Sam and Sue Larkin visited from Houston. I knew them from their years in Brisbane. It was great to catch up with them - it had been at least five years.

The Shrocks and Lewis' also visited from Memphis and Waco. It was so good to reminisce about our days in the H.O.O.D. It was fun to watch them love on Ella - especially the guys. Several times us girls was look up from talking to see the three guys gathered around Ella and loving on her.







Ella enjoyed her very first baseball game here in Round Rock. She did so well. I think she enjoyed being out in the warm summer air. Good times.

My baby is growing

We had Ella weighed today. We are not pushing 8lbs. Our tiny baby is now 8lbs 12oz! We can hardly believe it even though we see her growing before our eyes. So she has gone from 6lbs 4oz to 8lbs 12oz in just four weeks. Amazing.

I thought this picture was hilarious. I had mentioned in a previous post how Ella usually spits her paci JUST out of her mouth. Well, not this time . . .


Chilling out with Dad

She's a keeper

This week has been a milestone marking four weeks of life with Ella. It is truly hard to believe how fast time goes, and how much they change. People have said it all along, and I get told this almost daily . . . but until I really experienced it, I just had no idea.

We're not sure how much she weighs right now but judging from her cheeks, thighs and those little fat rolls making themselves known on her arms and back, I am thinking we could be pushing 8lbs. Most people who see her exclaim 'she's SO little' while we marvel at our 'big baby'.




It is amazing to think of all that Ella has learned in four weeks since entering this world. For the most part people only give thought to all the changes the parents go through but I look at her and her reactions to sound, movement and so on, and I realize that she too is experiencing a whole new world. She just gets more sleep than we do!

Speaking of sleep . . . we are getting some. Some nights more than others. Since watching a DVD called 'The Happiest Baby on the Block' and learning about the five S's for calming your baby, we have noticed a significant change in Ella's ability to sleep at night for longer stretches.




Ella's umbilical cord fell off and we have braved two real baths since then. She is not overly impressed with the whole bath thing. This could have something to do with the fact that her parents are not overly confident with the process yet. Bath time usually begins with some crying. The crying is replaced by the 'deer in the headlights' look, and we end bathtime as quickly as possible. Our goal is to minimise the crying, help her feel as secure as possible, and get the diaper back on asap! :) We hope to make improvements in this area. Finally we brush Ella's hair with a (brand new) toothbrush. We didn't recieve one of the nice, soft hairbrushes while in the hospital so we improvised. As I said . . . improvements to come!



This past Sunday was Ella's first cradle roll / Bible class. I dropped her off and walked empty handed to our own Bible class. Very strange. I managed to focus relatively well during our class. It is amazing that every single day my baby takes steps towards her independance. Sure, they're not big or obvious steps right now, but they ARE happening. And as her mother, I have to learn how savour the precious moments of now, but also rejoice in these steps and be ok with them.




We've had a few smiles. While most are clearly unintentional on her part, I am almost positive that one of two were on purpose. I promise you she looked right at me, our eyes locked, she smiled and her whole being said 'Momma I love you!' If I am completely wrong here, I don't need to know it. I can handle being ignorant! :) About once a day, Ella will also let out a brief and very angelic laugh in her sleep. There is absolutely nothing sweeter.

There is no doubt - Ella has stolen our hearts.

Can you handle more pictures?

You'll have to forgive me for MORE pictures of Ella. Life does not consist of much else these days. She is doing great. Three weeks old yesterday. Her cute little cheeks getting chubbier by the day. Her preemie clothes won't be needed for much longer, and people tell me before I know it she'll be graduating! Let's not go there just yet! She is gracing us with anywhere from 2-4 hours of sleep at a time at night. We'll take what we can get.

We've enjoyed a visit from Ella's Memphis Aunt Kari, as well as her Grammy, Papaw and Aunt Melissa from Abilene. Ella's Grandma, Aunts and cousins in Australia are counting the days until they can get their hands on her. Round Rock threw a wonderful shower for us on Sunday. We are blessed in many ways.





Ella likes to drop her paci out when she is done - usually right before she drops off to sleep (as in this picture)...but she usually does really well about keeping it just within reach in case she needs it again. She's pretty smart. I've seen her snag it again when she felt like she wanted it. Pretty funny!



And little by little, I am feeling like we're gonna make it! I am willing to bet that any first time mother knows the feelings I am talking about. In that first week or so at home, I had myself convinced, with all sincerity, that I would never leave the house again. I couldn't imagine us ever making it out the door in one piece (with all we needed!), getting anywhere on time, let alone enjoying the outing. But as the sanity returns, the fatigue wears off, and now that I have made it into the shower before 3pm more than once now...I am thinking that there will be life outside of apartment #2426 for our family.

Two Weeks of Life

We've been enjoying our baby girl outside of the womb for just over two weeks. She is thriving and weighed in a 7lbs 1 ounce at her two week check up. I have to admit, while wonderful to carry her in our arms, I do miss carrying her within me. Seeing her grow from within, hearing her heartbeat and feeling her kicks were all such special moments. I am so thankful for that experience.

We went to see my doctor last week and it was truly a strange thing to go there without the belly - like I had lost a part of my identity. The whole pregnancy thing almost seems surreal now.

Don't get me wrong - I love having her outside of the womb, too. Its a whole new world. Right now she is sleeping outstretched on her blankie. She is there most of the day. We give her lots of snuggles, but we also put her down. I need the break from the very frequent nursing. One of my favorite times to hold her though is when she is done nursing. She is so content. It is so hard to put her down!

There are some things about the pregnancy that I do not miss though! Like itchy hands and feet. And the restless nights caused by the pregnant body, leg cramps, crazy dreams, frequent trips to the bathroom etc. Of course, while I sleep "better" now, I am no longer a woman of 8-10 hours of sleep per night. :) Who would have thought that two or three hours of sleep would feel so good!

Ella is quite a patient baby. She is sweet natured and usually content. She seems to be a thinker. We wonder about what???


You have to wonder what a sweet little girl like her has done to make her parents end up like this:



At this point we're pretty much sticking to just the essential outings. This was one to Target. Ella and I went along so that Dad wouldn't be stressed by my shopping list and coupons. Our cart looked quite different to how it has in the past. I have come close to saying I'll never go out again! But I am sure that will pass and we will get the hand of getting out the door in one piece.

The sweetness of Ella Rhys

This onesie says 'Don't wake me, I'll wake you'. I bought this on December 5th when I found out I was pregnant. Oh the truth of it . . .


Feed me . . .


Because when you feed me . . .




A couple of my favourite places to be . . .

Ella Rhys Whaley

On Monday, July 28th, at 12:22pm, we rejoiced in the safe delivery of our first child, a daugther, Ella Rhys Whaley.

Ella Rhys weighed in at 6lbs, 4oz. She was 19 inches long. She is truly the most adorable and sweetest baby.

Ella is from German, meaning 'from a foreign land', and Rhys (which was actually listed as a girl's name in the book we used :-) - has a Welsh meaning, 'enthusiastic about life'.

It is our prayer that our Ella Rhys will always be aware that her citizenship is in Heaven. We are indeed from a 'foreign land'. And while longing and waiting for a better, more heavenly country with our family, we pray that she will desire, know, and share a great enthusiasm for life.

Ella was born at 38 weeks and 1 day, via c-section. Many of you celebrated with us that the placenta previa had resolved itself at 35 weeks, or so. However at around 36 weeks, I had developed cholestesis of pregnancy. In spite of medication, the cholestesis did not respond, and because it posed a great risk to the health of Ella after 38 weeks of pregnancy, my doctor advised us to deliver at 38 weeks via c-section. While it was not our desired or dreamed about natural delivery, the most important thing to us was the well being of our baby girl. The cholestesis already has resolved itself - praise God.

We are all doing great. We have been home since Thursday afternoon. Ella is easy to satisfy, loves to cuddle, be sung to, and read to. Her dad rarely leaves her side. We melt in her sweetness as she sleeps and dreams away, and get lost in the brightness of her bright and curious eyes when she is awake.

We have received a wonderful blessing. God heard our prayers! And His answer is greater than we imagined. Thank God with us and pray for us as we raise Ella Rhys to love Him and be light and life to this dark world!













' . . . we welcome you to our family, and we hope you find the light of Jesus shining in this place. Walking hand in hand, we will serve the Lord, and together we will celebrate His mercy and His grace. This is home for the lonely, to the tired a place of rest. It's a house of devotion to the Dearest and the Best. We welcome you to our family, and we hope you find the light of Jesus shining in this place . . .'

We love and welcome you Ella Rhys. We pray for God's wisdom as we raise you.