11 months

Ok so technically, although Eliza turns one on Tuesday, she is still 11 months... *gulp" "12 months" just seems so big and scary and... OLD. How is she already almost 12 months!? ahhhh. Anyways, I digress... Here are some pictures from the past month. Eliza is very into exploring her environment. When I'm holding her she often wants down so she can crawl around. She's pulling up now but is not walking. She loves music, books, and doggies.

Precious little Eliza with a favorite toy of hers.

Her favorite doggy in the entire world is Lilly, her Mimi's yorky. I love this picture because they look alike. :)

Typical activity. On a mission to crawl to anywhere.

A new love of hers is the outside. Any time the door is open for a second she beelines for the door like she's finally found her chance for freedom.

We love wagon rides! (um side note- this was taken on I'm pretty sure the only cold day in March)

One of her favorite things to do is pull books off her shelf and then sit and flip the pages.

This is often how I find them reading books. So sweet.

We love our Eliza and seriously cannot believe she's almost one. I think I'm actually just going to believe she's eight months? ;)

Museum of Life and Science

On Jonathan's day off this past week we went to the Museum of Life and Science with our neighbors, Kelly and Tangi. It was our first time there and we were so impressed! The museum is amazing and has quite a diverse set of activities. Along with the normal "museum" like things (that include really neat science displays) they have an expansive playground with huge musical objects, a dinosaur trail, petting zoo, and butterfly house. I was so impressed and when Eliza gets older I can see her really loving all the different exhibits.

Here are some pictures of our time at the museum.

We started with the petting zoo. Tangi and Kelly are neighbors of ours and it's really fun to have babies around the same age together.

Other than dogs, Eliza has never seen animals before and was wide eyed with amazement.... ok let's be honest, she was actually scared to death unless we were holding her. After taking one look at the pigs she started crying and when meeting the cow she was literally trembling. But when dadda held her those animals weren't so scary and she was ok to look from a distance. It was really sweet.

Tangi and Legend. Our sweet neighbors who live right beside us. Eliza loves Legend and we couldn't ask for a better neighbor than Tangi. It's such a blessing to be able to raise our kids next to each other too!

Kelly and Corrina live across the street and we have just recently realized we're both stay at home mom with kids around the same age. :) Kelly is a wealth of mommy knowledge and really active with Triangle Mommies so she's a great encouragement for me to get out and try new things.

"Dad, seriously. What is that?"

I loved watching her take everything in. It blows my mind to introduce her to aspects of life that she doesn't even know exist. aka- animals.

The cow was my personal favorite!

beautiful

After the petting zoo we headed over to the butterfly house. You walk in to this huge building and there were butterflies everywhere. Amazing!

Oh I love this picture. Taking in all the butterflies.

Kelly caught a butterfly on her finger!!!

This picture beautifully captures a glimpse of who Kelly is as a mom. She has a love for all things science (um I totally can't think of a better word than "science".... shows how well I know the topic. ha) and is so excited to teach Corrina.

(side note- because I'm totally inept at "sciency" things I love that God sweetly puts me around people like Tangi who is getting a PhD in genetics and Kelly who loves science so Eliza can have a chance when it comes to learning about anything other than literature. Thank you Lord. :))

Kelly showing Eliza the butterfly. Not sure what to think...

"Um, I don't like him"... maybe she'll take after her mother after all.

Our last stop in the museum was to a play area where little kids can get down and roam.

:)

Sweet b bear loving a flower her dadda gave her. (this is seconds before she then tried to put the flower in her mouth. yum)

The end.

Eliza was officially exhausted and we had a blast! Thanks Tangi and Kelly for initiating the trip!

Weekend Visitors

This past weekend we had Mimi, Aunt Julianne and Kalla came to visit. We love any time they come up and this weekend was no exception. What a blessed girl Eliza is to have such quality women love on and pour into her. Here are some pictures from the weekend.

Jonathan's mom and sister (aka- Mimi and Aunt Julianne) :). I love these women.

The visit was initially prompted by Julianne's friend, Kalla, getting tickets to the Clemson/UNC game.

Chicken Nugget all dressed up and waiting for her Mimi. (please note the look on her face- she has started doing this scrunched up nose look that seems to say "I'm slightly amused and disapproving all at the same time")

Eliza playing with Aunt Julianne. I'm smitten by her.

Reading books with Mimi. (we love books)

Oh and lest I forget to mention the star of the weekend, Mimi's dog, Lilly. Eliza is obsessed with Lilly and honestly spent the majority of the weekend crawling after her. Poor Lilly.

Fitting picture. Everyone loving on Eliza and Eliza mesmerized by the dog.

Both Eliza and Lilly got their workout this weekend as Eliza was forever trying to get a hold of Lilly and Lilly was really good at escaping.

"Why can't I catch the doggy?" (note the red knees from crawling everywhere)

We love Aunt Julianne!

It's a tradition to eat breakfast at Elmo's whenever Susan and Julianne come to town.

Here is all of us at Elmo's. And yes I know we all look exhausted. That's what comes from good times and a early morning breakfast due to Eliza's schedule.

Playing it Safe

The below clip was so convicting that I wanted to share it with you.

Our First Family Vacation

This past weekend Jonathan, Eliza, and I got away for our first family vacation! It was much needed and very enjoyed. We went to Blowing Rock, NC in the Blue Ridge mountains and oh my, it was perfect. In essence, we lazed about the cabin and connected with God, each other, and some great books. But I managed to take some pictures along the way (of course :))...

A sweet treat on the way up was being able to rendezvous with Aunt Julianne in Hickory, NC as she was on the way to a retreat for the weekend in Asheville. As you can tell from the picture below, Eliza was really happy after being in the car for three hours.

Our view from the cabin. I was reminded this weekend how much being in nature makes me connect with God. And when I say "being in nature" I mean from a safe, heated, man made home. ;)

To spend time as a family, just the three of us, with no outside influences, media, or work was bliss. How needed to be able to retreat, reconnect, and be refreshed (liking the alliteration?) together.

Eliza loved her daddy time.

And mom snuck in some overbearing hugs too.

A sweet moment in the weekend was Eliza discovering that she could put the colander on her head. Love that lil' chicken nugget.

Downtown Boone. We went to an amazing restaurant called Hob Nob Farm Cafe and if you're ever in the area I highly, highly, highly, recommend going. Delicious, eclectic, little restaurant with smack your face off good food.

Eliza loves her daddy (no seriously she does, although she does not love smiling for the camera)

Me and b bear.

This was one of our favorite scenes in a valley near the cabin and is a fitting picture for the desire of our hearts this past weekend.

"Blessed is the one... whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields it's fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither-

whatever they do prospers"

Psalm 1:1-3

How easy it is to be swept away by the worries of this world. This weekend was a sweet reminder for me to fix my eyes on Jesus. He is better than anything life can give and death can take away. Lord may I be like a tree planted, rooted, and established in you. An "oak of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor" (Isaiah 61:3).

"hi"

Eliza is 10 months old (um, what? where did the time go?) and is becoming very verbal. The below video is a cute glimpse of how talkative she can be (note at the beginning of the video how she is "talking" to her doll) and of a potentially new word she has started mimicking. A couple times now when I walk in it sounds like she says "hi". I've convinced myself I'm reading to much in to a sound but I happened to catch it on tape. What do you think? Is she saying "hi" or is my motherly pride over imagining?

Christmas in Greenville

After some awesome time in Greenwood we headed over to see Eliza's Pops and Gma in Greenville, SC. On our way, we stopped in Due West (gotta love the name) to see Jonathan's grandparents. After visiting for a bit we were on our way to see Pops, Gma, and Neman (their german shepherd).

Eliza had her own stocking waiting on her! So sweet.

Pops had an extra special present in his stocking this year. :)

One of the many blessings of time with family is there's so many loving hands to help with Eliza.

Eliza got a WAGON from Pops and Gma!!! Oh goodness. We were so excited. Here she is testing it out (notice the hands clamped on the side, I think she wasn't so sure about the moving around at first)

But then she decided she loved it and opened the rest of her gifts in the wagon. :)

Hilarious. This is what happens when the first grandchild takes her first wagon ride. Paparazzi. (note- Eliza is locked in to the dog.)

I love my family (and Eliza is still watching Neman who she was fascinated with)

We love you Aunt Julianne.

"Mom, seriously? Put away the camera and let me enjoy my wagon ride."

And after a couple great days in Greenville we packed up, and headed home to Durham with goodies galore, a few extra pounds ;), and lots of great memories from a week in South Carolina.

ps- Eliza might be in dog withdrawal after our week in SC because every time we bump in to one she practically convulses with joy. And NO we are not getting a dog any time soon. :)