Babysitting Briley

 

I finally got to help out Mel and Daniel and take a shift with their little cutie. Briley is Elliott's BFSB (best friend since birth), and they have such a cute little relationship already. They play really well together, half the time is spent chasing each other and giggling/screaming. They had a very busy morning, a great lunch, and somehow (lots of prayers answered) I was able to get them both down for a nap....AT THE SAME TIME, IN THE SAME BED....GOING ON AN HOUR NOW!!! (Keep in mind, I'm lucky if I can get Elliott down at all and usually she takes a very late nap after I struggle with her for at least an hour). So much fun!

It's been a while...

Elliott's Self Portrait

Elliott keeps me busy! She has been such a happy (although still very high maintenance) toddler. We are a little stir crazy from being cooped up indoors, and Elliott is ADDICTED to Caillou. (I used to not even turn the TV on during the day, but this winter broke me of that habit. I plan on trying to reduce her TV watching as the weather improves, and get her outside and out with people.) Our friends Tina and Hutch's oldest turned 3, her party was a good way to burn off some of the crazies after all the snow. 

I'm also currently working on creating a letter of the week curriculum to begin with her when she turns 2, I'll enroll her in pre-school at 3, so this is my way of getting a head start on all of that. Chad, of course, thinks I'm a nerd. Elliott is almost 17 months now. She loves books and puzzles. She is still a vegetarian (90% organic, we do our best)...I may join her soon. I hate the idea of not letting her eat off my plate and having to fix multiple meals, and maybe it'll make me healthier. She is a talker, is constantly making noise...it's even getting to where I understand most of it. She has a large vocabulary, but struggles with words 3 syllables and up. She counts to 2, and says "A B C" for anything with letters. Yesterday she held up the letter M puzzle piece and said "M," I got really excited and held up a letter B to which she said "B," but the next four letters I held up (D, F, H, and X) were also "B"...we'll get there! She is not into wearing her bows right now, which breaks my heart, but loves Daddy's hat. 

Chad turned 30 at the beginning of this month, the same week as the superbowl. He was so excited when they announced it 4 years ago, but then it was so crazy icey that it wasn't as party-like around here as we had hoped. My best friend Mel and her husband watched Elliott so we could go out with family and friends to a nice dinner (Reata's)...and I could not be more proud of my baby girl. This was only the second time someone watched her other then Mar Mar or Auntie, so I was really concerned it was going to get ugly. But, she loves her BFSB (best friend since birth), Briley and had such a good time. 

 Now if we could just tackle Elliott's odd sleeping schedule and get her out of our bed!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Just Pictures....I promise to write more soon.

Chad and I are lucky to have the most awesome niece and nephews around.  I cannot believe how fast they are growing up....

 

 

  And here's our baby girl....she is full of personality! She is such a happy, busy girl...and so smart! Now, if only she'd sleep!

 

And here we are enjoying a night out at the House of Blues...the Old 97's, O's, and Whiskey Folk Ramblers played a GREAT New Year's Eve show.  Mar Mar watched miss E while we partied with our friends Squid and Darcy and the Hamilton's. We even got to go back stage after the show and hang out.

Earlier on New Year's Eve we took Elliott to feed the ducks for the first time.  I couldn't believe that she is 17 months and I'd never taken her before...now I remember why. It's not like I can put her down for pictures, throw bread to the ducks, and keep from being attacked all at the same time. So Chad and Elliott fed the ducks while I took pictures and tried to not freak out when the ducks got too close.

Christmas Time is Here (or was..I'm just late blogging about it)

Wow, life has been a little crazy around here! I thought decorating our house the week of Thanksgiving and finishing my shopping early would help ease the holiday craziness, but I wasn't so lucky...time just flew by! Here's a few pictures to summarize all that took place (I'll try to be a better blogger this year!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elliott's 1 Year Pictures

 

 

Just for laughs...

 You didn't think that we dressed Elliott up and didn't have costumes ourselves, did you? I was a skunk with Miss E, since my shortcut of purchasing and modifying a store bought costume backfired and my tooth fairy idea went down the drain. Chad was teen wolf, he waited until Elliott went home with her Mar Mar to get dressed so that he didn't scare her.

And then there was this...all Joel.