Ellie turns 1!

So... I'm only a month and a few days behind :)  But, really - Ellie turned 1 and it was a wonderful party and week-long celebration!  Because her birthday this year fell on Good Friday - we celebrated with immediate family the weekend before Easter. We had a fabulous day with everyone - and I was so happy with the decor (why do I stress about that silly stuff) but mostly that she was happy, healthy, and enjoyed the day!

After a wonderful 1st birthday (we kicked off Easter weekend by taking the day off work to celebrate Ellie's birthday)  We packed up and headed up to NE for the weekend.  My Mom was especially craving the kids after a LONG tax season and not seeing them much at all (shout out to Mom though for making it down for Gwynnie and Ellie's bdays during tax season)  Anyway, we had such a sweet Easter.  (I must say, Easter mass was a tough one for E, as she did NOT want to sit still, so we took turns in the back of church with her.... sorry for all those sitting behind us and all our distractions - I can only imagine what that was like)  :)  Here are a few sweet pictures from Easter and a blessed holiday.  Thankful for the time to visit with my Grandpa Mack who was in the hospital.  He had had a really rough day/night the night before, and wasn't sure he wanted to keep fighting.  God heard our prayers though and he woke up feeling much, much better on Sunday, and I'm so glad Amy and I got to see him on Sunday after church.  I think it did all of our hearts good.  We drove up to see all the Mack's at my Uncle Jim's house, and got the Mack Attack.  Love, love the time we get with my wonderful family.  Have I said yet how blessed I am??

I did mention in my last post that Ellie would start in her big girl room at St. Luke's.  Luckily, they ripped the band-aid off for me, and one day just told me she would be spending the entire day in the Bunny room.  I'm like, oh gosh, this is all so different.  Kids are sitting in chairs at a little table, they go outside, no Miss Leita, what are we going to do?? Of course, she did wonderful - and we heard that from so many teachers, staff, etc.  That really does make you feel good about it - and I have just really enjoyed her new teacher Miss Veda.  She is very warm, comforting, and said she likes when parents ask a lot of questions!! I said, oh good, we will definitely get along.  Today was her first official day as a Bunny.

The weekend following Easter, we did Ellie's 1st birthday pics with ME Photography.  I didn't want to stress myself and plan on outdoor pictures, so we started indoors and she was so wonderful and let us go outside for more, b/c it was such a gorgeous day!! I'm so glad she did that, b/c those are definitely my favorite pictures from the day.  Here is just a sampling:

What a fun time - I just LOVE the toddling, drunken sailor walking.  And she is walking all over the place!! So fun to see how excited she is too to be up and moving - and how she will try to go so fast to keep up with her brother, and she'll take a little tumble and get right back up and going.  Her other favorite activity as of late is READING!! She will grab a book, plop down in our lap, and when we open the book, she will giggle with delight, and will only let us open maybe one other page, before she gets bored and gets another book, and cycle repeats :)  I just love it - and hope she continues her love of books!!

Happy May  - April was such a fun month, great weather, and counting our blessings each and everyday.  God bless each one of you!

Ellie - milestones

Before I forget - I promised that I would jot these down... when Ellie started:
 - Getting teeth - 11 1/2 months!  - two little toofers just popped through :)
-  Clapping - 11 months - so sweet to see her get excited and start clapping - YAY Ellie!
 - First black eye - 11 months - sweet girl fell over in the mulch at the park - she only cried a little bit!

Sweet girl, feels like she is always getting the shaft - first, she had a BAD stomach bug - about 2 weeks ago.  Started on Sunday, with her having horrible diarrhea and projectile vomiting - that lasted all through the week until that Thursday.  (I was teaching a class at work, so Patrick was so great about taking off and staying with her, and I took off Thursday - silver lining was that on Thursday she was in a great mood and over it, so we actually had a nice day playing at the Slyvester Powell Community Center gym)  Anyway, after the flu - then, we go to the park and she tips over and gives herself a black eye.  Before the black eye can heal, this past Friday she gets a bad eye infection from a friend at school :(  Ugh - so the poor girl's eyes, yes, both of them, are so swollen she can barely open them, and the other is black/blue. People really were giving us looks....

And through it all - she really just keeps smiling.  She is happy and doesn't let it get it her.  I hope she always has the resilience and perseverance that she has shown in her less than 1 year.  I just love her so much, and love getting my 'love' from Ellie (she leans her head down and gives love - melts me!)  I don't think I'm going to be ready in a few short weeks for her to turn 1, or to go in the BIG 1 year old room at school---feels like such a leap from the room now - and man, we are BOTH going to miss Miss Leita - the best teacher there!! She just really seems to care about Ellie, and loves snuggling her and Ellie always loves to see her - such a comfort.

Anyway - just my quick update on my Ellie girl.

Will mostly is just enjoying the awesome weather we have had - playing with our neighbor boy Owen, who is in 2nd grade.  Will thinks he is the coolest and he has lots of cool toys :)  We have had lots of fun at the park, and just riding our bike around.  He is a hoot on his Strider bike and it's been a fun ride for him!  (It's fun all the laughs he gets from riding that thing - he goes SO fast!  And a few scrooges out there that get annoyed - which I just think, lighten up people - if you can't smile at a little boy flying down the road on his Strider bike - what can make you smile?!)

Happy early St. Patrick's Day- and March Madness time---LOVE tournament time!!

Growing up so fast!

Well - it's now almost half-way to Feburary - Ellie is now 10 months!  I keep telling myself that maybe if I don't blog updates or plan birthday parties, we can just freeze time.....so far no luck with that. My only excuse is just that life is busy - and it's all good. 

Janurary was a great month.  It started off rough for our Ellie girl though - right after New Years, she developed some high temps and we took her to urgent care to find out she tested positive for RSV :(  Poor thing - she again was a trooper and only had a few rough nights of needing to sleep on Mommy or Daddy, and rest of the month she has done well/better on her breathing.  (I'm still holding my breath somewhat and waiting for the end of winter before we can really hope for it to clear up - so she's still getting twice daily breathing treatments with nebulizer, so we can prevent some of the wheezing before it gets too bad)

Otherwise, it was a big month for Ellie!  I remember wondering what age/stage they start 'doing more' and becoming more active... for Ellie at least, it seems that it was 9 months.  She turned 9 months on Jan. 3 - and on that day said 'Mama' for the first time!!! What a great gift - and one I will continue to remember.  She also started waving lots, and throwing her hands up to say 'SO BIG' - in fact, she'll do it so much, it cracks me up.  She also started crawling!!!  (On Jan. 14th to be exact - so 9 1/2 months)  And we knew that once she started, she would be off, and that is definitely the case!  I almost didn't remember what it was like to have two moving babies... and one night i was making dinner in the kitchen, and Ellie was standing at her playtable on the rug in the living room, and I went to look over to check and her and she was GONE!  I couldn't see her ANYWHERE!  So, I frantically went to the upstairs, as we are in the habit of leaving the door open and I thought maybe she made her way there, luckily she wasn't on the stairs.  I scanned back to the living room, to the back room where Will was playing and still couldn't see her.  Now, i'm panicked, and yelling "Patrick, I can't find Ellie"..... and all of a sudden, I spot her, she had crawled basically under our kitchen table and was just hanging out there, and was like ' oh hey Mom' once I found her!  Yikes!! That was a good reminder for me that she is mobile and now I'm definitely adjusted :) 

Besides started to crawl, Ellie is also enjoying playing with Will's toys - now that she is able to move around more to get them!  It drives Will crazy most of the time, and I can see that it's only just begun.  She gets this onery grin on her face when she takes his toys, like she knows that she shouldn't, but just can't help herself.  She is a hoot.  Every night before bed, we each give her a kiss, Will too, and no matter how tired she is, with binky in mouth, she gets this big grin on her face.  It's pretty sweet.  Tonight Will said, Ellie you're my best friend.  P and I looked at each other (we have really never said that to him or prompted that one at all) and just said, I hope you always feel like that buddy.  So special!  Coming from someone who is so very close to my only sister, I have always hoped they would be close, even though boy/girl.  so far, it's fun watching them interact and talk to each other in the car!

Speaking of talking - Will is still a jabberbox!  Maybe more if that's even possible.  The kid is a hoot.  The things that he says... I wish I could bottle it up and save it.  The other day he was crawling across the car to get out the door, and his foot was getting all tangled up/caught in the umbrella I had there, and he says "Oh gosh, what's happening?" And it's exactly like something I would say - even i nthe same tone.  I can't help but giggle.  It's so weird/surreal to hear your exact words and phrases played out by your kid - and to keep watching his personality develop - he's a fun dude. 

Will actually got a new big boy bed, and big boy room!! It's been fun seeing him in his big bed, and he's done really well (and fun for Mommy to decorate a new room!!)  He did happen to fall out of bed on 2nd night, and we bought a bedrail and all is well now.  Whew.  P and I both like that we can kind of snuggle with him, and sometimes doze off while taking weekend naps :)

January highlights -
- My birthday - P did such a good job making me feel special ALL day - started with Eggtc, then a mani/pedi during kids' nap time, and then best of all was an adult dinner out with all of our parents and Amy/Cody.  I honestly don't remember the last time I have had BOTH my parents with me on my birthday - it just worked that this year it fell on a Saturday and all could make it.  We had a lovely dinner at Michael Smith's and it was just awesome.

- Get together with Phi Mu girls - our annual Christmas get together - so blessed with amazing friends that always feel like 'home'.

- Nice weather days that we could enjoy the park!! Love these!!

- Superbowl party  - Michael, Ben, Amy and kids all came over - and we had a really nice night. 


I think that's about it for our monthly update! Hope you are all well - love and hugs - and in the words of Will everynight as we leave his room at night:

Will: "Hey Mommy - I gotta tell you something"
Me: "What do you need to tell me?" (knowing full well exactly what he's going to say)
Will: "Uhh, what animal has humps on his back?"
Me: "Ummm... a camel"
Will: "Good job Mommy"
Me: "Thanks Will, get some sleep now.... I love you to the moon and back"
Will: "I love you to the STARS and back" (he always has to win.... wonder where he gets that from!! :))

Happy Holidays - 2014!!

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  I read somewhere that when you are a child, Christmas is magical.  But watching your children during Christmas is even more magical.  I couldn't agree more! 

This was Ellie's first Christmas, and this was the first year that Will really understood what is going on. I remember when he was one month old, and we wondered when we would start 'getting' it.  Well, I would say he did this year.  We were so fortunate to be able to both take off 2 full weeks - all of Christmas week and into the New Years week also.  It's been SO wonderful to have all the time together - and enjoy a nice break from work. 

We started off our Christmas celebrations on the Monday of Christmas week with all of Patrick's brothers, wives and our nieces and nephews at Bill and Marilee's.  It's not often everyone is together, as patrick's oldest brother Brian and Michaela are in TX.  So, we enjoyed lots of laughs and was nice that the 'older' kids are getting old enough to play downstairs by themselves (somewhat supervised)  Thank you cousin Dylan for being the main supervisor at times!  We love these special times with all the cousins together.

Tuesday - we were able to do our annual get together with all of Patrick's friends and their significant others.  It was great fun to have an adult night out.  The emails leading up to the parties each year are always quite entertaining - so you can imagine the fun we have the actual night of!!  These guys were giggling like little girls the entire time, and after dinner us girls joined too.  The other part that has become quite the tradition is the gift exchange.  You never know what you will get!  The gifts keep getting more and more creative and 'interesting'.  :)  We had a great time as always and don't get together with everyone as often as we'd like.

Thank you to Patrick's cousin's Lily and Ava for babysitting (we love having them close and Lily has been baby sitting now for us for over a year!! She does awesome - although this was the first time she said Will was having a hard time going to sleep and kept trying to pull fast ones on her, so he didn't have to go to sleep :))  Not surprised, he will lay awake for hours sometimes in bed, usually jabbering away to himself, or getting us to try to come in there or that he has to go potty, etc.  Sometimes it cracks me up at the stuff he says to himself, and other times I get so annoyed, b/c I know he should be sleeping and he will be tired the next day!  But, usually I laugh.  His sweet voice just makes everything he says a little funnier to me.  Ok, back to our holiday....



Wednesday - Christmas Eve - we spent going to Eggtc (duh) - I mentioned that we really should have gotten the staff there a Christmas gift, we go so much, we really know about all of them by name, and they have literally watched our kids grow up.  We love our brunch, we love Eggtc, it just works for us :)  Then, we headed up to Bill and Marilee's around noon to let the kids take naps up there.  (Oops, P and I also enjoyed a snooze, one of the best parts of being off for two weeks, we are getting used to taking small snoozes when the kids are, and staying up late ourselves..... can't help that we have started watching Homeland Season 3 - and it's majorly addicting!) So, after naps, we had nice appetizers for dinner - E was a mess, luckily she fell asleep in my arms right before we needed to leave and was enough for her to be her usual spunky self during Mass, flirting with all behind/around us!  (*I have to admit, this year like many, something about Christmas mass, holding my babies, and hearing either Silent Night or What Child is This, I cry every year--- it's crazy - I get this overwhelming feeling of happiness, and the tears start falling.  Sorry I'm not sorry)

Thursday - Christmas morning - Well, we left out milk and cookies for Santa... and he came!!! Ellie woke us up about 6:30am Christmas morning, and both P and I got up, anxiously awaiting for Will to wake up.  (*This is highly unusual for both Patrick and I to wake up.... our typical routine is we switch mornings for who wakes up and who gets to sleep in - LOVE that we can do this, and works out well for a sleep lover like me, and also for me to get to enjoy those first hours in the morning when kids, especially Ellie, is super happy)  When Will woke up - we said, did Santa come?!  (Gifts were all in front of the fireplace), he said, I don't know!  And then checked for the milk/cookies he sat out, and saw the cookie was half-eaten (good restrain Santa) - but commented that Santa didn't drink all his milk (shoot, next year)  Anyway, we had an awesome time with Will opening his presents: his police car that he had seen at Costco and really wanted Santa to bring to him, and some shoes, books, etc. and the biggest one was the inflatible bounce house.  Whoo-hoo!  I don't know if I'm more excited about our uber-clean basement that Patrick organized/deep cleaned, or about how Will can run off some energy/spend time downstairs some more in the winter. So far, it's been a hit - and can't wait to enjoy it with some friends/cousins when they can come visit!

We enjoyed some cinnamin rolls, egg casserole, and E got a nap, while we packed up and then journeyed over to my sister's house.  My Dad was able to be off work, so we were so thankful he got to spend the day with us, and he made zemmel, long standing tradition in the Meyer family, and love sharing that with the kids.  Even Ellie joined in on the zemmel fun!! The kids played really nicely together - and we had a good time!  Early evening we made the journey up to Beatrice to Mom's house, and got settled in there, as we were staying from Thursday night through the next Tuesday.

Friday - We got to enjoy the day after Christmas with Don's daughter's and their families.  It's a way different scenario than a few years ago when we got together, as everyone had babies all around the same time.  Mom and Don have 7 grandkids all 3 1/2 years or younger!! Crazy, and so fun!!  It was fun to see the kids together, and we staggered having them open gifts, as they woke up for naps (or in Will's case, no nap at all :))  By the end of the day - I was exhausted!! (Seriously, I don't know how my Mom does all the hosting, wears me out - but she makes it look effortless)  We also had a surprise visit from Santa!!!  (*My 8th grade English teacher and my 8th grade basketball coach!)  What a fun visit, Will loved it, and we loved that Mom's neighbor Chrissy came to take pictures, lots that we will cherish and enjoy for many years.

Saturday -

Mack Attack!! Love when all the Mack family gets together - Mom always hosts- and it was wonderful to have so many of us together.  Most blessed to have Grandpa join us for awhile - 90 years and going strong!  Love my aunties, my uncles, cousins, and so blessed with an awesome family!

Sunday - enjoyed a nice day relaxing at home with Mom/Don/Amy and the kids - the boys are at the age that they can play together pretty well independently - and as you can see, can be entertained too by the TV when/if needed :)  Love them!

Monday - we headed up to Lincoln to see my best friend Lindsay and her family.  Never feels like long enough or often enough that we get to see each other, but we make the most of the times we can.   It has been a long time since our kiddos all got together though - so it was really, really fun to see them play together so well.  They have some sweet, beautiful little girls and I just love them so much!  Will doesn't know yet - but we already have a pre-arranged marriage for him and either Sadie or Gabby.  :) 



Tuesday - we got all packed up and hit the road.  We stopped in Seneca for late morning/early afternoon visit with Great-Grandpa Joe and Great-Grandma Betty (thanks for always being a fan of my blogs you both!! Kisses and hugs to you - as I know you are reading this for sure!! :))  We had a nice lunch and visit with them, and although I felt like our kids were acting kind of crazy - I think they were tired and ready to get back home and to what is familiar.  ( I felt like Ellie didn't sleep very well the entire time we were away - that age where they really need routine I guess. So, I was relieved to be on the way home and back to some familiarity for her)

Wednesday - New Year's Eve - we ended up going to Michael and Debra's house, and Michelle/Ross and Melissa were over as well.  We had some pizza, and got to enjoy some fun laughs with Ben and Will - and enjoyed some good company (can't wait for Baby girl A to join in Feb. 16th!!  Will be so fun over the years for Will to get to play with Ben and Ellie with their little girl!--we hope they stay in KC for awhile :))

Thursday - New Year's Day - ok, I think we are finally DONE!  Just enjoying the sweet time with the family - running errands, but nothing major to accomplish except relishing the time with our sweets, Patrick and I enjoying some wine and down time after they go to bed, and of course, our resolution of eating more healthy - as we kind of 'enjoyed' ourselves and our eating a tad too much the last couple months, or entire year!  Ha!  I had used the excuse of pregnancy or post-pregnancy for long enough!! Time to get back on track - so far (Jan. 2 today!) so good! ha!

Well, if you are still reading this, bless you! :)  I feel the urgency to capture these sweet and beautiful moments, as they grow so fast.

I couldn't be more blessed to be married to a guy that I still haven't gotten sick of after 2 straight weeks together, 2 little kids, road trips, fussy baby, stubborn pre-schooler, etc.  He is my rock, my best friend, my support, and has a heart of gold, I love love him so much.  (I love laughing with you babe, let's keep doing it for awhile, like a long long long while :)

I couldn't be more blessed to have my sweet Will, who God sent to us with the sweetest heart (as I was getting ready for a Christmas party for work, he told me I looked "so beautiful Mommy, like a princess"  Oh. my. gosh. Heart melted), with a strong will (nap times and bed time... "Mommy, i have to tell you something"), playful (wrestling with Dad, riding his bike, playing catch/ball all his favorites still), soft hearted (worried if someone isn't feeling well, or if Ellie is crying ("Ellie, where's you binky?  "Oh hi sweetheart (to Ellie)" "Ohhhh, hiiii Ellie Gracie"  "Hi Ellie Bellie" - you get the picture.  He keeps us on our toes and I can't stop kissing/squeezing him! 

And I couldn't be more blessed to have my sweet Ellie girl (see above for more nick names that I call her!)  Her chubby cheeks and thighs aren't all that she's about - from the first day she was born, when she looks at her with her eyes, it's like she is really looking into them (sounds cheesy - but P and I have both commented on that)  It's like she's really trying to look into your eyes - she has beautiful eyes, and I love when people notice that (although I know it's hard not to notice the lovely roly poly that she is!)  I love how her little arms and legs start flailing when she gets excited (especially when all I have to do is walk in the room and she gets excited)  I love her sweet smile, it melts me every time - and when she 'talks' to us.  She started pulling up on things - and loves to stand while holding on.  She has started liking to dance a little too!  She is truly our wiggle worm - she doesn't want to sit still, but she always wants to be held.  It's like she can't make up her mind! ha!  She isn't quite crawling yet, but when she decides to, she will be off.  She is tough little cookie - she has had wheezing problems for a few months - and had to do breathing treatments, but fought through it and is doing awesome - also with some really bad sores on her neck - that were just horrible, and we had to clean it, dry it and must have been SO painful, but she really didn't let it ever affect her mood.  She is a happy baby, and my heart is so full of love for her.  She is different than her brother in that she LOVES the water!! She gets SO excited for bath time, that just when we take off her clothes and she hears bath water, she knows that it's about to be bathtime and she starts kicking and smiling - she is SO excited!! And she doesn't mind the water in her eyes, where Will would and still does freak out about that.  She also LOVES being outside - even when it's cold and windy.  She just loves the breeze in her face - totally different than her brother too!  (It's so fun to see their similarities and also how they are different, but mostly it's so fun to see them interact together)  E is starting to play with some of Will's toys and sometimes he gets possessive, but for the most part, he is still very sweet with Ellie and helps her out if she's upset. 

Yes, we are blessed.  Thank you God for the many blessings in our life, for our wonderful family, and our amazing friends.  I am humbled, I am not worthy, I. Am. Blessed.