Bed Pictures

I sent some photos in to the bed manufacturer to use on their website.


Didn't they turn out great?!!!  She really loves the bed. :)

Under the weather

A few months ago (on Easter morning), Ellie woke up "not herself". She was lathargic, limp, quiet and fell back asleep as soon as I picked her up and tried sitting down on the couch with her.  She did the same thing one day this week and thank goodness we had our previous experience to draw from.  She woke up, was totally limp and I put her on the couch with me where she fell in and out of sleep for more than an hour while I listened to her breathing and felt her heart rate. 

Mid morning she moved around a little, drank an entire cup of water, proceeded to throw it up (which happened last time so I had a bowl ready and it all landed nicely, no splatter) and fall back out until about 11:00.  But just like Easter, that's when she all of the sudden perked up and went to her chair and ate a whole bowl of oatmeal which she kept down. 

When she doesn't feel well she just gives in easily to the need to sleep?  She doesn't have much reserve to pull from?  Not sure why she does this but since it ended before lunch time most days we'll call it a "few hour bug" instead of even 24 hours! 

Poor girl opened her eyes when the flash went off.  What kind of Mom subjects her child to this kind of paparazzi activity when sick?!  :)

Golf Girls

Mommy was flying solo last week and had to attend a golf tournament with all four.  We loaded up in a cart and tried to stay moving as much as possible which was key to prevent Ellie from a) making noise, b) trying to get down!

A bag of saltines has been on my playlist for more than 10 years now!  It goes a loooong way!!!

Ellie would cling to my arm whenever we moved!  So sweet!

Stroller and iPad and Bed...Oh my!!!!

We've had a tornado of activity in the house this week!  We worked on getting Ellie three things this summer and the last two of them arrived this week!


The first was the stroller we got back in May.  It's been very handy and is durable and Ellie always seems to enjoy being in it.


In what seemed to be a longshot effort, we applied for an iPad through a grant that focuses on children with speech delays.  I didn't know how many applications these agencies approved/accepted each year so we applied six places.  We applied back in May for a July 15th deadline.  Last week we got 4 denial letters in the mail stating there was a greater need elsewhere.  But then one day there was a call from a non-profit in Pennsylvania that helps kiddos with special needs buy things they normally could not afford.  They wanted to help Ellie!  They approved our grant of the newest iPad just released, a super nice case to protect it from being dropped and a generous amount of money on a giftcard for games and applications. 


The exciting box arrives in the mail!

She's been using an iPad in speech therapy and the apps they use there get her excited about identifying objects and following the directions on the screen.  Here she is when it first came playing an app that came on it that allows you to play musical instruments.  She loves it!!!

What a big, big girl she is becoming!

We are working on a video of her using it to send in to the agency.  They show videos at their annual dinner fundraiser which is how they get the money to then award families.  We are so thankful, it is a very nice device with endless possibilities to help Ellie develop. 


And lastly, months ago we realized Ellie was too big for her crib but not quite ready for a big-girl bed.  We found out about a bed that was a good transition for children who still needed a little more time to be kept safe.  It's considered medical equipment so we processed it through our insurance unsure if it would be approved.  We were so happy a few weeks ago when it got approved!  It arrived this week and it's so nice!  It's a great idea someone designed that makes staying safe seem fun and exciting.  She, and the other three, all love it!  It's been two nights now since she's had it and she's getting used to it very well.  I lay with her some and she looks around and pushes on the sides of a little but then she's happy and I think she loves the space!

An opening that zips from the outside.  It's so cozy and she uses it as a little "house" to read/play during the day time.

July Part II

A fun Chattanooga baseball game with awesome seats.  Ellie and Julia were inside the air conditioning with their Papa!

Ellie had communicated with us again that she didn't like loud noise/music so she stated inside the whole time and had a nice little set up.

She was quite happy away from all the action.

Meanwhile these three were hoping to catch a fly ball.

A fun memory - doughnuts for dessert.  Ellie got so excited when she saw them!

A special souvenir all the way from Australia from her Uncle Ken and Aunt Colleen!

Time for Ellie and the kangaroo to go night night!

Ellie likes to help play games with us!

Hmmmm...which one should I pick?

She got really brave this time with swimming and didn't want her float any more. Luckily she clings to you like a monkey when you're holding her in the water.

Ellie's first time bowling!  She got really into it!!!!

She would go crazy cheering and jumping when she let the ball go.  I wish I could say she stayed in one place when we bowled but she made a few friends a couple lanes over.  She was hard to watch, she is a fast one!

Pizza time!  Love watching Ellie eat!

Go at it girl!

The children are so loved at their second home in Tennessee!

At a Braves game for one of the last games at Turner Field!  We had one uncle with us in person and one in our thoughts.

Braves score winning run!  Xavier was a little...pumped!

Ellie had a wonderful summer and really traveled fairly easily and handled all the excitement quite well.  Some things she skipped like a movie or the Atlanta baseball game and stayed home with a grandparent.  It all worked out to be the best decision for her - the heat, the noise, all the sitting. In fact we give a lot of credit to our other kids for being such troopers.  When did they get so big on us???

July

Ellie is so happy it's summertime!  She enjoys her siblings being able to play with her so much all day long with no schoolwork to worry about.  The teachers in the house are enjoying the summer too!

The good old kiddie pool that has seen child after child come through.

Jacob was a good sport and humored his mom for one minute by squeezing in with the others :).

A July 4th celebration where we all learned to put Ellie first and leave the outside heat after about an hour.  She was unhappy with a loud band playing and is just a simple girl with simple needs...

...like sitting in air conditioning and eating an ice cream cone!

"Oooooh thank you Mommy and Daddy for listening when I communicated I wanted to go somewhere cool and quiet!!"

Happy Fourth of July Ellie!!!!

We took a little pilgrimage to a nearby Catholic Cathedral that was beeeeeeeeautiful!!!!

We had dinner on the way home and told everyone to sit right here while we ordered. 
We're having a great summer with our four!!