Thanksgiving

Since Spencer had to work over Thanksgiving we were unable to go on a vacation (like we usually do) with my parents. :( Oh well, being very pregnant and going on a vacation doesn't sound like too much fun anyway! My parents drove down on Wednesday and made it in time to have dinner with us that evening. Ella Ann was sooooo excited that they were coming!

On Thanksgiving day we watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and had a spread of appetizers and sandwiches to snack on before our big meal that evening. Spencer got home from work around noon so he was able to enjoy the rest of the day with us. It was a beautiful day so we all got outside and walked around the neighborhood and enjoyed the peace and quiet, which is rare!! We went to our Thanksgiving feast at Maggiano's at 5:30. This is the same restaurant we went to for Thanksgiving the week after Ella Ann was born and we knew we would be eating a fabulous meal so we didn't want to risk going to a new place! The food was SO good and we all stuffed ourselves silly, especially me! The restaurant was beyond packed and they had a great musician playing music while we ate. It was so nice and relaxing! Ella Ann was very excited to eat turkey and pumpkin pie, which I know doesn't sound like her at all but each time we've been to Kroger over the last week they are sampling these two foods and Ella Ann has scarfed them down like mad! In fact, when we sat down to eat our lunch that day she asked me, "Where's the pumpkin pie?" Unfortunately the only dessert that was "pumpkiny" at Maggiano's was a pumpkin praline cheesecake which she couldn't touch because of the nuts so she had a heaping mound of vanilla ice cream and she was thrilled with that. Oh and she didn't even try a bite of the turkey at dinner....figures!

On Black Friday Mom, Ella Ann, and I did a little bit of shopping in our neighborhood and went to the mall that afternoon. Surprisingly the mall was very manageable, as was the parking and drive to get to and from. I was pleased! Spencer and Dad hung out at a sports bar in our neighborhood and enjoyed beer, wings, and football while we were gone. That evening we walked to one of Mom and I's favorite restaurants for half price crab and shrimp.

My parents left this morning and since Spencer has this weekend off we are making the most of it by getting our Christmas tree and decorating for the holiday. I love it!!!!! Thanks again, Mom and Dad, for a wonderful Thanksgiving! We really enjoyed spending the holiday with you both!

Ella Ann saw the marching bands at the Macy's parade and immediately put on her drum!

Playing in her dollhouse with Mimi. What a ham!

Enjoying our snacks on Thursday afternoon. Spencer gave me the pretty flowers for my birthday last week!

Cuddling with the grandparents...and Ella Ann's slippers!

Before leaving for Maggiano's.

Some family pictures.

Ella Ann is obsessed with playing Cootie since she received it for her birthday. Spencer and I play it with her at least 3-4 times every single day!! It's actually very fun to be able to play games as a family now after dinner.

I also had Spencer take a couple of pictures of me this morning so that you guys can see the belly progression! I'll be 35 weeks on Wednesday. I can't believe he'll be here so soon!!!!!!!

I also snapped a picture of Ella Ann "helping" Spencer put the stand on the Christmas tree. She always gets right in there to help!

A Trip On the Pink Pig

So you ask, "What is the Pink Pig?" Good question! I was wondering the same thing when we moved here and all I heard about was the Pink Pig at Macy's around Thanksgiving through New Years. Come to find out it is an Atlanta tradition that has been going on since the 1950s that was originally at Rich's department store. It is simply a big Pink Pig train that takes you around the inside of a gigantic tent filled with all kinds of pink holiday decorations and displays of pigs doing holiday activities, i.e., baking, deocrating the tree, reading stories, etc. I thought it would be this grand thing since SO many people stand in line for hours to ride the Pig and everyone seems to know about it..but it was not! Well, I do have to admit that the sheer joy of watching Ella Ann go crazy over the Pig was fun enough for me and probably the reason why every parent stands in line forever to let their child ride it! Yesterday when I told Ella Ann we were going I thought she was going to burst with excitement! She knew about it because I had already taken her to the mall once to ride it, but was a day too early so she was really disappointed even though she had no idea what the Pink Pig was. I also dressed her in her holiday best because I was hoping to take her picture at a holiday display at the mall for our Christmas card but that didn't quite happen. Most of the kids, though, riding the Pig with us (by the way we were the first in what turned out to become a very long line for a Wednesday morning) were all dolled up in their Christmas outfits to sit on Santa's lap. To say that Ella Ann loved riding that Pig was an understatement! It was her first "ride" on anything so she loved it and cried when we had to get off!

After the excitement of the Pink Pig I took her into the mall to just look at Santa because I knew she wouldn't want to sit on his lap. I asked her if she did and she initally said no, but then the lady working for Santa told her she would get a candy cane after she told Santa what she wanted so she changed her mind, even though she had no clue what a candy cane was!! I didn't get her picture taken because I was afraid she would back out and it was way too expensive for that to happen. She did great and when Santa asked her what she wanted she said, "I don't know." Probably because we don't talk about Santa too much and she didn't know she was supposed to ask for something. I prompted her with "rooms for my dollhouse" so that's what she asked for. Boy was she thrilled with the reward of a candy cane! She was a complete red, sticky mess when it was over!

Ella Ann wouldn't stand next to the pig because she was afraid!

She thought she was so special because she got a ticket to ride!

No we were not the only ones, just the first!!!

This is a Christmas card cast off...a picture at Pottery Barn!

I also wanted to post these last two pictures because they were too funny (at least to me)! Spencer was trying to nap Sunday afternoon on the couch with Ella Ann playing around him...really, what was he thinking? She eventually climbed up on him, got under the covers with her baby, and started taking pictures of him with her camera! The funny part was that the camera says, "SAY CHEESE!" or "You're as pretty as a princess!" So she would get right in his face and that camera would start screaming in his ear! Maybe you had to be there.... :)

She has the camera under the covers.

Update

Sorry that I haven't updated in a while and sorry in advance for not posting pictures with this post! We have had such a busy week last week that I didn't drag my camera around and I have been too tired to report on our happenings! I just thought I would update you with what we've been up to lately, since that's what I do every week! Last week was filled with doctor appointments (just checkups), play dates, Bible study, school, errands, Christmas shopping, dinner dates, movies, and a party. Whew! The schedule isn't much different from our usual weekly activities, except that it included more of them! Kane, Jana, and Mara Kate came over Thursday night to have dinner with us and play Wii. Unfortunately Spencer was held up at the hospital and missed most of our time with the Barker's, but we managed to still have a really good time. It was fun to watch Kane and Jana look so silly playing Wii...now I know what I look like! ha! We look forward to getting more games for Christmas so we can have them over again!

On Friday night Jana and I went to the premiere of "Twilight", which we had bought tickets for two weeks prior!!! We both have read all 4 books in the series, are addicted to them like a drug, and counted down the days and hours until it was time to see the movie!!! Of course the entire theater was filled with teeny boppers and teenagers and Jana and I laughed at them throughout the whole movie. They squealed, screamed, ahhhhhed over Edward, and clapped....of course Jana and I tried to keep our composure as well when our beloved Edward made it on screen!! I'm telling you, if you have yet to read the books DO IT! They are such fun!

Saturday my friend, Andria, and her family had a housewarming party. Ella Ann and I arrived a bit early to help Andria set up since she wasn't feeling well and was expecting 50+ people at her house. It was a very fun party and Ella Ann was not too happy to leave since she got to play outside and all of her buddies were there!

Those were the highlights of our week and I won't bore you with explaining our usual activities! Today when I picked up Ella Ann at school they had her school pictures to give to me. I thought they wouldn't be that good since it is hard enough for me to get Ella Ann to smile for a picture, let alone a complete stranger at school! However, they turned out so well and I was thrilled she smiled! As soon as I saw them I thought I was looking at Spencer's 3-year pictures! I know she looks like him but the picture seals the deal. I wish I had a scanner so I could upload it and show it to you all. People probably assume I am the nanny! Don't worry grandparents I have a picture for you! It was weird to be handed her school picture, I can't believe she is old enough to even have them...I nearly shed tears!! :)

Ella Ann is also into telling stories now. She is still obsessed with talking about our trip with my Mom this past spring to Savannah and Tybee Island. She will come to me and tell me all that she did at Tybee Island, including vomiting in the car on the way to Savannah (which was always "yesterday" according to Ella Ann). I will often get out her pail and shovels so she can pretend to dig in the sand that is apparently in our hallway. When I asked her who she played with today at school she ran through her list of little friends which included Adam. Here is our conversation: "Adam had red spots on his hands today." My response, "Why did he have red spots?" Ella Ann said, "Because he fell down." I ask, "Where did he fall down?" Ella Ann: "At Tybee Island." Oh that kid, she makes me laugh!

I promise to post pictures very soon! My parents are coming down on Wednesday for Thanksgiving so I'm sure I'll have more interesting things to write about! Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday Ella Ann!!!

Three years ago today our sweet baby girl was born. As Spencer and I were looking back at pictures this week, some of the night I delivered her, I couldn't believe how young we looked. I realize this was ONLY 3 years ago and I was 25, but I still remember coming home and thinking, "What in the world have we done? I have NO CLUE what to do with this kid! I am SO tired and I'm going to flip out any second!" I managed to keep the crazy inside and we have raised Ella Ann these last few years through trial and error and lots of prayer. So far I think she's going to be okay, considering she is still breathing and we are going to have another one in January! Now I couldn't imagine life without her, mainly because of the joy she brings us and how much more fun our lives are with her in them.

I know I always say how I cannot believe she's already 2 and now already 3, but I really mean it! She is growing up right underneath our noses and I need to slow down and take notice of her major milestones every once in a while and savor every day instead of rushing through it. She is such a sweet, funny, loving, compassionate, kind, and adorable (we're a little partial) girl and now that she is getting older these traits are becoming more prominent. She says the funniest things and is SUCH a little mommy already. She wants to do everything I do and mimics me all the time...that can be both good and bad! Often when she says something I think to myself how much it sounded like something I would say. Her teacher told me the other day at school when I picked her up that if they let Ella Ann have control of the class she would happily take it. At first I was a little freaked out that I have such a control freak on my hands (wonder where she got that??? hmmmmm), but then I realized that it can one day be a good thing and she is going to grow up and do fantastic things in this world in a leadership role. She is a blessing in our lives and the lives of our family and I am thankful I get to spend my days with her while she is young. I don't miss a thing....even the bad days!

Every day this week she has asked me, "Is today my birthday party? Can I wear my cupcake shirt?" So on Saturday when she woke up I could finally say, "Yes! Today IS your birthday party and you can wear your cupcake shirt!" I know a few days seems like an eternity to her!

Our family came down this weekend from Kentucky and Tennessee to celebrate with us on Saturday. Ella Ann was SO excited to have her loved ones here, as were Spencer and I! The grandparents arrived first and Zach, Mandy, Craig, Carter and Seth arrived early Saturday afternoon. Once they got here the party started. We had lots of good food and yummy strawberry cake with pink and blue icing (at Ella Ann's request). It was a perfect ewwy gooy pink cake fit for a sweet little girl.

Ella Ann received many wonderful gifts that I know she will enjoy for a long time! The best part for her was, I'm sure, running like mad around the house all day with Carter and Seth! They were fit to be tied to see one another! Carter was super excited to come to Ella Ann's birthday party!

Spencer and I were thrilled to have all of our family here at our house and look forward to hosting Christmas this year! Yeay! Thanks again to our families who did so much to make Ella Ann's birthday special and for traveling through maddening traffic jams to get here. THANK YOU from Ella Ann!

Reading with Grandpa....

and Mimi.

Watching the slideshow Spencer and I put together of Ella Ann these last 3 years.

Seth loved her bouncing zebra!

Opening gifts.

Playing in her new dollhouse with Carter and Daddy.

These were my party favors....jelly bean cupcakes!

Boy was she ready to eat that cake, or icing I should say!

The three kids needed a little help to keep them from being covered in blue and pink icing!

The party goers!

Eating some jelly beans.

Dad trying his hand at Wii golf. He and Ella Ann were playing each other...it was hard to tell who was worse! :)

Spencer and Craig really got into the boxing, along with the kids!

Party Time

I had to mentally and physically (no joke) prepare myself all last week for what I had planned for Friday and Saturday. What does 9 two-and-a-half to three-year-olds plus 6 babies equal? Fifteen of Ella Ann's closest friends! That's how many kids, I can't forget about the 8 moms not including myself, we had at our house Friday morning to celebrate Ella Ann's 3rd birthday...a little early I might add. I decided to do a cooking theme because I thought the kids would be entertained for a little while with organized activities and really have fun...which they did! I sent out the invitations on recipe cards and had a few decorations to go along with the theme around the house. I served coffee and water, along with a couple of dips for the moms and fruit and crackers for the kids. I had an apron for each child, which we all gathered around the table for them to decorate with fabric markers once they all arrived and we got settled. The kids then put their aprons on and they decorated a bear sugar cookie with icing and all kinds of toppings, which was their take-home gift. After that I brought out the pink and blue strawberry cupcakes (Ella Ann has requested a pink and blue cake now for 2 full months) that we made the night before and the kids again decorated their cupcakes with an array of toppings. Ohhh you should have seen them covered in sprinkles, chocolate chips, icing, gummie bears and marshmallows...and I'm not talking about the cupcakes, I'm referring to the kids! It was a glorious mess...but SO fun and SO worth it! Every child ate their cupcake in about 2.2 seconds, except for Ella Ann and Mara Kate who took time to enjoy them. They loved the treats! Oh and if you were wondering where all the babies were during all of this, they were, for the most part, rolling around on the floor or playing in the room next to us...being so good!

After I de-iced every single mouth, hand, arm, pant leg, etc. (yes I make sure each child was free of any remnant of food since it was in my furniture's best interest to keep them clean!!) we played pin-the-hat-on-the chef. Once all organized activities were over, the kids took over the house and my friends and I just sat down, ate, and caught up!

We had a blast! My friend, Janelle, had made a birthday shirt for Ella Ann, which she will wear often all month and to her family party next week, and she was SO excited to put it on when she woke up! Of course she was even more excited when all of her little friends started arriving. I felt sorry for all my friends because I pumped their children FULL of sugar (not like me at all you know) and sent them on their merry way! Oh well, that's what birthdays are for, right? Ella Ann was so wound up after the party that she did not take a nap, which I figured would happen. She couldn't stop talking about how much fun she had and all the fun things she did at the party. It was so cute and it made me so glad that I had done all that work because it was well worth it to see a grin from ear-to-ear permanently planted on Ella Ann's face for hours on end. :) I have to admit, though, my house looked like a kid tornado blew through it a few times and then left! ha! It wasn't THAT bad...no icing where it shouldn't be, no broken toys or anything else, etc. It was organized chaos for sure! I know it sounds crazy, but there were no fights, tantrums, screaming of "MINE!" by anyone, or tears! Ella Ann has such well-behaved friends! :)

On Saturday my sweet friends, Megan, Jana, and Ruth, threw a baby shower for me at Ruth's house. We had High Tea at 3:00 and several of my friend came, which was so nice! The food was so good and looked so pretty I hated to mess it up! We had finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, cupcakes, shortbread cookies, brownies, and two different kinds of teas. It was a beautiful spread and I ate a ton! My present from Ruth, along with the lovely shower, was an amazing foot bath/massage that I got to enjoy during the shower. I received very nice gifts but most of all I got to enjoy company with good friends that were there to celebrate with me in this baby's birth. God has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams with such amazing people in my life here in Atlanta. I am thankful everyday for each one of them and all they have done for me and my family. Thanks to all of you sweet girls who threw the shower and to those of you that attended! I am SO appreciative!

I took over 50 pictures, so click HERE to view them.

Potty Humor

Depending on Ella Ann's mood at the moment, she will or will not use the potty by herself. This afternoon she was feeling independent so as I was standing in the bathroom with her she says to me, "I can pull down my panties. Panties with a "t", not a "d." PanTies."'

A Classy Cheerleader

So Ella Ann was a cheerleader this Halloween because 1) she loves playing dress up with it, and 2) it was free! She kept telling people she was going to be Cinderella for Halloween so we'd have to remind her nicely that she was going to be a red cheerleader! :) When I say she was a classy cheerleader, I am referring to the fact that she wore her pretend pearls with her costume! She was actually a big hit with most of the houses, despite the fact she was wearing red and black and not supporting the Georgia Bulldogs! At one of the houses a man asked, "Is that a little Georgia cheerleader I see?" I responded, "No, Louisville...sorry!" His response, "Ohhh well, she was going to get this entire bowl (referring to hundreds of dum-dums which happen to be her favorite) but now she only gets one." On the other hand, we met some Kentucky fans and/or natives at several houses so that was neat.

She was beyond exited to hit the streets at 6:00 sharp for some heavy duty trick-or-treating. The neighborhood we live in is the one I would drive to for previous Halloweens to trick-or-treat because of the crazy amount of trick-or-treaters and decorated houses. It was so nice to just walk out our front door this year and go! Spencer was home as well, so that made it even more special. We made our way to the back of the Virginia-Highlands neighborhood to hit what is called "Halloween Row", which is a street of houses decorated to the nines for the holiday. My pictures don't even do these houses justice and neither do my descriptions. First of all, there were at least 100 trick-or-treaters along with their parents, grandparents, friends, etc. congregated on this street just to SEE the homes! There was scary music blaring, monsters dancing, huge inflatable pumpkins and ghosts, spiders crawling, an inflatable haunted house, skeletons, and other scary goblins all over the place! Parents were dragging behind them big wagons, not for their children to hop on and ride when they got tired, but for the cases of beer and coolers they were packing around! I tell you it was a gigantic party and Spencer and I were so happy to be in the middle of it! We also witnessed about 700 people, most were in costumes too, biking down the street in our neighborhood! That was really a sight!After 2 hours of trick-or-treating Ella Ann was dead tired, but Spencer and I kept asking her if she was sure she wanted to go home because we wanted to stay out! It really was that fun! We got her home and gave her a sucker, unfortunately most of the candy she got she is unable to eat because it is too hard or she's allergic. I swear I don't think she moved an inch after we laid her down in her bed. She was pooped!

And we're off!

Making our way up to a house.

After each house she would inspect her loot to see what she got!

One of the crazy houses.....

with an inflatable haunted house in the front yard!

This house had Frankenstein (Franklinstein to Ella Ann) singing and dancing at the entrance to their house. They also had gigantic skeletons hanging from their trees and bushes.

Some of the creatures you see are people dressed up and every once in a while they would break their silence and scare a bunch of kids! Thankfully Ella Ann wasn't one of them or else we'd be headed home! :)

A big graveyard in front of one of the houses. The husband and wife passing out the candy acted like they belonged in the Haunted Mansion at Disney. They just starred the kids down as they handed them candy. It was great! If you can see the little red table in the background of the house next door, a man was sitting at the table slicing fresh mozzarella and tomatoes to pass out to the adults! How nice!

This was the only "good" picture we were able to get of the bikers. I don't know if you can even tell, but the lady biking is dressed up.

In other news, we recently purchased a Nintendo Wii, which Spencer and I have been enjoying thoroughly when Ella Ann goes to bed. We will play it, too, before she goes down so she can join in on the fun and Ella Ann loves it! She plays golf pretty well, mainly just by swinging the handheld device 20 times and managing to hit the ball once in the right direction! Here are some pictures of her in action.

In this picture she's testing her luck with bowling.