Elizabeth Claire Nelson

Elizabeth Claire Nelson

Born: January 17th, 2012 at 12:32 p.m.

6 lbs 15 oz 19 inches long

I woke up on Tuesday the 17th at 2:00 am to contractions uncomfortable enough that I could no longer sleep through them. (That and I was too excited that it was happening.) I rolled out of bed around 4:00 am, and went in the living room to labor alone for a while. At 6:45 I woke up the girls, and started getting them ready for the day. Then we woke up Cory, and told him today was the day. :)

We started getting things together to go to the hospital.

7:30 am, and getting ready to go to the hospital. :)

Smiling... but actually trying not to wince too much... on our way to dropping the girls off at Connie Ward's house.

Bye girls! Have a good day!

We checked in at 8:00 am, and were admitted about an hour later. They were surprised to find me at a 7. In the photo above, I'm at a 9 and in the zone... Once I hit a 10, there was no stopping the train, and she was out 7 minutes later.

So this is the real world... Brrr!!! Put me back!

This little wonder scored a 10 on the Apgar scale... Cory was especially proud. :)

Tired, but so happy. It feels like we've waited forever to meet this little sweetheart!

We are a happy family!

Meeting sisters for the first time.

The biggest big sister. (Don't you love the huge pink "bow-hat" thing the nurses made?)

The littler big sister

Sleeping Beauty

Lots of Elizabeth pictures now...

Daddy loving on his littlest little girl

There's those eyes!

Mom... I don't fit.

I was so happy when I was told I could KEEP the big cup. :) It's the little things.

Home we go.

This is it!

Here I sit at 5:45 am, having been awake since around 2 am, when the contractions first started bothering me. I tried to go back to sleep, but with the anticipation, and, in all honesty, being uncomfortable, it wasn't happening.

So, I finally rolled out of bed at 4:00 to start laboring alone here in the living room where I can have the wonderful distraction of the internet.

So far so good. Today I will hold my baby girl. :)

Contractions are pretty close together, (anywhere from 7-4 minutes in the last hour) and they mean business, but I'm waiting for a less "yucky" time of the morning before I bother my friend to watch the kids. Plus, Cory could use some more sleep.

It's surreal KNOWING what I know while all around me are soundly asleep.

I'm happy to have this time to anticipate, and to be thankful!

Happy Birthday, Abi-Kate!!

My baby (who won't be the baby much longer) turned THREE on December 30. It's a bit hard to believe. I currently serve in the Primary in our ward, and it was CRAZY to see little Abi sitting in the Sunbeam class, having just made the Jan. 1 cut-off to move up from Nursery.

BUT FIRST...

The girls were so happy to finally eat the candy off their gingerbread houses from Christmas

We got snow!!! It lasted for about 4 hours then melted away. The girls were in heaven playing outside.

We love the snow!

Okay... on to Abi's birthday pictures:

For Abi's birthday, we went to a gymnastics place called "Extreme Kids." They also open up the gym for kids to play with all kinds of fun things like ball pits, huge blow-up slides, trampolines, rope swings, etc. The girls loved this! We will definitely be going again.

Natalie thought the ball pit was pretty awesome.

Abi's a little bit happy about her current situation.

My red-eye reducer went a little overboard on this photo, but I wanted to show the foam block pit. The kids would swing out over this bit on a rope and just let go and fall into the super soft foam blocks. So fun!

Abi was probably the smallest patron to use the big slide... you can see her at the top of the line.

Abi loved the balance beam

Natalie was a little hesitant about the balance beam, but loved it so long as Daddy was holding her hand. She even did a "jump-spin" dismount on her own. :)

The little mountain goat, scaling the steep incline ladder up to the top of one of the slides.

Abi's favorites: The huge slides

Natalie's favorite: The rope swing

Abi's request this year: "A rainbow pony sprinkle cake."

Our special little 3 year old.

She was totally excited about the cake. She didn't even want a birthday dinner. She JUST wanted cake. She finally settled on scrambled eggs for dinner.... with nothing else. Ketchup. That's it. No sides, no anything. Eggs and ketchup. She wanted to move on quickly to bigger and better things...

She had to blow on those things like 50 times before she successfully snuffed 'em out.

Ahhhh... cake!

New dress and leggings from Grandma and Papa Idaho

Little People school bus from Grandma and Papa Utah

"What is it? ... whaaaaat IS it??... Come ON, TAPE!"

"I love pReSeNtS!!!"

On a completely "other" note, here's one more attempt at a belly picture (taken today). I think my belly is camera shy, because I DEFINITELY look bigger in person!!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Merry Christmas to all!

We had a great time celebrating Christmas this year! Check it out:

Decorating snowflakes, while listening to Christmas music and eating Chex Party Mix. Pretty festive, if I may say so.

Sitting on Santa's lap at the ward Christmas party. The girls were so excited! No melt-downs, no shyness. They did great

!

The sweet primary children did the Nativity, and Natalie was a shepherd. Her (uncreative) mother threw together her costume in about 5 seconds. :) Tis the season to be super-busy.

Family Christmas photo for our Christmas card

Christmas Eve Day!! The annual shooting of the cookies. :) An Ellsworth family tradition is to make these little butter spritz cookies, and the girls loved taking turns "shooting" out cookies with the gun.

1 day until Christmas!!

The Christmas tree

All the girls' handiwork

Doing the Nativity on Christmas Eve. Abi was the angel.

Joseph, Mary, and "the donkey."

Angel proclaiming the Savior's birth, Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. (Not pictured: the inn keeper/shepherd... aka me)

Christmas Eve PJs from Grandma and Papa Utah. Pretty cute!

Santa came...

Christmas morning: sleepy eyes, cute jammies, and new toothbrushes in the stockings. :) (A tradition I think we'll carry on in our family)

New hair accessories

So happy that Santa came!

Distributing the Christmas presents

Some very merry people

Cory decided I needed a Christmas picture... I've got the squinty sleepy eye look down pat.

Abi made us all laugh with how much she loved her little orange. She carried that thing around through most of the gift opening. :)

The building of the "present forts." Something Cory did from the time he was little, and that will now be a tradition in our home. :)

Abi's fort

Natalie made us some Christmas ornaments in her pre-K program. Cory really really like them.

Thanks for the BYU hat, Chadd and Jodi! I think he likes it. :)

teamwork

Natalie's haul

Abi's haul

Making the traditional "Ellsworth" Christmas breakfast: Waffles with whipped cream and strawberries and sausage links. We added orange julius to the mix as well.

The girls showing off their new "My little ponies."

Nothing beats Christmas kisses

For those who have been asking: Here's my pregnant self. 1 month to go!!! I admit it's not the best belly picture ever, and PROMISE that I look bigger in person.

After Christmas church services. There is a swing hanging on the lawn near the church. The girls love to swing on it for a few minutes when church is over. Today, I had my camera. Also, note the green grass and lovely "Christmas-y" weather we are having.

Don't fall out, Natalie!

Cory with his girls. Don't know how we're going to fit three little girls on his lap in the future.

Natalie giving me a push on the swing. :)

Enjoying all the fun new Christmas gifts

Such a happy little face!

I hope each of you had "happy faces" for Christmas. We are so thankful for the birth of the Savior and the gift of His life. He is the One who truly makes "spirits bright." We are grateful for wonderful family and amazing friends who love and support us daily. Merry, Merry Christmas to each of you! We love you!