Ellery's baptism and 3 Month update : )

We were so excited to have Ellery baptized at Fifth Church! It worked out that they were doing baptism on a weekend we were going to be in town. She wore the same dress that I wore when I was baptized. My mom made it and actually both of my sisters wore it as well. Super special!

Couldn't get a smile for the full length shot...

but she gave one for the close up : ) She is just three months in this picture. I was slacking and forgot to make a little sign. oh well. At three months she is a GREAT sleeper. She will sleep 8-9 hours straight at night! Sometimes it's midnight or later before she goes to sleep, but at least she will sleep a long time after that! She is still a momma's girl, but is getting better when Gerrad is holding her : ) Good thing cause I will eventually be going back to work!

Jackson and his cousin Rowen. Jackson's trying to be a big helper and give Rowen his paci : )

The best attempt at a family photo with the cake

Grand Rapids Children's Museum!

Jackson, Ellery, and I stayed in GR for a week to do wedding stuff for Aunt Kristyn, and one day we decided to take a break and visit the Children's Museum. It was our first time going there and we had so much fun! The boys loved it and were super tired when we left. My camera battery died while we were there so I missed a lot of the stuff we did, but managed to get some cute photos before it was done. We can't wait to go again sometime!

Grandma took the day off and went with us thankfully! It would have been a nightmare without her with 4 kids under 2! Zion loading the shopping cart Jackson's turn!

Jackson racing to the checkout lane : )

Time to do a little work at the post office

Jackson loved this thing. He spent a lot of time filling up the rainbow : )

Jackson's new hair fashions...

If my little man got paid for every time he tried to wear his meal in his hair he'd be a rich boy!!! It doesn't seem to matter what it is...it makes its way to his head at some point during the meal....hot dogs, mac and cheese, applesauce, cake, pb&j, you name it it's been in his hair : )

This was during Sunday lunch at my parents house. We were all talking and not paying attention to what he was doing, and then someone glanced his way and we all busted out laughing. What a ham!!! a lovely squash hair treatment!

this time it's cake : )

Ellery at 2 Months : )

Ellery overall is a great baby...but she is definitely a momma's girl! She cries quite a bit when Gerrad holds her or anyone else for that matter, but with me she's fine : ) I'm okay with that! She is a good eater and sleeper so far. She only got up once during the night around the 2 month age which was great! At her Dr appt she wieghed 9 lbs 14 oz (25%) and was 21 inches long (5%). Jackson is doing great with her! He loves to give lots of hugs and kisses, and tires to hold her once in awhile. Every morning and every night before he goes to bed he has to give her a kiss goodnight...mom and dad don't even get kisses every night, but Ellery does : )

a cute little grin : ) cashed out in her bouncy chair Jackson had to jump in for a picture too!

Jackson keeping Ellery company during tummy time : )

Bathtime!

Ellery at 1 month

We are soooo thankful and blessed that Ellery is such a good baby! Mr Jackson requires a bit of our attention so Ellery spends a lot of time in the swing, bouncy seat etc. She is a great eater, and sleeper so far. At one month she was sleeping on average at least one 5 hour stretch at night! Sometimes it was a little longer than that and other times a little shorter. Either way I'll take it over those initial 1-2 hr stretches of sleep!
At her 1 month appt she weighed 7 lbs 4oz (10%ile), and was 20 inches long (5-10%ile). she's definitely a tiny little peanut, but she did gain well since her last appt! The bummer was that she caught her first cold already : ( Jackson picked one up at daycare the first week back after Christmas break and kindly shared it with her. Poor little baby. She made it through it though without developing an ear infection which was great.

I think the newborn size clothes are a bit big on her : ) They'll last awhile I'm guessing!

Getting a little sponge bath and hairwash....she loved it : )

Look at me in my cute headband : )

Sleeping in her carseat....she does that a lot since she is so stuffy. Keeps her head nice and elevated!

So tiny!

Some Random fun pictures : )

Jackson LOVES to play outside in the snow! He has gotten pretty good at walking around in all his snowgear : )
Ellery's carseat must be pretty cozy. Jackson tucked himself into it all by himself...

and then talked on the phone : )

Our little monkey man! He has to climb on EVERYTHING these days!

Little Miss Ellery : )

Mommy and her babies : )

Daddy reading Jackson and Ellery a bedtime story

We just love him!!!

Bathtime fun in Grandma's sink. Not going to be able to do that much longer...these guys are getting so big!

Going for a sledride around the yard!

A belated Christmas post : )

We had a pretty low key Christmas this year : ) Ellery was just a week old so we decided to stay in Detroit and not travel to GR. Gerrad's parents came and stayed the night with us on Christmas Day so we did have some company and lots of good food! It was kinda fun waking up in our own house and having our little family Christmas for the first time ever!

Our little mini tree that we bought this year. Next year we'll go back to the real thing again : )

Gerrad and Jackson playing daddy's new game : )


My little peanut : )


Jackson had lots of fun playing in the styrofoam!


A couple weeks after Christmas we made it to GR and celebrated with my family. Jackson and Zion had lots of fun playing together and watching video's : ) Zion is loving his new couch that turns into a bed!
A quick family photo! Always a Donker tradition to take family pictures at Christmas for as long as I can remember!

Our Most Perfect Christmas Gift!

On December 18, we were blessed with our babygirl Ellery Rose Almy! I was induced again due to pre-eclampsia at 35 weeks. She was super tiny weighing in at 5 lbs 13 oz and was 18 1/2 inches long. She did have to visit the intermediate nursery in NICU due to a little breathing trouble, but after 6 hours she was able to come back to us! I had to remain on labor and delivery for 12 hours after she was born because of my blood pressure being high and I was on mag sulfate again...booo! I wasn't allowed to eat anything that whole time either...it was horrible, but I made up for it when I was moved to postpartum and no longer on the mag! My blood pressure bounced back to more normal levels much quicker this time than it did with Jackson so that was good. I still went home on blood pressure meds but I was weaned off them within 3 weeks!

We were totally shown how much God was in control throughout this whole experience! Gerrad had been traveling for work and the night before (Thursday) I went into the hospital his return flight was canceled and thankfully he was able to get on another flight with another airline. The next morning I woke up with a bad headache and called the Dr. They said to go in and be evaluated in triage. Gerrad was working from home so he was able to stay with Jackson. I called my mom just to see if she would be able to come out that day if I was not able to go home, and wouldn't you know she had just happened to take the day off! I later called her and told her to head over our way and Gerrad was able to drop Jackson off at his daycare till my mom arrived. Our friend Teresa picked him up and met my mom at our house. The rest of the grandparents came that night and Gerrad's mom was able to stay at our house until we came home on Tuesday....she was just starting her winter break! Amazing how everything just fell into place. God is soooo good!!!

I was seriously SHOCKED that we had a girl!!! I was truly convinced I was having a boy, and still find it hard to believe that we have a little girl : )

Our little family of four : )
Jackson got to spend lots of time with his grandparents while I was in the hospital! They brought him up to us the morning after Ellery was born and he was the first one to meet her : ) He is going to be a great big brother!

Jackson loves to give her little pats and hugs and kisses!
He was in love with the hospital cups and straws and everytime he came to visit he had to walk around with one : )

Jackson and I had fun opening Ellery's presents! Bring on the girl clothes!!!!

Finally going home!!! We had to stay an extra day due to Ellery's bilirubin level. Needless to say she was "glowing"! It was worth it though because that way we for sure were not going to have to be readmitted within a day or two...which the peds said would most likely happen if we didn't do the bili lights before we left. I had to be discharged the night before but the hospital let us stay in our room and have Ellery in there under the lights so we didn't have to be separated. It was great!!!

Our little peanut all ready to head home!

We are truly blessed to now have two beautiful blessings in our family : )