Elise is going to have a little....

SISTER!!!

Baby girl looks perfect and is measuring right on track for a very early September arrival. We are thrilled :)

Elise- 28 months

It is true. Our sweet little Elise isn't so little any more. She is nearly two and a half years old!!! And she is a hoot! So active and so much fun. From the moment she wakes until she goes to sleep, she is busy busy busy. Baby is still ultra important, though we may have had a breakthrough. "Baby" has a name!!!! And her name is "Livia." In fact, all of her babies have the same name! Isn't that something??? :) One of her little besties, Audrey, has a baby sister named Olivia and I'm pretty sure that is where she got that sweet name. 'Livia can entertain Elise for hours. Elise helps her sleep by covering her (smothering if you ask me) with blankets, taking her for stroller rides, and giving her bottles. She has discovered the closet where I keep all of her old baby things and she empties it on a daily basis... much to my dismay. She also really enjoys puzzles and books and will read to herself, and 'Livia of course!

She can spell her first name, has mastered the alphabet, colors, and shapes. In fact, as we were walking a few weeks ago, we passed the bike path in our neighborhood and she said, "I see a diamond!" I was very impressed. Counting to 20 is a little hit and miss... she usually skips 13. That said, she is a sponge and it is so fun to watch her learn! She loves to be outside and we log many hours at either our neighborhood park or some of the parks in our area. Just recently (like last week) she learned to pedal her tricycle and she loves to be outside on her "bike" with the other neighborhood kids.

Elise is still a good sleeper and still sleeping in her crib, though her days left in the crib are certainly numbered. Her big girl bed is in the garage and Matt and I just need to decide when we're going to transition her. She has mastered climbing in and out of her crib but really doesn't do it unless we are in the room with her. In fact, as I put her down for her nap today, I decided to video her climbing in. It took a while, as you can see. She was much more interested in posing for the camera... She finally pops herself in at the end.

We are certainly having a blast with our sweet Elise! Crazy how quickly the time flies when you're having fun!

PS- we find out the gender of bebe#2 on Wednesday!!!! Stay tuned for the "big reveal!"

RIP Bailey

I am very sad to share that our "family" dog Bailey is no longer with us. Bailey was adopted from the downtown San Antonio Pound the very end of my freshman year of college. He was such a sweet, well behaved, and fun dog. He loved (in no particular order) belly rubs, food, swimming, off leash walks and runs, my dad, road trips, wrestling with Jaws, and chasing squirrels. He was a very gentle dog and loved by many. I can honestly say he lived the best life... we were so lucky to have him and he was lucky to have us!

The weekend we brought him home

May 1998

Swimming the Cib' with Jaws

Hiking

Elise was of course a Bailey fan.

Dog Park Fun

Easter 2010

March 2011

RIP Bailey

1998-2011

Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really. ~Agnes Sligh Turnbull

A visit from Grandma!

Grandma flew all the way from snowy Cleveland to spend her 92nd birthday with us!! It was such a fun week... Elise loved spending time with Grandma and I know the feeling was mutual.