A Day in the Life of...

Birthday Party!

2012-01-08T07:24:00.004-05:00

I turned 3 this week, and to celebrate, we had a huge party at my house last night, complete with lasagna, salad, rolls, and cake with ice cream! I was really excited to have family and friends over to help ring in the beginning of my 4th year of life. True to her promise, Mama made me a giant chocolate cake that had my name on it, with 3 bright candles for me to blow out! Of course, I have known how to spell my name for months, but in case you don't know...it said Happy Birthday, E-L-E-A-N-O-R, which spells "Ellie-nor!" It was a lot of fun, and Daddy got to spend time with us too, watching via video chat. I got some very nice presents, but the ones that rank highest are my Daddy Doll, my photo album of pictures of me and Daddy, and my new backpack (just like 'Dorya the Splorya!') I am already looking forward to my next birthday!

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T20:50:00.006-05:00

Well, all the dreaming of a white Christmas didn't pay off...it was a very green and brown and grey Christmas day this year, but regardless, I had a joyful holiday, celebrating "Jesus' Birthday!" with my family, both at Nana and Grandpa's house and at Grammie and Papa's house!

I was really good at opening presents this year; I didn't really need any help accomplishing this task like last Christmas. I even helped my little brother get into his, since he is still pretty helpless.

We had lots of good food and lots of good fun...though apparently Mama didn't document this very well given the paucity of good photos from our events! I have included a few of the better pictures of: me and Isaiah, on his very first Christmas; Aunt Abbey, Bayley and Max with their new Christmas sweaters we got them; and Z and me with most of my crazy cousins (we missed Kyleigh and Macy this year!) Hope you had a good holiday too!

One week down...51 to go.

2011-12-18T15:10:00.003-05:00

"My Daddy is Away, and I Miss Him!"

As most of you know, my Daddy is a part-time soldier...and it is his turn to go help the people "Over There." I have included some photos from his going-away ceremony. I miss him, but as my book, titled above, states, I know that "he is always here in my heart." The last week has been different, but manageable. It is a good thing Aunt Abbey is here, because Mama is a little fuzzy-brained. So, my Daddy is gone now; the count-down has begun; and we girls (plus Baby Isaiah) are getting by.

I was very helpful to my Daddy before he left, helping him pack up his bags. You can see my assistance in this video below. I found a nice spot for me, but decided that it would likely be too long of a trip to stay comfortable in my hide-a-way, especially because my feet didn't quite fit as well as one could hope. I already regret my decision not to go with him...Mama is crazy! Hurry home, Daddy...

In other news, Isaiah is moving up in the dietary world; he had his first taste of something other than Mama Milk right before Daddy left. The jury is still out on whether or not he likes it...he sure made some funny faces! I'll keep you updated on his progress!

Daddy is my Hero!

Celebrating...this special time of year!

2011-12-06T13:52:00.004-05:00

Wow, where did November go? Last time I posted, we were raking leaves and carving pumpkins while handing out candy! And, now I have jingle bells ringing in my ears and visions of sugarplums dancing in my head! The events at my house lately have been festive and fun! Just a couple weeks ago, we visited Daddy's Aunt Anne's house for Thanksgiving, along with about a million other people! I didn't realize that I had so many fun and crazy distant cousins in this world! I especially enjoyed playing with Jessa and Emerson, who are both about my age. Isaiah was deservedly admired as the newest baby and most handsome child in the family.

And then, just a few days ago, our immediate family headed out the local Christmas tree farm to chop one down for our living room. We had a great time decorating it beside the "occasionally" blazing fire as Christmas music played in the background and our icicle lights twinkled on the front of the house.

Yesterday, we celebrated our family Christmas with presents, music, fun and Christmas ham loaf! Apparently we enjoyed our revelry early compared to everyone else, because soon Daddy will be going "Over There." It would have been perfect if only it would have snowed instead of the incessant downpour of rain that we received!

On top of all the excitement and festivity, we also managed to squeeze in a family photo session, which went amazingly well. I cooperated magnificently due to the promise of a candy cane at the end, and Z was very cooperative and smiley also. It has been fun, and I am spending extra special time with my Daddy while he is around; I leave you with a photo of Daddy and me painting with my new watercolor paints that I found in my stocking! Merry Christmas...even if it is a little early!

Fall and Family

2011-10-28T21:41:00.003-04:00

There is a new sheriff in town, here to keep all the rowdy cowboys and cowgirls...and the cows...in line. That's right, it is me. For Halloween this year, I am the roughest, toughest cowgirl/sheriff there has ever been, and I am, sure enough, keeping Zaiah out of trouble! Here we are at the church's fall festival last weekend in our duo costumes. I got a bag full of goodies, but my favorites are the "stuckers" that turn my mouth bright blue!

I keep telling Isaiah that he is too small for candy, but I see him eyeing my treats sometime! As you can see from this picture, I am fairly fond of the little cow that lives at our house, so far he likes to smile at me and doesn't steal my toys or eat my food--I can live with that, but I have my suspicions that he might not always be so accommodating! For now, he can lay around and smile, but I have important big kid things to do. For example, here I am below with Daddy, helping him carve our "Curious George" pumpkin...it turned out pretty well, we think!

Speaking of pumpkins, when we went to get them from the outdoor farmer's market, we had the most beautiful, perfect autumn day...a far cry from the "wintry mix" that is expected tomorrow for Trick-or-Treating night. There were hundreds and hundreds of pumpkins to pick from--we got one for each family member, five in total counting Aunt Abbey! We got a little one for Z and a huge one for Daddy; the rest were sized in between, but mine, of course, is the best one! Zaiah slept all through the picking of the pumpkins, but I made sure his was pretty good too.

Such an exciting time of year, and I hope you have a wonderful fall also! Enjoy it while it lasts, as soon the snow will be falling...hmmm...bring on the Turkey!

Isaiah's First Day of "School"

2011-10-01T00:42:00.005-04:00

My little brother is growing up quickly. This week, he started going to daycare with me for the first time. He is in the same class that I was in when I was a baby and has my former teacher, Miss Shawna. I helped him make the transition away from home by visiting him in his room and giving him some hugs and kisses just like I do at home. Here he is on his first day with his new buddies.

New York, New York

2011-09-19T19:55:00.007-04:00

The last several days consisted of a road-trip with my family to Maker Faire 2011. It was held in a giant town called New York City, which is apparently the city that never sleeps. I can vouch for that...because it was next to impossible to get a good nap while I was there! The purpose of our trip was to go to the convention, where Daddy was exhibiting his nifty robot that he made; however, we also spent some time seeing the sites.

Among the places we visited was Central Park, which is a gigantic playground filled with lots of things to see and do. It was a huge, green park, right in the middle of the city, surrounded by big, tall buildings looking down on it! There were tons of different kinds of people to watch!

We did some walking around Manhattan, seeing some place called Times Square, the Children's Museum, the Freedom Tower, and more! One of my favorite places was the Children's Museum, where I got to play with Curious George and Dora the Explorer; here I am below being an animal doctor--that turtle needed a shot!

Our whole family went on the trip, including Isaiah, Mama, Daddy and me. We stayed in a hotel and ate at a bunch of different restaurants. We even rode on some trains!! It was Isaiah's first time in a hotel, and he did pretty good trying not to cry too much away from home.

All in all, it was a fun, exciting and exhausting trip, but we were all glad to finally make it home to our own beds after a very long drive. And, we were very glad to see Aunt Abbey and Bayley, who missed me terribly! I guess they missed Isaiah too...hopefully, next time Aunt Abbey can come too!

Labor Day Fun!

2011-09-07T11:22:00.007-04:00

Well, the long holiday weekend has come and gone, but it was not without some excitement and fun! We started off the weekend with a visit from Cousin Brian, along with his wife, Stacey, and their daughter, H, and from Cousin Craig! We had fun, and I proudly introduced them to my baby brother, Isaiah, whom they hadn't yet met. They admired Isaiah, entertained me, and brought us some delicious food (including cookies that Mama and Daddy ate practically immediately!)

I spent some time with Nana and Grandpa that evening while Mama and Daddy attended a wedding, but then we all met up again on Sunday at the air show, where we watched planes and helicopters fly around doing amazing feats!

We got to see Daddy's helicopter from work and eat some delicious treats, and the weather wasn't too hot! We nearly got rained on, but the weather held off for us to be able to see the whole show.

I had a great time with several of my boy cousins, who also came to check out the show with Papa. Isaiah slept through quite a bit of the show, wearing his ear protectors...I, however, refused to wear mine because I am too cool for those. Instead, I made Mama cover my ears with her hands when the noises got too loud!

All in all, we had a fun and eventful weekend; I hope you did as well.

Changes in our house

2011-08-30T15:56:00.009-04:00

Aunt Abbey has moved in! She is going to live with us for the foreseeable future, and I am super excited! I now have a doggy living at my house too, since Bayley, the Beagle came with her! In preparation for their move-in, Mama, Nana and Grandpa have been feverishly painting for the last week after Daddy and Papa got the floor fixed from our recent flood in the basement. Our house is a big mess, but it finally came together with the new carpet getting laid down. Aunt Abbey sure has some cool stuff to play with!

Isaiah didn't do much to help while all the work was being done (he just hung out in the laundry basket), but I assure you that I was very helpful--they wouldn't have been able to get it done without me! And let me tell you, I sure looked good while helping to pick out tile for the basement at the store in my princess/ballerina dress!

Here are a couple pictures of Aunt Abbey's new room now that the work is done! I am looking forward to all the exciting times I will be having in this room...especially early in the morning, when I will awaken Aunt Abbey and Bayley by barging into their room before it is light out to jump on their bed and sing to them!!

In other recent news, Daddy and Mama took Isaiah and I to a nifty remote-controlled vehicle day at the local historical estate. I got the chance to drive a radio-controlled boat all by myself, and of course, I excelled at it like I usually do in everything! We had a good time watching the RC planes and boats, though we apparently missed the cars and helicopters by arriving later in the day. We did get to enjoy the delightful weather though, and Mama captured my boat-driving in a little video, included for your amusement!

Extended Family and More Isaiah

2011-08-04T19:40:00.008-04:00

It has been a whirlwind the last 2 weeks in our family, but here are some photos, as promised! I have been spending more time with my cousins since Uncle Kelly and Aunt Amy have been hanging around; and, of course, we have had several visitors at our house (including Aunt Sara with my cousin, Lydia, above) who have come to see me and let me introduce them to Isaiah.

I have really enjoyed having Kyleigh and Macy around-->especially because when they come they always bring me bags and bags full of fashionable, gently-used clothing (Thank goodness that I don't have to depend on my mom for my wardrobe!). In the photo above, you will find me with my cousin, Macy, playing with the jewelry from the game, "Pretty, Pretty Princess." As you can see, we both make glamorous princesses.

It has been fun and exciting to say the least. Everyone seems to like and approve of my baby brother, so I guess for now, the plan will be to keep him, but I reserve the right to send him back to wherever he came from in the future if he gets out of line!

Above you will find a fun picture of a bunch of us cousins swimming in Grammie and Papa's pond with Daddy and Uncle Kelly. Wow, that was fun and helped cool us off on a hot day; I look forward to learning how to swim! Mama says she ordered me my own life jacket, since the ones that Papa has are kind of big for me. I will tell you something--swimming sure works up an appetite. Below, you will see that we all ate really good at dinner that evening! Our table was a little rowdy, as you can imagine. Hey, make sure you check out Macy's shiner in that picture--she got a crazy black eye from falling down at Grammie's house, which made her look super-tough!

As the conclusion of this post, I leave you with a video of me with my baby brother. Mama keeps saying that she hopes he survives past his infancy, referring to my "aggressive love" for him, but I have to admit that I am not quite sure what she means by this statement. I do love to give him kisses, hug him, nearly sit on his head, poke him and yank on his hands and feet...but I don't mean any harm. Silly Mama!

Announcing my Big Sisterhood

2011-07-21T20:56:00.006-04:00

Well, our family is changing faster than you can ask, "where did Mama's belly go?" Yesterday, my baby brother, Isaiah, finally arrived. He is small and cute and cries a little...I wasn't quite sure if he was real or not, but a brisk poke in the forehead proved that he moves and breathes, and apparently he is staying with us--at least for now. I will have to wait and see if I let him stick around for the long haul. For now, I will show him around our house and introduce him to his new bed--with a forceful reminder that it used to be mine!

Isaiah Nicholas was born 7/20/2011 at 3:48pm; he weighed 6 lbs 11.9oz and is 19 inches long.

Fun in the July Sun

2011-07-17T14:40:00.005-04:00

It has been an eventful month thus far, starting with the annual street parade for the Fourth of July! Once again, Xander and Luke from the next street over took a big prize for their decorating skills! My parents, lame as they are, never plan anything until the last minute, so I ended up in my wagon again this year, with a few balloons strewn about. Oh, well...I had fun despite the subpar decorating skills of my parents...I am really only in the parade to get a popsicle afterwards, anyways!

My parents were a little less lame, however, when they finally took me to see my first fireworks show this year! We went to an outdoor concert with Nana, Grandpa, Uncle Russ and his friend...it was pretty fun, and, of course, we had some delicious food. After it got dark out, I got to see some crazy loud fireworks lighting up the sky. I never knew how much I was missing when I go to sleep when it is still light out!

With the nice, hot weather, it has been fun to spend some time swimming. Last weekend, we went to a waterpark near our house, which was packed full of people. We had a really great time, and between the splashing and swimming, I was able to spend some quality time in a huge sand pit too! Below, you can see Mama and I digging holes to China.

So, this weekend, we are spending time with more family and friends. Yesterday, we hung out with Uncle Russ at his friend, Miss Kendra's house. I got to swim in her pool, hang out with her two cool big kids, R and M, and we had a barbeque!! Today, we are headed to Grammie and Papa's house to see my girl cousins from Georgia!! Uncle Kelly and Aunt Amy have arrived! I will try to get some cool pictures of me and my girl cousins to post later.

Let the summer fun continue...I've got to enjoy being the queen of the universe at my house for as long as I can because there is a rumor going around that the big old basketball my Mama has been carrying around in her belly is going to change some things at my house soon. Hope you are having as much fun as me...in parting, here is my crazy Uncle Russ, who has been perfecting his grilling skills this weekend. He sure knows how to char a hot dog!

June has come and gone...

2011-06-30T20:24:00.009-04:00

Boy, the month flew by, and I haven't blogged at all. It has been busy at our house, with preparations for my new baby brother who will arrive in the not-to-distant future and with preparations for the arrival of my Aunt Abbey and her dog, Bayley, who will come to live with us at the end of summer! Rather than let the month go by without an update, I thought I would just post some pictures of the highlights from June! Enjoy!

Time with Mama and Daddy at the park...

Blowing bubbles and playing in the sprinkler at Nana and Grandpa's house...

I am not sure who had more fun that day--me or Daddy and Nana!

Pizza and Cupcakes at my friend, Zac's birthday party! It was a crazy time, as you can see in the video below.

The summer is in full swing! I will try to be better about posting in the upcoming month!

Day Out with Thomas

2011-05-22T21:06:00.007-04:00

What an exciting weekend! I got to spend some quality time with Grandpa and Nana this weekend, which is always an adventure, but even before that, I started out the weekend with an exciting event! Saturday morning, there was finally a welcome break in the rain! To celebrate the good weather, my favorite "very useful engine," Thomas, came to visit me. Mama and Daddy and I spent the morning surrounded by trains and conductors and music and food...and did I mention trains?

We even had the opportunity to ride on a real train car pulled by Thomas himself! It was very exciting to climb aboard our coach and find our seats! The conductor came along and punched our tickets...and before we got off, he handed me a certificate that says I am a Jr Train Engineer! I am pretty sure that Thomas had to come a long way to get here from the Island of Sodor, but I am glad he made the trip!

There were lots of things to see and do at the place where we met Thomas. We had a great time playing on bouncy toys and people-watching. We ate lunch outside and, of course, we were able to see tons and tons of trains--little ones, big ones, real ones, toy ones--I was only slightly disappointed that my favorite tram, Toby, wasn't able to come along with Thomas to visit.

I will conclude my post with a video of Mama and I rocking out to "Old MacDonald's Farm" in the tent with the live music! As you can see, I am very musically inclined with multiple instruments! Hope you had a good weekend too!

Mother's Day Weekend

2011-05-08T17:45:00.006-04:00

Finally, after all the recent rain (days and days of it!), we saw the sunshine this weekend. Given all the rain, however, lots of things are blooming and growing. Our family was able to go and enjoy the outdoors and growing things by visiting the farmer's market on Saturday! While we were there, we saw Great Uncle Steve at his market booth, selling arugula, salad mix and wild ramps! I stood behind his table for awhile to help boost his sales with my cuteness factor!

It did end up raining a little more after we left the market, but luckily today was sunny and nice all day long! After church, we had a little cook-out, eating some fresh grass-fed burgers purchased at the farmer's market yesterday, with our next door neighbors before we took a nice Sunday afternoon nap. When we woke up, Mama and Daddy and I headed to the zoo to further enjoy the weather and see the animals.

Daddy and I rode on the carousel, and we saw the lions and tigers and bears...in addition to the penguins, condors, deer, and jaguar. The snow leopard was leaping around his cage, like he was happy about the sunshine also! It has been a very nice weekend, and hopefully the sun decides to stick around more this week. Until then, we will enjoy it while it lasts!

Happy Mother's Day to my Mama. Once again, I will remind you how lucky you are to have me as your daughter!

Happy Easter 2011!

2011-04-24T16:37:00.007-04:00

What an exciting week of egg hunting and chocolate and celebrating Jesus' sacrifice for the world! I have had some fun times this week, learning the art of the egg hunt. As you will see in the video below, I have nearly perfected the skill!

You don't get this good overnight; it has been hard work! I practiced at the church egg hunt last weekend, and then also again here at home and at Nana and Grandpa's house. However, yesterday, I hit the Easter Egg Jackpot--the eggs were filled with candy and money!--at Grammie and Papa's house, where there were 250 eggs hidden for my cousins and me to find! Thankfully, the week of rain finally had a pause so that we didn't get completely soaked during our hunt!

This morning, I found another surprise when I woke up; before church, Mama and Daddy told me there was a special basket that I needed to find to celebrate Easter day! I found it in one of my favorite hiding spots-behind the mirror in the guest room! It was full of candy and snacks and books and jammies and a new spill-proof bubble bucket! I don't know why they think I need a spill-proof one; I was doing just fine with the regular bubbles!! Crazy parents...

All in all, it has been an eventful and fun week; but our house has remembered the reason we celebrate-->it isn't for the eggs and candy and fun, but to remember that Jesus conquered death and sin!

Jesus is risen!! Happy Easter!

Vacation to a Great Lake

2011-04-08T21:53:00.009-04:00

Just last week, Mama and Daddy and I headed to a little town off Lake Erie for some early spring lake weather--i.e. cloudy and chilly--well, actually we went for a vacation! We had a good time, despite the rain and fog on most days. We did have one fairly nice day, in which we spent some time enjoying the outdoors; we even saw the sun setting on the lake, which was very pretty.

We rode on a big special boat, called a ferry, onto which we actually drove our Jeep! Did you know that you can put your car on a boat?!?! We took a short boat ride over to "Uncle Kelly's Island," where we rode around enjoying the views and took in the famous glacial grooves. Daddy and I skipped some rocks and looked for ducks and fish.

We also spent some time at a magical, watery place called Kalahari, an indoor water-park. It has lots of pools and slides and waves and fun! I had a great time splashing and playing in the water; even Daddy and Mama had fun going down water-slides with me and floating on rafts in the water. There was water everywhere!! Here is a video of me and Daddy going down slides in the little kids' area.

All in all, we had a very enjoyable time on our vacation...although, hopefully, next time we decide to vacation in a warmer climate or at least during a warmer season, so that we can fully enjoy being on the water!

Chicken Farmers/Cousins

2011-03-31T20:45:00.005-04:00

I know it has been awhile since I blogged...I must let you know that it is Mama's fault because she hasn't been taking enough pictures of me! She is busy and tired while my new baby brother is growing inside her belly. I have done some fun things these last several weeks despite my lack of recent blog updates. I have had quite a few opportunities to hang out with my boy cousins (and Baby Lydia)--one of the most notable of such opportunities involved going with Grammie to get some new baby chickens.

We brought home over 100 baby chicks that Grammie is taking care of at her house. 20 of them belong to my Daddy, Mama and me-->they say we are going to eat them, but right now we are just going to play with them and admire them while they get big!

I like chickens...they are cute and fuzzy...but they also are very tasty!! I also like my cousins, especially Jackson, who sometimes drives me crazy. He is pretty cute and somewhat fuzzy...but I don't think he is as tasty! Well, I hear Mama coming, so I better log off since she thinks I am sleeping. Coming soon will be some photos from our little vacation next week. Stay tuned!

These Winter Days...

2011-02-06T15:46:00.005-05:00

Well, the weather is cold and snowy most of the time, but I still manage to have a good time despite my parent's cabin fever. It is a lot easier when there are fun things to do, like play with my dog-cousin Bayley, and Aunt Abbey, of course....or when Mama and Daddy decide not to be completely boring and make me some fingerpaints.

It doesn't take much for me to be entertained or entertaining...take, for example, a simple bucket...look how fun that can be!

I also have been trying to help with the cooking when I can find time in my busy schedule; everyone likes a little bit of spit in their food, wouldn't you agree?

Well, I too must admit that I am looking forward to spring time and warmer temperatures, but until then I will keep up my crazy antics to try to keep Daddy's seasonal affective disorder under control! In other news, Happy Birthday to my Aunt Sara today! Hope you have a wonderful day!

Reading, Reading, and More Reading

2011-02-05T19:33:00.006-05:00

We have had quite a few visitors at our house lately; these visitors are mostly extended family members who come to visit me, their favorite person!! Whenever I can, I talk them into reading me a book. Above you see me with my Uncle Russ, who just got back from a long absence to someplace called Iraq; he is a pretty good reader...and I, of course, requested my favorite book, "A Crack in the Track." Or as I fondly refer to it as, "Crack Track!"

I also had the pleasure of my Aunt Sara and Uncle Geoff coming to visit along with their crazy kids, my cousins Braeden, Ethan, Jackson and Lydia, who happened to visit on the same weekend that my Aunt Abbey was visiting. Braeden, though he is only six and in the 1st grade, is an excellent reader. He even reads chapter books!! Here he is reading me the "Berenstein Bears Forget their Manners;" though I can assure you that neither he nor I ever forget our own manners!

What can I say? I love books...and I can't wait until I can read on my own! Until then, I will rely on my various extending family members and friends, and, of course, Daddy and Mama, to continue reading me these stories. Even Daddy enjoys being read to once in awhile, as in the picture above, where Grandpa Nick was also sweet-talked into reading "Crack Track" for us...Daddy went Night Night even better than me after that story!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-01-06T20:21:00.006-05:00

Today we celebrate the second anniversary of my arrival into the world as we know it! That's right, people, I am two years-old! We had a small celebration at my house tonight, with a gift to open and an ice cream sundae with candles to blow out. It was just Daddy, Mama and me, along with Grandpa and Nana "skyping" in on Daddy's computer and Grammie and Papa "skyping" in on Mama's computer.

No cake at our house tonight, although my parents say there will be one this weekend...we'll see. But that is okay; like most other people in my family (especially Grandpa), I am an ice cream fan. And it wasn't just any ice cream--it was Moose Tracks with M&Ms and mixed nuts topped with whipped cream and two candles!! It was delicious, and I ate every bite.

Above here you can see our guests celebrating with us as I smear some ice cream on Daddy's face. I had a happy birthday; I hope your day was as nice as mine. Looking forward to the next year!

Christmas Number Two-Part 2

2010-12-31T21:19:00.004-05:00

The celebrations have continued...everyday seems to be a new day full of food, fun, and noisy clamor!! When all my first cousins and I get together, as you can see above, you should be aware that the noise level increases exponentially! This year, we all got matching jammies, which made for required photo ops. I think they took our picture about a bizillion times to try to get one where we all looked presentable, but one thing is for certain...we are a good-looking bunch of kids!!

There were too many pictures to choose from to place on my blog, but I did want to highlight another of my favorite gifts this year. This year, my Grammie Laurie made me another of my orange and pink blankies....since Daddy lost one a few months ago...but as the icing on the cake of comfort objects, she also made me an awesome pillow/pillowcase out of the same material as my blankie! I am in heaven when I lay my head down on the soft fabric and drift off to sleep. Thank you Grammie, and to everyone else, for all the wonderful gifts I have received this Christmas!

All in all, it has been a wonderful couple weeks of Christmas celebration; and once more, I, along with my musically-inclined cousins, would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2010 was an exciting and prosperous year for my family; I pray that it was for you and yours as well, but most of all I hope that your upcoming New Year is full of joy, peace, and love! See you next year!

Christmas Number Two-Part 1

2010-12-28T15:00:00.008-05:00

Well, I don't know about you, but I am having a fabulous Christmas season!! I have already had fun opening gifts with Mama and Daddy as well as at Nana and Grandpa's house! I hear a rumor that there will be another party later this week with all my aunts and uncles and cousins at Grammie and Papa's house! I am looking forward to it. I wanted to post some of the pictures from my recent celebrations, although more will be coming!! Above you can see Mama and I in our new matching aprons from Daddy for Christmas!! Aren't we lovely?
Here I am with Grammie and Papa on Christmas Eve at Nana and Grandpa's party opening my awesome cozy Christmas jammies!! All my cousins have the same pair, so we will be taking pictures for your viewing enjoyment later this week!!
Even after the big party, we had tons of food and fun with Nana and Grandpa and Uncle "Rock." We were missing Uncle Russ, but I got to talk to him on Skype, and he will be home in a few weeks from Iraq!!
Above, I am opening my stocking at Nana and Grandpa's...Big Bird was in my stocking along with crayons, barrettes, a nifty magnifying glass and more!! But below, you will see my most exciting gift...I received a shiny new red tricycle with lots of bells and whistles!! As you can see in the video, it made me a little nervous at the beginning.

I got over my fear soon enough, and then look out!! I was careening all over the house...my legs aren't quite long enough yet to pedal, but just give me a few more months, and I will be unstoppable!

More pictures/parties coming soon! Merry Christmas to All!

O' Christmas Tree...Hunting

2010-12-05T22:21:00.010-05:00

This weekend was very eventful...Nana and Grandpa came to visit; we got some snow, which is still falling; and my parents went completely crazy, bringing home a real live tree to put in our living room!! On Saturday, we all got bundled up and walked through a bunch of pine trees...until we found one that Mama and Daddy both liked. You can see it above with me checking it out.

Daddy used a sharp tool to cut the tree down, as you can see below; I supervised the whole process, and he didn't lose any fingers or toes. We took the tree back to the Jeep, where the people who grew the tree shook it up to get all the debris out and put a big net around the whole thing! Then we put it on top of the car to take it back to our house!!

Here is our tree, ready to go back home to our house. It is very nice. This tree is now standing in our living room, smelling wonderful and twinkling brightly, although we haven't finished decorating it yet, so I will post some more pictures later. I hope you are having an exciting Christmas season at your house too!!

Not everyone can pull this off...

2010-11-21T12:38:00.003-05:00

I am a beautiful ballerina, full of power and grace and talent. I flounce and flutter about our house in my new tutu, provided by Nana and Grandpa, the epitome of poise until my feet slip. My dancing is a an amazing sight to behold. I am so versatile in my artistic craftings...one moment I am re-creating Swan Lake, and the next I am providing my mother with fashion forward updates to her look...here we are below after one of my style sessions. I am offering consultation services on dance and fashion for a nominal fee. Please contact my assistant, Mama, if you are interested in my services.

Autumn Fun!

2010-10-16T14:22:00.004-04:00

We went on a bike ride last weekend, and stopped at a nifty pumpkin patch/farmer's market...you should have seen all those pumpkins!! As far as the eye could see stretched piles and piles of orange spheres of autumn glory! It was a beautiful and warm day, so lots of other people were out enjoying it also.

Below you will see the biggest pumpkin that we saw that day! It was bigger than me, and I am a big girl. It was very nice to hug, as you can see in the picture. Daddy says that we are going to carve our very own pumpkins soon, but until then, I will enjoy just carrying my little pumpkin around and telling everyone that it is "Ellie's pum-pin."

Flying with Papa and Daddy!

2010-10-09T20:56:00.006-04:00

Last week I went on my first airplane ride! Mama, Daddy and I spent several days in Denver, CO, which was quite an adventure. It was pretty nifty to ride in an airplane high above the ground, but on that big jet it was hard to see any scenery since we were up sooooo high. Today, though, was a different story. Papa and Daddy took me on a plane ride in a much smaller plane, and I had an excellent view to check out the changing fall scenery! Thought I would share some of my pictures with you.

Thanks, Papa and Daddy, for flying me around! Love, Ellie V

Waning Days of Summer

2010-09-22T10:45:00.000-04:00

The summer is waning, and the days are sometimes cooler. Leaves are changing; and the colors of fall are making their debut. I have been trying to make the best of the last days of summer, before the cold weather takes over and playing outside gets more difficult. Over the last few weeks, I have had ample opportunity to enjoy friends, old and new, doing many different activities. Above I am pictured with mom and some other old ladies with whom she went to high school; I got to play with these ladies' kids after the Labor Day Parade in Grammie and Papa's town.

My cousin Braeden has started back at school now, but my other boy-cousins, Ethan and Jackson, came to visit me a short-while ago before their new sister was born. Here we were making beautiful music together on my piano.

I have also spent some time playing outdoors with my friend, Claire, who is my neighbor. We had dinner in her backyard last month...what a great time we had!!

Another recent event in my life was the amazing air show, starring lots of airplanes and helicopters, including the kind my Daddy flies!! Nana and Grandpa came to hang out with me at the show, and Papa brought Braeden and Ethan to the airshow also; we all ate ice cream and watched those noisy planes fly around!! Mama brought these huge ear muffs for my head, which were not very comfortable but did drown out some of the noise of those fighter jets! I tried to make her go crazy by continuously taking these off when she wasn't paying attention...I think it worked!!

We all had a great time at the air show, and it proved to be one of the highlights of my summer.

But, now summer is coming to a close...and I hope you have also been taking advantage of these nicer days! Soon it will be snowing...which gets Mama and me in the mood for Christmas!! Bring on the autumn season; I am ready.

Introducing, Lydia, My New Girl-Cousin

2010-09-21T21:00:00.006-04:00

I would like to announce to everyone that I am no longer the baby in the family!! My newest girl-cousin was delivered last week to my Aunt Sara and Uncle Geoff, which officially makes me a "big kid" in the family. I am not sure exactly where Baby Lydia came from, but my Aunt Sara is a lot skinnier this week than last week! As you can see from my picture and video, I am big enough to hold her, though Mama was hovering close by. Baby Lydia is very small and very cute, and I like to kiss her little head, full of dark black hair! She is kind of funny with all that hair...it looks like a wig! My boy-cousins like having a sister so far...and it is nice to have another girl around, since my other girl-cousins live very far away! Happy Birthday, Lydia, and welcome to the family!

First Carousel Ride and Other Happenings in my Life

2010-08-22T09:25:00.006-04:00

Hello, Everyone...it has been busy at our house the last couple of weeks. I have gotten to spend some good quality time with my cousins, as you saw in my last post, and our regular routine has been disrupted by Mama's recent work schedule, so I haven't had time to blog in a while. I did want to update you with a few choice photos from our activities of late! Yesterday, Mama, Daddy and I went to the zoo to see their new carousel. This was my first ride on a carousel, and at first I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it. However, my giraffe was pretty cool as you can see above. Daddy, below, was going to ride a giraffe too, but then we figured out my giraffe wasn't the kind to go up and down, so he let me have his, and he rode a turtle! It was a pretty neat ride!

My extended family has had more opportunities to spend time together during all this craziness. Here I am with my Great Grandma Beatrice. Great Grammie is pretty cool...she has awesome white hair and reads books to me! I try to keep her entertained, but I move so fast, that I think I make her dizzy!!

Also, during the last few weeks, I have been eating all kinds of delicious things, chief among them being corn on the cob, although pictured here is me taking over Mama's breakfast yogurt after she worked all night! The fact that my hair now fits in a real ponytail makes it very convenient to eat all sorts of messy things!!

Today, Daddy and I are going to visit Grandpa Nick and Nana Mary, which is sure to be fun! This is them at our house last week. I am headed off to church now, then to Nana and Grandpa's house. Hope you have a wonderful day!

Cousins, Cousins, and More Cousins!

2010-07-31T21:30:00.004-04:00

I had fun with all my cousins today, since Kyleigh and Macy are in town for a visit! I get to see my boy cousins, Braeden, Ethan, and Jackson, fairly frequently because they only live an hour away, but my girl cousins, live 13 hours away!! I am so glad that they are here now. Daddy, Mama and I had a fun day playing with them! Above, you can see our "total cousin" picture, although it will soon be out of date, since Aunt Sara is growing a new girl cousin for me now. We all had a noisy, fun, splashing-good time today! Can't wait to play with them again soon!

Daddy is Back!!

2010-07-26T21:14:00.004-04:00

My Daddy has been MIA from our house for the last couple weeks...apparently, he was off working for my Uncle Sam; though, I didn't even know that I had an Uncle Sam!! He had his annual training. Mama and I missed him a super-duper bunch, and we are so glad that he came home again. We have been doing some exciting activities together, so I thought that I would include some pictures! First, we are shown blowing bubbles...I must say my Dad is a pretty talented bubble blower; I think it is because he is full of hot air! I mostly like to dip the wand into the bubbles and then drip the soap all over Daddy's arm!

We also spent some time, this weekend, at an arts & crafts show; the doo-dads were alright, but I definitely found my new favorite thing--Lemonade!! It is delicious, and I drank enough for a small army. Mama and Daddy also introduced me to something wonderful called a "funnel cake." What a delightfully messy and sticky combination!

Daddy and I entertained Mama while she cooked us dinner after Daddy got home...here we are in our silly hats...although, mine just looks cool while Daddy's looks silly! He is a strange bird, my Daddy!

All in all, I am glad the old man is home; he is definitely more entertaining than Mama, though she and I survived alright while he was gone.

Just a Pawn in my Parents' Master Plan...

2010-07-11T19:10:00.014-04:00

Have you ever had the feeling that there are future unknown events for which you are being surreptitiously groomed? I must admit that I have been feeling a little paranoid from some conversations that I have overheard between Mama and Daddy...conversations regarding future expectations and plans that they have for me. I haven't completely figured out what is going on, but I have a sneaking suspicion that my parents had me just so that they wouldn't have to do dishes later in life... It is like being a pawn in some chess game that you can't control; but they had better watch out because I have been studying and practicing my game when they aren't looking!

In other, more pleasant, news, Mama had the weekend off, so we had some fun activities, including a trip to the Stan Hywet (to play chess!) and a lake outing! I went on my first boating trip this afternoon, with my potential future husband, Zachary, aka "Butters." Mama and I soaked up some rays with Ms. Leslie and Mr. Marc, and we did a little swimming. Zac shared his toys with me and I only threw one overboard one time...luckily, Ms. Leslie is pretty good with the net!

We had an excellent time; I think I will join Mama now in trying to convince Daddy to get us a boat!

Happy Independence Day!

2010-07-04T21:23:00.008-04:00

Today was the birthday of our nation! To celebrate, I joined the local neighborhood kids for a parade on our street! We had a ton of fun! Nana and Grandpa came down for the event, and they helped me decorate my wagon for the parade. Everywhere you looked, there were flags flying and streamers and banners. All the kids had fancy decorations on their bikes and/or wagons. My boy-neighbors even won a prize for their decorations! There was a fire truck at our parade too, which had a loud horn; overall, I think everyone who attended agrees it was THE social event of the season!!

It was very nice for all the neighbors to get together to celebrate our independence, but it does make one stop and meditate on the blessings that we enjoy as citizens of the USA. I am thankful for soldiers like my Uncle Kelly and Daddy who help take care of us and keep us safe.

Come home soon, Uncle Kelly, and come and visit me; I will be sure to make you something good to eat in my kitchen!!

Happy Fourth of July!

Dinner, anyone?

2010-06-30T22:36:00.004-04:00

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IMAGES ARE SURE TO MAKE YOU HUNGRY!

As promised, I have posted pictures of my new-to-me kitchen, kindly handed down from a neighboring family, and as you can see from my pictures, I have been cooking up a storm ever since!

While I use my kitchen, I especially like to dump out all my cooking utensils and food items onto the floor and spread them around the house to surprise Mama and Daddy with unusual items in unusual places! For example, finding a stray pickle in the bath tub or a can of peas under the couch can brighten anyone's day; don't you agree?

If you are feeling hungry, please come visit, and I will cook for you a magnificent feast!

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T09:46:00.004-04:00

Dear, Daddy:

You make the best breakfasts, and you play the best games!

You give me fun baths and make up silly names!

I wanted to tell you that you're really great!

I love you so much; we should go on a Dad-Daughter date!

Happy Father's Day!

Love,

EllieV

Summer Fun

2010-06-19T21:07:00.006-04:00

Summer is in full swing...and I have been very busy! I attended a recent concert in the park near our house; the music was pretty good, and I enjoyed it as I played on the playground with lots of other kids. I like to keep Daddy and Mama on their toes as I run from the slides to the swings and back again!!

Today, I had fun playing outside with the neighbors! They have a really great treehouse with a sandbox and slide and swings in their backyard. There is a little girl at their house who is just about my size and age, so we have been having some good times together. Her big brother is really cool too...he can do some amazing things, and I find him very entertaining!

Mama and Daddy also took me on a bike ride this afternoon; we went visiting at some friends' houses who live nearby. I found out that I am going to inherit a play kitchen, which I am super excited about! It's hard to find time with my packed schedule, but I will try to keep you updated with my additional summer activities as they occur...until then, I hope you are having a good summer too!

My New Ride

2010-05-20T21:17:00.006-04:00

Today, when I got home from school, there was a big brown truck pulling away from our house, and on my front porch was a gigantic red box. It was pretty neat, but I wasn't that interested in it at first; in this photo Mama had to distract me with her pager to get me to sit still for a second...

But, soon, I was a little more interested when mom pulled out the contents of the big red box...a big plastic rectangle in a similar shade of red; four neat little black wheels; shiny blue seats; and lots of other pieces and parts to hook them all together.

Here's me checking it out while mama is assembling...The final result was a sweet new ride...check me out in my new "ultimate comfort wagon;" according to the reviews, it is "the Rolls Royce of wagons." I must say it is pretty nifty; if you pay me a dollar, I will let you ride in it sometime.

Riding in style

Hanging with my Family

2010-05-09T13:25:00.005-04:00

Mom had some days off this week, so we took advantage of the free time to spend with our extended family. We went to Ethan's 4th birthday party, and to a picnic party with my Great Grandparents who have been gone all winter; we took a trip to a big zoo with Aunt Sara and my boy-cousins, spent an afternoon at Nana and Grandpa's, and hung out as a family. It would have been a pretty grand time, if only I wasn't getting my molars in this week! You should check out my mouth...it is sore, but I have more teeth than a shark now! You better watch out...don't even think of putting your fingers near my mouth if you want to keep them!!

Here is Daddy, Aunt Abbey and me at the ice cream place...yum! Aunt Abbey and my dog-cousin, Bailey, spent the night at our house this week. She is pretty cool, and I like her doggie!

Here I am with my boy-cousins at the zoo looking at a koala...boy, was it hot this day, and Mama had to push me up a big hill in the stroller-->she is kind of wimpy! Aunt Sara did a better job pushing two kids up the hill with my baby-girl cousin riding along in her belly! Needless to say, we all liked coming down the hill better than the trip up!

Here are Mama and me at the special gardens near our house...what a beautiful day this was!! Daddy took the day off work, so we all rode our bikes around and enjoyed the sunshine!!

This is me with Daddy yesterday, right before we went to Nana Mary and Grandpa Nick's house for the afternoon. We had a good time, although our original plan of a picnic at the arboretum got rained out, so Grandpa Nick BBQ'd for us at their house instead; we watched the storm from the safety of the indoors.

Mama has to head back to work tomorrow, and she won't have another day off for the rest of the month, so Daddy and I will be fending for ourselves. It will probably be another crazy month, but I will blog when I get the chance. Have a happy month of May, and have a happy Mother's Day today!

Whew...we made it!

2010-04-30T21:40:00.009-04:00

April has been a busy, hectic month at our house...Mama's been working 80 hour weeks, so I have been spending most of my time with Daddy and my various grandparents when I am not at school. However, despite the crazy schedule, I have still managed to do some interesting things, and thought I would give a pictorial synopsis of my month!

Here is me taking a walk in the chilly, spring-ish weather. I hear it is finally going to warm back up this weekend, so I plan to spend some quality time in the great out-of-doors at my cousin Ethan's birthday party!!

I also had some time to do some cooking with Daddy this month...don't I look official in my chef getup!?!?

I got to go to the zoo a couple times with Mama and with my cousins, Miss Tiffany and Mason. We had a good time; hopefully we can hang out again soon!

Here I am with my Uncle Russ, who has been home the last 2 weeks after being in Afghanistan for several months...he will soon be heading to Iraq...he is a pretty good story-reader.

I did some other things too, but these are the major highlights of my month's activities; I would, however, like to make mention of another notable current event- the birth of my newest third cousin. I can't wait to meet Helena, who is three days old! Exciting stuff...but, I am heading for bed now. Good night!

Bring on the month of May!!

Vacation-Part 2 of Fun in the Sun

2010-03-28T17:44:00.006-04:00

Well, we returned home from vacation this afternoon; the week flew by with all the exciting activities!! I have included some more pictures from our time at the beach and from a quick visit to our Nation's capital to see some pretty trees! We got to spend some time with my super-cool cousin Alice, pictured above next to Thomas Jefferson, and with Great Uncle Ron and Great Aunt Sharon, who are super-cool too. It is pretty crazy that Uncle Ron (below) looks so much like Grandpa Nick...I warmed up to him right away!

All in all, it was a very productive and enjoyable trip; the many things I did and saw besides the Cherry Blossoms are:

I spent some time in the great outdoors...on my own personal gnome at the garden place.

I ate some Girl Scout cookies...when my parents weren't trying to eat them all without my knowledge.

I played dress-up with Mama at the ship place and got to pretend I was a sailor, an early settler and a Native American....oh yeah, and a pirate!

And, I got some time to just play...and hang out with my crazy parents.

It was lots of fun, but it is pretty nice to be back in my own bed. Speaking of...I think I am hitting the sack early tonight. I've got lots to dream about...

Vacation-Part 1 of Fun in the Sun

2010-03-26T15:46:00.006-04:00

Daddy, Mama and I have been busy exploring the beach this week; and we have been having a pretty good time on vacation. I have uploaded some of my pictures and a video for your viewing enjoyment. Wish you were here to enjoy the sand and sea with us!

The weather has been pretty good for the most part; and it finally feels like spring! A couple of days, it has been windy or rainy; but all in all, we have made the most of the sunshine with bike rides, visits to local attractions, and simple basking in the UV rays!

We have seen and done a lot, but the most fun we have had is on the beach. It isn't nearly warm enough for swimming in the icy ocean, but we have had a blast playing in the biggest sandbox I have ever seen!

The Long Journey

2010-03-22T22:13:00.003-04:00

Someone needs to check up on my parents...I think they might be terrorists or something. What, you ask, makes me think such a thing? I have learned that they are capable of cruel and unusual torture techniques like strapping someone in a chair and holding them there for hours at a time. They have also been seen giving their victim the same toys to play with over and over again despite cries of protest and horror. Worse yet, it is a confirmed fact that they will eat Girl Scouts cookies in the front seat thinking that their victim can't see them doing so in the back. They sit in comfort with plenty of room for their legs while their victim must travel amidst the baggage, piled high and obstructing any possible views! I could go on and on about sleep deprivation and temperature control and music choices, yet, I must rest after my long and arduous journey.

There was one lone light at the end of my tunnel...after such a long time in the car, I finally got my first glimpse of the ocean.

Happy 55th Birthday, Grammie!

It has been confirmed...I am a Princess

2010-03-17T21:25:00.006-04:00

My suspicions have been confirmed...I am a princess. I have always had the sneaking suspicion that I was meant for greatness, and today, my Mama finally told me that I truly am a princess and not just an ordinary girl. Apparently, she has been hiding my real clothes from me until she knew that I could handle the truth. Today, she brought out my official royal garb, which I must wear when I greet my subjects. It is all very exciting, and I skipped around the house with glee at how beautiful I look in my dress.

What an exciting day! I know some of you must be worried that this might go to my head, but I assure you that I will be ever cognizant of the fact that power comes with great responsibility. I will always keep the best interests of my subjects in mind...unless I don't get good naps.

Here I am waiting for the king, Daddy, to come home...

My 1st Carwash

2010-03-15T16:34:00.006-04:00

Prepare to be shocked and appalled...can you believe that I am almost 15 months old, and I have only been through a car wash once in my whole life?!?! That is right, my parents drive a VERY, VERY DIRTY car! Check out this "before" picture below, with Daddy looking very sad about how dirty our Jeep has been; you can't even tell what color it is! With the nicer weather that hit us recently, my parents finally got their act together and headed for the local car wash.

We had to wait a little while because everyone else in town also decided to clean their cars, and then the machine had to be repaired right before it was our turn... No matter to us, though; we didn't have much else to do but to be out enjoying the weather, and we scored a bonus coupon for having to wait! Here is the "after" picture, with Daddy holding our coupon for a free wash next time! I am no longer ashamed to be riding around in our vehicle. I am sure glad that they wash themselves more often than they wash the car!

I want to ride my bicycle...I want to ride my bike!

2010-03-12T21:04:00.003-05:00

Today, I rode around in style on my new bike seat; my chauffeur, also known as Daddy, drove me to and fro sitting like a princess on my throne on the front of his bicycle while I waved and smiled to my fans. It was nice to be out in the cool early spring breeze after being cooped up in the house for so long! I am especially looking forward to next week, when my parents are taking me on vacation to the beach. I hope you are enjoying the warmer weather as much as me! Get outside, and shake the winter off!

Amusement

2010-03-08T17:36:00.004-05:00

Daddy was half-way fun today. While Mama was at work, he and I went grocery shopping, stopped at Home Depot, and got the Jeep's oil changed. We dropped off the car and then walked in the sunshine home! We had a good time out and about. Later on today, he was my own personal amusement park...as you can see in the video above. He is pretty silly sometimes...

Crazy Boy Cousins

2010-02-24T19:21:00.003-05:00

My Aunt Sara and Uncle Geoff have 3 kids...all boys...and soon they will have a 4th kid...probably another boy since my Aunt Sara doesn't seem to know how to make baby girls. Let me tell you those boys are NOISY and FUN! Over the weekend, my crazy boy cousins came over to my house to hang out with me and Mama while Aunt Sara and Uncle Geoff went car-shopping. We had a ton of fun, and made a huge mess. I think that we got out every toy that I own and played with them in every room in the house! Here is a picture of the four of us, having a good time on Saturday. We played and ate lunch together, then Braeden and Ethan watched Veggie Tales and played Wii sports while Jackson and I took naps. We had some more time to play after that before Aunt Sara and Uncle Geoff came to take them home in their new minivan.

What fun we had...if only my girl cousins would have been here, then we really could have made Mama lose her mind! I am looking forward to this coming weekend, when I go to hang out with my boy cousins at their house; Aunt Sara says they are looking forward to having a "sister" for the weekend...maybe, just maybe, I am preparing them for what is to come! Nah!

Just Another Day

2010-02-07T19:23:00.004-05:00

So my birthday has come and gone; winter is still here and with it lots of white stuff...things have just been rolling along like normal at my house without any amazing events taking place. Mama and Daddy go to work most days, and I spend my time with Grandpa Nick, Nana Mary, and various other caregivers...I eat, and play, and eat, and sleep, and play, and eat. Then, after dinner, I plunge into the depths of the bath tub with my toys and splash like there is no tomorrow! I enjoy my nightly routine of bath time, followed by reading with Daddy, followed by nursing and rocking with Mama before I drift off to sleep.

Here I am during bath time tonight. I like to be clean and smell good; it is second only to being covered with odoriferous food in my opinion. Then, after bathing, I am slathered in lotion and put into my jammies! Don't you wish you had a pair of footie pajamas to sleep in on these cold winter nights?

Here are Daddy and I reading my bedtime story...actually, I tricked him into about 4 different stories, but don't let him know that it wasn't his idea!

Yawn....well, I am going to catch some ZZZZ's now. See you in the morning. Good night.

Falling in a Forward Direction...with Style.

2010-01-13T20:12:00.003-05:00

As some of you may have heard or seen via Skype yesterday, I am now moving in a bipedal fashion on my own! Granted, I am still a little unsteady at times, but I thought that you all would like to see my amazing, and ever improving, new skills in action.

Playing in the Snow

2010-01-09T14:21:00.009-05:00

It is a winter wonderland outside after all the recent snow, and, this weekend, I had the opportunity to get out and enjoy the white stuff. Although the picture below makes it look like my parents just left me in the snow to freeze to death, I assure you that I am alive and well after my time out in the cold. Daddy, Mama, and I bundled up on Saturday for some serious snow-play.

While I didn't have the chance to construct a snowman yet, I did have the opportunity to make my first snow angel, which you can check out below. Also, Daddy pulled Mama and me around the yard in the sled, which was cool until we fell out when he tried to take a corner too fast. Luckily for me, I was wearing lots of padding...check out this crazy big, white snowsuit that I inherited from my girl cousins...it is a wonder my parents could even see me out there!

I hate to admit that I could have possibly had an enjoyable weekend with my parents, but, in truth, we did have a decent time. I hope your weekend was fun as well.

Stay warm...

Birthday Party!

2010-01-02T16:58:00.007-05:00

Today, I had my 1st birthday party with nearly all of my family here for the event! My Nana Mary and Grandpa Nick came to the party, as well as my Grammie Laurie and Papa Mike; Aunt Amy, Girl-Cousin Kyleigh and Girl-Cousin Macy; Aunt Sara and my silly Boy-Cousins, Braeden, Ethan and Jackson; Aunt Abbey and Mr. Marc; and, of course, my crazy parents were here.

We ate a boat-load of lasagna, salad, and homemade breadsticks for lunch...I ate in my throne, decorated by Kyleigh and Macy.

Next on our itinerary, the opening of my presents...always a treat...and after all the holidays lately, I have gotten pretty efficient at this task!

After the gifts were duly appreciated, we moved on the performance part of the event; everyone sang really loud and crazy, which was entertaining...but then the party went downhill fast. I was trying to let my parents know that I was ready for some quiet time, but instead, they tried to stuff a huge pastry in my face! I was not happy that they got all up in my grill, so I refused to eat my cake until after I was able to retire to my room for a short nap. Anyways, I did finally enjoy the cupcake, but to throw off my parents, I ate it very daintily and prettily after half the guests had already left!! I showed them who is boss! Anyways, thank you to those who got me presents and/or came to my birthday party, I appreciate you and hope you enjoyed the party.

So, just in case you were wondering, I will officially be one year old on Wednesday, the 6th of January...

More Merry Christmas!

2009-12-27T11:44:00.005-05:00

We are having another Christmas celebration today...this one is even more noisy, if you can believe it! All my cousins are here, and we are running around, screaming and hollering, playing with new toys, and eating lots of food. I got a new swing, some cozy pajamas, lots of new books, and my first baby doll. I am having a ton of fun...

Here I am with all my noisy cousins, posing on the balcony and on the stairs...there is Braeden (5), Kyleigh (4), Ethan (3), Macy (2), Jackson (1) and me (almost 1!)...

Hope you have been having a Merry Christmas of your own. Here is wishing you and your family a Happy New Year, too!

Merry Christmas Eve!

2009-12-24T20:38:00.003-05:00

Today I got to celebrate Jesus' birthday with Daddy's side of the family! Mama made something delicious called Christmas Ham Loaf, and I did my best to ensure that there wouldn't be any left-overs...although Uncle "Rock" Dave did a better job than me. Uncle Russ wasn't here today because he is somewhere called "Afghanistan" like my Uncle Kelly, but Daddy, Nana, and Grandpa got to talk with him on the computer while Mama and I were taking a nap. Tomorrow, Daddy and I are going to hang out here at Grandpa and Nana's house while Mama is at work, then we will be going to Grammie and Papa's house for another Christmas celebration on Sunday! I hear there will be more Ham Loaf there...What an exciting time of year! I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and I promise to blog again before the New Year!

Sick of Being Sick

2009-12-17T18:30:00.002-05:00

This photo sums up my week. Yes, it is true, I haven't been feeling so hot. I, once again, am oozing snot and running a temperature. Luckily for me, Mama has been off work the last couple days, so I have been able to take extra naps in my own bed and snuggle whenever I feel like it. She isn't so bad when I am not feeling good, but she is still crazy. Daddy is also home from work for a few days this week, so we have been hanging out more. I have to admit that he can be pretty fun too, but don't tell him I said so. Well, anyways, hopefully I am feeling better in time for Christmas next week!

Walking Practice and Christmas Tree Hunting

2009-12-05T10:06:00.003-05:00

As you can see from the video above, I am pulling new and amazing tricks out of my back pocket everyday...man, my parents lead such an exciting life getting to live with me! This morning, I finally decided to let my parents see what I have been secretly working on--my walking skills! I am planning to run in the city marathon next year, but my walking contraption will likely need a tune-up and some street-worthy wheels prior to the race!

In other news, we are going to pick out a Christmas tree today...I chose not to arrive last year to see Mom and Dad's tree before they took it down, but this year I have bigs things planned for our decorations! (cue: mischevious laugh) ;) Hope you are enjoying the holiday season!! Bring on the snow!

Preparing for the Christmas Season!

2009-11-29T08:47:00.004-05:00

Well, the turkey leftovers are pretty much gone; the weather is getting colder; and the Santa hats are coming out at Aunt Sara and Uncle Geoff's house. Bright, shiny packages are already turning up under my Grammie Laurie's lighted tree; and my cousins seem to be very excited about something...Mama and Daddy say that Christmas is coming! All I know is that I really want to touch all those pretty lights on that tree! Soon my girl cousins will head north from Georgia and we will party!! Bring on the holiday season...I am ready!

Thanksgiving fun...

2009-11-28T08:46:00.007-05:00

Here are some pictures from my first Thanksgiving...below is me and Dad getting ready to head to Thanksgiving dinner at my Great Aunt Ann and Great Uncle Dan's house. Above, is me and Mama at their house in their train room. It was really cool...there were tons of trains that had cool lights and steam and whistles! The whole room was full of trains!! We ate a whole lot of food and visited with my millions of cousins that I didn't know I had. I am very thankful that I have such good family and friends!

Too big for my britches...and my carseat

2009-11-22T20:30:00.004-05:00

I went for a ride tonight in my new carseat...I got to face toward the front, which definitely changes my perspective on traveling in more than one way! I know I am a little under the age recommendations for turning the seat around, but because I am a giant girl, I am too big for my infant carrier now! I am even so big, that Mama and Daddy had to move the harness up 2 places for me to fit in the new one...I am probably going to be a sumo wrestler when I grow up! I will be one year old soon anyways... Thanks to Great Uncle Ron and Great Aunt Sharon for providing me with a comfortable and safe ride!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T16:12:00.004-04:00

While my parents are not taking me out to gather candy, apparently the kids will come to us tonight for trick-or-treating! I am looking forward to seeing all the costumes...I bet my bee outfit will knock 'em dead. Here I am, all festive for this strange tradition. Hope you have a good and safe evening. Fall is winding down, and the weather is getting colder... soon it will be snowing! I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas!

A Family-Filled Weekend

2009-10-25T19:05:00.005-04:00

What a weekend! I had lots and lots of visitors this weekend at my house! It started out with an impromptu visit by my Aunt Abbey and her friend, Mr. Marc. They came to our house on Friday night and stayed until Saturday afternoon! The video above is from breakfast...my Aunt Abbey sure is silly! While they were here, my Aunt Sara and my boy cousins, Braeden, Ethan and Jackson, came for lunch. Not to be left out, Grammie Laurie and Papa Mike came along for all the fun too!!! We had a full house with two tables set up for a lunch of chili and salad and Aunt Sara's homemade bread. I got to eat at the kids' table with my boy cousins, and I ate lunch all by myself without any help! Unfortunately, my Uncle Geoff, my Aunt Amy, my Uncle Kelly, and my girl cousins, Kyleigh and Macy, couldn't be there; I sure miss them!

So, after lunch, all the noisy people left, and I was getting ready for a nice post-prandial nap when my Nana Mary and Grandpa Nick showed up!! What a fabulous surprise!! They had come to pick up my Uncle Russ' gear for his new job...those silly people he works for shipped his supplies to his old house even though he moved away for his training! So, Dad rescued the stuff from the rain, and I got to try his bag on for size before Nana and Grandpa took it home with them!

What a fun day! I thought all the visiting was over, but today, we had another great surprise when my Great Uncle Steve and Miss Carolyn stopped by to say hi on their way to hike in the National Park. They didn't stay for long, but it was nice to see them. Well, I am exhausted after a busy weekend of entertaining. Feel free to stop by and visit too!

Could my parents Bee crazy?

2009-10-21T20:19:00.005-04:00

I am sorry, but this picture tells of all my woes. Can you believe my parents put me in this outfit? I was minding my business, all ready for bed the other night when they got a sudden urge to put me in this ridiculous get-up. I wonder if it is too early to sue for emancipation...hmmm...I will have to check with my lawyer.

In case you all were wondering, I have survived my unofficial bout of H1N1. I don't know if Mom brought home this affliction from work or if I can blame it on the sick kid at daycare, however, I do know that I felt pretty miserable for the last week, but today I got some of my spark back! Leave me alone for more than a millisecond, and I will get into whatever you say is off-limits! It is good to be back!

My Bee-hind...oh, brother.

These days...

2009-10-14T19:28:00.005-04:00

Hey, Friends! What has been up with you these days? I have been busy developing skills and doing some hard-core playing. As you will see above, I have gained some new toys. Thanks to Miss Darlene's incredible garage-sale scouting, Mom was able to get me this farm for FREE!! It only took her 2 weeks to get around to cleaning it up so that I could finally play with it. I really like to chew on the animals and bang the pieces on the table!
I also have been doing some reading. Mom took a picture of me here after I had gotten a book off the bookshelf all by myself! No easy task, mind you, but I managed! And, besides these things, I have learned a new trick...I can make my parents look like complete weirdos by waving at them. All it takes is one little wave, and they start grinning like monkeys and flapping their hands up and down. It is hilarious! They are so predictable!

Chinese Take Out

2009-09-29T20:03:00.004-04:00

I had my first taste of fried food tonight in the form of pork-fried rice with veggies. No General Tso's or Egg Rolls yet, but I did get to try out some chop-sticks. The food was pretty tasty, and I found great joy in throwing my rice around! Of course, my mean parents ate all the fortune cookies and didn't share...don't let that one in the picture fool you...it was just a prop, which they stole after taking the photo! Grandpa Nick was here for dinner too. He and I had a lot of fun today; I showed him how all my toys work, and we even surprised Daddy and Mama by finding some new tunes on my noisy toys! Unfortunately, he went home after dinner, and now I am stuck alone with my parents again...hopefully, I survive until Saturday when Nana Mary and Grandpa Nick come hang out with me again! Wish me luck!

Hanging out in my crib...

2009-09-28T20:39:00.005-04:00

I learned how to jump on my bed the other day...I pulled myself up on the rails of my jail cell and then found that I could bounce up and down on my mattress! It is tons of fun...I especially like to do it after Mama and Daddy put me "to sleep" and when I wake up in the morning. I surprised Mama the other night when I was having a hard time going to sleep...she came to check on me and I was peeking out at her over the railing! She thought it was pretty funny. Speaking of sleeping...I think I should go to bed...early to bed, early to rise!! I get to spend tomorrow with Grandpa Nick!! Good night.

My Papa's Heart

2009-09-21T21:13:00.004-04:00

Today, my Papa Mike got his broken heart fixed. I think it broke because he doesn't get to see me enough, and it makes him very sad. However, he is doing good now since I went to see him yesterday and woke up early this morning to see him before he went to the hospital. I showed him all my new tricks like pulling myself up on the furniture and sneezing buckets of snot! He will be in the hospital for a few more days to heal, but soon he will be home and playing with me again!

Get well soon, Papa. I love you!

Getting into trouble...

2009-09-15T21:38:00.003-04:00

I love the mornings!! It is such a wonderful time of day...I wake up well-rested, and I have lots of playing, eating, and discovering on my agenda. The whole day stretches out with a sense of anticipation and wonder! However, someone forgot to tell my Mama this...and Daddy for that matter. You should see how they wonder around like zombies when they wake up. They really spoil the mood of a new day sometimes. Take, for example, this morning at 5:45 AM: I was in an exploratory mood, a common thing since I figured out how to coordinate my arms and legs in a locomotive fashion. I was minding my own business in the living room when I kept hearing this word, "No." I am pretty sure this is not a good word, but I just pretend that I don't know what they are talking about...so far it isn't working out so great for me. I have every intention of staying on task, but they keep waving shiny, noisy things at me and I lose my train of thought. Stinking parents...

Swimming at the Natatorium

2009-09-14T19:19:00.004-04:00

Hey, Everyone. I got to go swimming again, but this time they didn't deprive me of sleep before we went...so I actually had some fun. Daddy, Mama and I checked out the Natatorium that is close by our house. They have a really cool swimming pool with a big slide and a zero-depth area with lots of water-squirty things. I floated on my back really good and splashed!! Here is the before, during, and after pictures for your viewing enjoyment!
I hope that we go again soon; although Mom is never around, so maybe Daddy and I will go without her. Maybe next time, they will let me go down the big slide!

Enjoying the Summer

2009-08-30T18:49:00.004-04:00

Daddy, Mama and I have been getting some walks in on these cool days of summer. Now, this is my first summer, but something tells me that the weather we've been having isn't normal, 'cuz Daddy has been complaining that it isn't warm enough. One of our frequent destinations is the next street over, where Miss Darlene and Mr. Phil live. Xander and Luke live there too, and I really like them! They are handsome; they move fast and they do the most amazing things! They remind me a lot of my boy cousins, Braeden and Ethan, but they live closer, so I get to see them more often. Everyone should have neighbors as cool as them.

Here is me eating some delicious watermelon for the first time at Miss Darlene and Mr Phil's house.

Ride 'Em Froggie!

2009-08-23T14:32:00.003-04:00

Daddy and Mama and I went to the Rainforest yesterday, and I got to ride a gigantic froggie. It was pretty fun, although the weather wasn't very good, so we didn't actually get to see much of the zoo. We did get to see an awesome baby orangutan though, as well as some barracudas, monkeys, anteaters, and huge rhinoceroses!! Mom had the weekend off to hang out with Daddy and me, so we had some fun despite the weather. I sure hope I don't get any warts from playing on that frog! Hope your weekend has been fun, too!

My "Net Thing"

2009-08-19T20:22:00.006-04:00

Hey, Everyone. Check out my new eating apparatus. I am not sure what it is, but Dad calls it a "Net Thing," which works for me. I had some delicious peaches tonight. Mom and Dad had already put me to bed, when they came barging in my room to wake me up and watch me eat some peaches. Aren't they weird? Civilized parents would wait until the next morning, but when Mama and Daddy get an idea in their head....look out! Granted, I hadn't yet really fallen asleep, but the interruption is now making it difficult for me to go back to bed.

The verdict is...my parents are crazy, but I am liking my peaches!!

In other news, I am getting stronger. All those baby push-ups are paying off. While I can't yet crawl around very good, I can slowly creep towards things I want, and I have started pulling myself up with some help. Look at how strong I am standing up against the ottoman. Before long, I will be racing through the house! I can't wait, although something tells me that Mom and Dad can...

Check Me Out!

2009-08-09T15:50:00.005-04:00

I am BIG STUFF! Check out some of my new moves in the video below. I have been constantly amazing my parents with my sitting up skills and now my push-up skills. I can do better push-ups than most body-builders out there!! It is only a matter of time before I am unstoppable! There are some very interesting things that I can't wait to get into...

It has been pretty crazy at our house lately. Dad and I got to go visit Mama at her job yesterday, and then Nana Mary and Grandpa Nick came over for dinner last night because they needed an "Ellie-Fix." We had a good time. This morning, Mom got home from work just in time to go to church with us, and this afternoon, we all plan to hang out and take naps! Hope everyone who is reading has a good weekend too. Until next time...

Daddy's Home!

2009-07-25T20:17:00.005-04:00

My Daddy is home from his annual training...and I am glad. Mama is boring and grouchy from not getting enough sleep. Thank goodness, Nana Mary and Grandpa Nick have been hanging out with me this week, although they are going home tomorrow. This week, we went antique shopping, plant hunting, went visiting Uncle Dave, and much, much more. What an exciting week...the best part was playing hooky from daycare all week! Dad still has to go to work tomorrow, but it is good to have him sleeping at our house again.

By the way, Happy 5th Anniversary to my parents yesterday...and to Great Papa and Great Grandma (56 years)! Happy Birthday to my Papa Mike too. That is a whole lot of holidays in one day!

Learning to sit on my own...

2009-07-19T10:04:00.007-04:00

Check me out!! I am getting bigger, and I am mastering new skills by the minute. Some things, I am still working on, one of which is sitting upright without any help. I have been doing it in my Bumbo seat for a while, but now I am able to stay up without it for short periods of time. Mom likes to put my Boppy around me so that when I crash, I don't whack my head on the floor. As you can see, it doesn't always work perfectly.

Mom and I are missing Daddy...although I see him online and talk to him on the phone. He will be home next weekend, until then Grandpa Nick and Nana Mary are coming to visit tonight and staying at my house this week! Hooray for Grandparents!!

In other news, I got to go to a wedding yesterday, when Miss Amy and Mr. Dan tied the knot. It was fun. My boys cousins were there, so Jackson and I got to hang out while watching Braeden and Ethan be ring-bearers. At the reception, I got to dance with Papa Mike, since Dad wasn't around. I was the most comfortable person at the wedding...I bet everyone else wished that they could wear their pajamas.

Smile for the Camera!

2009-07-14T19:45:00.008-04:00

Today, I went with my Grammie to get my 6-month pictures taken. That is right, in case the momentous occasion passed without your knowledge, I turned 6-months old last Monday. Mom had to work today, and she figured that I wouldn't get my 6-month pictures done until I was 10-months old, if Grammie didn't help. So off we went to preserve my mugshot for posterity. We had a good time, and I like how my pictures turned out...don't you?

There was a cute boy, another 6-month-old, at the picture place...he was blond and had a nice smile. I flirted with him a little bit, and I am pretty sure that he thought I was pretty. He is in the 95th percentile for length, so he was even a little bit taller than me! It is hard to find boys who are taller than you when you are bigger than 90% of them! I like the idea that I could beat them up, though. Sshhhh...don't tell my Daddy that I was flirting with a boy!!

My Daddy in his Soldier Outfit

2009-07-10T07:00:00.001-04:00

Today, Mama and I said goodbye to Daddy for a couple of weeks. He is off to Pennsylvania in his soldier outfit to do whatever it is he does for his annual training. I think he looks cool when he wears his special army clothes, although that doesn't stop me from spitting up on them whenever I get the chance to show him who is boss! He left pretty early this morning, but no matter because I am a morning baby! I think it is funny, because Mama was hoping to go back to sleep for a little while, seeing as how she has the weekend off...but I thought 5:40 AM was a good time to get up and not go back to sleep. (I don't think my Mama was a morning baby like me.) I will miss my Daddy, but at least we got to hang out a little more this week. We had our normal Monday together, but then he also went to work late on Thursday to take me to my 6-month visit with Dr. P, and he picked me up early from school yesterday so we could hang out before he left. I got to go with him to get a haircut, and everyone thought I was pretty cool!

I wanted to apologize for not blogging earlier, but things have been hectic with Mama starting her new job...I have just been too exhausted from school to try to sneak around to use the computer. Blame it on my mean, old parents.

Hope you have a great weekend!

It's the weekend...Hand over the spoon

2009-06-26T20:57:00.005-04:00

Hello, Everyone! I don't know about you, but I am glad it is Friday. I have never before cared whether or not it was Tuesday or Saturday or Friday...but I do NOW!! I am glad that I don't have to go to school tomorrow. Instead, I get to sleep in!! Or at least my parents think I should...we'll see. I AM pretty exhausted, but I like to make them get up early whenever possible; it builds character, as my Papa Mike would say. I am going to do some hard-core playing tomorrow, and hopefully, coerce my Mama and Daddy into taking me outside for a walk or something. Next week will be here before we know it, and it will be back to the grind, so I hope to take advantage of the break!

In other news, tonight, my parents finally handed over the spoon to me. They have been giving me some delicious things to eat besides my milk for several weeks now, but they are always keeping (or trying to keep) my hands out of it. Spoil Sports! Well, I finally got my hands on that spoon, and I did a pretty good job of aiming for my mouth, if I do say so myself. Sweet potatoes are very delicious...if you hadn't had any lately, you should get some.

Have a great weekend!

Long days, little sleep, lots of poop...

2009-06-25T18:50:00.007-04:00

Today was my second day at "school," and it would have been fine if Mama would have remembered to bring my food with her. She left all my bottles in the fridge this morning while we were going out the door, and despite me trying to tell her, she threw me in the Jeep and whisked me off (I think we were running a little late again...go figure!).

So, I played a trick on Mom this morning after she forgot to get my bottles...I pooped out my diaper and all over my clothes and carseat right as we arrived at school. She had to get me new clothes before 7:00 in the morning!! I thought it would be fun to do this on her first day of work, but she handled it okay...even though her car smelled like poopy buttered popcorn for the rest of the day! ;)

It is really hard to sleep at my school because there is so much going on with other kids playing and crawling and even walking in my class. I am in one of the infant rooms, but most of the other kids are bigger; they will soon be leaving to go to the toddler room, and more little kids like me will come. I hung out with Miss Shawna and Miss Maria, my teachers. They are nice, and, of course, they realize that I am an angel baby. They were remarking to Mama how I don't cry much and am so good-natured. I got to go outside and play for a little bit today, which was awesome. I love going outside!

I am headed for bed now, because school is exhausting!

Musings on my Daddy...

2009-06-21T08:37:00.010-04:00

Today is Father's Day, and in honor of this momentous occasion, I have decided to blog about none other than my old man. I thought it would be nice to take the time to reflect on a few of the things my Dad has given me and taught me over my lifetime...

1. my blue eyes

2. my love of eating

3. how to play

4. my ability to poop really good

5. my charm

6. my computer skills

7. and many other things...

I am thankful for my father! Mama and I love you, Daddy. Happy 1st Father's Day!

Love, Ellie V.

Bedtime Story with Daddy

2009-06-16T18:52:00.006-04:00

I know I have been remiss this week by not posting sooner, but Mama and I have been very busy during her vacation. We have been taking walks, visiting with Cousins Brian and Stacey and their funny dogs, shopping at Sam's Club, garage sale-ing, rearranging furniture, and many other things that are super cool and exciting. Dad took several days off last week too so that he could hang out with us before Mama starts her new job, so I have been tied up and not able to get to the computer as much. But, tonight I had a little free time, so I thought I would post this video of my Daddy reading me a bedtime story. They think that I went to bed, but I snuck Mom's laptop into my crib so I could post this before I went to sleep.

I am very much looking forward to hanging out with Dr. Abby on Friday night; she is one of my Mom's friends. She is really exciting, so I am going to hang out with her while Daddy and Mama go on a date! Apparently, she is going to be a 'kid doctor' when she is all done with her training, so I will be in good hands!!

Alright, I am getting sleepy now, so I wish you all a goodnight.

Developing my taste...

2009-06-09T10:06:00.003-04:00

Hey, Everyone...I am starting to recover from a long, busy weekend celebrating Mama's graduation. I passed the milestone of 5-months in the midst of all the fuss, and I thought I would share with you the fact that I now eat rice cereal, avocados, and carrots in addition to my milk. So far, I have only had canned carrots, but my mother promised that she would cook me some fresh ones today. I am glad that they are finally giving me some interesting things to eat...although they are still with-holding a lot from the looks I get at their plates during mealtimes! I really wanted to try some delicious purple stuff called "sangria" that my Great Grammie Ginnie was drinking at the party this weekend, but all Mom would let me sip out of a cup was water. I think I must have the meanest mom in the world!

Doctor Mom

2009-06-07T08:42:00.005-04:00

Well, Mom finally graduated from medical school...it feels like she has been in school for my whole life! Grammie Laurie, Papa Mike, Nana Mary, Grandpa Nick, Aunt Sara, and Cousin Jackson all came down to visit me in Athens for Mom's graduation. We had a good time hanging out at a picnic, going swimming, and, of course, watching my mom at her graduation ceremony. My first time swimming was not as fun as it could be, since my mean parents deprived me of sleep all day!! However, it was a good photo op, according to my parents. I am so glad that they take pictures at my expense! I should be charging them!!

Great Grandma and Me

2009-06-03T20:00:00.003-04:00

As you can see from our picture, Great Grandma Beatrice and I have been hanging out this week at my house. She has been staying the night with us, which has been super fun! She likes to play with me and talk to me, and I love to grab her glasses whenever I get the chance!! She is so neat...she has really cool white hair that I like to stare at; I wonder how she gets it to be that color?? I am a little sad because she is going back home tomorrow, but we have had fun. Hopefully, she will come stay with us again sometime soon.

I Ain't Lyin', I saw a Lion

2009-05-29T16:01:00.007-04:00

Daddy, Mama, and I went to the Zoo this morning because Dad took the day off to hang out with us. We had a lot of fun except for the part where they made me pretend to be a penguin...(rolling eyes). There were so many interesting things to do and see that I didn't yawn once (that is a big accomplishment for me!). We saw lemurs, turtles, frogs, penguins, a jaguar, lions, a bear, and a really neat exhibit of jellyfish! There were a ton of big kids there...probably 15-20 school bus loads of them all over the place; they were yelling and running and playing. It was pretty amazing! Mama says that we might go again next week when my Great Grandma Beatrice comes to visit, AND she said that we might go to another zoo with my Aunt Sara and my cousins...maybe she's not such a boring mother after all!

A Memorable Memorial Day

2009-05-27T11:53:00.005-04:00

After an exhausting time partying at Nana Mary's and Grandpa Nick's house without my parents and going to Miss Anne's wedding, I finished the holiday weekend by going to my first ever parade and my cousin Braeden's 5th birthday party. What a hilarious time! I got to watch an awesome baseball game played by my weird family, and I got to meet my Great Grandma Beatrice...she is so cool! A good time was had by all...don't you wish that you would have been invited? My cousin Braeden had a delicious-looking racetrack cake that I was not allowed to eat, but when no one was looking I had a huge scoop of ice cream and ate a hotdog...don't tell Mama and Daddy!!

Happy Birthday today, Braeden!!

Freedom from Tyranny and Ineptitude!

2009-05-23T16:56:00.005-04:00

I finally got my parents out of my hair (they're always getting in my business). Nana Mary, Grandpa Nick, and I are chilling out in Painesville for my first overnighter sans my tyrannical and inept parents. I sent those two junk monkeys packing to Williamsport, PA for Mr. Leo and Miss Erin's wedding. I knew the break would be nice, but I don't know if I can ever go back after tasting this freedom; and that is not even mentioning how my grandparents spoil me rotten! I guess I will enjoy it while it lasts...catch you later.

Finally...Something Besides Milk!

2009-05-22T20:26:00.004-04:00

As you will see in the video above, I had my first taste of something besides my mama's milk. It was very exciting...although I am not quite sure what I am supposed to do with my tongue yet. I had no idea rice cereal was so delicious; but I do now! If I wasn't so exhausted from the 13 hours in the car today, I would have ate some more. However, I decided I wanted to go to bed instead, but I am told there is more where that came from. Stay tuned for more updates to my diet!

My First Non-Family Babysitter

2009-05-21T20:42:00.004-04:00

Well, Mom left me with a stranger tonight...at least the stranger turned out to be a very nice, responsible high school senior named Lorraine. She was nice. She fed me my bottle and put me to sleep...when I woke up she was gone. To this point in my life, I have only ever been left with family members, but Mom had to go to cousin Kyleigh's preschool graduation concert with Aunt Amy, Papa and Grammie. Macy and I stayed home with Lorraine while they were gone. I did my best to charm her with my smiles...and, of course, I succeeded.

In other news, I am sure you will all be glad to know that I am now the proud owner of a variety of multi-colored bows, an example of which you will see modeled above.

Well, apparently I will have to ride in the car forever again tomorrow, so it is off to bed for me. Until next time...

Scrunchies, and ribbons, and bows...Oh My!

2009-05-19T19:21:00.004-04:00

Check me out! I borrowed my cousin Macy's hairbow today to wear with my new floral dress. I looked beautiful, as you can see in my picture above. You should see all the girly hair-things that my cousins have...they have a whole box full of ribbons, barrettes, and bows!! My mom has got to get me some of these. Maybe if I have pretty bows and ribbons in my hair, no one will realize how crazy it is!! My girl cousins and I have been having fun this week...they are very loud and crazy, so they are fun to watch. They both like to hold me and sing to me and kiss me.

While I am enjoying my trip to Savannah, I am starting to realize that maybe I DO like my daddy more than I thought. I miss him, despite his shenanigans, and I wish that he would have come with us. Don't worry, Daddy, Mama and I will come home soon.

Georgia on my mind

2009-05-18T18:44:00.004-04:00

Well, after a tortuous day in the car, we finally made it to Savannah last night. If I would have known how long I was going to have to sit in my seat I would have made a ruckus when they stuck me in it at 5:00 in the AM yesterday. I drove through Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina before we got to the magical land called Georgia. I was soooooo glad to get out of the car and see my girl cousins Kyleigh and Macy and my Aunt Amy. They were very excited to see me, and they welcomed Mom, Grammie and Papa too since they had brought me. Kyleigh and Macy helped Mom give me a bath before I went to bed...it was the first time I actually took a bath in a big kid's bathtub. So far, it has been colder in Georgia than it was in Ohio, which is not cool...I didn't even get to go outside today since it was raining. Hopefully, we will have nicer weather tomorrow. For now, I am off to bed...goodnight!

Pooping on my Grammie

2009-05-14T20:06:00.009-04:00

Well, it has been another exciting evening at my house. It was bath night, so Mom and Dad gave me a bath, and then once again showed their ineptitude by giving me to my Grammie Laurie before putting a diaper on me. She was admiring my nice, clean smell when I got that feeling...you know, the feeling that you just have got "to go" and have got to go NOW. I didn't want to, but I didn't have a choice. I pooped an explosive poop all over my Grammie Laurie's pants and onto the floor. Mom, Dad and Grammie thought this was funny, but I got mad. It isn't my fault that no one put a diaper on me.

On a brighter note, I have also been rolling over like crazy...after keeping my parents in suspense for several weeks, I showed my skills again, and I have turned over 3 more times this week. I am getting the hang of it...you should see! Well, I am off to bed now...big day tomorrow. Have you heard? My mom has her last day of medical school tomorrow. I have to hang out with her for the next 5 weeks without my Grammie Laurie or Grandpa Nick around to supervise...wish me luck!

Father-Daughter Dance and Mother's Day

2009-05-10T18:43:00.005-04:00

Well, I had my first official father-daughter dance with my Dad yesterday at Miss Becky's wedding. While she was dancing with her father, the DJ invited all dads and their daughters to join them on the dance floor. Dad and I were showing off our moves, although we tried not to upstage the bride with our mad skills. The wedding was good fun, except for the long car ride to Dayton and back, but I am a pretty good sport. Plus, being in the car makes me very sleepy, so I got to get some beauty rest too.

Also, I want to wish my mom a Happy Mother's Day today; you are one lucky Mama to get to be mine!

I am 4-months old today.

2009-05-06T21:18:00.003-04:00

Well, it is official...I have been breathing oxygen for 4-months now. In my long experience, I have decided that I should have stayed in the uterus. I have not been feeling very good today; and it seems like I might have many more days in the future in which life will not be so pretty. I had it really good en utero...I was never hungry; I never had to sit in my poop; I was always cozy and warm; I didn't have to wear clothes; man, the list could go on and on. How could Mom have wondered why I didn't want to come out?!?! If it weren't for the awful pitocin, I could still be living it up in my personal sauna. Well, I will trudge on...wish me luck.

My parents, the unlikely gardeners

2009-05-05T20:04:00.005-04:00

My parents tend to let the flowerbeds around our house grow "naturally"-->in other words, since I have been around, our yard has resembled a jungle. Imagine my amazement and perplexity this week at seeing my parents pulling weeds, mulching, and transplanting like people who actually take care of their gardens. I am wondering if an unidentified flying object somehow swept in and replaced my real parents with scary, productive extraterrestrial versions of them. Oh, well...at least the yard looks nicer now. And, I was able to spend some quality time out-of-doors overseeing the operation from my command central...someone has to make sure they finish the job!

Also, you might be interested to know that my mean mom took me to the doctor today and let them stick long, painful needles in my thighs. She says it is for my own good, and she called it a 4-month well-baby check; I was well before I went there, but I am not feeling so hot now. However, don't you worry...I will repay her someday when I put her in a dark, dank nursing home. The doctor says I weigh just over 14 lbs now...how do you like that?!?

Four Generations

2009-05-03T15:38:00.005-04:00

Today, Mom and I were invited by Grammie Laurie to a mother-daughter luncheon with Great Grammie Ginnie, Aunt Sara (and Jackson) and Aunt Abbey. We had fun, although, it is really hard to sleep when there are so many ladies talking loudly! Jackson got to go even though he is a boy; so we got to play. He likes my toys; and our moms say that we share well together. It was pretty neat to have four generations from our family hanging out at the same time. We got our picture taken together to preserve the moment for posterity's sake.

Party Day

2009-05-02T21:28:00.007-04:00

Today I was very busy partying. I went to a reunion party for my mom's childbirth class. There were some other babies at that party; we had fun laying on the floor together and looking at each other. Those other babies didn't have any hair though...I guess I have enough for all of us. The second party I went to was for my cousin Ethan's 3rd birthday. He is really big; he likes to make funny faces at me and help me bounce in my jumper. Jackson and I were jumping together during the party, as you can see above. All in all, it was an exhausting day. Parties are fun, but I wish that I was allowed to eat cake. I am looking forward to my cousin Braeden's birthday, which is coming up pretty soon also.

Happy Birthday, Ethan!

Driving Miss Ellie

2009-04-30T19:00:00.003-04:00

I am pleased to tell everyone that I have my own set of wheels. I am now big enough to sit in my car and figure out all the bells and whistles of the exciting new toys on it. My Grammie Laurie took this picture of me the other day while I was playing. I think that this is good practice for when I borrow Dad's car in the future to hang out with my friends (or to meet a cute boy, although I am smart enough not to bring this up with Dad quite yet). Well, I need to head to bed; I get kind of cranky when I don't get my beauty rest... Catch you later.

Stop and Smell the Tulips (and Great Grandparents!)

2009-04-25T07:53:00.006-04:00

My Mom and Dad are not very good gardeners, although Dad is better at keeping things alive than Mama. Thank goodness for perennial flowers like our beautiful tulips, so that our yard isn't a complete wasteland. Dad and I think they smell good.

And speaking of other good-smelling things, I finally got to meet my namesake last night, Great Grandma Virginia "Ginnie," and my Great Papa Larry; they are my Grammie Laurie's parents. They have a cool house on wheels, which is so exciting that I found it hard to take a nap there. I got to have dinner with Great Papa, Great Grandma, Aunt Abbey and my parents. It was fun, and the weather was very accommodating for a picnic. I received a fabulous new toy from my Great Grandparents, it is an amazing bear that lights up and plays a million songs! I really like it; I cannot stop staring at it, and when it plays I get really excited and wave my arms and legs....bet you wish you had one too.

A busy weekend...

2009-04-19T16:44:00.003-04:00

Mom and I went to Grammie Laurie and Papa Mike's house this weekend, because Dad had to go out of town for drill. I got to hang out with my cousins on Friday night and all day Saturday, and even got to ride in the luxurious double stroller that my cousin Jackson has. I was really tired on our walk, so it wasn't as much fun as walks usually are...it is hard to fall asleep with so many new things to see. Mom and I got home today after spending 2 nights in NL; and Dad arrived home too a little while ago. He and Mom got out a new toy for me to try...it is pretty crazy. I humored them and sat in it for a little bit, but not for long because I have to show them who is the boss, you know. Maybe I will try it again after my nap...

Impromptu Easter Bath

2009-04-14T20:04:00.004-04:00

I am pictured here in my Grammie Laurie's sink. That's right, I have been reduced to the level of common dishware. Even so, it was kinda fun; it is the Taj Mahal of sinks after all. Let me tell you how this came to be...It all started Easter Sunday. Dad was in charge of giving me my daily moisturizing treatment (in other words, putting lotion on my bum) before I put on my Easter dress. Dad was very confused when the lotion seemed extra thin and runny. He questioned Mama about the nature of the chemical reaction taking place with my fancy lotion, "Why did this lotion turn from thick to thin? Is it from the warmth of my hands?" Mom looked even more confused, "No," she said, "It is normal lotion...what have you done?" Together, my parents deduced that I pulled an Easter trick on them...I had peed a great big pee all up the back of my neck and into my hair. Dad was, in fact, rubbing urine all over my body. Somebody please call children's services...I think that I will never survive this family.

In other news, all the training paid off. Today, while I was modeling for my 3-month portraits, I rolled over all by myself. I was laying on my belly, up on my hands with my head held high, when all of a sudden, the world shifted, and I was looking at the ceiling! This surprised me greatly; it seems I have a new skill. Mama and Dad were very impressed, and they were glad that I did it while they were both around to see how cool I am.