The Cannaday Family

NEW BLOG!

2011-03-31T12:29:00.000-05:00

Okay friends, I have decided to start a new blog! I have been having MAJOR trouble trying to upload pictures to this one and just don't want to waste any more time trying to figure it out. Family members, as well as friends have been asking me about my recent "lack of blogging", so now there are no excuses! I will admit, I did get tired of keepingup with it, but have really missed documenting those memories most important to me. SO, let the blogging begin...again. :)

Come visit me at my new home...

http://ponytailsandpolish.blogspot.com

Layer Cake Designs

2011-03-30T11:26:00.000-05:00

Okay, so this is not a new post about my girls, and I know it has been way too long, but I wanted to share an awesome blog that a friend of mine from high school just started! Not only does she have a blog, but she also has an etsy store where she shares some of her creativity. Super cute things!!!

Check her blog out here and then head on over and look at her fun things in her etsy shop! Even better, she is giving away a $50 gift card to Target just for being a reader!!! Now, go enter for your chance to win too. :)

Halloween Happenings 2010

2010-11-02T12:00:00.003-05:00

Well, since I am SO FAR behind on blogging these days, our many Halloween festivities will be a post all in one! Few words, but many pictures. :) :)

We took a trip to Arkansas with Zach's parents to kick off the season. The leaves were turning and the colors were beautiful! We also took the girls to a "real" pumpkin patch. They enjoyed the hay ride, the petting zoo, and picking out their own pumpkins!

Next up was our Fall Festival at church. This is always a good time for us. We are truly blessed to have such a huge group of friends in our church family. Love that it has such a "small town feel" to it, and our girls are growing up with what we hope to be life long friends!

Pinkalicious!

Something we always look forward to each year is our annual Halloween baby get together! We have made it a point to do this each year since our first's were born. It's so fun to see how much they have all changed in the past few years. Thanks for hosting Taren and Cam!

Last event...HALLOWEEN DAY/NIGHT!

My sister hosted their neighborhood party this year, so our Halloween day and evening were full of fun things to do. There was tons of food, bounce houses, friends, and candy! Trick or treating with the cousins is always fun too. :)

Had to add this last one...this is at the Fulton School festival. Ella insisted on wearing Aunt Mel's glasses while paying for her snow cone. :)

Arboretum 2010

2010-10-19T12:19:00.001-05:00

Oh how I LOVE this time of year!!! The Arboretum is always on our list of things to do at the beginning of the Fall season. The gardens not only have the most beautiful flowers, but are transformed into the most amazing pumpkin village. It is such a neat place to spend time at as a family during this time of year. Ella Grace was in awe of the houses made of pumpkins and gourds. She kept the biggest smile on her face the entire time we were there. It was also so nice to share this for the first time with little Emerson. We look forward to many years of this tradition in our future!

Looking forward to many fun things in the upcoming weeks! Hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the Fall season!!!

2010-10-10T21:31:00.000-05:00

Lots of fun things happening lately in our world. Not much time to blog, but here are some pictures taken over the past few weeks...

"Western Day" at school...Thanks Taren for the cute skirt!

SOCCER! Ella actually got out on the field and played this night! It was hilarious. :)

TEAM picture! What a crack up. HAHA!

This is the time that both girls get excited about each day. Bath time together!

PUMPKIN PATCH

Hope everyone is enjoying Fall so far!

Emmy is 8 Months!

2010-09-22T13:45:00.001-05:00

"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."

Psalm 126:3

This is the verse that I put on Ella Grace's 8 month post back in November 2008, and it could not be any more true today as well!

Emerson Lane is 8 months old! Still can't believe my BABY is getting so big. Oh, this girl is a little lover. She is my cuddle bug, and I couldn't love it more! :)

It's amazing how much alike the girls are at this stage. Emmy is a pro at crawling, pulling up, and even letting go more often. She no longer likes to just sit and play...it's go, go, go for this little girl.

She loves her activity table and will stand for a good while engaged in the lights and music.

Love coming into her room in the mornings to see this sweet face peeking over the rail...always smiling too. :)

Some other highlights from the month:
*Cut a top tooth...now has 3 and working on another
*Eating 8 oz. as well as veggies, fruits, puffs, and other little bites of snacks
*Clapping and saying "Yaaaay!"
*Says "dada" and sometimes I catch a "mama"
*Drinks from a sippy cup
*Still adores her sister like no other!

We love you sweet Emerson!!!

Just for fun, here is a picture of Ella at 8 months. :)

Think they look alike?!

Soccer Mom Already?!

2010-09-18T10:38:00.001-05:00

About a month ago we received an email from our local YMCA about a fun soccer program for 2 year olds. Immediately we thought Ella would love it, and it would be good for her to get out and use some of her energy while learning the basics of an organized sport. It's just a neat way for them to be introduced to the concept at an early age and begin understanding the meaning of teamwork...perfect! Well, we had our first "practice" on Wednesday. It was a hoot! The kids got a t-shirt with their name on the back, practiced kicking the ball in the goal, dribbling through the cones, and the best part...a snack. ;)

Looks like she is doing great, right?! Well, after about 20 minutes, EG and all but 2 of the kids on her team were over it. :) :) They pretty much just wanted to run around, watch other kids, and eat. Ha! Every once and a while they would focus their attention on soccer, but for the most part it was just fun to be outside playing. I think it is expected since they are only 2. Main goal is to get them in a team situation and learn a bit about it. This is how the rest of the time went down...

Greeting Grandad when he arrived...

Getting back to the field and playing a bit more...

Picking grass while a "scrimmage" was going on. Ha!

AND last but not least...

Eating fruit snacks WHILE on the field "playing"...love the kid in the background picking grass too. :)

Ella's little fan cheering her on!

The best part...snack and drink time to end the night. :)

One week down, 7 to go! Should be fun!!! :) :) :)

Ella's First Days of Pre-School

2010-09-15T21:48:00.002-05:00

These past few have been a complete whirlwind around here! There have been so many wonderful things happening in our world. I started keeping two other littles during the day when the school year started, so along with my girls, they have kept me super busy. We have had such a great time though!

One of the BIG changes has been that Ella Grace started going to pre-school last Tuesday, or weekday school, at our church. She LOVES it! She was most excited about carrying a backpack and lunchbox though. :) Her teachers always say that she has a great day and is very inquisitive. Nothing but great daily report cards come home with Miss Ella. :) It's such a great way to get her out and adjusted socially, as well as be in a structured environment.

She comes home in the best moods and usually wants to rock on the front porch. :)

I love that I get those two days a week to spend more time with my Emmy. This girl has grown so much in the past few weeks. She is now crawling, pulling up on everything, and about to sprout more teeth. She will be 8 months in 5 days!

The days are flying by, but it is so fun to see what my girls are becoming. We are truly blessed!

7 Months

2010-08-21T22:45:00.000-05:00

Miss Emerson turned 7 months yesterday! It's been so fun watching her grow and seeing her little personality shine through. She is definitely our laid back baby and goes with the flow at all times. I can tell that she thinks her sister hung the moon too. She studies her every move and smiles the whole time.

Sister still only has her two bottom teeth. That's not stopping her from eating though. Emmy loves, loves, loves her veggies and fruits. She has also been snacking on puffs for a few weeks now.

Her hair is still standing straight up on top and is coming in super light. Seems that she is going to be a blond hair, blue eyed little girl. Love it!

The inchworm is in full effect! Zach says she is crawling, but I don't count it until she is using all four limbs at the same time. :) She is also very good at rolling to get around. Fast too.

Tonight, after dinner, Zach and I looked over and found Ella "helping" us out by giving Emmy more puffs. She was so proud. It made my heart smile. :)

Oh, how I can't wait to see these sisters grow together and become the best of friends!

6 Months, {Almost} 2 1/2, and Cousins!

2010-08-09T11:24:00.000-05:00

Seriously the time is passing by too quickly!! My first "baby" is growing up so fast and Miss Emerson is now closer to being one. Of course I love to watch them grow and learn, but I wish time could stand still for a while.

Ella Grace at {almost} 2 1/2...

She just looks so big to me!

Emerson is actually almost 7 months now, but with the move I never got around to posting her 6 month pictures. She is so close to crawling now. There is a lot of rocking on all fours and thrusting herself forward going on these days. Guess I better get the gates for the stairs pronto!

Emerson's 6 Month Stats

Weight 18 lbs. (75th %)

Height 26 inches (50th %)

Head 45cm (90th%...still large! :) )

She is the HAPPIEST baby ever! Always smiling.

This past weekend some of the Cannaday cousins {plus Lizzie} came into town and as usual Ella Grace thought she was one of the big girls. They are so good with her and make her feel like she is one too! Here they are teaching her dance routines and how to do the splits. All we heard were lots and lots of giggles coming from upstairs. :) Love these girls!!!

(Oh, and if you have noticed E wearing this dress in A TON of pictures, it's because she picks it out almost everyday! I choose to pick my battles on this one. :) At least it's cute, right?!)

On Saturday we headed to the square to try the new Malt Shop. It is so cute and makes you feel like you are back in the 50's. Ella enjoyed her "birthday cake" ice cream, Zach a chocolate malt, and I tried the Mocha Almond Fudge ice cream...heavenly! We finished the day at "Fish Camp" where the girls got to fish. We LOVE that place!

Hope everyone has a great Monday!

"A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams." ~Unknown

2010-08-08T15:10:00.000-05:00

Well, we survived moving and our first few weeks in the new house. Sadly we still have boxes tucked away in various places, but it's coming along. The girls have settled in nicely and are enjoying their new playroom. I am loving it too because it basically hides the toys and mess that happens on a daily basis. :)

Here are some highlights of our last few weeks in our new home...

Playing in the packing supplies...

Stairs!

Short walks to the nearby park...love this!

Waking up and coloring first thing in the morning while looking out the window...

Our partial lake view. ;)

Having cousins over to play...

Hanging out on the front porch...

BIG thanks to all that have helped us to move in, get settled, and give your time. We could not have done it without you!!!

Living in a Sea of Boxes...

2010-07-29T15:35:00.000-05:00

Well moving day has come and gone and we are slowly getting settled into our new casa. Absolutely love everything about it, but can't wait to be unpacked and done! Our internet will not be up and running until next week so hopefully I will get caught up soon.

Okay...off to do more unpacking while the girls are napping! Have a great rest of the day!!

The "E" Girls Lately...

2010-07-16T15:14:00.000-05:00

Oh how we have been enjoying our summer! Lately, we have been staying inside quite a bit to beat this Texas heat!! Since I have so many random pictures I thought I would just share them all in one post. Here are some things that have been going on in our world...

ELLA...

If you know Ella Grace, you know that she has always LOVED letters/the alphabet. Lately she has been practicing writing some of them...

Drawing people too... :)

It's been a surprisingly wet July, and EG has been loving playing in the puddles...

Our awesome children's church leaders put on "fun days" for the kids during the summer, so we enjoyed going to that and playing with friends...

Dress up with our cousin Caysie...

Potty training is going extremely well. She has not had an accident in a while. We are still working on one certain aspect of going to the potty though. It really "stinks" waiting for this one thing to click with her. ;) ;) ;)

As a reward for doing so well she got to pick a prize, and of all things she wanted a toothbrush like her Moni and Granddad have. So we found our cheap, kiddie version at our fave store, Target! Never knew she could love brushing her teeth even more.

EMERSON...

This little girl is growing up right before our eyes! So many milestones have been hit in the past month. Emmy is now officially sitting up, has 2 teeth, and is already getting on all fours and rocking back and forth. She will be crawling in no time. Love it!

And of course, there are still plenty of sweet and silly moments shared by these sisters daily!

Lions and Elephants and Giraffes, Oh My!

2010-07-07T16:04:00.000-05:00

How is it that some places just make you feel like a kid again?! We took the girls to the zoo on Monday, and I'm not sure who was more excited, them or us? No matter how many times you go, it is still amazing to see wild animals "in person".

They recently opened the new "Giants of the Savanna" habitat, and it was unbelievable! The animals had so much room to roam, and it looked so much like their natural home. That was definitely our favorite part of the day!

Emerson was happy to be facing forward and sitting beside sister in the stroller. Ella kept looking over at her and asking, "See that Emmy?"

The giraffes were able to get so close to us. There is a bridge where you can stand and feed them. Love it!

This sweet baby monkey and its mommy came over to the window so everyone could get a better look. I think baby monkeys are the cutest little things!

Ella insists on doing everything by herself these days..."Let me do it" is heard a million times a day around our house. It was no exception while getting a drink from our huge water bottle at the zoo.

After leaving the "Wilds of Savanna" we headed over to the children's zoo where Ella got to pet some goats. There were also roosters running around in there.

After being outside for quite a while, we needed a break from the heat, so we visited the reptiles indoors. Have you ever seen an albino crocodile? Or maybe it was an alligator?!

On our way out we found these giant turtles. They weren't very happy with each other...see their heads raised and mouths open? Apparently that's how they show their aggression towards one another. Hmmm...

We can't wait to go back! Ella is already asking to go back to see all the animals. As soon as it cools off, we are there!

4th of July

2010-07-05T21:01:00.001-05:00

Can I just say that I love this holiday?! It has definitely moved to one of my top favorites. :) We had the BEST 4th of July this year! We started out at church, then home for lunch, naps and a little baking, and then went to Aunt Sissy's for an Independence Day bash! We swam, ate way too much, and enjoyed our own little firework show from the comfort of her backyard. We got lucky to not have to go anywhere to see a show since we had quite the assortment on hand, and the neighbors had about 40 people over for a mini display themselves. Of course Emerson went to bed before the fun started, but Ella got to see and be a part of all the action this year. She was a bit scared of the loud booms at first, but soon got over it and joined in on the fun. She loved the sparklers!

Emerson and Ella Grace before church...I cannot get a decent picture of these two! They never smile or sit still at the same time!

Love this happy, little blue-eyed girl...

Our homemade apple pie...thanks, Martha! :)

This little guy cracked us up. It was a chicken that shot fire out of his mouth and then a balloon, or "egg", came out of his hiney at the end. Ha!

Thanks to all the service men and women who fight for our freedom each day...

Hope everyone had a fun, safe 4th of July!

Emerson is 5 Months!

2010-06-30T23:02:00.000-05:00

Our little Emmy turned 5 months old while we were on vacation. This month has already brought about so many changes. We began giving her cereal at 4 months and introduced veggies while we were in Gulf Shores. This girl eats like a pro! She has also gotten her 2 bottom teeth this past week. It's official, she is growing up too fast. It's hard to believe that she is close to being a half a year old already.

She loves to jump in her Jump and Go as well as her Jumperoo. Sometimes to the point where she even falls asleep. :)

She is also practicing sitting up often...

Emmy really loves to go on walks sitting next to her big sis...soon she will be able to sit up like her too.

It's so fun to see the bond that these sisters already have...

All in all, Emerson is one happy little girl!

Gulf Shores 2010

2010-06-25T15:25:00.000-05:00

We just returned from a fabulous week long vacation in beautiful Gulf Shores, AL. (Okay, so it's been a week since we have been home, but I have been busy! :)) I have to say that this was by far my favorite so far! Of course we were all worried that the trip would be canceled because of the recent oil spill in the gulf, but held out until the last minute to make our final decision. WE ARE SO GLAD WE DID!!!

Our vacation started on Thursday evening as our little family of 4 set out for Baton Rouge. We stayed the night there to break the trip up a bit and began driving again the next morning. We met Zach's side of the family at The Grand Resort in Point Clear to kick off our vacation festivities! This is the neatest place and has been around since the late 1800's. Our room was in the original, main part of the hotel and was probably as big as my first apartment. :) We are all completely IN LOVE with their pool area, so we spent most of our stay there, as well as the beach that was only a few steps away.

Every evening they built a fire on the beach so the kids could roast marshmallows and make s'mores. Ella loved this!

Emerson slept in a travel bed and Ella enjoyed hanging out in it with her in the morning. She also requested that she had a bow in first thing when she woke up. Who is this child?! :)

Emmy also liked sitting up like a big girl in her bed. Add a few pillows and it was a perfect seat! :)

After more swim time we loaded up and headed to the beach house. I love that we go to the same house every year. It has become a family tradition that I hope we continue for many years to come. I was also excited to have my mom, sister, and niece staying with us this year. My dad, step-mom and niece, Eliza, were in town too. We had so much fun doing nothing but enjoy the beach, watch the kids play and laugh endlessly, and make memories as a family. I loved that I only put on makeup once the whole time we were there. I also loved that Ella Grace ran with the big girls the whole time. You would never have known that she was only 2. Her cousin Marley and friend Elizabeth completely took her under their wing and took care of her every minute of the day. They are precious! Now get ready for picture overload...

When we arrived the first day the oil had just rolled in about an hour before we got to the house. It covered the water's edge and looked awful! I was almost in tears about what it was doing to this place that means so much to us. It's one thing hearing about it on the news, but to see it is unbelievable. We truly thought that we were going to have to pack up and make the long trip back home. The next morning when we woke up, this is what we saw...

Which is why these guys were constantly flying by all day...
(Of course Ella didn't mind, she is obsessed with airplanes and helicopters.)

Looks pretty bad, but nothing compared to the day before. It was only in a concentrated area and far enough from the water. There was actually nothing in the water, so we were clear to swim. As the days went on we really only saw a few tarballs. It was amazing how it just cleared out. So it was on with our vacation!

Ella had NO problems with the sand and loved being in the water. She seriously stayed outside all day. Most of the time she was covered from head to toe in sand, but still had a smile on her face. She was just happy to be there. My kind of girl. :)

Honey, Caysie, and Ella Grace

Some days we took a little break for pool time...

But most of our time was spent at the beach...

Oh how she wanted to catch those birds!

Yes, on the last day, she decided she needed to go without clothes. I won't post the picture with her bottoms off, but just know that she did go all the way. :)

Our friends Barrett and Hayden were there too! We were so glad to get to see them one day. Barrett and Ella were so funny together. They shared a popsicle and played with boats, and even sneaked in a hug before he had to leave. So sweet!

Our evenings were spent eating, hunting for crabs, dancing, and swinging in the hammock.

Nice "stache", huh?!

Definitely can't wait to go back next year!

Daddy's Day 2010

2010-06-20T10:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day to the best daddy in the whole world!

We love you,

Ella Grace and Emerson

Memorial Day in AR

2010-06-03T08:04:00.001-05:00

Our long weekend was SUPER relaxing! We spent our time in Arkansas on a mini-vacay with Zach's family. We did a little shopping, the guys played golf, and the rest of our time was spent exploring in the woods and walking the golf course. Heavenly!

Every morning when Ella Grace woke up she immediately wanted to go look for "chipis" (chipmunks) and watch for birds on the feeders. There is so much life in the woods surrounding their house. It's so amazing to watch.

One afternoon we took E to swim in the lake. She LOVED it! It was also good practice for the beach trip coming up. :) (hopefully!)

This little girl really enjoys the outdoors, so she was calm and relaxed as well. :)

We also got to see deer and a momma turkey and her littles. Now Ella thinks there are deer in every patch of trees that we pass. :) Hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend too!

4 Months Already?!?!

2010-05-26T23:06:00.000-05:00

Well, my little Emmy turned 4 months old on the 20th. How can that be? Even though I would love for her to stay my bitty baby, I enjoy seeing all the milestones she is reaching. Funny how quickly your forget when and what they do. Ella still adores her and is already protective over her. We had Emerson's 4 month well check this morning, and Ella got to tag along with us. She was so worried about Emmy while the dr. examined her, and especially during the shots. It didn't scare her necessarily, but she did ask me if Emmy was okay several times. Melts. My. Heart.

With that said, here are Emerson's 4 months stats and a few milestones in pictures...

Height: 24 in. (76%)
Weight: 15.2 lbs. (40 %)
Head: 42 cm (92%)...still huge! ha!

Emmy loves to...

Sit up tall and roll over...mostly from back to front though...

Hang out in her Bumbo...

Sit in her Exersaucer and take it all in...

Laugh and squeal while daddy tickles her...

Listen intently while Ella "reads" to her...

Have her sister join her in her crib after waking up in the morning...
(She is so excited here, hence the blurriness!)

Put everything in her mouth...those 2 bottom teeth will be coming soon!

Wear matching hats while hanging at the house...
(Ella is obsessed with hats, so she pretty much wears this one and others most of the time at home.) Oh, and ignore the bagel in her mouth...gross! Ha!

And watch the "Goodnight Show" with Ella Grace in our bed in the evening...

Soon she will be loving to eat solid foods! We are trying rice cereal in the morning. :)

FUN in the Sun!

2010-05-26T18:42:00.000-05:00

While Emerson napped today, Ella and I had some fun in the sun! :)

2010-05-15T08:29:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to our sweet friend Barrett!!! We love you and hope you have a great day. :)

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-10T00:17:00.000-05:00

"Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs...since the payment is pure love." ~ Mildred B. Vermont

This Mother's Day was special for so many reasons. First of all I got to celebrate being the mother of two beautiful little girls. They are the light of my life and make my days brighter!

Daddy and the girls surprised me with some extra rest this morning, and then I woke up to a flower and a vanilla latte.

We all got ready for church, which was extra special today, because we dedicated our sweet Emerson in front of our church family. It was 2 years ago on Mother's Day that we did the same with Ella Grace. What a blessing! (More pics on that to come later!)

Ella's SS class made special Mother's Day gifts, and I have to say that it made me tear up. My first handmade gift from Ella...
(The flower was made with her little finger tips. Precious.)

After church we had lunch as a family, and then I met my mom and sisters for a fun day at the Swiss Avenue Home Tour. Can I just say that those homes are AMAZING! I loved hearing the stories and history behind them. If walls could talk...! We ended the day with a yummy dinner at Penne Pomodora in Lakewood. Mmmm...bruschetta! It was so nice to have a relaxing girls day with my favorite women and mothers. :)

Sisters

2010-04-26T18:38:00.000-05:00

Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there. ~Amy Li

Ella Lately

2010-04-26T18:01:00.000-05:00

My goodness we have had SO MUCH going on lately, which has left little time to blog! The times that I do have are spent resting or catching up on other things. So, these next few posts are going to be all about pictures. Once again, no time for words, so here is what little Miss Ella has been up to lately...

Being 2...
Growing up fast and becoming more of a little girl...

Being fabulous in her beads...

Playing "mommy"...

Loving the outdoors and the beautiful weather...

Being SILLY...

Enjoying play dates...

Going to many birthday parties with fun bounce houses!

Finding her addiction to marshmallows...Yummy!

Falling asleep at the dinner table!
Haha!

And last but not least,
Finding "coconuts" on our bed. Haha!!
{She came running out of my room the other day saying, "Mommy, I found some coconuts!" I thought, what in the world? And this is what she showed me...}

Ella Grace also had her 2 year check-up earlier this month and she is doing wonderful!

Ella's 2 Year Stats:
Weight: 29 lbs. (90th %)
Height: 36 1/2 inches (95th %)
Head: 42 cm (75th %)

I just love to watch this girl discover new things everyday and amaze me with her personality and wit. She is such a little lover...the hugs, kisses, and "I love you's" flow freely from this little thing. Our daily conversations and inside jokes make for wonderful days together. Don't know what I would do without her in my life!

Emmy Lately

2010-04-26T14:20:00.001-05:00

Oh my, how the time is flying by. My itty bitty Emerson is growing waaaaay too quickly. She turned 3 months old on the 20th and it doesn't seem to be slowing down. :( This little girl is the sweetest, most precious baby. I was truly blessed with such a calm, relaxed, easy going girl who just drinks in her surroundings and everything going on around her. Oh how I love her!!!!!!!

Emmy lately...

Big 3 month old!

Loves napping in her swing...

Bath time with sister is the most fun...

Sitting in her BUMBO...

I just can't get enough of this face!!! Makes my heart melt...

Y'all, this girl is already teething too! If she is anything like her big sister then she will have 2 bottom teeth in a few weeks. WHAT?!?!

Happy Birthday Camdyn!

2010-04-23T12:23:00.000-05:00

Guess what?! Another one of Ella's bff's has a birthday this week! Happy Birthday Camdyn Reece!!! We love you and hope you have a fabulous day. :)

Happy Birthday Kate!

2010-04-22T14:15:00.000-05:00

Today is one of Ella's bff's b-days, so we had to give a quick shout-out! We love you Kate Grace and hope you have a fun 1st birthday. :)

I am SOOOO behind on my blogs lately so I will be posting a few soon. As I post them I will make them links, but here is what you have to look forward to!...

Ella Lately
Emmy Lately
Sisters

And more...just can't think of all of them right now. :)

Have a great Thursday!!!

Friday Friend!

2010-04-10T21:35:00.000-05:00

Last Friday we had the pleasure of keeping Miss Camdyn for the day while her mommy worked at the school. Ella Grace really enjoyed having a little friend around all day to keep her company. :) Don't get me wrong, she likes having Emerson to talk to these days, but that's about all she is good for at the moment...talking to. ;)

The morning started with some homemade waffles made by daddy. We were lucky to have him home for the day with us too! Afterward, daddy took them for a ride in the jogging stroller around the neighborhood to search for dogs, birds, trees, and flowers. I saw them pass by the window a few times with their sweet little hair blowing in the wind and their fingers up pointing to things...precious!!! The rest of the day was spent coloring pictures, playing with toys, and pushing each other in the doll stroller. :)

Here the girls are watching Z put on a "show" for them while they ate. Ha! I think he was singing or something extremely silly!

We had too much fun with Camdyn here... can't wait for her to come back to see us!

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T23:27:00.000-05:00

We had such a wonderful Easter this year! It was a day filled with faith, family, food, fun, and firsts (Emerson's first Easter holiday :) ). We are truly blessed!

Sunshine, Chalk, a Tutu, and Church

2010-03-28T16:29:00.000-05:00

The title pretty much sums up what this post is about...and that's about it. Not much else to say except that Ella has enjoyed the sunshine lately, scribbling with chalk, and wearing her tutu around the house. She is obsessed with dressing up these days! It always makes for a good laugh for me though. :)

As for the church part, today was my first day to go back and Emerson's first day in the nursery. She got to stay with our FAVORITE baby nursery workers this morning, so I was not one bit worried about her. I just love our church family! Sadly we had to miss our SS class Easter egg hunt because it was just too cold and windy to get the girls out. Looking forward to the MOPS hunt on Wednesday though!

Once again, just for fun, here are some pictures of Ella wearing that same dress. The only difference is that Ella was about 4 1/2 months when she wore it! It's a size 0-3 month, so that shows you how much smaller Ella was than her little sis. Emerson is definitely our little chunky monkey!!! :)

Last but not least, Ella's little class made palm trees out of pine cones and pipe cleaners in recognition of Palm Sunday. How cute is that?!

Wonder how long this "cheese" phase will last? Love it!

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! Enjoy the week ahead...it's suppose to be nice and warm.

2 Months!

2010-03-25T11:07:00.000-05:00

I can't believe little Emmy is already 2 months old! It truly does seem like the second one grows faster. :( No matter how much I want to make time stand still, it's not happening. Emerson has brought so much joy to our family. Seeing Zach as a dad all over again and Ella as a {fabulous} big sister makes my heart happy.

Em had her 2 month well check on Tuesday and the dr. could not be more pleased with her progress. She was all smiles as she was being looked over, but as soon as the shots began, the tears started flowing. So sad!

Here are her stats at 2 months!
Height: 22 inches (50%)
Weight: 12.2 lbs (75%)
Head: 41.5 (90%)

Ha! Our little girl has a big head!!! Lots of brains, I guess?! :) The dr. assured me that she would grown into it though!

Even though the girls are so close in age, it is amazing how quickly I forgot each stage. It is so fun living through the infant stage again, seeing the smiles and hearing the coos for the first time with a new little face! Emerson is definitely a happy, sweet, snuggly little thing and I love it!!!

Here are some things Miss Emerson can do at 2 months:

*SMILE!!!
*Coo and "talk" back
*Likes to push up and stand when you are holding her
*LOVES her big sis...Ella has a way of making her smile BIG!
*Can make eye contact and recognize faces
*Follows objects
*Grabs things
*Enjoys her some tummy time!
*Loves the swing. So exciting, because Ella hated it!
*Eats 5 ounces already!!!
*Has started sleeping for longer periods of time after feedings.
*Becoming more wakeful during the day.

Just for fun, here is a little comparison...

Ella at 2 months

Emerson at 2 months

Think they look alike?!?!

Ella Grace is 2!

2010-03-20T23:47:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official, our girl is T-W-O! This year we were lucky to have Ella's birthday fall on a Saturday, so her party to celebrate was on her actual big day. We wanted to do something a little different for her birthday this year, so we decided on a breakfast {DONUT} birthday party! What kid doesn't LOVE donuts, right?! Ella was beyond excited in the weeks leading up to her party knowing that she would get to celebrate with family, best friends, and her all time fave...donuts!

The morning started with our tradition of singing "Happy Birthday" to Miss E as she woke up with balloons surrounding her. She didn't know what to think at first, but soon got excited about all the pink and green balloons in her bed!

The party started at 9:30, so we hurried to get ready and set-up before our guests arrived! Ella wore her special birthday gown and waited for all her friends in pj's to get there ready to eat some donuts!!!

There were plenty of donuts, milk, and coffee for everyone...and then some!

There was a donut game for the kids to play with as they arrived. (Thanks, Honey!) We also had paper place mats on the table with crayons to color with, as well as fruit loops to make necklaces! I think they enjoyed eating the fruit loops more than anything though!

Once everyone was there it was time to start the party! Since her "cake" was made out of donuts we did things in reverse. The singing and blowing out candles came first so we could dig into the sprinkle donuts that made the cake. I think Ella enjoyed the attention and getting to blow out the candles by herself!

Time for breakfast!!!

After loading up on sugar it was time to open presents! We are so blessed to have such amazing family and friends who went above and beyond to shower Ella Grace with gifts. She got so many adorable things!

Emerson was such an angel through the entire party. She slept so quietly in her swing and then got passed around for some lovin' from everyone. :)

Ella had such a fun time at her party! She is SO enjoying walking around saying, "I'm 2!". :)

Our day of partying didn't stop there though! Ella's cousin Clayton shares the same b-day with her, so it was off to the next celebration that evening. Cari did such a great job with his Baby Einstein 1st birthday!

SMILE

2010-03-09T11:01:00.000-06:00

Emerson is 7 weeks old tomorrow! She has been such a wonderful baby. This past week she really started noticing us and what is going on around her. The most fun thing that she has been doing though is sMiLiNg!!! It melts my heart every time she looks up at me and gives me that gummy grin. Heavenly. So of course as usual I go into picture taking overload and snap some smiles. :)

Speaking of smiling, this is what I get now when I ask Ella to smile and say cheese...

But occasionally I will get a "normal" one, and I can't help but to smile too.

Emerson has also found a new favorite...tummy time! Can you believe it, she actually likes it. Guess it's because she gets to lounge on such a fun pillow and relax...

These two girlies make me smile daily. :)

Beautiful Day!

2010-03-05T22:05:00.000-06:00

Ahhh! Finally a day with sun and warm weather! Amazing how those two things put you in such a great mood, right?!?! Our little family of 4 paid a visit to the park to soak it all in. :)

Nothing but blue skies...

We posed...

Hello from Emerson... :)

We perched...

We played...

And we watched the ducks...
(couldn't think of a "p" word for this?! ha!)

Hope you all enjoyed the beautiful weather like we did!

Is American Idol in Our Future?

2010-03-03T21:54:00.000-06:00

Ella absolutely LOVES to sing! She seriously sings all day long. Wakes up singing and goes to bed singing. Mostly kid songs, but lately she has been addicted to a Jimmy Buffett cd and will sing one of our favorite songs, Barefoot Children in the Rain. If you haven't heard the song, go find it. It's so sweet. We sure do love to hear her little voice though. I caught a little bit on camera the other day for your listening pleasure. :) (Please excuse the crazy hair, she had just gotten up from a nap and then straight into the jogging stroller. ;) )

Happy and MeMe Visit

2010-02-26T23:22:00.000-06:00

We had such a great time last week while my dad was in town to meet Miss Emerson and to visit all of us! It was so nice to just relax, hang out, and enjoy each others company!

Step-bro Chad, Me, and Emerson

Clint and Emmy

I love how she is sitting in a big chair like her cousins. :)

Chyrll brought a king cake from LA to celebrate Mardi Gras while they were here. Looks gross, but tasted GOOD!

Ella always has some sort of sticker on her face these days!
Pretty sure Emerson has had a few on her as well. :)

We are looking forward to this summer when we get to spend a whole week with you guys at the beach!!!

One Month...

2010-02-20T11:04:00.000-06:00

Emerson Lane is one month old today!

What "one month" means to Emmy...

ONE month ago today you came into this world and we became a family of four.

ONE month ago today you changed our lives forever. No one could have prepared us for the whirlwind of change that was to come. It's so amazing how you just fit right into our family like you have been here all along.

ONE month ago today you proved to us that we could expand our hearts to love another precious little girl.

ONE month ago today you began your journey of many firsts....first car ride, first time at home, first time to meet your big sissy, first bath, first trip to the grocery store, first photo shoot...

We can't wait to see what life will be like with you ONE month from now!

Here are Emerson's stats from her 2 week dr. visit a few weeks ago:

Weight: 8 lbs. 2 oz.
Length: 20 3/4 in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What "one month" means to Ella Grace:

ONE month ago today E.G. became the BEST big sister a girl could have!

ONE month left to be a ONE year old! That's right, in ONE month from today Ella will be T-W-O. {Soooo hard to believe!}

Just for fun, here is a picture of Ella at 1 year...

And today!

Looking forward to the fun years to come with our sweet girls!!!

***Thank you to Minor Impressions for having Emerson be a model for a day. :) Didn't she do an amazing job!?!?

Valentine's Day 2010

2010-02-17T08:39:00.000-06:00

We had a pretty laid back day with the family this Valentine's Day. Zach and Ella went to church, we had lunch, naps, and then a cozy night at home. Since Z's birthday was Monday we waited to celebrate until then. It was the first time for us to leave both girls and go out on our own! They were in great hands though with their Moni and Granddad. :) Zach and I got to enjoy dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, shopping at North Park and then dessert at La Duni. Mmmmm, Tres Leche!

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's day!

Ella's Valentine...

Emerson's Valentine...

Honey dropped off some fun gifts for us too! Thank you, Mom!

Ben, Karen, and Hallie came over on Friday to watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and we made homemade pizzas. We are in love with the Paula Deen pizza crust that we made for the Super Bowl and had to do it again. (recipe below) It is very easy to make and so delicious! Daddy even made Ella her very own heart shaped pizza to kick off the V-day weekend. :)

Paula Deen's Basic Pizza Crust

1 3/4 cup warm water
1 (14 ounce pkg.) dry active yeast
2 tsp. salt
4 1/2-5 cups flour
3 T olive oil, plus more for bowl (We also brush it on around the crust before cooking)
Cornmeal, for pan (we left this out)

Directions:

Preheat oven at 450 degrees F.

Measure out 1 3/4 cups warm water (it should be pleasantly warm on your wrist). Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and allow it to activate, about 10 minutes.

Put the salt and 2 cups of the flour into a food processor. (we used a blender) Pulse 5 times to blend. Pour in the yeast and water and pulse 5 times. Add the olive oil. Add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time, pulsing and scraping the sides of the bowl until well blended. As soon as the mixture is combined, dump it out onto a well-floured board and knead for 15 turns, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size, then punch it down. Divide it in half; each half will make 1 (12-inch) pizza.

Place on a cornmeal-dusted pizza stone, pizza pan, or cookie sheet. Roll up edge slightly to create a ridge around the pizza. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until crust is light brown.

Cook's Note: If using only half dough, freeze the other half. Place the dough in a resealable freezer bag. To thaw, remove the bag from the freezer and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Roll the dough out while cold then allow it to come to room temperature before adding toppings.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

2010-02-15T09:41:00.001-06:00

We love you very much!!!

We Love the Snow!!!

2010-02-13T00:01:00.000-06:00

Today was even more beautiful than yesterday! I have felt like the biggest kid since it started snowing yesterday. I woke up this morning and immediately looked out the window to see what the night had brought. MORE SNOW! Zach and Ella bundled up and headed out for some fun and a ride around the neighborhood. They were going to go sledding, but she wouldn't stay in the "sled" and only wanted to get out and explore. Maybe next year! Emerson even made it out for a quick picture. She was not thrilled! :)

A few more pictures from last night...
Ella did not want to come in! She was so tired, wet, and cold, but wanted to stay out and play the night away.

It's COLD!

Sad to have to go in...

This is what we woke up to this morning. It was so peaceful and quiet. Everything was so still in the neighborhood. Like nothing I have ever seen before!

Front walkway

I think this little girl had her fill of snow for a long time. She could not get enough of it.

This is what I saw when I looked out the window at one point. Daddy and E sharing some tasty snow. :)

Sweet Emerson...

Ella was worried and would not stay close to this crying baby long enough to snap a smiling picture. (Don't worry, we only had her out for about 2 minutes!)

But she was quick to console her afterward.

We ended our snow fun with some snow ice cream! Yummy!

Wonder if it will still be here in the morning???

"A Snowflake is one of God's most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together! " - Anonymous

2010-02-11T17:50:00.000-06:00

We cannot get over how much snow we have had today...in TEXAS!!! It has been absolutely beautiful and refreshing to look outside and see nothing but white. Ella Grace keeps going to the window and saying, "Look at all that snooowww!". She has been dying to get out there and play in it, but per daddy's request we waited for him to get home. He came home early today to enjoy this time with us! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the MANY pictures to come...:)

We started out having a delicious breakfast of snowballs. Ha! (Thank you daddy for "making" them) Seriously, when Ella finished one, she asked for another!

(We are going out again after Ella gets up from nap, so I am sure there will be another post similar to this later! :) )

3 New Posts Below!

2010-02-09T21:54:00.001-06:00

Rainy Days with a Toddler and a Newborn

2010-02-09T20:44:00.000-06:00

Well, I am probably the only one that has enjoyed the rainy days that we have had recently. Since I have a certain new little someone that is keeping us from getting out and about, I have been glad to see the clouds more often than the sun. If the sun were out everyday I would have been DYING to get out and enjoy the pretty days, but the clouds made me feel better about staying home in my pj's with my two sweet girls, doing laundry, cleaning up, and just plain getting used to our new normal. So here are a few pictures from our days at home.

Here is what Ella did as I folded the clothes. She ate goldfish while wearing sunglasses and sitting in the basket. Leave it to a toddler to make folding clothes more fun for me. :)

If you are wondering if Ella is getting used to having a baby in the house, check out these pictures to see what she thinks of all the baby "stuff" lying around. It's been all about her entertainment!

We also watched our favorite videos with one of our favorite friends and even tried out a new hairstyle. (Look closely for the ponytail. :) )

We took some good naps too. Perfect weather for some much needed rest!

That pretty much sums up our last few weeks. Although I miss my frequent Target and Sonic runs, I have enjoyed being at home with my girls. :)

Super Bowl Sunday

2010-02-08T00:04:00.000-06:00

This year we had our own little super bowl watching party at our house. It probably isn't technically a party when the only people invited were those who reside in our house, but it sure was a fun day for the four of us, plus Ranger of course. :) While Zach and Ella G were at church, Emerson and I ventured out for the first time on our own! Yes, we went on an exciting trip to good ole Wal-Mart for groceries and food for the big game. Woohoo! Not sure that I will be counting that as her first official outing though. Ha!!! :)

All ready for church!

We had fun watching the game and made pizza during half-time. Ella enjoyed helping daddy while I snapped some pictures. Emerson enjoyed lounging on the couch while listening to The Who perform during the half-time show.

We were excited to be cheering on the Saints this year and proud of them for winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history! Geaux Saints!

Heart Day Play Group Celebration!

2010-02-06T14:57:00.000-06:00

This little girl...

...and I attended our annual Valentine's party with our sweet friends at Melissa and Macey's house.

While this little girl...

...and her daddy stayed home and cuddled.
***Soon enough Miss Emerson will be joining in on all the fun, but not until she grows a little more. :)***

Since our soon-to -be two year olds are extremely active, posed pictures are not an easy thing to catch. SO, here are some {on the go} highlights from our fun party!...

The Little Tykes car was a huge hit with all the girls,
although I am pretty sure Ella Grace was a car hog most of the time.

Cam and Ella loved the brownies.
Here they took a few minutes to actually sit and enjoy one. :)

So we thought it would be nice to get a picture of all the girls together, but knew the task would be impossible to get them to sit still, side by side, for any length of time. That is where the baby bed came into play...to corral the wild women!

Which soon turned into this...
Jumping chaos!

But they sure did have fun while it lasted!!!
Oh well, maybe next year. :)

After a few hours of fun with friends, Ella Grace was ready to get home to see her little sis!
(And mommy needed some newborn snuggle time as well.)

Thanks for hosting Melissa and Macey!

p.s. - We missed you Barrett!!!

So Fresh and So Clean!

2010-02-01T00:30:00.000-06:00

Well, Emerson HATED her first bath, but Ella LOVED sitting back, relaxing, and eating a snack while watching the show! :)

I think Ella Grace got a little worried about all the screaming coming for her baby sister!

Emerson's First Week At Home

2010-02-01T00:12:00.000-06:00

First I have to say that we have been overwhelmed by the amount of visitors and friends who have come to see Emmy this past week. It is so nice to have family that lives close and a circle of friends who care for us so much! We haven't had to worry about dinners since we got home, and won't have to for another week thanks to our amazing family, friends, SS class, and MOPS group. We appreciate it more than you know!!!

Our first week at home could not have gone better. We have adjusted so well and Ella is on cloud 9 being a big sister. Here are a few pictures of Emmy's first week at home...

Cousin Haley drove up from Austin to visit...

Aunt Mel!

Cousin Connor is so sweet. He adores Ella Grace too. :)

Emmy and her Great-Papaw

Ella loves to check on her little sissy to make sure she is resting comfortably...

And to make doubly sure she is comfortable, she checks it our herself!

She also likes to "read" her some of her favorite books. :)

Some sweet sister pics...

My little boxer :)

Napping on sister's bed...

The new nightly routine with daddy...so sweet to watch. :)

We were also lucky enough to have my mother-in-law spend most of the first week with us too. She was such a HUGE help around the house and with the girls. Thank you, Moni, for all your help!!!

1 Week Old

2010-01-28T00:26:00.000-06:00

Seriously, how can she already be a week old? Time seems to have flown by, but at the same time it feels like Emerson has been a part of our family forever! She is such a good baby. Sleeps 3-4 hours between feedings and eats like a champ. We just love to sit and watch her facial expressions while she sleeps. They are too funny! This time around I have a whole new appreciation for the newborn stage. I don't want her to get any bigger...she can stay this tiny little thing for as long as she wants to. :)

I can't leave big sister out! Seriously, Ella Grace is the BEST big sissy a girl could ask for. She is constantly loving on Emmy and wants to make sure she is happy. Kisses, hugs, and high fives are amongst her favorite things to do with her little sis right now. She calls her "Baby Emerson" or "Baby Sissy", never leaving off the baby part. :) It's funny to hear her talk to her too. When she cries, Ella tries to calm her by saying, "Don't cry baby Emerson" in the sweetest little voice ever. She also likes to hug her and say, "Ohhhh, sweeeeeet baby Emmy". There is truly nothing better than seeing my two girls interact. Can't wait until they are old enough to really play together!

Emerson, Emerson, Emerson!

2010-01-26T20:20:00.001-06:00

Wow! Finding the time to blog lately has been a challenge! Wonder why?!?! We are enjoying our little Emmy so much and things could not be going more smoothly. God is so good!

Here are some pictures from the hospital and Emerson's first day at home. Since my delivery was scheduled I don't have a "cool" story to share, but I will say that I love my doctor and the team that brought Emmy into this world. They were amazing and I have recovered super fast. The nurses were wonderful, and I felt like I was in my own home in the new rooms at Baylor. So stinkin' nice!!! Thank you to all who came to visit at the hospital and those who sent beautiful flowers! They made our room so much nicer to be in. :) We will always cherish the memories of having our dear friends there to meet Ms. Emerson, and share in those first few special days of her life. We love you! Now, enjoy the pictures... :)

Before, During, After...

Ella Meets Emerson...

ViSiToRs...

This is how Ella kept herself entertained...

Going Home Day...

We are in love! Sisters are so much fun!!!

Introducing...

2010-01-23T12:12:00.000-06:00

Emerson Lane Cannaday
7 lbs. 4 oz.
20 inches long

She is perfect! We could not be happier with our little family of four!!! Ella is LOVING being a big sister, and Zach and I are overwhelmed with the blessings we have been given in these two little girls.

More posts and pictures to come soon!

New Posts!

2010-01-18T23:56:00.000-06:00

I added 2 new posts tonight...keep scrolling down to see them. :)

Pinkalicious

2010-01-18T23:42:00.000-06:00

Lately Ella has been completely obsessed with the book, Pinkalicious! She wants to read it before nap time, bed time, and anytime in between. We have always checked it out at the library, but didn't own it until this Christmas when Honey got it for her. Since we have read it SO much lately, she has memorized the first few pages by heart and the main parts on other pages. I caught her on video this morning "reading" in her room. If you know the book, you will recognize many of the things she is saying as she flips through the pages. I love it!

Soon after this video was taken I asked Ella what she wanted to do today and she said, "Eat cupcakes!", so we decided to head to the store and pick up the ingredients to make our own pink cupcakes like Pinkalicious! I cannot describe how excited she was that we were doing this. Sweet girl ran around the house jumping and saying all kinds of things that had to do with cupcakes and Pinkalicious. Such a fun way for us to spend one of our last days together before sister gets here. :)

I love how excited she is to eat her cupcake in the next few pictures...

And these...she just dug right in...no hands!

Ella's Big Girl Room

2010-01-18T22:55:00.000-06:00

So we finally got Ella's room set up and decorated the way we wanted. It is so sweet and simple...just like I pictured it! She has been doing an awesome job at sleeping in her room too. This past week was a huge success because we no longer have to lay down with her in order for her to fall asleep. She now knows that at nap time and bed time we read a book, kiss goodnight, and she is not to get out of her bed. Surprisingly she will not even let her little feet touch the ground even after she wakes up. I can hear her on the monitor talking or yelling my name when she is ready to get up. She is definitely a big girl now!

Big Sister in Training

2010-01-13T00:44:00.000-06:00

Ella Grace is going to be such an awesome big sister! Today I decided to make a "practice Emmy" so Ella could get an idea of what she will look like/be like when she comes home. With Ella's hospital cap and a pink swaddle blanket, we created the perfect baby. {Minus the crying, moving, and dirty diapers of course.} :)

I was seriously amazed at how well Ella took to her. She immediately grabbed her and held her close while whispering, "don't cry, sweet baby" in her ear. Y'all, it was so stinkin' cute!!! Now, being a doll made her a lot less threatening I'm sure, but still. ;)

Then the real fun began. Ella was in full big sister mode for the rest of the afternoon...

This makes me smile. Can't wait to see how she does with the "real deal" in a week!!! We are ready for you sweet Emerson!

NYE 2009 and Happy New Year 2010!

2010-01-03T23:08:00.000-06:00

I wish I could say that we something really exciting to end our year and to ring in the new year, but with me being huge and prego we opted to stay in and celebrate our last year as a family of 3 together. Well kind of...

My day started off at the spa with my mom and sisters to get a mani and pedi, which was much needed! We then headed to Ziziki's for some delicious Greek food. If you haven't been, I highly suggest it! Of course we couldn't go home without shopping a little too, so we did just that. We had such a fun girls day to end 2009!!!

While I was away daddy and Ella went to Shenanigan's for some food and fun. He didn't take the camera, so there are no pictures, but it sounded like he wouldn't have been able to get one of Miss E anyway. She was on the loose and had a blast running around that crazy place. She must have completely worn her little self out because he put her down for a nap at about 3:45 and she didn't wake up until 9:00 pm!!! We had thought about going to our friends house for dinner, but plans changed when we thought she was going to sleep all the way through the night. {Poor thing has also had a nasty cough/runny nose for most of the last week so we are back to doing breathing treatments for a while. I'm sure this had something to do with her exhaustion as well!} Zach made dinner for him and I, so we ate and enjoyed some alone time while she "napped". When she finally woke up at 9:00, we watched some of the NYE festivities on tv together. It was actually a nice way to end the year at home, cozy with our family of 3.

New Year's Day we made the most of though and went to Highland Park Cafeteria for lunch followed by shopping at North Park. We are trying to take full advantage of our last few weeks of it being just the 3 of us. Our night ended with pizza and lots play time. We have really enjoyed having Zach home for the past 2 weeks with us!!! This was seriously one of the best breaks we have had together and are so sad to see it come to an end. :(

Highlights of our first day of 2010...

Ready to go to lunch and shopping!

Playtime before heading out...

This is one of Ella's new favorite games that Santa brought her, Elefun! Butterflies shoot out of the elephants trunk and you have to try to catch them with a net. Very fun!

Sometimes we just like to wear the net as a hat and dance around.
(Thank you Granddad for showing us this! :) )

Dancing like a ballerina. :)

Taking a nice bubble bath with her new bubble machine that "Uncle Joe Joe" got her...

And last but not least, wrestle time with daddy!

Had to add Ranger to the blog post because he made us laugh. He sat with this treat in his mouth for almost half an hour before he actually ate it. Every time we would look over it was hanging out of his mouth.

Looking forward to this year and the many new adventures it will bring with the addition of our new baby girl!

I'm a Big Kid Now (Bomp Bomp)

2009-12-29T10:45:00.000-06:00

It's official, Ella Grace is now sleeping in her new room and in her big girl bed! We have been working on it for the past week and a half {full time...naps and all}, and she has done fabulous for the most part. One of us still has to lay down with her until she falls asleep, but we are fine with that...it makes for great cuddle time. :) Sometimes it's hard though because she makes us laugh and we are like little school children having a sleepover! Ha! The only set back we have had is that she has developed a cough in the last few days which has woken her up in the middle of the night. Thank heaven that I am married to super dad! He has rocked her and slept with her during those times so this 8 months prego mama could get some rest. :)

Her room is still not completely finished, but I will post pictures when it is...SO CLOSE!

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-27T22:01:00.000-06:00

Christmas morning began with us waking up before Miss Ella, which is rare! We were able to get up and start the coffee and breakfast before starting all over again with the gifts. When E woke up we went to her room and wished her a Merry Christmas to which she responded with, "Jesus's birthday!". We have been talking about what makes Christmas day special and why we celebrate, and she had it down pat by the time it came. Love her! It was then time to make our way to the living room to see what Santa had brought for her.

Moni and Granddad came over for breakfast and gifts too!

After eating breakfast and playing with our new toys for a while, it was time to go to Nanny's for lunch with the family.

Tired girl on the ride home with her "Oatmeal" bear.

We are really looking forward to this time next year, adn celebrating with 2 sweet little girls!!!

White Christmas Eve

2009-12-27T21:37:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve this year brought a special surprise with it...SNOW! Just before we headed out the door to the candle light service the flurries began to fall, and it didn't let up until later that night. It felt so "Christmasy" as we ran into the church knowing that there would be white snow covering the ground when we left.

Our church does not have a Christmas Eve service, so we once again met up with my family at Lake Pointe. As usual, the singing, celebrating, and candle light were amazing!

Attempting to get a picture in front of the tree at the church...

After service we all went back to our house for dinner and presents! Lots of laughter and excitement for sure, sooo here are some highlights that we would like to remember...

Ella loved her sock monkey from "Uncle Joe Joe"!

Ha! This is the funniest little horse thing called Rody that she got from Aunt Sissy and fam. She loves to bounce on him and fall off the side to make us laugh. :)

Cari also got all the kids these precious santa bags with their names on them to use each Christmas for gifts. Emerson even got one this year!

Clayton's first Christmas present ever!

Mom got Ella a Zhu Zhu pet hamster and it is one of her favorite things to play with. It has a life of it's own and runs around our house when she doesn't have it in her hands. The funniest thing is that she keeps calling it a sheep. Ha!

More gifts for Emmy...

Before going to bed we set out cookies and milk for Santa. We also left him a "magic key" to use if he needed it. Thanks, Cara, for this fun idea!

We were so excited to have my mom and sister spend the night with us that night and to be there on Christmas morning. We all went to bed waaaay too late, but looked forward to waking up together to celebrate Jesus's birthday!