July 4th Weekend

Wetlands
daddies & daughters

babies first fourth

swimming on the 4th

Last week Maggie was here with us! We had such a great week together~Marie stopped in for the night on her way home from Charleston & was going to take Maggie on home, but since we were having so much fun she decided to stay the rest of the week. We had plans to go home for the weekend anyway to spend the holiday with family & friends! So, Friday night we drove in & Chad found out he was off Monday so we got to stay an extra day!

Saturday, our good friends Bubba & Brittney had a 4th of July cookout/house warming party! It was a FUN afternoon with them & other friends. We always have a good time catching up. Their little girl Chloe & our Ellie will be such good friends, too! Courtney & Derreck came in town as well. We had dinner together & spent some time with the Moss family.

Sunday, we had a full day as well! We went to church with Chad's mom. We took some cute pictures in the back yard in our red white & blue!! Happy Independence Day~ About lunch time we headed to my Aunt Charlene's house to swim & spend time with my family! We watched the fire works (from the car) at Richland - Ellie was worn out & slept through them!!

Ellie update; she is great, so strong & wants to sit up! We got out the bumbo & she sits in it everyday. She also likes her play mat & can make the toys play music! This week she will be 4 months old & we go back to the Dr. for her check up & shots. She is such a happy baby - smiles all the time & we have even gotten a few laughs from her!! She does great in the car & is sleeping 5-6 hours most nights~YAY!! Chad is back on days & will be home most nights again. We have lots of things going on this month but just have to decide what we can make it into Nashville for ... it is hard being 4 hours away! My little sisiter, Ellen is moving to Knoxville this week. We hope to see her some this month before volleyball pre-season starts!

Well,my little sweet girl is waking up! She slept in her crib last night for the first time & did great!!

Myrtle Beach

Our family
The whole group

Hanging out on the beach!

heading to the beach for the 1st time!

We had to change our family vacatoin plans this year. We usually go to Perdido Key, Fl in June but this year the oil scared us away. At the last minute, we changed our trip to Myrtle Beach, SC. I had mixed emotions about the switch ... Happy because our driving time was being cut in half, Sad because I was not going to see my friends, Amanda & Emily, who were also vacationing in Fl. But we ended up having a great time, of course & so much enjoyed our week with family!

We left Saturday before Father's Day ... sad to leave Chad on his 1st, but he had to work 24 hours :(. So, we celebrated with a big, nice breakfast & hit the road. Ellie was a trooper the whole ride, even when it took us two extra hours due to road work & traffic. We only had to stop once for her to eat & kept on going! We got to the condo & unloaded before dinner time.

Sunday was our 1st official day on the beach. We all got ready & headed down! Ellie pretty much had a suit for every day (more then I even had), but the giraffe suit from Gymboree is my fav for sure! Unfortunatley, it was not Ellie's favorite at all! On day 1 she spit up on the suit, the second try she peepee'd in it before we even got out the door & on the 3rd try ... she pooped in the darn thing! Well, I guess I should have just stuck with the Target suits & swim shirts (she loves that place as much as her mommy i guess!) haha!

I put her feet in the ocean & the sand! She didn't really react at all, but glad she didn't hate it! We went in the pool a couple days & she was happy to cool off! She was such a good girl the whole trip~I was so proud! She continues to fit right in with all the girls!! YAY

We headed home after dinner Friday night. We were both so happy to see Chad! Ellie woke up & gave him the biggest smile!! She really missed her daddy. Maggie is spending the week with us! She is so sweet & has been very helpful! Tonight is Chad's last night, praise the Lord! On Friday, we are heading to Nashville for the weekend. Ellie is 16 weeks old~holy cow!! I had her 3 month pictures taken before we left for the beach by a friend here in JC - as soon as I get them I will post some more pictures!

Hope you all are having a great summer~

1st night out!

Well, Ellie is 3 months old & we left her for the first time! Date night~

Friday night was the Resident Chiefs graduation dinner. No children allowed ...

So, the decision was to leave Ellie for a few hours or not go. All the wives said last year was really fun & we should go, but I had so much anxiety about leaving my baby girl! My in-laws were coming Friday night anyway to spend the weekend with us ... so after much thought & worry & conversations, I asked my mother in law to come in town early so we could go.

Our feeding schedule could not have worked out more perfect. I fed Ellie @ 5:15 then got dressed & we left @ 6. I cried a little in the car, but once we got there (& I had a glass of wine) I was fine!! She ended up taking a nap, then a bottle of breast milk that I had pumped around 8, so when we got home @ 10:30 she was ready to nurse! Grandma & Grandaddy said she was a good girl~

We both really missed her & text to check on her a couple times! But, all in all, I am glad we went & we had a really nice evening with friends!

It is exciting to think that it will be Chad in 4 years, a chief & graduating~YAY!!

We had a nice, low key weekend. Saturday night we went out to dinner & Sunday Chad was back to work for 24 hours.

This week we are planning & packing for the beach!! I am so excited to see Ellie in the sand & water! I hope her suitcase is big enough for all these clothes ... We also have her 3 month pictures scheduled, a play date with Maddie McDonald & a quick visit with SaSa (Ellen has UTK orientation) Wednesday. And on Tuesday night, we are so excited to find out the sex of the Hall baby - they are having a party to reveal boy or girl with cake! How fun!

Lots of beach pictures to come!

visitors, new & old things!

loving her little ellie bracelet
she found the television

ooooooo!

lovin' time with aunt annie

this is her new thing! sucking the 2 middle fingers

Last Thursday, Ann came to Johnson City for a visit. We had such a good weekend! We made homemade pizza on Thursday night & went to see Sex in the City Friday afternoon. Saturday, Ellie & I rode to Knoxville with Ann - she dropped us off for Travis Coy's Baptism. Then we rode back with Mom, Marie & Maggie. They stayed with us until Sunday night. We exercised, went to the grocery & cooked meals for the week ~ YAY!!!

Chad finished the yard work & had to work 24 hours on Sunday ... the joy of night float! BOO! But, we had a nice time with my family!

Friday was June the 4th, 10 years since Chad & I first started dating! WOW how time has flown! We have been through so much together ... spent our senior year together, had 4 fun years of college, supported each other through the loss of grandparents & great grandparents, celebrated his acceptance into medical school, spent a oh so LONG semester apart before he proposed then had a fun filled 6 months planning our wedding day! Our wedding was wonderful, one of the BEST days of my life, it was just 'PERFECT'! Then I had to quit my most favorite job @ Baptist to move to Memphis, which turned out ok & three years later cried when we had to leave!! It was a fabulous 3 years & I ended up loving my job @ Methodist Germantown. We both met such good friends & had some good times. We were side by side on match day, house hunting & staring over in another new city, Johnson City. Chad starting his residency & me starting another new job in L&D! And believe it or not, the same week he started his intern year, we found out we were pregnant!! Now its June 2010, we have a 3 month old beautiful baby girl!!

So, that pretty much sums up our 10 years together!! Of course, we spent lots of time with family & friends - vacations & holidays! We have kept many friends from the beginning like Bubba&Brittney, Cara, Tisha, Michael ... picked up new friends like Stacey, Celeste, D-Gregg, Stephan&Aimee ... then in Memphis Ken, Chris, Aron, Amanda, Aundrea, Rachel, Emily ... and now these friends here; Mike&Mandy, Ryan&Lauren, Doug&Marianne, Thomas Chow, Robin, & Brandi.

So fun, all these memories! My heart is full of love for my husband, Chad, our daughter, Ellie & all of our family&friends! Thanks for the memories~

Memorial Day Weekend

We had such a nice weekend ~ with just the 3 of us! Chad had the whole weekend off & we were so happy to be able to spend it together!

Chad got home Friday night - we had planned to go out to dinner but it was storming so bad we decided to stay in. Saturday we got some things done around the house & then had a crawfish boil to attend.

Every year the chiefs have a get together on Memorial Day weekend. This year it was a crawfish boil @ Luther Ward's house. It turned out to be a beautiful day! We had a fun time visiting with all the residents & their families! Ellie will have lots of girl freinds in this group - out of all the children, only 1 is a boy (2 more boys on the way!) There is even another little girl named Ellie!

Sunday was a nice, relaxing day! Chad got some yard work done. Ellie & I went to the grocery after our jog. She loves to ride along in her car seat in the stroller. She loves to look around but Hates the sun in her eyes ... going to have to get that girl some sun glasses!! We grilled out hamburgers & went to bed early because Chad was on call Monday.

All in all we had a nice weekend but the best part was just being together - our little family!

mommy&ellie

Since we have been home from our vacation in Nashville it has been mommy&ellie time. Chad has been slammed with call shifts - I guess you do pay for taking vacation!

Ellie & I went to Nashville by ourselves for Ellen's high school graduation. We made it there with no trouble~I loaded up right after her 6 o'clock feeding, and she slept til Crossville. We stopped to nurse/get gas, and then we made it the rest of the way! Graduation weekend was great~ Saturday was Anglea's graduation from Aquinas, we celebrated with her @ Amerigos~yummy! Then we went to Baccalaurette Mass @ FRHS. Sunday was actual Graduation @ Belmont then her PARTY!! We had a great weekend. Headed home Monday for Chad's birthday! It took us a little longer to get home ... road work, rain, long stop. Oh well, we made it & even got to eat out @ Carrabbas!

Last week was Ellie's two month Dr. check up. She is perfect, as we already knew, weighing in @ 13 pounds 8 ounces! She did great but then got 3 shots!! poor baby! She cried & even screamed out once but within a minute of me picking her up she was okay. I was determined not to cry with her but now totally understand why parents do... :(

We have just been hanging out together & wait for Chad to get home! We have been getting out for a walk on the pretty days & making a run to a store or the mall. She is sleeping so well! Usually 6 hours during the night & trying to get in to a routine during the day. One day last week was perfect - she nursed @ 12noon, 3, 6 & 9pm then slpet til 3 ~ yay!!! The best night is when she slept from 12-6 or 1-7, even 11-5 works for us!! I am attempting to let her nap in her crib, so far so good - but keeping her in our room during the night! She is just a JOY! She is talking more & more - definitely loves to hear her voice. She still loves bath time & riding in her car seat! She is really getting strong, holding her head up & pushing her arms straight during tummy time! We just love her to death & I am SO much enjoying being home with her!

We are not planning to go back to Nashville til June 17th & then we head to the beach that Saturday. Can't wait (sad that Chad can't make it) to see everyone for another whole week & meet up with Amanda & Emily. They are both vacationing close to us in Perdido Key, the same week!

Chad's Vacation

We had a wonderful week in Nashville! This was Chad's week of vacation & he went to Vegas for a few days with my dad, sister and cousins!

We planned Ellie's Baptism this day before she was even born. We knew it might be the only chance we had to all be home the same weekend. May 1, Ellie Marie was welcomed into the Church @ St. Edward in Nashville. Ann & Brandon were the maid of honor & best man in our wedding & how appropriate they are our 1st born daughters God parents! We are blessed to have them in our lives & such an important part of Elllie's life as well! After the Baptism we all went back to my parents house for dinner!

A disaster in happened this week while we were home. The rain began Saturday & continued into Sunday. The city flooded, it was the 1st disaster in Nashville's history. It was so sad to watch the news & see all that was ruined. Our house was ok & we were all safe, but friends & family were not as lucky. Some lost their homes, cars, family members. It was just awful!

The girls were out of school part of the week due to the flooding & water shortage. We had a nice week; visiting, eating lunch out, shopping ... I was able to catch up with friends. I met Monica for lunch & she introducd Ellie to her office friends. Wednesday was Cinco de Mayo ~ Ellie & I met Stacey & Cooper for lunch then went to visit Charlene. Chad got home from vegas & he was so happy to see his girl(s)!!

Thursday we went to Judson & introduced Ellie to Mom & Ann's work friends. Then dad took us out to lunch! Maggie & I got a manicure before we headed to Hermitage. Monica made dinner & we visited with Stephan & Aimee! Friday, Mom drove Ellie & I to Memphis! We met Amanda, Kate, Rachel, Kendall, Jack & Aundrea for lunch! I missed Aundrea's baby shower for Ethan on Sunday due to the floods. It was such a nice visit with them!! Then we went to pottery barn of course!

Saturday was Ann's graduation ~ we had her party that night! Sunday was my 1st Mother's Day! Chad made it special ~ he always does good but this was a special day! I was surprised with 2 sweet cards from Chad & Ellie, and a ring from Tiffany's!! I LOVE it~ We went to Church with my family, had lunch with his family, visited with his Granny before driving back home.

So, what a week!! It was SO FUN! We love spending time @ home with our friends & family, but were glad to be back @ our house too! Tuesday night Ellie slept for 6 hours!! Then the rest of the week she did 5-7 hours during the night~whoohoo! Our little sweetie is 2 months old & sleeping 6 hours!!! YAY~