Last Sunday Allie went to nursery at church for the first time. She loved it and stayed the whole time! Hopefully that won’t change anytime soon.
Here is a little comparison of Allie and Eli on their 1st days of nursery. Oh when did Eli get so grown up!!
While I was looking for Eli’s nursery picture I found this other comparison. The top is last year at the Ringgold Christmas parade and the bottom is this year. It’s gone by way too fast!!!
Eli on Georgia Day! Must be good luck once he started wearing his Georgia cape we have beaten Tennessee, Florida, and Auburn that’s a good season in my book!!
I love the fall! I love the traditions that come along with the change of seasons. Before I give my usual picture update a few weeks ago for Family Home Evening we were talking about Nephi building a boat.
Here is our conversation after telling Eli the story:
Me: “Eli who built the boat?”
Eli: “Noah” (We have had that lesson a few times)
Me: “Yes, but Nephi also built a boat.”
Eli: (very excited) “So they could race!”
You can’t help but laugh when you are around Eli. His new favorite thing is putting on costumes. Anything and everything he can find around the house is a costume. He then will stand in front of the mirror and pretend he is a super hero. He is always using his imagination.
Last week we went to a pumpkin patch. It is a tradition I am really wanting to do each year. Eli had a lot of fun trying to find Allie a pumpkin just her size.
Pumpkin Carving. Eli was decked out in his UGA cape.
This year Eli went as Mike Wasowski and Allie was Boo from Monster, Inc. I decided to make their costumes. It was definitely a trial and error process. I have never been much of a sewer but it was a lot of fun and I am still surprised that they didn’t fall apart by the time we were done trick-or-treating!
Annual Kids Costume Picture
Eli loved trick-or-treating!
The cutest little “monster”
Before I let too much time get away from me here is a quick update in pictures. As always hope to be better next time!
June
Allie turned one-June 10th
Some summer fun
Dollywood 2011!
July
Trip to Utah
August
More Utah
Eli turned 3-August 7th
More summer fun
September
and some more
So there you have it a 4 month update. Eli and Allie are getting so grown up. Allie is starting to talk a ton! Life has been fun with these 2 kiddos. Troy is still on the job search… can’t wait till that’s over!!! Anyone know anyone hiring please let us know. I have really been working on finding joy in the everyday little moments of life. Instead of saying, “I will be Happy when…” it is hard to always keep that mind set but when I do things are a lot more enjoyable!!
Once again I let too long pass and here is a picture overload of updates (how many posts do I start that way???) Some highlights that I don’t have pictures of….Eli is potty trained!!! Woo-hoo!!! Still working on night but after thinking this will NEVER happen he now can go on his own!!! What an amazing feeling to not have to change his diapers and even better not have to buy two sets of diapers.
Troy and I had our anniversary on the 12th-5 years!! Time really does go by way to fast.
Allie is trying to walk. She can stand up on her own and has taken 10+ steps but every time I try to video tape her she sits down!! I am even trying to be sneaky…what can I say this little girl is smart!!!
April
What an amazing experience it was to be able to attend the Atlanta Temple Open House. Even though Eli was well a 2 year old most of the time I think that he even felt the strong spirit that can only be felt at the temple.
April 27th was a very big day here in the South. But before all the bad weather hit my sister Elizabeth and her husband Chris, welcomed their new little boy, Owen Christian Forscutt….such a cutie!!
It is crazy to think this is where Troy and I used to live less than 2 years ago. Cherokee Valley got hit hard. Ringgold got hit hard. I know everybody has heard stories and seen lots of pictures by now. For me the hardest thing is realizing how long it takes to get things back to “normal".” Where we live now the tornado hit about a quarter of the mile down the road. Everyday as I drive down the street and see the many buildings and houses that are still waiting to be repaired or rebuilt I can not help but feel an overwhelming since of gratitude for my families’ safety.
Yes he is still addicted to anything and everything Buzz Lightyear!!
May
Troy Graduated!!!!
Troy’s parents and brother, Sean, came into town. It was a lot of fun being able to visit with everybody and even more fun being able to watch Troy graduate. He is still looking for a job so if anyone knows someone looking to hire a recent accounting graduate let us know.
Oh funny little story about Eli. He LOVES balloons so we brought Troy some for Eli could give him. The whole ceremony they were fine and then as they were closing some how the weight came off of them and up they went. This is the third time he has witnessed balloons get away and like those times this was no exception….he completely lost it. Finally he recovered and then just yesterday Troy was popping some balloons we had for Allie’s birthday and he acted as if we were killing his best friends. Moral of the story please DO NOT pop or let go of a balloon around Eli!!!
After the tornado many many days and hours were spent helping with clean-up. I was so grateful to be able to go out one day and help clear trees. If you ever need a pick me up go and serve. Actually just go and serve it is amazing the feelings that come from it.
We went to a Lookouts game to watch my sister Shannon sing (well she was supposed to sing…long story) the national anthem (she did run on the field with the rest of the school chorus) It was Allie’s first baseball game. And yes it was a little chilly! Now is is Hot! Hot! Hot!!
Mathew got married!!! My camera died before I could get any pictures of the him and Victoria. I know way poor planning on my part. I know others got some good shots so hopefully I can get some soon. Her dress was beautiful! The whole day was beautiful!! I still can’t believe little Mathew-bud is married!!!
And a lot of playing!!! I am starting to appreciate that Eli and Allie are close in age. Those two are definitely brother and sister as in they love each other but also know how to push each other’s buttons. Right now one of my favorite things in the world is to hear them playing and laughing together in the other room.
I do have more to update…mainly Allie’s birthday. (I can’t believe she is a year old!!!) but wanted to make that its own post, this one is probably too long already…sorry!!
Eli loves to help Allie. Well when she ate all her Cheerios he thought he would help get her some more. Such a good big brother.
Ignore Allie’s wonderful bedhead.
I can not believe it I am actually going to post something that happened this weekend. We had my family’s annual Easter Egg Hunt today. It is fun now Eli is older and understanding more of what’s going on.
We went to my sister Kathryn’s house to dye Easter eggs
Maybe one day I will actually be able to get a picture of both of them smiling and looking in the same direction.
Eli hunting for eggs
Allie enjoying her eggs
Our attempt for a family picture
I guess it has…well there goes starting the year off with blogging more. Things around here have been I guess what is our normal…crazy!
Allie - I cannot believe she is almost 10 months old (she will be on April 10th) I think with each child time goes even faster. She started crawling back in January when she was 7 months and is now everywhere and into everything. She will eat anything you give her and is starting to hate being spoon fed. She loves to feed herself and makes a huge mess doing it. Allie still is always all smiles. She has a special way to make you smile too just by looking at her which is exactly what I need on some days. She is starting to really show her personality by letting you know if there is something going on she doesn’t like. But overall she is the most mellow baby I know even when Eli is throwing one of his all too common fits she just sits there like nothing is going on. On a negative note this little girl is a horrible sleeper. Still waking up 1-3 times a night and her naps aren’t that great either. Every now and then we will have a good day but mostly we are still living on very little sleep around here. Some other highlights, she got her first tooth 2 weeks ago and is walking along the furniture, oh she also will drive Eli’s cars and make what sounds like car noises, too cute. She is one happy little girl
9 month stats weight 18.4 height 27 3/4
Eli- where to begin with that boy. He is the sweetest little guy but then can throw your typical 2 year old tantrum like the best of them. He is starting to want to do everything by himself which is good and bad. He still loves everything Toy Story. Even though the other day he told me he wanted to be Megamind for halloween. This week we started the dreaded potty training. It is going ok he still will have accidents but slowly getting the hang of it. (ok it is pretty much horrible but I feel like now that we started we can’t stop) I was just tired of buying and changing 2 sets of diapers. Eli wears me out pretty much everyday but it is all worth it to have him old enough to say “I love you momma”
Troy –still busy busy busy. We can now officially say he graduates next month…yay!! Between work, school, and church he is always on the go. But when he is home he is the best daddy ever. Eli and Allie love wrestling on the floor with him, Yes Allie can already handle her own I guess that is what you get when you have an older brother. Right now we are trying to figure out what we are doing after graduation so if you know anyone that has an entry level accounting position available let us know.
Steph- well pretty much my days roll together taking care of these two munchkins. Crazy. Tiring, But all worth it. At least that is what I keep on reminding myself. I really am trying hard to having a more positive outlook and not taking any moment for granted. It is hard when you are always cleaning up pee or considered the bad guy because you are trying to show some type of discipline.Or when you are always being pulled at or climbed on. Or when you can’t remember the last time you showered. Or it is dinner time and you realized you haven’t even taken time to use the bathroom yet. But then I have those its all worth it moments. Like the other day Eli was “reading” a book to Allie. Or when all four of us where having a pillow fight on the bed. Yes life is hard but isn’t that why it is also so good.
Here are some pictures of the last few months. Sad to say but I feel like I have completely fallen into the category of slacking off with the second child. Compared to all the video we have of Eli we barely have any of Allie. Horrible I know. I do have some of her crawling and her cute little laugh that I will hopefully get up before she turns 1.
Christmas 2010
Snow on Christmas…Eli knocking over the girl snowman…sorry Emily.
New Years, Letting Eli and Allie in on the confetti tradition
What Eli has been up to this last little while…being his crazy self!
Allie has discovered she loves the swings only if her big brother would stay still long enough so she could swing.
Every time you pull out the camera Allie has started scrunching up her nose.
Playing together, seeing this makes it all worth it!!
In March I , (with the help of others of course!) put on a baby shower for my sister Elizabeth it is so much fun and loved how it turned out
