She's a water-bug!

We took Eliana to the warm pool at our gym down the street last Saturday. She LOVED it! She was totally relaxed in the pool, though to be honest, it was like taking a bath because the water was so nice and warm. Nick and I had a lot of fun with her and decided it's a good thing we're getting her used to the water early, since we'll be moving back to the Land of 10,000 Lakes in a year! Boy, was she exhausted when we were done, though. She fell asleep in her towel and slept on the walk home.

Eliana is 3 months old!

Today marks Ellie's 3 month birthday! How this babe has grown! She is approximately 12.5 lbs now and around 25.5 inches long! She is just starting to move into her 3-6 month clothes, though about half of her 0-3 still fit (so long as they don't have feet, as she's far too long for those!).

Things that are new with Ellie this month:
She is starting to respond to her name. She still hates tummy time, but will tolerate it as long as she can chew or lick the blanket. She won't lift her head off the blanket yet (so stubborn!), but she can hold it up pretty well if she's sitting up. She has two teeth buds appearing in her mouth and is constantly chewing on her hands, but we think it might be awhile before they actually cut through. She is learning that she can use her hands to grab at toys - where they immediately get put into her mouth (and uses her feet to kick at them). She loves watching herself in the mirror. She's losing some of her hair, but has little baby hairs growing back in. She looks more and more like her daddy everyday (though she still has her mommy's blue eyes, button nose, and ears). She's been sleeping in her own room in her crib for the last 2 weeks and is doing well! Although, she prefers to take her naps where she can be close to mommy during the day. She's enjoying her new "big kid" toys - her Bumbo chair and her exer-saucer, but only lasts a little while as her head just gets too heavy! She likes spending time with mommy during the day, but has her daddy time on Tuesday nights (when mommy goes to Bingo) and Saturday mornings when daddy takes her to the Farmer's Market. (He gets lots of attention there!) She experienced her first illness during the last month - a double ear infection. She's a very happy little girl who shares her smiles freely. She's just starting to giggle when she gets really excited!

Here are some new photos of Ellie:

















PS. Ellie received a wonderful gift (a LeapFrog musical toy) on Monday from Target.com, but the packing receipt had fallen out of the box and we have no idea who it's from! And Target can't tell us unless they have the Target tracking number, which of course is included on the packing receipt. If it was from you, thank you so much and please let us know so that we can thank you properly! Thanks!

July 6th, 2002 (7 years ago!)

It is hard to believe that we have been married 7 years as of today. The time has flown by far too quickly. But it has been a great 11.5 years together, 7 years of marriage, and we're still going strong! I love you, Nick, and am looking forward to spending the rest of our lives together!

Junior Prom 1998








Our Wedding Day - July 6th, 2002











May 2009

Banff National Park, Canada

Happy Independence Day, USA! Nick and I enjoyed the holiday in Banff National Park, Canada (yes, we realize we weren't being very patriotic, but it was one of the few times we were able to make the trip without taking extra vacation days). We stayed in Canmore, which is just outside the park (on the border of Alberta and British Columbia) and it was about a 6 hour drive for us from home. The Canadian Rockies were absolutely beautiful! We got to see some wildlife and even managed to do several easier hikes with Ellie. Some highlights of the trip included a walk around Lake Louise, Mistaya Canyon hike, Lake Hector hike, and a gondola ride up to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. Banff, itself, is an adorable little town located inside the park. It has lots of shops, lodges, and a bunch of really great restaurants. It is definitely a sight to see and we recommend the trip! The only downfall to our weekend was that we discovered the day we got home that Eliana had a double ear infection (the altitude changes probably didn't help!). But she seems to be doing better! Here are some photos from our trip: