Crazy Days!

She's 14 weeks old!

Great Grandma Matzke and Elly

So tired that she can't even hold her tounge in.

Aidan loves his baby sister

First day of first grade!

Well, if you don't know it yet, we have made the big move to Illinois. We decided it was time to go and be all together as a family and we wanted it all to happen before Aidan started school.

We made our arrival on Tuesday and Aidan started school today (Thursday), so needless to say things have been absolutely crazy around our house, but everyone is alive and school started without a hitch this morning, so I guess that was all we could ask for!

Elly and Aidan have both adjusted to the move well. The first night we drove for 3 hours and stopped in Madison to stay at a hotel for the night because it had been a really long day with packing the truck and then driving. I was very nervous how Elly would sleep in a hotel, especially since she had napped really well all day and pretty much slept the whole way to Madison. Once I got her settled down though, she fell asleep and slept for seven hours straight! Aidan was actually probably the worse of the 2. The excitement of staying a hotel was just too much for him and it was about midnight before he finally fell asleep.

We are still getting settled in, but I wanted to share some pictures of the kids.

Victory is Mine!

Aidan trying to get Elly to look at the camera and Elly trying to get her fists in her mouth.


















Khari and Aidan wearing 3-D glasses at the Science Museum














Khari and Aidan in front of the big Earth












Heidi holding Avery and Amy holding Elly and Ceilia next to Amy


















Amy, Elly and Ceilia








Finally after weeks and weeks of trying, Elly FINALLY got her fingers in her mouth! She has now taken to sucking on her index finger.

Here are some additional pictures from the past week from our visit to the Science Museum and our visit from Heidi, Avery, Amy and Ceilia.

Party All the Time!

Pretty in yellow





















Elly at 12 weeks old














The happy family.













Daddy and kids














Aidan and Elly playing in the gym









Elly turns 3 months old tomorrow. I can hardly believe it. In some ways I don't remember life before her, but it seems impossible to me that 3 months have already gone by.


This past week was jam-packed with activities and adventures. This weekend we made the trek up to the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul to visit the Star Wars Exhibit. I honestly don't know who was more excited, Aidan or Khari. :D We had a great time and learned a lot.


In the same day we also took a trip out to Mall of America to visit Legoland which is probably Aidan's favorite place in the world to be at this age. He could stay there all day and look at things and play with the Legos.


I have to say that Elly is the BEST baby in the world. She sat in her stroller the entire time and just looked at things and smiled at people and ate her fists. She didn't make a crabby peep at all and I was so proud of my little girl. I know I have to eat up moments like this because all too soon she isn't going to want to sit in her stroller and *watch*, she is going to want to get out and *do*.


Elly's latest acheivement is blowing raspberries with her lips. She is so proud of herself and thinks that she is hilarious for getting drool all over her shirt.

Twelve weeks!

I'm just about to eat my shirt!


















Another obession-sucking in her lips and trying to "chew" them.



















Hey you! I'm talking to you!




















I spy, with my little eye....




















Just hanging out.












It is so hard to believe that Elly has been on this Earth for TWELVE weeks already. Having kids really makes time fly.

Elly's obession with her hands continues. It's become nearly impossible to take a decent picture of her (hence the lack of pictures lately) because she constantly has her fists up to her face. She still hasn't figured out how to actually get her fingers IN her mouth, but she is adamant about continuing the quest.

She is full of smiles and she actually started to "giggle" this week. It brings a mother pure delight to be the recipient of a big, toothless grin. She is so happy in the morning that it almost makes me feel bad to feel a slight grudge at having to rise at 6am, bleary-eyed.



We still haven't made it to sleeping through the night yet, but we really can't complain as Elly is pretty much like clockwork with her nighttime sleeping habits, so at least it makes it easy to have things fall into place with our own sleeping patterns.



Here are the latest pictures of Elly just taken today. Please note that I had to take approximately eleven billion pictures of Elly just to get these few shots where she didn't have her hands in her face. :)

Just keep swimming!

Elly's ready for the runway!





















Little Miss Polka Dot

















Aidan giving the deer some clover














Everyone wanted to feed the deer















Aidan the Climber








Not much new in the land of Elly-dom.

We are currently trying to beat the heat that has decided to sweep over Minnesota this week. Much of our time is spent lying around in the air conditioning. We do quite a bit of running around though because Aidan is back in the swing of swimming lessons. I like to go along and watch him. I can't wait until I'm able to splash along with him.

My main obsession right now is getting anything I can into my mouth. It's very tricky figuring out to actual move anything actual *to* my mouth though. I'm getting very good at getting my fingers in there and my new fixation is the clip on my car seat, or just the straps themselves.

I've decided to bunk any kind of schedule and just continue keeping my mom on her toes. Some days I hardly nap at all, other days I take a really long nap just one time during the day, and other days I take little cat naps all day long. I'm pretty consistent at night with sleeping at least 5 to 6 hours at a stretch, then eating and going down for another 3 hour stretch or so.

Attached are some pictures of my brother Aidan at Oxbow Park. This doe let us feed her clover right from our hands. It was surprising to us, because she is a new mother but we were thrilled to feed her and see how delicate she is up close. We had a lot of fun looking at all the different animals.

Happy Birthday America!

Elly at 9 weeks old



















There's a smile for you!


















So happy



















The little firecracker laughing!
















Happy Birthday America!









Well, 4th of July has past and I am now officially 2 months old!

The 4th of July was spent at my Grandma Jan's house. We just grilled some brats and hot dogs and enjoyed spending some time together. I was asleep before the fireworks even began, so maybe next year.

I had my 2 month check-up with the doctor today and I tell you that I don't like that place ONE bit anymore. Those shots really hurt! But the doctor had only good things to say about my growth and development. I am now 12 pounds and 4 ounces and I'm 23 1/4 inches long.

The doctor told my mommy that I'm showing all signs of being developmentally *early*. I showed her how I can bear weight on my legs and I even make stepping motions. This is also a newborn reflex, but the doctor says it usually goes away very quickly, so she thinks this is actually signs of being an early walker. Then I showed her how I get my legs moving when I'm laid down on my tummy. She basically told my mommy to get everything she needs or wants to get done now because soon I'll be all over the place!

I could have told her that! :)

Party Like a Rockstar!

The family
Grandma, Auntie, Daddy and Elly














The girls.















My beautiful Grandma Gwen
















Auntie Ekua. Isn't she pretty?!















My new sunhat!







This past week was filled with a lot of visiting and partying until all hours.

First of all, on Friday we went to visit my mom's cousin, Heather, her mom, Judy and Heather's 4 month old baby Clara. We had a great time and I just slept the whole 1.5 hour drive both on the way up and the way back. I was well behaved and Clara and I had a great time staring at each other.

Then Saturday afternoon brought the arrival of Grandma Gwen and Auntie Ekua. My grandma and auntie sure do love me. I thought they were so beautiful and everyone seemed to have such a great time, that I decided I didn't really want to sleep the whole weekend! Sunday I was finally so tired that at night I slept for my first 8 hour stretch ever! My mom was SO happy. I slept for 8 hours, woke up for a little snack and then went back to bed for another 3 hours. I liked staying up and partying with the whole family. I think I may be turning over a new leaf!