Half Birthday Time

6 Months of Elliana Joy!!!

Elliana was right at 15 pounds at her 6 month check-up. She's consistently in the 50th percentile for height and 25th-30th percentile for weight. AKA- still a peanut! She doesn't look like a feather weight when she's just in her diaper, but she's a petite girl. Those cheeks though- they are looking mighty delicious. 

She's been working on solids for a month now, and I'm a little discouraged with her very slow (no?) progress. As a breastfeeding Mama, I've had my eyes on the beautiful 4 hour schedule, and it seems just out of reach because she won't eat solids. I'm usually happy if she gets a tablespoon consumed. She does okay with sweet potatoes, carrots, and banana avocado puree. But everything else she has been entirely uninterested in, often times refusing to even open her mouth to take a bite. I am going to experiment with just giving her regular table food and see if that goes better. She did full on throw up after eating a mix of prunes and oatmeal, and her willingness to eat dropped significantly after that. I know this too shall pass.

We busted out the jumperoo. Because of said littleness, she hasn't quite figured out how to jump. But she'll hang out in it for a bit. Both of the boys would go completely nutso in this thing by this age. She does like when we make it bounce, but she has made no attempts to do it herself. 

Super pumped to say this girl is sleeping in a regular sleep sack now. The process of getting her to this point was mostly easy, and I'm so thankful for that. She's taking 3 naps a day. She's 100% a pacifier baby at this point. Adam and I did not always see eye to eye on this, but she loves her paci. If she wakes up in the night, she just wants her paci, and that's it. While I'm happy it's an easy fix, I'm a little concerned homegirl is very dependent on it to sleep. But oh well. Here we are. 

Elliana loves her Mama! And I'm not complaining. She's perfectly content with Adam, but she often has her eyes fixed on me, watching my every move waiting for the right time to reach for me. She loves my hair and likes to put it in her mouth (gross!). She also loves her bath, her crinkle paper, her paci, her brothers, and her Daddy. She's talking more and more and still showing zero signs of getting mobile beyond rolling. No complaints here. 

This little lady is all sorts of sweetness. She has had a very, very fussy few days recently. I can't help but wonder if teething is upon us, but otherwise, she's been a happy dream baby, and I'm so thankful for her. 

This was on her actual half birthday, and she gave me the greatest gift of falling asleep on my chest. She was needing to be held every moment of being awake this evening, and that eventually led to dozing in and out of sleep right here. She NEVER does this, and it's how I know something isn't feeling all the way right for my baby girl. But I savored the sweetness and her precious self on me. 

Elliana- 5 months

My girl is 5 months! She's such a bright spot in our every day; it's hard to imagine life without her. 

December kind of zoomed by. Each year that I've experienced Christmas with a baby, it gives me all the feels. This time around was no exception. This December there was a lot of reflecting back to the year before while I was pregnant with Elliana. At the Christmas Eve service I was just overwhelmed with gratitude that I was holding Elliana in my arms. This baby girl is such a gift. An undeserving gift that has been such a tender mercy to us. 

Not much changed about this little bean. She's eating 6 times in a 24 hour period and taking 3 naps plus a 4th quick cat nap in the evening. I'm not sure how much she weighs or how long she is, but she's definitely growing. She's still much smaller than the boys, but her legs are bulking up and those cheeks! The cheeks are not lacking. She's starting to grow some more hair, but it's coming in slow. 

She loves to have two brothers around to entertain her and talk to her and basically think she is awesome at every.single.thing. she does. Nolan loves to try to time it just right to come with me to get her up for her first feed of the day around 7:15 (he's supposed to still be in his room). He gets such a kick out of how happy she is to see us. She has started showing signs of stranger danger already. She's not always happy to just be passed off and around from person to person. I'm not wanting a koala baby, so I'm trying to encourage family members to push through the tears. But sometimes she just needs mama. 

Also consistent with my boys, this little peanut is a Mama's girl right now. If she's wanting me to hold her while someone else has her, she'll flail her arms in my general direction until she gets to me. She also loves my hair and stuffs it in her mouth often. It's not my favorite Elliana feature. She's getting much better arm control as she's grasping at toys and getting things to her mouth. I can't believe it, but I think we're close to teething. She's gnawing on anything these days. 

Our Elliana Joy IS an absolute joy. She's our Ellie Bean, Ellie Bell, Ellie Girl, Elliana Joy Joy, and all around cutest baby in the entire world. Isaac says all the time, "She's the cutest, best baby there ever was!" Pretty much! 

Looking Back at 2019

It's becoming a thing now, but I really didn't think I'd have margin to get this written out. I've been thinking about how I usually do a look back before the year ends, but I assumed it wouldn't happen. But here it goes.

In so many ways, 2019 was another brutal year. BUT.
But Elliana Joy came into our family, and that is such an overwhelming bright spot that it really does help cast a shadow on all that was hard. When I think back to my wrap up of 2018, I'm shocked that I'm already back here at another year's end. 

When I think back to what has stood out from this year, aside from Elliana, it's mostly the hard stuff. The hard stuff of 2018 seemed to be centered around loss. The hard stuff of 2019 has been a different kind of hard. But I want to try to remember some high points first. 

For some reason, the gender reveal with my friends stands out to me. They all put effort and time and money into a small gathering for them all to be able to find out together if we were having a boy or a girl. We just did it at Fellowship's playground, but I left feeling so unbelievably loved. They were  so excited to find out what baby Tomberlin was going to be. We have a picture of us spraying all of them with pink silly string, and it brings a smile to my face just looking at it. 

The boys' school has been a tremendous blessing to our family. Talk about an unexpected joy! There is so much I like about this school. I was initially trying to get them into that school because of how close it is to our house, but it has been so much more than I could have hoped for. Nolan's teacher is INCREDIBLE. I'm in awe of her, and I have often joked that I wish she could mentor me. Isaac's teacher adores him, and that is truly all I wanted for that boy. I'm so grateful we got that call just days before Elliana was born that Nolan had made it off the wait list and into the class. 

I can't not mention Elliana. I look at her every day and marvel. I'm so deeply grateful she's here. I think my boys as babies were just as enthralled with me as she is, but honestly, I don't remember. The look on her face when she seems me- I can't believe it. I can't believe I have a daughter who I get to delight in, and she equally delights in me. And watching Nolan and Isaac with her- forget about it. Done. Melted. Isaac seeks reassurance often that no one is taking her from us, and I often wonder if maybe having Sammy leave our home had more of an impact on him than I realized. We all adore Elliana, and I love being her Mama. 

This has been by far the hardest year of marriage for us. When peers would talk about being in a difficult season of marriage, I truly did not understand. My relationship with Adam had been so easy. Marriage was fun. Sure, we had little things here and there, who doesn't? But this year, this year has been hard. In September, I went to see a counselor for some help. She asked me why I was there, and I started back with the first miscarriage and talked through why I was there. When I was done, she said, "Wow! Marissa, that sounds so painful! I'm so sorry." And I broke down. I went into counseling thinking she was going to tell me everything I could be doing better, but her first response was compassion. That moment, her response, was deeply impactful for me. 

I have a lot of hope that my 2020 recap is going to be different. Meaning, I'm hopeful for what God is going to continue to do in us next year. In a lot of ways I'm coming out of survival mode and the postpartum haze. Life since Elliana was born has especially been exhausting. Not because I had a newborn, obviously that did play a part, but I had never been so needed by all members of this Tomberlin family. I can remember someone texted asking me a question that could have been answered with their own efforts, and I nearly cried. I was breaking. I couldn't help anyone else because Adam needed me so much as he was living through anxiety, and clearly my children needed me. I mean, my daughter needs me to you know, EAT! One morning the song Yes I Will by Vertical Worship came on, and I cried and realized regardless of what is going on, I can offer praise. Worship could be my most powerful weapon. Sadly, I don't always remember this in the low moments. 

2019 brought me a healthy baby girl, and for that it's one of the best years of my life. But otherwise, it's been another year that has me wanting to say, BYE!!! Next December, Adam and I will celebrate 9 years of marriage. We had planned to go back to where we honeymooned for our 10 year anniversary, but we've decided that we will try to pull it off for our 9 year anniversary because dang it, we believe we will be celebrating all that God has done! And if we can celebrate, I want to!

2020, let's do this!! 

Elliana- 4 months

Gosh, I'm really late on this one. But I'm determined to not completely drop the ball on this.

Elliana Joy is 4 months (almost 2 weeks ago). At her 4 month check-up she was about 13.5 pounds, and I don't even remember how long. But she's right at the 50th percentile for height, and she's down in the 25-30th percentile for weight. She is a little one. But we love her littleness!

Her biggest accomplishment (but really mine!) was dropping the swaddle. She is in that little contraption, but it is safe for her to roll in. She much prefers her back right now, but I do think she'll enjoy her tummy eventually. The few times she has turned to her tummy, she got super angry. She's napping 4 times a day still, and she's sleeping through the night. But she does sometimes require paci intervention. Which to be honest, makes me feel like she's not quite sleeping through the night if I still have to get up. 

This girl is a trooper. She's in the carseat a lot for school drop offs and pick ups. Thankfully school is very close, but I do hate waking her from her naps to go get the boys. But as a friend wisely told me, God knew exactly what it would be like to have a baby in this season of life, and He gave us Elliana. She's doing great being flexible! 

Elliana is a proficient roller, and she often lasts on her back all of 2 seconds before flipping herself over to her tummy. She's a strong little baby and holds her head up so good. She's showing no signs of trying to army crawl, and I'm so glad. A Christmas tree with just a roller is no problem. A Christmas tree with a crawler is tough! 

I forgot what it was like to have a baby who thinks the world of you. Basically because I am pretty much her world. It's a pretty priceless feeling to go get her from her naps and in the morning and have her gasp with excitement to see me. We still do a dream feed at 10:30 at night that she generally sleeps straight through. Adam typically does this feeding, but sometimes I do it. A few times when I've gone in to scoop her up from her crib, she kicks her feet and borderline squeals as I'm getting her. At 10:30 at night. I can't help but giggle.

Our little peanut continues to bring such joy to our family. Even the crankiest of moods can be cracked by this girl. Each of us take such delight in her smiles, her talking, and simply her nearness. We are blessed to love this baby girl and watch her grow. I continue to feel no remorse as she gets bigger and bigger. What a gift that we have a healthy baby to watch grow!!! I am so thankful for her life! This time last year I was pleading to God to preserve her life inside of me, and this year I get to kiss her cheeks a hundred times a day and changer her stinky diapers and lock eyes with her from across the room. Elliana Joy, she is sunshine on my soul!! 

Elliana- 3 months

Ellie Bean hit 3 months last week while we were at Disney. We celebrate big over here (I kid)!


It was a big 3rd month of life for her. 

Elliana got to meet her North Carolina cousins. We went up for Valor's birthday, and it was a fun, non-stop weekend. She did so well being on the go and passed around. Her girl cousins were thrilled to meet her. She was equally as stoked, as pictured above. 

This little one has done much better about napping, and she was sleeping through the night before said Disney trip. She also is rubbing a lot of her hair off, as I look at this picture from a couple of weeks ago. The combination of her head growing and her hair falling out is leaving her with a much less full head of hair. She's also getting the hang of the paci. If she would just keep it in, all of her naps and night time sleep would be perfect. 

My tiny Wonder Woman loved Halloween. It was SO COLD, so she only lasted outside all of 30 minutes. But she was so dang cute, and I look forward to lots and lots of costumes. I'm all about dress up for all of my children. I look forward to seeing what this little girl leans towards- super heroes? princesses? combination of both?

Elliana is by far my smallest baby of the three. At 3 months, she was around 12.5 pounds. She's hovering just under or right at 13 pounds now. Her cheeks are delicious, and she's getting some leg rolls. But she's still a little peanut. I'm not sure she will have doubled her birth weight by 4 months. Just so, so different from the boys. But we love every bit of her small self. 

This little cutie is so strong. She dominates tummy time. She's holding her head up so good these days. I keep saying she's going to be strong like her Mama. And yes, I do call myself strong. The boys continue to adore her, and we are all so thankful to have this little one with us. I can't believe how close we are to the 4 month sleep regression. Oh boy...

Elliana- 2 Months

My girl is 2 months old, but really- it's 2 months still so little! Sometimes I look at her and think she is looking so big, and then I see someone else holding her from a distance and realize, NOPE! She's still a nugget! Her cheeks have filled out the most, and she's working on the arms and legs. 

This child is a FIGHTER, oh my goodness! I am a little nervous if this is a foreshadowing of the stubbornness to come. She will fight a nap like crazy! Which seems super ridiculous considering she's only 2 months old. Homegirl likes to decide when she sleeps, and she doesn't seem to care what Mama has to say about it. She continues to give me a good stretch at night, making it somewhere between 4-5am. Both the boys were sleeping through the night at this point, but I told Adam from week 2, this cookie would not follow suit, and I was right! 

She still takes bottles like a champ! We be sure to give her a bottle once a day, for the most part. Her last feed of the day around 10:30 is typically always a bottle. And the days I'm coaching, she gets an additional bottle. Isaac got to give her part of her bottle, and he was elated. Look at that grin! She's eating a total of 7 times a day right now. 

Even when this girl resists daytime sleep, she is still a happy baby. I'm so thankful!! She likes to be on the floor, in her vibrating chair, and on her playmat. Today she rolled over from tummy to back and shocked us all. Herself included. 

We're loving our Ellie Bean! At church on Sunday we sang the song Do It Again which speaks of God's faithfulness. I'm 100% confident I cried my way through that song at one point last year, desperately wanting to appreciate God's faithfulness but struggling! Yesterday, Elliana was strapped to my chest in her carrier, and I cried yet again as we sang this time. Both in gratitude and in faith. Holding this precious girl to my chest as tangible evidence of God's faithfulness made it a little easier to believe Him to be faithful in other areas of my life where I can struggle to understand what God is doing in the midst of hard times. Elliana continues to live up to the meaning of her name- God has answered! 

Elliana Joy - 1 Month

A month ago, I gave birth to our baby girl. And I know a lot of times this milestone (and many, many more to come) is met with sadness because babies don't keep. But I'm not sad one bit. I'm deeply, deeply grateful that my daughter is here, healthy, and growing. What a gift!!! 

Elliana was born exactly 1 week before school started for both boys. We came home on a Wednesday evening and had exactly four days at home before the morning school rush started. It was a big adjustment for all of us to figure out. Little girl has spent far more time in her carseat than either of my other babies at this age. I take the "stay at home" mom part quite literally in the beginning in that I'm home A LOT. This time around has been different with school schedules to factor in. 

Elliana has been a good eater from the beginning. She may have been a better eater in the first 2 weeks than recently. She can gasp and cough quite frequently if she starts gulping air and milk is coming too quickly for her. She's projectile vomited 4 times already, and I mean PROJECTILE vomited. She gets the hiccups more often than not after eating. I hope all of these issues get better as she gets bigger. She is already taking a bottle once a day because that is a very, very important skill for her to have, in my opinion. 

This sweet girl gave us a little bit anxiety with some heart and lung issues in the hospital after delivery. We got discharged with instruction to watch her and a follow up cardiologist appointment two weeks later. It was an unsettling feeling at first to know that something could be wrong with our daughter's heart. But her cardiologist appointment confirmed what I believed to be true walking into that doctor's office- Elliana's heart is healthy! It was a huge relief for me, and I, again, felt deeply grateful. Not everyone walks out of there being told not to come back. I'm so thankful I won't be headed back to the Sibley Heart Group. 

She's eating just once in the night (all the praise hands). She eats 7 times before I go to bed, for a total of 8 feedings in 24 hours. Her middle of the night feeding and her first feed of the day are my favorites. After I burp her, she squirm her way down to my chest and puts her head right under my chin and just settles in. I love it so much. I just sit and rock her for a little bit because as I said, babies don't keep. 

This last month has been a mixed bag of emotions, and I'm going to do a 1 month postpartum post. Because my personal being over the last month has gone through all of the things. BUT! Adding Elliana to the family has been a joy! She is a joy! We all adore her, and we can't help but stare at her. She's been a tricky daytime sleeper that can definitely cause frustration, but when I end up holding her to make sure she gets some sleep, I look at her and wonder- Why was I getting frustrated?? (Um more on that later)

Our Ellie Bean- you are a treasure, and we love every tiny piece of you! 

The amazing professional pictures were taken by Kiley Carpenter.