Project Life: Week 20

Sunday, May 13
Mother's Day. I was so blessed to celebrate the gifts of my daughters. Josh took this picture before we left for church, and while I wasn't crazy about the shadow cast on my face, the girls look, as always, simply beautiful.

Mommy and her girls, Mother's Day, 2012

After lunch, Josh and Elaina disappeared to get my gift, so I got some rare one-on-one time with Elysia. When they returned, I could hear Josh coaching Elaina on their way in from the garage.

Okay, Elaina. Now when we get inside, I want you to say, Happy Mother's Day, Mommy! I got you ice cream cake!

A few seconds later, Elaina came bursting in the door and proclaimed, "Mommy! We get pink ice cream! I hab to eat it!"

Elaina picked it herself!

So we did :)

I wish I could say the day continued to go well, but when Ellie woke up with a fever, I knew it wouldn't. A trip to Prompt Care confirmed she had an ear infection, and we spent an hour at Walgreens waiting for her amoxicillian to get filled. By the end, I was just thankful to have something that would make her better, and that we were able to leave the store without Josh killing someone for making us wait so long.


Monday, May 14
Today we turned on the sprinkler for the strawberry planter and let Elaina play in the water. Clearly, she quite enjoyed herself.

Tuesday, May 15
I so much wanted Ellie to be well enough to take her 10 month picture today, but as it goes sometimes, she got worse before she got better, and the penguin picture just didn't happen. Poor baby fell asleep on the way to the grocery store and woke up right as we were checking out. She cried as we loaded up the car, she cried (re:screamed) on the drive home, she cried through supper, through her bath, through her lotioning, and as I dressed her in her jammies. This picture pretty much says it all. Doesn't it just break your heart?

Poor little little :(

Wednesday, May 16
This morning when the alarm went off, I looked out our window with bleary eyes and saw two deer standing in our back yard. We live in a subdivision surrounded by fields, and we've had coyotes go through our yard before, so it wasn't a complete surprise, but it was really neat. When they sauntered through again after I got up, I snapped a quick picture before the sound of the camera scared them away.

Thursday, May 17
Today we went to Peoria to get a birthday present for Brycelynn, our niece. Elaina was so good at the store we let her pick out something from the dollar bin at Target. (Sidenote: if they built a Target in Chillicothe, I don't think I would ever leave town.) She chose a ducky watering can, which she promptly used when we got home. Then, in her eye for fashion, she decided to accessorize with a daylily bloom.

Friday, May 18
Ellie was finally well enough for her picture today!

 Apparently, being cute is exhausting.

Saturday, May 20
Today was Bryceylnn's birthday party, so we headed over in the afternoon to celebrate. Elaina was so excited to see her cousins, and despite being hot, it was a really nice time.

Elaina and Ry

Nikki got the.cutest.cookies.ever. and also had an owl cake. Have I mentioned I love owls? I unashamedly coveted Brycelynn's cake, but it was sweet, and so was she.

Cheese!

When we got home, we filled up the wading pool for the girls. They both really, really enjoyed it, and it made me so very happy.

Elysia - 10 months

 

Sweet Ellie Jane,

You are 10 months old and more precious every day. Knowing Mama would want your stats, you had the foresight to get sick right before your 10-month mark, so we know from the doctor that you weigh just over 17 1/2 lbs, which puts you comfortably in 6-9 month clothes and size 3 diapers. You are developing right on track, and we're so thankful for your good health.

This month you broke your Mama's heart about a thousand times, seemingly racing away from babyhood. Too soon for me, sweet girl, but I'm proud of all you've learned to do. Unless you're in a hurry, you've all but abandoned the army crawl for the more traditional kind--the kind I was sure you would skip altogether. You learned to pull yourself up to stand, and three days later you were trying to ledgewalk. You got so frustrated because your body wouldn't do what you wanted it to, but through sheer determination and willpower you can pull up at will and are quite content to stand and play for long periods of time.

This month you also slept through the night for the very first time.

(Apparently, you were so impressed with yourself that you decided it should be celebrated and not repeated, because you haven't done it again. Not once. Oh, sweet girl, I know you will....some day...)

 You are developing such a personality, and it is so wonderful to see glimpses of who you will be. You definitely inherited more from your Great-Grampa Copes than just the red tint to your hair--you are already showing quite a penchant for his orneyness. One of your favorite pastimes is crawling to the cat food. You get right up to it and stop, waiting for me to say something. I'll say (in a very motherly tone, which is hard to maintain when laughter keeps bubbling up), "Elysia...." (Usually at this point Elaina supplies the "Jaaaaane", because one of her favorite pastimes is tattling on you for going towards the "cat sood" even when you're nowhere near it.) You pause for half a second and then look up at me, grin, and then go right for the food. See exhibit A:

You are easy to laugh and quick to smile. Your love for Elaina continues to grow, and you love it when we chase her while holding you. She loves it, too. She also loves to give you a kiss every night before bed, and she's very protective of you when you cry. I love that you are able to interact more, and I pray that you will grow to be the best of friends.

Sweet girl, we love you so much and are so very thankful for you. I can't believe you're going to be a year old in such a short time. But I am going to cherish every moment, because you are worth every second.

Love,

Mama

Project Life: Week 19

Sunday, May 6

This is what happens when you're trying to feed a moving target :)

Monday, May 7

Each day I am more amazed at the little creative person Elaina is becoming. Tonight, she found an Easter toy while playing with her play-doh. She instantly decided that the rabbit must be adorned with a "hat and pack-pack". Rather fashionable, don't you think?

Tuesday, May 8

Chappu enjoyed a beautiful afternoon of sunbathing and surveying his kingdom. Upon seeing the camera make its daily appearance, someone decided she needed her picture taken, too.

Wednesday, May 9

Today Elaina had a minor accident at Gramma's house, and unfortunately her lip came out  on the losing end. She sported the Angelina Jolie look for a few days, but thankfully came out without any permanent damage :)

Thursday, May 10

Tonight we went for groceries, and for the first time put the girls in the cart together. My mama's heart was a little sad to see Elysia so big, but she loved it, and Elaina loved having a partner in crime. I am so, so happy to see them interact more and more as Elysia gets bigger. It is my prayer that they grow up to be best friends...so far, we're off to a good start.

Friday, May 11

Beautiful sky tonight. I love how the clouds look like Heaven's fingers.

Saturday, May 12

Today we had the honor of celebrating Grampa's 90th birthday, and his and Gramma's 66th wedding anniversary. What a legacy, and what a privilege to be included in the number of those they love.

Someone was quite happy to see Pampah

Ellie's first time using sidewalk chalk

Legacy: Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren

   

Dad's family (even a silly little girl hiding behind her great-gramma)

My family with my grandparents. I treasure this picture.

Elaina was worn out on the way home

Project Life: Week 18

Sunday, April 29

Today was a lovely day. After church, we came home and relaxed and enjoyed not having one single obligation. The girls were so good; it was a welcome respite from the busy week we had had. I took this picture of Chappu and Josh on Sunday evening. Chappu is a total lap cat and will do boxer circles until he finds *just* the right spot. He made finding a comfy spot on Josh into a work of art, and was, as you can tell, quite pleased with the result of his efforts.

Monday, April 30

Today was a big day for my girls, as well as a big day for me as their mommy. With little fear and much determination, Elysia learned to pull herself up to stand. Only 9 1/2 months old...she is such a mix of so big and so little. Tonight Elaina found my fingernail polish in the bathroom, so I painted her nails. It's such an inconsequential thing, but I've dreamed about painting her nails since I knew she was a she (perhaps because I can paint nails much better than I can french braid hair (which is to say I can do it at all)). It made her look so big. My heart cracked just a little, in only the way joy and sadness can make room for more love.

Going....

Going......

Up!

Tuesday, May 1

Today it finally quit raining (so nice to see blue sky again!), so we were able to go outside for a bit before running into town for some errands. Ellie sampled her feet :) Elaina played in the yard, and I took the picture below when she was flashing me the, "Put grass in my mouth? Me? Oh, yes I did!" smile. After the girls went to bed, the prettiest fog settled in over our road. 

Wednesday, May 2

Tonight we got proof that all of Josh's hard work is paying off...a teeny tiny baby bud on one of our raspberry plants!

Thursday, May 3

Ellie sampled watermelon for the first time tonight. She loved it! Meanwhile, Elaina colored...one of her new favorite activities.

Friday, May 4

 Played outside tonight. Someone sweet played in the grass, while someone else sweet enjoyed her swing.

 Saturday, May 5

 Today Josh and I attended the wedding of one of my co-workers. The ceremony was sweet and made me cry, tears of happiness for the couple and of love for the sweet man with whom I exchanged vows almost six years ago. I kept thinking of our wedding day...how hot it was, how Dr. Giles and his wife showed up just before I walked down the aisle, how Josh was concentrating so much on saying his vows that he forgot part of them, how ridiculously happy we were...and I thought of all we've been through since then--grad school, floods, jobs, moves, different jobs, babies, loss, joy, fights, and more laughter than I could ever remember, and I know without a shadow of a doubt I'd do it all over again, and I'd go through it all again a thousand times, the good and the bad, because when you're with the right person, life is, as the song says, "half as hard and twice as good."

Super moon