100 Days

Eliza's 100th day is this week. We have had the opportunity to celebrate three months of "month birthdays" with her. She is OUR LIFE. My brother asked me the other day, what is the best part about being a mom? My answer.... "EVERYTHING!" My brother next question me on what is the worst part about being a mom... I said, "Honestly, Jason I can not think of anything." He asked again.... "Really, Jason if you are going to make me pick something then ,I would have to say sleep and not being able to get everything done." But... even that really does not bother me. I know that these times are so precious and that she will grow up so fast that I am trying to LIVE. IN. THE. MOMENT. Previously, I have had a hard time doing living in the moment but I really think that I am not looking ahead or behind but, truly, taking it all in.

Today I tried to compile a list of everything that ELiza has learned in the first 100 days with us but ,I know that this is by far not everything, but there goes a short list. This way I know what to tell her when she grows up and wants me to answer these types of questions: She knows my voice. She knows tha t I will comfort her and love her. She has learned to "ask" for what she wants. She shakes her head no and yes (in that order) she learned no first and recently this week she has started to shake her head yes. She loves to crawl. Last week, Opi taught her to lean back but this week she "melts" to try to be Ms. independant and get down." Her favorite songs are "Itsey Bitsy Spider" and " Five little monkeys jumping on the bed." She loves to dance. She sticks out her leg and I call it her ballerina. Eliza loves the television show "DWTS." She watches them dance and many times bops up and down to the music. Elixa loves to study items and tries to repeat them. She is starting to really enjoy books and loves to put together puzzles. At ten months she is 19 pounds and wearing nine to twelve month clothing.

My 100 day letter to my daughter...

Dear Eliza,

Mommy loves when you smile, you know, that smile with those gorgeous almond eyes that are so brown that I can see your soul and my reflection loving you in them. I love the fact that you are funny and have a sense of humor but you are serious also. You do a great job communicating your needs to your daddy and I. At ten months old, you have captured our heart!

You are a sweet little girl that is friendly with strangers yet inquizative. Yesterday, a Chinese woman tried to talk to you and you sweetly nuzzled into my shoulder as if to say, Mommy I love you. Please protect me. That made me feel special. All I wanted to do was comfort you and tell you that it is O.K. You already knew because I was giving you your wings to explore but, I was there as your safety net for you to check in. You love to watch people, you not only capture people by your unique beauty but also they see straight to your loving heart.

I am so lucky to have spent our first 100 days together but I am also looking for the next hundred and the next hundred and again and again and again.

I love you my sweet baby girl!!!

Love,
Mommy

10 Months

Eliza was ten months old yesterday. She spent the day with her Omi and got to meet one of her Uncle's. Now, I think she has officially met the entire nucleus family, though we still have some extended family members to go. Eliza is a SHEAR joy! She wakes up happy. She loves to be held. She is drinking out a sippy cup with a soft nipple (transition nine month cup). She pulls herself up to a stand position. She transfers from one person to another or from one piece of furniture to another. She is only waking up two times a night. Yesterday, when she was off to her Omi's she waived bye to me. Her little hand was turned facing her and she opened and closed her hand. She loves to give kisses, open mouth slobber ones are her speciality. She is learning new developmentally appropriate "things" everyday and soon I think that she will be caught up. Her first word was "Up!" and "No!" The funny thing is that Richard and I made an agreement that we were not going to use the word, "No" with Eliza. We would divert her attention, say a phrase like "Not for Eliza" etc. but she shakes her head and definately nows the word "No," So much for the terrible twos we are not even to one yet!!!! My girl crawls. She is a speed demon. She also crawls the two steps to the kitchen foward and yes, folks, as of last weekend backwards.

Our lives have not been the same since we recieved her and we are LOVIN' every stinkin' moment(literally she gives us at least four to five surprises a day..you know the smelly diaper changin' kind) .

Shannon (GiGi's mom)

I miss you Shannon, Rob and GiGi... how can I be invited to view your blog? My pm is crabbykt@aol.com. Please contact me so I can follow your journey also! Hope all is well!

Eliza's 1st beach trip

One of my favorite pics to date!!!! PURE SIMPLE LOVE!!!!

Yeah, that's my Daddy holding me!

The love of my life!

Jumping the tidal waves...O.K. the after wave rumble. I am only 9 months, you know!

Am I a beach catapiller or what?

Standing on the seashore, waiting for a wave.

Daddy dug a hole so that I could feel like how it is to stand on my own, but Mommy still helped.

Pure goodness!

Simple fun!

This sand stuff is AMAZING!

Sand taste like chicken!

Mommy loves my long eye lashes!

"Toes in the sand, couldn't feel much hotter." ~Kenny Chesney

Yup, those look like fun waves.

Mommy, is that the beach that you been telling me about and reading me stories about?

Yum, I like the taste of sand... I wonder what my diaper for Oma and Opa will look like tomorrow!

Today was a family day!!!! I loved it! Richard changed his day off from work and it was perfect. We went to the beach! It was AMAZING! She loved it. She ate the sand. Crawled across the sand. Her Daddy bought her sand toys and she played with them in the sand. She learned to drink from a straw. She is definately a Mommy's girl, lovin' the beach!

Now for pictures of pure sweetness!

8 and 9 month Pictures

Making Opa's Birthday Cake...definately Mommy's shu chef,

Or... I could be the official taste tester.

Making Daddy's birthday brownies and finger painting with the batter.

I learned "So Big" and I am such a big girl helping Mommy and Omi making brownies.

Yup, it's official I am a baker.

At the Natural History Museum in the "Bug tunnel" with my new tunnel friend.

Me crawling through the tunnel thinking that I am a big girl.

Playing and kissing the alligator at the hands-on portion of the museum.

Omi and Opa are always taking me to historical sites and teaching me new things.

Me and Grandpa Reed

Ms. Susan and I

Grandma Reed and I

Yes, lots of people love me and I love them!

Aunt Pam and I

Love her!

Peas are one my favorite foods. I love veggies and fruit!

Tuna Noodle Casserole anyone???? Eliza loves it... come on...

My daddy and I are two peas in a pod! I love HIM!!!!!

Am I the Easter bunny?

Grammie and Eliza before the big AMAZING photo shoot at PP.

My two girls... two passie's (pacifiers) taken away not happy girls but loving girls.

Chessie and Eliza are truly best friends! They share everything and she is so protective of Eliza. Though Chessie does occasionally become jealous of Eliza... change in family dynamics but sisters of the heart!

Eliza and Chessie on Valentine's Day... our two loves... 2010

Eliza is starting to crawl. She started about two Wednesday ago. A day or two before she turned nine months old. For each of her birthday's that we have had in the United States she has been able to be with her Grammie and Granddad. It has been special. She recently followed her Opa around the room two times while crawling. She is getting faster by the day. She finally used American sign language for milk and she says "Mmm...." when she is hungry. It is so encouraging to know that we are figuring out her cues and I am sure she is figuring out ours. Last weekend we visited the Natural History Musuem in Washington DC. She loved watching the other children, playing in the touch and feel zone and looking at the dinosaurs, sea animals and mammals. We even took her to see the Hope diamond. She is a true girl and was truly impressed with the diamond, or... it could have been all the young teenagers surrounding the diamond. :) She has made a guest appearance at the middle school where I work and has been to Daddy's work and even watched him play in the band he recently joined. She loved dancing to his music.