Ellie at Four Months

On Saturday, Ellie turned four months.  Here she is today, cute in her bathtub, hugging and chewing on  the duckie.  Although there was a rough start with baths, she is really content in her tubby these days.

Ahh, there's the Ellie grin!  Tell me that doesn't just make you feel a little bit better no matter what's on your mind?

Yesterday, we went to her four month appointment.  This picture I took in the waiting room.  She looks a bit suspicious.  And it cracks me up!

She did so well with the nurse and the doctor!  I had an appointment, too, so here she is hanging out in her seat while I get my vitals done.  Tell me she isn't so grown up?  Ellie STOP GROWING!  She's 23 inches tall and 11 pounds and ten ounces.  She is in the tenth percentile for her age.  A peanut.  Abbey was a little undersized at this age, but both my kids weight always run a bit higher than their height....hey, it's in the genes!  My first kid in perfect proportion.  But her head is 50th percentile.  All my kids have big heads, like me.  The doctor was impressed with her rolling around abilities and how well she holds up her head.

But here she is last night.  Shots make her a under weather, poor kid.  She's been taking a power nap this afternoon and even fell asleep last night on the middle of our bed after I changed her.

But how did Ellie spend her actual four month birthday?  At our FIFTH wedding in seven weeks!  I like this picture with her Daddy :)

Here's the thing about Eleanor...she's a good baby.  But when she's done, she's done.  She goes from happy to this RIGHT AWAY!  Cracks me up.

Adam and his Dad went to the wedding for the vows and I followed the girls afterwards.  Good call as Abbey was wild and she always gets Adam going.  Here they are, owning the dance floor.  Nice to be back at the Foundry.  Reminded me of our day...

Keeping Abbey away from the cake wasn't that easy.  She likes this dress, she thinks she looks like Princess Sophia.  And she kind of does.

See how they are all over while the other kids chill?  Yep, that's my fate lol

When we told the kids we were leaving, they were DONE.  This was Todd's long time employee's son's wedding...he was hugging them good-bye. Adam joined.  Abbey was getting her coat on..see her?  They were ready to go.  And so was Ellie.

Abbey disappeared.  I found her near the front door trying to take off...with the gifts.

So that's how Ellie spent her fourth month birthday.  She's out of the new baby stage and entered quite squish lovey baby stage.  Always hard to let go of her growing up at the same time excited to see her grow.  I took this photo this past Tuesday, our first morning just us together no kids, no errands and no Uncle.  We just cuddled on the chair.  Loved it.

Mrs. Ramie

On September 1, Melissa married her man.  Joey is from the North Country and every inch a guy's guy.  He loves his hunting camp and four wheeler and is close to his family.  Incidentally, we have similar taste in television!  Melissa dated a couple of guys who didn't deserve her before she found the right guy...but that's OK, I think it helps us appreciate them more!  Todd and I headed out with Ellie, with what we thought was ample time.  We were headed to a country club on the other side of Rochester and followed the garmin onto 104. Traffic was harsh and I willed us to be on time as I know Melissa enough to know it it says four on the invite, she will get married at four!  We got there just in time.  Todd slipped into the back while I skulked about hoping to get a few good shots.  Melissa looked beautiful walking down the aisle with her father!  Truly radiant.

I loved this sign,

Mr. And Mrs!

Ellie was cooing during the vows.  It was cute.

It's done!!

Little detail on the top of he chalkboard I loved.

It's Chewy!  He thought he looked like an agent in this photo.  I think he's right.

Melissa and her mom in the receiving line.

Cupcakes!

I popped in while they were doing group photos.  I was sad I missed the portrait sessions before the ceremony.  I like this one.

Melissa's gorgeous sister.

Joey grabbing a feel ;)

Melissa's grandma.

I finally met Chewy's woman Jackie.  She was nice.

Oh, my Jackie.  Don't let her hubby fool you...he loves her just for this reason!

Matches.  Loved the bird theme.

Centerpiece.

Tony.  Or Mr. H.  Depends who you ask.  He had aged quite a bit since I had seen him  last.  A subdued version of his old self.

Melissa's bouquet...love the little pins in it.

Toasting glass.

The cutting cake.

Too cute!

Emily and her husband Rory.  Emily, Melissa and Rob were my first batch of RAs and basically, still, my favorites ;).

Here's Rob.  Incidentally, he barfed all over the beretta on his 21st birthday.  I woke him up and made him scrub it.  Looking back, I now thank him!

Ellie struggled. It was load and she was hungry.  Daddy actually eventually got her to take a bottle.

Jackie made her smile :)

My favorite shot of the night!  Isn't she GORGEOUS??

My other favorite.  This was after Joey shoved cake in her face.  She did shove back. He swears it was her first, but I was there....it WAS him.  Wonderful night.  Everything was beautiful.  Especially my girl Melissa, who glowed as she married the right man for her.  He is both a strong man and a man who appreciates a strong woman.  And he's smart enough to know he got a hottie!  So happy for you, Melissa!!

Sick

Sick.

Nothing special.  Nasty colds.  I even took Adam to the doctor yesterday, something I rarely do, because he told me several days in a row his ear hurt.  My kids have never had an ear infection before, but I had them as a kid and they can be really painful.  Fortunately, the doctor said he just had some extra fluid in it as he has a cold.  Today, Adam is much better...five days after he started acting sick and since has gotten the rest of the family sick.  He brought a lot home last year, but I was hoping we'd be ore immune now.  Adam was home yesterday and both kids today.  I almost took him in, but he tossed his cookies at the breakfast table after I gave him some kids' Tylenol.  And when Todd had to run home to fix a fuse, he said he was getting sick.  He was the last one standing.  I felt it coming on Saturday while I was at my cousin's wedding.  Poor Ellie was grumpy that day, too and I think she was probably coming down with it.  Abbey actually fell asleep on my lap this morning and this was her this afternoon.  I put her back to bed amidst much tears, which told me she needed it.  I was surprised she was so sick today because last night, she had that wild I'm getting better bouncing off the walls thing going.

 The last two nights have been difficult.  Ellie has her first cold and has not liked to be put down.  I finally gave her some Tylenol today after talking to the doctor yesterday.  She has been napping a lot.  I put her down so I could use the bathroom and I came back and she was passed out, snuggled under her blanket.  I have had little sleep and it makes the cold harder to deal with.  One of the hardest times of being a Mom is when I'm sick and my kids are sick.  I want to crawl under a rock and I can't.  Ellie cried a lot both nights and with our current sleeping arrangement, she kept Todd up, too.  Abbey got up both nights crying as well.  I feel really bad for her, because she's pathetic sick.  The others never got this pathetic.

 But then, when I'm feeling drained and sorry for myself and for my kids.  I check on Ellie and she curls her fingers around mine.  OK, I can deal with this.

August Camp Night

We did an overnight at camp in August.  We prepared for the swimming this time with water shoes, inflatable rings and vests I already had.  I knew when we got there, they'd want to get right in.  I was right.  Abbey RAN to the dock.  I told Todd I'd take them in if he wasn't ready because I felt their excitement, especially Abbey's.  But Daddy was willing to get right in and it didn't take long for our kids to take off.  Especially Abbey, of course!  But I was impressed at how quickly she was swimming for Canada!  I had to go in to take care of Ellie, but Daddy swum them tired!  They went to sleep fairly easily, but it was late.  We had a camp fire and stayed up too late, because the kids were up at 6am, the first sign of light.  Ugh.  I took them outside by seven and then we headed to our favorite local diner for breakfast.  We drove around and went back and it was outside time again, of course!

I had finally brought my real camera and wanted to get some photos, so I followed them around.  Abbey was nice enough to give me a few shots...almost model shots.  After that, she wouldn't look at me again!

She looks so grown up!

So this is my Santa.  This is an example of real romance.  The Santa was on our barn when we bought it, old and faded.  I liked it because it was quirky and made no sense.  Early in August, Todd had Kevin  up there to fix a window and had him paint the barn.  As a surprise, Kevin brought his father, who is crafty, to repaint it for me.  I was so touched.  I mean, that's the kind of real romantic thing someone who really knows you does.  Most people would have wanted it taken down.  But he knew me enough to know that I liked the character!  Abbey is way more into it than Adam.

Playing on our large lawn with Bailey.

Nice to see them run free.

Super Bailey!

She LOVES the freedom there.

Playing in the willow trees.  The Lorax tree, as we call them.

Love this kid's smile.

Front porch.  They love that they have some ability to come and go out there.

Back in the water!

See you later Abbey!

Always hard to get a picture of Abbey's face when we are active.

Take a good look at her face here.  She cracks me up.

Awwww....THIS is one of the reasons I dreamed of a camp.  My kids growing up with memories in the lake, running free and having a blast.

Loves her Daddy!

View from end of the dock back to our cottage.

View of my family from the beginning of the dock.