Father's Day at the Beach!

Scott's first Father's Day was spent in Daytona...and it sure was nice!  Before we left, Ella Beth and I gave Scott two Chris Tomlin music chart books and a CD.  He is always trying to remember the words and chords for the songs we sing at church, so we decided to help him out. :) 

Well, the beach was a blast! We went down to Daytona with my mom and stayed for a week.  The driving part wasn't that wonderful (at times it was quite stinky) because Ella Beth wanted "up"...meaning OUT OF THAT CAR SEAT!  She has always been active, but now that she's starting to walk, being strapped in just doesn't suit her!  Other than that, the trip was a nice adventure.  We were a little worried the first day and a half because Ella Beth did not like the pool or the ocean.  What a long week it would have been if she hadn't changed her mind!  She had fun in her turtle float, and she had fun splashing in the big pool with daddy.  Every day we had the same routine:  Get up around 6:30 or 7:00 (even on vacation Ella Beth can't sleep in), eat breakfast, go to the pool, play at the beach, then walk the beach while Ella Beth fell asleep.  It was nice to have the ocean in the back ground as it served to be the best noise machine!  (In fact, Ella Beth now likes to hear the ocean on her noise machine at home!)  We would eat lunch, go back to the pool, come up for another nap, get ready, and then go out to eat.  Eating out is definitely our favorite part of vacation.  And, boy oh boy, does Ella Beth like fish!  She is such a good eater, but she definitely devoured any fish that we gave her to eat.  Here is a picture of her digging in at one of our favorite restaurants, Inlet Harbor. 

I have so many pictures to share, but I will send out a slide show since there are way too many to post here.  But, here is Ella Beth "driving" the milk truck at an ice cream parlor called Cow Lick's.  She thought she was big stuff sitting in the driver's seat all by herself.  Such a silly girl! 

Growing so big

It amazes me that Ella Beth is already at the point where she desires independence.  It makes me a little sad.  I had well-meaning friends and relatives who told me not to hold Ella Beth too much because she would get spoiled; I was told in all of the books that I read not to cuddle with Ella Beth while she slept so that she would learn to sleep on her own.  All of that advice I completely tossed once I held my daughter in my arms.  And boy am I glad that I did!  Ella Beth wants "down" now.  She no longer wants to be held all of the time, and cuddling is now reserved only for a sleepy baby.  I cherish every single second that I held Ella Beth because I now know that time was fleeting, and it's not coming back.  Oh, and she sleeps fine regardless of all the cuddle time. :)

I do, of course, enjoy this new stage.  Ella Beth decided that she would give crawling a chance last week after spending some time with her friend Reese.  What's funny is that Ella Beth crawls like Reese - on one knee and pushing off with one foot.  I guess babies really do watch and learn from other babies. :)  Ella Beth is pulling up on everything and becoming a little daring when it comes to taking steps on her own.  She had her first big fall, and she survived!  I am glad that the first one is over with - no concussion, no broken bones.  Ella Beth is also "talking" non-stop all day long.  She has a repertoire of quite a few words now: hey, mama, daddy, dog, kitty cat, turtle.  She doesn't say them perfectly, but if you know what she is trying to say it's easy to catch on.  She's getting so big!

We went to our first pool party today for Isabelle.  It was Ella Beth's first time in the big pool.  At first she wasn't too sure she liked it, but after Daddy walked her around she got used to it.  Mommy also got to get wet, and I understood why it took a little while for Ella Beth to adjust...burr cold!  

On Saturday night Scott and I went to a Braves game with our small group.  It was a blast, and I made it on the big screen!!!  Jennifer and I were up during the 7th inning stretch, and all of a sudden we were HUGE and famous for all of 5 seconds!  The Braves won, 9 to 5, but the best part of the game was my on-screen appearance. :)

Moo moo moo moo - It's not a cow!

My back is breaking!  All Ella Beth wants to do these days is walk, walk, walk holding on to my fingers as I bend way over and tour her around the house.  Since she has completely skipped the crawling stage for the moment, being "down" is her least favorite thing.  Scott's sister gave us a push-behind toy that Ella Beth loves to maneuver through the house, but again I am there hunched over behind her all the way.  I can't even manage to capture her in motion right now because the time it would take to get her picture, she will be off!  Ella Beth thinks she is so much bigger than she actually is.  She tries to walk off on her own all of the time.  She has had one good fall when my reactions just weren't quick enough (I anticipated her to go one way, but alas she went the other).  It hasn't hampered her attempts since then, however! 

The funniest thing Ella Beth does right now is go CRAZY over a picture of our old cat, Chevy.  When we were at the lake last weekend (where Chevy now abides), Ella Beth went berserk every time she saw him.  She had to pet him RIGHT THEN, or tears would come.  Well, now we have put a picture of Chevy as our screen saver on our computer.  Ella Beth will sit in the floor and go "moo moo moo moo" (which we think is "meow") over and over - literally for 5 minutes!  Here are pictures of her sitting in the hallway when she glimpsed Chevy's picture in the other room.  I couldn't get enough of her!  (Here is her progression of seeing Chevy, seeing him again, "moo moo moo moo," and then trying to reach out and grab him!)

 

Fun in the sun!

Ella Beth's first lake weekend was fun, but a lot of work!  I am a little anxious about our week vacation in Daytona now that I have first hand experience how difficult it is to keep a little one occupied, happy, and safe out in the sun and water all day.  My favorite part, of course, was Ella Beth's bathing suit debut.  She had to have a wardrobe change mid-day so that we could all see her in BOTH of her summer suits!  Ella Beth had a great time playing with her cousin, Kaitlin.  Scott's parents, sister Karla and her husband Greg, Kaitlin, sister Jamie and her boyfriend Scott all joined us up at my mom's.  We enjoyed a nice long boat ride while both of the girls took in a nap.        Ella Beth also enjoyed herself in the dock swings that my mom has.  Can you believe the muscles in my daughter's arms???  It's because she uses them all the time! 

I was brave enough to venture out in my bathing suit, but kept myself covered most of the time.  I think I may have waited too long to find a tankini because I can't find on in my size any where.  Oh well.  I'll just keep a cover-up on while at Daytona...or, I can wear my bathing suit down there because those people will never see me again!  Here's the only picture of Ella Beth and me from the weekend.  I love taking pictures, but it's rare that I get in one with her.  You can see that she had her wardrobe change!  And, of course, another picture with Daddy.  Such fun! 

Crusin' Around

Ella Beth is up and ready to go...walking that is!  She is perfecting the art of "crusing" around furniture.  She loves to go back and forth between her crib and rocker in her nursery.  In the living room she totters back and forth from the outside of her exersaucer, to Daddy's chair, and then to his ottoman.  She has actually taken up to 3 steps at a time on her own this week, too!!!  Ella Beth's fiesty side is starting to come out with her new found mobility.  She will definitely let you know if she doesn't like something.  Sitting, for instance.  Now that she has seen the world from a different view point, she has decided that higher is better.  If someone tries to sit her down to rest her tiny legs, oh boy - she doesn't like that!  She will reach out her hands and get very frustrated until someone helps her up (or puts her next to something that she can pull up on).  It is just so funny that this baby is turning into a little person with quite a personality! 

Another funny trait that Ella Beth is showing would be her "goofy face."  Of course, she is overly encouraged by Mommy and Daddy to do it, but it's just so funny!  She loves to make her goofy face while she eats, and we just all laugh together.  Ella Beth knows that she is doing something funny because she will do it over and over! 

Well, I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial weekend.  For all you teachers out there...HAPPY SUMMER BREAK!  We are headed to my mom's for the weekend.  It will be Ella Beth's first official "lake experience."  We have a new hat, two adorable bathing suits, her sunglasses, plenty of sunscreen, and a little pool for the dock that will prove to bring on lots of great pictures!  Scott's parents, sister, her husband, and our neice are going to join us on Monday.  Can't wait!

4 Whole Ounces!

Who would have ever thought that 4 ounces could make someone so happy, but when Ella Beth went in for a "weigh in" today we were all happy!  She is now 14 lbs, 2 oz. :)  It's still not up to her weight in March of 14 lbs, 8 oz, but at least she is gaining and not losing weight!  Of course she is still way below the chart, but we wouldn't want her to jump up to the 50th percentile in two weeks!  Speaking of "the chart," I have done quite a bit of research in the last couple of weeks in regard to it and what I found was pretty interesting.  Did you know that the Growth Chart that is used in the United States is based soley on formula-fed babies?  In Europe, they have two growth charts - one for formula-fed babies and one for those who are breast-fed.  Why don't we?  That's a good question, and it is actually somewhat of a hot topic in the world of pediatricians these days.  Ella Beth is still "under" the chart for breast-fed babies, but not quite as much.  In doing my research I found that I am not nearly as concerned as I was.  Scott is very lean, I am petite, so it's really no surprise that our little girl is a little squirt!  She's healthy, growing (smarter and cuter :) every day, and is happy.  What more could we ask for?! 

Mother's Day and Brushing Teeth

My first Mother's Day was wonderful.  I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I may like Mother's Day even more than my birthday...which is a lot!  I absolutely love being a mommy.  Every morning when Ella Beth wakes me up (somewhere between 5:30-6:30), I walk to her room with my eyes barely open and think, "I wish she would sleep longer."  However, the moment I open her nursery door, I honestly feel my heart wake up and long for my little girl.  When I go to pick her up, she smiles at me and claps her hands because she is so excited that mommy has come.  It's the best moment of every day! 

After church, my mom came down for Mother's Day and we all went to Scott's parents' house where the whole family (all 32 of us now) spent the day.  We ate a delicious lunch, played a game of baseball in the yard, opened gifts, and just spent time enjoying the day and one another.  After we got back home, Scott gave me my gift of five hydrangeas which are my favorite.  He planted them for me under our cedar tree where they will get plenty of shade and acidic soil.  I could not have asked for a more perfect gift!  I can't wait until they bloom so that I can cut fresh flowers and bring them inside to enjoy. :)  I don't know how to top that for Father's Day!

Well, Ella Beth has been introduced to her tooth brush.  It was quite entertaining to watch her open her mouth the first time I brushed her teeth.  She didn't know whether it was something to eat or something to play with!  I ran it under some water and gently brushed her two teeth.  Well, now she has the hang of it all on her own, and we brush our teeth together every morning.  It's so cute!  Scott caught us on the video camera, and it's funny because it looks like Ella Beth is trying to be so grown up and copy me.  I know it's just a glimpse of what's to come having a little girl who is so much like her mama!