Vote for Ellie!

As some of you know, we entered an Easter themed picture of Elliot in a photo contest for a free photo session with a great photographer out of Charlotte, NC. She made the TOP 5 and we NEED your help. The photo with the most votes wins. The deadline to vote is April 1. THAT'S TOMORROW! You can only vote once, so please vote and pass it on to any and all to vote as well. Also, FYI the website has been kind of finicky and some computers don't pull up the page with the vote button on it. If you want, you can send Hope and email with your vote for Elliot.

To vote:

1. go to http://www.hopebrayphotography.com/
2. click on the Easter Photo Contest link at the top of the home page
3. mark next to photo #4 (the really cute picture :) and be sure to scroll down and press vote.

A little background about the Easter shot. Elliot did not love sitting in Easter grass - and by not love, I really mean hated it. She is such an easy-going baby, but we may have found something that sends her over the edge. It was a very stressful "photo shoot" - little Punky was super squirmy, trying to eat the grass, and crying and Mark was getting really frustrated, meanwhile I kept pushing both of them to try and get a good picture. I'll spare you the rest of the details, just know that it was not the most delightful experience we've shared as a family. When it was all said and done, we ended up getting a better photo than we thought and it was worth all the effort. We'll let you know the outcome!

Babysitters Club

So this past Thursday was a big night for the Ables family. Mark and I had a great night out. We went to the Water for Life gala which is an annual fundraiser for Water Missions International (http://www.watermissions.org/). WMI is a nonprofit, Christian engineering organization serving the water and sanitation needs of people in developing countries and disaster areas. It was incredible to learn about the work that they are doing and the lives they are impacting. Bob and Mary were also in attendance, which meant that our built-in babysitters were not available. However, the problem was quickly solved. We have quite a few sweet friends that keep asking to watch Ellie and we just haven't gone out enough to need their help.

"Say hello to your friends, Babysitters Club. Say hello to the people who care..."

Some of our very favorite girls are seniors at the College of Charleston and they live in a house downtown. It worked out perfect to drop Ellie off and head to the gala and then pick her up afterwards. We dropped our sweet girl off around 6:15 with plenty of time to tell them them her schedule and some ideas in case she got fussy (Mark made a list of "typical Mark" notes ie: Kate must shower twice before she can touch Elliot). Everyone was so excited, especially Elliot!

When we arrived back to the girls house around 10:15, she had only been asleep for about 30 minutes! She was having so much fun with her friends that there was no way she was going to bed early :) She finally conked out on the bed. It was so precious - I wish I had taken a picture. Ellie was laying in the center of the bed with Alyse next to her. Kate was finishing packing for a trip and everyone was in their pjs. The lights in the room were dim and the all the girls, including mine, were just relaxing. She fit right in! As Megan would say, the pretty princess loved spending time with the Babysitters Club and she cannot wait to go hang out again soon. Elliot sends her love Amanda, Alyse, Megan, Lulie and Kate! Thanks again.

Here are some pictures of the night. While mom and dad are away, sweet Elliot will play...

Workin' 9 to 5

The other day Elliot and I dropped by the office to see Mark at work. As the pictures show, looks like little Punky is going to be a worker bee. Side note: She did try to eat the desk multiple times - hopefully that is not something that will follow down her career path.

The Lip...

The is what you'll see if Elliot wakes up suddenly and would prefer to still be asleep. We affectionately call it "the lip". It's something in her genetic make-up that she received directly from her mother. When I am down, I have been known to stick out a lip or two...

First Flight

Elliot got her 'wings' this past week. I had a Chick-fil-A grand opening in Estero, FL which was only about 15 minutes from my grandparents in Ft. Myers, so Elliot and I flew down and she stayed with them while I worked. I also had a little time to visit with my grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins. It was great that they all had a chance to see/meet Miss Ellie! The grand opening went wonderfully, receiving lots of media coverage, and it was a really sweet time with family - just a perfect trip all around.

So, I know you are wondering how Elliot did on the flights (maybe you're not, but I'll pretend you are). I was a little concerned about her ears and the change in pressure during the flights. I had spoken with her doctor prior to going and he said a pacifier can help, but there is really nothing else you can do. We breezed through security - I have had lots of practice and thought everything through ahead of time. On all the flights, Ellie fell asleep before take off and woke up a few minutes before we landed. The only time she cried was when I stood up with her and accidentally bumped her head on the overhead compartment - whoops! The one thing I did discover is that my daughter is a big flirt! When she would wake from sleeping, she would immediately turn on the charm. She would smile and squeal at the gentlemen sitting beside me (I was seated next to men on all 4 flights) to the point that it was a little awkward. While boarding, I would have her up on my shoulder and I would hear the people standing behind me start laughing. I knew she was working her magic and would then feel obligated to turn around and strike up conversation. Needless to say, the Ables ladies made quite a lot of friends in their travels.

While in Florida, Elliot had the best time with her great-grandparents. She loves her G.G.'s! We all had a fabulous time and it was really a blessing that it worked out so well. Ellie and I can't wait to hit the road again!