Hiatus is over.

The blog hiatus is officially over. I tried to recruit a guest blogger, but I guess he was too busy chasing after a certain 1 1/2 year old to add any posts. I cannot blame him.

I feel like a lot has happened in the past (almost) month, and yet I don't really remember what. I need to go through what pictures we do have and get some updates going. Something to look forward to.

In the meantime, we have a super fun summer planned and I cannot wait! A baby shower this weekend for Baby Jones, a vacation to the Dells to celebrate my parent's 40th wedding anniversary later this month, swimming in the pool with Ellie (which reminds me I need to see if we can still sign up for swimming lessons in August), Baby Jones' arrival in July, the State Fair in August and then we are already into fall! And getting the house ready to put on the market. Busy, busy, busy. I cannot wait!

Friday the 13th

18 months ago on Friday the 13^th a little someone special joined our family. It is unbelievable how much that baby had changes in the last 18^th months.

She is…

• a blue-eyed, brown-haired little girl.
• easy, we will wait for the shoe to drop when she becomes a teenager. Until then- we have a very good baby.
• a lover of anything Elmo.
• a little girl that went a year without an ear infection, then had six in a matter of five months. She now has tubes in both ears.
• a bookworm.
• taller than almost everyone else in her class at day-care, but has small feet.
• an outdoor girl. But she does not like bugs inside the house- and lets Daddy know when there is one inside.
• a fan of having bows in her hair, but she takes them out.
• in a rear-facing car-seat. Her Mommy feels safer that way, and she doesn’t seem to have a problem with it.
• an artist. Art time is one of her favorite times and it is not OK to take her marker away to go up to communion at church- not OK at all.
• always on the go.
• teething. Twelve down, working on four more.
• starting to get a little shy, and crying when Mommy and Daddy drop her off at day-care.
• finding ‘besties’ at day-care. It is the cutest thing watching her and her friends giving each other a hugs.
• starting to have favorites. From books to blankets to toys and food.
• a carbs, fruit and cheese girl. No meat or veggies for her if she has a choice.
• neither a Daddy or Mommy’s girl. It just depends on the day and her mood.
• a girl of many faces and expressions.
• a determined and slightly opinionate little one.
• in size 4 diaper during the day and size 5 at night.
• into music and loves her child sing-along song CDs.
• still sleeping twelve hours at night and one hour nap at day-care (three hour nap if she is at home).
• a lover of shoes, accessories, purses and anything else girlie.
• a talker, and has started to scream a little lately.
• a fan of being naked and will run away from you once she gets to that point.
• friendly with other kids and loves meeting new little friends.
• more of a LEGO girl than a doll girl.
• our dream come true.

5 on Friday

1. I am still in love with blanket I mentioned in this post, http://karaandnick.blogspot.com/2011/05/5-on-friday.html. Lucky me, I received a SECOND one for Mother’s Day (different color)! Now I have one for upstairs and one for downstairs. Or as Nick says, one for just me and one that Ellie and him can touch.
2. We saw the ENT on Monday for Eleanor’s ears. Sure enough he recommended tubes and said she had below normal hearing. We had tubes put in yesterday morning (we were at The Surgery Center bright and early at 5:30AM). Ellie was amazing, and is a champ at having drops put in her ears.
3. Nick and I celebrated our 3^rd wedding anniversary on Tuesday. 3 years… it doesn’t seem like it has been that long.
4. I forgot to mention last week that I chopped my hair. It was supposed to be cut just above the shoulder and ended up being chin length. It is a big change from the long hair I was used to. No pony tails for me.
5. I think Ellie thinks the upstairs TV only plays Elmo. She points to the TV and asks for Elmo. Yesterday she looked a little concerned when I turned on the TV and Elmo wasn’t there- he came on 10 minutes later. We mainly watch Elmo on that TV, so it makes sense. She looked super cute yesterday morning sitting in her chair, with her purple blanket on her (just like Mommy), her Elmo toy and Elmo book in her lap, watching Elmo. Of course I did not take a picture. Maybe next time.

And later… Friday the 13^th is a little extra special.

Happy Mother's Day!

Click here to view these pictures larger

To all the Mothers, Grandmothers, Mother-in-laws,

Godmothers and Mommy's-to-be!

Love- Nick, Kara & Eleanor

5 on Friday

1. I am in love with this website: http://www.babysteals.com/ Nick would probably correct me and say obsessed (I might not be able to argue with him on that.)

2. Last week I got the softest blanket EVER from the website listen in #1. I love it and have used it every day. I am a little sad warm weather is here because that means I might not get to use the blanket as much.

3. On Monday these arrived for Ellie to listen to (also from above website)--- she loves them and says "ut oh" when there is silence between songs. We got the Lullabies and Toddler Favorite ones. They are the only children CDs I have found that don't annoy me (other than the Rockabye Baby ones- but those don't have words).
4. Eleanor has started saying "no." She has been shaking her head for a while, but never actually said the words. It is super cute to hear her say it, but sad as well. I asked her if she wanted me to visit her at day-care for their 'Mommy's and Muffins' celebration, she responded "no." I went anyway.

5. After yet another ear infection and pink eye/para orbital swelling we are off to the ENT on Monday.

New Ride

Somebody got a new ride.

Her legs don't quite reach the pedals, but she will grow into it. In the meantime she just sits while someone else pushes her. Of course she has her helmet on... she loves her helmet.

Arm Warmers

Ellie found Daddy's biking arm warmers and thought she needed to try them out.