Thursday, October 31, 2013

First trip to Phi Mu Headquarters

As most of you know, I volunteer for Phi Mu working with our newest chapters as well as we don't live very far from Phi Mu's Headquarters in Peachtree City, Georgia. So last week, Elly, Mrs. Mary and I made a day trip to PTC to do a little work with the headquarters staff and consultants. It was the first time that Elly has been to the HQ! She was a doll!!! It's about a 2.5 hour drive and for the most part she slept the entire way there and back. Elly played on the floor, ate, helped answer the phone with our receptionist, Sue, and got to meet lots of Phi Mu sisters. Different sisters would come and get Elly and then next thing I knew, they had disappeared somewhere in the building. Thanks to everyone for taking a little Elly time so I could get some work done!

 Overall we had a very productive day and Elly seems to enjoy the trip. Can't wait for the next time that we get to visit. By then she will probably be running the halls of the building! (And hopefully we will get a few more pictures next go around. Just to busy getting work done!)




Sunday, October 20, 2013

Happy Fall Y'all - 7 months


Elly's Stats & Accomplishments
Weight:  
16 pounds (on our home scale)
Height: 
27 inches (mommy measuring)
  Six month recap:
Weight: 15 pounds, 11.5 ounces
Height: 
26 1/2 inches
 
Attacking the 7 month sticker

Bright eyes


Attributes: We still aren't sure what color hair Elly is going to end up with. I swear it gets a little more red each day depending on the light that we are end. Here's hoping that I get to keep my little red head.

Milestones: Elly is off and crawling! She loves to go exploring around the house. Her favorite was crawling in the hall and playing with the flashlight that stayed plugged in as a night light. Needless to say that has been replaced and a plug cover put over the outlet. However, she still crawls in the hall and plays with the cover now. She has also started pulling up on things. One morning I walked in to get her up and found her standing in her bed, in her swaddle sack. That girl is a mess. Aaron also put up her pack n play for her to play in a little during the day while I was out of town for work....he calls it baby jail ;-).


Daddy's Baby Jail

She also stills LOVES to jump! She will jump on you, in the basket at the store and of course in her Baby Einstein bouncy. 




Enjoying the fall weather at the park.




Clothes: Elly is mainly wearing 3-6 month clothes but she does still have a few 0-3 month ones that she wears. We do have a few 9 month cloths as well but again for the most part because of her length we are in the 6 month clothes. We are still trying to find shoes to fit her but so far not a lot of luck. I think we have 1 or 2 pairs. She isn't the best fan shoes, especially on the right foot ;-). She can't keep that foot on.

Sporting my KEDS
Eating: After a few days of not feeling well she is back to eating like a big girl! She eats apple/banana cereal with 1/2 of #2 fruit and occasionally a little bit of milk. At 11:30-12:00 she has 8 ounces of formula. At 3:00 she has 6 ounces of milk. For dinner she has normal rice cereal and 1/2 of #2 vegetable. At 8:00-8:15pm she has 8 ounces of formula before bed. We are looking forward to starting some other snack foods and finger foods the next few months. I think Elly is really going to enjoy eating them. I will say she is like her daddy in that she is done eating in 2.2 seconds.

Sleep schedule: Elly still isn't a great sleeper but we are improving! We started self soothing and Elly still wakes up in the middle of  the night but makes comforting noises and eventually goes back to sleep. Hopefully she will start making it threw the night. She is still taking a few short naps during the day (15-45 minutes) and then one long nap around 12:00, pending if she is at Mother's Day Out, for 2-3 hours. Hopefully as she gets older she will continue to get better with her sleep. I just feel so bad because sometimes I can tell she is so tired but just won't go down to sleep. 

  Since I was gone for her birthday, Aaron decided to celebrate with her! Such a good daddy. 

Birthday present from daddy - Monkey book!
Birthday hat and balloon


Friday, October 11, 2013

First Family Vacation!

Elly finally made it to the beach! We traveled to Seaside, Florida the middle of September for a little family vacation with the Latham's - Jeff, Lauren, Anna Kate and Sarah. We had so much fun and it was perfect timing - not to mention the best weather! We had 2 great days and then on Saturday it rained most of the day - but by then I was OK with that having been to the beach and pool for two days with a six month old! Elly loved the pool but was a little bit unsure of the beach and sand. When she was in the pool and you told her to kick her feet, she definitely started to kick. I can't wait for next year when she is a little bigger and can enjoy it a little more.
Bikini babe!

Checking out what this ocean is all about with Daddy

Loving the pool! Daddy flipped my hat up to start a new trend.


Day 2 at the beach - I got this!

Playing in the sand....and maybe tasted a little bit of it ;-)




Elly really enjoyed getting to play with Anna Kate and Sarah and we are looking forward to getting to do it again. I can definitely see Elly and Sarah getting into all sorts of things as they get older!

Sweet Anna Kate swimming with Elly

Taking a break and sitting in the shade while on the beach

Pretty Girls


We tried to take some family pictures one night but it was so windy! We got a few but everyone's hair was all crazy...well just mine. 



Thursday, October 10, 2013

A remarkable woman!

This past weekend we traveled down to Louisiana to celebrate the life of one remarkable woman, Granny Vi or better known to Elly as GG Vi. Though we wish we had a better reason to head to Louisiana it was nice to see all of our family.
Elly and GG Vi 

4 Generations

The celebration of life was a great remembrance of how special Granny Vi was and how she has impacted so many people. Through her 90 years of life, she has left a legacy of service with over 50,000 hours that she gave volunteering at Slidell Memorial Hospital as well as all the organizations that she has been involved with over the years giving of her time, money and talents - American Red Cross, Slidell Women's Civic Club, Ozone Camellia Club, International Order of Rainbow for Girls, just to name a few. We have all been blessed to get to have her in our lives for so long. Her love to dance and have a good time has been passed down to us all, including Elly. It's funny but even at 7 months, I see some of Granny Vi in Elly. They both LOVE to watch the weather and of course wouldn't miss Wheel of Fortune. I feel very fortunate that Granny Vi was able to meet Elly. And though Elly might not remember GG Vi as she gets older, I know that the stories and pictures that we show her are priceless.

All of Granny Vi's grandchildren at Angela and Eric's engagement party in May

Mother's Day 2013

Grandchildren celebrating Mother's Day in 2013

Granny Vi having a blast "singing" with all the usher's from my wedding

Partying it up at the Slidell Women's Civic Club Mardi Gras Ball in 2011

We will terribly miss Granny Vi but know that she is dancing away and keeping a close watch over all of us to make sure that we are protected! We love you Granny Vi!