The Gene Pool

Who do you think Elise looks like?

Daddy...

Mommy... 

or Finley?

And here's Elise...what do you think?

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'...

It's official, Elise has learned to roll this week!  Actually, she figured it all out in about 24 hours.  I videoed her when she was first trying to roll, and then again the next day so you can see how quickly she learned.  And by the third day she was even faster!  By today she pretty much flips immediately when I lay her down to play on the floor.  We're also excited because this means Elise can learn to sleep on her belly now.  She's already started doing it some, and as a result we've had as much as 4 straight hours of sleep a few times this week!  That is cause for celebration!  CLICK HERE for the video.

Here are some photos I took a week or so ago, so we'll call them her 4 month old photos.

Meanwhile, Finley is sick this week.  He has pink eye in both eyes and a cold (which I also have, again).  So we made the most of the contagious period by staying in and baking (dairy-free) cookies together.  Like at Christmas, Finley's favorite part was the sprinkles.

Promise I didn't stage this photo.  I looked over while we were eating the other day and Elise was in the bouncy seat, and she was sucking her thumb and holding the burp cloth and giraffe.  So sweet.

Oh, and don't let me forget the most hilarious photos, courtesy of Nate's iPhone.  Promise these weren't staged either.  Finley has just been really into feeding his baby recently.  We'll have to bust these back out when he gets married or has his first child!  Our helper, Cathrina, actually seemed slightly embarrassed when he first did this, but I thought it was sweet and funny.  He just wanted to be like his mama.  :)  Or maybe he was practicing for his future as a lactation consultant?

Elise is 4 Months!

Elise is 4 months old!  Elise is holding her head up so well now, and she just chatters away all the time.  We love to watch her smile and hear her start to laugh and squeal.  

Elise went to the doctor for her 4 month check-up and vaccinations this week and she is now 13.29 lbs and 25 inches long!  That puts her around the 40% in weight and 65% in length, wearing sizes 3-6 months depending on the brand.  I just love Elise's chubby little baby cheeks and can't stop kissing them!  

Elise is still struggling with reflux, and I feel a bit like I'm playing Russian roulette as far as my eating, even despite giving up dairy.  Will my dinner bother her and keep us all up for the night or not?  Last night I had green curry, and Elise wasn't a fan.  That means more spitting up, arching her back in discomfort, waking up, not letting us put her in the crib, etc.  The doctor said we need to just hold on until we start cereals, and if we are lucky that will solidify the milk better and minimize reflux and indigestion.  Maybe I'll even get to eat dairy again!  We're just trying to wait another month to make sure Elise's digestive system is a little more mature and tongue thrust reflex weaker before we start.  Can't believe she's almost old enough for solid foods!   

Here's a video of Elise just talking away.  Click here.

And here's a video from Christmas Day.  Click here.  (Forgot we even took any video while we were in the States!)

One Last Christmas Post

One of the difficult things about spending Christmas in another country is that it's hard for us to bring Christmas with us, and then bring it back home again, thanks to luggage regulations.  So after we got back, Finley got two more Christmas gifts from Mommy and Daddy that just couldn't make the long journey.  Thanks to all our travels, Christmas lasted about 3 weeks this year!  And yes, that's cheesy teddy bear wrapping paper...more appropriate for a baby shower, but it was all we had on hand.  Finley didn't complain!  :)

The Bumbo

Now that Elise is getting better neck control, she gets to spend a little time in the Bumbo seat.

Here's the first attempt.  She spent most of it trying to get her hands into her mouth.

Look at those pretty eyes!  Nate has blue eyes and I have brown, but my dad has blue also.  That gives us essentially a 50/50 chance of blue or brown, because I could pass on the brown I got from my mom or the recessive blue from my dad to combine with the blue and green genes Nate has from his parents.  It's funny that my dad's blue eyes didn't win out for my sister or me, but now it appears they have for both our kids!  Nate's eyes are blue with a hint of green, but so far both kids' are more pure blue, so it's looking like maybe we both passed on blue to both children.  Of course, Elise's may still lighten or change some, so we'll see.  So interesting!

Christmas Part II: MI

Opening gifts with Fafee and Grandma Holly

You can never go wrong with a Carolina shirt

Uncle Cooper got Finley this cute panda hat

Family photo...in the snow!

Elise with her great-grandmother, Gigi

And proud Grandma Jane

Finley and Aydin checking out Jessie's song selection

Baby cuddles with Fafee

Thanks to all our family for a wonderful Christmas!  We are so happy we got to spend the holidays with you, and we miss you already.

Christmas Part I: NC

We had a fantastic time in the States for Christmas.  Elise officially became a world traveler, earning her first stamps in her passport.  Both Finley and Elise were good on the flights and very tolerant of us dragging them from house to house (to house to house to house).  As always, it was wonderful to watch our children interact with their extended family, and they both seemed to grow exponentially during the trip.  And I have to brag about my mom, who was so kind as to make as many Christmas goodies as possible with dairy substitutes!  (Yep, still off dairy.)  That's about all I have the time or energy to say for now, as we're all still trying to recover from jet lag, plus Finley is sick.  Here are photos from our first stop in NC.  I'll try to get MI photos edited and posted soon.

Barnette Christmas dinner, complete with singing and jingle bells

Finley really enjoyed the jingle bells this year!

Elise snoozing with her great-grandmother

Two new babies in the family this Christmas!  Lots to celebrate.

This kid has the best eyelashes ever.

Family photo attempt

First round of Christmas presents

Elise's Christening

Reading "The Night Before Christmas" with Granddad

Christmas Morning!

Putting out fires with his new fire truck

Finley really enjoyed making a long line of presents.

Papa getting in some cuddles with Elise, his newest great-grandbaby

Finley's Knuffle Bunny from Grandmommy and Granddad

Loving all the smiles from this sweet girl

Next year Isaac will be tearing into the gifts!

Making sugar cookies.  Finley was in charge of the sprinkles.  He ate most of them.

 Elise with her lovely grandmommy