One Month Old

I had my one month check up today. I've grown an inch and now weigh 8.8 lbs!!!


Yawn!!! It's hard being so adored!


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Why Elise Rebecca?

I've been wanting to write a post about Elise's name for a while.  Even before three kids that proved difficult.  How am I finding time to now???  I'm at my mom's!

Naming this sweet little one was going to be tough as names are a big deal to me.  I love my boys' names.  I never set out to name them the way I did, they just sort of fell into place.  (Read here to see why their names mean what they do to me http://watsonwarriors.blogspot.com/2009/04/caleb-burton-watson-is-here.html).  So girl or boy, this name had to mean something as well. 

Elise!
With this pregnancy I wouldn't really allow myself to think of names.  I didn't want to think of a boys name, and I wouldn't let myself think of a girls.  The one thing I knew, however, is that my husband and I really liked the name "Elle" as a special pet/nick name that only we would call her.  There is a reason, but that is another story.  So one day I randomly looked at "El-" names and came across the name "Elise." I really liked it, but it wasn't until I saw what it meant that I fell in love with it.  Different translations have it as "God's promise, God's covenant, consecrated to God."  It was perfect.  She wasn't God's promise to us that we were going to finally have our little girl.  More....she was Josh and I's promise to God....to love her, to love each other, to promise that we are "in" this marriage through all its ups and downs.  It's no surprise to anyone that we hit those "bumps" in the road as a couple. But we moved forward, we kept fighting, and kept loving.  From the very beginning of the pregnancy this child felt like such a precious gift from God.....one we didn't want to take for granted, a blessing we in no way wanted to minimize.  Elise - "Consecrated to God" - set apart for God's purpose. 

Grace upon grace!!! 

Rebecca!
My grandmother's name is Rebecca Ellis. My mother's name is Rebecca Dawn.  I am Laura Rebecca.  So.....could there be any other name but Elise Rebecca!  And for only those few privilidged who would understand this.....her (lots and lots of Great) Grandmother's English name became Rebecca when it was changed from Pocahontas! =)

Elise Rebecca is here!!!

In the wee hours of the morning on September 13, labor began!  I was a little apprehensive about it this time, as I really can say I have been lucky to have never truly "felt" labor with my other children.  With Baker, I was induced and the doctor had them give me my epidural before she broke my water.  So I never felt contractions.  With Caleb, my water broke and contractions started once I got the hospital.....and I had an epidural almost immediately because I was already so far dilated. 

 

So....here I was, baby #3, knowing it wasn't going to be the same, and most likely, not so easy!  Contractions started around 3 am, however they were very light and very inconsistent.  I even texted 2 of my "new mom" friends hoping they were up nursing and could talk to me and tell me if I was actually in labor or not.  To be on my third child, I felt like it was my first.  By 4 am I woke up Josh and had him call his Dad to come to the house.  And by 5 am....we were on our way to the hospital with contractions every 5 minutes!  I was dilated to a 6 when we got there and you would have thought I was being rushed into emergency surgery the way the nurses were getting me in, registered, and having my epidural put in.  The sweet lady even had me "verbally" give my constent for the epidural because she didn't want to wait any longer on the paper work as I was progressing so quickly. 

 

Elise, however, slowed down a little and made her arrival into the world at 11:17 am after only 2 pushes.  She has been such a joy and such a wonderful baby!  She eats and sleeps like a champ....something new to me as my boys did NEITHER well!  And I am loving having my sweet girl and all the PINK....finally =)!  Baker and Caleb are learning to love their sister and be "gentle."

Orange Beach 2012

This past July my parents took our whole family to Orange Beach.  I hadn't been there in over 10 years, and being 28 weeks pregnant, it was a nice change of pace. We basically spent all day every day at the beach digging holes, swimming, and soaking up the sun!  Here are just a FEW of the many, many pics that we took during the week!