Our week in iPhone pics...

I'm back, and once again with random pictures off of my phone.  There is just no time for "photo ops" these days, but my phone seems to do the job!

Who knew life as a coach's wife could be so chaotic on game day?!  We were running around like wild people last week before the first game.  I told Don I felt like his personal chef, photog, shopper and secretary.  We fed the boys a spaghetti supper and even had halftime snacks for them.  I think these boys are learning that Coach Pitt is NOT going to let them go hungry!  Crazy things came up all day--between buying 40 Snickers bars last minute to running to the Dollar store for 30 pairs of tube socks...I am thankful for all the help, my Sam's card, and a flexible work schedule.

After buying countless bottles of this stuff...we finally got smart.  This was a picture text I sent to Don to see if it was okay with him if we bought in bulk!  He approved! Ha.

This little cheerleader looks forward to game day.  She loves cheering on our Jackets!

Here is a peek at E's Lynn and Lynn portrait.  I am IN LOVE!!!  Can't wait to have it framed.

Sweet girl playing at Chick-a-way

Operation big girl bed has begun!  I am loving how it is coming together.

Told you it was random!  I just don't feel right if I don't at least attempt some sort of update once a week.

Until next time!

New Look

How do you like our new look?  I thought with all of the changes that happened over the summer that it was time for a fresh blog update.  It was hard to let go of "All About Ellie", but that doesn't mean this blog won't be mainly focused on her.  She's still the star of our show:)

Busy weekend

We have had a busy weekend.  We are all exhausted!

Even though Don is right in the middle of his busiest time of year, we still managed to get away this weekend for a little fun and some family visits.  Our trips to Bartlett always go by so fast and we never seem to have enough time to visit, but either way it's nice to see everyone and spend time as a family.

Before we left Saturday morning, Ellie started a little Toddler Time gymnastics class.  We told her about it earlier in the week and it was all she would talk about.  "I'm going to "banastics!" "Momma, let's go to banastics".  "I want to be like Gabby and do flips at banastics".  We ended up being about 15 minutes late for the 45 minute class but Ellie didn't know the difference and she had a ball.  It was more like an open gym type setting but she loved jumping on the trampoline and the hula hoops the most.  I am glad we found a little activity for her to be involved in for a few weeks.

After "banastics", we hit the road and headed to Memphis!  We thought since it was so pretty and we weren't sure when we would make it back, to go for a quick little zoo trip.  We were shocked when E decided she actually wanted to ride the camel this time!  It took a little convincing, but she smiled a huge grin the entire ride and seemed to be in heaven.  I am glad this is something she and her Daddy could do together.  I love these two so much!!

What made our zoo trip even more fun was that our good buddy Knox and his parents were there too!  We always have fun wherever we go with them.  Just wish we could have stayed longer!

DeDe and Peeps grilled steaks for everyone after our zoo trip.  It was yummy and Ellie loved all of the attention from Matt, Rachel, Granny and Grandon.

After dinner, things got interesting.  Poor DeDe has always had a bad back so we have all pretty much gotten used to her having aches and pains...especially after she's been in the kitchen all day.  But if you know my mom, you know she doesn't complain much or make a big deal out of any illness or pain. So we all got a little alarmed when she was doubled over in pain, nauseous, and practically in tears because of this horrible back and leg pain.  After she asked me to Google "kidney stones" and her symptoms matched EXACTLY to Web MD, we know something was up.  It was awful feeling so helpless and seeing her in so much pain.

So long story short...we finally talked her into going to the ER.  Five hours, an IV, a cat scan, some major pain meds and 5 prescriptions later, she's home and a little bit better.  Let me just tell you...kidney stones are no joke!  FEEL BETTER SOON DEDE!!!  We don't know how to act when you are the sick one!

That 3 am ER trip is catching up to me so I am hoping E sleeps well tonight.  We are working on "Operation Big Girl Bed" along with Don's first real game and a million work events and meetings for both of us this week.  I'll try to update again soon on some projects we've got going on!

More phone pics and a video!

I am back with more random pictures off of my phone.

Don had his head coaching debut last Friday night!  I was too busy sweating and feeding people to take many pictures, but I did manage to snap a few of you know who.  They didn't turn out too well, but it does give you an idea of how dang hot it was.  I am ready for fall football!

She had the cutest ponytail before we left the house.  The heat and humidity made it curl into a tiny ball by the end of the night!

 Poor girl got so tired by the end of the game that she laid back and relaxed on the concrete steps.  Next time I'll bring her a pillow!

We had her 2.5 year portraits done a couple of weeks ago.  I am SO pleased!  While driving through, we of course had to stop at Chick-a-way.  Pictures and chicken sure are exhausting!

We saw this idea on the Sprout channel about doing a rainbow out of Fruit Loops so we did a little crafting while Daddy was in a meeting on Sunday.  I think somebody ate more than she glued:)

She spotted this helicopter at the grocery store the other day and begged to ride it.  As soon as I set her up there, she wanted right off!  Figures.

We are finally cleared with the Deaf School!  Ellie passed with flying colors and we have no concerns for future hearing loss.  These appointments were always easy and almost a little fun!  Still glad to have that behind us, though.  We are considering a Speech eval to have a little issue looked at, but we're not really in too big of a hurry for that.

I just had to add this video from today.  Ellie now knows her birthday!  It is so funny to hear her say it.  She also says she is "two and a half" anytime you ask her how old she is and can tell us her full name.  She keeps us laughing!

Until next time...

It's official...

I am so proud of my big girl.  She has been accident free for EIGHT days.  I think we can finally say she is officially potty trained!  This is HUGE.

I am probably jinxing myself as I type, but I just had to document this and brag on her a little bit.  I also have to admit, potty training intimidated me.  This was by far the biggest challenge we have come across yet.  But she did it.  WE did it!  I am so proud of her.

Just a few tips that worked for us:

• We started out in Pull-Ups for school in the beginning.  Pull ups are expensive!  We were going through them like diapers.  Ellie really didn't ever realize the purpose of them and I got tired of buying them so we went straight to big girl undies and haven't looked back.
• Praise, Praise Praise!  Positive reinforcement!  
• M&M's or some sort of treat.  Sometimes it was fruit snacks, other times it was a Popsicle.  Just make sure you reinforce the reasoning behind them getting the treat.  
• I never made E sit on the potty until she went.  That would become a chore and a negative activity in her little stubborn mind.  I do still have to MAKE her go sometimes, especially when we leave the house, but she tells me 98% of the time now.  (I can also tell by her actions when she needs to go, too!)
• DO NOT STRESS.  I got frustrated quite a bit.  I am impatient by nature and motherhood is still teaching me the value of patience.  The minute I let her take control and decide she was ready, it all came together.  I remember thinking on a Thursday that she would never go #2 in the potty and we'd be buying pull-ups for years.  Then that Saturday she woke up asking to potty and we have been golden ever since.  
• Be prepared to visit every public restroom in existence.  Public restrooms gross me out.  I try to avoid them at all cost.  You can't do that with a potty training toddler.  Every store, restaurant and gas station will be visited.  I promise.  We visited 3 different gas stations between Brownsville and Greenfield last week.  That is not fun when you are alone with your 2 year old and afraid of being mugged.  Always find a safe place to stop!  
• Don't forget, when they gotta go, THEY GOTTA GO!  
• Be prepared to be humbled.  Motherhood in itself is humbling, but potty training takes that to a whole new level.  Ellie loves to announce her potty activities to a crowd.  (Maybe we've made it almost TOO big of a deal!).  Also be prepared for messes and helping do things you never dreamed you would do.  Isn't motherhood glamorous?
• She LOVES her night time milk cup, so we still put her in a diaper for bed, for now.  She has woken up dry every morning though, so I think this will end when I run out of diapers!  She has to go potty every morning first thing.  I am just so proud!!

I also don't think I've ever really mentioned E's tummy problems on here.  She has always needed a little "assistance" in the potty department.  I think using the potty instead of being scared to go in a diaper is helping that situation...at least I hope.  

Sorry for all of the TMI, but I need this for my memories and to remember that this CAN be done:)

Wasn't this my baby, just yesterday??

From my phone...

I am addicted to Instagram!  Such a fun photo sharing app.  It's a place where "over board picture taking mommas" like myself unite!

These are all random and in no particular order, but I just had to share!

The MOST babies have been born this summer.  We've had fun visiting!

My little assistant helping me with chocolate chip cookies

Sweet girls at a birthday party

Ellie's favorite past time...looking at pictures of herself!

A little morning painting session on the patio

I wish these girls could play together all the time.  They are so sweet together!

2.5 years, 30 months, 907 days...

Ellie, you are TWO and a HALF YEARS old today!  (Please don't double check my math on the days in the title...I never claimed to be a whiz in that department.  Plus, leap years can make the process a little tricky...he he).

Blog content has been less than interesting lately, but I did think that turning 2.5 was worth a post!  This has been an "interesting" stage in little Ellie's life, to say the least.  She is still talking, playing, singing, and doing all and more that the normal 2 year old should.

 Everyone always warned me about the age 2 and the difficulties and tantrums that were bound to follow.  Quite honestly, I didn't really listen and had no clue what they were talking about.  Yes, we had our fair share of trials and tough days, but I still never EVER considered E to be a "difficult" toddler.

Until this summer...

Heck, if I was 2 years old and had a fun school that I was comfortable in, friends I was familiar with, and a church nursery that looked identical to my school room, change would be hard for me too!  Not to mention a small little room with a cozy crib that I'd  had my whole life and a diaper to do all of my "duties" in (along with someone to clean them up for me!) life would be pretty awesome, and easy!

So needless to say, her world  has been rocked.  No more "school".  No more familiar friends.  No more church nursery.  No more small, cozy room with a crib to feel safe in.  No more diapers.  One of these obstacles is a lot for any toddler.  For our sweet girl, she was thrown all of these changes at her all at once.  New room, new bed, new nursery, new sitter, and potty training.  Bless her heart is all I know to say!

She has been a trooper, she really has.  But she has definitely been "off".  So now, she sleeps with us.  And we are lucky to get her down before 11.  And I am okay with that.  She deserves the patience and attention that all of these changes deserve.  I keep telling my self this is just another phase, and that it won't go on forever.  I'll be wishing one day for her to beg me to pick her up, or to ask to snuggle or for her to say "Momma, I want to hold you".  I know I will.  The days are long, but the years are short, so we are trying to savor every second.

Ellie, your funny little personality hasn't gone anywhere.  You LOVE to sing and watch You Tube videos of VBS songs.  You are all about teaching lessons to your animals and bossing your babies around.  You are into art, and painting and coloring.  You are my little assistant.  It absolutely makes your day if I ask you to be my helper.  You help with the trash, dishes, cooking, and even laundry!  You take directions very well and understand exactly what I ask 98% of the time.  You are too smart for your own good a lot of the time too.  You are a little trickster.  If you want to get out of bed or if you want an extra M&M or feel the need to distract me from working, you immediately shout "I gotta go potty!" so I will come running to your rescue.  Still gets me every time:)

You are an EXPERT procrastinator.  You will talk nonstop for hours to put off bedtime or to get out of something you don't want to do.  You love to climb into the car and buckle yourself into the car seat.  We have discovered the aweseome-ness that is Facetime and you love it.  It is great for getting our "DeDe fix" and makes that 2 hour drive seem not so far.   You can also be my little shy one.  People all over town seem to know who you are and they constantly come up to talk to us.  Most of the time you cling tight to me and shy away and other times you will talk their heads off.  You are a good mix of both of your parents!

You are our life, our joy and our little angel.  We sure would be bored (and sleeping a whole lot better!) without you here.

We love you sweet girl and can't believe you are halfway to THREE!

We can't forget to wish our DeDe a very happy 6_th birthday, too!  We love you DeDe!!!!