Three Birthdays and the Days In Between
I will start by saying that the photos actually start at the bottom and then work their way up. That being said I will also warn you that there are a lot of pictures, we have been very busy but here is a brief recap... My birthday weekend was busy, between dinners and animals I had a fantastic birthday and I wouldn't ask for anything more!! For Ellie's birthday Deb, Jer, and Bill came up to visit. I would be lying if I said that there was nothing weird there, however I don't think that it was bad at all. Ultimately, I think that everyone had a nice visit and I know that Ellie had a blast, that is the most important thing!! Well, I think I have said enough so enjoy the pictures...
Sunday evening, October 22, 2007
Ellie's New BikeEllie sharing her new bike with Kailey.
Ellie on her new bike from Daddy, just wait until she gets the hang of that thing, I will be chasing her all over God's green earth!!
Sunday Afternoon, October 21, 2007
Lunch with Leigh and Sophie
Sophie and Leigh, wow, someone looks really tired. It was fantastic to catch up with Leigh, I haven't seen her in what feels like forever and now she is close by again. Yea!
Ellie and Mommy, just before we headed home for the evening. Look at those rock star sunglasses, I wish I could pull those off as well as she does!
They look miserable but they really did have a good time!!
Mmmm, nothing like a good set of keys in the afternoon!! They do need something though, maybe some ketchup? Sophie is sporting her Redskins jersey... GO SKINS!!
CHEESE!!
Sunday afternoon we meet up with Leigh and Sophie for lunch while they were passing through on their way back to Philly. Ellie was just taken with Sophie and here she was trying to help Sophie have some water. Leigh was such a good sport, thanks for your patience!!
Sunday Morning
Sunday afternoon Ellie is just relaxing in her rocker with her new Elmo hat! Nothing like a knit hat when it is 75 degrees outside!
Getting ready to leave on Sunday morning to say good-bye to Daddy, Ma-ma, and Pa-pa, Ellie is prepared like every good mommy... She has Kailey in her car seat and her diaper bag all packed! Looks like Schatzie is just checking to make sure that she has everything!
Ellie and Ma-ma in the hotel lobby sporting her new pink boots and lime green dress. What a diva!!
October 20, 2007
Schatzie's Birthday and Meme & Papoo's Anniversary
Happy Anniversary Meme and Papoo
Looks like someone is pooped!
Ellie with Kailey and Abbey in her new rocking chair. She had her baby bottles and all! Once I finally got her to bed, which was a struggle in itself, she woke up an hour and a half later throwing up... the culprit, too much sugar!!! But once I got her cleaned up and changed and her bed back in order she went down for the night and slept until 7:30 the next morning. Now that is unheard of!! I wish I had gotten that memo because I cat-napped from 5:30 on waiting for her to wake up!
After dinner, someone was all keyed up (I can't imagine why?) so we opened more presents after she insisted on getting almost completely naked (I had to bribe her to put her pants back on after she was trying to put the "balloons in my 'gina". Papoo was mortified so on went the pull-ups. Here is her new baby, Kailey. Ellie is going to be a fantastic mommy when she gets older and puts some clothes on!
Face first in the cake... I will tell you that this doesn't make her tired, just the opposite but you will see later!
Ellie wears Elmo's nose icing very well, don't you think?? Look we are on our way to an extreme sugar rush!!! Watch out!!
Bring on the cake... Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you... Look, Elmo cake, and as Rachel Ray says... Yum-O!
Ellie and Daddy at dinner having a good visit and waiting for all of the cake, I mean food!!!
Ellie and Ma-ma Saturday morning, after a yummy breakfast Ellie spent the whole day with Daddy, Ma-ma, and Pa-pa until we saw them at dinner that night!
My two girls stop and show their pearly whites for the camera on Saturday morning! Happy 4th Birthday Schatzie!!!
Oooh, more presents. This one is from Ma-ma and Pa-pa, it was about a million clothes!
October 19, 2007
Ellie's Birthday and Oma & Opa's Anniversary
Happy Anniversary Oma & Opa!!
And kisses after the cake. For a kiss like that I can definatly handle icing covered slobber lips any day!!
Ellie feeding Mommy some of her cake... Thanks big girl for sharing!!
Mmmmm, yummy cake! Ma-ma Deb and Ellie taking bites of the birthday cake!
Blowing our the candles of her cake, yeah!
Daddy, PaPa Jer, and Ellie at dinner on Friday night at Damons.
"Cheese" All dressed for school, the most beautiful birthday girl in the whole wide world!!!
Ellie playing with her new art set before school!
I am almost surprised that she wasn't carried away by all of the balloons!!
"I love balloons!! Melmo, Pooh, and Pablo, horray!!" Happy 2nd Birthday Ellie!!
Look, is all of this for me???

Ellie in her fairy wings opening up her first (of many) birthday gifts!
How to catch an angel...

1) You leave the kennel door open and leave a soft blanket on the ground. Sometimes a bribe of Cheerios and Kix will help!
2) Make sure that there is an angel flying around crazy and curious.
3) Pretend that you are not looking and if you are lucky she will swoop in and the door will close behind her! Look, we got one!!
Day at the Fall Festival
October 14, 2007
Aunt Margie and Ellie pause for a photo shoot. No, Ellie isn't very happy. Its not because she is with Margie, it is because it is after two and she still hasn't had a nap!!
Ellie, Mommy, and Margie at the Fall Fest.
Here is the donkey!
Ellie and her kitty cat whiskers. "Meoooow!"
Ellie and the baby cow. The cow says, "Mooooo!"
Ellie collecting acorns before church. She really likes those acorns even though they are very slippery! One afternoon we went out front and collected them to count, we really did have fun!!
October 11, 2007
MB's Birthday
Just Beth and I out on the town on Saturday after my birthday, I missed you guys so much,I am glad to be home!! I had a great (busy) weekend and got to spend time with people I care about, that is what is the most imporntant, right?
This is my welcome home gift... a good ice scraper and a Ravens license plate cover, now I will fit in! Happy birthday to me!!!
Ellie and Mommy with the baby and mommy bear that she got me for my birthday, I love it Ellie!!
Ellie and Uncle Sean, what a hairy man!!

After Our First Full Week of Work/School...
we had a little fun and unwound!Ellie playing around the fountain outside of church on Sunday morning. Can you believe it, it was 91 degrees in October, you would think that it was August. Who knows, maybe it is and the calendar just hasn't realized it!!

Meme and Ellie at the Fells Point Festivle on Sunday. It was really hot downtown so we didn't stay too long. We did see a funny clown, lots of interesting people, tons of dogs, and listened to some music. We did have fun but I have to say that your basic stroller was not designed for cobblestone roads!!
Well, here it is.... her first hair cut! I did it myself at home while she was in the bath and that is all I took off. Don't worry, she still has her curls!! Her hair was coming in really thick underneath and the longer fine hair was starting to look too wispy and unruly. This morning when I looked at it her hair looks more even in the back and it does look better!
Here she is in the bath, just before her hair cut, showing off her dump truck. "Hereitis!"

On Saturday morning Ellie and I made a trip up to Gettysburg, PA to Boyds Bears Country. We meet Carey and Gen there along with their friends Kim and Alania.
Here is the little princess sitting pretty with her wings that she got as we came in and her shades... One cool princess!!
Here are all of the girls sporting their wings... Alania, Gen, and Ellie.
Here is Carey and Gen.
All of the girls dancing with some bears. What else do you do in a barn full of teddy bears??

Mommy and Ellie sitting as we wait to see the arrival of a brand new Boyds Bear, Sparkle.
Here are the three musketeers posing (and beating) the bear. Lucky for him her couldn't feel it!
Here they are again at the end of our visit sitting under the cow (don't worry, not real) giving us their best lion "GROOOWL!"
Just hanging out at Meme and Papoo's house. What a life. Meme rented Happy Feet for Ellie to see and she loved it. The penguins were just like her "bird" and there was tons of music and dancing. Ellie is still showing me her happy feet, you just have to watch out, if you get too close those happy feet turn into kicking feet and they about knocked the air out of me!
Looks like someone is ready for bed!!