An Elie For All Seasons

When Elison was born, it was winter. December here is chilly, and sometimes there's snow and ice. Right after she was born, though, I didn't want to leave the house at all. For one thing, I could barely get out of bed without pain. For another thing, I didn't really want to expose her to anything when she was so tiny and vulnerable. So the fact of the cold was a good reason to stay indoors where it was warm, and where I had family to help out!

Both Grandma & Nana help K change Elie in hospital

My little glow worm

By the end of winter, though, if the temperature was above 40, I would bundle us up and Elie and I would go for a walk around the neighborhood. Even if it snowed or rained lightly. The stroller she was in during those early months had a canopy over it, so she was always protected. She actually only seems to mind the sun in her face, though, even to this day!

Once spring had officially arrived, we were out pretty much every day to watch the leaves grow and the blossoms open...

Our neighborhood is known for the cherry trees that line the main roads. It's beautiful in spring! Elie was a bit more aware of her surroundings at this time, too... not always awake, though! She would nap during most of our walks (which was the point, let's be honest) and so miss the last half of every walk we took. I hadn't yet gotten her onto a nap schedule, so it was difficult to get her to sleep.

Early summer had us at the nearby park to swing and slide... Elie really enjoyed the kid-watching as much as everything else!

Mid-summer and we were able to play in the little pool her Uncle Kyle got her... she got to explore water outside of the bathtub, which was a real treat for her! She also got a visit from her Aunt Eustacia, one of her namesakes... they took to each other very quickly!

Auntie E and Baby E

Of course, all the sunlight for a winter baby was reason for the squinty face she sports during the summer season! It was funny, though. We didn't complain! She loved sitting in the grass out back, pulling at the green blades around her legs, and often putting them into her mouth. She also loved the park and her pool. We spent lots of time in both places.

Elie charms friends at a summer party

Late summer and we were sweltering! Rain walks turned out to be one of her favorite occurrences!

Walking back from Musikfest in the rain

We also got to spend a week in Cape May, which was REALLY hot and humid! Beach days were preferred... though she didn't mind playing on the deck, learning to drink (and spill) cold water from a water bottle.

Playing in the water with Nana

A new challenge!

Dada squirting water at Elie, cracking her up & cooling her off!

Lots to think about.

Summer turned into fall, and we had new things to see and experience! Elison's Aunt Sharlene came in August, and helped celebrate Keith's birthday! We hated to see her go. Elie had so much fun with her auntie!

A new pink crown for the princess

With Auntie at Keith's birthday lunch 

Checking out the rocks

Swinging like a monkey with Auntie

We also got visitors from Minnesota, a few times last year! Bob and Ann came for some short, but sweet visits. Judy and Em came in October for a few days, bonding with Elie very quickly, too!

Judy and Emily with Elie

Saying "goodbye" to family

 We got out for lots of beautiful, sunny walks, too! Elie would smile when I got really excited about a particularly beautiful tree. She liked to hold and examine the leaves, too.... and I took her to my favorite cemetery: Nisky Hill. There are many very old trees there that are flush with color every autumn.

With Nana and Dada at the park

The view from the little park in fall

A variety of pretty leaves at Nisky Hill

Walking from Nisky with a bright leaf

On a neighborhood walk

And of course, we went to the pumpkin patch! There were so many photos take there that turned out so nice, but I don't have access to them, ha ha. However, here's one of my favorites, taken by Keith.

At the pumpkin patch

Snacking after a fun day at the patch

Every season has had new and exciting revelations for Little Elie... especially coming 'round to her first birthday, which brought with it the first snow of the season!

Birthday pancakes!

The birthday girl goes to join her friends

Chewing on a present

Elie's 1st birthday was a Pancake Pajama Party!

Elie also went to some of her first holiday parties! She had fun at both of them... although she caught her first cold immediately after!

Playing with The Girls

At another holiday party, having a blast!

She was entranced with snow... she loved watching it fall. She looks like a Snow Princess, I think.

Her first time seeing snow, on the day of her birthday

After a big snow, she got to slide on a mound of it

It's crazy how far she's come in a year... I'm happy that she gets to experience all the seasons here in Pennsylvania. I know she would be just as happy in California, but there wouldn't be the variety of challenges that she gets here... and also, this is where we are now, isn't it?   

Welcome to Elie's Blog!

It was suggested that since not all of Elison's family is on FaceBook, or has an iCloud account, that we should post a blog with photos, videos and information about what is going on with Elie, and how she grows. These early years are probably the most dynamic, after all. We've seen so many changes this past year!!

Elie one day old

Elie just a couple weeks old

About a week old

She was born (as many of you know) on December, 09, 2012, at St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, PA. She was 6.6 pounds, and 19" long. She had a very distinctive cry that we could hear as the nurse on duty would wheel her down from the nursery to our hospital room. If she was hungry, you knew it. If she was wet, you knew it. From the moment of her discomfort to the moment it ended, she was shrieking like a banshee! But when she was fine, she was just happy as a little clam. The nurses used to say that she went from zero to sixty in no-time flat!

Auntie Sharlene with new born Elie

Right when she was put into my arms (after I came out of my anesthetic stupor,) I was in love. Her little round face, her perfectly formed little hands with their long fingers, her tiny, curled toes, stormy eyes, and sparse chestnut hair all wrapped around my heart and gave a big squeeze! Her hair soon fell out and was replaced with downy, blond strands that she would rub off in her crib, or pull out with her tiny fists until she was at least 9 months old. It's finally (at 14 months) growing in nicely. Her eyes have remained a blue/gray, like her Grandpa Bill. She has the long, curly eyelashes of her daddy. She has her momma's slightly contrary nature, ha ha. She loves what she shouldn't have, and has even developed a taste for spicy, tart and bitter flavors already! Just like her mom! Though, when her mom was her age, she would barely eat anything. (I was so picky it drove MY mom nuts.)

After having dragged the box over herself, she sits & reads

Eating some of my cottage cheese with cayenne pepper

She loves the cats (Jimothy Boo most especially) and calls all cats "Jeh-jeh" which also means "Big Sister" in Mandarin. It's weird, since we never called Jimothy that... Jimmy, or J Boo, but not Jay-Jay. So she came up with that moniker on her own. Then she associated ALL cats as "Jeh-jeh"s. She says, "Hop hop!" when she sees bunnies... and "oof oof" when she sees dogs. In person, however, she's a bit leery of the energetic enthusiasm of most dogs. She's only really comfortable around them after they've calmed down. She's used to cats. Strange, since I grew up only with dogs and was never a cat person as a child. My best friend still finds it odd that I have two cats! She also knows that horses make a raspberry kind of sound with their lips, and that we blow kisses and wave when people leave or we say goodbye on Skype. She's picked up a lot these past couple months!

This girl definitely loves to push boundaries... she's been learning to climb everything she can pull herself up onto. She climbs onto the end tables to get onto the sofa, and then across the sofa, back down to the floor. She tries to climb onto the ottoman in the living room, but so far hasn't been able to. She's like Curious George, her favorite monkey (which she calls, "AAH AAH!!" because that's the sound monkeys make.) She has a lot of curiosity, and gets into all kinds of trouble when you're not watching. As all parents know, it's the quiet moments you need to be wary of!

We'll save more for later.... there's ALWAYS more with Elie. I'll bid you all good day, and hope you're warm and dry, wherever you are!

Last Summer's Vacation - Cape May, New Jersey

Last summer, Keith's mom Diane treated us all to a lovely vacation home in Villas, NJ. On the way to the shore, we had to stop a few times so Elie could get out of the carseat. We learned at a little deli that Elie loved pickles!

The house itself was adorable and was walking distance to Cape May Bay, which we visited pretty much every day, just to see the tide rolling in and out. Once, while Elie napped at the house, watched by her family, Keith and I ventured out into the bay at low tide. THAT was a ridiculous adventure! We were up to our knees in the sand bog, creeped out with every step that we were going to encounter something in there...

There were horseshoe crabs all up and down the beach at any time of day... mostly in the mornings, though, after the tide had left them stranded. We helped a few back into the water when we could, but it was a losing battle.

The entrance to the bay

Riding bikes to the bay

Elie loved the beach! She put her toes into the sand for the first time at the bay, and didn't freak out!

First time she put her toes into the sand...

First time at the beach!

Yes, she wanted to eat the sand. Who wouldn't?

We kept her well covered in sunscreen at all times, and had a clever way to let her play in the water without getting clobbered by the waves...

Having fun under the shade of the umbrella

Diane, Keith and Elie at Sunset Beach

Elie bonded with her family on this trip... we were so happy she had the opportunity to do so. Life always seems to go by so quickly at home, and you might want to visit Nana with Elie, but then something comes up and the plans change. So on this trip, everyone got to feed and play with Elie, and she got more comfortable with everyone! It was really lovely.

Playing in the water with Nana

Napping in her baby tent

Getting changed for the beach and people-watching 

We also took her out and about, which she enjoyed. She always got a lot of attention wherever we would go.

Having lunch near the beach in Cape May proper

Having breakfast

At a crab shack

It was wonderful to have such a relaxing week with Elie and the family. We all got lots of beach time, and had fun sharing new wonders with Elie. This year will be even MORE fun, because she's so much more aware and curious about everything! She still puts most things into her mouth, but luckily, she now spits out what doesn't taste good. Ha ha.

Watching the tide rush up to her toes (last day)

Learning to drink water out of a water bottle

On the last day there, we went to the bay in the morning, meeting up with Vicky and her dog, Maggie. It was a nice, quiet morning to say goodbye before piling back into our cars to head back to reality. It seemed like Elie really soaked in the beach that morning...

Keith & Vicky

Relaxing in her stroller at the beach

We're all very excited to go again this year! I predict that it will be at least twice as fun for Elie, since she'll get to walk on her own, and knows the family so much better already. Also, she will be such a good little swimmer! We can at least take her into the ocean for a dip... though, with all the jellies that were in the water last year, maybe not! (Two of us got stung by jellies last summer!) We'll have to play it by ear, I suppose. If not, we'll still have our shower curtain swimming hole we can make for Elie like last year!