March 2011

I'm trying to get caught up on this blog so I can move on to the Hawaii trip. I like to keep the blog as chronologically correct as I can. A few months ago Mom and I were talking about the blog and the best way to keep a copy of it...just in case Blogger decides to shut down someday. I have always backed the posts up in a Word document, but that is time consuming and I still would have to print it all out if I wanted to keep it. Anyhow, Mom did a search online and came up with Blog2Print, which is a business that makes your blogs into books. Immediately I knew I wanted to do this, but then ran into problems with them shipping to our APO address in Germany. So...when I knew we were coming to Hawaii this spring I got Sam's parent's address (since they were going to be in Hawaii for several months) and had the blog books shipped there. I must say I'm very happy with how they turned out. I made each year into a separate book and now I can just get a new book made every year and have all my blogs neatly organized. Love it! Mission accomplished!!

Now to finish up with the first half of March back in Germany so I can start on our time in Hawaii.

Elly LOVES being in the kitchen with me...anywhere I am actually. If I'm busy in the kitchen she wants to be up at the counter "working" right along side me. There was nothing especially different about this day other than the fact that I took pictures of it. She was having her lunch at the kitchen counter.






A group of ladies from MOPS has been getting together for play dates each Monday. It's usually pretty small...just 3-5 moms with their babies. It's really been great to have something to go to. Elly loves playing with other kids and it's nice to have the adult conversation too. The last one I could make it to before leaving on our trip was at our house. Elly loved having some of her friends over. Here she was anxiously awaiting their arrival.



The only little boy in the group is little Liam and he was about 4 months old at the time. Elly could not keep her hands off of him. She was mesmerized. She kept putting her arms way under him in the little chair almost like she was going to try and pick him up. It was really cute, but I had to keep an eye on her to make sure she wasn't too rough with him. He's just the sweetest little guy.




Elly was wearing Sydney's hat and was trying her best to get the shoes on too. (Sydney was 10 months old :)



After everyone left Elly climbed in the chair that Liam has been in. She had to see what that was all about. Of course, she was way too big for it, but it think she though it was funny.








Just a few weeks before we left for Hawaii Elly had taken to carrying Gabby around. Something I never would have thought would be possible.

I remember when we first brought Elly home from the hospital I was constantly watching Gabby because I just didn't know how she would be with a baby. Along the way I realized I didn't have to worry about Gabby attacking Elly, but that she mostly just didn't want to be around the baby. She would usually run from her as she became more mobile.

As Elly has gotten older though, Gabby has started to swat at her if she was bugging her. We never discipline Gabby for this because she has to have a way to protect herself from Elly and we just try to teach Elly to be gentle with the kitty and to leave her alone.

So, imagine my surprise one day when I heard a squeaking that sounded slightly like a meow. I turned around to see what was wrong with Gabby and I saw Elly with her arms filled with a kitty. She had a delighted look on her face and was so proud of her accomplishment. Gabby, on the other hand, wasn't sure what to make of it and could only manage to get a squeak out as she was being held tightly around her middle. I flew into action to save my poor cat from being squeezed to death and my child from the inevitable licking she would get from Gabby...neither of which happened...much to my surprise.

Since then, Elly picks Gabby up at any opportunity she has. Gabby has had enough a few times and managed to get a swat in. Elly cries, I think more from her feelings getting hurt than any real physical damage. She seems to forget it quickly though and goes right back to trying to pick the kitty up next time she walks by.