Month: July 2010

Three Weeks Old….

Leave a comment
Ellie turns 3 Weeks Old today! Another week down and little changes are occurring. Ellie has been a very strong baby… even before birth, but now she is holding her head up on her own and starting to turn it from one side to the other. The news to report however, is that she is sleeping in nearly 4 hour periods! This gives mom and dad a little more time to rest and hopefully start to regain our sanity.

Over the last two days, Auntie Kenzi has spent time with Abby, Ellie and myself. Mackenzie has been a great help as well and of course I love spending time with her. Especially before heading off on an awesome vacation to Africa! Today Nancy, Mackenzie’s mom came over and did a mini photo shoot with Ellie. I cant wait to see those pictures. I am sure they will turn out great, especially with such an adorable subject! I took a few pictures myself, but I am sure they don’t look nearly as great as Nancy’s!

My sweet little peanut at exactly 3 weeks old. Love this girl!

Daddy giving Ellie kisses. I have to say that spiky hair could give Ellie the nickname of Sonic… If so, she is one adorable little hedgehog!

“Oh Grandpa… you’re silly!”

Happy bath time! Ellie loves the bath… No Joke! She cries when I undress her but the minute we started bathing her she is happy. Both of my girls love to take a bath… yay!

Settling Back Into Reality

Leave a comment

Jillian left to go home today… really if you know me well enough I don’t have to say much more. My sister and best friend was leaving and I was a wreck. I had such a wonderful time with Jillian and she had been so helpful during a good portion of my recovery process. She had also become a wonderful playmate to her niece and I truly feel she helped a great deal with the transition Abby was having to make from only child to sibling. It was a blast and something I have appreciated very much.

I held it together on the trip to the airport, talking and laughing as best I could. When we pulled up to the curb and said our goodbyes I still managed to hang on. But when Abby began to cry and scream as Auntie J said goodbye to her and closed the door, I lost it. Thank goodness for sunglasses! It was hard to see Jillian go, but even harder to see my little girl sad and upset that her Auntie and playmate for the past 3 weeks was leaving and she didn’t understand that we would see her again soon. Talk about ripping my heart out slowly. I think I cried quietly most of the way home and Shaun held my hand as best he could while driving. I did recover and so did Abby, but it was definitely a rough morning.

Now its back to reality and as they say “The Honeymoon is Over!”

Auntie J and Ellie strike a pose before we pack up and head to the airport. I definitely was not ready to say goodbye and I don’t think Jillian was either.

I tried to get a picture of Jillian, Abby and Ellie before we left but Abby didn’t want to. This was as close as I got to a picture together. What a memory… nothing but the back of Abby’s head. It is a cute head though, isn’t it?

Two Weeks Old….

Leave a comment

It is so hard to believe, but Ellie is now two weeks old and changing so fast. She is growing by leaps and bounds and I want it to stop already! Time is flying and I think because I am only 2 weeks post partum, I am actually having a hard time dealing with it.

May parents left to head back home this past weekend and that was a very difficult day for me. Having them here made me so very happy and because I was unable to do much because of my C-Section, I had the chance to spend some quality time with them. Something I don’t get to do much of anymore… mainly because they are over 1,000 miles away from here! They did have a safe trip home and on Sunday even decided to take a detour home through Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. Needless to say, I was very jealous.

On a very bright note, Jillian stayed even longer to help out and she has done great job. Abby is loving having Auntie J around. I am honestly not sure what is going to happen when she has to leave next week. Poor Shaun might have two girls sobbing in the car on the way home from the airport.

Ellie has been doing great and hasn’t tortured her parents too much. She has given us a few long nights, but this is to be expected. We have had a few segments of sleep that have lasted more then 2 and a half hours, so things are looking up! With each waking I remind myself that things change quickly and soon we will have lots of rest. That could just be wishful thinking too! Here is hoping for the best!

This past weekend we also took our first trip out to the Topanga Mall and Target. The trip only lasted about two hours but it was needed. I was starting to go a bit stir crazy and being inside constantly was giving me a bit of the baby blues. My friend Morgan suggested I get out, even if only for an hour, and walk around somewhere. So I did… and it made a huge difference.

Ellie also had her 2 week check up and once again passed with flying colors. She has a slight issue with an obstructed tear duct but its something that just passes with time. Abby had the same issue as a baby too. Its common in C-Section babies, as they don’t undergo the immense pressure of traveling through the birth canal. A little medical information for those that might be interested 🙂 She is growing well and gaining plenty of weight like she should be.

Two Week Stats
Weight: 8 Pounds 8 Ounces
Length: 21 Inches
(In 2 Weeks Ellie has gained nearly 1 pound 3 ounces in weight and grown half and inch in length! This includes the weight she regained after the typical drop in the first few days after birth.)

Baby Ellie feet… so tiny, skinny and long! She likes to curl and then spread out her toes, like a cat does when its stretching.

Ellie relaxing in her bouncer, sporting her cute outfit from Baby Gap. The shorts barely stay on, but I had to put her in this outfit! I am sure she will eventually grow into it.

Daddy and Ellie snuggle at the Red Robin in Glendale. It was Ellie’s first and last trip for a while to a sit down restaurant.

One Week… Time is Flying!

Leave a comment

Time is flying by so quickly… its unbelievable. Ellie is 1 week old today and she is growing and changing so fast. Its not fair that they don’t stay this little just a tad bit longer. Its ok, I have loved watching every stage of Abby’s growth, so I know I will feel the same way about Ellie too. On that note, let me catch you up to speed…

We have been home from the hospital 3 whole days and resting comfortably. As a parent, you always wish and hope that your baby will sleep through the night the minute you bring them home, but alas, that was not the case! Ellie would have the typical 2 hour spurts of sleep and then would wake up to nurse. Her days and nights are still pretty mixed up but as I tell myself… this too shall pass, just enjoy all the wonderful moments and remember that you will look back on the difficult ones with fondness one day.

We also took Ellie in for her first official check-up! I have to say its nice having a newborn at the doctors office. We didn’t have to wait in the waiting room with other screaming children and sick ones at that. The minute I signed us in and updated our file we were taken right to an exam room. Ellie was a great little patient and survived all of her exams. The doctor said she looked perfect, which of course was music to our ears!

One Week Stats
Weight: 7 Pounds 14 Ounces
Length: Not Measured at this appointment
(When we left the hospital Ellie was 7 Pounds 5 ounces, she lost 10% of her birth weight)

Got Milk?

Gotta love the milk mouth while in her milk coma!

Abby checking up in her little sister. Its such a precious moment to capture, a blurry one but a precious one.

Abby got into the bottom drawer where all of her disposable cups and bibs are. She got caught and like many kids shows them off and gives mommy a cute face. How can I get mad at that point? 🙂

Sleepy little Ellie… she does that a lot, except at night when mommy and daddy want to sleep!

Only 5 days old and so alert! Love that adorable face.

Abby seems to be adjusting well to sisterhood. She still doesn’t quite understand everything that is going on and that this baby is here to stay but she will learn as she grows. For now she calls her “baby sissy”. We shall see if we can get her to say Ellie soon, not going to push it though. 🙂

Now on for another week and more adventures. Here’s hoping we can get some decent sleep. HA HA! Now I just have to hold it together when my parents leave and I will be ok!

Lots of Visitors

Leave a comment

During our stay in the hospital, Ellie and I had a few visitors. Of course, Grandma and Grandpa Taylor, Grandma Zoe and Grandpa Pat and Nana Fiona came to visit… they are grandparents! And of course Auntie Jillian came to visit too… just not as often due to the fact that she was helping us out by watching Abby. I don’t have many pictures of these visitors, so I apologize. When they came to visit I was distracted talking and spending time with them and even my dad, who was taking pictures for me, would get distracted too. Hmmmm, I wonder why?

Grandma Taylor and Ellie steal a moment to snuggle.

Auntie Jillian meets Ellie for the very first time. I think she is in love!

I also had a few other people visit, one of which being my dear friend Mackenzie or Auntie Kenzi to the girls. Kenzi came to visit the night Ellie was born but also came on Saturday to spend time with us as well. She was beyond sweet and brought us a fantastic homemade dinner. She made us homemade Mac N Cheese (which was amazing), caesar salad, garlic bread and a yummy 4th of July cake! I know Shaun enjoyed her dinner very much, which was a wonderful change from the hospital food he had been eating. We talked and enjoyed each others company, which was very special to me. Before we knew it, it was 10:30pm and visiting hours had ended nearly two hours beforehand. Luckily the nurses that night were very cool and didn’t seem to care!

A very proud Auntie Kenzi snuggling and spoiling Ellie with lots of love!

Barbara and Mike visiting with Ellie

Another dear friend and someone I called Aunt growing up came to visit as well. On Saturday afternoon, Barbara and Mike stopped by to meet our cute little girl and we had the chance to visit with them and catch up. They had a great time visiting and I so very much enjoyed having them there. As always I am more then happy to share the love and excitement of a new baby with family and friends.

Ellie’s Birth Story

Leave a comment

After nearly 10 months the day finally came for our little girl to arrive. I was scheduled for a repeat C-Section and had made it to the day without any complications or going into labor! I know my doctor was very happy with the idea as well.

The night before I actually slept well for the first time in weeks. I actually felt at peace and ready for the big day. Something I did not anticipate at all. On the morning of July 1st, I woke up around 7:00am and couldn’t fall back to sleep, so I got up and began getting ready to leave for the hospital. The extra time allowed me to double check my bag for the hospital, shower, put some make up on (one of the perks of having a scheduled C-Section), gave myself a pedicure and made sure everything was in order. By 9:30am I was ready to go and start the journey into another chapter of our lives. With Jillian’s help, Abby was up and ready to see us off. Shaun and I gave Abby lots of hugs and kisses and said goodbye, knowing that the next time we would see her we would be parents of two daughters and she would be a big sister.

The Wharton Family of Three before we became The Wharton Family of Four

Shaun and I arrived at West Hills Hospital around 10:15am. The drive over felt normal and we talked about simple and basic things. We checked in quickly and headed up to labor and delivery where Sharon our L&D nurse was waiting for us. My C-Section was scheduled for 12:30pm and there was plenty to do before that time. Once I was changed and resting comfortably in the hospital bed, I was hooked up to monitors and we could hear our little girls heart beat and all of her last movements before she arrived. Then, after all the paperwork was filled out, Sharon and Dr. Yun, my anesthesiologist, put in my IV and got me started. After that it was a waiting game and I laid there and tried to relax while Shaun kept me company. He did plenty to make me laugh and keep me from watching the clock that was one the wall in front of me.

One last picture of pregnant me before heading into surgery and meeting our little girl for the first time.

12:30 came around faster then I thought it would. Shaun was already dressed in his OR clothes and I was more then ready to get the show on the road. At 12:45, after getting the heads up that my doctor had arrived and was getting ready for surgery, we got up and walked over to the OR. Once on the table, I was given my spinal. I have to say, the spinal was worse then the epidural I had with Abby, just in case anyone was wondering. As soon as all of the medication was injected, my toes, feet and then legs quickly became numb. Within minutes I was laying down on the table, sheets were hung up and pretty soon all Shaun could see from where he was sitting was my head. Once that was done, Shaun was allowed to move his chair next to me and before I knew it… surgery began.

Even though I dont know it, surgery is underway. The big fluffy white thing is a surgical heater that kept me warm during surgery. That thing worked wonders!!


Surgery was everything that I remembered from Abby’s birth. I knew that from start to birth, it only took about 15 minutes and so I waited anxiously trying to count down the time in my head. Shaun sat there next to me, holding my hand, keeping me calm. I was definitely emotional, nervous, anxious and honestly a little scared. It is surgery after all. Time moved quickly and within moments (at least what seemed like moments) I felt pressure and pulling and then the voice of my doctor, telling me our little girl was almost here.

Just as she began to pull Ellie out, I hear my doctor say “You’re not getting away from me. ” Ellie had decided that she wasn’t quite ready to leave her cozy little home and quite literally tried to climb back into me as she pulled her out. But of course that wasn’t going to happen and within moments, I could hear our little girls cries. It was at that moment that I knew everything was ok and the tears of joy began. Shaun left my side momentarily to check out Ellie and to cut her cord. He was able to come back to me again after to tell me that she was looking great. Then, the nurse finally brought her to my side and I had the chance to meet our little girl for the very first time. I was shocked to see such a familiar face looking at me. Wrapped up in her hospital blanket and cap, Ellie looked exactly like Abby. I felt almost as though I was looking at her twin!

Dr. Olender, my OB (on the right) and Dr. Freedman, my OB when Abby was born (on the left) deliver Ellie.

Shaun “cutting” Ellie’s umbilical cord. Such a proud daddy!

Mommy and Ellie meet for the very first time. So thats who has been doing gymnastics in my stomach!
With our new little bundle of joy, Ellie. The family is almost complete but we are missing big sister Abby and of course their furry brother Jack.

Shaun then had to leave my side and follow Ellie to the nursery so that my doctors could put me back together again. This happened quickly and with very little discomfort and before I knew it I was being moved from the surgical table to my bed and being rolled to recovery. Shaun met me in recovery and stayed with me until my room was ready. At that point he was able to show me the pictures he took of Ellie in the OR and the nursery. I couldn’t have been more excited to see her at that point! After about 45 minutes, I was taken from recovery to my room to settle in. Not long after I arrived, Ellie was brought to me and from there I was in heaven.

Our beautiful Ellie only hours after being born.

Once we were in our room, Shaun and I had time to talk and enjoy Ellie all on our own. After I had the chance to rest and bond with Ellie without an distractions, Shaun and I decided it was time to bring Abby over to meet her little sister, so Shaun ran back to the house to pick her up. When Abby arrived she was definitely overwhelmed but also concerned. She didnt like that mommy was in this funny looking bed with things connected to her. She was also curious about the new baby in my arms. She got the chance to see Ellie but once she was comfortable in her surroundings Abby was on to other things. It wasn’t too long before Abby needed to go and so she left for a sleepover at Grandma Zoe’s house.

Abby meets her new baby sister for the very first time.

The remaining time in the hospital was a wonderful experience. On Friday, the day after Ellie’s birth, all the tubes and what not were removed and it was time to get up and walk for the first time. My nurse, Hannah, was an angel in disguise and made the one thing I was dreading a better experience then expected. She even showed me a trick using the hospital bed which allowed me to get up with a little more ease. The biggest thing for me though was making me feel so comfortable during a time where you feel as though you haven’t a shred of dignity left and you are extremely vulnerable. I am so glad she was there for me and she is definitely a person I will never forget.


Through visitors and more wonderful nurses, I survived my stay. Abby came to visit againon Saturday, which made me feel better. I was missing her very much. Hannah, Jasmine, Lisa, Leizel, Mary and many more made my time very easy and in a way I felt like it went by too fast. I almost didn’t want to leave! But, Sunday night Dr. Olender came in and after a check gave me an all clear to head home in the morning. The next morning, after one last breakfast, Shaun and I packed up all of our things, dressed Ellie and checked out. It felt good to go home but I couldn’t help but feel sad that the whole pregnancy, delivery and hospital stay was over. Now it was on to a new chapter and two beautiful girls to raise. Now I had to look at how much I missed Abby and how much I wanted to see her again. And see her I did. She was waiting at the door with her Auntie Jillian when we came home.

Ellie all changed into her “going home” outfit, looking cute and snugly for the ride home on what was a somewhat gloomy July day.

All tucked and strapped into her car seat and ready to head home.

Packed up and in the car, ready to leave!

Introducing Eleanor "Ellie" Sidney Wharton

2 Comments
We would like to introduce the newest little bundle of joy to our family!

Eleanor “Ellie” Sidney Wharton was born July 1st, 2010 at 1:24pm. She weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces and is 20.5 inches long. She was given a clean bill of health and to Shaun and myself, is practically perfect in every way. Abby, while she is still too little to understand the meaning of little sister, seems to enjoy Ellie thus far and even tries to give her sister kisses. I am completely in love with my beautiful family, what a joy and a miracle.



More about Ellie’s very special day to come!

The Big Countdown Has Begun…

1 Comment

It is technically the day of and there are only a few more hours left until Shaun and I walk into the hospital, roll into surgery and before we know it our little one will be here! My parents arrived safely from Montana and my sister is here keeping us company and watching So You Think You Can Dance with me. I am calm on the outside, but on the inside I am about to burst. I am a huge ball of emotions and I have a feeling that I wont be sleeping much tonight. So much is about to change and I cant wait!