Ergo=Love

I've loved my Ergo since first use, but after putting Ella Grace in the back carry for the first time I have fallen in love all over again! I wish I could supply Ergo's for all my mommy friends and readers. I love my Moby wrap as well, but Ella Grace is getting a little heavy for it and, it can't back carry.

I decided to try the back carry on a fluke, thinking she might be too short still, and she LOVED it!

Edited: I just found this awesome ERGO give away!! OMG!!!

http://thebabystoreplus.blogspot.com/2010/04/win-ergobaby-infant-carrier-then-get.html

I would LURV to have a second Ergo. Possibly one not so girly so Sean would wear it more :)

also- check out the giveaway-er's website http://www.shop.thebabystoreplus.com/

Friday Follow!

I am growing extremley fond of Friday Follow and Follow Me Fridays! I love the easy access to load of blogs and love "meeting" all the new people who stop by my blog. I can't wait to see what new friends I make today!

Thanks for coming by!

Thankful Thursday

I've seen this on some other blogs and thought it's a good one to add. Here is a list of what I'm most thankful for this week...

1. Ella Grace smiles first thing in the morning

2. My husband working hard to provide for us

3. A dad who is willing to drop what he has planned to help clean out the closet when the water heater busts

4. Apartment matienance people who replace busted water heaters so I don't have to

5. Friends who you can count on to share in your joys, sorrows, excitement, and fear

6.Pink & Red Starbursts

7.A big tub of orange Gumdrop pacifiers

8.Part time work with children I enjoy earning money we need

9.Barefoot weather

10.A safe return from a long road trip

What are you thankful for this week??

Barefoot and Fancy Free

Although cooler than a usual spring day, today was beautiful. Ella Grace fell asleep in the back seat on our way home from babysitting and when we got to the apartment I decided to take the opportunity to clean out the car. If you have read my last 5 posts, and have ever traveled yourself, you can imagine how badly this needed to be done. So while my daughter slept in her car-seat, I cleaned out and even did a mini detailing job on the car. Walking back and forth carrying stuff inside my crocks were getting on my nerves so I kicked them off. The concrete is bumpy and as I cut across the grass to my car, the feeling of the cool blades beneath my feet was immediately relaxing. Anyone looking out their window or driving by probably thought I was crazy as I walked first in circles and then in a back and forth pattern across the lawn. 

Have you kicked off your shoes lately?? 

5 Days, 5 States- Day 5

Today was the last leg of our journey and the longest drive of all. Newport News, Virginia to Atlanta, Georgia.



Over 600 miles in one day wit my 12 week old. The two previous legs of our trip had been driven starting in the later afternoon. 2pm on both days actually. On both of these drives, Ella Grace was an angel. Sleeping most of the way and content to look at herself in the mirror during the times she was awake. Today, this was not the case.

We left Newport News around 9:30am and by 10:00 she was awake and fussing. She would take her paci, be chill for about 5-10 minutes and then fuss again. Where as on the way up we didn't have to make any unscheduled stops, today we had to stop quite frequently as Ella Grace decided she needed to nurse every 2 hours. Dad and I were and are pretty beat from the trip and we just wanted to get home. Oh well. Not much we could do. She did give us a couple of 1 hours naps and when I was sitting with her in the back seat she was much less fussy. It gave us some playtime too. She is starting to hold her toys and either try to eat them, or shake them around, so playing with her is becoming more and more fun.

Here are a few pics from our last day on the road...

5 Days, 5 States- Day 4

Today was our only unscheduled day. We were just chillin at my Aunt Jenny's with Gran, Shannon, and Tristian. Playing with Ella Grace and trying to keep Gran in check and daddy working on stuff around the house and in the yard.

Spending the day, helping take care of a woman who took care of me for years, has been both a rewarding and emotionally draining. I loved my Aunt Jenny before I came, but my respect for her has grown exponentially in the past 2 days. I am glad that I've had this time with my Gran, but I also am aching inside. The woman I knew as a child is gone. She knows who I am most of the time, but her actions and thoughts are those of a small child. Constantly feeling like others are out to get her and bossing her around just to boss her not to help her. She thinks she can still take care of herself and any help is just people picking at her.

Seeing her play with my daughter brought joy to my soul and I'm glad I've taken pictures to show Ella Grace when she is bigger. My eyes are watering just thinking of the day that Gran won't be here. I am pretty sure that she will mentally be gone for a while before she actually goes. Either way, I know Ella Grace will never really know her.

5 Days, 5 States- Day 3

Today was another travel day. Before we left we took some pictures on Aunt Cathy's back porch.

We started our day in Peterstown, West Virginia.

On our way out of town we stopped at Peterstown Cemetary to see my Paw Paw's grave as well as my great and great-great grandparent's graves. Peterstown Cemetary sits on top of a hill and the view is beautiful. I can't wait to take Ella back when she is older and I can tell her who is who and she can see where her Paw Paw's family is from.

 

(Me and Ella at the Williams Family Plot)

(Daddy saying hi to his Pop, My PawPaw)

 (PawPaw's Tomb Stone, next time I visit,I'm taking him a six pack.)

And drove across the beautiful mountains and hills and valleys of Virginia to Hampton, Virginia.

My daddy was born in Newport News which is just down the street from Hampton. My Aunt Jenny and her kids as well as my Granny still live there and we took Ella Grace to meet them!

 (Introducing Ella Grace to her Great Granny.)