Family

Ella with cousin Brady - I don't know if she knows what to think!!! Cousin Zack was what we like to call a "Baby HOG" he was a really really good helper though! He loves little Ella so much!

Rob with his nephew Zack and his daughter...(ha! That doesn't get old!) Ella

Aunt Cindy - lovin' on Ella - she was so in to her I couldn't even get her to look up!

Uncle Aaron with Ella - he couldn't get over her cute little nose! :)

Grandma and Grandpa Zimbelman - Abby wasn't about to let Ella get all the lovin'!

Oh look it's Mom and Dad with Ella! Our first "family" photo! The picture before this had Moose in it too because he didn't want to stay away from Ella

Grandma and Grandpa Forehand! Didn't know that the window was so bright!

Grandma Mickelson - not sure where Grandpa was...I think he was still out on a service call.

No Tears Bath...

It's been awhile since I blogged...sorry just to busy being a Mommy!

Ella had her first bath tonight that didn't involve tears!!! YEAH!! She actually smiled while I washed her hair.

So Much Love

Last night Ella came with me to Bunco. (It's a dice game the neighborhood ladies get together and play once a month) - Only last night I was surprised with a Baby shower instead of Bunco! It was such a surprise! They totally got me. It was so cute. All decorated up and everyone totally spoiled little Ella! I was so moved by this. It is amazing to have so many great friends in my neighborhood. I couldn't imagine raising Ella anywhere else!

It has been a whirlwind since we got home. I think we have only had like 1 day in over a week where Ella didn't have a visitor!! That just means she is loved though. I can handle that! My brother and his wife Cindy are coming down to meet their niece tonight. I am looking forward to that. I really can't wait for her to meet her cousins. Zack is going to be such a cute little guy - he is already talking about all the things he is going to teach her "because he is the oldest and that's his job!" He said he really wants to teach her how to fish! :) How cute is that!!

Then tomorrow - weather pending... we have a Baby shower with family and friends at my Mom's house - I think she invited a TON of people it will be a full house for sure! It seems surreal to me that all of these showers are for me and MY daughter! Ah I am still not over how AWESOME this Mom stuff is.

Here are a few pictures I just had to share!!

This is my mother and Ella! They are both smiling so cute!! It was Ella's first trip to Grandma's house on Wednesday. My mom leaves for Texas at the end of the month so we are trying to get lots of Ella time in for her before she leaves.
Ella and her Puppy Moose. They are doing so good with her! I think she lost an arm in that big sleep sack though! :)
Oh Ella and her other puppy Abby! Abby lifted her head and then went right back to sleep. :)

Ella's Doctor Appt

Ella went to the doctor for her 2 week check today. It went very well. She did need some medicane on her belly button and she also had a slight case of thrush (mouth infection). She now has med's she needs 4 times a day but she likes it because it's fruit flavored.

Other then those minor things she was doing GREAT! So I was very pleased. We don't have to go back until she is 2 months now.

She has gained some weight. She was born 7lb 1oz she left the hospital at 6lbs 12oz and she was 7lbs 6.5oz today! That's my girl! She is up to drinking 3oz at night now. The 2 just weren't cutting it!

We have a baby shower on Sat at my Mom's and I am really looking forward to that!

We're HOME!

Well sorry I haven't blogged in awhile. We did get the call on Wednesday morning that we could leave and we RUSHED out of the hotel to the airport and were on a plane back home in about 4 hours!!

We arrived back in MSP about 5:30 on Wednesday and were delighted it had warmed up! Ella has been fortunate enough to meet two sets of her Grandparents and our close neighbors Gary and Arlene stopped by last night too.

The first night we were home she didn't take to sleeping in a bassinet after having a week in the hotel sleeping in her car seat! But thankfully she is a fast learner so by 3 am that night we had it figured out!! Now if I can just get her to stop thinking it's play time around 2 am we will be doing good!! Last night she was up from 2-4:30 just hanging out in her bassinet! I don't know how many times I had to hit the music light show button for her.

It is so great to be home. Abby our basset hound is doing awesome with her. Mostly because she doesn't really care yet because Ella doesn't effect her napping yet! Moose our boxer is very interested in Ella - he wants to be right there with you when you feed her and change her. He pops his head over the bassinet each time you put her down just to make sure you did it right! Then walks away and lays down guarding her! We still have lots of watching to do because moose is giant and not always gentle but the dogs are doing AMAZING with her! Way better then I expected!! I think it helps having both Rob and I home to give dogs and Ella attention!

So far we have only lost one of Ella's things to Moose..... He thought he needed his own Nuk!! I couldn't even get mad when I saw him because I was laughing too hard!!

Really want to go home

Well we are still out in Utah - Ella was released from the hospital last Wednesday so it's officially been a week we have just hung out in Utah waiting for our ICPC paperwork to be approved. The ICPC paperwork is basically just approval from Utah and from Wisconsin that we can take Ella home with us. I am stressed out because I am not getting updates from our agency on what is taking so long... We got a message today that said we hope WI gets the paperwork today.... so basically we are just checking our phones 300 times a day waiting for them to give us the verbal ok to head back home.

On Sunday and Monday we just hung out at the hotel and didn't go anywhere. Me and Ella just stayed in the room. I finished another Twilight book - took a few naps - gave Ella like 1000 kisses!! Today however we needed some more excitement. I needed to break out of the hotel!! We ended up going to Cabela's and then The museum of Ancient life. It was really cool! We love dinosaurs so it was awesome.

Here is me and Ella sitting in front of where they work on the dinosaur bones - very cool. Pretty Scary.... I was posing all day with the dinosaurs - we used to do this growing up it was so much fun!Rob and Ella by his favorite dinosaur the T-REXMe and Ella - She was a good girl - slept most of the time....

I want to officially THANK MY AWESOME MOTHER! She is the best person in the world. We flew out here on the 2nd of January and she has been hanging out at our house taking care of our dogs this whole time! She signed up for a week and is getting close to two weeks....hang in there MOM we will be home soon and we REALLY REALLY appreciate what you are doing for us!!! LOVE YOU!!!!

Rememeber it's all for Miss Ella!! :) She sends her love to you too....

Sunday -

Wonder if Ella is sick of all these kisses Mommy and Daddy keep giving her! Good thing she sleeps through them! Everytime I turn around - there is Rob playing, hugging or kissing Ella! Whew at least she will learn from a young age to sleep through a lot!!

She was up and curious quite few hours today! It was great to play with her - and it will help her sleep her 3.5 hrs straight at night. :)

Oh - Big stretch...wonder who picked this outfit out??

Hi Look at me...I am getting big!! I can't wait to meet everyone - Lots of Love from Ella.

Stuck in Utah!

I'm such a happy Baby! EXTREME closeup!! Ah Rough day...I'm zonked right out! But aren't I cute?

Another great picture where you can see Ella's hair and eyes. :) She likes to hold my finger while eating.

We thought there was a possiblity that we could go home this weekend but no such luck! Our paperwork didn't get to Utah state until today and so they will take a day (not including the weekend- because the Government doesn't work weekends!) and then WI will take a day or two also..so now it appears we might be here until Wednesday!! Hopefully sooner but as of right now I am betting we fly home on Wed. I will keep you posted. We might actually venture out of our hotel room with Ella - that's a long time to be stuck in a little room. :)

I am getting really good at washing bottles in a little sink though!

More Pictures of Ella

Our little Polar bear - She is all bundled up in her car seat and stroller - headed out of the hospital.

WOW look at all that hair and BIG eyes. :) Such a good girl -

So tiny - these are newborn clothes that are that big on her.

Ahhhhhh - Daddy and Ella

ella bella is chilling at the hotel

she`s taking a nap right now, we are currently waiting to hear back from the state of utah and than the paperwork goes to wisconsin. really nice town! lots of stores. we are definetly bringing ella back here someday to enjoy the sites. we will get more pics out there today.

Bustin' Out

We are getting discharged this morning! Yeah!! I can't wait to take a "nap" (because who are we kidding - like I can actually "sleep") on the king size bed in our hotel room. It will be so much more comfortable then the little hospital room where I "napped" in the chair for two nights.

They just brought Ella back into the room she had been out getting test done. Yup she is just as cute as when she left. I can't wait to take pictures today of her outfit to go to hotel home in. :)

Kelli it's the outfit you gave her! She will look so cute in her little frog sleeper. We have the car seat and stroller and are all practiced up with them too! I think we are set to go.

More to come with pictures later. Lots of love from Rob, Katie and Ella! ( I have waited so long to sign three names - how cool!)

More Ella - Day 2

Check out those chubby legs! She is one good eater! Finally an open eye shot! - she has had her eyes open a lot today but we were just to busy playing with her to actually take pictures!

All the paperwork is signed and Ella is offically coming home with us!! Not sure when we can get our travel approved still need the ICPC paperwork from Utah and Wisconsin. Hoping to fly home on Sat. We are headed out of the hospital tomorrow though and will be hanging out at the hotel.

Announcing Baby Ella Jane Leiby

Ella Jane and Mommy!

Ella and Dad! He is a natural! Our sleeping beauty! :o)

Our special little girl was born this morning at 8:05 am - She only took 2 mins to come!! She weighed 7lbs and 1 oz and was 19inches long!

She spent a little bit of time in the NICU because she came out with some fluid in her lungs. She is doing great now though and we are in our own well baby room! :)

She is eating good and soaking up all the love we can give her!

Exploring Utah!

Our first stop of the day today was Park City! This is where the Olympics were held in 2002 This is the entrance to the Olympic park. These are the HUGE ski jumps there - we just missed people training for the Vancouver Olympics.

Oh! Isn't he cute?? And to have him be the sign for Outlet stores is even better! Katie can always find the sales...

Our 2nd trip of the day was out to Antelope Island on The Great Salt Lake! Isn't it beautiful!

It was foggy down by the lake - you couldn't even see the ice and water in come cases it's not frozen because it has 2x the salt of the ocean.

We got to watch the sunset from "Buffalo Point" Isn't it beautiful? We also saw Buffalo, Mule Deer, jackrabbits and coyotes on the island! :) Sure made Rob happy! !

Our Hotel

Here is our Hotel and our Rental car - really nice place - the pool is heated and It's the warmest pool I have EVER swam in! Like swimming in a hot tub! This is our view from the parking lot! I was standing next to our car when I took this.

Check out this bird...does anyone know what kind it is? They were everywhere by the Hotel.

Just a few pictures for your viewing pleasure

Here we are on the plane! Rob had the window seat I was in the middle! Long flight.

Here's Rob at the airport chillin' with his phone! :)

Here is a picture from the plane - not big

mountains but still pretty - it was nice and clear

almost the whole plane ride here so Rob got to

just hang out and watch the landscape change.

Good News

Before we headed out for supper we got a call from the agency - Our BM arrived safely yesterday and everything is still on track for Monday. That means Rob and I can do some site seeing then we will for sure meet up with the agency around 10 am on Monday!

Good night everyone - keep the goods thoughts rolling - we are not there yet!

Landed in Utah

Well we are safe and sound in our hotel out in Utah! It was still light when we arrived it was just amazing seeing all of those beautiful moutains! We will be sure to post some pictures on here tomorrow for you all to see. We plan on doing some site seeing.

We are actually quite tired from the treck here - it was a long flight! Our hotel has a pool that is open 24hours so we are very excited about taking advantage of that. Oh and did I mention it was 37 degrees when we landed - compared to the -17 we left it felt tropical to us!

No news yet from the agency on if our BM arrived safely yesterday - more to come when I hear from them.

Time to relax and find a place to eat some supper.

All Set...

Well I think we are all set to go to Utah tomorrow. Mom is coming down to watch Moose and Abby - what lifesaver she is! I can't thank her enough for doing that - it takes a big burden off us financially and emotionally to know that someone is here watching the house and the puppies while we are gone.

We went to town and got our camera and a Winnie the Pooh bassinet today. It's all set up so we can practice with the dogs before we leave. We have a little baby doll we put in there and we are making sure they behave around it. It's going good so far. I am sure it will be quite an adjustment when it's a real baby -

Our BM was flying in to Utah today - I didn't get word that she arrived or didn't so I am going on faith everything is good to go!

We fly out tomorrow at 2:30 - More to come from Utah later! :)