Nine Months!

Ok, so I'm a little overdue for the nine month post - or any post for that matter. It's been so hectic with the new restaurant - business is going great. But, that also means Nick is working a ton more hours than before! And, Essie is becoming more active - which means mommy rarely gets to use the computer without little fingers trying to help!

We had Essie's 9 month check up last week. She is doing so well. Eating as she should (of course!) and growing as she should. Some of the rolls are decreasing on her legs! I was so excited she is finally below the 90th percentile for her weight! She's down to 85th...LOL! Her top 2 teeth popped in a couple weeks ago, so we have 4 now! And, she is sleeping through the night consistently. I have to admit, I'm a little sad about that....she's so cuddly in the middle of the night. But, I am sleeping better since I don't have to listen for her to wake up for a bottle!

You know Essie has been crawling for quite a while now. And, she's been pulling herself up on everything for a little over a month. She is starting to walk along the furniture. I really hope we have a walker by Christmas!!!

Speaking of Christmas.....we have our family pictures scheduled for tomorrow morning! I should be able to send everyone to Sharon's website next week to preview them!!

Enough of my babbling, I'm sure you really just want to see some new pictures of our sweet little girl!!





This next picture is too cute! Yesterday was Essie's first bad hair day!!!

Heavy Heart

Today, my heart is heavy. Earlier this year, my friend Matt, whom I have known since junior high, and his wife Shannon received some heart wrenching news regarding their two children. Their daughter will be 5 soon, and their son will turn 3 right after Christmas. Both children were diagnosed with a terminal disease known as Sanfilippo Syndrome. You can read about their story and learn about the disease here: Matt & Shannon's blog. (Keep the tissues close!)

Some of their college friends set up a website to provide information about the disease and help raise funds for the family. They just moved back to the US after living in London the past year. Matt & Shannon will need to buy a house soon; a great deal of remodeling will likely be necessary as they make it appropriate for the kids and the needs they will have as the disease progresses. There will also be countless medical bills as they seek to provide the best care possible for their precious children. If you feel led to contribute, or would like to learn more please visit A Hundred for a Home.

At minimum, please pray for Matt, Shannon, Waverly and Oliver. I never understood the depth of love a parent feels for a child until Essie came into our lives. And, I can't even begin to understand the pain Matt & Shannon must be feeling in their situation.

I'm going to add a link to Matt & Shannon's blog in our 'great links.' I hope it serves as a reminder for you, and for me, to pray for them often.

Thank you!

PS...Parents, go hug your kids and tell them how much you love them!!

Romper Room!

Our doorbell rang this afternoon and I opened the door to find our friend June and her dog, Misty. Misty is one of Ginger's puppies - the two of them LOVE each other. When they get together, they run and play and kiss; poor Fox doesn't know what to do with himself. They look so much alike, we usually have to check their collars to see who is who!

Today was Essie's first time meeting Misty. She wasn't sure what to think of this other dog that looks just like her Ginny. I think she was even more confused by us letting all the dogs play in her room! (The dogs are not allowed upstairs) As you can tell, I had a little trouble getting everyone to sit still for the pictures, let alone looking at the camera!! :-)

Can you tell which dog is Ginger??

Little Pumpkin

Sharon had a canned food drive tonight for our church food pantry. For a bag of groceries, you could have your child's picture taken in their Halloween costume. We decided our little Punkin would make an adorable pumpkin. So, here they are. Of course the credit for the wonderful pics has to go to Sharon :)

A rare moment....

As soon as Essie became somewhat mobile, the animals learned to run when they see her coming. She doesn't understand how to nicely pet the dogs and cats; she goes at them squealing with delight, grabs a handful of fur and pulls. So, you can imagine my surprise when I witnessed this adoring moment - and actually had time to grab the camera and snap a picture before the cat ran off.

In the second picture, can't you just hear Essie saying, "Kitty, come back!"?

Sharon captured it!

The new Cafe is officially open for business! This past Thursday, a party was held for those who were close to the project. Our favorite photographer, Sharon, was there to capture the evening and some great shots of the new space. She posted some pictures on her Blog, so I thought I'd just pass it along. Her pictures are much better than mine :)

Sharon's Blog

Look at my toothies!

A month after Essie's teeth popped through, I finally got her to sit still and show them off for a picture!