Elle's First Trip to the Zoo!

A few weeks ago we decided to take advantage of the St. Louis Zoo membership my parents bought us for Christmas and take Elle to the zoo for the first time.  My dad was big on taking us to the zoo when we were little and it has always been one of my favorite places.  I was so excited to share my love of the zoo with Elle Belle.

Ready to see some animals!

The weather was perfect and apparently every other person in St. Louis decided it was the ideal day for a walk around the zoo.  After driving around for a good 30 minutes  (which seriously tested Eric's patience :) we found a spot and started our day.

Obviously, Elle is a bit too young to fully appreciate where she is but it was so fun to hear Henry oohing and ahhing over the animals.

The babes enjoyed a carousel ride...

A train ride around the zoo (Elle napped through this part)...

and the children's petting zoo.  My OCD germaphobia came out so Elle didn't have the chance to pet any goats, I vow to be better by this time next year. :)  Our time in the petting zoo was very very short.  Two goats decided to have a head butting contest and poor little Henny was taken down.  Mama bear Mary to the rescue...I'm somewhat surprised all the goats in the area made it out of that situation alive. (just kidding, seester!!)

We also had the chance to see the new baby elephant, Priya.  I like to think of Priya as Elle's elephant since they were born about 4 months apart.

I can't wait for our next trip to the zoo...maybe we will skip the goats next time though. :)

Father's Day

We had a really fun Father's Day this year, Elle and I loved spoiling the special guys in our life!

We went to the Blue Owl for lunch in Kimswick, the food was great and we all had a fun time.

It has been so fun watching Eric as a dad.  He really loves this little girl with all his heart, nothing makes me happier then seeing the two of them together.

It's so nice having a day designated to celebrating dad's and grandpa's, it seems sometimes we don't celebrate them enough.  I have been blessed with such an amazing dad.  He is hands down the MOST generous person I know!  I am so happy Elle has a Grandpa like him.

I love this picture, I laugh everytime I see it!  Elle looks so confused!!

Mother's Day

This year I got to enjoy my first Mother's Day with Eleanor.  Technically I was with her last year for Mother's Day but I enjoyed having her in my arms this year. :)

We celebrated by going to brunch at Ameristar with the family, it was a really fun day celebrating all the mom's.  Especially the world's best mom and Grammy...Mama Rita!!

Mary and I tried desperately to get a good picture together with the babes...they just weren't having it!

Henry was hilarious at brunch, watching him try his first ice cream cone was so entertaining...the cone ended up being thrown on Mary. :)

Henry eventually got bored with us and decided to peep in on the tables in the adjacent dining room. :)

Elle Belle was just hanging out watching the Henry Show!

After brunch, Dad, Will and Eric headed out for their fishing trip so Elle and I spent the rest of the day with Mama Rita.

It was such a fun day of celebrating my amazing mom and the fact that I get to be a mommy to this special little girl.  The day I found out I was pregnant I was in love...my first ultrasound seeing Elle move around I was hooked for life.  I always knew I would love this little girl to the moon and back but I could never imagine just how much.  She is my whole world and I am so very lucky that I get to be her mommy.

5 months

Warning, this post is picture overload!!

Eleanor is officially 5 months!  I keep telling Eric how much I love this age, I'm trying to savor every minute of it.  How did my sweet pea get so close to being half a year old?

5 Months:
Weight: 16.4
Switches toys from hand to hand
Rolls from belly to back & back to belly
Tried peas
Loves standing
Loves playing in her Jeep
Watches Vito & Hermann
Grabs my hair all the time
Lots of talking and happy screaming
Always wants someone in the backseat with her in the car
Favorite toy: a soft garden book from Grammy
Still not sure on eye color, maybe green?

Sick baby girl = No bueno!

A few weeks ago we had a sick little girl on our hands.  It was Elle's first cold (we thought she had one around 3 weeks old but now we are wondering if we were overreacting :).  I woke up Wednesday morning to lots a sniffles and coughs.  I took the day off work to nurse that little girl back to good health.  Elle slept on me alllllll day, I LOVED it!

By Thursday she still hadn't kicked her little cold so Eric got to enjoy a day at home with her.  By Thursday night she was feeling much better.

We hated seeing our little Elle Belle sick but I know we both really enjoyed having a day at home with her.

29th Birthday!

A few weekends ago we celebrated my 29th birthday, it was filled with some of my favorite activities...baby girl cuddles, shopping and time with my family.

Friday night after we picked up Elle we headed out for some shopping and dinner.  Eric and I were on the hunt for something to somewhat coordinate with the pink overload I had planned for Elle's 4 month pictures the following day.  Not so sure that I was successful but I bought several options. :)

Saturday we had Elle's pictures in the afternoon.  She was a really good girl and only started to get fussy towards the end...hungry girl = no more pictures!  I am so happy with how they turned out and I can't wait to see all the pictures from that day.

After pictures it was off to Mary & Nick's for some birthday celebrating.  There is nothing I love more than a fun night with my family.  They always go above and beyond...I am so lucky to have them!

Henry helping me open presents

Cousin hugs!

B-day gifts from Elle

Sunday, my actual birthday, was spent out and about with Eric and Elle.  Eric was so amazing all day taking me shopping (and acting super interested in everything I was looking at :) & out to lunch.  I have such an amazing husband and I'm so lucky he's mine. :)  We ended the day by buying some new lights for our kitchen (my idea of a good time..I'm old...and boring!).  All in all it was a great weekend, one of my favorite birthdays I've had so far.  The fact that it was my first with Elle doesn't hurt. ;)