Look who's doing some sitting!

Last week, Ellie improved tremendously in sitting and can now sit for a short period of time without support.  Yeah!  I still have her surrounded by a boppy or something soft because she has a tendency to reach too far for her toys and falls right over.  Her favorite thing to do right now is sit and play with her rattles and little people  She's starting to look like such a big girl.  The quality of this picture is terrible because it was a dark rainy morning and taken on my phone.  Here is little Ellie at 7 months:
 



Fall trip to Busch Gardens

We found out last week that the best time to visit Busch Gardens is during the Fall.  It was so nice!  The weather was awesome, the lines were non-existent and the entire park was decorated for Halloween which was really neat for the kids.  We convinced Aunt Amy and Cora to join us for this trip along with 3 other moms and a total of 7 kids.  It can be challenging going to an amusement park with that many kids and no dads but it was so worth it and the kids were really well behaved! It was a really long day and we had some very tired little ones at the end.  Here are some pictures from our day at Busch Gardens: 

Madelyn, Isabella and Liam on the balloon ride.  Liam was surrounded by ladies the entire trip.  He's such a trooper!

Madelyn and Isabella got to lay down on this ride so it felt like they were flying!

Madelyn actually removed her shades for the ride....I think this is the only picture I have of her eyes!

All of our kids (Cora, Natalie, Madelyn, Liam and Isabella) minus the babies riding the swings...they are all so cute!

This ride is one of my favorites...I love watching their expressions!

Madelyn had a smile on her face the entire time!

It was a little chilly so Ellie was all bundled up taking a nap!



Waiting for some of the mommies to go on a ride...Kirsten and Jenna got to actually ride a non-kid ride!



I'm shocked they let the little ones on this ride. They all loved it!  I am on the far right followed by Madelyn, Isabella and Kirsten. 

Cute Cousins!

We had some tired little ones on the ride home...Ellie stayed awake the entire ride home because she got some good naps in the park.  She just talked away while the others napped!

7 Months Old!

Ellie is 7 months old!  We can't believe it.  I feel like she's going to be a year old in no time.  It feels like it was just yesterday when she was born.  Ellie is still the most smiley, laid back, and easy going little girl.  She has such a sweet personality, loves to cuddle and is very curious.  I'm enjoying every moment of Ellie's fist year of life as a baby because I've realized how fast they grow right before your eyes.  I love this age!

At 7 months, Ellie:

• Weighs around 15 pounds.  We have been trying to put weight on this little baby.  I weighed her the other day and I think and hope that she has put on a little over a pound in the past 5 weeks.  We go for a weight check in a couple of weeks.
• Eats oatmeal and prunes for breakfast (the prunes is a must these days), fruit for lunch and vegetable for dinner.
• Nurses about 6 times per day.  Hopefully this will decrease after our appointment in a couple of weeks.
• Wakes up once during the night to eat.  I'm also hoping this will stop soon once she puts on some weight.
• Is sitting a lot better with support.  Ellie hates to sit and loves to stand. I have to practically force her to sit throughout the day so she can practice.
• Loves to play with her toys.  She is extremely curious and everything goes in the mouth!  I don't remember Madelyn being this interested in toys.
• Waves Hi and sometimes Bye Bye
• Says "Da Da"

My monthly black and white photo for my picture frame!

Ferdinand the Bull

On Saturday, Madelyn and I went on a special outing to see Theatre IV's production of "Ferdinand the Bull." I had a free child's ticket so I jumped at the chance to do an inexpensive activity with my little girl.  We rarely get to do anything with just the two of us so it was really special and fun. Ellie stayed home, took a morning nap and had some Daddy time.  It was a really fun morning!  Madelyn watched the entire show and was mesmerized by the costumes, singing and dancing.  She wants to go again so I've promised her that we will go see "The Velveteen Rabbit" in December!

Couple of cute photos!

Below are a couple of photos my neighbor took of the girls over the last week.  Madelyn just loves playing with the girls next door.  They have a very active imagination like Madelyn and love to pretend.  The new thing is playing house and Madelyn just eats it up!

Last week, we met them at the mall and Lissie snapped a couple of photos on the train.  Today, we got a photo of Ellie sleeping in her swing.  We've done a lot of playing in our backyard because we got a brand new swing set and the weather has been perfect for outdoor play.  It's been a lot of fun!

Pumpkin Patch and My Birthday

Last week, we went to the Hanover Vegetable Farm to pick pumpkins. This is an activity our playgroup does every year and it is always so much fun.  This year, Aunt Amy, Nana and Cora joined us and it happened to fall on my birthday.  I had a great birthday because I was able to do one of my favorite Fall activities with some of my favorite people!

Ellie before we left for the pumpkin patch.  I wanted to get a picture of her shirt because I knew it would be covered by a jacket in the Bjorn the entire time

Madelyn and Cora playing on the hay before getting on the hayride.

Me and my girls on my birthday!

Madelyn and her friend Aiden.  They are in the same preschool class and Madelyn loves to talk about him.  She's always telling me that Aiden is a boy and she's a girl.  I don't know what to think about that comment:)

Part of our playgroup.  It's the best we could do!  As you can see in this picture, we have a lot of little brothers and sisters that have been added over the last year.

Madelyn and her Nana

Little Ellie was such a trooper as always!  This trip was a lot harder than the past years because of the 2 kids  It's hard to maneuver around when you have a toddler running around and a baby strapped to your front!

As soon as we got to the patch, Madelyn told me that she wants to change her clothes because she got dirt on her pants.  What a girl!

Madelyn and Isabella holding hands as usual!

Kate, Madelyn and Isabella are always holding hands!  Notice that Madelyn has her Dora purse and insisted on strapping it around her front.

I've taken this same picture at just about every playgroup activity recently.  Too cute!

Madelyn always enjoys the corn kernels!



Celebrating my birthday at Nana and Pop's house that evening!



Tieras Make You Taller

Ellie and Madelyn have matching shirts that say "Tieras Make You Taller."  Ellie's shirt is one of Madelyn's old shirts and I bought Madelyn's the other day because it describes her perfectly.  Madelyn thought it was a good idea to try on their tutus together and I decided to shoot some photos.  They were super cute together in their matching shirts and tutus.  Madelyn is determined to have a girly little sister and so far her influence has been a success!

It is so much easier to get Ellie to smile than Madelyn...Madelyn is in that goofy smile stage!



Little Princess Ellie always smiling!




Madelyn showing her little sister her magic wand!



Ellie's Baptism Day

Ellie had a very special Baptism weekend because she  had lots of loved ones in town for her big day.  Grandpa and Vera, the Richters, Great Aunt Amy, and Nikki and Nick (godparents) flew down on Saturday.  Ellie's baptism was held at St. Mary's Catholic Church and the mass was beautiful.   It was a great weekend filled with great company, lots of laughs, food and fun!  Here are some pictures from the weekend:

Ellie and Nick, her Godfather!

Vera with the two little munchkins...Jack and Madelyn had so much fun playing together all weekend!

Partners in Crime

Princess Madelyn and Princess Jack...Jack is such a trooper and I believe had his princess outfit on a lot more than Madelyn which is kind of scary!

Ellie before the mass

Ellie looks like she belongs on Little House on the Prairie

Always so happy!

Ellie with her Godparents, Nick and Nikki

Ellie wore the shoes that I wore when I was baptized.  Madelyn wore the same ones too!

Father Mike did a great job!

Ellie with Grandpa and Vera and Nana and Pop!

Ellie with her Great Grandmother Meme

A very unorganized sibling photo!

Ellie with her Great Aunt Amy

Ellie with Aunt Amy

The Big Sister.. Madelyn was such a big girl and stood up at the front of the church with us to watch her sister get baptized.  We were so proud of her!

The Spread

Ready for a nap after her big morning!

Our neighbors brought over some toys and the Jeep was a big hit!

Cora thought she was so big riding in the Jeep!

Our neighbors also brought over a bouncy house...it was an even bigger hit!

Ellie with her Godmother!

Playing with the iPhone before bed on Grandpa and Vera's lap!

Madelyn and Jack in their coordinating pajamas...Thomas and Dora of course!