an airplane ride, lots of swimming, a week with family, rolling over and lots of smiles...

We just got back from a week of vacation at Aunt Pat's house in Shannon, IL. It was Ella's first plane ride - which went so much better then we expected! Here is our happy host with Ella - AUNT PAT! Ella LOVED the sound of Aunt Pat's voice and especially her laugh. It was so funny to see her reactions to the sound of her voice! Ella even decided to roll over FINALLY from her back to her belly at Aunt Pat's!

We were at her beautiful home with 18 (or was is 19) of our family members! The laughs shared at that house were ones I will never forget!Here we are all together with the most of the family!

Ella did a LOT of swimming in Aunt Pat's pool. She absolutely LOVED it (after the first day when the water was TOO cold!) and I am sure misses that weightless time in the pool now that we are home!

Ella also got to meet and play with her "best friend", KATIE!!! So much fun to see them together...I can't wait for next year when Ella will be able to move around better - and maybe even TALK to Katie. Katie just couldn't understand why Baby Ella wasn't talking to her! HA

We got Toby to take pictures of our family on Aunt Pat's beautiful grounds...Here we are by the lake. I think this may be my favorite of his shots...but it is hard to decide! Thank you, Toby. These pictures will be treasured for EVER...

Before leaving - everyone always signs a WALL in Aunt Pat's basement. I have dates on there since 1993. Last year, when Dave and I signed we also signed, "BP" because I was pregnant at the time. It was a wonderful feeling to put Ella's name on the board with the year and her face next to the signature. WOW...how much has changed in my life since 1993 - the first time I signed the wall. The thought of that makes me smile....

the next Michael Phelps?!?!?!?

Ella truly loves bath time. She is so funny to watch in that little tub! She splashes, squeals, and splashes some more. Dave and I always feel a little bad when it is time to take her out...
If only we could clean under all of her rolls - it is getting more difficult by the day! HA HA....
We have an exciting week...meeting Tam and Tonya with the kids in Lancaster tomorrow and Cousin Meghaan is coming to swim with Ella and I on Tuesday....more fun throughout the week (day with Nonna, another day with Aunt Michele and Aunt Karen, and hopefully some time with boyfriend Brennan!) until we get to Saturday when we leave at 6am to go to Chicago! Ella's first plane ride! New blogs coming for sure....

Our Little Squeaker!

Ella has started to squeal - or squeak. It is hysterical....
check out this video of "talking" to daddy! She is 5 months old today!

Two Good Friends...

Ella and Brennan have been having playdates since their first few weeks of life - but only recently have they noticed each other! My friend Melanie (Brennan's mommy) took these adorable pictures of Maria holding Brennan (51/2 months) and me holding Ella (41/2 months) at a favorite lunch spot - Kid Shelleens.

a week of milestones...

We had a milestone type of week! Ella has cut her first two teeth! The bottom two teeth are very visible now and SHARP! We have no pictures of those yet...but soon enough!

Ella also began to sit up on her own this week. She started doing it for a few seconds at a time or with you behind her - but now she goes for minutes at a time and can balance herself pretty well. The video here was taken today!

One good thing that I have noticed is that Ella waits to do major milestones (smiling, laughing, rolling over, sitting up (the few times she has done it), tooth cutting, etc) when Dave is home. This makes me feel pretty great thinking ahead to September when i will be going back to work like Dave has to do each day. I just hope she continues to "wait" for Mommy and Daddy to be together to master her skills!

A Fourth of July for the Books!

Well...we packed up and headed to the beach for the long 4th of July weekend! We got down there Friday morning and had a great time with friends! Ella enjoyed dipping her toes in the pool and playing with Gungy and all of the Wongs! Then Saturday night came - and I had awful abdominal pains. It got to the point where it was time to go to the Emergency Room. Thankfully, after an ambulance ride, some awful pain medicine, the best husband in the world, and wonderful friends - they decided I didn't need to have emergency gall bladder surgery. After one night in the hospital, I was able to come home and we are now seeing a surgeon here in Wilmington today! It was not how I expected to spend my first night away from Ella! :) I can't thank the Wongs enough for all of their help and unwavering support...also my parents who drove down to the beach in all of the weekend traffic to get me out of there and bring me home, Aunt Melanie and Sharon for helping with Ella when Dave and I got home and needed sleep, and Dave himself....who is the best father I could have ever hoped for my little girl and the the best partner in life for me. Needless to say, we will remember this 4th for a LONG time!!! All was not lost though - we got great pics of our Ms. Liberty herself!!!!

4 month check-up!

Ella D. is 17 pounds and 13 ounces! She is above the 95th percentile for weight and in the 75th percentile for height. We were happy to see Dr. Gould...and even smiled for a photo with him! This was all before the nasty shots that Ella got in her hamhock thighs. You would think all of that chub would lessen the blow....but it didn't as far as dave's and my ears could tell! Poor thing!!!!