Will & Ellie

My Ellie girl,

I love writing your name! I love the way the letters look together. I say it often throughout my day and I love doodling it. I love how many words I can rhyme with it! I love all the nicknames I can come up for you already.

I especially love listening to your big brother call you by name...

although he most often says, "I call her Caroline Ellie Ellie Grace."

(We've told him that although we are naming you Eleanor Grace, he may call you Caroline Ellie Ellie Grace if he likes.)

He adores you, Ellie. Already, he longs to protect you. The other night, while I cuddled with him at bedtime, he placed his beloved gigi (blankee) on my belly. He said, "Here, this will keep you safe and make you better." When I offered it back to him he said you could keep it awhile. He thought having a gigi on you might make you feel better, sweet girl.

Recently, he was frustrated with you because he was teaching you about pirates and you wouldn't "talk to him." I explained that babies in the belly don't talk yet. That satisfied him for now but you should know he has high expectations of you playing baseball and pirates as soon as you are born!

I love that he puts no limits on what you are capable of!

One day, he placed a pirate hat on my tummy for you and a sword beside it. He longs for a playmate, Ells, & he figured you could play pirates with him now!

I so hope you love pirates and baseball or else that you can charm him into dolls!

Mostly, I hope you know how much he loves you. He is only two years old yet he loves you dearly already. Do other two year old big brothers dream of their unborn sibling like Will does about you? Do they sing to their baby sisters in the womb? Do they teach them about their interests? Do they talk to them when Mommy is not around and pretend they are together already? Do they take the initiative to kiss their mommy's bellies in an attempt to reach the baby? Do they look at the baby often and talk to them by name? Do they know how to work a heartbeat doppler and find their unborn sibling's heartbeat? Do they pray nightly for their baby sister & thank God for her?

I don't know. I do believe that God is impressing you upon his heart now. I believe He is giving us time now, sweet girl. I believe He is nudging your brother to include you now - to play with you, sing to you, kiss you, and dream about you - just as I do.

He adores you.

He longs to fight your bad guys and be your superhero.

He loves you already.

You are so blessed, Ellie...

and so is he.

Love, Mommy

The pirate hat & sword Will recently placed on Ellie in the belly

Will handing me a sword to use for Ellie

reading & cuddling after nap time with Will & Ellie

Playing a game together...

Will has two cards- one for himself & one for Ellie

(Will won.)

Teaching Ellie how to swing her sword & be a pirate

(Scroll to bottom of the blog & hit pause on the music playlist to hear Will speaking on video.)