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.

Daddy's underwear

I was just going through some pictures and saw these. Elly loves getting our under garments and trying them on. I guess all kids go through this stage. One evening she got Sam's underwear on and wore them around for awhile. She was pretty proud of herself.

I don't have anything especially exciting to write about, but in trying to update this blog a bit more regularly I figured I better get the first half of February done. I take so many pictures of Elly that it gets a bit ridiculous, but with having no family here I feel the need to share her in the only way I can...and that is in pictures. If I had many people reading this blog I might have to worry that they would be getting bored with so many pictures of Elly, but since this blog was started to keep family and friends updated I guess that it's ok. Anyhow, here is the first half of February in pictures~

We recently bought this little table and chairs for Elly at Ikea. I was feeling bad because she never had anywhere to sit that fit her. She really likes her table and wants to eat all her meals there, but I still insist on the highchair for most things. This night, in particular, she really wanted her avocado at the table so I allowed it.

Notice the big blue water bottle....it's Sam's, but Elly loves it and would rather drink from it than anything. I think the real reason is because it's Daddy's :)

Elly was all set up here reading to her baby. So cute!!

I know this is a rather unappetizing picture, but she was working so hard at eating her oatmeal and thought maybe Mama wanted a bite too. This is one of those things that she asks to eat at her table. As you can see....she's in her high chair.

I'm really not sure how she gets it all over her face.

"Ok, Mom, enough pictures. Get me cleaned up now."

Playing at her table

Elly was so cute this particular Saturday morning. I really needed to clean the house so Sam took Elly with him on his errands. It's amazing to me how much I can get done in just a couple of hours without a little mess monster following me around. It's unbelievable how much I miss her though! I'm never away from her so a couple of hours without her and I'm needing my "Elly fix". When they got home Sam had some things to do outside and Elly wanted to be with him. She loves helping in whatever way she can.

Helping Daddy clean up the walkway

Such a big girl!!

I love this picture! Elly is so ornry and Gabby just tolerates her. Gabby does so well with her considering she doesn't like people very much. Elly loves it when she gets to hug Gabby.

She loves pockets these days.

Elly working hard at washing the windows. Poor little overworked child :)

Daddy and Elly did a great job.

Sam's birthday cake.

Sam's birthday was on a Tuesday this year and it was an extremely busy work week for him, so at his request we waited until Saturday to celebrate. We had a few of his friends over and had a nice evening.

YUM!! Sam likes ice cream cakes so that's what I tried this year. I was shocked at how tall the cake ended up being. It was good though :)

Valentine's Day we met with some of our MOPS friends. Here are all the babies.

I got some beautiful roses from Sam and Elly even got a gift from Daddy.

Opening her Valentine's gift from Oma and Opa.

Seeing what Daddy got her.

Her very first jewelry box with a dancing ballerina. She really liked it.

A quiet house and a 21 month old do not go together. When I don't hear Elly I go looking to see what she's doing because usually it's something she's not supposed to be doing. This particular day she found the diaper cream and had it smeared all over her face.

She had it all through her hair. I popped her in the bathtub and after washing her hair a couple of times I got it all out.

Well, that's about it for now. I'm going to try and keep this updated more regularly. We'll see how it goes. Until next time~

Jolo's

A few weeks ago we got together with my friend, Kristen, her husband and daughter and met up at Jolo's. Jolo's is an indoor play area for kids. It's a great place for the kids to play when the weather is still nasty outside. Elly really had fun, but so did I! I think as adults we forget to play sometimes. I don't remember the last time I was on a huge slide. Anyhow, here are a few pictures from out day at Jolo's.

Elly crawling through a tunnel to get to me.

A thoughtful moment...

The girls had so much fun sliding over these rollers.

Mama and Elly going down one of the slides.

Mama and Elly on a trampoline.

Daddy and Elly heading down the big slide. This didn't end so great though. Elly was facing the other direction by the time they got to the bottom. She wasn't crying though, so all was well.

Happy little lady

She had fun trying to climb this "hill".

Oops!!

Playing on the trampolines.

Trying to get a picture with Daddy, but it was hard to get her to sit still long enough to do so.