Eleanor's Birthday Chair

Eleanor's Nana and Papa sent her a little chair for her birthday, just like the one in Caroline's room! Eleanor was SOOO excited, since she is constantly trying to crawl up into Caroline's. Eleanor's chair is lavender with white polka dots and will match her green and lavender room perfectly.  Eleanor had to try out every position in her chair and even brought a book up in it with her! Thanks Nana and Papa! Eleanor is so happy with her gift!

Eleanor's 12 month appt.

Eleanor had her 12 month well check-up this morning. She in the 95-97% for her heights and head circumference and in the 50-75% for her weight at 21 lbs, 9 oz.  Her pediatrician was very pleased with her progress. Eleanor is busy walking (very fast I might add!), climbing and even stadning now on her own without having to hold on to anything.  Poor baby had to have 3 shots though, but she did great!

Hotel Adventure

Last Friday we went to go visit Brett at the hotel, since we were only about an hour away all week. Caroline was very excited for her "adventure" to go down and see Daddy. Caroline request "a tortilla and rice" for dinner. "How about a quesadilla?" we said. Nope, she just wanted "1 plain tortilla and rice". Very nutritious, but whatever, it was her night to choose. We ate at a nearby Mexican restaurant and then went back to the hotel. The next morning, we took the girls out for breakfast and then to Space Center Houston. Although most of the stuff was a bit old for Caroline, she still really enjoyed the huge indoor play area, the shuttle liftoff movie and the flight simulator that made her feel like she was in a roller coaster in outer space. Eleanor had a great time walking up and down the halls and trying to climb the stairs! After we got home and the girls took naps, Caroline asked if we could go to the park and have a picnic for dinner. The girls enjoyed their picnic dinner and playtime together.

 

Remembrance Day

October 15 is National Day of Remembrance for Pregnancy and Infant Loss. We are thinking of our baby girl, Marin Jane, today and our nephew Braddock who passed away on Sept. 11, 2007 at 5 1/2 months old. I don't think a day goes by yet, where I don't think of Marin and what life would have been like for Caroline and Eleanor to have had a little sister, especially since Caroline tells us at least several times a week, "I LOVE having a baby sister!". Although we had not told Caroline yet that we were expecting again, we had already mentioned casually to her that maybe she and Eleanor could share a room when Eleanor got bigger. Caroline will still bring it up sometimes and talk about how exciting it would be to share a room with Eleanor one day.  That still makes it really hard some days. Or if I see a family, while we're out, with three little girls, I can't held but wonder. We keep her 12 week ultrasound picture on our refrigerator. It's the only picture we have from the many ultrasounds I had. We also have a box of all the cards and letters that were sent to share with Caroline and Eleanor one day. I know that it was for the best for Marin, as it would have been a very difficult, very short life for her had she made it to term, but that still doesn't help that it's hard for us sometimes. Please keep Marin and Braddock in your hearts and thoughts today. They will always be in ours. We will also be thinking of our many friends today that have suffered a loss(es) while pregnant. Our thoughts are with all of you, too.   

"Tower as Big as Me"

Caroline just wanted to make sure I got a picture of her with her tower that is as big as she is : )

Happy Birthday, Eleanor Grace!

Eleanor Grace born October 11, 2007 3:40pm 7 lbs. 9 oz. 19 3/4" 
1 day old
1 month old- Nov. 2007


2 months old-Dec. 2007
3 months-Jan. 2008
4 months-Feb. 2008
5 months- March 2008
6 months-April 2008
7 months-May 2008
8 months-June 2008
9 months-July 2008
10 months-Aug. 2008
11 months-Sept. 2008
12 months-Happy Birthday!





(Of course, they always love the box the best!)

Happy Birthday, Eleanor Grace! 

I can't believe that it was one year ago that you came into our lives at 3:40pm. We can't imagine our family without you. You bring such sunshine and happiness into Mommy, Daddy and Caroline's lives! We have had so much fun watching you grow and learn over the past year! We look forward to watching you becoming a bigger girl each day. We love you and want you to know that your first year has been a joy for all of us (well, except when you went through those first 8 months screaming every three-fours hours at night, but we're now willing to look past that now!).  We know that you will bring us many smiles years and years to come! Happy Birthday!

Eleanor almost 12 months!

Eleanor's favorite thing is to push around her car waddling back and forth between the kitchen and the living room. She is playing with her big sister more and more and finds Caroline to be just about the funniest person there ever was. Eleanor also no longer drinks from bottles. She only drinks from sippy cups! She is taking about 10-12 steps at a time, will fall down, crawl to something to pull herself back up and attempt walking all over again. Her sleeping has gotten A LOT better. She goes to bed at about 6:30-7:00pm each night and wakes up anywhere between 6:00am and 7:00am. SHe still takes two naps a day and usually sleeps for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours for each one. Eleanor is a great eater! She'll eat almost anything and a lot of it, too! We can't believe that she is going to be ONE on Saturday! Time does fly! Pictures of the birthday party to come!

Oil Ranch Farm

Sunday afternoon we took the girls to a nearby farm for some fall fun. Caroline and Eleanor enjoyed riding the ponies, taking a hayride and petting cows, riding a train and picking out pumpkins. Caroline even got to milk a cow! The weather was perfect and the girls loved looking at all the animals.  It's hard to believe that when we were there last year Eleanor was only a week and a half old!