Ellie's 5 Month Photoshoot and Stats

It's August and Ellie is 5 months old!  I know everyone says this, but it's so true...where did the summer go?  We have stayed so busy and both the kids are keeping us active.  Nolan is running around the neighborhood trying to keep up with the older kids, while Ellie is happily watching the busy world.  When holding her, you must keep her faced outward.  Grandpa says she is a social butterfly :)

Ellie is starting to laugh, and she still reacts the most to Nolan.  She started rolling over.  Now, any time I put her on her back, she is flipping herself over to her tummy.  She really likes tummy-time and is just starting to try to scoot.  Everything is going in her mouth...I'm wondering if she is going to teethe soon.  My classic 'mama's girl' is soooo super sensitive if anyone else tries to hold her.  It seems she has developed stranger danger a little early...difficult stage.  I love that she is 'my girl,' but not going to lie, would be nice to have free hands once in a while!

Just like with Nolan, we are doing a delayed vaccination schedule with Ellie.  Nothing is skipped, it's just that we go in every month for a shot rather than getting multiple shots at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 months.  At her 5 month well-shot appointment, I had Ellie weighed...just for fun.

Weight: 15 lbs. 5 oz.

Big brother had to get in the pictures...

Nordic Fest - 2011

The last weekend in July, we always attend Nordic Fest in Jason's hometown of Decorah.  It's a fun weekend to be in town...lot's of 'festing' going on!  We arrived Friday night and stayed pretty low key.  Saturday, we woke up and got ready to go to the parade.  After the parade, we went to the rock throw where Uncle Abe and Jason were participants :)  After naps and dinner, we put the kids to bed and headed to the beer garden to listen to live music and visit with old friends!...thank you to Grandma Mary who stayed with Nolan and Ellie.  We always appreciate an evening out, but definitely question it when Nolan is up at 5:30 the next morning :) 

Can't wait for next year!

Miss E sitting in the bumbo!

Grandma Mary and her sister, Ellen

Watching the parade

Uncle Abe...they are back in IOWA!!!!!

Miss E wearing her bonnet...it's mine from when I was a baby :)

Jason's cousin Matt

Actually not a bub-ba (pacificer)...it's a sucker

G'ma Mary and a tired E

Lookin' good in their shades...Aunt Shar and E

Uncle Abe getting ready for the rock throw

Jas warming up

...and there he goes

Way to go guys!...participation ribbons, lol :)

Table Rock Vacation 2011

The last week of July, we headed down south for our annual vacation to Table Rock Lake in southern Missouri.  On Friday, we loaded the car with all of us...including Maya, and made a stop in Clear Lake for dinner with Aunt Karla and Uncle Abe.  It was an interesting (stressful) dinner with two screaming, fussy kids...ugh!  We arrived in at my parents house around 11:30 PM and had to be up and on the road by 6:00 the next morning.

My parents, sister and her family, plus my aunt and her family all arrived at our resort early afternoon on Saturday.  We dropped Maya off at a kennel just up the road from where we were staying.  It was hot down there!!  We spent the week in the water as much as we could.  The kids all had a blast with minor tantrums along the way.  Ellie wasn't a fan of her life-jacket, so most of her water experience was had at the pool!  The three older boys did great in the water and enjoyed tubing and jumping off the back of the boat!

Thank you Mom, Dad, Aunt Carlene and Uncle Doug for making this week together possible!  We really appreciate all the work you put into it!

Grandpa with his 3 older grand-boys!

A little dancin'

Miss Ellie in her Bumbo

Jason and Nolan fishing

They caught one!!!

Uncle Dave and Callum

Leyton fishing

Ummmm....don't get the fish too close to me!

...maybe it's safe :)

Callum's fish

Nolan practicing driving the boat

Grandpa and Holden

Caught another one!...I think Jason is having fun :)

Aunt Carlene, Elizabeth and Isabelle

Leyton driving with Grandpa

Holden in his life-jacket

Ellie making a funny face...this sums up how she felt about her life-jacket!

Nolan's 'walk/jump' off the side of the pool

Doin' a little more fishing...the game this time :)

Brother/sister conversation

Ellie smiling at Nolan...he gets the biggest smiles :)

The youngest cousins

The ladies...plus Holden

The fish fry...a few pieces from the fish the guys caught!

Nolan loved driving the boat with Papa!

Wendt family photo

Awww, my model (poor Ellie!)

...add her swim hat

...plus her sunglasses :)

A non-crying moment in the life-jacket caught on camera!