The Lakes 2011

We took a full week vacation to the Lakes in Minnesota. We hung out with family, we swam in the lake, we read books that weren't work-related, we explored Itasca State Park, and we had a wonderful time doing it all!

Play Date with Susie

Thanks for having me over, Kevin and Whitney!! I love playing with Susie so much! And I had a lot of fun splashing around in your big tub...I hope I didn't scare Susie! She's my best friend, and I hope I get to play with her again very soon.

Love,

Eleanor

Happy Mother's Day!!

We celebrated Mom's Day a day early as Jen had to work a 24-hour shift on the labor and delivery floor on Sunday (helping make new moms!) Saturday was a great day...sunny and almost 70 degrees! We started the morning off with a chance meeting of Kevin, Whitney, and Susie at QCB. After a yummy breakfast, we headed to Great Bear for some nature walking (can't quite call it hiking out there). Then, we came home and Jen went for a 4-mile run with Ellie. While she was doing that, Joe picked up pizza from New York Express Pizza...GOOD STUFF! After lunch, we did an arts and crafts project that resulted in an immediate bath for the little one. Nap time ensued. We had dinner at Wild Sage Grille (can you see how things revolve around food in this family?) and then Jen headed to the symphony with her mom, grandma, and aunt. It was a perfect day...we just wish it had lasted longer.

Ellie walks...kind of

Long video, but you'll get the idea within the first minute. She loves to move...if only we could start doing it for real.

Chair Dancing

Enjoy this little video of Ellie highchair dancing to the Foo Fighters...in the middle of eating a

ginormous meal, of course!!

Ellie Turns One

Let's get this party started!! Apparently, the birthday girl gets whatever she wants because this is not her bottle. She stole it from her cousin, Lainey. Sorry, sweetheart!!

We were very excited that Joe's entire family could make the trip down to Sioux Falls. The roads were once again crap, but they all made it safely. Most of Jen's family made it, too. Add in some of Ellie's bestest friends (Stellan and Susie) and their parents and you've got a party!!

We ordered cupcakes from Oh My Cupcake in Sioux Falls. We would have ordered from our favorite, QCB, but they were expecting a baby of their own right around this time and Joe didn't want to burden the very pregnant Kristine.

Rosemary finally gets to eat her cupcake...she was ooogling over them all night long!

Ellie's turn for her birthday cupcake!!

As you can see, she very much enjoyed it. She probably gets that sweet-tooth from her mom. Bummer.

Ben is tuckered out from a day of swimming and a night full of family fun.

And as the song goes, "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to."

No afternoon nap + lots of activity/attention + a severe sugar shock = a very tired one-year old.

Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated our daughter's first birthday. We and Ellie send our love and thanks!!

So Big!!

Ellie had her 12-month check-up last week and she now weighs 23.5 lbs. That's just above the 75th percentile! Holy smokes! She's also right at the 75th percentile for height and head circumference. She's a well-proportioned (and well-portioned) kid!!