Project Life: Week 10

Sunday, March 4

A quiet Sunday preceded a very busy week. Elaina spent some time this morning reacquainting herself with a Christmas book. I guess one never can be too prepared for the holidays!

Monday, March 5

Today was The Day. After over 3 1/2 years as an agency employee, I finally, finally became a full-time Caterpillar employee. Aside from the obvious (Hello, benefits. It's nice to see you again), I am thankful I get to remain in the same work group, doing essentially the same job, but with room for growth. Here's to an actual career!

YAY!!!!!!

Tuesday, March 6

 The Winter that Wasn't is sort of turning into the Spring That Wasn't, Either, but I have really been enjoying the warm(er) weather. Today Josh grilled out and we took our first trip to Dairy Queen. It definitely met with Elaina's approval, too!

 

 

Wednesday, March 8

Mom had her semi-annual checkup in Peoria today, so we were able to have dinner together. Elaina was beyond excited. We had been telling her that her grandparents would be coming, and she kept repeating, "I see Gwanma and Pampah!" She danced around the kitchen for a full five minutes when we first got home, and then Mom and Dad gave her a gift that truly is her love language--Mercer Mayer books--and I thought the smile would break her face. It was really nice to see them, and I'm looking forward to seeing them next weekend for Elysia's dedication.

 

Thursday, March 9

 Elaina fell asleep on the way home from work, so Elysia kept Josh company while I made dinner.

 

Friday, March 10

 Perhaps another sign of teething, Elysia has taken to gnawing on her high chair tray while she eats. It makes a huge mess, to say the least. How can something so annoying be so ridiculously cute at the same time?

 

Saturday, March 11

Today we went to Josh's folks so I could get another lesson in the art of the enchilada. (This time I came armed with pen and paper, so I'll actually have something to reference when I try to make them myself!) It was beautiful day, so I got to spend some time outside with Elaina, too. I sat and watched her play, saw the sun dance through her hair, listened to her narrations, and I was quieted by how thankful I am to be her mother. She and her sister are such blessings to me. And sometimes it is hard. But it is so very worth it.

Josh and Rita

Elysia practicing her crawling skills

Elaina and her wagon

Sweet baby girl...getting so big.

 

Project Life: Week 9

Sunday, February 26

My little fashionista was quite excited to wear her polka dotted dress to church this morning.

Monday, February 27

We seem to be spending a lot of time playing in Elaina's room lately. Josh brings his guitar, Ellie dances, Elaina runs, and occasionally, one or both of the cats comes in for a visit.

She goes up!

She goes down!

Elaina tries out the guitar

a nifty picture of Chappu taken while messing with the flash settings

Tuesday, February 28

 Josh took Elaina outside to play while I made supper. I had a very cute little sous chef :)

 

Wednesday, February 29

 Josh made stir fry for supper tonight...yum! Elaina doesn't like spice, so she had pb & j. I think it met with her seal of approval :)

 

Thursday, March 1

Play time with his girls....

 

Friday, March 2

 Sweet Ellie is cutting her first tooth, so she takes every opportunity to gnaw on whatever is handy. Tonight, it happened to be my thumb.

 

Saturday, March 3

My best friend from high school's little sister (follow that?) is having a baby, and her shower was today. Rachel drove here and then we went to the shower together (Ellie came too!), and it was really nice to have some sister-bonding time. The shower was nice. Dana was, of course, just about as precious as could be, and it was so, so, so good to spend time with Sarah, even if only two hours. She is my hero in so many ways.

The adorable mommy-to-be

My best friends, my sweet girl, and me

When I got home, we had a nice evening together. Got a few pictures of Elaina giving her daddy a kiss. I am so blessed by my family!

Okay, Daddy....

Pucker up!

Mwwuah!

Project Life: Week 8

Sunday, February 19
Josh woke up sick again, so I braved church with the girls by myself for the first time. While it wasn't a spiritual victory per se, it was a moral victory. Sweet Elysia fell asleep on the way home and napped over 2 hours--pretty unheard of for her. I love snuggling with her--she is just the sweetest little baby.
 

Monday, February 20
 Poor Josh went to work only to leave an hour later for a trip to Prompt Care, where he was diagnosed with strep throat. No wonder he couldn't break his fever! He came home and rested and Chappu was his constant companion. Josh insists Chappu knows when he doesn't feel well, and maybe he's right.
 

Tuesday, February 21
 The sunset was beautiful tonight, but I only managed to capture the last little bits of light fading from the day.
 

Wednesday, February 22
Both girls fell asleep on the way home...sweet babies....




 


 Thursday, February 23
Leaving for work before 6:40 can seem awfully unappealing until God greets us with sunrises such as this. It was so beautiful I had to run inside and grab the camera...just couldn't see not capturing this...only wish we could have seen it by the river!




Friday, February 24
 And continuing on the sky theme for the week, another sunset picture. I took this one for the sole purpose of documenting how light it still was after 5:30. Spring is on it's way!
 

Saturday, February 25
 Two weeks ago while Josh and I were furniture shopping, I happened upon one of the neatest fabric swatches I'd ever seen. It was composed of owls of different colors, a funky little rendering that I loved. Of course, I knew there was no way on God's green earth Josh would ever agree to have a chair upholstered in it, but that didn't stop me from coveting it just a little bit. Fast forward to today, when we were finally well enough to go back and order our furniture. We learned that the store was no longer doing business with the company that had provided the swatch, and when Josh teasingly told our salesman that we weren't going to sign anything until he handed over the now useless swatch, the salesman marched back to the back of the store and brought it back with a smile. I think I'm going to frame it somehow because, let's face it: it's AWESOME.

 

Project Life: Week 7

Sunday, February 12

Valentine's Sunday was the perfect opportunity to dress the girls in their sparkly red dresses again!

 

Monday, February 13

 Thankful today for how much my girls love one another. May it always be so!

 

Tuesday, February 14

A quiet night at home. Elaina played with her flash cards, and Elysia practiced her army crawling skills.

 

 

Wednesday, February 15

 Someone wonderful turned 7 months old today!

 

Thursday, February 16

 Decided to give Ellie some smashed banana today (the baby food banana just seems gross). She was interested but still a little little for it :)

Friday, February 17

Elaina decided Daddy is a pretty good pal.

Saturday, February 18

We had plans today to order some new furniture and go out to dinner, but when Josh woke up with a fever, I knew those plans would have to wait for another day. We had a pretty quiet day at home, only venturing out to the grocery store. The girls were both really gracious considering how badly their poor daddy felt.

Elysia - 7 months

Sweet Elysia,

You are 7 months old, and every day I am more thankful for the blessing you are to our lives.

I think this month can has really been defined with your steps towards independence. You are still my little baby, but now you are my little baby who can army crawl across a room, who sees something she wants and makes a determined line for it, who rolls and wiggles and rocks at will. It amazes me to see you on the go so much, and it won't be long before you are crawling all together. We had to get the video camera out the other day because you were doing what we call the "fish flop". Daddy plays the "Running in your room" song on his guitar, which he made up for Elaina one day when she was running circles in her room (we are a creative pair, these two parents of yours...). If you are on your tummy when he starts the first few chords, you start flopping and dancing and wiggling like a little fish without fail. It is adorable. I hope you don't stop doing it even when you can crawl.

Your growth continues to be beautifully on track. You weigh 17lbs and wear mostly 6-9 months with only a few 6 month stragglers behind. In fact, I've found that more than once I've held an outfit back thinking you wouldn't fit into it yet, only to find out you're nearly grown out of it. You are eating solids 3x a day now and seem to be enjoying them a bit more, though you can still be pretty ambivalent about it unless it's something you really like (squash, avocado, and apples all make you hum-yum). Your hair still has a lovely red tone to it--I know I mention that a lot, but it is so special for me to see part of your great-Grampa in you. He would have loved you so much.

Trying out some smushed banana

You continue to have such a sweet personality and you are becoming quite the charmer. Yesterday in church you flirted shamelessly with the gentleman sitting behind us; the fact that he was old enough to be your great-grandfather didn't seem to bother you one bit. I love your smile, your one little dimple, and I am cherishing the gummy grin as long as I can, because I'm pretty sure you are about to pop your first teeth, and your smile will never look quite the same (though I am sure it will be just as beautiful). You smile when you wake up in the morning, squeal with delight when you watch your sister play, and babble in the bathtub.

 

And you are such a good girl for Gramma, too. Daddy and I laugh because almost without fail when we ask how your day was, Gramma says, "She cried five minutes if she cried all day," and then of course we get you home and you hit your fussy part of the day and those five minutes sure add up quickly. But Daddy's guitar and Elaina's hugs seem to make you happy again pretty quickly. And if not that, there's always bedtime (if only you would sleep though the night! Someday, I guess...)

Sleeping on Gramma's shoulder

This time last year we had just found out you were a girl and I was feeling your kicks and elbows. Now I am seeing your sparkling blue eyes and hearing your laugh and watching you grow, and I am thankful for every single moment. I love you, sweet baby Jane.