Weekend play date with Wyatt

One of my best buds from graduate school and his sweet wife, Marybeth, had us over to cookout and celebrate the end of yet another grueling graduate school semester! Catherine Ellis has been looking forward to playing with their 10 month old son, Wyatt, ever since her birthday party! So, off we went on Saturday night for our play date with Wyatt (and good times with Ryan and Marybeth).

First let me say just how thankful I am for my graduate school friends. Ryan was one of the first people I met at a luncheon - before I even took my GRE - and we quickly became friends after our first semester. I don't know what I would do with his support, guidance and friendship. And one of the best parts of the deal has been getting to know his equally fabulous wife, Marybeth. We have prayed each other through the past 3 years especially when the going gets tough - school, work, moving, pregnancies - and what a blessing to have prayerful friends in our lives! So thank you to Ryan (and Marybeth and David) for being such a great friend and persevering through graduate school with me - it's so much easier with friends on your side. We are certainly looking forward to next May!

We had a great time Saturday night - Wyatt and Catherine Ellis played well together and had a good time - they made a big mess, so if you judge by the size of the mess, a great time was had by all. Wyatt is such a happy little guy - we can't wait to play again soon! Thanks Farrells for a wonderful Saturday evening!

Ready to hit the town Saturday morning

Well hello Mr. Wyatt

How many teeth do you have?

Hum...

Hey Wyatt, I'm right here!

Two cutie pies!

Handsome Wyatt

Climbing on the beloved train - Catherine Ellis loved this train!

Being told she had to get off the train to go home ... not pretty!

Almost certified

... in walking!

Catherine Ellis has made a lot of progress over the past week - take a look! She's discovering lots of new things every day and Mommy and Daddy are on their toes at all times:) Beginner walking has got to be one of the cutest things ever! We love it!!

On the road again .....

We just can't wait to get on the road again! We've been quite the travelers lately - Catherine Ellis has been on a whirlwind of vacations the past month - we kicked off the summer with a beach trip for Memorial day and the very next week she vacationed to Jasper, AL to spend the week with her Gran and Pop while I was on my Mommy vacation and David was working in California - 9 days of bliss for her I tell you! I don't think she fretted over us being gone for one second and I'm so thankful for parents that love our child as much as we do!

The following pictures are from Gran - she gets a HUGE thank you for taking pictures several times a day and sending them to David and me - it made the time away much easier! There are lots of pictures, so I'll hit the highlights:

Practicing driving the bass boat - I can't wait to fish with Daddy and Pop

Next I tried my hand at cutting the grass - I'm a driving machine!

I like to be chauffeured from time to time as well!

How does one cool off when it's in the upper 90's and the humidity is 100%?

Stripping down and eating ice - that's how!

Catherine Ellis was also out and about on the town - she attended church and looked mighty cute:

Ready for preaching!

Stylin' and profilin'

Lovin' from my Pop

Waiting on my pool to warm up

Water baby!

Afternoon stroll with my Pop

Peek-a-boo before bedtime

Blowing kisses - thank you Gran, Pop & Meme for taking such great care of me!

This past weekend we packed up and headed back to the beach for a trip with the Greats (my Aunt and Uncle) - we had such a good time even if the beach was closed (Orange Beach)! We spent a bit of both days at the pool and ate lots of yummie food! We even stimulated the economy and did some shopping at the outlets. We were super excited about the hot air balloon festival - but it rained and we were not able to get out to see them this year! Hopefully next year. Thank you Aunt B and Uncle C for such a fun trip! We can't wait to do it again!

Nothing like a good toss in the air ... and I LOVE it!

Air time with Daddy ....

Mommy, this is great ... well worth the 4 hour car ride last night:)

I never forget my shades ....

Me and Mommy catching some morning rays

Cooling off in the pool

Dinner at Tacky Jacks (and yes, another one of my lovely 'looks' - is this my child or what?)

We celebrated Father's Day on Sunday - this was David's 2nd Father's Day! Catherine Ellis and I thoughtfully got him a fridge for the garage so he can move his beverages out of our kitchen fridge - making more room for Catherine Ellis's food - and he loved it! What a wonderful, compassionate father Catherine Ellis has! She is so blessed to have such an involved and hands-on Daddy. She absolutely adores her Daddy!

I love you Daddy!

Cutting up with my best buddy!

A whole new world....

Well almost - we're about to embark on full-fledged, all out walking around the Cain household - and it's going to be a whole new world for us all!! Oh the fun to be had ... it's bittersweet for me .. on one hand I want to her walk and on the other I want her to wait - I guess walking is really the last step of an infant turning into a true toddler and I just can't believe she's almost there!

A few videos of Catherine Ellis's progress over the past month - Enjoy!

And about two weeks later we look like this! It's amazing how quickly she adapts to what is going on around her - she was test driving the toddler classroom today (she does this a few times a week so when she transitions it won't shock her) and low and behold she took off and walked without holding a finger, pushing a cart, etc.

Mommy vacation

I've not posted in a while because I've been on a Mommy vacation seeing my fabulous best friends who all happen to live in the Carolinas within about 2 hours of each other! I know everyone checks the blog to see Catherine Ellis, but thought you all might like to know why it's been a while!
I started in Charlotte last weekend and spent a fabulous, relaxing weekend with Caroline and Matt - they've moved into a new house and it's super duper cute! Can't wait until we can visit as a family and Catherine Ellis can christen it with all her toddler energy and love! I had not visited Charlotte since their fabulous wedding the last weekend of October, so it was good to be back!

Thank you Florys for a terrific time - I miss y'all already!

Me and Caroline at dinner

Monday I headed to good ole' Clinton, South Carolina - home of Presbyterian College and Sara & Daniel Hanks! I've not been to Clinton since September of 2006 - and what a treat - there is certainly something to be said for living simply (it's a small town, with a couple of red lights, 5,000 or so residents, and as Daniel would add "2 Mexican restaurants and 3 Chinese!). What a beautiful small town! I got to see all the fabulous renovations they've done on their house - it's gorgeous, the pasture where they take the dogs to exercise - peaceful, and the pool at Thornwell - relaxing and where Sara & I spent a majority of our time!

Sara and Daniel are in a season of waiting as they figure out whether or not they will move to West Virginia for Daniel to begin the PH.D program there - hopefully in a few more days they will know something and be able to begin their journey in WV - Sara started a blog to document this big possible move, go to www.outofpocketsc.blogspot.com to follow their journey! Please keep them in your prayers in the following days as big decisions have to be made - I know they would appreciate it!

Sophia and Bonnie trying to get my ice cream

They eventually moved to man on man defense

No picture is complete without Pia Pia

Me & Sara

And last but not least, I headed to Asheville, North Carolina to visit the Cooks - Wren & Jason! We've not visited them since August of 2007 - so again, a much needed and overdue visit. Wren is in her first year of teaching 2nd grade at Vance Elementary and this is her last week of school - I got to come in Wednesday night and met her at school Thursday morning to help with the end of the year party with parents and the craziness that is her life Monday - Friday! She has a great group of children and is a fantastic teacher - the party was so much fun, they had ice cream, fruit, and then a poetry reading of their poems they have been working on - she has some budding poets for sure!

Mrs. Cook teaching away

Loving on her 2nd graders

End of year party

And nothing tops off a good trip like a trip to the Farmers Market (Tailgate Market) and Art in the Park - downtown Asheville is fabulous and they've just added a great green space with a splash pad and and concert area - so pretty! I've had a wonderful time visiting the Cooks - great food, great conversation, and a beautiful, peaceful location. Thank you Cooks for a fabulous time.

City Market - Asheville, NC

Pack Square - Downtown Asheville

Wren & I

A HUGE thank you to everyone for helping me take this trip - to Gran and Pop and Meme for taking such good care of Catherine Ellis, she's had a ball the past 9 days and hasn't even noticed we were gone. Thank you to David for helping make this trip possible and for encouraging me to go on a Mommy vacay! Thanks to for Florys, Hanks, and Cooks for letting me move in for a few days and eat, drink and be merry - I'm a recharged Mommy and can't wait to see my family! Tonight I reunite with David for Richie and Demi's wedding in Guntersville and tomorrow I'm Birmingham bound! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

And last but not least, thanks for the sassiness ladies - I love you all!

End of Mommy Vacay 2010

14 Months

For the first time in 14 months, I missed Catherine Ellis's actual birthday and a post highlighting it - so sad. I'm a day late - so here goes!

Happy belated 14 month birthday sweet girl! Mommy and Daddy can't believe how you're growing up right before our very eyes! You bring so much joy to our lives - I always say this so I know for some it may seem repetitive, but you are the light of our lives, at 14 months we are so proud of you and all the things you've accomplished that we think our hearts my burst if you get any more cuter and smarter! Thank you Lord for blessing us - God is good!

14 months - June 9, 2010

(at Gran & Pop's - thank you Gran for sending this pic!)

As is our tradition - we'll highlight 14 fabulous toddler things Catherine Ellis is doing and one to grow on:

• eating like a champ - at this point, anything goes, Mommy has tried to lighten up on her 'food' fixation and you've tried all sorts of things the past month - can anyone say cheese dip and chips? Oh yes, this is a new fav for Catherine Ellis - is she our child or what?
  
• your vocabulary is growing every day - you can mimic most of what Daddy and I say to you and you just added "Pop" to your vocabulary - this makes for one proud Pop! You say "hey" or "hi ya" when greeting folks
  
• personality, personality, personality - need I say more? You are SO personable, SO outgoing, and SO sassy:) Anytime we are out in public you are waving to complete strangers, saying hello and blowing kisses - you give very freely of your love sweet child
  
• you think your Daddy is the funniest man on earth - EVER. All he has to do is walk in the room and you start laughing
  
• now that it's summertime you refuse to stay indoors - you constantly point to the doors leading outside in any building and want to be taken outside. Oftentimes if you are not taken, a slight fit ensues
  
• you LOVE water - any water - the lake, the pool, the bath tub, the ocean - it thrills you
  
• you tan like your Mommy - you've already got a brown glow to you from the endless hours you spend outside
  
• you love being a 'big girl' - some of the things that are 'big girl' to you are: sitting in a chair, eating whatever an adult is eating - pointing to it and demanding you eat some too, using a spoon from time to time to eat, drinking out of your sippy cup, and eating table food
  
• walking - you're not walking on your own yet, but you are very comfortable while pushing something and walking - you also can walk a couple of steps from one object to the next and while holding someone's hand
  
• you sleep with your passie and in the morning know that you have to put it away - away means leaving it on the changing table - you know your spot for the passie and every morning you take it out of your mouth and place it on your holding spot and clap your hands with delight!
  
• your love of books has grown - you can now hold a book on your own, turn the pages, and you will point to objects and Mommy and Daddy will tell you what they are - your most favorite book this past month is your Wonder Pets book from Meme - it has a duck, turtle and hamster and you think they are so funny
  
• you travel beautifully - I think this makes Mommy and Daddy more joyous than it makes you but it's huge, monumental - it means we can continue living our life on the go - and that makes us all happy
  
• You love Cain and Emma more and more every day (and you're even growing on Emma) - when we say "puppy dogs" you immediately drop what you are doing and rush to the back door to go outside and see them
  
• you've almost stopped napping for the most part at school - Miss Dana left you the middle of May and you've been revolting since - some days you'll take a small one, but most of the time you and Josie are into something! But, when you are at home you still nap 2 times a day - you still need it because you play hard.

Beautiful, sweet child - thank you for making our life complete - we're the luckiest Mommy and Daddy on earth. We're so blessed to call you ours!

Beach Bum

Catherine Ellis LOVED the beach this past weekend! She is officially a beach bum this summer and has 2 more trips planned before August is here. For Memorial Day weekend we ventured down to beautiful Gulf Shores with our friends Corrie & Jamie and had a fabulous weekend.

We started the trip with a 5 hour drive ahead of us - and LOTS of traffic. I must admit we were pretty nervous about the ride down and the stay - the last time we ventured to the beach Catherine Ellis was 5 months old (Labor Day weekend) and she quit sleeping through the night (of course the beach didn't make her stop, but we feel like getting off schedule probably did!). So after lots of prayer, we headed out Friday holding our breath ...... and she did BEAUTIFUL!

Here are a few pics from our ride down:

Pulling out of the driveway

Hour 2 - reading Wonder Pets - our new favorite book from Meme

Hour 3 - Happy Baby

Hour 4 - when can I get out of this thing?

Hour 4 and some of Hour 5 - Sleepy baby

Hour 5 - we're almost there, got to get my snack on

We went out to dinner Friday night and had to wait a while so we decided to reintroduce the beach while we waited - it was love at first sight!

Wow - this is the biggest bath tub I've ever seen....

What is that thing coming near me and making all that noise?

Beach walking with Daddy

The first day on the beach was perfect - it wasn't too hot and the water was calm - she loved riding in her duck float in the ocean and even played Frisbee with her Daddy and some other guys - she thought that was hysterical. We had a great set up with a tent and a little pool - she would play and play and play in her pool and then she'd want to get out and sit in a beach chair like all the adults were doing.

Glamorous Baby

Looking good..

It took us about 5 minutes to cross over the road to the beach because Catherine Ellis had to wave at every car that passed and even blow kisses at some - she got a lot of honks - we thought it was hysterical and she loved every minute of pretending like she was a queen!

Sitting in a big girl beach chair

Climbing out - we never stayed more than a minute or two at each destination

I need to get the set up just right...

Playing in my pool..

Headed to my next adventure...

That night we met our next door neighbors who were also down at the beach out and had a great time catching up - Catherine Ellis loved the atmosphere and the music and just danced her little heart out.

Catherine Ellis and Uncle Matt

Sweet girl

On Sunday some of our great friends from Pensacola drove over and joined us for the day - the rain moved in late in the afternoon but that didn't stop us - we headed out to eat at Wolf Bay and had a 2 hour wait and it took all 6 adults to entertain Catherine Ellis, and she did great until we finally got seated and then she lost it - she had played her heart out. It was so great to see Erica and Brock - I wish I had more pictures, but it's just hard to entertain a baby and take pictures at the same time.

Admiring boats with Daddy

Acting like a silly monkey

Walking away

Playing with Uncle Brock

Monday we headed back to Birmingham and she was a great traveler again! We are so blessed to have a child that loves being on the go as much as her parents do! We had such a good time are are already looking forward to our next trip! Welcome summer - we are so glad you are here!

Yay for summertime!