In January & February, we saw two months full of sickness. It seemed like every time we turned around, EK was running fever or not feeling well. She kept a cough and runny nose for a while as well as an ear and eye infection. We were glad for some warmer temperatures to get here and for all that cold and sickness to go away. We celebrated Valentine's Day in February with a trip to Jacksonville while EK stayed with her Grandma & KK. As much as I love EK, it's nice to have some "husband and wife" time, too. I know I don't say it enough, but we are two lucky girls to have such a wonderful daddy/husband. Hunter travels out of town for work at least once a month for about a week and it sure does make you realize how much help he is. I do think that he chooses my busiest weeks at school to travel, though! Ella Kate had her very first haircut on Tuesday, January 13th and did great. In the middle of January, we converted EK's crib to her full-size, big girl bed. She fell off the first night and it scared her a little after that, but after a couple of nights she loved it and sleeps so well in it. We did have rails for the sides, but could only fit one mattress on the bed instead of two so they wouldn't work. :(
March was a pretty uneventful month. April brought another round of sickness for Ella Kate and me. She got the stomach virus the night before Easter. Earlier that day we went to Sutton's birthday party and then had a little egg hunt at the park with Tiffany & Tinsley before going to an Easter celebration at my grandma's house. After that we went to Statesboro to run a few errands. When we got home I could tell EK was real whiny but I assumed it was because she slept in the car (which she rarely does) and didn't get a good enough nap. She refused to eat supper and then around 7:15 we began to dye Easter eggs. EK dropped one of the eggs really hard into the dye and I said "Whoa- be careful". Well me saying that began an emotional roller coaster. She began crying hysterically and Hunter had to rock her to get her to calm down while I cleaned up where the dye had splashed out. I finally talked her into trying again and this time she loved it. As soon as we finished, she wanted to go get in her chair and play on her iPad. While I was cleaning everything up, I heard the vomiting in the other room. She was in shock and didn't know what was happening. I ran in there to check on her, told her not to move, ran back for a towel and picked her up in it and took her straight to the tub. We bathed her, got her all clean and then I laid her on the couch so I could take the cover off of her chair to wash. There was so much vomit that it had soaked into the foam and her chair had to be thrown away. She now has a new one! After I got everything all cleaned up, she sat in my lap and rocked with me. And another round of vomit started. So after throwing up 5 times from about 7:30-11:00 and three baths later, we finally got her to lay down and go to sleep. And she slept all night with no more vomiting. The next morning when she woke up she was excited to see what the Easter Bunny left her and you would have never known she had been sick the night before. The day after Easter, I went on a girls trip to Amelia Island for a few days. I came back on Wednesday and then had dinner with some other friends in Statesboro. That night, during the middle of the night, I got sick with a virus and it lasted until Friday. We had a trip to Kentucky planned that Friday-Monday and I almost didn't go because I felt so bad still. On April 16th- EK had her 30 month check-up (doesn't seem right). She weighted 24 lbs, 2 oz. and was 34.2 inches tall. She is in the 5th percentile for weight and the 15th percentile for height. She is going to be petite I think. Ella Kate also got asked to be in her first wedding this month. She will be a flower girl in her Aunt Sarah & Uncle Brent's wedding June 11, 2016!
May was a blur- it happened so fast and it seems I had something to do every single day/night. We celebrated my birthday, my third Mother's Day, and even took a few trips. She also had her 2nd haircut this month- just a small trim. Hunter and I went to Atlanta the weekend of the 15th to see Needtobreathe in concert. They were awesome! If you have never heard of them- you should listen. You won't regret it. The next weekend, we took an overnight trip to Hilton Head for Memorial Day with EK. This was sort of our "test trip" to see how she would react to the beach. Last year, she did not like the beach at all. This year, she did much better. As long as she has shoes and the sand is flat/wet/hard she seems to be ok. Although she still isn't going to sit on it. She is not a fan of the thick sand but I can't blame her. She loved the kiddie pool at the Marriott and would have stayed for hours there. We ate out Sunday night and she loved dancing and running and looking at the boats where we ate. Last weekend (Thursday-Sunday), I went on a work trip with Hunter to Houston, Texas. Again, it's nice to get away and have "us" time but I sure do miss my girl when we're gone. She usually gets lots of presents brought home when we travel because we miss her so much. She got a new Lego Ice Cream truck set from our Houston trip and was so excited about it!
She loves lining things up in a row (toys, animals, etc.), loves her Legos, her iPad, and is obsessed with this $5 kitty cat stuffed animal Hunter got her at Wal-Mart. She takes it everywhere. She has named him "Kitty Cat Dabis". She also has two smaller animals (a dog- "Tuff" and cat- "Cat Dabis") that she likes to put in her baby doll high chair and feed baby bottles to. She likes to play doctor and checks our ears, blood pressure, heart, and even gives shots. Her favorite movie is Cinderella right now, but she did go through a "Frozen" stage at the beginning of this year. She also enjoys watching Charlie Brown. She loves to dance, can sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and "Skinna-Marinky-Dinky-Dink", can count to 10 alone and to 20 with help, and says most of her ABCs. She likes lacing beads and making everything into a birthday cake. She also loves to sing "Happy Birthday". As girly as she is, she also likes cars and trucks and insisted her Daddy buy her a toy bus and ambulance after dinner in Hilton Head. She told us she was going to put her boy (Happy Meal toy) at Mama's house (that's what she calls our house) in the "ambu-ance". She also understands that money is used to pay for things and that before we can take things from the store we have to "pay for it". She will pretend to swipe her play credit card on the recliner and makes a "shhhhhooo" noise and says "GOT IT" after she swipes it. She still has a paci (I know I'm a terrible mom) and taking it away is one of my next projects. We finally got EK to where she isn't afraid of the potty anymore and will at least sit on it. If I can accomplish the "No Paci" and "Potty Training" this summer I'll be one happy Mommy!
She sleeps great at night and takes about a 2 hour nap each day. She is definitely a child who lives by a routine and knows each step of her day.
Ella Kate's personality has really blossomed these past few months and she keeps us laughing ALL THE TIME!
Below are some funny stories about our EK…
- One night not long ago, we were coming home from Vidalia and Hunter asked Ella Kate if she smelled the "hay" in the field. Ella Kate of course held her nose and said "It stinks. Hay needs bath." We tell her at night time that she has to go night-night so that we can get baths because we stink. I guess that's where she got it from.
- One morning, when EK got up, I walked into her room and laid in her bed with her for a few minutes. She pointed to the canvas hanging on her wall of me and Hunter when I was pregnant. I have told her other times when she's asked that Ella Kate was in mommy's tummy in that picture because she always thinks it is a ball. On this particular morning, she said "Dat Daddy and Mommy." I asked her what was in my belly and she looked at me so serious and said "e-phant" (elephant). Thanks baby girl!
- While at dinner Memorial Day weekend, I was trying to encourage EK to color and picked up one of her crayons to show her how Mommy colored. She snatched it out of my hand and said "No, Mommy". I told her that was not nice and poked my lip out like I was pouting. After about a minute she said "I sorry Mommy- that's enough." :) One thing we have learned is that EK doesn't like getting in trouble or making others upset. She is so tender-hearted and will apologize and give you a kiss if she thinks she's in trouble or if she hurt your feelings. She also does not like it when you tattle or tell stories about her misbehaving.
- If Hunter and I are ever working or cleaning, and she's playing in the living room, she will holler "I need juice BABE" when she's thirsty.
- EK also recently had this big story about her friend Audrey at daycare taking her bow and then saying she pushed her back and made Audrey cry. She even showed us how Audrey cried. Come to find out, EK didn't push- but in her mind she did and the way she told the story was hilarious.
I could go on and on about the things that come out of her mouth!
EK is still going to daycare two days a week this summer and will begin full time when I start back to school. She got moved up to the "big kid" room yesterday and it hit me how fast she is growing up!
Below are some pictures from the past six months...
Late Christmas celebration with my sisters and their families- Friday, January 9, 2015
EK's 1st Haircut- Tuesday, January 13, 2015
BEFORE
DURING
AFTER
Seeing her big girl bed for the first time- Monday, January 19, 2015
Her new room!
Valentine Treats for Daycare friends.
Goodies from her daycare party- Thursday, February 12, 2015.
Daycare Buddies!
Goodies from Mommy & Daddy!
Easter treats for Daycare friends.
On Friday, April 3rd, Aunt Sarah & Uncle Brent asked Ella Kate to be their flower girl. She was so excited and loved all of her goodies. SO SWEET!
At Sutton's 2nd Birthday party on Saturday, April 4th, 2015.
After Sutton's party, we had planned to go to our church Easter Egg Hunt. When we were on the way, I found out it was already over. So we had our own little egg hunt at the park! This is the day that EK became addicted to Sixlets. Thanks Tiffany!
Sweet friends- EK & Tinsley. Tinsley kept giving her eggs to EK. :)
Easter Egg Hunt at Maw's
Dying Easter eggs for the first time- Saturday, April 4, 2015.
The Easter Bunny came to see EK!
Her very first Matilda Jane outfit!
My parapro and friend Laura got EK a chick last year that would chirp when you held it. The Easter Bunny had to find her a new one this year. I think this was her favorite thing she got!
Family Picture- Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015.
EK & Aunt Sarah on Easter.
Hunting eggs at Memommy & Granddaddy's on Easter. Abi helped her find them. :)
Mother's Day- Sunday, May 10th, 2015
Sweet little picture frame from Daycare and gift from church. My sweet hubby and EK also surprised me with a new David Yurman bracelet. I'm blessed!
Memorial Day Weekend in Hilton Head- digging in the sand!
So much fun!!!
She cleaned up the beach while she was there.
Swimming on her belly!
She got in and out 100 times wanting to jump to me. She said "I MUST JUMP IN".
Waiting on us to get ready for dinner.
Dancing while waiting to eat.
Me and my sweet girl!
Love this precious girl!
Funny picture with Mommy! Hunter was behind the camera trying to get her attention to make her look. She started copying him and wanted me to do it, too.
Checking out the boats with Daddy.
Taking a walk with Daddy on Memorial Day.
We had a great weekend and enjoyed our trip!
