MY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND I.E. ELLE GOES ROLLER SKATING

This Saturday was my birthday.  I have never been huge into birthdays but I was happy to have Kenny come home from market on Friday and then go to dinner with one of my very dear friends, Tracy to celebrate. Tracy and I went to a newish restaurant in Starkville called Commodore Bobs.  We came home completely stuffed, watched some HGTV while we chatted and went to bed.

Saturday morning I was so excited to take Tracy to my favorite brunch place Restaurant Tyler.  But we rolled up and it was closed.  So we went and had breakfast at the Grill before coming home to hang out a little bit before Tracy had to leave.  I would of loved to have Tracy stay all weekend but we had two back to back birthday parties for Elle's good friends that afternoon.  

 Before Tracy left Elle asked her to braid her hair in pigtails! She was so excited! And I am going to have to start practicing doing them.  They looked so cute on her!

The first birthday party we attended was for Elle's good friend Miriam at the gymnastics gym.  We go to a lot of birthday parties there and Elle loves it!

Cake and ice cream with our sweet friend Kate.

After Miriam's birthday party we swung by the house to grab Kenny for our friend Anna Claire's birthday party at the skating rink.  After having been at one birthday party I needed parenting reinforcement plus we have never been rollerskating before so thought it would be nice to have Kenny there for the milestone and for the help!

Elle was so excited to go rollerskating. Have to be honest but I had my doubts on how we do. Especially with being a little worn out from the previous birthday party.  But she loved it! The wheels were pretty tight on her skates and they have these great walker things at this roller rink that really help. All the parents were talking about how we didn't have those when were little.  Just had to death grip the side. By the end Elle was out on the floor without a walker.  She told us as soon as we got back in the car how much fun she had and how she couldn't wait to go back.  Total success! It was a great afternoon and seeing her have so much fun with her friends and getting to visit with our friends too made for a great and tiring birthday afternoon.

 Tying up the skates!

Quick picture with Mommy before we set out.

And we are off-with the help with the walker.

Getting some tips from Daddy.

Feeling brave and sans walker.

Family pic.  All looking a little tired fro all the fun.

 Pizza time! Love the wall decor at the skating rink!

Like I said it was  great afternoon!  After the parties we grabbed some sushi to go and watched a movie once we got Elle to bed.  Kenny also gave me a gift certificate to the spa here for a massage and pedicure and I can't wait to enjoy that. Sunday morning we planed to go church but Elle had a little bit of croupy cough so we stayed home and Kenny went out to the golf course  Then I went to see The Giver with a friend that afternoon.  I loved the movie.  The Giver is my favorite book of all time and I thought the movie did a good job.

And I just have to include this last picture!  I was so sick and tired of having to sweep every day and our floors still being filthy so I made the decision to shave Lena.  Kenny was so not happy with the results.  I, however am already noticing a difference in our floors.  Time will tell if we will start to keep her coat shorter permanently.

Lena sporting her new haircut.

IT'S OUR WEEKLY PICTURE ROUNDUP

This week just flew by and that was with Kenny at market.  That is hard to believe.  It is amazing how much easier it is to single parent when you aren't on your death bed.  

I am going to go ahead and apologize in advance for the amount that I gush in this blog post.  It has been a great week with Elle.  I am not sure if it is school starting (Mommy is getting a break) or some beautiful weather or what but I have just been in complete adoration of Elle (more than normal) this week.  I am watching her grow and get to do new things.  I am watching her friendships grow stronger and I am watching her turn into a little girl and not a baby. Okay maybe that part is a little hard but I am in total awe of her beauty and her personality.  Every parent feels this way about their child but I just need to say how much I love her and adore her!

To kick off the week we had our dance class! Our best friend Abigail was there this week and these girls.  Yall.  My heart wanted to explode they were being so sweet and cute and were so excited for dance class.

We had asked them to take a picture and they were getting into position but turned the wrong way.  Their little hands starting to squeeze in for a typical girl pic.  Aaaah!

Alright girls.  Now we are turned the right way.

I had a JA Provisional meeting so Kenny did pick up from dance class.They stopped to get some to go food and Kenny sent me the cutest pictures of Elle practicing her dance moves while they waited.

This picture has no story other than these past few mornings I have just been so in love with her and how beautiful I think she is.  One morning I just started taking pictures trying to capture it.

Wednesday afternoon the weather was cool, windy and beautiful so a quick group text had us all at the Country Club park to let the kids (mostly all girls) play and let the mommy's hang out!  We all had a great time.  I have decided I would be the happiest girl int he world if the temperature never got above 85.  Too bad it is supposed to get hot again this weekend.

Look at all these precious girls! I adore them and their Moms!

My friend Kelly and her two girls Brooklyn and Caroline rode over to the park with us on our golf cart . So we stopped and got ice cream on our way home from the pro shop.  Ruined their dinner but that is what a childhood is for!

Yesterday was equally amazing weather wise so we spent our one morning without school or an activity leisurely eating breakfast and then playing outside. I pulled out the very popular water table.  I promise she loves this thing 10 times more than she ever loved it as a toddler.

Isn't she just so cute and full of joy! See told you I was going to gush! Blame it on my hormones!

After soaking her dress immediately we changed into our bathing suit.  Please look at all that attitude.

For lunch we went and grabbed some Chick Fil A and ate it out on the patio.  Elle and Lena had a moment.  Goodness Lena is looking so old!

Alright I know this was a sappy gushy overly obsessed post.  But we had a great week and I am so in love with my family!  Looking forward to a great weekend celebrating my birthday and celebrating Elle's friends birthdays.  We should be nice and worn out by the end of it!

23 WEEK UPDATE

These two pictures don't really have anything to do with this baby update other than I was pregnant and present in or while these pictures were taken. Kenny and his friends played in a golf tournament this past weekend so we were busy all weekend with different events centered around that.  We all had a lot of fun!

 Friday night we went to the country club for dinner and a putting contest.  Elle wanted to sit with Mr. Jay and Mrs. Margaret but the sun was in her eyes.

  Saturday night was a steak dinner with door prizes, a draw down and a band.  Dinner with friends made for a great night!

How far along 23 weeks exactly!  My What to Expect App says Walker is the size of a Papaya.  8 inches 1.2lbs.

Total weight gain/loss? I am still around 15lbs gained but I feel like the pounds are about to start coming on and I can tell in pictures and in the mirror that my body has changed.  Normal but always a little hard.

Maternity Clothes? Yes! Getting excited to buy some fall things though.  I have completely outgrown all of my work out clothes and have resorted to wearing Kenny's tshirts to the gym a few times which makes me feel totally frumpy and unmotivated.

Stretch Marks- None. Still need to start lotioning up though!

Sleep? Sleep has been okay.  I can't believe that I STILL have not bought a snoogle!  I also started this week getting to the gym to work out with my trainer at 6.  So that makes for an early mornings but I do love the endorphin boost I get and that I get that hour and a half back of my precious PDO time!

Best Moment Last Week?  Kenny and Elle spent an entire afternoon together and Elle just loves spending that one on one with him.  We also had a great time doing all the golf tournament activities with Kenny.

Movement? Lots and lots of movement.  Last night I got worried because I could not remember the last time I felt Walker move so I started moving my tummy around trying to wake him up. He didn't really wake up but he was kicking a whole lot this morning so all is well.

Food cravings? Major sweet tooth! It is so surprising to me.  For instance at that steak dinner Saturday night all the food was delicious but I was absolutely devastated that there was ZERO dessert.  They had salad, and garlic bread and loaded baked potatoes and huge steaks! But NO DESSERT!!  I cannot eat anything without eating a sweet at the end!  

Gender? It's a boy! Kenneth Walker.

Labor Signs? None but I have had some painful Braxton Hicks and have noticed that I am getting more of them if I am up and on my feet more that I should be.  But I am thrilled to say that my new best friend Yolanda at the OBGyn's office does the best shots ever.  Like seriously.  The last two weeks my shot spot has not hurt at all.  Compared to barely being able to move from the shots I am so happy!!

Belly button in/out? In.  But oh my lord I am getting scared.  By the end of the day it is getting closer and closer to being out!

What I miss? I know this is similar to what I said last week but I was majorly missing having a drink at that dinner on Saturday night. And I miss being able to crouch and bend over to do things for Elle.  It is getting harder and harder.

What I am looking forward to? I am looking forward to my monthly doctors appointment on Friday.  I totally flaked out and no showed for my originally scheduled appointment this morning! I am so embarrassed! That is so unlike me! My friend Courtney is an nurse at my doctor's office and texted me asking if I knew I had an appointment this morning! Oops!! I am kicking myself!  I am also looking forward to one of my best friends, Tracy coming in town for a night to celebrate my birthday and celebrating with Kenny and Elle.  The actual day of my birthday we will spend at two of Elle's best friends birthday parties but it will be fun!

Funny things Elle has said this week about Walker: She is excited because I explained to her that Walker can now hear our voices and words.  So she talks about how he can hear her and talks to him a lot.  It is really sweet.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2014

Last Wednesday Elle started a new school year. She is in Three Year Old Preschool three mornings a week.  Mrs. Valerie is her teacher and she is in the bear class.  We have moved to the downstairs portion of the preschool meaning she is an official big kid as far as this preschool goes.  The day before we went and met Mrs. Valerie and saw the new room.  Elle is so excited because her new class has a fish tank in it.  We might need to get her a pet fish for the house.  

After we got ready in our new back to school dress it was out to the porch for some pictures.  I love seeing every one's back to school pictures but I personally like to take these pictures to compare them to the last day of school pictures to see how much they change.  It is nice because Elle has really started to cooperate when it comes to picture taking lately.

Her is the part of the blog post where I gush about how big she has gotten.  My little baby girl is completely gone and she is a little girl now.  Her face has grown up and she is getting taller and leaner. Her personality changes day by day and she keeps us on her toes.  I tell her several times a day how much I truly adore her. Kenny and I talk constantly of how much fun she is.  

All ready for her first day of Three Year Old Preschool.

Had to get in some of her new ballet moves.  Of course.

Cheese!

Love you so incredibly much Elle!  Can't wait for a great school year!

ELLE GOES TO DANCE!

Elle had her first ballet and tap class this Monday.  She was so incredibly excited and so was I.  We were really excited! Can I say that too much?  I was a little nervous about getting her hair in the required bun.  But since she needed a bath anyway and she will actually let me brush her hair right after her bath thanks to conditioner I managed to do okay.

Of course as soon as I got her dressed we had to take some pictures!

Posing in what she considers the main ballerina pose.

This is my favorite.  Sweet little ballerina.

Kenny came in and got a little emotional.  These things are making both of us a sentimental about how quickly she is growing up.

Many of Elle's friends are taking dance class at this ballet studio.  Some of them are on different days.  We do have two of our very good friends in the same class.  Miriam and Abigail but Abigail was sick this night so she did not come.

Sweet friends.

Lining up to start class. Elle was so excited she barely looked back in my direction.  She and Miriam were holding hands.  I was dying.

They do tap at the end so I had to get a couple shots of her in her tap shoes.

I told her to tap her toe.

The first dance class was a total success. She absolutely loved it and came home showing us all kinds of things. She has already asked to go back again several times.  We are only going once a week though.  We do start gymnastics in a couple of weeks too and we wills see how that goes.  All of these things are so fun to watch her grow up and start doing. 

QUICK TRIP TO BIRMINGHAM

As I mentioned in a previous post, Elle and I tagged along with Kenny to Birmingham this past weekend. Kenny was going to a concert with a friend so we dropped Kenny off at a different hotel and we checked into a different one closer to Target.  True story.  I was in desperate need of a Target run.

Elle and I had fun shopping and then grabbing some dinner before going to bed.  On Sunday morning, Elle and I woke up got packed up and did her favorite thing to do at a hotel.  Eat breakfast! She loves eating breakfast at a hotel. After breakfast we headed out to pick up Kenny and then made our way to the Birmingham zoo. We had never been to this zoo and we really enjoyed it.  We did not get to half of it and it is not that big of a zoo.  When we take Elle we don't really push her to do anything.  If she wants to stop and play in the park portion for a long time we kind of let her.  It is all about having fun as a family and not necessarily seeing the entire zoo.  There will be plenty of visits I am sure.

We had lots of fun.  We bought the unlimited ride bracelets so we rode the train and then the carousel many many times.  We enjoyed the petting farm part and the butterfly exhibit. We saw elephants and giraffes and monkeys. It was a really great day spent as a family. They have a splash pad there and Elle is dying to go back with her bathing suit.  We were all totally beat and HOT by the time we left.

 Selfie riding the carousel.

Snuggling in the air conditioning when we got home.  It was storming.  So nice!

22 WEEK UPDATE

How far along 22 weeks and one days  My What to Expect App says Walker is still the size of a spaghetti squash. That's kind of big! 

Total weight gain/loss? 12-15 lbs I would guess.  I haven't weighed myself in a while.

Maternity Clothes? Yes.  But once again I am growing tired of the things I have.  All I really want to wear are dresses! They are just so much more comfortable.  Need to buy a few more! 

Stretch Marks- None. Still need to start lotioning up though!

Sleep? Sleep has been better besides the bathroom stumbles 3-4 times a night.  I have been so tired when I get into bed this past week that I sleep like a rock.

Best Moment Last Week?  Taking an impromptu trip with Elle to Birmingham and as a family.  We rode the carousel several times and there was one ride where she was looking at me and just giving me the sweetest smiles. 

Movement? Lots and lots of movement.  I feel like he is moving constantly.  No need to kick count here.

Food cravings? Candy.  Particularly this week.  Jelly Bellys.  I love Jelly Bellys anyway but I managed to get some mixed bags while I was in Birmingham this past week and I am not exaggerating that Kenny has had to come and pry them out of my hand on a couple of occasions because I can't stop eating them!

Gender? It's a boy! Kenneth Walker.

Labor Signs? None.  My Braxton Hicks are starting to be more uncomfortable.  I just hate that feeling of my stomach tightening up.  And funny enough my progesterone shot from last week did not hurt one.single.bit but I am still sore on my other side from the one two weeks ago!

Belly button in/out? In.  Better stay in.

What I miss? I am missing being able to go out with my friends and have a drink.  Sorry just being honest.  I need a serious girls night with or without alcohol but I would also really enjoy a little relaxation and lower inhibitions that comes with a drink.

What I am looking forward to? I am looking forward to school starting today and the feeling that Fall is upon us.  Even though I am currently trying to get the house more comfortable for football guests I love this time of year.  It always feels like more of a fresh start to me than New Years.  I am also looking forward to getting our patio done.  Our new patio furniture got delivered yesterday and I can't wait to get it all put together!

Funny things Elle has said this week about Walker: Sadly I am not recalling any cute stories about Elle and Walker.  But I will say that the way she spoke with our friends baby the other night was so sweet and kind.  I am not sure where she learned to talk to babies like that because she hasn't seen me around a whole lot of babies.  But she was so great with him.  It made me excited for how helpful she is going to be with Walker.

OUR LIFE AS OF LATE

Oh man am I behind! I have some serious blog posts to hammer out! Elle starts a new year of preschool tomorrow and football is right around the corner and I am currently in anxiety over drive although I am not totally sure why!!

So her is a total photo dump from the last couple weeks and then there will be a few more specific posts coming too. 

Kenny finally returned home from market last week and with him flying into the Golden Triangle Airport which is super small we were able to go into the airport and watch his plane land through the window and watch him get off the tiny puddle jumper plane and greet him with humongous hugs! We were so so so happy to have him home.  Really happy!

Elle waiting for the plane to land.  Keeping a good eye out.

Still watching and waiting.

Neither one of them would let go of each other.  We missed him!

So happy we get to go home!

Kenny and Elle have still been frequenting the golf course.  She loves going with him and I enjoy the little alone time it gives me.  It seems lately every time they go she has been playing dress up and it is just easier to let her wear whatever she has on.

Driving range in a tutu.

Just had to include this picture because I think she looks cute.  

Even though it is really really hot today.  We had some unseasonably cool days last week.  We still are trying to enjoy our final pool days.  On the cooler days it isn't bad if you are in the pool but you get kind of cold once you get out.

All wrapped up on a cool summer day.  Her lips even look a little blue in this picture.

I signed Elle up for ballet last week (much much more on that soon) and then went to purchase her ballet slippers and tap shoes and she has worn those ballet shoes morning noon and night.  She is so excited for her first class!

Fresh out of the bath and needed the slippers back on immediately.

We went to Waffle House for breakfast one morning and Elle wanted a little bit of everything.  So while Kenny and I had more modest breakfasts Elle had the all-American grand slam. Ha!

Elle is still enjoying using Walker's nursery in progress at her baby's nursery.  Good practice.

Friday night we had friends over for dinner and two of our friends were in from Missouri with their new baby Wyatt.  We were so excited to meet him.  Elle was so sweet with him and I think she will be great with Walker.

Talking to Wyatt.

We were posing for another camera but I thought this was a cute picture.