Mountz Memoirs: Unhappy in the Car

Sunday morning we didn't have any obligations so I went to my Sunday School and Jon went to his and we met up before second service. I had popped my head in at nursery and Ellie was fussy but had already eaten her bottle so I told them I would come nurse her and try to put her to sleep before the service started. Thinking that she would probably not sleep, I attempted to put her down and left her laying quietly in the pack'n'play. Usually when I do that she starts crying a few minutes later and it was all futile. This week Ellie decided a nap was necessary and slept for forty-five minutes.

Jon's trying to tell me we don't have time for pictures.
We need to get ready for church!

Before her nap we took pictures together because we matched. She was a bit cranky, if you can't tell. Not the most flattering pictures.

Jon invited Omar over for lunch so I cooked some chili and cornbread for us to enjoy. Ellie fell asleep and woke up just as we finished lunch. I hung out with her while the boys worked on a project for Efra. When they moved to the family room for FIFA I put Ellie in the exersaucer and she watched their game for a while.
Omar headed home when Jon and I needed to go to evening church. Ellie hung out in nursery along with a larger-than-normal group but apparently she enjoyed the entertainment. When I went to pick her up Clark was very excited to help me pack her up and he even performed "Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes" for everyone. Jon and I went right home afterwards and ate some leftovers before heading to bed early.
I am so thankful I went to bed early last night because Ellie woke up at least four times before 8:00. Grandma wants to watch Ellie while I go to the gym to keep her away from the germs so I dropped her off at 9:00. Grandpa was standing in the garage ready to help unload her. I felt terrible because I was late! Sorry, Grandpa. I didn't have a bottle pumped so I left a container of formula and an empty bottle at their house because they like to give her a bottle while I'm away (it doesn't matter if I just fed her an hour before - they like to make sure her belly is full!). Apparently it was quite a conundrum. It took a while to figure out the bottle and then once Grandpa made it Grandma knew it seemed thicker than usual. When I returned I told her that it was because I usually gave her breast milk! Ellie didn't take the bottle so perhaps she doesn't like formula. That could be a bummer.
Following the workout I gained back any lost calories plus some because Grandma invited us to stay for lunch. I put Ellie down for a nap and Kelly and Clark came over. Grandma showed me some of her old quilts and we stumbled upon her extra piano lesson books. She offered to loan me some so I went through the stack. Lunch was delicious and Clark was in high spirits. He didn't seem to notice having all the attention since Ellie was sleeping the entire time he was there.
Since Ellie was still sleeping after the Fenton's left Grandma told me to run any errands on my list. I picked up the dry cleaning and stopped by the dollar store for a few things. When I returned Grandma said Ellie had woken up just fifteen minutes before, meaning she slept for almost two and a half hours. Feeling ambitious I changed into some clean clothes and drove out to Ephrata.
Betsy Kreider, a lady from our church (she's in a wheel chair as is her husband Earl), is recovering in a rehab center and has been there for weeks. Aunt Carol Hoke visits her and has asked us to pray for her at our Wednesday morning Precepts class. Before Ellie was born I was talking with someone about how a baby can lift spirits (if the person likes them) and always provides something to talk about. So I thought I should go visit Betsy since she was feeling a bit down about having to stay in rehab a lot longer than they thought and wasn't progressing very quickly.

Snoozing on the way to Ephrata

I arrived around 2:30 and fed Ellie in the car. Of course she decided to boo so I changed her diaper discreetly in a corner near the lobby. We stayed until around 3:45 when Mr. Kreider arrived. He asked to hold Ellie and he took her out of the room and showed her around. She looked up at him and touched his face and mustache. Before I gave him over she was getting a bit cranky but remained quiet while with him. Perhaps she just wanted a change of scenery!
On our way home I stopped by a store called Carson's In the Corn Fields. It has a lot of flea-market type stuff but is very clean and orderly. I headed home at 4:15 to make it back in time for my 5:00 piano lesson. Ellie decided that she does not like the car because she wailed the last twenty minutes home. Carly, I know feel your pain. If she would do that all the time I do not know if I would ever leave the house except for on foot! I nursed her and put her to sleep before Brooke arrived.
Jon had to work late tonight so I showered (finally after working out - yucky) and ate leftover chili then packed some up for Jon. Ellie wailed the entire trip to Iron Mountains then back to Geigertown. I picked up Tara Frey to head over to the craft night and Ellie continued to wail. She was not happy!
But she was tired so I put her on the floor to hang out with Wyeth Estes while I brought up a pack'n'play from the nursery. I set her up in the library which is right next to the gathering room and I nursed her and put her to sleep. She cried pathetically for a few minutes before zonking out the rest of the evening. But she was not happy again on the ride home two hours later! If Tara never has children we know who to blame...

Ellieisms:
I put Ellie on the couch and went to the other room. When I came back I was a bit nervous when I saw her flailing around since she was actually moving a little bit. This baby may some day roll over!