Watching Our Family Grow

Blog Resurrection!!

2012-02-15T11:11:00.002-06:00

It was a New Year's Resolution of mine to get back to blogging; this is such a great way to keep track of memories... and here it is, mid-February and I'm going to try. I'll be back-dating a bunch of posts, all the way back to when sweet baby girl #2 arrived. Stay tuned. :)

4th of July Fun

2011-07-04T16:26:00.003-05:00

We had a fun and low key 4th of July this year. Our neighborhood always does a great little parade and pool party, so we invited Elise's friends Audrey, Keira, and Olivia to join us.

Our house is on the parade route, so we set out "spectators" to watch since we were all participating. :)

Elise on her decked out tricycle. She pedaled so hard for the entire 1/2 mile parade.

Matt also showed his patriotism!!

And shocker of all shocks- Elise won first place overall for her decorated tricycle!!!!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T18:22:00.003-05:00

Matt- you are simply amazing. Elise is so lucky to have such an incredible daddy and I am so thankful to have you as my husband and father of my children. We love you.

(DAD- keeping the tradition going. 2010 and 2009)

Pinkalicious

2011-06-01T06:04:00.001-05:00

Alecia, Melanie, and I took the girls to see Pinkalicious at the Magik Theater. Elise loves the book and was so excited to the the show!

With friends Marissa, Sadie, and Sydnie waiting for our tickets.

The girls sat in the front row and we sat behind them. I had no idea how Elise would do, but she sat in her seat for the full hour and loved every minute of the musical!

She even got to meet the cast!

I promise we did not pose them!!! These girls are SO sweet! It makes me very excited for baby sister's arrival knowing the fun she will get to have.

Horseshoe Bay- Memorial Weekend

2011-05-30T10:59:00.001-05:00

We decided to stay at the lake the entire holiday weekend and spent the next two nights at the Marriott at Horseshoe Bay. This is such a great and very family friendly resort; we had a blast and look forward to going back again soon!

Elise at the "beach." Do not be fooled by her smile. She was not a fan of the sand at all and basically stood frozen, in the same place, for a good 20 minutes.

Watching the boats with Tompa.

She was much happier back at the pool!

Fletch's First Birthday

2011-05-28T10:35:00.003-05:00

We headed to Lake LBJ for Memorial Weekend. Saturday was Fletch's first birthday party and the kids all had a blast!

Elise still talks about the cotton candy Mr. Jeff made for her.

The slip and slide was a huge hit!!

Happy hour with GiGi.

But Elise's favorite person is Tompa. She follows him around and mimics everything he does. Hopefully she won't take up his martini habit!!! :)

It was a wonderful day at the lake and a great way to kick off summer!!!

Last Day of School

2011-05-27T10:24:00.001-05:00

Elise has had a fantastic 2 years at Harvest Day School and we were so sad to see them close their doors.

With her sweet sweet teacher, Ms. Dana.

The kids put on the cutest End of the Year Performance!! It was darling and I was so impressed... Elise totally sang and danced her little heart out.

Crazy how quickly this year flew by.

Weekend with "Old" Friends!

2011-05-22T09:48:00.000-05:00

We we first moved to San Antonio almost 4 years ago (yes... it has really been just about 4 years!) we met three awesome couples; Lindsey and Nate, Shae and Tomas, and Christine and Rob. All the husbands and wives got along so well together; we had a lot of fun! Within that first year, 3 of us became pregnant and we talked about how our kids would be such great friends.

First pic of all the kids together- Ben's arrival!

(Christine is holding Ben; we let Lindsey sit this one out ;)

And... the last time all the kids were together... because all 3 couples moved away!!! wth?!?! ;) I guess it's called being a responsible adult... gotta go where the job takes you :)

BUT they all came back to visit us. Well, Christine and Rob didn't make it this time but they were here about a year ago...

Ben, Elise, and Beckham at Sea World

Elise loves the carousel and always insists on a purple horse!

Fun with Daddy!

Sometimes it's not so bad being pregnant...

Matt gets to take Elise on all the "scary" rides; she loves them!!

At 2 Bros. BBQ

It was such a great weekend and we look forward to seeing them again... maybe in Oregon next time!

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T08:26:00.002-05:00

Mother's Day 2011

With my sweet little girl who made me a momma!

(and 23 weeks pregnant with baby girl #2)

Our little family.

We went out to eat with my family at the Grill at Leon Springs. We ate outside (notice the pink cheeks; it was a tad warm but Elise always has fun on patios.)

Tompa, Elise, and GiGi

Elise and GiGi

Such a happy little girl!

Flying with Daddy.

2011-04-30T07:05:00.001-05:00

Matt flew a flight from Memphis to Springfield, so Elise and I used that opportunity to fly on his plane and visit MiMi and Papa for the weekend.

"Running" into Daddy at the Memphis Airport

Sitting on Daddy's lap in the cockpit.

I didn't snap any pics while in Springfield, but we had a fun and busy weekend and Elise, who never sleeps on the plane, slept a good hour from Memphis to Springfield. She was the perfect travel companion!! :)

Easter!

2011-04-24T15:26:00.004-05:00

We had a fun Easter morning; we hosted breakfast at our house and had a fun egg hunt in the backyard.

The Easter bunny came!!

Daddy (and Jaws) helping Elise find the eggs.

Found one!

If you're counting, this is the 5th and final egg hunt (for 2011) at GiGi and Tompa's.

Happy Easter!

Egg Hunt Fun

2011-04-23T09:16:00.001-05:00

Our second Egg Hunt of the week was hosted by my MOPS group. Everything this group does is amazing and the Egg Hunt was no exception. I am always in awe of these busy moms who take the time to help put on these events. A special shout-out to my friend Meghan who made 96 sack lunches for the kids, and even decorated the bags!!!!!! The party was a blast!

Picnic lunch

Egg Hunt!

With friends Jacob and Brooke.

Licking icing off of Brooke's fingers. Cute and gross at the same time ;)

Next Up- Egg Hunt at Concordia!!!

GiGi and Tompa joined the fun!

Marissa and Elise "inspecting" the eggs...

Enjoying Freddy's Custard.

A Royal Gathering

2011-04-18T14:08:00.002-05:00

Princesses Sadie and Sydnie hosted their annual fabulous "Bunny and Me Princess Tea," complete with an Easter Egg hunt! It was amazing to see the differences in the princesses from last year to this year. This year Elise "got it" and totally played the princes part, including wanting to wear her dainty little gloves!!

With besties Marissa (middle) and Sydnie (right.)

Queen Melanie read an Easter book...

and then all the girls got to meet "Princess Ellie."

A yummy tea was served...

followed by an egg hunt!

As always, creativity was off the charts! :)

It was such a fun afternoon filled with friends; a perfect way to start Easter week!!!

Sunset Tea Party

2011-04-17T14:30:00.004-05:00

Friends Audrey, Elise, Reese, and Sarah were all models for our fav photographer's, Beth, Sunset Tea Party. Beth's vision was amazing!!! You can see her FB pics here.

LOVE this photo she captured of Elise.

and a few I snapped with my camera.

New Braunfels' Children's Museum

2011-04-13T14:47:00.000-05:00

We have nearly weekly playdates with Elise's friends Audrey and Marissa, yet we (the slacker moms) never seem to pull out our cameras. SO- I remembered to bring it along when we went to the McKenna Museum in New Braunfels (which is so totally awesome, and if you have not been, you must!!) The pictures aren't the greatest, but the girls had a blast!!!

Marissa and Elise.

The girls showing off their Easter craft.

Elise and Olivia.... if you haven't heard, Elise is obsessed with Olivia.

Cowgirls Elise and Audrey

And then she found "Baby."

And Baby never left her side.

We enjoyed a surprising peaceful lunch at Huisache Grill... the girls got their own table in the courtyard and thought they were so cool. :) Fun times with great friends!

Dancing

2011-04-03T08:37:00.003-05:00

Elise's sweet teacher, Ms. Dana, sent me this video earlier this year (February) of Elise dancing in her classroom while they were eating lunch.

Elise is going to have a little....

2011-03-30T16:15:00.004-05:00

SISTER!!!

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

Elise- 28 months

2011-03-26T14:09:00.007-05:00

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

2011-03-16T19:46:00.002-05:00

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!

2011-03-02T20:43:00.000-06:00

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.

BIG News!

2011-02-20T15:39:00.002-06:00

Elise has a lil' secret.

And she's very excited to share her news!

She's going to be a BIG SISTER!!!

Baby #2 is due to make its arrival on September 2.

And we can't wait!!!

My Buddy and Me!

2011-02-19T16:36:00.003-06:00

Remember that toy, "My Buddy" that had that really annoying jingle? There was also "Kid Sister"? Elise and Baby totally remind me of that jingle. By the way, Baby's name is Baby. She has no other name. And I think she might be blind. Or something... because Elise insists on Baby's eyes being covered at all times by the rim of her hat. She freaks out if Baby's eyes are visible.

Where ever she goes, Baby follows, and manages to do the exact same thing as Elise. It's cute... and a little obsessive bordering on OCD. We may have to have an intervention soon.

Let's Rodeo San Antonio!!

2011-02-19T16:29:00.003-06:00

It finally warmed up after our brutal winter and we took Elise to the Rodeo! She loved it!

Petting Zoo with daddy. (Matt totally dressed the part :)

Merry-Go-Round! That was a huge hit and she still talks about it :)

Milking a cow... what every tiny Texan needs to learn how to do.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T16:22:00.004-06:00

We had a fun little Valentine's Playdate.

Alecia's decor is always beautiful and she makes such fun meals for the kids :)

We failed big time in getting a group pic... this is the best I've got :)

It was a super fun afternoon. The moms had delicious food as well and I loved spending time with my friends while my sweet child hoarded every baby doll she could find. Thanks for having us Alecia, Marissa, and Gregory!

A Small Request :)

2011-02-09T20:28:00.003-06:00

Hi Friends! Our fav family photographer is having a little contest on Facebook and we would love your help. It will take less than 10 seconds, I promise. Just two small steps;

1. Please click on the the following link and "like" Tip Toe Photography on Facebook.

Tip Toe Photography

2. Click "photos" and look at the "Canvas Contest." Elise's picture is #10; she's in the red dress. Please "like" it.

Feel free to "like" others... there are some cuties for sure! The top three photos with the most votes will be entered in a little drawing for a nice prize.

Thanks so much!!! We certainly appreciate every vote :)

Videos

2011-02-04T15:47:00.007-06:00

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to take more videos of Elise. I do take videos of her, but I am usually way too critical and if they're not perfect I delete them. And really... who manages to capture a perfect video of a toddler? Because I would like to learn your skillz. ;) So I'm trying to get some more videos that we can enjoy through the years. Here's two that I took earlier this month....

Elise Singing the ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Elise and her Family

SNOWmageddon 2011

2011-02-04T13:46:00.004-06:00

SnOMG!! Even San Antonio was not immune to the great North American Blizzard of 2011. We have been dealing with some frigid temps this week. It's hard to believe just last Sunday it was 80* and our windows were open! It has not been above freezing the past 3 days and these Texans are ready for Spring! Here are some pics from our Snowpocalypse. (pssst- we got nearly 1/4 inch!!!)

And what do Texans do when we get 1/4 inch of snow? Why, we bust out the laundry baskets, go to the biggest hill in the 'hood, and go sledding!!!!!! Doesn't everyone do this?

Fun morning with neighbors!!! But I'm not going to lie; I think we're all ready to see 70* again!

Ranch Weekend

2011-01-19T16:00:00.005-06:00

Friends Ashley, Alcide, and Cito invited our "group" to their ranch for a weekend of relaxing and playing. We had a blast! I have had a hard time convincing Matt that just because he spent one weekend on a ranch, he is not automatically a rancher. Likewise, just because his truck is covered in mud, he is not a rancher. Even though he wears Carhartts on a regular basis, (too regular if you ask me!!!) he is not a rancher. And on and on :)

The Mamas :)

Me, Alecia, Erin, Maggie, and Ashley

The Dads. At the bar. No surprise there :)

Robert, Mike, Alcide, Matt, and Mike

The Kids!

Keira, Elise, Marissa, Gregory, Olivia, Audrey, and Cito

The "bigs" eating lunch

4 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Matt with his first Texas buck.

Elise was oddly fascinated with this bear.

And she loved all the horns! She just kept pointing, saying "Oh! Oh!" Maybe I have a little hunter on my hands???

Back of the ranch. It rained the entire weekend... so rare for South Texas!

We had a wonderful weekend full of laughs, amazing food, great company, and a stellar game of Battle of the Sexes. Thanks so much for having us!!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T07:28:00.002-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas!!! Matt and I hosted Christmas Eve and Christmas breakfast and it was nice to have everyone come to us this year :)

Elise on Christmas Eve

The beginnings of our Christmas Eve feast which always includes tamales; a San Antonio/Stratil tradition. Yum!

Elise putting out cookies for Santa

And boy did Santa come!!!!!!

Elise's gifts from Santa.

The shopping cart was a huge hit!

As were pajamas... who knew??

And notice Elise's OCD kicking in; all jammies had to be lined up perfectly!

Our table set for Christmas breakfast.

Tompa, Elise, and Uncle B

Matt, Papa, GiGi, and MiMi.

We hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas as well!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

2010-12-25T07:25:00.001-06:00

Love Matt, Lauren, and Elise

2010

The Holiday Fun Continues

2010-12-19T13:29:00.000-06:00

With a visit with Santa! Elise was quite excited to visit the man with the white beard. We have been talking about him a lot this month :) She told us how she was going to sit on his lap and talk to him.

It did take a while for her to warm up, but Santa was so kind and patient. The promise of a candy cane didn't hurt either!
Next up was Cito's Holiday Party. This picture doesn't even have half the kids in it and you'll notice not a single one is looking at my camera. Hopefully someone else got a good one and I can snag it and replace this!

We had a fun LNO when Melanie hosted her annual "No Diapers to Change, Just Cookies to Exchange" party. 300++ cookies and about 8 bottles of wine. A good time was had by all!

To round out our fun week, Matt and I went to our neighbor Marissa's welcome home dinner party. She spent the last 6 months in Iraq and we are so happy to have her home!!!

Erin, Marissa, and me at Silo for dinner. There were about 30 people... it was such a fun evening!

Marissa and Me at the Bubble Room after dinner- fun fun!

The ladies.

Can you tell tights are back in style? haha.

Hope your holidays are just as fun!

The Holidays Are Here!

2010-12-10T14:32:00.006-06:00

The holidays are here and we've already had a few fun parties this month. First up was Cookies and Milk with Santa for Sydnie's second birthday. The kids all wore their pajamas and got to sit on Santa's lap and give him their wish list for Santa to take back to the North Pole. Elise jumped right up.

She didn't crack a smile but he certainly made an impression. She hasn't stopped talking about him since!

Decorating gingerbread houses.

Yum Yum!

Next up was Christmas on Castallani hosted by Erin, Audrey, and Olivia.

Big kids enjoying a yummy lunch.

Elise and Cito. They just look mischievous, don't they?

Gift exchange.

Edible penguins for the party that Elise and I made together.

The holidays are off to a fun start this year! We have a few more parties on our calendar... stay tuned :)

The Fun in St. Louis Continues

2010-11-28T12:07:00.000-06:00

The fun is St. Louis continued with the annual Skeet Shoot at the farm on Friday.

Aunt Jen made Elise a giant cupcake to celebrate her second birthday.

Still trying to get that perfect picture of Elise and Drew in their matching jammies.

It was not successful.

Elise perked up back on the farm in a holiday outfit made by MiMi.

Jumping on the bed with cousins Ellie, Drew, and Clara.

Christmas lights at the sod farm.

Elise and Clara had a blast running around in the cold!

My happy family. Well, Matt and I are happy... not sure about Elise in this picture :)

Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T11:51:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, surrounded by family. We flew to St. Louis to be with my dad's side of the family this year. It was a blast. Matt, Elise, and I stayed with my cousin Jen, Joe, and Drew, who also hosted Thanksgiving for the whole family.

Elise and Uncle B.

Ellie and Elise

It snowed!! Big fat snowflakes!!! And Elise's first time to actually see snow!

Drew, Elise, and Tompa checking out the white stuff.

Familia :)

Elise and Drew in coordinating jammies.

We ended the evening downstairs with the cousins playing games and the older generation drinking the bar.

So much to be thankful for this year. We are truly blessed :)

Elise is TWO!

2010-11-26T13:09:00.000-06:00

Two Year Stats:

Height- 32.8 inches, 29%
Weight- 24 lb 8 oz, 22%
Head Circumference- 48.3 cm, 70%
Teeth- all are in except for 2 year molars. Yipee!

WOW! How is it possible that our sweet Elise is two years old??? No longer a baby and officially a toddler/little girl. Elise is at such a fun age. I really think if I could freeze time and keep her where she is right now, I would. She's just such a sweetie with a darling and outgoing personality.

Elise continues to be a good little sleeper. She's usually in bed no later than 7:30 and sleeps 12-13 hours every night. Nap time is around 1:00 and lasts about 2 hours. Occasionally, Elise will just chat and play in her crib for the entire two hours without sleeping, but it sounds like she's having fun so I just let her do her thing.
Eating- Elise is still fairly picky. She eats a lot of fresh fruits but rarely any veggies unless I sneak them in. She is starting to eat more meat, still loves eggs, carbs, and dairy products. An odd favorite is black olives. I'll give her a few and as soon as she gobbles them down, I'll hear, "More olives!"
Talking- Elise is such a chatterbox. She has a huge vocabulary and is speaking in 4-5 word sentences. She speaks very clearly and is pretty easy to understand. The one word she refuses to say correctly, however, is milk. She pronounces it "nolk." We've tried to work on it and she just smiles and says "nolk." She's a very polite girl and will says "please" and "thank you" unprompted. She knows lots of songs and loves to sing. She has also begun memorizing some of her favorite books and can complete the sentences/pages for me.
The obsession with "Baby" continues and will keep her occupied for hours. Baby doll, baby stroller, baby bed... she loves it all. She also loves books and puzzles and is really good at entertaining herself.
Just like any two year old... Elise is non-stop. Busy busy busy... she rarely sits still unless we are reading a book or eating.

Elise is a pure joy. I love the little girl she has turned into and look forward to what this next year will bring!

Elise's Second Birthday Party

2010-11-22T20:44:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful, simple, and fun backyard party for Elise's second birthday. We were lucky to have amazing weather and the kids ran and played in the backyard all evening long. Elise is fortunate to be surrounded by so many people who love her; thanks to all who could come out and celebrate!

Tea Party with Natalie, Lauren, and Timmy

Swinging with Uncle B

Dinner with Sarah, Audrey, and Marissa

Happy Birthday!

Elise has been begging for a Pillow Pet every time we go to the store! She was thrilled!

New set of wheels for our big girl!

We had such a fun evening. Can't wait to do it again next year :)

Birthday Party Prep

2010-11-22T20:36:00.001-06:00

Elise and I had a lot of fun together making and frosting the cupcakes for her birthday party.

She may have had a sample
or two..

Two Year Pics

2010-11-12T20:59:00.004-06:00

We met with my favorite photographer, Beth, a few weeks ago and she captured some wonderful images of Elise!! I had to hold back a few for Christmas cards. Here are some other favs. I cannot believe my little girl is about to turn two!!! She's so much FUN!

Cloth Diapers- Final Thoughts.

2010-11-05T14:14:00.010-05:00

I am thrilled to say we are done with diapers of all kinds- cloth and 'sposies!! Elise is potty-trained and has been for about 2 weeks. She is doing awesome and we are so proud. For anyone getting ready to PT their child, I highly highly recommend the 3 Day Potty Training program. I didn't buy a book or anything. I found a few summaries online and just followed them pretty strictly for those 3 days. It was much easier than expected.
Sooo... we are also done with cloth diapers. I have had so many people ask me about them and even a few mom friends (or moms-to-be: looking at you Marisa!) use them, so I know I'm not the only one out there. They are gaining in popularity so quickly, which I think is great! I just finished packing them all away in hopes that we will use them on our second child and I thought I would give some "final thoughts." If you don't know the CD lingo, this will probably be very confusing. But if you have started to research CDing at all, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. I hope someone out there finds this helpful.
When Elise was a newborn, we used mainly fitteds with a cover. It worked great, with not one single leak or dreaded "blow-out." When she started eating solid food and became more active, we switched to mainly pockets or AIOs. I didn't like the fitteds as much as she grew; I thought they were pretty bulky and honestly, she wouldn't stay still enough to get the diaper and cover on. So the pockets with snaps became our "go-to." I preferred the pockets bc they dried quicker than the AIOs. Our favorite diaper was Preston's Pants. We also really liked Fuzzi Buns and, for AIO Blueberry. For nighttime, I used Bum Genius . Never a leak- ever.

We used CDs full time until Elise was 9 months old. She stared to attend Mother's Day Out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I know there are some out there who are hardcore CD and use them all the time, 24/7, but that really didn't work with our lifestyle. What worked best for us was using CDs Thursday, when she got home from MDO, to Monday. Then we used 'sposies T, W, and Th during the day. I did laundry twice a week. It wasn't a big deal... then again, laundry is one chore I don't really mind.

We have no regrets using cloth diapers. They probably saved us well over $1,000 (especially because I bought mine used and will use them on our next child as well.) So actually, the savings is probably closer to $2,000. Did I find them to be a pain? Sometimes, yes. I'm not going to lie. They are not as easy as disposables. But they're not all that difficult, time-consuming, or gross (not that much grosser than a 'sposie IMO) and they added maybe 30 minutes of laundry a week. If that. I'm kind of green and kind of crunchy... and heck, I've got to make up for the big carbon footprint my SUV leaves!! ;)

Are we happy to be done with diapers of all kinds- you bet!!! I don't miss washing or folding the CDs one bit. And I don't miss buying the disposables. But we have no regrets and we will certainly use them on our next child. They are not for everyone, but they are certainly a great option for some!

If you have any questions- I'll be happy to try and help!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T14:29:00.004-05:00

Visiting a local Pumpkin Patch

The Buchecks hosted their annual Trick or Treating Party and we had a fabulous time, as always!! Alecia's food and decor were to die for!! (haha)

Kids eating dinner before Trick or Treating.

Do you know how hard it is to get a good picture of all the kids? Next to impossible.

Karen and me with our very full wine glasses, hoping we wouldn't run out TorT-ing. *sigh* We did. Next year we're taking a bottle with us :)

Elise and Audrey. What a difference from last year!

Our little Pink Poodle.

The whole crew, getting ready to go! We might as well have been an ad for Radio Flyer.

Trick or Treating!

Afterwards, all the kids changed into their jammies... except Elise who wanted to keep her costume on.

Such a fun evening!!! Thanks for having us!!

Hanging Out With My Witches.

2010-10-25T13:38:00.004-05:00

The Salas Witches invited Elise and me over for a Witch Luncheon today. We had a blast!

Little Witches playing...

Listening to Witch Melanie read Piggie Pie.

Eating a spooky lunch with her witch buddies Sydnie and Audrey.

Decorating Haunted Houses.

The Bit... errr... Witchy Moms! ;)

Elise-23 Months!

2010-10-21T19:32:00.006-05:00

I haven't done a full update on Elise in a while... her little personality has just exploded and I wanted to "jot" some things down before I forget. I'll do a "proper" 2 Year post (whaaa???? How on earth can my baby be almost 2????) in a month, but for now, let me tell you what 'Lisee (as she calls herself) is up to:

Talking, talking, talking. Oh my gawd, this child is never quiet!! She's like a little parrot, repeating the last words I say. Her vocabulary is enormous and she's speaking in 2 and 3 word "sentences." She speaks very clearly, and has very specific thoughts and ideas. And don't you dare try and cross her, especially if it concerns her baby.
Baby (her doll.) It is all about Baby in this house. Is Baby okay? She's usually sleeping... Elise likes her babies to sleep... a lot. ;) She lays out a blanket perfectly and then puts Baby on top. Then she puts another blanket on top of Baby, lined up perfectly with the first blanket. Kind of like a Baby Sandwich. If you mess up the blanket, even move it one inch she will flip out and WW III will begin. (Not that I know this. Not that I would ever mess up Baby's blanket just to see Elise's reaction. And if I did do that, I would never ever giggle-snort while watching Elise melt down. Not this mom!)
Elise can count to ten. She thinks the number after 10 is "yea!" She can also sing her ABC's and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. She's got the gist of Old MacDonald and likes to fill in the animals and the sounds. She knows every animal and sound that *I* can think of. We are now working on colors and shapes.
Miss Independent! She likes to walk everywhere we go... including our daily walks around the neighborhood. That doesn't really fly with me. I let her walk to the park, then I put her in the stroller. She tries to go all Garfield on me, but I usually win.
Loves to give hugs and kisses and has to give Jaws a hug and kiss every night and if she's forgotten, she will insist on going back downstairs before she'll go to sleep. If she gets a "boo-boo" she wants me to kiss it. And then I have to kiss every spot where she's ever gotten a boo-boo. Ever.
"Pick-up!" Holy cow- this is awesome. Elise is obsessed with picking-up and totally picks up all her toys every night before we go to bed. She also picks up and puts away her bath-toys. Love this! I wonder if it's too early to teach her to put away Mommy's shoes.....? wdyt? ;)
When Elise gets angry, she pulls her bows out of her hair and then pulls the rubber-bands out and throws them on the ground. And then stares/glares at me. It's her way of getting even, I guess.

Elise is personality+ and we're having a blast with her! Watching her grow has been so fun and I can't wait to see and hear what she comes up with next!

'Tis the Season!

2010-10-18T08:28:00.005-05:00

Halloween that is! We have lots of fun Halloween activities planned and we started it off yesterday with a Haunted Trick-or-Treat hosted by the Salas Family! This year Elise is dressing up as a pink poodle!!!

Once we arrived at the party, the costume lasted about 10 minutes.

Elise and Sydnie. Who says cats and dogs can't be friends?? ;)

Elise and I had such a wonderful time. That said, Elise's obsession with all things baby continues. I have never seen an episode of the show "Hoarders" but I can imagine what it would be like. And I picture Elise on that show, surrounded by baby dolls, baby strollers, baby beds, and whatever other baby paraphernalia she could get her paws on. It was all downhill once she found Sadie and Sydnie's baby dolls. She was obsessed. Had to make sure they were okay... were sleeping well.. and that NO one (adult or child) got near them.. or even looked at them. *sigh*

As always, Melanie's decorations were off the charts!

Happy Fall Y'all!

October

2010-10-16T19:22:00.000-05:00

We've had a busy October so far. The weather has been awesome and we've been soaking it up!

Play Date at the Zoo

Elise and her bestie, Audrey, eating lunch.

Joined by more friends.

Go big or go home, right? So normal toddlers have a nice little swing where their moms and dads can maybe sit on a bench and give them a little push. Not this house! Elise loves her huge swing and the higher she can soar into the branches, the more she loves it!

And of course Jaws has to get in on the action.

We also flew to Missouri over Columbus Day weekend to visit MiMi and Papa and celebrate MiMi's 60th birthday.

Eating out.

"Helping" MiMi sew.

Visit Uncle Mark at the fire station.

Bucket ride! All we needed was a bungee cord!

Love you MiMi! See you next time!

First Haircut!

2010-09-27T19:56:00.004-05:00

I feel like it took forever for Elise's hair to start growing, and of course, the last thing I wanted to do was cut it off. However, it was very uneven, so I took her in for her first haircut; just a little trim. She got to sit in a super cool fire truck and she kept saying, "nee-naw, nee-naw." She was pretty still, and thankfully, the hair dresser was quick.

before

during

AFTER!

Even though it's shorter, it looks much healthier. I'd say the first haircut was a success!!

September Happenings

2010-09-26T14:13:00.001-05:00

I blink and September is almost over. What happened to this month??? It blew by for me! We have settled in nicely to our fall/school routine. MOPS has started up again, and I am so thankful for this wonderful organization and the friends I have made. We had our first outing last week- Chuck-e-cheese! That was a first for Elise and me. I can definitely see that Chuck-e-cheese has its place in this world. Elise had a wonderful time running around and playing with her friends.

Elise and Marissa

Elise and Audrey, doing their favorite thing; climbing UP the slide!

Elise is so hit or miss with eating. Some weeks she eats everything in sight. Others, I'm lucky if I can get her to eat a cracker and a piece of cheese. And the things she likes are all over the place as well. She won't touch a sweet mango, but would eat an entire can of black olives if I let her. Tomato sauce makes her gag, but she'll eat anything if dipped in hummus (or hummey as she calls it.)

Finally, Saturday we had a Mom's Day OUT! Ashley, Maggie, Erin, and I all went to see Jersey Boys. It was SO great and was such a fun afternoon :)

Sunday Funday

2010-09-22T21:51:00.004-05:00

Sunday I was vacuuming the downstairs and realized Elise was nowhere to be seen. Odd because she is usually no less that 5 feet from me, especially when I vacuum. She loves it! So I went hunting. What did I find? The most precious little girl reading to her babies. She was pointing to the ducks and saying, "Duck. Quack-quack." Melt my heart.

The rain continues. And there is only one person that would take Elise out in a summer rainstorm...
barefoot...
and let her walk on the filthy, nasty street...
Busted.
And I don't know who loved it the most- Elise, Jaws, or Tompa.

Fearless

2010-09-21T21:13:00.005-05:00

Our little 'Lise is absolutely fearless. She loves loud noises, loves to be scared; you'll get the biggest squeal of delight if you come around the corner and yell "BOO"! She thinks thunder is super cool... and she'll lock herself in a dark closet without fear. Hmmm... wonder where she gets it from???

So last weekend I had an urge to clean the fans. Of course, when that random moment strikes, you gotta run with it! I had Matt bring in the ladder and I went to a different room to get what I needed. In no time at all, Elise had scampered to the top of the 8 ft ladder, by herself! In fact, we couldn't keep her off. Add heights to the list of things Elise doesn't fear.

Now for a random pic that is just too cute not to include.

I can't get Elise to hold my hand to save my life. It's actually a struggle because she wants to walk by herself where ever we go, but in places like, say, a PARKING LOT she doesn't get that she needs to hold my hand. Enter Ms. Melanie! Three moms took 5 children (you can't see infant Gregory) to Red Robin and Melanie got them all to hold hands! Such sweet little girls. And now- Elise is not so opposed to holding my hand when needed! Thanks Mel! You have no idea how much easier you made my life! ;)

Some Photos from August

2010-08-29T14:12:00.008-05:00

At 21 months, Elise is such a fun little girl! Her vocabulary is huge. She wants to know what everything is and will point from item to item to item, listening and then repeating what we say. She is incredibly active, running and jumping everywhere. She still loves being outside, swimming, and books. Her newest obsession is her baby doll. She pushes "Baby" all over in the stroller, feeds baby, covers "Baby" with blankets, and says "shhh shhh, night-night." It's so sweet. Eating habits are all over the place, but she's growing and I guess that's all that matters! She is a very happy little girl, plays well with her friends, and is a lot of fun to be around.

Here are a few pics from this month.

"Helping" Daddy mow

In a pretty outfit made by MiMi

She loves to walk around in my shoes.

Elise and Tompa have a special bond- they adore each other!

Elise modeling another darling outfit made by MiMi.

We have Sea World season passes and we've had a lot of fun this summer going to the water park with friends. Last weekend Matt was off and the three of us went. Hardly anyone was there- it was so nice!

Climbing the ropes

Ew.

Elise- 21 Months

2010-08-26T14:05:00.000-05:00

I took Elise down to Hemisphere Park to get some pictures taken. I can't believe she's nearing 2!!!

First Day of School!

2010-08-17T13:57:00.002-05:00

School (Mother's Day Out) has started back up for Elise. She has moved into the Toddler/2 Class... where did my baby go??? She is still going on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30-3:30.

Elise insists on carrying her items into and out of the classroom all by herself. She calls her backpack her "pac-pac" and throws a fit when I attempt to help her or pick her up when we're in the parking lot. (She refuses to hold my hand....*sigh*) Miss Independence!

At Back to School Night she played with the dolls and hid and cried under the table when I told her it was time to leave. Made a great first impression on her teacher, I'm sure :)

Of course, she remembered the baby dolls and once she was in the room, she didn't look back once. Seriously. Matt and I told her "bye" and she could not have cared less...

She had a great first week and we're looking forward to another wonderful school year!

Animal Sounds

2010-08-16T13:39:00.002-05:00

Elise has gotten so good with all her animal sounds... here's a little video I shot of her demonstrating that knowledge. It's not the best video.... I'm going to attempt to get a better one... one where I can remember all the animals she knows. ;)

Sawing Logs

2010-08-09T20:41:00.001-05:00

Elise tends to be an excellent sleeper. She goes to sleep easily and sleeps well. She also tends to catch up on her sleep over the weekend, after our busy weeks. I took this last weekend, after she was going on 3.5 hours of her afternoon nap. Sweet baby girl...

New Hampshire and Maine

2010-07-30T20:15:00.010-05:00

We spent 8 days in New England this month... I firmly believe all South Texans should spend a week up north around July or August. It was heaven, I tell you! Highs in the 80s, lows in the 60s, with 0 humidity!! Zero!!! My hair has never looked so good. My aunt has a house in a little ski/golf/lake community in New Hampshire and we had a mini family reunion. Mom, Dad, Matt, Elise, and I flew up from Texas. My cousin Bronson, his wife Ellie, and their children Nicholas and Julia (or Nick-Nick and Ulia as Elise calls them) drove in from Connecticut. My Aunt Judy and Uncle Jim drove up from Mass. and my 91 year old grandma flew in from Cleveland! It was such a fun week!!!

Elise was a total stud on the flights out. We opted out of buying her a seat, crossing our fingers there would be an empty seat for her. Yea right- when was the last time you flew on a place that wasn't oversold???? However, it didn't matter. On the first flight, the 3.5 hr flight to Baltimore, Elise was awesome. She sat at our feet and read her books. No lie. You wouldn't have even known she was there. Puppies make more noise than she did.

The second flight (just an hour and a half) she entertained Tompa (or was it the other way around?) Still as happy as can be.

Elise's first introduction to the beach!!! (Yea- so it was a beach on a lake... no matter... she loved it!)

Happy hour with Grandma. Grandma would give Elise her olive, just like Grandpa used to give me! Elise loved it and by the end of the week, Grandma was getting about 4 olives in her martini, just so Elise could have a few.

Elise's first golf cart ride. She was NOT a fan.

Kayaking on the lake!

Elise and her most favorite person, Tompa!

Elise and her Daddy.

Grandma, me, and Elise!

At the end of the week, we drove to Camden, Maine for my cousin's wedding on my dad's side of the family. It was such a coincidence that the 2 separate family gatherings were the same weekend in the same region!!! Camden is a stunning seaside town... I would love to spend a summer there.

GiGi and Elise looking at the boats before the rehearsal dinner.

My cousin Mark (the groom) plays in an awesome band and we got to listen to them after the rehearsal dinner. It was so fun!

Matt and me at the wedding.

In all, it was a wonderful, relaxing and refreshing week. I feel so blessed to have such a fun family (on all sides!) We truly love to be together and have so much fun. I only wish we didn't live so far away from one another. Until next time!

Still here!

2010-07-14T12:03:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lack of blog updates. Summer is speeding by for us!! We've been spending a lot of time at the pool and playing in our backyard.

Every Sunday we have our weekly family dinner at my parents' house. Tompa is easily one of Elise's favorite people and she always wants him to read her a book and let her take a bath in their sink outside.

Elise and Jaws both love to play in the sprinkler while Matt and I sit back and relax in the backyard. This summer, the weather has been awesome, not too hot at all. I've logged many hours on our patio, finally reading the Twilight Saga.

Happy Birthday America! Our neighborhood also had a fun parade... yet I didn't get a single picture :( Next year, I promise!!!

Elise showing off one of the many cute outfits her MiMi has made her.

Hope your summer has been equally fun!!

Fun with MiMi and Papa!

2010-06-28T07:01:00.000-05:00

While Matt and I were in Ireland, MiMi and Papa kept not only Elise, but her cousin Brett! Brett is about 2 months older than Elise and they had so much fun together!

Papa took them both for walks in Granny's walker.

Riding a tricycle is serious business!

Water fun!

Every little girl needs a red bikini! :)

Ireland 2010

2010-06-23T06:45:00.004-05:00

Earlier this month we flew Elise to Springfield and then Matt and I met my parents in Ireland for 10 days to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday. We had a BLAST!! The men got to do a little golfing at some of Ireland's more famous courses, mom and I did a little shopping, and we all did some sightseeing, eating, and drinking :) It was such a fun trip. We flew into Shannon, rented a car and toured the west and southern coasts of Ireland. We flew home from Dublin.

Elise did great at her Mimi and Papa's and I'll be sure to get a few pics of the fun she had up on here.

Click here to see a few pictures of our Ireland trip.

And a few favs:

Cliffs Of Moher

Kilkenny

Slea Head Drive

Pub time!

Kinsale

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T18:44:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day to Matt! You are such am amazing husband to me and daddy to sweet Elise. We love you so very much!

The Greatest Dog

2010-05-30T21:52:00.001-05:00

Everyone knows I believe Jaws is the greatest, most well behaved four legged furry beast out there. Am I biased? Yes... yes I am. But I did get a little photographic evidence to prove it. Elise spilled her snack cup all around Jaws. I happened to walk by the family room and saw him surrounded by goldfish. But he didn't eat a single one... he wouldn't dare without permission. What a good boy!

Elise giving Jaws some love. She loves loves loves her dog! However, "Jaws" is a word she will not say. She will "bark" like a dog and that's how she says Jaws. In fact, that's one of the first things she "says" every morning. She barks and points down the stairs until she sees her doggie... but will not/can not say "Jaws." Hmmmm.... not sure what to do with that. ;)

More love...

And more!

Just chillin'. Elise thinks Jaws makes a pretty good recliner.

She also thinks he makes a pretty good horse.

Note the hand in the mouth. She was smiling so nicely... I grabbed my camera, a devious look flashed in her eyes and her hand flew to her mouth. And stayed there until I put the camera down.

A visit from Jen, Joe, and Drew!!!

2010-05-29T13:42:00.008-05:00

My cousin Jen, along with her husband and 13 month old son, Drew came to visit us from St. Louis this past weekend. We had such a great time!! Even though Drew is a good 6 months younger than Elise, he keeps up just fine. They had so much fun together; it was a wonderful visit!

Of course we had to visit the Alamo.

We took a nice stroll along the riverwalk before heading to Market Square for lunch at La Margarita.

Backyard fun.

Go figure. The scrub brush I used to clean the water table was a bigger hit than any toy!

Jen holding down the fort.

Looking intently at... something. Whatever is was, it even grabbed Jaws' attention!

Cutie-pie Drew putting his quesadilla on his head.

Hottie dads at Sea World. :)

At the first show. Elise wasn't too impressed. Maybe because she knew we were in the splash zone. Woops.

She liked Shamu!

Wasn't a fan of the dolphins.

It was a fun weekend and I'm looking forward to seeing them all again soon!

Last Day of School

2010-05-27T19:46:00.003-05:00

Hard to believe Elise has finished her first year of "school." Matt and I feel so fortunate to have found such a wonderful place for Elise to go twice a week. I'm sad to see the year end... but she'll be back next August in the Toddler room!

Last Day of School. Elise isn't sure how she feels about it.

And just for funsies and comparisons sake- a look back at her FIRST day of school! What a change!

With her teacher, Ms. Raina, and friends.

With her bestie Cameron. They are always together!!!

Cam giving Elise some love.

Eating... they don't look too thrilled. Maybe they'd rather filet? Surf and turf perhaps?

Elise pondering all she's learned this year and looking forward to next year!

Elise - 18 Months!

2010-05-26T13:17:00.004-05:00

Stats:

Weight: 22 lbs 7 oz- 24%
Length: 32 inches- 62%
Head circumference- 47.6 cm- 79%
Tooth count- 12. 4 top, 4 bottom and all 4 molars have made their arrival. Eye teeth are on the move.

Elise is just about the cutest thing to grace this earth!! ;) She is so sweet, fun, and as busy as ever! She loves to go swimming, play outside, read books, and dance in the living room. She's still a semi-picky eater, loving her constant favorites and dropping everything else on the floor. Elise is still very much a scheduled child, sleeping from 7:30pm-8:00am, and still naps at 12:30 for 2-3 hours. We are blessed with such a good and easy sleeper!

She loves to play with other children and is usually a little more assertive; she doesn't get pushed around! Her vocabulary is developing and she has countless words, though not very many phrases. She knows lots of animals and the sounds and movements they make. Elise is very physical and can run, jump, and climb up just about anything. It is so fun to watch her turn into this little person and become her own self. We love her to pieces!!

Toddler Play at the Zoo

2010-05-19T08:02:00.003-05:00

Elise met her friends James and Audrey at the zoo last week. Of course, the highlight for them was the toddler play area. The San Antonio Zoo is very toddler/child friendly and we have enjoyed going this spring. We purchased a zoo pass and like to take picnic lunches, so it's basically a free morning for us. It's also a great way to get a guaranteed loooong afternoon nap out of Elise.

Tres de Mayo!

2010-05-10T16:24:00.008-05:00

So Elise and I hosted a Tres de Mayo playdate (we did it on the 3rd of May since Mondays are best for us and our friends.) Elise and her 8 friends were all dressed in their Mexican/fiesta attire and looked so cute! I managed to get some "before" pictures before everyone arrived, but I didn't get any pics of the kids playing.

Table settings for the moms.

There was a time when I swore our yard wouldn't be full of "plastic crap." Ah... how I have eaten my words... Anything that holds Elise's attention for more than 2.5 seconds becomes a "must own" in our book! We make China's laborers proud ;)

Elise telling her BFF, Jaws, just how much fun her playdate was. Either that or she was going in for an open mouth kiss. You decide.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T20:44:00.005-05:00

We had a really nice day today. Matt has worked his butt off this past week, so in my quest to win "WOTY" (that would be Wife of the Year!") I encouraged him to golf. Yes, I'm amazing... I know ;)

We had a nice breakfast at my parents house and then, after Matt, my dad, and Brett golfed, my mom and I met them at Tre. As always, it was yummy. Here are a few pics I snapped:

So Elise hates the camera. She sees it and does one of three things. She either 1) runs away. 2) sticks her tongue out as evidenced in these photos.

Or 3) sticks her fingers in her mouth, which is really odd as she doesn't do this any other time. See the exhibits below.

Mom and Dad- love them so!

Mom and Brett- he's not half bad either ;)

I hope everyones Mother's Day was just as nice :)

Elise- 17 months.

2010-04-26T08:15:00.000-05:00

Crazy to think that Elise is now 17 months... and the word that comes to mind when I think of her is FUN! She is just a lot of fun to be around. Her little personality is in full force. She is sweet and cuddly, and at times loves to sit and snuggle and be held. She is also very active, running, playing, climbing, and sliding on her new toys outside and at the park. She plays very well with others and loves playdates with friends.

"Car!" We play outside with the neighbors, and Elise has heard all the moms yell "car" when one is coming. Now she points them out for us.

She loves talking on the phone. "Yea, yea, yea..." is what she says.

"Where's your bellybutton?"

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T06:49:00.002-05:00

Happy Earth Day from Elise, who helps the environment by wearing cloth diapers and using reusable bags ;) I also have a massive new "eco-friendly" rave- Rockin' Green laundry detergent!! It is made here in San Antonio, and is environmentally and sensitive skin friendly. It's also much more cost effective than the detergents most of us use. It almost has a "cult-like" following on the 'net... I never knew people could be so obsessed with laundry detergent. Anyway, I suggest giving it a try! Especially if you have fallen for the "chemical-laden" Dreft marketing in the newborn stage (not that there is anything wrong with that.. their marketing department has done a niiiice job convincing us that our babies will have 3 heads if we do not wash with Dreft) ... this is far far superior. I love the idea of supporting a little family business over a monster company like Procter and Gamble. :)

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T21:47:00.006-05:00

We had a wonderful Easter and I hope you did as well. Matt had to work, so Elise and I went over to GiGi and Tompa's for brunch and an early dinner. Elise loved her little gifts from the Easter Bunny, but what she really loved was the Easter Egg hunt! We had to have several... she loved gathering all the eggs and putting them in her basket. It was so fun :)

MiMi made Elise's Easter dress!!

Elise and Jaws. This is right after Jaws tried to gently take Elise's Easter Rabbit for a little "stroll". That explains the guilty look.

Elise and Bailey

Tompa and Elise

Finally, what a difference one year makes! Look at those chubby (healthy!) cheeks!

Elise, Easter 2009

Easter 2010

Fun in March

2010-03-31T13:06:00.005-05:00

March was a fun and jam packed month for us. The weather has been beautiful and we've been spending lots of time outside. Here are some random pictures I snapped.

Fun play-date at Dynamoze.

First Ponytail!!!!!

Play-date at the Botanical Gardens.

Helping Da-daaaa put together the new playhouse.

Water table. Jaws loves this!

Playing outside.

Actually sitting and sorta smiling for the camera :)

Riding the train at Brackenridge Park.

Bluebonnets!!!!!! They are stunning this year.

(More bluebonnet pics to come, I hope!)

Easter is right around the corner...

2010-03-28T15:26:00.006-05:00

and Alecia, Robert, and sweet Marissa invited us over for an Easter Party and Egg Hunt! Matt was working, so Elise was my date! Therefore I didn't get to snap as many pics as I would have liked to. It was a gorgeous afternoon and all the kids and adults loved being outside, soaking up the warm sun.

Elise, wearing the Easter egg dress MiMi made her- cute!!!

GiGi and Tompa dropped by for a quick drink and gave Erin and me a little break since our hubs were working. Elise loved playing in the bounce house!

Look, an egg! She would point at them but wouldn't pick them up.

Elise with Bunny Melanie. I'm pretty sure Elise was the only child that didn't cry while being held by the Easter Bunny. She was curious but not scared.

We had a busy but very fun Saturday. Princess party in the morning, 3 hour 50 minute nap, and Easter party in the evening. Thanks for having us over; it was a wonderful party and a wonderful day all around!

Princesses, Bunnies, and Tea! Oh My!

2010-03-28T13:22:00.006-05:00

Elise's inner princess was allowed to shine at Sadie and Sydnie's My Bunny and Me Princess Tea yesterday morning. Imagine a dozen girls, glammed up in their finest dresses, tiaras, and bling. It was so fun and makes me so happy to have a little princess! Thank you, Melanie and girls, for including us in your special Saturday morning :)

Little Princesses, all in a row.

The Tiny Trio- Elise, Audrey, and Sydnie.

Eating like big girls!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T20:16:00.000-05:00

MiMi made Elise the cutest pillowcase dress that was perfect for our St. Patrick's Day playdate!!

Ashley and Cito invited us over for a fun morning and yummy lunch. All the chefs were so creative and everything we put into our mouths was green!

Fun times were had by all. One of these days, we'll get all the kids in one picture... one day...

Adult Playdate

2010-03-14T09:31:00.000-05:00

Adults need to have get-togethers too!! Matt's schedule has been brutal for the past year, it seems, and he finally had a nice chuck of time off, including 2 weekends! We invited some neighbors and friends over for a little dinner party and had such a nice time. I totally forgot to pull out my camera while everyone was here, but here are some "before" pics. The weather was perfect and we were able to dine outside by the fire.

On the menu:

Appetizers:

shrimp and snow peas w/ lemon aioli
marinated cheese with crackers

Entree:

Marisa's Salad (if you know me or my bestie Marisa, you know this salad!!! And yes, that's the name :)
Chipotle crusted pork tenderloin
Spinach souffle
Twice baked potatoes
Rolls

Dessert:

Individual creme brulee

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

2010-03-06T09:05:00.001-06:00

Friends Sadie and Sydnie (aka Thing 1 and Thing 2) invited Elise to a birthday party for beloved Dr. Seuss. Did you know he would have been 106? Elise dressed as her favorite character, Cindy Lou Who.

Keeping this girl still is no easy feat.

There was even a fireside showing of The Cat and the Hat.

Elise enjoying snacks with Audrey and Sydnie.

This picture cracks me up. I have about a million captions running through my brain. Maybe I'll decide on one and post it later.

Cat in the Hat Marissa sharing popcorn with Elise. I'm pretty sure sweet Elise didn't give her a choice :)

Elise- 15 months.

2010-02-26T15:01:00.009-06:00

Our sweet Elise is 15 months!

Current stats:

Weight- 20 lbs 5 oz- 15%
Length- 30 1/2 inches- 53%
Tooth count- 9! Four on the top, four on the bottom, and her first molar has cut through. That explains the night wakenings... though it doesn't explain why she only wakes when Dad's out of town and Mommy has to work the following day!

Elise is a full fledged toddler! She is either walking or running everywhere and is into everything! She's quite destructive. If she sees my shoes lined up, she must go over and knock them down. If her sippy cup is upright, she knocks it over. Toys in the basket? Oh no, out they come!! She is so active and loves to play outside, even just walking up and down the hill in our backyard. She usually likes to find a souvenir, like Jaws' collar, to take along as she wanders the yard.

She is a very happy child, laughing and squealing all day long. Her favorite go-to word is "Dada" and she will randomly shout it, all day long. She also says Mama, baby, ball, book, light and a lot of other gibberish that I don't fully understand but I know has meaning to her. She is smily and pleasant to everyone she meets, strangers love to talk to her wherever we go. She loves playing with other children and she has no problem taking whatever toy they are currently playing with. We'll work on manners soon enough. She still attends Mother's Day Out on Tuesday and Thursdays. It is a great situation... she has never, ever cried when being dropped off and when I go to pick her up, she often runs from me, looking back with a massive grin. I take that as a very good sign that she is happy there. Every other Friday she attends Moppets while I attend my MOPS meeting, and she's making friends there as well.

We have weaned from nursing and Elise no longer uses bottles; she's becoming such a big girl! She has dropped her morning nap and is now taking about a 3 hour afternoon nap, starting usually around 12:30. I was dreading when she would drop her morning nap, but I've changed my tune. It's really freeing to me, knowing that we have all morning to run errands, have play dates, and just get out of the house. Her bedtime is still around 7:30 and she usually sleeps for 12 hours. Her eating habits have improved and I no longer stress about her not eating enough or getting proper nutrition... this month anyway. That said, her manners are still terrible, but we're working on it. She loves to taunt me with her sippy cup, dangling it over the side of her high chair. Sometimes she'll drop it, sometimes she'll put it in its proper place, and other times she'll launch it across the kitchen and look at me for a reaction. Same with food. And if she's full, she can't stand to have anything on her tray; she'll sweep it all to the floor where Jaws is usually waiting for permission to "take it."

Elise loves to sit in my lap and read books. Her favorite books have real photos of children in them. She is really just darling, sweet, and a fun little girl. She brings such joy to our life and I can't wait to see what Spring will bring!

Yes... that is a dog collar around her neck. She put it there, not I.

It's hard to tell, but Elise's hair is now long enough for piggies!!!! That was a big day for us ;)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-20T09:37:00.007-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!! We started off the week of love with a fun playdate at Alecia's. The kids exchanged valentines and had a heart themed lunch. Sadly, no pictures were taken of all the kids together; they were a busy bunch and were all over the place!

Elise and Audrey playing with the balloons.

Elise playing peek-a-boo while out to dinner...

Peek-a-boo!!!!! She would do this for hours if we let her.

Of course our little Valentine was spoiled on Valentine's Day. She received Rody and a monogrammed backpack from Matt and me and her first doll with a stroller from GiGi and Tompa.

Rody was a hit!

As was the "Bay-Bee" and stroller...

Except poor "bay-bee" has been ending up on the ground. A lot. Quick, call CPS!

Uh-Oh!

Um, Elise? I think you're missing something...

She's becoming such a sweet little girl and growing so fast!

Oh yes- that is sass in her eyes! Wonder where she gets that from???

After our little Valentine was tucked into bed, Matt and I enjoyed a scrumptious meal together. I hope your Valentine's Day was just as special :)

A few new pictures....

2010-02-20T07:16:00.002-06:00

So sorry for the lack of updates! This has been a very busy month for us!

The weather has been really nice lately and we've been spending a lot of time outside.

Elise is finally big enough to enjoy our neighborhood park that is just 5 houses away.

Whew- Elise has finally turned a corner at mealtime! I was struggling about a month ago to get her to eat entire healthy meals. She wanted none of it... unless it was a cheerio or cheese :) Then the poor thing caught her first stomach bug and really lost her appetite for a full week.

But when she recovered, she recovered with a full appetite and has been eating everything I put in front of her since. Favorites are green beans, peas, spinach balls, raspberries, grilled cheese, veggie burgers from Costco, and yogurt. She has become such a good little eater and I am thrilled!!

I have been reading to Elise since day one.. being a former reading teacher and all, books and reading are super important to me. And when I say I have been reading to Elise since she was itty bitty, that means I have been reading picture books to myself while Elise wanders around the room, not paying attention one bit. However, when she turned 1 it clicked! "Books are cool!" And she hasn't turned back since. Books are a favorite and she will bring no less than 134 books to me to read. "Boo..." she will say. Then she hands it to me and strains until I put her in my lap. We finish one and she's off to find another.

3 years ago today...

2010-01-31T14:42:00.005-06:00

I headed to the Parker Country Animal Shelter 3 hours before they opened, waited in the ice and rain and adopted Jaws! He was such a cute cute puppy... he was just about 3 months old at the time. I know I've posted some pictures before of him at the shelter. Here are some pictures of his first week at home with us.

He didn't feel so well his first night home. He didn't get sick, but he was pretty mopey and lethargic. He had been neutered the day before and separated from his sister. :(

Typical Jaws look that he still gives us. It's like he thinks to himself, "If I cock my head a little bit more, maybe I'll understand what they're saying."

Cute dog laying on our awesome grass. People would ring our doorbell and ask how our grass was so green. They called our house the "Easter Grass" house. True story. (fertilizer blended at Acme Soap if you must know!!)

He wasn't always calm... this is right before he mauled Matt. Good boy Jaws!

See what I mean... cute puppy!!! With such a serious face. He always has a serious face and sad eyes. Which is so strange because he is the happiest dog around.

Jaws is truly a remarkable dog. He is so good and well-behaved. His goal in life is just to please us... and go on daily walks. We adore him to pieces!! Happy Gotcha Day Jaws!

Birds of a feather

2010-01-31T11:23:00.005-06:00

flock together.

Jaws loved to climb up onto the grill when he was a puppy. Elise likes to do the same. Now, this took place on Matt's watch. He "claims" he turned around for 1 second and she was up on the grill... either our child is spider-woman or he was turned around for MORE than 1 second. OR.. he let her do this for the photo, just so he could post it on Facebook. Hmmm....

Possessed dog or shoddy camera?

2010-01-30T10:12:00.001-06:00

You be the judge.

Now you know why there has been a lack of blog posts. My camera is on the major fritz. Luckily, the birthday fairy is bringing me a new one. Get ready for a bombardment of new blog posts and pictures!!! Once I learn how to use my new camera of course.

January

2010-01-24T10:10:00.004-06:00

It's been a nice, calm January so far. Elise has become an excellent little walker and it is officially her main mode of transportation. The past week has been beautiful and we have been spending our time outside playing. It's so fun, especially now that she's walking full time. Here are a few pics from this month.

Mimi and PaPa came for a visit.

This was a first!!!! Elise is a great sleeper... but she really only sleeps in her crib. She rarely falls asleep in her stroller or car seat. However, we were at my parents' house for the afternoon and she explored their entire backyard. She probably walked around for 2 hours straight. So by the time it was dinner time, she was exhausted.

Books have really become a favorite this past month and she wants to be read to all the time. I love it!

Elise- 13 Months

2010-01-01T20:10:00.000-06:00

What a fun little girl you have become!!! You are so active and love exploring everywhere you go.

Hanging out the window with Grandma at GiGi and Tompa's.

Back from looking at Christmas lights with Uncle B.

Not only do you pull everything OUT of the drawers..

but you now climb INTO them.

Going outside with Tompa, one of your favorite things to do.

So silly!

Helping Daddy paint.

Biting Daddy's shoe.

Big brown eyes!

Bottle with Grandma.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-31T20:59:00.000-06:00

I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas!! We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at my parents' house. We had our traditional Christmas Eve feast- tamales, with family and close friends.

Four Generations.

Posing in front of the Christmas tree.

With GiGi.

And Uncle B!

*sigh* This was as good as we got of a family photo. Between my cruddy camera and Elise's obsession to stick her fingers in her mouth the second she sees my cruddy camera... well, you can see the result. Better pic in 2010!

Christmas morning was so fun! Santa came and spoiled us all! It was a beautiful day outside and I even got to take my new bike for a spin :)

Elise checking out the goodies.

Look!!!! Santa left Rudolph behind. Doesn't he look thrilled??

All in all, Christmas 2009 was wonderful... and so different from 2008. I feel so blessed and look forward to what this next year has in store for us.

Happy Holidays!!

2009-12-30T15:36:00.010-06:00

I realize I haven't blogged a single bit this December (I'm still catching up in November) so I'm just going to do one big post that encompasses this fun month.

December has been a blast and it is totally true that Christmas is more magical when there are children around. We have been busy with holiday parties galore... some for children, some for moms, some for couples, and some to show off those tacky Christmas sweaters!!!

We started off December with a visit with Santa. Elise did okay with the man in the red suit. It wasn't love at first sight, but she warmed up to him.

Then we went to a party geared towards the children, though us moms had a great time too!!! Christmas on Castellani was hosted by Erin and Alecia at Alecia's lovely home. There were 7 kids and all had a blast!

Alecia's spread for the kids; isn't she creative?!

Elise sitting at the "big" kids table!!! I couldn't believe it! She ate her entire lunch sitting in that chair.

Though in true Elise fashion, her manners left a lot to be desired.

Here's a picture of the 4 "babies." I didn't get one with the three toddles :(. This one was hard enough to snap. And not very successful you'll notice.

"But I don't want to go home and take a na-na-nap!"

Ha; she slept for 3.5 hours straight when we got home. It was a wonderful way to start the holidays! (the party, not the nap.)

I also attended Melanie's "No Diapers to Change, Just Cookies to Exchange" party and had a lovely time visiting as the wine flowed! I came home with some yummy treats.

Ornament exchange at Silo

Christmas Gathering at Erin's

As you can see, we had a great December!!

To Be Continued...

Elise is learning to walk!

2009-12-28T21:22:00.004-06:00

Here are two recent videos. The first was taken Christmas evening.

The second was taken this evening... sorry for the lighting. Or lack of.

I have a feeling it won't be much longer until she is a full fledged walker!!!!