3 Weeks!

Week three...I don't really remember what life was like without Elle!

We are sleep deprived, but loving EVERY minute of her and our new family of 3. We have gotten in to a little bit of a routine, Elle had her nights/days mixed up when we first got home. She now wakes 2-3 times a night to nurse and I am getting around 2-3 hours of sleep in between feedings, which is manageable. Dave has been such a HUGE help, when he gets up or home in the morning he lets me go back to bed. I usually only sleep an hour, but I don't have worry about Elle!

She is eating like a champ now and when I weighed her this week, she was up to eight pounds! Newborn clothing is still a little big on her, but she is starting to fill it out a little more. Her baby Buddha belly is growing! :)

Paisley continues to be the babysitter and checking on Elle every fuss she makes! Whenever we get up or get home from somewhere, Paisley searches the house for Elle. She will check the swing first, then the bouncy and make her way around until she finds Elle.

On July 19th, we had Mary Moua, a professional photograhper, come to our house and take Elle's newborn pictures. She was only 8 days old! Here is a sneak peek of our pictures...aren't they fabulous! Thanks Mary, we can't wait to see the rest.

Check out her blog: http://www.marymouaphotography.blogspot.com

We had lots of visitors this week, thank you everyone for stopping by to meet our little peanut!

On Monday, Jamie (left) Anna and Lisa (baby Sophia in Lisa's belly)

Look who is fussing...really did you ever think! To bad she is still so dang cute even when screaming! :)


On Wednesday, Elle and I met up with Heather and Finley for lunch at Panera. Elle's first lunch date...sorry for the fussy picture.

Finley is quite the photographer....


Attempt #1


Attempt #2...success! Nice work Finley


Thursday night we decided to venture out for dinner. Our first restaurant outing as a family of three! We figure now is a good time to take her out, as she sleeps LOTS!! She was an absolute doll all through dinner.


Daddy and Elle got lots of snuggles in before he had to go back to work Friday night. How precious is this! Elle sure has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger!


These socks crack me up...they ARE newborn size, but they come up to her knees! She looks like a soccer player. This is what Elle wears under her jammies, but I just had to get a picture of her knee highs!

We have a busy week getting ready for our first vacation. On Friday, we will be off on our annual trip to Door County...wish us luck! I am not sure if I will post before we go...if not, tune back in 2 weeks from now!

We survived our first week!

We have been home for a week and a half now and it feels good to be in the comforts of our house!

Wednesday July 14th, we were discharged from the hospital. As I mentioned in the previous post, we left in a horrible rain storm, sheets and sheets of rain...but we made it safely home. Thanks for the balloon Heather!

I had been anxiously awaiting the meeting of Paisley and Elle. It went really well, Paisley is very interested in Elle and is always checking on her. She has learned rather quickly that Elle comes first now. I was very nervous about her licking Elle to death, only a lick here and there when mom or dad are not looking.

When we got home we had a visitor waiting for us, Grandpa Bill. Elle is Grandpa Bill's 3rd grandchild.


We had lots of fun things waiting at home for a baby to try. Elle used her Moses basket the first night home.


Elle is sleeping downstairs in the bassinet. It is chilly downstairs, but Elle seems to be a "hot body" like her daddy and doesn't mind.

She LOVES her swing!


We made our first outing Thursday...I know, I know. What am I thinking taking a 4 day old shopping, well we needed to get some accessories for newborn pictures. We made a trip to Whippersnappers, a baby boutique in Eau Claire.

Elle was spoiled by gramma, look at all of those bows! Daddy isn't a big fan, but mommy thinks they are great!

Elle got her first bath at home Thursday night. She wasn't so sure about getting her body washed, but loved getting her hair washed.


Friday Elle had her first doctor appointment, she had a weight check after losing so much in the hospital. We are happy to report that she gained 6 ounces since we left the hospital. I weighed her today and is us up to 7lbs. 5oz! We are going in the right direction!

Elle went to her first party on Saturday, Finley's 2nd birthday party. Ironically, Finley's first party was our house warming party. Elle had to wear one of her new bows...isn't she too cute! She wasn't the only newborn there, Maddie is three weeks old. They both have a full head of hair!

We have taken a few slow walks in the neighborhood. There are so many mosquitoes, that we have to put a net over the stroller. :( I am not able to walk that far yet, with my low blood levels, I can only make it to the corner and back...Elle could go for miles. Soon, we will be back to our "normal" walks and look forward to walking with friends!


The humidity finally went down and we hung out on the front porch.


Elle's belly button is all healed up already, so she got to take a "big girl" bath Wednesday night. She was so content in the tub, I could have let her sit in there until she was a prune!


Saturday, Elle was spoiled once again. Connie (Grandma Maureen's good friend) hosted an after the baby was born shower. It was so nice to see family and friends, we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at Connie's wonderful home.


Jenna will make a great babysitter someday, Elle was so content in her arms.

After the shower, we headed to Grandpa Maureen's house for some time with Elle's cousins (Brock and Aftin). They are growing up so fast, Brock is going to preschool this fall! Brock made us a special treat (he loves to cook), chocolate dipped pretzels...yummy! Thanks Brock.

Grandma Maureen and Elle match! Grandma was so patient at the shower and let everyone else get their time snuggling Elle, but she made up for it at her house!


Elle, David and I are so lucky, my mom stayed with us for our first week home. But really, she has been here the last 3 weeks. The first week, she sat around with me waiting for Elle to make her arrival, she went home Friday July 9th and then came right back Saturday July 1oth and has been here ever since. We would NOT have eaten, had clean dishes or clothes and I would have had a mental break down. All of this is new to us and it was soo wonderful to have her expertise and advice. Thank you gramma for all of your help these last 3 weeks!

Elle Marie

Elle Marie Rueber made her entrance into the world Sunday July 11, 2010 at 1am. She weighed 7lbs. 3oz and has a full head of thick dark hair.

It all started Friday July 9th (one day after her due date). It was the ninth inning of the Menomonie Eagles baseball game and David was pitching. With only one out left in the game, my water broke (well leaking is a better way to describe it). David finished the game and we headed home to Eau Claire, I was in no rush because I was positive it was my water. I made a call to labor and delivery around 11pm, they wanted me to come in to get checked. Sure enough, my water broke....now that we knew we were at the hospital and would be going home with a baby, we were excited!

The nurse checked my cervix and I was only 2cm dilated and 50% effaced, this is what I measured at my appointment on Wednesday. I got hooked up to the monitors and my IV started. Dr. Peltier was on call that night and stopped in to see how things were going, she said if there was no progress by 6am we would start pitocin. The nurse told us to try and get some rest, that is easier sad than done, I was so anxious and nervous all at the same time.

It is now 6am, my pitocin drip is started hoping it will change my cervix. Around 11am I began to have some mild contractions inconsistently. Then as the afternoon went on, they got more and more intense and closer together. By 4pm they were 2 minutes apart, very intense and with every contraction Elle's heart rate would drop. Dr. Dovre was now the on the call doctor and he came in to exam me, I was only 3-4cm and 75% effaced and he decided to stop the pitocin. The pitocin was causing too much stress on Elle. With such little change in my cervix, I couldn't take it anymore....I asked for an epidural. I was already exhausted from a long night without much sleep and only being 4 cm I just needed some relief.

Our 2 wonderful labor and delivery nurses, Heather & Becky.

Once the epidural kicked in I was able to take a nap! It is now around 9pm I again was checked and now was about 9cm and almost completely effaced...we are getting closer and closer. Finally 10cm and fully effaced, I began pushing around 12am Sunday morning (now about 25 hours of labor). I pushed for 1 hour and Elle was born at exactly 1am! When the doctor said IT'S A GIRL! David and I looked at each other in shock....a girl! Of course we are so excited and love her to death! We are so happy that she is healthy and finally with us.

Elle's first bath...look at ALL that hair!

It was a long journey to meet our beautiful daughter, but every minute was soo worth it! David was so supportive through the whole experience. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband and Elle is even more lucky to have such a wonderful daddy!

Sunday we had lots of visitors to meet the newest member of the Rueber family. Thank you to all who came to visit!

Grandpa holding his first grandchild!

Grandma holding Elle.

Grandma Maureen & Elle


Uncle Adam


Aunt Amy


Elle's cousins Brock and Aftin


Monday night I sent David home to get a good night rest, before we headed home Tuesday. Well, around midnight the nurse came in so Ellle could nurse and told me she needed to talk to me about her weight. All babies lose weight, but Elle had lost too much and needed to stay another day. Everything is worse in the of the night, I lost it besides the fact that David wasn't there....not a good night. I wasn't upset that we had to stay another night, I was so nervous about my baby girl. So our hospital stay was a total of 5 nights. When we went home on Wednesday Elle had gained weight and moving in the right direction. She now eats like a champ! :)

All of our visitors SPOILED Elle so much we needed to take 2 cart loads to the car! Thank you everyone for all of the wonderful and thoughtful gifts, Elle is so lucky to have all of you in her life!


We decided to head home in a horrible rain storm. Once we were discharged and heading to the car, the rain was coming down in sheets...not the best weather to put your newborn into car. We sat inside the hospital by the exit for about 15-20 minutes waiting for the rain to calm down. When it finally did, we were on our way home.


Here is my favorite picture from the hospital! David and I feel so blessed to have such a beautiful and healthy baby girl! We are so excited to watch her grow into a young little lady.

Life is busy with a newborn, I will try and post our time at home by the end of the week! :)

We have had lots of questions about how to pronounce Elle's name -- Just to clarify, it is pronounced like the letter L.