Four Months

Dear Samantha,

Today you are four months old! You are getting bigger and bigger all the time. You are starting to get a little bit chunky now, and you just keep getting cuter and cuter! You still look a lot like Daddy, but I can see more and more of myself in you now. A lot of times I look at you and you remind me of baby pictures of myself. You are just the cutest little baby I have ever seen!

You are such a happy baby. I think that you laugh and smile more than any other baby I have ever met. Maybe I'm just funny-looking, or maybe I'm just really good at entertaining you, but I think that you just have a great sense of humor. I love it when you wake up in the morning and as soon as you open your eyes, you crack a big, huge grin, like you've never been happier to see me. I love your happy face with your wide open smiley mouth.

You still haven't rolled over again, but you are really working towards crawling now. You lie on your tummy and bend and straighten your knees like you are trying to go somewhere. You can scoot all over your play gym and turn yourself in a complete circle. The other day you were napping in your crib and when I went to pick you up, you had rotated so you were lying the other direction! You also like to practice walking. Daddy and I hold you up and you move one foot forward at a time. You really like to jump! You practice jumping in our laps all the time so we bought you a Johnny Jump Up so that you can bounce on your own. So far you love it! You can almost sit up on your own now too. You still flop over if we let go of you, but each time you can hold yourself up a little longer. It probably won't be long before you start cutting teeth, either. You are drooling a LOT, and you love to chew on your Sophie. We haven't seen any teeth yet, but I know they are in the works!

It amazes me that you are already four months old. Time has gone by so fast, and you have grown and changed so much. You are such a perfectly complete little human that sometimes it just blows my mind. I love to watch you when you are sleeping - my perfect little angel. It still amazes me that you grew inside me and became such a wonderful little person.

Daddy and I love you SO very much!

Love,
Mommy

One Year

Today it has been exactly one year since I found out I was pregnant. It is amazing how much has happened in just one short year! A year ago today I was insanely and unexplainably irritable and moody. I took a pregnancy test on a whim and about fell over when it came up positive. Since that day, my life has changed SO much! In the past year, we purchased a house, Mike lost his job and got a new one, I left my job, and we now have our wonderful little Sammy, who is already 4 months old (tomorrow)! Looking back, it's hard to believe that it's only been a year. I was so thrilled to find out that I was pregnant, but one year later, I am 100 times happier now that I am Samantha's mom. So far it's been one of the best, most exciting years of my life!!!

BabyBond Review and #Giveaway!!!

Since the beginning of my pregnancy, I knew that I wanted to breastfeed my baby. I did a lot of research and looked into every type of nursing accessory that I could find. I knew a nursing cover would probably be important since I am always on the go, and I didn't intend to stop getting out and about after my baby arrived!

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. There are so many benefits to breastfeeding! It decreases the possibility that your baby will get a variety of infectious diseases, ear infections, diarrhea, etc. Scientific studies have shown that it is also good for the mother's health. It definitely helps to burn off a lot of that baby weight, as well as reducing the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. And don't forget that breastfeeding is lean, green, and clean, too! Breastfed babies are at a lower risk of being obese. Breastfeeding also saves you money and it saves water and energy. Plus, breast milk is always fresh and ready to go! I think it is important that breastfeeding moms feel comfortable nursing in public so that they can continue to reap the benefits even when they are on the go.

The BabyBond is a unique nursing accessory that does not cover your baby's head. It keeps you covered while still allowing you to make eye contact with your baby. Many babies do not like to have their heads covered while nursing - it can get really hot and uncomfortable underneath a curtain-style nursing cover. Curtain-style nursing covers can also blow around and expose Mom on breezy days. The BabyBond is a great alternative! The BabyBond is worn like a sash and functions like a nursing top. It has two layers that separate so baby can latch on while each layer of the sash covers you from the top and the bottom. There are three different BabyBond styles - the Original, the Flex, and the Couture. The Flex includes a detachable burp cloth. The Couture can also be worn as a belly band to cover the belly area when nursing from under the shirt.

BabyBond was designed by a mom that was looking for options to cover herself, but not her baby. She created her first cover by cutting and sewing one of her husband's old t-shirts. Since then, she has come up with the three options available now. All three styles are available in several great colors to match or accent your outfits.

I have the BabyBond Couture nursing cover. I chose this one because I liked the fact that it is a hybrid style, allowing me to cover up from above or below. I haven't invested in many nursing tops since I've found that most of them are pretty ugly, so I have had to come up with ways to nurse while wearing most of my standard tops. I have been working out regularly, but like most new moms I'm still not thrilled with my abs (or lack of them!) so I definitely like to be able to hide my belly when nursing from under the shirt. And when I DO wear nursing tops they all open from the top so everything just hangs out for all to see! So far I've had a hard time using the sash when nursing from the top of my shirts. Whenever we use it, some skin still shows. This doesn't bother me too much, but lately Sam really likes to grab onto things while nursing. She keeps grabbing the sash and completely exposing me! I really like being able to use the BabyBond as a belly band though. It's nice to just throw it on while nursing, and then take it off easily when I'm done. It also folds into it's own little self-storing pouch so it's super easy to carry around in the diaper bag! I really like the sash idea though, so I am going to continue to try to get it figured out. I hate having to cover Sam's head while I nurse her!

How would you like to try a BabyBond? You can buy your own BabyBond at http://babybondnursing.com for $35 each. Or, you can try to win one! I am giving away a BabyBond Couture in "Riviera". It's a beautiful turquoise color! One lucky reader will win this great nursing cover.

To enter: 
You must first be a public follower of this blog AND then go to BabyBond, come back here and leave me a comment telling me which style you like best.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following (leave separate comments for each):

-Like BabyBond on Facebook.

-Follow BabyBond on Twitter.

-Like The Vanilla Bean on Facebook.

-Follow The Vanilla Bean through Facebook.

-Follow me (@alannanoelle) on Twitter AND Tweet:
"WIN a @BabyBond nursing cover from The Vanilla Bean http://alannasvanillabean.blogspot.com (via @alannanoelle) #giveaway #bfing"
(Leave me the permalink of your tweet, you can get this by clicking on the time of your tweet. Tweets must be at least 4 hours apart!)

-Subscribe via RSS to my blog.

-3 extra entries - Blog about this giveaway!
Make sure you link back to this post. Must be a new blog post written by you (leave me the link or it will not count).

This giveaway will close on September 16th, 2010

Make sure you leave me an email address so I can get hold of you if you win, Or if it's on your blog that's fine too! Good luck!

Seventeen Weeks

Bubble Party!

 

Check out this super cool new present I got from my Pappy!!! Bubbles everywhere!

My kitty Dexter likes it too. Party at my house!!!

Sixteen Weeks

I'm An Udder Cover Mama

I was very fortunate to receive a coupon code for a free nursing cover from Udder Covers - all I had to pay for was the shipping! I was still pregnant at the time and didn't really know whether I'd use the cover or not, but it seemed like a good deal so I went for it. Now that I've been nursing for several months (almost 4 already, can you believe it??!) I have found that this cover is SO incredibly useful. I actually ended up buying a second one and it has really come in handy to have two of them.

Udder Covers are great and very dependable. They are very simple but SO very helpful. It will cover you where you need it and yet still allow you to have eye contact with your baby - all while wearing something chic and stylish. I chose the black and white "Porter" pattern since it matches all of my diaper bag accessories. I keep it in the diaper bag at all times so I always have a cover when I need to nurse in public! My second cover is the blue and white "Jones" pattern. I keep this one at home for times when we have company, or if I misplace the other one. (Or if Sam projectile vomits while I'm nursing her under the cover and I have to mop up with it - yikes!) When I'm home I'm usually pretty comfortable just nursing coverless, but occasionally, depending on the company, I want to have a cover for home use.




I'm actually really amazed at how comfortable I am with nursing in public. The first few weeks were difficult because I was still wrestling with the Boppy or My Brest Friend pillows, but once we got the hang of it, nursing in public was no big deal. I really think that having the Udder Cover really helped a lot in getting me comfortable so early on. The first time I used it Sam tried to wiggle her way out of the top of it, but she got used to it quickly and we've been using it ever since! I get lots of compliments on the pattern I have as well. One great thing about Udder Covers is that not all of their prints are too flowery, since not all mamas are into the uber-girly designs. (But they have those as well for the girlie-girls!)
 
Some highlights of the Udder Covers are:

A rigid neckline that gives you direct eye contact with baby.
All fabrics are made of 100% breathable cotton.
Stainless steel d-rings allow fully adjustable neckline.
Machine washable.

These covers allow mothers everywhere to breastfeed their babies in comfort, style and confidence… anytime - anyplace! I would highly recommend Udder Covers to any breastfeeding mama. Check them out at www.uddercovers.com. They also sell breastfeeding pads and bracelets. Their gift sets would be an awesome gift for a mama-to-be!

Hormonal

I have been feeling so weird lately that I started to worry that I might be pregnant again. For starters, I've been peeing constantly, I'm ALWAYS hungry, my belly is not getting any smaller, and of course, there's the crazy mood swings I've been going through. Then again, the peeing could just be from the gallons of water I'm guzzling to try and beat the heat. The hunger could be coming from all the exercise I've been doing with Stroller Strides. And I'm sure the belly has been there all along...I'm just imagining that I'm getting fatter (at least I hope it's just my imagination!). And of course, the hormones. I'm guessing they're just from my body returning to it's non-pregnant state. It's sure going to be interesting to see how bad PMS is post-baby!
(Oh, and I'm not pregnant...I took a test just to be sure!)
I figured that once I gave birth and got through the initial baby blues, my hormones would go back to normal. Boy, was I wrong! (Or maybe I just forgot what normal was?) I have felt so insanely hormonal lately. I love my life and my baby and I am very happy, but so often I feel stressed and depressed and worried. I know a big part of it is the fact that I don't have a job and I am feeling the pressure of needing to help bring in some income for the family. But it's more than that, I think. I know it's not PPD...it's nothing like that. Just extra bitchy-moodiness. Maybe it's the heat, too. I get sad and frustrated that I have no money and sad that I am not as skinny as I want to be. I get stressed that I have no time to work on job opportunities and fun projects. Anyway, I hope that my body will regulate itself soon. (Or maybe it won't...like I said, I forget what I used to be like pre-baby!)
 Most days though, life is good. I've decided to rearrange my priorities and put Sam and I on a more regular schedule so that she can get her naps and I can take care of the important things. I think it'll be good for us both!

I lovey EJ & Ellabird!

Over the past couple of weeks I have been starting to try to ease Samantha into a nap routine, as well as getting her to sleep in her own bed. I want to make the transition as easy as possible for her so I have decided to introduce a lovey for her to get attached to so that I can start putting her down with it. I wasn't sure what to use at first, but then I remembered a gift I received at my baby shower. My friend Danielle made me the most adorable lovey set, and I figured that it would be perfect!

Dani has a store called EJ & Ellabird and she makes all sorts of wonderful creations for babies. Her loveys are just adorable! The one she made for me was a matched set - a medium size tag lovey and a miniature tag lovey for on-the-go. This set was made with Lovebird fabric and beautifully soft, silky red satin. (Red just happens to be my favorite color, and all of Sam's travel gear is red. Perfect!) The loveys have soft ribbon tags around all the edges that Sam loves to grab and hold onto while she nurses and lays down to sleep. Dani also makes loveys in a large size which are perfect for use as a travel blanket. And of course the small one is perfect for car rides!

EJ & Ellabird got its start in 2009 when Dani was trying to come up with gifts for her many pregnant friends. She didn't have a lot of money but she had a lot of yarn, fabric and creativity. After doing some research into popular baby items, she decided to try her hand at making a tag lovey like the one she made for me. She was so happy with the way it came out that she decided to make lots more. Danielle also noticed that pacifier holders were quite popular, so she gave that a try as well and came up with her own pattern for them.

This just wasn't enough to keep Dani busy so she collaborated with her friend Anmarie to come up with patterns for adorable hand knit and crocheted baby hats. The girls realized they had something good going on so they decided to make a real business out of it. They combined the initials of Dani's son's name with Anmarie's daughter's nickname, and EJ & Ellabird was born! So far the most popular hat style has been the infant hat with a brim, but they are constantly working to come up with new styles. Soon Dani plans to add cocoons for photographer props and crochet diaper covers, as well as handmade quilts and throws.

I don't know how this mama does it - she must be sewing non-stop! Her work is beautiful though, and I highly recommend her for your crafty mama needs. She is currently only taking custom orders but she hopes to have some inventory built up before her second child arrives in just a few short months! Check out some more of her work on her blog: EJ & Ellabird

Thanks again for the beautiful baby gift, Danielle! We are still working on the whole napping thing with Sam, but she is definitely already enjoying her lovey!

Fifteen Weeks

Fourteen Weeks

Three Months

Dear Samantha,

I can't believe you are 3 months old already! Three months is the age we were told you would stop being such a newborn, and would start becoming more aware of the world around you. I think you are WAY ahead of things as far as that is concerned! Three months is also the age we decided we would start letting you be your own person a bit more, and not quite so attached at the hip to Mommy. So far, you have taken most of your naps in Mommy's arms, and you go to bed with Mommy and Daddy whenever we go. Now it's time to start working on putting you to bed in your own crib or bassinet. So far this has been very hard on Mommy! It's going to take some time to get you used to not being held, but Mommy is right there with you to reassure you that you are still safe and taken care of, even though you aren't being held. You have already taken several naps on your own, and you are doing great. Soon you will be going to bed on your own so that Mommy and Daddy can have some grown up time. It's a little sad to see that our tiny baby isn't so tiny anymore, but it's also exciting that our little girl is growing so much!

This has been such an exciting month for us. Between your 10th and 11th week, you started laughing. A lot. Little things will excite you, and you smile really big and start laughing. Mommy and Daddy stop whatever they are doing to keep you laughing! It just melts our hearts to hear your sweet little laugh. So far older adults and other babies seem to crack you up a LOT.

You just adore your Mommy. When I hold you, you love to just look at me and smile and laugh like there is nothing more important in the world. Of course, Mommy just loves this. There is nothing sweeter than gazing into your eyes as we smile at each other. Hopefully you will always love your Mommy this much!!! You are having more and more fun with Daddy now, too. He makes you smile and laugh when he sings and makes faces for you, and he is still trying to help you find your thumb.

You absolutely LOVE getting changed. It is the funniest thing. Every morning when we change you out of your jammies and into your day clothes, you smile and laugh like it is the greatest thing in the world. And it's not just a little morning sunshine - you like to be changed any time of day! Diaper changes are cool, but you just go crazy for having your outfits changed. I wonder if this means you are going to be a fan of playing dress-up, and if you'll be one of those little girls that likes to put on multiple outfits every day? Oh, I can already see how much fun you'll be. :)

This month your Grammy and Grampy from Ohio came to visit you. You absolutely adore your Grammy! She was able to soothe you from crying, and you just loved spending time together. Grampy was cracking you up by doing raspberries for you. It's going to be lots of fun to go visit them in December!

Just yesterday you discovered your mouth and tongue, and you love to play with them. You make kissing faces all the time, and silly sucking noises with your mouth. It's great that you've found something to play with that is so easily accessible to you! :)

We are pretty much certain now that you have Daddy's eyes, ears, and hair (you definitely have his hairline, and while your hair has gotten a bit lighter, it shows no signs of turning blonde). You have Mommy's nose, mouth, cheeks, long fingers and toes, and head shape. We can't wait to see if we are right. One things for sure - you are CUTE CUTE CUTE!!!

We are pretty certain that you are the most adorable and intelligent baby in the world. We love you SO very much, and can hardly wait to see how much you change and grow in the next month!

Thirteen Weeks

I miss my sleep!

These last several nights have been increasingly rough. I feel like I have a newborn again! Sam's sleep schedule has gotten crazy again. We went from waking once or twice a night to waking 7+ times. Last night the two of us got a whopping 5 1/2 hours of sleep. I know that a baby's sleep schedule is usually inconsistent for a while, but I'm ready to start easing her into more of a routine. I am absolutely 100% against Cry It Out - I think it's just mean and wrong and sets the baby up for future emotional issues. But, I can't keep waking up every half hour. So, based on a recommendation from several friends of mine, I'm reading the "No Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. The book has you start by logging your baby's current sleep routine and schedule. Of course, the day I start logging happened to be one of our worst sleep days/nights! Sam did get enough nap time, but she was REALLY lacking in night sleep last night. Now we begin learning techniques to gently ease her into a routine. I can hardly wait...we both need it!

I'll keep you posted on how things work for us!

What about BOB?

We got a BOB!
At first I was in love with my Chicco travel system stroller. I mean come on, it's red - what's not to love?! But once I started working out and power walking/jogging with Stroller Strides, the Chicco stroller wasn't so hot. Sure, it works, but every time I rolled over grass it would either get stuck or feel like it was going to tip over. Whenever I got going fast, the wheels would start to squeak. No bueno!

So, when we realized we had a *little* bit of spare cash, we decided to just go for it and get a BOB jogger. I did some shopping on Craigslist and found a great deal! I ended up getting the Sport Utility version in a snappy lime green. I am loving it already - it is SUCH an improvement! It rolls super smoothly, and there is no fear of tipping. It's great over bumps and on the grass! I'm not completely sold on this model yet though, since it has a stationary front wheel. It's supposedly the right stroller for the way I want to use it, but I'm not sure. It doesn't maneuver quite as easily as the Revolution model. I figure I'll keep it for this week and see if I get used to the way it feels. If not, I'll put it back up on Craigslist and shop for a Revolution instead. I'm sure I can sell it easily - these things seem to sell quickly!
So far though, I am thrilled to finally have a good stroller for my newer, more active lifestyle! :)

Birth Regrets

Since I've had Sam, almost all of my pregnant friends have given birth naturally, with no drugs. While I am extremely happy for them, each time it happens I feel more and more regret about my own birth experience. That little twinge of regret gets deeper each time, and I honestly feel like a complete failure. Granted, none of these women had 32 hour labors like I did, but I still feel like that shouldn't be an excuse.

I know the important thing is that I have a healthy baby, right? Then why do these feelings keep hanging on? It's been 3 months now, and I still feel depressed and full of regret that I had to give in and get an epidural. I feel like I failed at giving birth, and I wish I could do it over again. I hate that I feel this way about what should be a wonderful experience.

12 Weeks Postpartum

Well, it's been 12 weeks since my little ray of sunshine came into the world. I've been updating you as much as possible on her growth, but I figured I'd take a few minutes to let you know how I'm doing. Things are going great! The baby blues only lasted for the first couple of weeks. (I still have a draft post that I want to share with you when I get the time to edit it, just to give you a window into the way I was feeling for a while. I was feeling happy again before I got around to editing it though, so I never posted it.)

Anyway, we have been on the go since Sam was about 5 weeks old. We started by going on walks with other mommies. Soon, we added in playgroups and other outings. Now not a day goes by that we aren't doing at least one fun thing! Sammy gets restless when we stay at home now (so do I!) so I usually try to come up with an errand if there is nothing on the calendar. At first I was trying to do anything and everything, but now I'm trying to limit it to one thing a day so I don't overwhelm myself.

A couple weeks ago I started going to Stroller Strides which has been AWESOME. I lost almost all my pregnancy weight just by breastfeeding, but once I got to 7 pounds I got stuck. Now, since I've been working out 3-5 times a week, I've already lost 5 of those pounds. Only 2 more pounds to go!!! My main goal at this point is to get my muscle back - I'm not so concerned about the number anymore. I just want to be fit again, and to lose the belly flab. I am feeling great since I started working out! Stroller Strides is fun, too. Sam and I get to get outside every morning and spend time with other moms and babies. And we get exercise on top of that!!! It's been great. The rest of the week we attend walks, playgroups, or other events with other moms. Life is so busy and exciting.

Things are going to have to change soon though. I recently had to tell my employer that I wouldn't be able to return to work. Mike and I have realized that with the cost of daycare it just wasn't worth my working all day long. I'd really only be working to pay for child care, and that's just not something we want to do. I was hoping to be able to work for them from home, but that's a no-go. So I am now looking for part-time work from home since we need a supplemental income. I want to keep up my exercise routine, but after my workouts I need to get home and start looking for work. It's going to be a change, but it will be a good change.

So far I haven't been able to leave Sam with a sitter. She doesn't even do well with Daddy yet, so we definitely can't leave her with someone else. I did go out for a quick massage the other night and she and Mike managed to work things out and were getting along great when I got home. We just need to do that a few more times until she gets more comfortable. I am looking forward to a real Mom's Night Out, and hopefully it won't be too much longer before Mom and Dad get a real date night!

In some ways it seems like the past 3 months have flown by. But then at times it feels like Sam has been with us forever - like life without her was a whole lifetime ago. She really does complete our family, and I love her more than I ever imagined I could. She really is the best baby in the world!!!

Twelve Weeks

Eleven Weeks

Ten Weeks

Nine Weeks

2 Months - Doctor Visit

Today Samantha had her 2-month Well Baby visit. She is doing great!

Height: 23" (74th percentile)
Weight: 11lb 9oz (70th percentile)
Head Circumference: 38cm (25th percentile)

She definitely has my little head! And she's pretty tall, too. She is definitely a good eater - she's growing fast!

Sam did pretty well for her vaccinations. She took the oral vaccine really well, and hardly spit out any of it. I guess she likes strawberry flavor. :) The injections were a bit harder on her. The nurse said she was very strong since she kept flexing her muscles when the nurse put the needles in. Must be from all the standing exercises! Sam cried first in pain, and then she switched to an angry cry. It was heartbreaking - I must admit, Mommy cried a little too. :,( But, I nursed her after her shots, and she calmed down quickly. Samantha slept for the first few hours, but after waking up, the pain kicked in. I gave her a dose of Infant Tylenol and nursed her, and now she's trying to relax. The shots were in her thighs, so every time she flexes her legs it hurts her. Poor baby! She's doing pretty well though as long as I can keep her comfortable. I am already dreading the next round of vaccines at 4 months, but I know it's for the best!

Vote for Sam's Nursery!

I entered Samantha's nursery in a contest, because let's face it - I'm pretty proud of the way it turned out! As many of you know, I LOVE Alice in Wonderland, so as soon as I found out we were having a girl, I knew I had to create an Alice themed nursery. The pictures don't do it justice, so you as insiders are going to get lucky and see more photos here on my blog. :)

Anyway, if we win, we could get a free vacation (I need one!). So please, head on over to the contest site and vote for us! :)

Rate My Nursery

And just for you, here's some more pics!
(The last 3 photos were taken by Tessa of Grin and Share it Photography.)

Two Months

Dear Samantha,

Today you are two months old. I can't believe how fast you are growing! This month has been a very busy one for you. You have definitely gotten taller, and your little thighs are getting chunkier. You definitely aren't a rolly polly fat baby, but you sure aren't a skinny baby, either! You are just the perfect size, and you get cuter every day.

In the past couple of weeks you have really started smiling a lot. You aren't just smiling randomly anymore - we are actually getting responsive smiles from you. The other night you smiled and laughed at Daddy for the first time and it was the most amazing, sweet moment for us both. You are especially smiley in the mornings when I get you dressed. We love to look and smile at each other for a long time each morning. You sure make Mommy laugh with your smiles and giggles!

You are getting more and more aware of your surroundings. You are always looking around at things that catch your attention. You love to look at bright lights! There are some paintings that I made of Dexter and Chloe that you just love to look at. The big eyes and the contrast of the black and white fur is very interesting to you. When I put you in the Ergo carrier, you like to stand straight as a board so your head sticks way out the top. You like to look all around and see where we are. The fair was VERY exciting for you!

Your new game is "Stand Up, Sit Down." You like it when we hold you in our laps and you straighten your legs to stand up. You stand up for longer and longer periods of time now. Your legs are getting so strong! Standing up is one of your favorite games to play with Daddy.

The other day you actually rolled over for the first time! The other night you were lying on your tummy and were trying very hard to roll to your back. You needed a little bit of help, so your Pappy put his hand on your foot for you to push off of. Then you rolled all the way onto your back! The next morning while you were at playgroup, you were lying on your back and the next thing I knew, you were on your back - you had quickly rolled over all by yourself! Mommy was SO proud. :)

This month you got to meet another grandparent - your Pappy from Ohio is here visiting. He loves to hold you and play with you! He is already making plans to come out to visit you for your first birthday.

Tomorrow is your 2-month doctor visit. I am excited for them to weigh and measure you so we can see how much you've grown, but I'm also very nervous because you will be getting your first round of vaccinations. I know it's very important for you, and I will feel better having you out and about once you are vaccinated, but I am afraid it will hurt you and you will be very sad. I will be right there to comfort you though. I know you will be a tough girl and will do just fine!

I love you very much, Samantha, and I can't wait to see how much you grow in your 3rd month!

Love,
Mommy

Eight Weeks