No photos

Sorry to everyone who keeps asking for new photos of Ellie - I've tried several times to upload new pictures but Blogger is acting up and I've had no luck getting them up.

She is, however, getting cuter every day. And bigger! She's over 13 pounds now, and "Na Na" Campbell has officially declared her a porker. All this despite an increasing exercise routine - she loves standing (with support) and one of the un-posted photos is of her sitting without support! She only balances for a little while before either tipping over or folding forward, but she absolutely loves her new vertical positions. The only downside is that she drools a lot more when she's upright. I'm beginning to worry that she might be dehydrating because of the huge pools of saliva that she leaves everywhere she goes. This afternoon after sitting with her on my lap for a while at a church mothers' discussion group, I found puddles on both my legs and her whole front of her shirt soaked through.

I promise I will try to get more photos up asap - just imagine her previous pictures, but cuter!

Elizabeth Anne is Baptized...

As promised, here are photos from Ellie's baptism on January 29th. Ellie was on her best behavior and did very well. The baptism started with an exorcism and rejection of Satan, followed by a statement of faith and avowal of Jesus Christ as Lord and King. At this point Ellie was still dressed in her cute pink flowered romper. Right when Fr. Joseph said, "drive out from her every unclean spirit" she had a big round of gas/poo, so we had to change her before the baptism itself. I guess her bowels were listening to the prayers, too. :)

Next, Fr. Joseph blessed the water in the font and poured oil on it to represent the Holy Spirit that hovered over the waters of creation, the River Jordan at Jesus' baptism, and that effects Ellies' baptism.

"Elizabeth Anne is baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." After being changed and undressed, Ellie was particularly charming and was smiling, laughing, and saying "agua" to get our attention. Ellie was baptized in her birthday suit, by almost-full immersion. Fr. Joseph mercifully didn't put her head under, but she was pretty annoyed just the same.

Next Ellie was chrismated (i.e. confirmed) with oil blessed by the bishop on Holy Thursday. In the Eastern Church the priest is generally the one who performs confirmations, using the bishop's oil to signify his union with the bishop.

After being received into the family of God, Elizabeth is brought into the church where Scripture on the topic of baptism is read, she is tonsured (a tiny bit of hair cut in the sign of the cross on her head) to symbolize a gift of herself to Christ, and then she is presented to the Church by Fr. Joseph. During the Liturgy that followed, she received her first Holy Communion. She only was fussy once, at the end of the baptism liturgy and before Divine Liturgy - and that was quickly cured once I fed her.


Here are the proud grandparents right after the baptism. Ellie was adorable in her christening gown - the same one I wore almost twenty-nine years ago.