WELCOME BABY BELLA

THIS IS MY LITTLE NIECE ISABELLA WHO WAS BORN ON APRIL 12TH, JOINING THE OTHER 6 APRIL BIRTHDAYS IN OUR FAMILY! SHE IS ADORABLE AND SALVADORE JUST LOVES HIS LITTLE SISTER!

HAPPY (VERY BELATED) FIRST BIRTHDAY ELISE!!!

I AM THE ULTIMATE BLOG SLACKER!!! I HAD EVERY INTENTION OF BLOGGING ELISE'S BIRTHDAY AND BUNCHES OF OTHER STUFF, BUT THEN I STARTED MY NEW JOB AND HAVE JUST BEEN REALLY BUSY WITH STUFF. THEN SILLY ME LEFT MY CAMERA AT MY SISTER'S HOUSE (AND OF COURSE I HADN'T DOWNLOADED MY PICTURES)- SO IT WILL BE A WHILE!
IN THE MEANTIME- SHANTE' TOOK ELISE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY PICTURES AND THEY ARE OH SO CUTE! SHE HAD THESE LITTLE MINI PHOTO SESSIONS SET UP AT EASTWOOD LAKE PARK AND AS YOU CAN SEE, ELISE HAD A LOT OF FUN RUNNING AROUND!
http://www.shantewelch.com/abrahams/abrahams-mini/

HAPPY EASTER

WE HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT EASTER! ELISE WAS BORN THE THURSDAY BEFORE EASTER LAST YEAR, SO WE DID A LOT OF REMINISCING. SHE LOOKED SO DARN CUTE IN HER LITTLE BUNNY COAT- IT IS AMAZING HOW MUCH SHE HAS GROWN SINCE LAST YEAR!

WORN OUT

THIS IS HOW BRIAN FOUND ELISE NAPPING ONE DAY. SHE IS A CRAZY SLEEPER LIKE HER MOM!

FIRST STEPS

JUST ABOUT A WEEK SHY OF HER FIRST BIRTHDAY, ELISE STARTED WALKING!!! SHE HAS BEEN TAKING STEPS HERE AND THERE, BUT LAST WEEK SHE JUST TOOK OFF AND IS WALKING LIKE A BIG GIRL. SHE GETS SO EXCITED AND IS SO PROUD OF HERSELF. IT IS SO MUCH FUN CHASING HER AROUND!

PHOTO SHOOT

We had a photographer come to the house to take some pictures of Elise. I really liked her style- she truly just stayed in the background and didn't stage anything (the bunny pictures are all my fault!!!). She just followed Elise around and took pictures of Elise being Elise. They turned out great- especially considering Elise had a cold, pink eye, and a bruise on her head! I didn't know that I was also being photographed (which will soon be obvious when you see my ponytail and sweats), but the pictures of me and Elise made me cry! I hope this link works. Enjoy...
http://www.shantewelch.com/eliseshow/elise.exe

ELEVEN MONTHS OLD

IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT OUR LITTLE GIRL WILL BE CELEBRATING HER FIRST BIRTHDAY NEXT MONTH! ELISE IS OVER 17 POUNDS NOW!!! SHE IS VERY VERBAL- "DADDY, DOGGY, THANK YOU, ALL DONE, BYE, HI, BA, THIS, UP". SHE WILL REPEAT SOME THINGS AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE SHE SAYS MOMMY (USUALLY WHEN SHE IS WHINING). BRIAN KEEPS SAYING "I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE SHE IS TALKING...THAT LITTLE THING IS TALKING!" SHE TAKES STEPS HERE AND THERE, BUT SHE KNOWS THAT SHE CAN GET AROUND MUCH FASTER CRAWLING. SHE CONTINUES TO AMAZE US WITH ALL OF THE THINGS SHE DOES AND WE ARE HAVING A BLAST!

ELISE AND JULIA

WE HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT ELISE AND JULIA LOOKED A LITTLE BIT ALIKE. RECENTLY WHEN KATIE AND I WENT OUT TO LUNCH, TWO PEOPLE ASKED IF THEY WERE TWINS! HERE ARE A FEW PICS OF THE GIRLS PLAYING.

GOODBYE UNCLE ADAM

ADAM LEFT THIS WEEK TO SERVE IN IRAQ. HE WILL BE GONE AT LEAST TEN MONTHS. PLEASE KEEP HIM IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS!

LITTLE TOOTHERS

ELISE FINALLY HAS HER TWO FRONT TEETH!
SHE LOOKS ADORABLE AND SHE CHEWS ON EVERYTHING- EVEN HER CRIB!!! SHE HAS DONE SO WELL WITH TEETHING- HARDLY ANY FUSSING AT ALL.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

 
 
 
I NEVER IMAGINED I COULD LOVE SOMEONE SO MUCH! WE FINALLY GOT OUT OF OUR PJS (WE HAVE HAD MANY "PJ DAYS" WITH ALL THE SNOW) AND ELISE HUNG OUT WITH GRANDMA AND GRANDPA WHILE WE WENT TO DINNER WITH ED AND JEN. 

10 MONTHS OLD

 
 
 
ELISE WAS 10 MONTHS OLD ON TUESDAY. SHE NOW STANDS BY HERSELF, WAVES, SAYS "BABA", AND IS ALL OVER THE PLACE! I AM ALWAYS AMAZED AT HOW MUCH SHE DOES AND HOW FAST SHE IS GROWING UP! I JUST LOVE HER PERSONALITY- SHE IS SO SPUNKY AND DEMANDING.
YOU CAN SEE HER 9.5 MONTH PICTURES AT THE WEBSITE BELOW. SHE WAS VERY SLEEPY, SO SHE DIDN'T SMILE MUCH, BUT KIM CAPTURED A LOT OF HER FAMOUS MOODS AND LOOKS.
WWW.KMCCLOUD.PHOTOSITE.COM 

I LOVE THIS BLOG

I STUMBLED UPON THIS BLOG WHEN I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR SOMETHING ELSE (I GOOGLED "BABY STANDING IN CRIB WON'T SLEEP"). I WAS TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM BECAUSE ELISE WAS OBSESSED WITH STANDING AND WOULD JUST SCREAM, PROTESTING HER NAPS.
WELL THIS BLOG IS HILARIOUS. SHE HAS A VERY WARPED SENSE OF HUMOR AND IT JUST CRACKS ME UP. A LOT OF HER POSTS ARE THINGS THAT ALL OF US AS MOTHERS HAVE THOUGHT, BUT WOULD NEVER SAY. CHECK IT OUT AND ENJOY!
http://www.mom-101.blogspot.com/

GERMAPHOBES- DON'T LOOK!

 
"HEY WY-WY! WHATCHA GOT?"
 
"YOU CAN'T STOP ME!"
 
"I HEARD YOU SAY NO MOM, BUT I REALLY WANT THE BONE."
 
"ANTIBODIES MOM, ANTIBODIES... THE GERMS ARE GOOD FOR ME!" 

BIG GIRL SMILES

 
 
WHERE IS THAT LITTLE BABY GOING? DOESN'T SHE LOOK LIKE SUCH A BIG GIRL?! 

GOT MILK?!

AS EVERYONE KNOWS, I PUMPED MILK FOR ELISE SINCE SHE WAS 4 DAYS OLD. SHE GOT NOTHING BUT BREASTMILK FOR NINE MONTHS AND IT WAS AMAZING TO WATCH HER ALMOST TRIPLE HER WEIGHT ON IT. SHE USED UP THE LAST OF MY FREEZER STASH AND IS NOW DOING GREAT ON FORMULA.
WHAT A WEIRD EXPERIENCE- THAT PUMP WAS MY LIFE... I FEEL LIKE I HAVE LOST AN APPENDAGE OR SOMETHING! I COULD PUT A MEDELA PUMP TOGETHER IN MY SLEEP! I DID LEARN TO MULTI-TASK AND I COULD LIFT WEIGHTS, PLAY ON THE COMPUTER, COOK, AND EVEN DRIVE WHILE PUMPING. HOWEVER, ELISE IS TOO MOBILE NOW FOR ME TO BE HOOKED UP TO THE PUMP, SO I DECIDED TO CALL IT QUITS. IT HAS BEEN OVER 2 WKS AND I AM ENJOYING MY FREE TIME AND LOVE PLAYING WITH HER, NOT STRESSING ABOUT GETTING MY NEXT PUMP IN.
THANKS TO EVERYONE AT THE IVILLAGE EXCLUSIVELY PUMPING BOARD FOR ALL OF THEIR SUPPORT AND ADVICE. ALSO, THANKS TO ALL OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PATIENCE- I KNOW YOU WILL ALL MISS THE LULL OF MY PUMP!
SORRY IF THIS POST WAS TMI, BUT I CONSIDER IT A HUGE MILESTONE!

NINE MONTHS OLD!

 
TOP LEFT: 1 DAY; TOP RIGHT: 3 MONTHS; BOTTOM LEFT: 6 MONTHS; BOTTOM RIGHT: 9 MONTHS
 
THE OUTFIT SHE WORE HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL IS NOW DAISY DUKES AND A BELLY SHIRT- DADDY WILL NEVER LET HER LEAVE THE HOUSE IN THIS!
 
ELISE WAS 9 MONTHS OLD ON JANUARY 13TH! SHE WEIGHED 15 LB, 5 OZ AND WAS 27.5 IN LONG AT HER DR APPT. SHE IS RIGHT ON TRACK DEVELOPMENTALLY- CRAWLING, STANDING, CRUISING, AND TRYING TO WAVE. SHE NOW SAY DOGGY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, BUT DADA IS STILL HER FAVORITE. THE GIRL NEVER STOPS- SHE PLAYS ALL DAY LONG AND IS VERY CONTENT. 

SAFETY FIRST!

 
 
WELL, THE BED IS AS LOW AS IT CAN GO NOW BECAUSE PEANUT KNEIVEL STANDS IN IT AND TRIES TO GET OUT. I FINALLY GOT THE OUTLET COVERS- AND JUST IN TIME. ELISE IS IN TO EVERYTHING NOW...GONE ARE THE DAYS OF LEAVING HER ALONE FOR A MINUTE! 

FUN WITH MY NEW TOYS

 
 
 
ELISE IS NOW STANDING! SHE GETS A LITTLE BOLD AT TIMES- BRIAN CALLS HER "PEANUT KNEIVEL". SHE LOVES ALL OF HER NEW TOYS!