Strawberry Butt

Seriously! Could you die? I wanna dress her in this everyday.

How to pronounce my daughter's name:

ELIA MARIE CANFIELD

I found my daughter's name even before she existed. Her middle name was to be a no brainer. Marie. It is my Omi's (Grandmother) name and my middle name. I was looking at baby names online while we were in Costa Rica. I had a lot of time to kill while Josh was at his internship.

I was looking for something unique but not trendy, not traditional with a new spelling, not a totally weird name that no one could pronounce. A good name that would lead to a great life. You know, something that sounded good coming after "Amazing doctor cures cancer..." or following "and the academy award goes to.....". I found a few names I liked and ran them past Josh. He instantly liked Elia. It was decided then and there, before we even created her. Elia Marie Canfield was to be our daughter's name. Then we found out we were pregnant. Before we found out we were having a girl we called the baby Jelly. We had also chosen a boy's name. Jake Brown Canfield. Jake just because we like it (and there is a J thing going in Josh's family) and Brown because it is Josh's mother's maiden name as well as his middle name. Jelly comes from the combination of Jake and Elia. (Brilliant Grandma Robin!) We still call her this.

So as soon as we found out we were having a girl, people asked us if we had chosen a name. Some friends of ours warned us not to tell people what names we had picked because everyone will give their opinion and try and change your mind. We did tell a few people and pretty soon I realized that we HAD chosen a name nobody could pronounce! I started to second guess the name. Could the name Elia Marie Canfield be president? (Come on now, Barack??) Were we dooming her to always correct her teachers when they were doing attendance? She will never find a nameplate at roadside gas station with her name on it! Maybe we should come up with something else. Josh was sticking to his guns. He loved the name and there was no changing his mind. Don't get me wrong, I do love the name too. I just hope she does not resent me someday for giving her a name that she has to constantly re pronounce for people.

We have heard so many people say
Elle, Elijah, Aleeah, Eli, EElyah, Elliot (oh sure, baby in the pink outfit with maryjane socks has a boy's name? Geesh!)
Here is how you say it:
el-lee-uh
or
L (like the letter)
E (like the letter)
and uhh (like duhh)

As soon as I have re pronounced it a few times for them, people do say ,"oh, that's different" and then they proceed to pronounce it themselves a few times to hear it out loud and in their head. Then they say "that is a beautiful name".

Yes, thank you..it IS a beautiful name.

Three months old

Elia is three months old today. She has grown soooo much. People love to tell me how chubby and big she is. (Why do people feel compelled to say that?) She is even more alert now then ever and wants to be moving all the time. She really wants to sit up and gets frustrated when she falls over. She also really likes to stand up. Her favorite thing to do is still to stare at ceiling fans. Heck, even just the ceiling alone has produced a cackle. She is starting to laugh a lot and makes all kinds of hilarious noises. Josh and I think she was an old man in a past life with emphysema and lost his dentures. She enjoys being outside and like her mother, loves to people watch. Everyday she makes some new discovery; her hands, feet, that toy makes a funny noise, if I make this noise mommy will pick me up. She has had her first earache too. Hope that does not become a common occurrence because she was really cranky. Every now and then I sit back and stare at her. She is really here. Three months ago we actually brought her into existence and I cannot believe it. It is truly amazing. Josh and I enjoy every second with her and are so grateful for having her.

Boliviana

slobber monster

Woah Dad! Don't drop me. Elia loves to stand up. She has really strong legs. She has started laughing and her favorite thing to do is to stare at ceiling fans. She thinks they are hilarious. No need to invest in fancy toys. Just a ceiling fan. We don't have one in the new apartment. For the most part she is a very happy baby except for the last few days where she has been really cranky. I think she is teething already. Notice all the drool!

Sleeping monster

I think I am teething so I was REALLY cranky today and now I am exhausted!

Nature walk

We visited a nature preserve this weekend and had a chance to use our jogging stroller. It was an amazing mystical place. I kept expecting a fairy to come flying by. Elia really enjoys being outside and we hope to explore some more areas around here.

Elia's first picnic

I went to a La Leche (organization that promotes breastfeeding) meeting this week and met some other moms. It was great. One of them told me about a Blue grass jam that a small suburb has in their town square. A bunch of people bring their instruments and form instant groups. Families bring picnics, hang out and listen. It was really fun.

Elia loves to look up at trees!

Elia had to get her two month shots. It was awful.

Our New home

We found a place to live here in Tennessee! There is even a place out back for Elia.

Two Months Old!

I turned two months old today! Mom and Dad can not believe how big I have gotten. They have been very busy getting our new apartment together. It has been a very exciting few weeks. I have made a lot of new discoveries. I have discovered that I can make a lot of new sounds and I think my parents are hilarious when they say Hola. It is my favorite word and makes me laugh. I can also put my whole hand in my mouth. It is really fun to suck on. My Dad does this flying thing with me that I really like but it makes mom a little mad. She worries too much.

I have become very strong and if I could figure out this balance thing, could probably stand on my legs. My Dad keeps putting me on my tummy and I really don't like it too much but since I can hold my head up and stick my neck out already, Mom and Dad think I will push up and roll over soon.

I also like what Mom has been doing with my hair.