Wonderful Week! A1:W3

What a fun week it has been! 

Mary Eloise has gotten the hang of walking and is trying her hand at running.  Most of the time her upper body gets ahead of her feet and she tumbles, but she takes it all in stride and gets back up.  She is also used to wearing shoes out and walking in them.  When she began to pull up and stand, I bought her some shoes to wear to get used to the feel.  She is becoming more and more comfortable in them daily, but like her daddy, prefers to be barefoot. ME has always liked to jump and dance and now really tries to do so by herself and improves daily. 

On Monday, we went to visit my Mother's parents, my Grandmother and Gran-Gran.  They love to see Mary Eloise and have enjoyed watching her grow.  This time while over, she found the Nilla wafers and shared some with my Grandmother.  My Gran-Gran also turned on Sesame Street so he could hear her talk about Elmo.  Like her friend Vivian, Mary Eloise is obsessed with Elmo.  She likes to look at her little toys with Elmo on them and say "Elmo" and then sings "la, la, la".  It is so amazing to watch her put things together. 

Mary Eloise goes to "school" on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.  She has really grown to love going and now gets down out of Jason's arms, without tears, to play in the mornings when he drops her off.  She also naps and eats well while there.  We really love all of her teachers and the love that they show to her. 

On Wednesday, we had a playdate with Vivian.  We met them at the Hoover Library for a marionette puppet show called the Zany Zoo.  It was really cute and Mary Eloise was excited to see Vivian and Vivian was excited to see her "MeMe".

It was  a fun and busy week!

Eating Nilla Wafers with my Great Grandmother

Mesmorized by the marionette show

The pretty Belly Dancing Rabbit

Jumping around with my Bestie

Clean as a whistle!

Month 13! A1:W5

It is simply amazing the little changes that occur daily and then come to fruition as new skills.  How a teeny, tiny baby can change over the course of 1 year and go from laying there to talking and walking-- simply outstanding. 
This week was a busy one!  We went out of town to the beach for a family vacation with Jason's family.  We also celebrated Jason's 32nd birthday and Mary Eloise turning 13 months old. 

This was not ME's first beach experience, in fact it was her 4th, but definitely her best overall! 

On Sunday, we got up and played around the house and finished packing for our trip.  After a nap, it was off to our bestie Vivian's 2nd birthday party.  It was a ton of fun and Mary Eloise was so excited to run around with Vivian.  She also liked looking at Vivian's birthday loot.  After the party, we left for the beach. We timed it very nicely so that way we knew ME would rest a little in the car and we could be on our way.  Mary Eloise did well in the car until about 45 minutes away-- never makes for a fun end of the trip, but when we did finally arrive she was given a grand welcome and played for a while.

We got up and went for a run and she enjoyed looking at the change of scenery. (We went to Panama City Beach, Florida, we generally go to Destin, but my oldest nephew Reed had a baseball tournament.) We then returned and went down to the beach.  At first ME wasn't sure about the sand, but my youngest nephew, Rhett, allowed her to sit on his boogie board and he played in the sand with her and she warmed up fast.  She also liked the ocean and going out in the water.  By the end of the week, she was an old salt with the sand and the ocean and was mastering walking in the sand.   

ME also loved the pool and showed off her skills by jumping off the side of the pool.  She does great sitting on the side and jumping off to you and will stand there as well, the problem with standing is one must keep hold of her because she will run off and hop into the hot tub! (She didn't but the look in her eyes told me everything :) ) 

Each day was about the same and she enjoyed eating out in the evenings, although I noticed her appetite wasn't great.  I figured it was the change of environment and also teething.  We are now awaiting her 1 year molars to cut through.

On Saturday we said "Bye-Bye" to the beach  and blew it a kiss.  It is so cute to see her expressions progress. We traveled home and she did perfectly.  We stopped at a new favorite place outside of Troy and Montgomery, Sweet P's!  Mary Eloise adored Sweet Pea the cow and moo'ed and clapped her hands and was eager to pet her.  Then we had some delicious lunch and ME ran around for a little while and we finished the remainder of our trip home, which ME slept!

We were very happy to be home and in our beds that night! The Scoggins family was out by 8:30!

Until next week!

Whirlwind Weekend! A1:W3

The past few weeks have been chock full of firsts for Mary Eloise, but the biggest was for us; we left Mary Eloise overnight.  Jason and I travelled with our friend Kiki to Tallahassee to celebrate our friends Deborah and Tyler's wedding.  I decided that I could make it if we left early on Saturday and returned Sunday.  I asked my mom to come and stay at our house with Mary Eloise, so Millie (our 7 year old chocolate lab) could stay at home too.  Everyone did great! Mary Eloise was excited when she woke up Saturday morning and came out to the gate and shook it shouting "YaYa" (that's what we call my mom).  When YaYa got up, she was happy to see her and show her around her toys.  Millie is always excited to play hostess to her YaYa because she usually will allow Millie to sleep with her. 

We had a great weekend with our friends and it was nice to have time to talk and catch up on everyone's news.  On our way home, the girls all rode together and then guys rode together.  We stopped outside of Troy and Montgomery at a place called Sweet P's.  Should you have the chance- stop!  They have AMAZING chicken salad (watch out Zoe's) and wonderful baked treats, including a huge double doozie cookie ice cream sandwich (with your choice of ice cream!

We were exhausted, but so happy to return home to a sweet smiling face that was ready to give hugs and kisses!

The Boys showing us how the "sorority squat" is done

The Beautiful Bride and her sisters

Sweet Pea

Happy Birthday America! A1:W2

This week has been quite busy!  First I must brag and say that I got a new car!  I am so excited- it is my first ever new to myself car!  We bought a 2013 Sorento- I love it- it has a champagne colored exterior with a black and tan interior.  It is so roomy and has a great cargo space and the best feature is the Sirius XM radio :)  Mary Eloise also likes it and really likes the dark tinted windows in the back so the sun doesn't get in her eyes. 

On Monday, we spent the morning at Children's Hospital.  This morning made me really count my blessings and say many prayers for the others we were around.  Back in May, Mary Eloise had a urinary tract infection with a high fever.  Our pediatrician, whom we adore, is very thorough and followed up with an ultrasound.  It showed some areas of concern that she may have a condition called kidney reflux.  So we went to Children's to follow up with a series of x-rays to confirm the condition and an appointment with the urologist.  The exam, called a VCUG, confirmed that she does indeed have kidney reflux, but we had read up on the signs, symptoms, and treatment ahead of time, so we weren't in the dark or surprised.  It is a very treatable condition that requires monitoring and follow up visits and a daily antibiotic.  We were really dreading the antibiotic issue because it has really been a challenge for us to get Mary Eloise to take her antibiotic for her ear infection.  Dr. Joseph told us she would take the powder from inside a capsule, so we were very excited that we can put it in her milk or in food. Kidney reflux is also a condition that most babies/children grow out of, usually around the age of 5.  We are just so thankful that she is healthy, happy, and thriving, and we pray for the families with sick children that have to visit Children's often.  They were super amazing and accomodating and the radiology nurse gave Mary Eloise a little owl beanie baby that she loves and says "Hoo hoo".

This week has also been interesting with a Wednesday 4th of July.  Wednesdays are my off days anyways,  but it was welcoming to have Jason home.  ME and I went to the 4th of July celebration at Our Lady of Sorrows and met Allison, Viv, Chris, and Gamma (www.rollingwiththeroneys.blogspot.com) and  Aunt Kiki (www.alwaysinstilettos.blogspot.com).  They won cakes, but with all the birthday celebrations, we still had cupcakes leftover.  They also won Mary Eloise a doll.  (At the bazaar, there are carnival style games, a room to win a cake, a car racing room, and a room to win a doll.)  Allison and Laura picked ME this cute Alabama cheerleader doll, but she saw a basket of babies and wanted one of those, so she was able to exchange. Coincidentally, Vivian had picked the same baby earlier.  Both girls are such little mothers.  Mary Eloise is into her babies at home, strolling one in the stroller, one in her grocery cart, and carrying her newest baby around with her.  She talks about the babies often.  She really likes her newest baby because its eyes open and close, which is very fascinating to her.

We are so thankful for many things, but this week most especially, we are thankful for our health and our freedom.

Loving on my Uncle Chris at the 4th of July celebration!

Showing off my new baby!

Allison (and Baby Caroline), me, Laura/Kiki

Ahh, cold water on a hot day! Notice my purple lips from my grape sno-cone

Age 1: Week 1

This week was spent in preparation for Mary Eloise's big birthday party.  I changed my work schedule around so I could be off Friday to prepare for the party while Mary Eloise was at school.  I will say this, as much as I love spending time at home with Mary Eloise, I have learned to cherish time at home without her-- it is way easier to clean without little hands helping and pulling out what I have put away. On Monday, while I worked, Mary Eloise spent the day with her Tee (Aunt Jennifer, Jason's sister and one of her Godmothers).  She had such a fun day playing with Tee, going to the park, playing with her cousin Rhett, whom she calls "Bobba".  I think she gave them quite a run for their money.

Mary Eloise is also working on perfecting her walking, if she can't get to it fast enough walking, she will bear crawl (she's fast) to get there. 

That Saturday morning was her actual party.  I decided to do a morning party since she is pretty happy in the morning and I knew it wouldn't interfere with her other guests nap times.  She took an early pre-party nap, so she was waking up as her guests arrived.  We had many friends and family members over to celebrate.  It was such a fun time.  The theme was "You Are My Sunshine" and I decorated with sweet yellows and pinks and a yummy brunch spread.  She also was very blessed with many new fun toys-- it looks like Toys-R-Us has exploded in my den. 

Before my school party!

My last night as a baby :(

Birthday Cake

Party guest Vivian and Carter

Guests Haley and Heidi

Guests AP, Darci, and ME's cousin Julianna


Sorry for the smattering of pictures, while playing hostess, I was bad at being papparazzi.  If you have any photos, send them my way!  Of course there were many other guests we love and were so honored to have come and celebrate.

A few weeks behind, but better late than never, Week 1

In an endeavor to keep me a smidge more accountable (haha) with blogging, I am really, really going to try a new weekly format to hopefully capture all that year 2 has in store for us.  Its funny to say year 2, when Mary Eloise is only 1, but the funnier thing is she has picked up counting.  When you ask her how old she is and say "Are you 1" and hold up 1 finger, she will hold up one finger and reply "two".   It is very cute how sequentially she says it because she drags it out a bit and you expect her to keep counting. 

Her first week of being 1 she is beginning to master walking.  We had a wonderful day the Saturday before her birthday and took smash cake pictures at my friend Darci's house.  Darci is a budding photographer that I have known since she was a little girl, she was one of my campers at Camp Coleman, she went to UNA, and pledged my same sorority (although we weren't there at the same time) and we have stayed great friends.  I kept her little girl off and on when she was a baby and Mary Eloise loves Darci.  I made Mary Eloise's smash cake, not a Wilton masterpiece, but fit to be photographed and destroyed.  ME dove right into the cake like she eats cake everyday and did so well for the camera. 

That same night we had a bit of unfortunate luck with my car.  I was on my way in to work (I was on call that weekend) and my car died on me.  Fortunately a friend came to my rescue and got me to work on time and Mim came over and listened for ME while Jason tried to CPR my Volvo.  Needless to say, she couldn't be saved :( But it didn't rain on our parade because we had a wonderful reason to celebrate our weekend. 

We celebrated Mary Eloise's birthday with a dinner at our home and ME entertained them with her cake eating skills again that night.  The rest of the week she has spent mastering walking and enjoying her new gifts.  We are going to get her a new swing set for the back yard, but have yet to find the right one. Until then, she got her first Barbie doll, her "Bobbie" as she calls it and some other toys.  She also has become very interested in her baby dolls and pictures of herself, calling out to her "Baby".

Instead of my week in photos, I'm going to share a year photo montage.

Introducing Mary Eloise 7#8oz

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

Happy 1st Birthday!

mmmm cake!