The Pollan Family

My First Pigtails

2010-06-04T16:30:00.003-05:00

Playing Catch-Up

2010-05-12T14:58:00.003-05:00

I added a few new posts, so be sure to check them out :)

Fun at the Park

2010-05-12T14:42:00.004-05:00

I just wanted to share some pictures of Ella playing at the park today. She LOVES going to the park! She especially likes to watch the ducks in the pond. She is very independent and likes to do everything all by herself.

her daddy made over

not too happy about leaving

Back to Reality

2010-05-12T14:13:00.006-05:00

Two weeks ago we got back from Nick's 2nd Gold Cup Trip to Lanai, Hawaii. We had a great time! We stayed at the Four Seasons Resort at Manele Bay and the staff was so nice. We soaked up some sun, got a facial, played golf, had a massage by the beach, went on a snuba adventure, went to Maui for the day, did some shopping, snorkeled, ate some amazing food, enjoyed way too many adult beverages, and gained 11 pounds between the 2 of us. Ella was 6 months older for this trip, so that made things a little easier on us. We checked in on her daily and she did great! She is such a big girl! These are just a few pictures from our trip. So this is for all you non-facebookers (Mom & Dad).

Mother's Day

2010-05-11T14:34:00.006-05:00

Sunday morning Ella & I drove to Clarksdale to surprise my Mom at church for Mother's Day. She was so excited! I dropped Ella off at the nursery with my Mom and went to Mass. After church we took Gram to lunch and then headed back home to Hernando. Nick's parents came to our house later that afternoon to see Ella. Nick was in California all week for work, so as soon as he got home we ate the dinner his mom cooked & visited a little with his family. I hope all you mommies had a great Mother's Day!!

lunch at Abe's

we had to bribe her with a sucker to sit still

Child Psychology

2010-05-11T14:15:00.002-05:00

Lately, Ella has been a little easier to reason with. She really isn't a fan of wearing bows (big sigh). I decided to sit her down and explain that Minnie Mouse always wears a bow in her hair and how MM wants Ella to wear a bow too (you get my drift). I was so excited that she wore the bow during lunch...yay! That's a start...right?

Reed turns 3!!

2010-05-11T13:39:00.004-05:00

On Sunday, May 2, we celebrated Reed Gapen turning 3 with a John Deere Birthday Party! The weather turned out perfect and the party was a success with no rain in sight! Thank goodness!! The kids played outside, rode on a hayride & whacked a pinata. The food was great & the cake was awesome! Later that night Eddie, Steph, Will, Carter, Nick, Ella & I went to Windy City for dinner. Too bad I don't have a picture of that. All 3 had slight meltdowns but at least there was a band to drown out the noise. Can't wait to do it again!

Happy Birthday, Reed!!

getting ready for the hayride

the yummy cake

Reed whacking the pinata

Ella even got a turn

showing baby Carter some love

Will Chittom

family pic

Brace Yourself

2010-05-05T22:08:00.002-05:00

2 weeks from today I will be getting my braces! After many years of contemplating it I have finally decided to go ahead and do it. I am so excited!! Hopefully I will have them off by the time I'm 30...yikes! I heard it can be pretty painful in the beginning and throughout the entire process but no pain, no gain...right? Happy Wednesday!

MudBug Dash & Birthday Bash

2010-04-18T22:56:00.008-05:00

Saturday morning a few of us ran in the 1st Annual MudBug 5k Dash that benefited the Palmer Home for Children here in Hernando. It was such a great success with almost 200 participants!

Way to go Ginna (in the middle)! She's 18 weeks pregnant and was such a trooper!

(L to R) Ashley, Ginna, Jessica & Me sporting our J. Cox Orthodontics race day shirts. Jessica was one of the presenting sponsors, so we were so proud to wear her shirt.

After the race Ella & I headed to Collierville for Will Chittom's 2nd birthday! Nick couldn't go because he was busy installing a drainage system in our backyard. Fun, fun! Ella was on the go the entire time. We had a blast celebrating that sweet boy's birthday!!

riding with the birthday boy

Will's new tractor

Steph & Miss Priss

getting a ride from Reed

A Family Affair

2010-04-13T21:24:00.002-05:00

Nick takes a lot of pride in the way our yard looks. I guess he doesn't have a choice since he has a degree in Agronomy...right? We decided that Ella's 2nd birthday will be in our backyard this year. No pressure Nick...ha! Before Ella came along Nick & I would always work in the yard together. We still do but now with a little one in toe you have to get creative. Nick bought Ella some sand & put it in a baby pool to keep her busy. She played in it for a while but was more interested in the black mulch. I thought I took a picture of her playing in her makeshift sandbox but I didn't :( (sorry Daddy) Enjoy the pics!

Perfect Weather

2010-04-06T12:44:00.003-05:00

I LOVE this time of year! It's not too cold and not too hot. Ella is ALWAYS on the go and loves being outside. As soon as she finishes her breakfast, she's standing at the door ready to go. Her new favorite thing to do outside is jump on our neighbor's trampoline. Just thought I would share some pictures from yesterday.

giving Dallas kisses through the door

showing Daddy some love

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T00:36:00.014-05:00

We went to Clarksdale yesterday to go to church with my family for Easter. After church we ate a nice lunch at my parent's house and Ella hunted some eggs. Then Nick took Ella to his parent's house to visit. She played so hard and was exhausted by the time they got home.

Enjoy the pics!

Just the 3 of us

my sweet mom gave Ella a pig and an angel for Easter

ready to go hunt the eggs that Pops dyed

yes, she really did

getting a ride from Papaw

swinging with Grandma

A Day At The Farm

2010-04-04T23:45:00.011-05:00

Nick & I took Ella to Cedar Hill Farm Friday afternoon after her nap. She hunted for eggs, fed the animals at the petting zoo, went on a hay ride, rode a pony, & saw the Easter Bunny. She is at such a fun age right now! We just love it! She had a blast and so did we!

I tried to keep the picture posting to a minimum...sort of.

Ella & Daddy on the hayride

CHEESE!

carrying her Easter basket like such a big girl

getting coached

She tried to make a run for the woods, so Daddy had to go get her

hunting for eggs will make you so thirsty

She kept saying, "PIG!"

calling the turkeys...too funny!

She was really excited to see the Easter Bunny...we were pretty shocked. She gave him high fives.

Ella & Mommy riding on the train

She LOVED the pony!

Linsey came by to bring Ella an Easter happy. She gave her a potty book, bubbles and a puzzle. She is the best!! Thanks again, Lins!!

having a little conversation

talking on Linsey's phone

Later that night we went to dinner at the Mesquite Chop House.

It was so yummy!

Linsey, Jessica and Me

18 Month Check-Up

2010-04-04T23:25:00.004-05:00

Ella finally had her 18 month check-up Friday. It was rescheduled 3 times. I took her all by myself, which is a HUGE deal. Neither of us really enjoy the whole shot part but it went GREAT! Needless to say, I was really proud of both of us. She fussed for about 5 seconds and that was it. She only has 1 more shot to get and that will be at her 2 year check-up. Thank goodness!! Then no more shots until she turns 5. She weighed in at a whopping 21 lbs. (5th %ile) and was in the 50th %ile for head and height.

Too cute!

2010-03-27T22:09:00.003-05:00

Ella & I picked Nick up from the airport last night and she was so excited to see him! I made a sign for her to wear & she was such a trooper. She loves to where necklaces, so I figured she wouldn't mind. I didn't take a picture at the airport (why, I do not know). She loved watching the airplanes, going up and down the stairs and the escalator.

How funny is this?

wearing my new t-shirt

Leaving On A Jet Plane

2010-03-22T14:46:00.004-05:00

Nick has his quarterly meeting in San Antonio this week, so Ella & I took him to the airport this morning. Now it's just me and the babe. Time to catch up on my cleaning :(

Happy Birthday, Bryant & Lucy Kate

2010-03-22T14:12:00.004-05:00

Ella & I met Nick in Lyon Saturday for Bryant & Lucy Kate's birthday party. They had an ice cream parlor and some special guests! Ella had a blast playing with all of the kids, toys, and bubbles! Lesley is so creative and did a SUPER job planning their 2nd birthday party. They couldn't have asked for a prettier day. We drove back to Hernando for another birthday party but I forgot my camera at home :( Ella & I jumped in the moon bounce for forever and then it was time for a nap...for both of us. Enjoy the pictures!

Mickey & Minnie Mouse

She said "Mickey??"

I think she was a little confused to see them in person.

Bryant was absolutely amazed!

He kept sticking his hand in Mickey's mouth trying to figure out who was in there.

Leyton didn't want any part of the picture.

He was ready to get down and mow some more grass.

Madelyn & Ella

taking a little break

She warmed up fast

Posing with Mickey!

I had to post this picture of Allie Harris posing with Mickey.

She was obsessed and it was so cute. AH & "Mick" are now besties for life!

singing "Happy Birthday"

Happy Birthday, Caroline

2010-03-22T13:59:00.004-05:00

Caroline celebrated her 4th birthday on Sunday, March 14th and we had so much fun! It was a "Dora" themed party. It was supposed to be at the park but it ended up being too cold. Allison & Coleman decided to have it at their house and it was perfect!

Ella LOVES moon bounces! She says "jump, jump!"

being silly with daddy

Sporting her little mullet...HA!

Emerson and her mommy, Samantha

that cake was SOOOO yummy!

99%

2010-03-19T00:17:00.005-05:00

Sand, prime, paint, stain, brush, seal...sand, prime, paint, stain, brush, seal...that's pretty much all I have done for the last 14 days. I am happy to say that all I have to do tomorrow (technically it is tomorrow, ha!) is seal the bottom of the cabinets that are on the floor. I have played around with a few samples of paint and had a painter come by yesterday to give me a quote. I told him that I really like the red because it makes the cabinets stand out and he agreed. So we decided (for now) to stick with the red. He will be back next week to re-paint one wall and touch-up around the cabinets. I wanted to paint the kitchen myself but don't really trust my "cutting in" skills at the moment. I have put in over 60 hours and worked way too hard to mess them up. I took a break from painting this afternoon so Miss Priss and I could head to Little Feet to get her some new sandals. I love sandal season! After Nick got his haircut, we took Ella out to celebrate turning 19 months. She is such a big girl!

19 doors (x2, I did the backs also) and 7 drawers later...

I don't like how the red looks in this picture.

It's really a deeper red in person.

We heart Memphis Pizza Cafe!!

Almost There

2010-03-11T13:59:00.010-06:00

Nick & I have never really liked our kitchen cabinets. They were just so blah. We plan on moving in the next year or so but wanted something different. I saw a picture in a magazine a while back and decided to give our cabinets a facelift. I have been working on them for the last 8 days and have almost 45 hours invested in these darn cabinets. Needless to say, I am ready to be done! I can't wait to see the finished product. I am really pleased at how they turned out. The new hardware makes them look even better!! As soon as I'm done it will be time to pick out material for curtains & a paint color for the walls.

before...not so pretty

one of my favorite colors...

i think it will look really good with the cabinets

taking a break to enjoy the beautiful weather

You know what they say

2010-03-04T10:50:00.004-06:00

What you love to eat while you're pregnant...your baby will love to eat, too! I would eat a gallon of Baskin Robbins ice-cream every 2 days when I was pregnant with Ella. That baby LOVES chocolate ice-cream!!

she kept saying "mmmmmmm!" & signing for MORE

she wanted to hold it herself, so we had to move to the kitchen

Proof that she really is my child

2010-03-02T15:50:00.004-06:00

she is my little helper & loves to clean

(my mom always tells me that I was straightening rugs at 3...HA!)

earning her keep

She loves chapstick just like her mama.
She says "stick! stick!"

...and smacks her lips after she puts it on

Baby Vance!!

2010-03-02T12:36:00.005-06:00

On Friday, February 26th Steven "Vance" Tomaszewski was born at 7:15 p.m. and weighed 7 lbs. 15 oz. I am so thankful that I was able to be there. I made the 6 hour trip that morning and got to the hospital at 10:30. The doctor thought that he would be born between 12 & 1, so I didn't want to miss it. Obviously Vance was on "Tutwiler time" because he decided to come a few hours later. He is perfect & sweet as can be. I am so proud of Laura! She was such a trooper throughout the entire delivery. Everyone is doing great and I can't wait to go back to visit!

proud papa

(L to R) Gaga & Gran Gran

sweet baby Vance

Big brother Grady

Vance & Me

Baby Josh is here!

2010-02-21T21:39:00.004-06:00

Congrats to Michelle & Tom!!

Joshua is healthy and absolutely perfect!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-21T21:05:00.009-06:00

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!

Ella's little "happy"

(Nick used a pepto bottle as a weight for the balloons.)

She was soooooo excited when

she walked in her room!

Her fav...chocolate chip pancakes & mandarin oranges

She is obsessed with this chair that her daddy picked out.

She loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!

reading her new book

reading with Daddy

Dinner with our little Valentine

2010-02-13T22:06:00.005-06:00

Our 5 year anniversary was last Friday. Go us!! We didn't do too much celebrating because I had a yucky virus...tear. Sunday while we were at the Pollan's house for their Super Bowl party Nick started feeling yucky too. It was bound to happen. Needless to say, it has not been a fun week around the Pollan household. Poor Ella, two sick parents are just no fun to be around. So tonight, we took her to Cedar Hill Farm for a Valentine's/Anniversary dinner. A date with my 2 favorite people doesn't get much better than that. The food was FABULOUS and we were so stuffed by the time we left. I hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day!!

such a daddy's girl

mama's little suga booga

I LOVE kisses from that baby

counting the ducks

V-Day Package & Potty Time

2010-02-12T13:06:00.008-06:00

Ella received a Valentine's Day package yesterday from my parents and she was so excited! I told her it was from Gram & Pops and she kept saying "Pop! Pop!". My Mom knows how much I love anything with a character theme (I'm being very sarcastic) so she couldn't resist. She got a Playtex sippy cup with Ariel from The Little Mermaid on it, a bib, pjs, a card and some candy. She looked so cute modeling her new pjs. Thanks MOM!!

side view

drinking some juice from her new sippy cup

reading her card

her new thing...she loves to throw away trash

My parents gave Ella this potty for Christmas, so we figured we would go ahead and introduce it. She lets us know as soon as she messes up her diaper....sometimes before. She says "tt" or "poo poo". She brings us diapers, wipes, or whatever she can find to let us know it's time to change her diaper. It will be a while before we really start the potty training process but figured we would at least set it out.

helping dada take out the potty

this is the coolest potty

foot first

She said "potty!"

checking it all out

she threw a SLIGHT hissy when I told her that her potty

has to stay in the bathroom :(

trying to explain to dada why she was so upset...

It's a little difficult trying to reason with an "almost" 18 month old

She eventually got over it and gave me a big smile!

Daddy gave her some chocolate to dry her tears

winding down before bedtime

If the shoe fits

2010-02-04T12:08:00.004-06:00

I was cleaning up after breakfast yesterday and heard "Mama, Mama!! Shoes!" When I turned around I saw Ella standing in the living room with both of my shoes on. She is so funny! I wish I had a picture of her with both on but I just wasn't fast enough.

Sporting her "I Heart Hugs" t-shirt

and some major bed head

Happy Birthday, Pops!!

2010-01-24T22:24:00.006-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to the best Dad a girl could ask for!!

We love you!!

The best "Pops" in the whole wide world!!

Playing Dress Up

2010-01-18T10:23:00.005-06:00

I just wanted to share these pictures of Ella wearing my shoes. She loves to go in my closet & pull them out. Nick helped her put them on, so she could pose for a quick picture. She loved it!

Happy 17 Months Baby Girl!!

New Year's Eve Gapen Style

2010-01-11T13:13:00.004-06:00

We spent New Year's Eve at Chris & Erin Gapen's house this year and had so much fun. They live really close to our house, so it was perfect! It was very casual & laid back which was great! Erin made sure it was centered around the kids this year. We had hamburgers, hotdogs, smores, fireworks, and a bonfire. Ella LOVED the fireworks!

Ella & Will

Nick trying to stop Ella from going for the cheese puffs...
that were on someone else's plate

She liked playing with Reed's MSU helmet

Reed getting ready to shoot his fireworks

watching the fireworks...sort of

It was really cold, so Eddie gave the kids a show

while they watched from inside.

Reed was so good about sharing his toys with Ella.

Thanks, Reed!

Nick was so proud of his fireworks :)

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-26T21:03:00.005-06:00

Christmas Eve we headed to my parent's house in Clarksdale. We opened gifts, ate a delicious dinner, then headed to church. After church we went back home to Hernando. Ella went straight to her bed from the car. Our sweet, baby girl was exhausted. I left Santa some cookies & milk and threw out some food for his reindeer. Christmas morning was so much fun. Ella woke up in the BEST mood! When she walked into the living room she just froze with her mouth wide open. She was so funny! She had a blast playing with her books, puzzles, blocks, magna doodle, and castle slide! I recorded the whole morning on the camcorder for family to watch. After she played, it was time for breakfast. I made a breakfast casserole and Nick made pancakes. After breakfast we headed to the Pollan's house. We opened gifts, ate a fabulous lunch, and visited with family. Ella loved all of her gifts, especially her little Barbie 4-wheeler. I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas! I know we sure did! Enjoy the pics :)

2 Santas in 1 Day

2009-12-20T23:18:00.003-06:00

Nick & I took Ella to meet Santa for the first time and she reacted just like we thought she would. She was terrified! We had to pick up some Christmas gifts at Bass Pro (Nick's home away from home) for all the hunters in the family and figured we would give it a shot.

About to go see Santa...A.K.A. The scary man in the red suit

Daddy had to make sure my hair was lookin' good for Santa
(I love the look on her face)

Making their way down the red carpet...so far, so good

being introduced to Santa

WE LOVE SANTA!!

We shopped around then came back for round 2.

The 2nd attempt was a little better.

not really

watching the fishies

That same day we went to a Christmas party for one of the doctors Nick calls on for work. We had a great time and Ella loved playing with the big kids. They were so sweet to her. Santa was there too!

On our way to the party

she tried to sit in this chair...too funny

This was as close as she would let me get

Laura's Baby Shower

2009-12-15T22:11:00.005-06:00

Thanksgiving weekend a few of us gave Lauranne a baby shower in Cleveland. The food was good and Baby Vance got all kinds of precious things. I am so excited for Laura & Steven and can't wait to meet their little man in March! He will be here before we know it!

Laura & Me

Lesley, Betsy, Maribeth, Me, Heather, and Andrea

Hanging out with friends

2009-12-15T21:49:00.004-06:00

A couple of weeks ago Ella & I went to Cleveland to visit Maribeth & Pittman. Ella & Pittman always have so much fun playing together. She played with all of his toys and chased him around trying to give him hugs and kisses.

lunch at Abe's

Ella & The Pitt Man

Friday night we cooked out with the Chittoms. Eddie & Steph have two boys. Will is 4 months older than Ella. There is never a dull moment when these 2 get together. Carter is 6 months old, so he pretty much just observes the chaos.

Steph showed Ella how to scoot down the stairs.

Ella's little boyfriend, Will

the exersaucer never gets old

I would like to thank...

2009-12-15T20:26:00.008-06:00

the inventor of the BABY GATE.

We headed to Toys R Us Saturday to get Ella some Christmas presents. #1 on my list was "baby gate". While Nick's parents kept Ella entertained, Nick & I decided on a gate. I'm pretty sure it's the tallest one they make. Ella has become a pretty good climber in the last couple of months, so we couldn't take any chances. Nick and his dad put it up as soon as we got home from shopping. When they finished installing it she of course had to check it out. She did exactly what we thought she would do...stood on the bottom rail and shook it as hard as she could until she was out of breath. It definitely keeps Ella out of the kitchen but Dallas can still jump over it from the standing position. Now I can mop, cook and keep water in the dog bowl all while Ella is on the other side. I can't even begin to tell you how this gate has changed my life!!!! Seriously!

Our new gate!! Merry Christmas to me!!

trying to squeeze through

trying to climb that gate sure does make her thirsty

couldn't you just suck her little face??

Hernando Parade

2009-12-08T09:19:00.011-06:00

Last night was the Hernando Christmas Parade. They close the square at 5:30, so we parked our vehicles earlier to make sure we had a perfect seat. When we got to the parade at 6:30 it was PACKED! We had our little kiddo bundled up with snacks and juice on hand. That was the best/longest parade ever...it lasted 90 minutes. My child sat through the ENTIRE parade. She had so much fun! When we got home from the parade, we took some Reindeer Food and "Dear Santa" letters to some of the kids in our cove.

We didn't even try to rough it in the cold. The heat was on full blast.

Samantha & Emerson

Nick, Jennifer, Samantha, & the kiddos

Rudolph nose

Family pic

Quentin & Emerson

Clapping for the Band

She kept leaning over to watch the parade go by

Santa on top of the firetruck

I made these when Ella was taking her morning nap. My paper cutter has been boxed up since I brought my stuff home from school, so I figured I would NEVER find it. Luckily, it was in the first box I opened.

A Christmas Tradition

2009-12-04T23:18:00.006-06:00

I love holiday traditions! I bought The Elf on the Shelf for Ella last year but didn't start the tradition until this year. We love reading books to her, even though she won't sit still for longer than a couple of minutes at a time. I just had to get one because it really is the neatest concept. When she gets old enough to fully comprehend what's going on she will definitely have to pick out a name for her little elf. Until then he's just "the elf".

Pictures at the river

2009-12-03T22:54:00.013-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I met Nick and my dad for lunch and then we headed to the river to take some pictures of Ella for our Christmas card. We were able to get some great pictures of her just hanging out! We couldn't decide on just one picture, so I sent out a few different ones. The last picture is my fav! Enjoy!

Ella & Pops

Ella & Daddyo

When mommy dresses me....

2009-12-03T22:45:00.001-06:00

.... when daddy dresses me

Attempting to decorate

2009-11-20T21:35:00.005-06:00

I made my first attempt to decorate for Christmas a few days ago. I know...we haven't even had Thanksgiving but I'm just not one of those people who decorates "the day of". This year I am taking baby steps (pun intended). I have heard so many horror stories about kids and how they can destroy a tree in minutes. With Ella's track record I just knew I was in for a treat. As I decorated her tree I talked about how it is so important for her not to snatch the ribbon and ornaments off. I told her that she could only touch and that was it. Trying to explain and reason with a 15 month old really can be a chore but she did great! So far everything is still intact. So far...

showing mommy how she "touches"...

...and again

and again

taking a break to read a book

decorating is so exhausting

throwing a slight hissy

supporting daddy's bulldogs

Nick & I brought this ornament back for Ella. It's tacky but I love it!

TA-DA!!
the finished product

Pretty much the same as last year except I added some glittery, green ribbon and a couple new ornaments

2 Tickets To Paradise

2009-11-07T21:38:00.007-06:00

I've been meaning to post our vacation pics for a while but knew it would take forever to upload all of the pictures. I took an obnoxiously large amount while we were there (nothing new). The ones that I posted are about a third of what I took. This year's Gold Cup reward trip was in Kauai, Hawaii and it was, by far, the BEST vacation EVER!! The weather was perfect and the people were so nice.

We have known for months about this trip so I had a while to get "mentally" prepared to leave Ella. It was the HARDEST thing I have ever done. I have never been a single day without her, so it was a HUGE adjustment. I knew she was in excellent hands. Nick's mom stayed for 4 days and my mom stayed for 4 also. It was me that I was worried about. I even debated on whether or not I should even go. Crazy...I know. Just to let you know...I made it! Nick...not so much. It was a little touch-n-go there for a while. He was worried SICK. He still had tons of fun though!

A few of us decided to go out a day early, so we wouldn't be exhausted when all of the activities started. That was the best idea! While we were there we consumed way too many fruity drinks, ate entirely too much food, and got enough sun to last us until our next beach vacation. We met a lot of people but pretty much hung out with our little group, which was nice. We went horseback riding, did the zipline, sailed on the catamaran, snorkelled along the N'pali coast,and had a couples massage. We even had gifts waiting on us each night in our hotel room. My favorite was the BOSE sounddock for our ipod. It was all well-worth the 12 hour plane ride there and back. I hope you enjoy the pics!!

Thanks again to my AMAZING husband for winning such an AWESOME trip!!

And ESPECIALLY thanks to our moms and dads that took off to stay with Ella!!

Cute As Can BEE!

2009-11-01T21:59:00.006-06:00

Ella's First Halloween

Well, I can definitely say that Ella's 2nd Halloween was more eventful than her first. Last year we only made it to two houses before our little puppy dog was out like a light. This Halloween was so much fun! Nick and I got Ella all dressed and ready to take some (a million) pictures. Quentin and Samantha brought Emerson (aka the squiggly piggy) over to take some pictures too. They were so stinkin' cute!! I only got a couple pictures of Ella wearing her wings. These days I definitely take what I can get. I'm sure anyone with a child that is mobile can empathize with me on that one. She did wear the antennas the entire night. Go Ella! We took a hayride around the neighborhood with the Middletons and the Boyds and let the kids do some trick-or-treating. After our little bumble bee made several attempts of trying to walk into everyone's house we headed back to the cove for some snacks at the Striplings. We will be sure to give her the talk next year about proper trick-or-treating etiquette. Enjoy the pics!

cutest bumble bee in the world...and she knew it too!

can you tell she was just a little excited??

proud daddy-o and his bee

it doesn't get any cuter than these two

group pic

Samantha & Emerson

No, you're not dreaming...she's wearing a bow

Nick minus his scary Michael Myers mask

(long story)

"Are you serious, another picture?"

"So this is where all that candy goes?"

she was hyped up on sugar & threatening

to smash her pumpkin

Costume Sneak Peek

2009-10-26T23:36:00.004-05:00

Nick decided to throw a monkey wrench into my halloween plans this year and pick out Ella's costume. I guess that's what I get for not ordering her costume on time. There's always next year. I remember the days when Nick had no opinion whatsoever. Oh how I miss those days. When Ella came along, so did his opinions. But I gotta hand it to him...he did a SUPER job! We let her wear the costume (minus the bodysuit, leggings and wings) around the house tonight after she took a bath. The child refuses to wear bows and hats, so I was impressed that she actually kept the hood on. I'm pretty sure she is the cutest bumble bee on the planet! We can't wait to take her trick or treating Saturday night. Stay tuned for more pics.

Lunch With The Girls & Baby Parker

2009-10-26T20:57:00.005-05:00

I took Ella to get her flu shot this morning and then we met the girls at Tropical Smoothie Cafe' for lunch. It was nice visiting with Liz and Parker. He is such a sweetie and pretty much slept the entire time. He will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. Ella also slept right through lunch, which was also her nap time. Next Monday we are having lunch at Liz's house. Can't wait!

asleep at 11...right on schedule

(L to R)
Jennifer, Samantha, Parker, Liz, & Emerson

my little sleepy head & me

gotta love those baby blues

he is so teeny

she loves drinking through a straw

Ella loved Liz's smoothie

bandaid on the forehead...nice

Pittman Turns 3!!

2009-10-26T20:21:00.005-05:00

This past Saturday we headed to Cleveland to celebrate Pittman's 3rd Birthday. The party was at Little Green Acres and the weather was perfect. The kids rode the train, played on the swingset, and decorated pumpkins for their party favor. Ella had a blast and loved petting the animals too!

Happy Birthday Pittman!!

2 of my favorite people

Noelle, Ella & Grayson

Collin & Ella in the train

Dave made the cake...very impressive

Cove Play Date

2009-10-25T23:07:00.008-05:00

Today was a great day to play outside. Ella has 5 teeth coming in, so we've been doing whatever it takes to keep her busy. There is never a dull moment in our cove. When we all moved here there were no kids in the picture. Now there are 6 kids between us. Ella runs around like a wild woman outside and loves playing with the big kids. The scary part is that she's not afraid of anything so you have to watch her like a hawk. She will literally kick and scream when it's time to go inside...not a pretty sight. Too bad I don't have a picture of that.

My sweet Daddy bought Ella this romper.

riding with Makayla

lovin' every minute

holding on tight

She tried so hard to go up the slide backwards.

She was almost there.

Daddy had to give her a push

A Day At The Farm

2009-10-25T20:07:00.007-05:00

The Sunday before we left to go on vacation we took Ella to Cedar Hill Farm. We made plans to go with the Crews Family the weekend before but it rained (big shocker). It ended up being a gorgeous day! Ella enjoyed the hayride, feeding the animals, riding the pony, and watching the pig races! She even got to pick out her own pumpkin. Enjoy the pictures!

on the hayride

I LOVE this picture!!!

"Ok guys, this is the one!"

so sweet

"what about this one mama?"

Ella and her perfect pumpkin

riding the pony

Nick's "mini me"

cheering on the pigs

Fair Day

2009-09-28T16:13:00.010-05:00

Nick and I took Ella to the Mid-South Fair today and the weather was PERFECT!! We were able to take her on a couple of rides and she had a blast! Nick hates heights and refuses to ride on anything that someone put together in less than 24 hours. He can barely take pictures of me on the rides because it makes his stomach queasy. I, on the other hand, live for amusement/water parks. I will ride on anything and everything. I can't wait until she is big enough to go to Disney World. I have a feeling she is going to be my roller coaster partner. Enjoy the pictures!!

As soon as it got started Nick yelled,"Why is it going so fast!!??"

Poor Nick...the things you'll do for your kids :)

Nick and Ella riding the fastest carousel in the world

Nick holding on for dear life!! He is such a good sport.

Me riding the FREAK OUT

Driving the dump truck

watching the turtle race

Grayson Turns 5!!

2009-09-21T11:09:00.003-05:00

Chef Grayson

My mom, Ella and I went to Cleveland Saturday for Grayson's 5th Birthday Party. It was the coolest birthday party ever!! They made pizzas and decorated their very own cake. Noelle even had an apron for Ella to wear. My child will HARDLY wear a bow, so I was shocked to see her walking around wearing an apron. We had so much fun and can't wait to see what she has planned for next year!!

Ella and her buddy Pittman

little brother Collin

the kids making their pizzas

she kept trying to eat the plastic cookies and cupcakes

watching the big kids

She grabbed some kid's coloring sheet and tried to color it.

No, she didn't color all of that, but she did add to it.

blowing out the candles

Tricia Fioranelli's daughter Caroline talking to Ella.

Reunion

2009-09-17T23:50:00.005-05:00

My 10 year reunion was last weekend. I went out with the girls Friday night to Rust while Nick was in Oxford for Kurt's birthday. Saturday night we went with Lauranne & Steven to Cutre Mansion. It was fun reconnecting with friends I haven't seen in a while. Kuddos to Matthew & Mary Evelyn for putting it all together. I haven't danced that hard in a LONG time. I will hopefully post the group picture soon.

Lauranne & Me

Future Parents of the Year. HA!

Happy Birthday Joshua Kurt!!

2009-09-17T23:18:00.005-05:00

Sunday was Uncle Kurt's 26th Birthday. Jessica invited all of us over for a cookout. Ella was all over the place. Poor Jessica, Ella was into all of her stuff. At least she didn't break anything...this time. Jessica was a fabulous hostess. She had tons of food, and she even made cupcakes. We had a great time! It was a great end to a long weekend.

Kurt entertaining the crowd

I think her favorite part was when we sang "Happy Birthday"

She loved that darn pig

2 exhausted parents...we learned that weekend

that we can't party like we used to

Delilah said, "say cheese!"

Ella said, "CHEESE" or at least that's what it sounded like.

It was so cute.

The Pollan Fam

Neighbor's Day Out

2009-09-17T22:37:00.002-05:00

Starting in January Ella will be going to Mother's Day Out twice a week . Hopefully I can cut the chord by then. Nick said that I will never do it. I guess we'll see. So anyway, Samantha and I decided that we would test the waters and do our version of Mother's Day Out. A couple days a week I take Ella to her house to play with Emerson. It gives us time to run errands, clean, or WHATEVER we need to do (you get my drift). Ella loves it! The first thing she does when I take her to Samantha's house is jump on Emerson's mini 4-wheeler. When Emerson comes to our house she goes straight for Ella's Learning Kitchen. They have so much fun together! Enjoy the pictures.

Trying to stay hydrated

Sweet Emerson

my child...sportin' the rattail

fighting over the ball...Emerson won

my wild child

Amelia's Birthday Party!!

2009-09-09T21:02:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago Ella & I went to Amelia's 8th Birthday Party at Artwerx here in Hernando. Her parents, Allison & Coleman, are good friends of ours. The girls got to pick a piece of pottery and paint it. Caroline kept Ella busy playing with the toys. She was a BIG help! We ate cake and ice-cream and watched her open gifts. We had a blast!!

The birthday girl!!

hanging out with Caroline

Ella talking to the big girls

check out her shiner :(

12 Month Check-Up

2009-09-01T21:06:00.009-05:00

Nick and I took Ella to see Dr. Lacy today for her well baby check-up. Like always, I had my list of questions to ask. He is always so patient with me and answers all of my questions thoroughly. He checked Ella out from top to bottom, she got some shots, then we were on our way. She was such a trooper, like always. She only fusses for about 5 seconds and then she's done. Nick and I make a great team! He holds her down and talks to her so the nurse can give the shots, and I wait patiently behind him with something to calm her down. This time juice did the trick. I always tell Nick, "What juice can't fix, stitches can."

Her stats:

Weight- 17 lbs 12 oz (5th %tile)

Length- 29 in (45th %tile)

Head circumference- 45 1/2 cm (66th %tile)

What she's doing now:

1. walking, walking, more walking and giving me heart attack after heart attack

2. loving her sippy cup (white grape juice or milk)

3. pats her belly on command (it's really funny)

4. drinking whole milk (she has never had formula which is definitely a plus)

5. eats whatever we eat

6. loves drinking from a straw

7. has become quite the social butterfly (she waves to EVERYBODY she sees)

8. she got her first shiner a few days ago when she hit the corner of the table (she was on Nick's watch, not mine) I am kicking myself for not taking a picture, but I'm sure it won't be the last. We have since invested in those tacky but oh so wonderful corner cushions. Nick also installed cabinet latches in the bathroom and kitchen. When she tries to open the cabinet we tell her that it's broken.

9. plays by herself (our house has been completely taken over by toys. The ball pit and learning kitchen are her favs.)

10. dances to music

11. has 9 teeth and another molar coming in

12. If she had a choice she would rather stand up in the basket at the store (her daddy started that. She doesn't have a choice with me.)

I'm sure there are plenty more...

All smiles!! I could just suck her little face!!

Ella's Birthday Party

2009-08-26T23:00:00.007-05:00

We had Ella's birthday party Sunday in Oxford at Funky's, and it was a blast! Our friends and family travelled from all over to celebrate our baby girl turning 1. Ella had so much fun visiting with everyone and opening her gifts. She got really excited and started clapping her hands when we started singing "Happy Birthday" to her. And a birthday party just isn't a birthday party without a smash cake from Alice Chow. She kept wanting everyone to try her cake, which was hilarious. We definitely partied hard. It took me 2 days to recuperate. Thanks to everyone who came to the party and especially thanks to Kurt for letting us have it at his restaurant.

This is the adorable sticker that Ginna made for the sugar cookie party favors!! Thanks again Ginna. You're the best!!

Happy 1st Birthday Ella!

2009-08-18T22:41:00.006-05:00

Our baby girl turned 1 year old today! Thanks everyone for the sweet cards, text messages, and phone calls. From the time she woke up until she went to bed the camcorder was in her face. We tried to make her big day really special. Nick made her chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast...her fav!! After breakfast we ran a few errands, followed by a LONG nap. As soon as Nick came home from work she opened her gifts from us. We played for a little bit, then it was time to eat. Samantha brought Emerson over for cupcakes and punch. After the mess was cleaned up and Ella had a bath, we headed to the mexican restaurant for dinner. We had to do an early dinner because I had a JA meeting that I absolutely could not miss ( I know...booooo me). It was okay though, they had 3 full hours of father/daughter time. I just can't believe how fast this year has flown by. She will never know just how much she means to us and how much she has taught us along the way. For that, I am truly grateful!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLA!!

The Birthday Girl

getting ready for her birthday breakfast

"Do you want some mama?"

Quick pic before he headed to work.

She wasn't completely clean so he was trying to avoid the mess.

Of course I had to get a pic of her birthday outfit.

after her nap

opening her gifts...she loved the paper!

Daddy had to help a little bit.

This one was definitely a hit...

but the ball pit was her fav!

She loved the door! She would go in, peak her head out of the window,

and then come right back out...a hundred times!!

diggin' in

She just smiled when they sang "Happy Birthday" to her

Busy Weekend

2009-08-16T22:55:00.004-05:00

We had a very busy weekend. Saturday we spent the day in Oxford shopping and getting balloons ordered for Ella's birthday party. We stopped by Funky's (my brother-in-law's restaurant) to drop off the drinks and figure out how many balloons we need. I can't wait until next Sunday. PARTAY!!

Sunday, after Nick worked in the yard, we went to Memphis to go swimming with Kurt and his girlfriend Jessica. They even cooked us dinner, and it was so yummy! After we got our bellies full, we headed back home to Hernando.

A year ago today I packed our bags for when the time came to head to the hospital.

Wow, almost a year has passed!

It's Emerson's Birthday!

2009-08-11T20:52:00.010-05:00

Samantha and Quentin's little girl, Emerson, turned 1 year old today. They celebrated with a trip to the Memphis Zoo and cupcakes from Muddy's Bake Shop. They invited us over to eat some cupcakes (made with all organic ingredients), and it was probably one of the best cupcakes I have ever had. Ella was able to get some practice for her big day. It meant so much to us to be a part of Emerson's special day. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we did.

Happy Birthday Emerson!!

(Mama) "Who wants cupcakes?"

(Ella) "I do, I do!!"

The birthday girl & her daddy

headed straight to the tub

GABBEY DESIGNS

2009-08-09T22:25:00.002-05:00

A few months ago my super talented friend Ginna Abbey started her own invitation/stationary business called Gabbey Designs. I showed her what I wanted and she created the most perfect birthday invitation for Ella. It turned out so cute. I can't wait for her to do our Christmas cards! Be sure to check out her blog http://gabbeydesigns.blogspot.com .

Oh so good...

2009-08-04T23:48:00.003-05:00

but oh so messy. I fixed spaghetti for dinner a few nights ago, and gave Ella some to try. My friend Steph has been telling me how much Will loves spaghetti so I wanted to see what Ella thought about it. She dug right in and ate every bit of it. Needless to say, she went straight into the tub after dinner, but not before I was able to get a few pics.

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER
thank goodness for the scoop bib & suction bowl

1st Family Vacay

2009-08-04T21:37:00.013-05:00

Well, we survived our first family beach vacation. It was a little different this year since we are now a family of three. I figured it would be hard for Ella to adjust since she is so used to a structured routine, but she did GREAT! I made my list of things to pack weeks before we left, and made sure everything was all organized for our trip. I realized that with a baby you really have to be EXTRA prepared for anything and everything.

We shared a condo at The Phoenix with Dave, Maribeth, and Pittman Crews. Ella absolutely loved the beach, and even played in the sand with Pittman. We layed on the beach, went swimming, ate great food, and went shopping. One night we ate at the Hangout. The food was great, and there was no wait, which is definitely a plus. It was so kid-friendly too. We ate lunch one day at Lambert's (home of the "THROWED" rolls) which had the best home-cooked food I have ever put in my mouth. My friend Lauranne told me that we had to eat at Cosmos for dinner, so that's where we ate Friday night. We waited for an hour and a half, but it was well worth it. The food was fantastic and Ella hung in there like a champ (even though it was passed her bedtime).

On our way home we stopped in Madison to have dinner with a few of Nick's co-workers and gave Ella a break from riding. All in all she rode really well. As long as she was eating or sleeping it was a smooth ride for all of us.

We all had the best time and can't wait to go back again next year. Enjoy the slideshow!

Baby On The Way

2009-07-20T23:05:00.004-05:00

Sunday I went to Memphis for a baby shower for my friend Liz. She and her husband Jason are expecting a baby boy in October. She got some adorable gifts, and the food & hostesses were great also. Parker is very lucky to have Liz as his mommy.

CONGRATS LIZ & JASON!!!!

Samantha, Me, Liz, & Jennifer

11 Months

2009-07-18T23:34:00.011-05:00

Well, another month has passed us by. I can't even deal (big sigh). Not a lot has changed since last month. Teething has definitely kicked up a few notches. She has 2 molars coming in on the bottom. I do anything and everything I can to keep her happy. It just breaks my heart to watch her in so much pain. She refuses to eat the Gerber veggies...only the fruits. She pretty much eats what we eat now. She is definitely not picky like her mama. She can wave bye-bye, blow kisses, and shake her head "no" when I tell her not to do something. She just amazes me everday with what she is capable of learning.

I am officially in birthday mode. My friend Ginna came by a couple days ago to show me the invitation, and it is PERFECT! I picked out the colors, wording, etc. and she couldn't have done a better job. I also stopped by Itty Bitty to order her birthday outfit. She is going to look absolutely precious in it. I can't believe she will be a year old next month.

Baby In The Mirror

2009-07-18T23:18:00.003-05:00

A few days ago I started telling Ella to "kiss the baby in the mirror". I showed her what to do, and she caught on quickly. Now she "kisses the baby" in every mirror she sees. It is probably the sweetest thing I have ever seen, and it just melts my heart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

2009-07-05T11:33:00.004-05:00

We celebrated the 4th yesterday with Nick's family. We had a great time visiting, eating, and relaxing while Grandma & Papaw chased Ella around. By the time we got home she was exhausted. We tried to keep her awake long enough to watch the fireworks, but that didn't happen. She did get a chance to see some fireworks earlier in the day, and she loved it! I can't wait to take her to watch the fireworks at Snowden Grove next year. Maybe by then she will be big enough to really know what's going on.

She loves her Uncle Kurt, and I think the feeling is mutual.

Her new thing...she points at everything.

The blue & white outfit that I bought her was slightly too big :(
At least she wore white.

showing out

Daddy's girl

OUT...like a light

ALMOST 30!

2009-06-27T20:21:00.004-05:00

I just want to give a quick shout out to my AMAZING hubby. Today is his 29th birthday. That's right...almost 30.

Ella & I love you so, so much!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICK!!!

Baby Carter

2009-06-24T11:09:00.008-05:00

Ella & I went to Memphis yesterday to visit Steph & Carter and take them some goodies. It feels like just yesterday when Ella was that small. I really miss that "new baby" smell. He was so sweet, and I could have just eaten him up. Ella had fun playing with all of Will's toys, and Steph and I had fun catching up. We can't wait to visit them again REAL soon.

I miss those Paty gown days

Ella didn't know what to think about Baby Carter.

Miss Independent took a break from visiting to hop on Will's 4-wheeler (all by herself).

She is such a mess!

Will's backpack & Carter's sweet
lion lovie that Ella gave them

10 months

2009-06-18T16:42:00.007-05:00

My baby girl is 10 months old. How did this happen? When you can no longer find footed pjs in a size 12 mo, that's when you know they aren't babies anymore. I really don't have anything new to report this month. She is definitely teething though. Two more are trying to pop up. I have a feeling she will be walking soon. Lord knows I am not ready for that to happen just yet.

My mom had a doctors appointment today in Southaven, so my dad and Cam tagged along. Ella & I met up with them for lunch at O'Charley's. After our bellies were full we ran some errands and then headed home. These are just a few 10 month pics. Enjoy!

Happy Thursday!!

Munchin' on a mum mum & sippin' on juice

heading to the pool

Linsey Tucker

2009-06-16T22:16:00.003-05:00

Linsey stopped by to visit us on her way to Memphis today, and Ella was a complete show out. She just had to show Linsey how she walks behind her walker (baby stroller). She crawls over to it, pulls up, and then she's off. Linsey was very impressed. If only I could teach her how to put her toys away when she's finished playing with them...we would be set. After we visited for a while, we did some shopping and then Linsey headed to Memphis.

We already miss you so please come back soon!!

what can I say...the girl loves to take pictures. LOL

Keith Urban

2009-06-16T10:45:00.003-05:00

For my mom's "early" birthday (it's not until August) I took her & my dad to see Keith Urban in Memphis. I went to his concert with Linsey a couple years ago and promised my mom that I would get tickets for his next concert. He was great the first time but even better the second. Sugarland opened up for him and they were awesome too! Nick took one for the team and stayed at home with Ella so mama could have a night out. Thanks Nick!

Cam's Big Day

2009-06-08T22:02:00.004-05:00

Uncle Cam received The Sacrament of Confirmation yesterday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Greenville, MS. We ALL were there to support him, and he did such a great job. Cam looked so handsome in his suit and Ella looked absolutely precious in her heirloom dress. I was a little hesitant about how she would behave during the 2 hour ceremony. She bounced around from lap to lap, ate about 50 Gerber puffs, had a mini-meltdown, and then we headed back. We stopped in Clarksdale to give her a little break and then hit the road again.

Ella & Dada

Cam and his sponsor Michael

Trying to get her to cooperate. Bless her heart.

Family Pic

a very tired little girl

Cheesin'

Happy Birthday Caroline!

2009-06-08T12:13:00.004-05:00

Ella & I took a road trip to Oxford Saturday for Caroline's 1st birthday. I can't believe a year has already passed. Ella had her first taste of cake & ice-cream (I know...shocker). Caroline got some great gifts and ate lots of cake. Michelle did a fantastic job planning the party, and we had a blast!

Yes, that's my child wearing a bithday hat.

She won't even wear her sun hat or shoes anymore.

Singing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY"

Ella & Mama

Typical picture...I'm pretty sure Ella pulled some hair out.

At least we tried.

Ella's First Swim

2009-06-03T21:24:00.003-05:00

Today ended up being a nice day after the rain passed. We went to Allison's house for Ella's first swim. She did so great...I didn't expect anything less. That little girl is FEARLESS! Nick stopped by to see his baby swim and take some pictures. Enjoy!

Pops Future Hunter

2009-05-20T15:49:00.007-05:00

My sweet daddy went on a turkey hunting trip a few weeks ago and bought Ella this adorable dress. It says "Daddy's Little Deer". I put it on her today to see if it fits, and it fits perfect.

Thanks Pops!! We love you!

9 Months Old

2009-05-19T13:20:00.010-05:00

Our sweet baby girl turned 1 month older yesterday (big sigh). We celebrated the big day by going to her 9 month well-baby check up. HA! We heart Dr. Lacy. He really is the best, and she loves his beard. She didn't mind this appointment because she didn't get any shots. The shots are always harder on me than on her. We started off by playing 20 questions. I told him the older she gets, the more questions I have. Looking back at her 8 month picture I can really see how much she has changed in the last month. Of course I took a thousand pictures, but what's new. Happy Tuesday!!

The Stats:

Weight - 16 lbs. 7 oz. (15th %tile)

Height - 26 3/4 (25th %tile)

Head - 43 1/2 cm (33rd %tile)

In the last month she...

*got 3 more teeth at the same time (that is not a typo) 8 total

*ate teething tabs like they were candy

*has been banned from her bouncy seat since she tried to catapult out of it

*started clapping and somewhat waving bye-bye

*stills says dada

*started sleeping all the way through the night again

*still has not had any formula, but has tried eggs, bananas, pancakes, cheese, ham, etc.

*is still drinking out of a sippy cup with breakfast ( I hold it though)

*cruises around the ottaman, coffee table, and anything that's stationary

*developed a slight temper when it's not her way

*has had several bruises and 2 busted lips (poor baby)

*doesn't like to be held for longer than about 2 minutes. She would rather crawl.

I think they're looking at Nick

Nosey Rosey

just relaxing

so lady-like

Daddy and his baby girl

Happy Birthday Maribeth

2009-05-18T10:07:00.006-05:00

Maribeth, Dave, and Pittman came to Hernando Saturday for her 27th birthday. We went to dinner at Windy City Grille on the Square. It was so good. We are all going to the beach in July so we got a little taste of what it's going to be like. I always wondered why Dave and Maribeth eat their food so fast...now I know. Ella requires CONSTANT attention. It's all fun and games until your child is waving a fork around like a lasso. All in all it was a great night and the kiddos were perfect.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIBETH!!

The Birthday Girl and Me

crackers in one hand, a gerber puff in the other, drinking some water

A' Fair

2009-05-17T22:23:00.007-05:00

Saturday was the Hernando A' Fair on the Square. They always have the best food and crafts. I was so excited to take Ella this year! She just hung out in the stroller and watched all of the people. She is quite the little observer these days. It was supposed to rain, but it ended up being a really nice day.

Just the girls

2009-05-17T21:37:00.004-05:00

After our morning walk Samantha and I headed to Juddlo's for breakfast with the girls. If you are ever in the Hernando area you have to eat there. The owners are so nice and their food is the best. Emerson and Ella just chatted away and chewed on cracker packages. They kept passing the crackers back and forth. Ella tried a couple bites of pancake and some scrammbled eggs and loved it. We enjoyed it and can't wait until next Friday.

Shopping and Mother's Day

2009-05-17T15:04:00.010-05:00

My parents and Cam stopped by our house last Saturday on their way to Memphis. Cam needed a suit for his Confirmation. For lunch we went to Cam's favorite place to eat...Chili's. Ella is so well behaved as long as she has a plethora of crackers or a package of kleenex to chew on. We do whatever it takes to get through a meal. It was nice spending time with the fam, and Ella had a great time too.

This Mother's Day was my very first and it was so special!! Being a mom is the best job in the world!! After Ella's morning nap we headed to the Pollan's house for a fish fry. Yum Yum :) They are always the best hostesses. I hope that all you moms out there had a great Mother's Day also.

The pics below are from these two days.

lovin' her some kleenex

pausing for a quick pic

Ella and Uncle Kurt

the only picture of the 2 of us from Mother's Day

Playdate

2009-05-17T14:46:00.004-05:00

Samantha brought Emerson over to play the other day. Emerson is one week older than Ella; so it's always fun when they get together. Emerson can make that baby laugh like nobody's business. It's the funniest belly laugh ever. Samantha jokingly said that Ella needed to teach Emerson to crawl. By the time she left, she was crawling all around. Way to go Emer!! Here are some pics from their playdate. Enjoy!

silly girl

laughing away

I love this picture

sweet Emerson (check out those baby blues)

8 Months And On The Move

2009-04-23T11:10:00.005-05:00

Ella Bear (my neighbor's son calls her that) turned 8 months old last Saturday. I literally had to choke back the tears. She is growing way too fast. I have already started thinking about her 1 year birthday party. Crazy...I know, but it will be here and gone before I know it.

**She started crawling today (the real deal) and is still pulling up on anything and everything she can get her little hands on. Every once and awhile she gets brave and lets go. Then she quickly falls on her butt or face.

**She has become quite the little spitfire here lately. When you take something away from her she scrunches her nose and makes the funniest noise.

**Her new toys include the remote, my cell phone, a rubber coaster, and a dvd case.

**Changing her diaper has become an absolute nightmare. She screams so loud, but stops as soon as I pick her up.

**Still only 5 teeth.

**Naps are still going strong, but I wish I could say the same for nightime. She used to sleep 10-12 hours a night. For some reason she's been waking up in the middle of the night. I'm working on that.

** Going out for lunch or dinner has become so easy. As long as she can chew on a pack of crackers, it's all good.

That's it for now.

That girl loves the remote

Up To No Good

2009-04-13T13:45:00.006-05:00

I can definitely say that things have kicked up a notch around our house in the last couple of days. For the last two months every time I would put Ella to sleep she would roll over to the mobile and turn it on. I figured it was just a thing, but it wasn't. She is still turning it on. The easiest way to solve this problem would be to simply take the mobile out completely. I didn't want to do that because when she wakes up in the morning or from a nap she turns it on and watches it. So Nick moved her crib down Saturday thinking that would solve our little mobile issue at night. WRONG! Instead, Ella found another way to give me a slight heart attack. Now she pulls up to turn the mobile on. I am so worried that she's going to fall back and hit her head on the slats. She has fallen, but luckily it was on her booty. It's time for Mama to step up her game.

thinking about it

arms and knees into position

turning on the mobile

and up she goes

this is how I found her this morning

Easter Sunday

2009-04-13T10:26:00.007-05:00

We had such a great Easter! The Easter Bunny brought Ella some books about Easter and bunnies. The three of us went to church with my family in Clarksdale Sunday morning. She was so good during church. Nick pretty much held her the entire time, and she played with his tie. We had lunch at my parent's house and then headed back to Hernando. When we got home we watched the Masters (I heart the Masters) and Uncle Kurt stopped by to visit. I can't wait for next year so Ella can hunt eggs. I hope that everyone had a great Easter!

Cedar Hill Farm

2009-04-10T21:47:00.002-05:00

This morning Maribeth, Dave, and Pittman came up to go with us to Cedar Hill Farm here in Hernando. We also met up with our neighbors Quentin, Samantha, and Emerson. Emerson and Ella are only one week apart, so we enjoy hanging out together. We had a great time! Our first stop was the Petting Zoo. They had goats, chickens, turkeys, pigs, and miniature horses. Then we road on the train, and Pittman loved it! After the train ride it was time for pictures with the Easter Bunny. Ella didn't know what to think at first, but I ended up getting some really good pictures. Pittman also rode on the pony. Maybe next year Ella will be big enough to go on a pony ride. We took a hayride out to the Egg Hunt Field and let Pittman go at it. He was so funny to watch, but I think the adults had more fun. Before we left, we had to go see the Chicken Show. Ella just watched and listened so intently. I can't wait to go back in October so Ella can pick out a pumpkin from the Pumpkin Patch. I put together a slide show since I took so many pictures. Enjoy!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A Day With The Chittoms

2009-04-10T21:19:00.004-05:00

Last Sunday our friends Eddie and Steph came by to visit. Will and Ella had a great time playing with each other. Ella really enjoyed playing with Will's Tonka trucks, and Will loved petting Bela. Will just celebrated his 1st birthday and has grown so much since we last saw him in December. He is such a handsome little man. Steph is expecting baby #2 in June. How exciting! We can't wait for baby Carter to arrive so he can come play too. Enjoy the pictures.

Ella On The Move

2009-04-07T17:16:00.005-05:00

Last week Ella started doing the army crawl. She has tried a few times to do the actually crawling, but I think she's more content just "creeping" around. Nick and I feel like her little cheerleaders. We just cheer her on when she gets going. She will go after any toy or dog you put in front of her. This is a short video of her on the move.

Opinions Wanted

2009-04-03T23:55:00.005-05:00

First, I need to explain myself. Nick is out of town, and the babe is sleeping. I got bored and decided to start looking for a car seat for when Ella is able to face forward. I know that she has a few more months until she is able to do that, but I figured what the heck. I found the Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat in "Cowmooflage". It's both a rear facing and forward facing seat. It had over 200 reviews and I read (scanned) most of them. It seems to be really safe and well worth every penny. It can hold a toddler up to 65 lbs. At the rate Ella is going she'll be able to stay in it until she goes off to college. So for all 2 of you that actually read this blog please give me your opinion (since most of you have kids). And no people, I can not be talked out of this pattern. I know that it might be tacky, but I love it.

2009-04-02T12:09:00.010-05:00

Rain rain

go away,

so we can go

outside and play!

Hippity Hoppity....

2009-04-01T13:40:00.004-05:00

...Easter's on its way!! I bought these adorable bunny ears at Target the other day. After Ella woke up from her morning nap I decided to put them on her and take some pictures. She kept snatching them off her head and, of course, putting them in her mouth. Happy Wednesday everyone. Enjoy!

I just bought her first swimsuit so stay tuned for swimsuit pictures.

Special Visit

2009-03-31T13:26:00.008-05:00

One of my very best friends, Linsey, came to visit last week. We had been planning this visit for months. We worked together for the past 3 years teaching 4th grade, and we became such great friends throughout that time. I decided to stay at home with Ella, and she decided to move back home to Jackson. The 3 of us went to lunch, and then went back to our school to visit everyone. Being able to stay home with Ella and watch her grow is so amazing, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. But seeing everyone I worked with made me wish that I was back in the classroom. The visit was cut a little short because Ella was hungry; so we headed back home. It was great seeing Aunt Linsey & we hope she will come back very, very soon.

Turkey King II

2009-03-24T14:50:00.009-05:00

Well, I am happy to say that Nick killed his first turkey on opening day at the Conservation League. He was so excited! My Dad "The Turkey King" and Nick set out on a mission early Saturday morning and came home with 2 turkeys. Hunting is pretty much a way of life in my family, so I expected nothing less. Way to go!! The picture above is me with my daddy's turkey when I was Ella's age. We didn't bring Nick's turkey inside because my mom would have had a stroke. We did of course get some pictures outside.

7 Months Old

2009-03-24T14:11:00.004-05:00

Another month has passed in the blink of an eye. Ella turned 7 months old last Wednesday. Her pediatrician told us that the next few months are going to be life changing...he was right. She is changing and doing so many new things all the time. When I picked her up this morning I quickly realized that she had cut another tooth. That makes FIVE teeth!! She has been pretty good about it, only a little fussy at times. She is such a trooper. Bath time = fun time :) Her new thing is taking a bubble bath with a teething biscuit. I am all for that...less mess for me. She still loves, more than anything, to be outside playing. All in all she is a healthy, happy baby...except for the occasional attitude. I'm not quite sure where she got that from. HA! Happy Tuesday and enjoy the pics.

A Day At The Park

2009-03-08T15:34:00.010-05:00

Nick has been in Las Vegas all week for work, so it had been a long 5 days for me and the babe. We decided to take advantage of the 70 degree weather Friday and head to Conger Park. It was really windy, but Ella didn't seem to mind it. She loved every minute of it, and I'm pretty sure her favorite was the swing. This park has it all, and we can't wait to go back.

6 Months & Sittin' Pretty

2009-02-24T21:27:00.013-06:00

Proud Papa with his baby girl

Ella turned the BIG 6 months old last Wednesday, the 18th. Yep, she is halfway there. I can't even fathom the thought of her being 1 year old. I know it'll be here before we know it. Everyone told me to cherish every moment because it goes by fast, and they were right. We went to the doctor Friday for her 6 month well-baby checkup. She weighed in at 15 pounds (33rd percentile) and was 25 3/4 long (50th percentile). The doctor told us that she looked great and he will see us in 3 months. He also said that we could start letting her drink from a sippy cup. I put some apple juice and water in one and let her go to town. Her two top teeth are starting to make their way down, so I gave her a teething biscuit. She LOVED it! We've also been working on sitting up and it seems to be going good. These are some pictures I took yesterday. Enjoy.

Daddy's Girl...or daddy's clone

2009-02-10T15:40:00.010-06:00

Ella is such a daddy's girl, and he just loves her to pieces. She has his funny personality, and it shows more and more every day. She stares at the same face all day every day, so when he gets home I'm sure it's nice to have a change in scenery. He makes that little girl laugh like nobody can, and her face lights up when he's around. She's been saying"dadadadadadada" here lately and it makes him grin from ear to ear. Eventhough she has no idea what that means, hearing her say that means the world to him...so I just go with it. Whenever Ella is fussy he scoops her up and sits down in front of the computer and plays country music and a little rap every now and then...bless him. It seems to do the trick. These are some pictures that I took today of these two kiddos sharing a moment. Enjoy!