Mommy & Daddy Weekend in Atlanta

This weekend, Kevin and I went to meet a group of friends in Atlanta.  We hadn't seen most of them since our wedding over 3 years ago and although they are "our friends," Kevin went to college with them and all so he was SUPER stoked to be reuniting with them.  We left Friday morning and drove to Atlanta (in which out of habit I looked in the back seat a couple times to check on Eli) and made it there around 4:30. We would have been there sooner but we got stuck in traffic for over 1 1/2 hours! 

Friday consisted of getting to our hotel, Stoneybrook Inn Suites, and waiting as everyone arrived at different times.

I was looking rough but it seemed like a LONG ride.

Stoneybrook Inn Suites was very cute and cozy on the outside and the room was cute and cozy too!

A "living area."

The bathroom.

Upgrade to a King bed...perks of being pregnant.

Kitchen area...wasn't touched! :)

 

Once we all arrived and got settled, we changed clothes and decided to go to a nice dinner.

 

Fancy!

My dinner...Lobster Mac N Cheese.  WOW!

In the elevator on the way down to the restaurant.

 

The two buds and their pregnant wives.



 

At dinner, the waiter brought me and Jes a piece of dessert to share, with 2 candles in it (one pink/one blue because he wasn't sure if we were having boys or girls...we are actually both having girls) and told the boys they weren't allowed to touch it. :)

 

Then we headed out on the town.  We went to Fado (however you spell it) to hang out after dinner.

The two pregnant ladies hanging out with their boys. You can tell by my eyes it was starting to get late and this old gal was getting sleepy!

 

On Saturday, the highlight was going to the Braves game!  Some of our group had never been and Kevin & I are always excited to go...especially when we get to see other people go for the first time too.

Taking the MARTA to Underground Atlanta.  Some people weren't a fan of this. :)

A group photo while waiting for the gates to open.

 

 

 

 

Me & my hubby at one of our favorite places. (Yes, my mouth is blue from an icee.)

 

Waiting on the curb for the cab. Sitting down, tired feet!

 

The game was great, weather wasn't too hot or too cold, the rain held off and the Braves won!

The Steve Miller Band was playing afterwards so we stayed for a few minutes before we headed out to our next stop.

This place had a good atmosphere and live music.  When we first got there, everyone sat down outside, but Kevin and I had to go BACK to the hotel because I didn't have my ID with me.  I was like seriously?  I'm 5 1/2 months pregnant...do I look like I'm going to be drinking it up to you?  Not to mention that I'm 28 years old and STILL can't get in. So we went back, got my ID, then turned right around and came back to meet our friends.  Needless to say after all of that I was already tired and it had been a long day.

 

Our group hanging out the last night.  Luckily, they were all very understanding so after we ate, we went back to the hotel to finish hanging out in the room.  Jesica's poor feet were swollen (being that she is 32 weeks pregnant...I think) and my feet for whatever reason had also experieced their first swelling with Evy.  I went to bed before the rest and they all stayed up and chatted about old times.

 

Kevin and I actually stayed Sunday and were lucky enough to stay and watch another game.  It was fun and we enjoyed it, but MAN was it hot!  I got sunburn and didn't even realize it until it was too late because the clouds kept going in and out. 

 

The Braves lost...Boo.  We stayed after the game and go to the parking lot where the players are (since they had the next 4 days off due to the All-Star Game we figured we might get some autographs), and we got a few!  Kevin & I have always had luck in that department and it's fun to do.  Then we got home about 12:30 in the morning and went to bed.  It was a wonderful weekend, but I have never been so happy to wake up at 6:45 AM after a few hours of sleep...because it meant I got to snuggle with my baby boy.

 

 

 

 



Eli's First Fireworks! July 4th...

Yesterday was July 4th and although Kevin had to work, we were determined to do something for the fourth.  We really are home-bodies and don't do too much stuff (yes I know we live in Florida about 20 minutes away from the wonderful Disney World, etc... but just like anything else, it gets old).  Also, when we have family time we are pretty selfish.  We like to play in our yard and on our patio where Eli has toys and has a pool and bouncy house and can have just as much fun.  Then when he gets tired, we just go inside!

With all that being said though, we wanted to do something for the fourth this year.  Some of our friends were having a cook-out at their house and were nice enough to invite us.  They have a little girl that's only 2 weeks older than Eli and so we knew he'd have someone to play with.  So we got Eli ready in his fourth of july colored outfit.  I put on the most patriotic thing I own and then we headed over.

If you ask Eli if he's ready to go bye-bye...he's at the door before you stand a chance.

This is his "What do you mean wait a minute" face.

"Mom, I'm not going to smile.  Let's go."

"Cheese...ok?"

 

Excited to be going to play with other kids.

This was his reaction when Kevin said, "Eli, are you going to find a girlfriend?"

Anyways...

 



 



We got to Samantha & Danny's, we ate great burgers and hotdogs and then after eating and the kids all playing inside, we went downtown Winter Garden to watch the fireworks.  They only live like 5 minutes from downtown so we didn't have to worry about parking or anything.  We just threw all the kids in their strollers and headed that way a few minutes before the show started.  It had been pouring rain on poor Danny while he was trying to grill the food, but it stopped so luckily we were able to still enjoy some fireworks.

Once we got down there it was just in time and no waiting.  We found a little spot, sat down and the fireworks started coming. 



Eli was mesmerized.  He kept pointing and saying "ohhhh".  Then I guess he thought he was Harry Potter or something because he kept opening and closing his hands saying "Ta-Da" like he was the one making the fireworks appear.  It was too funny.  Some of the kids didn't like the loud sounds and I was afraid Eli wouldn't, but he didn't mind a bit.  As soon as they were over, we walked back to their house and before we even got across the street, Eli was asleep.  All in all, it was a good night with friends.  This was one time that we were glad we went out.

A couple self-portraits while daddy was getting ready.  Eli was saying "YAY" to going bye-bye.

Still smiling. :)

A serious look, but I like it anyway.  I love my little man and this was just another memory to add to the books.  I do have to say though, we must have all had tons of fun...because Eli didn't wake up until 8:30 (which is late for him) and was asking to be put down for a nap at 10:30. Hope everyone else had a great time on the 4th of July too!







Sweet Summertime

Staying at home with Eli is so rewarding.  Not all of the time, but most of the time.  Don't get me wrong.  There are some days where my patience is tried to the max (especially being pregnant where my patience is a little bit lower to begin with).  But then he'll come up to you and give you a kiss with his loud "MUAH" or you hear him singing as he stacks his blocks up and he thinks noone is looking and you can't hep but smile.  Eli is all boy...energetic, curious, trying, busy, loves his mommy and ball of any kind. (He loves his daddy too but all of you moms know what I mean by mommy's boy).

I love watching him think and figure stuff out.  He will put his little finger on his chin and say "hmm" when he really is stumped for a minute.  He loves to take things apart and figure out how they go together.  He is really saying tons of more words and phrases and using them correctly.  However, it is quite funny when he goes off on a tangent because it sounds like Chinese.  We try to take him seriously, but you almost have to turn your head and laugh.  Kevin comes right out and says, "Son, I have no idea what you're saying."  That really makes me laugh.

We also call him OCD alot, which Kevin and I both have those tendencies ourselves.  For example when we told my dad and Kevin our baby was a girl and we had bought two balloons...Eli loved playing with the balloons.  BUT, if one balloon was moved, the other had to be moved.  They HAD to be together.  They could not be separated.  If he is playing with Noah's Ark and the animals, the animals all have to be standing up or lined up somewhere before they can be put into the ark.  If he is building with blocks, he has to have the same kind (like the 4 or the singles) to build something, there is no putting different ones together.  But he doesn't mind colors being mixed up...he actually likes it.  If he plays with his snack bowls, the bowls have to be stacked and then the lids have to be stacked on top.  We really are joking about him being OCD, but it's another example of how amazing it is to watch his little wheels just spin as he organizes and plays.  Here are some photos....

Lining the animals up on the window ledge...just not 2x2 :)

Lining the animals up on the floor, but one fell over!  How dare it!

Taking a break from the hard play to share a snack with Muffin.

Saying "CHEESE" to mommy's camera phone.

Stacking up all of the bowls and putting the lids on top.

Mommy & Eli so excited when it is time for daddy to get home...

and YES we get like this everyday.

Sweet summertime :)

And I Thought I loved you THEN...

"I can just see you with a baby on the way.  I can just see you when your hair is turning grey.  What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more, but I've said that before.  Now you're my whole life.
Now you're my whole world.  I just can't believe the way I feel about you girl.  We'll look back someday at this moment that we're in and I'll look at you and say and I thought I loved you then..."

These are part of the lyrics to "Then" by Brad Paisley.  This was the song we had our first dance to at our wedding and it is so true.  I have come back to these lyrics tons of times because they show how a couples relationship progresses over time.  As I've been sorting/organizing pictures lately I am so fortunate to have the problem of so many pictures it's hard to choose which ones to put in frames and send to family.  There have been so many times that I have not been happy with my appearance whether it was the clothes I chose for that day or my hair or that I hadn't lost those pounds I had been working on yet.  BUT look at how many people lose loved ones without any warning.  Pictures and memories are what you have left so regardless of your feelings, always stop and take that picture.

All of the following pictures are famiy pictures of Kevin, myself and Eli (some include Muffin), but we are so blessed to have this many "family portraits" of the three of us this far and I just can't wait until we are a family of four!

*DISCLAIMER *** My OCD tendencies hate that these pictures are not in the order of Eli growing up.  They are random, but I am tired of trying to rearrange them, so I hope it doesn't bug you like it does me! :)



Moments after Eli was born. 11/11/11

Eli @ 7 weeks old.

Eli @ 3 months old.

Eli @ 9 months old.

Eli's 1st Christmas. 1 month old @ our home in Florida.

Eli @ 1 year old. His birthday party.

Eli's first Christmas. 1 month old. Our home in FL.

Eli @ 1 year old again.  After his smash cake.

Our official 1st Family of Three Photo.

Eli @ 5 months old.

Eli again at 5 months old.  Just love it though.

Eli @ 5 months.  Clearwater beach.

Eli's First Christmas with kevin's family. 1 month old. NC.

Eli again @ 3 months old.

Eli @ 3 months old.  His 1st orange grove experience.

Eli's first Christmas with my family. 1 month old. NC.

Eli's 1st time on the beach.  It was too windy to unwrap him!

5 months old, Clearwater Beach.

Eli at the NBA Jam Session. 3 months old.

Eli @ Kevin's home church.  7 months old.

Eli at SeaWorld. 13 months old.

 

Eli's 1st time at Disney's magic kingdom.  13 months old.

Eli @ 13 months old.

Eli's 2nd Christmas.  SeaWorld. 13 months old.

Eli @ 13 months.

Eli's 1st time at an Atlanta Braves game. 10 months old.

Eli at SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular. 11 months old.

Eli @ 3 months again.

 

I look at these pictures and agree with every person that ever told me when I was pregnant to "enjoy every moment because they grow up so fast."  I can't believe this sweet little chubby-cheeked baby boy is almost 2 years old and about to get a little sister.  The greatest gift I have ever received is finding a wonderful husband and becoming a mom.