Bryans visit

Much fun with the grandparents and Aunt Colette this weekend- Ellery gave her parents a nasty cold so we each spent a day in bed, but still had some good meals, relaxing time with Ell and a great trip to the Iseli Nursery.

The Andrew Bryan bottle-to-nap technique, phase 1


and phase 2

Getting ready for dinner with Aunt Colette

Eating- the favorite past time- with Nana


A happy girl

Slideshow

I have finally posted some birthday photos- they are in the slideshow to the left, which can be enlarged by clicking on the photo (yes, Mom, that explanation was for you).

They let me eat cake

While we are weeding through all the birthday photos to post, here's the obligatory "baby eats cake and gets messy" video. Yes, she was stripped down for the event- do you know what food dye does to clothing? No thank you!

1 Year! Yeah!!

Happy Birthday Ellery!

Sweet tooth

I was hoping Ellery would inherit her dad's indifference to baked goods and sweets, but it would appear she instead took after her mother, worshiping the gods of refined sugar at the first possible moment. She had her first cupcake at her friend Jackson's birthday this weekend, almost taking my finger off in the process. Then pitched a fit when she was refused a sixth fingerful of icing. Welcome to the club daughter dear.






Thanks to Uncle Eric for the pics

Partyin' NoPo style

This is my first week of work, and we were lucky to have the Schmidt grandparents here to watch Ell before she starts nursery school next week. My parents left this morning, which was very sad- we get used to them being right down the street, and sitting in their rental apartment feels almost like sitting in their real home. Mom, Lauren and I spent Thursday afternoon cooking and playing with babies, which, at the risk of sounding corny, was a really special time.

I realized yesterday afternoon that my Mom & Dad were actually leaving the following morning, not the evening as I had been thinking. So thanks to her mom's lack of planning, Ellery almost had to be left home alone today tethered to her crib with a sippy cup and the televios, but luckily Aunt Karla stepped up at the last minute to watch her. Karla sent me the photos below, so I'm thinking Ell is doing just fine.
PS - Ell is not actually this cone-headed. Thanks, iPhone.

Next week we will be found relaxing on the couch, recovering from the month of Schmidt fun and getting ready for Andrew, Judy and Colette to visit at the end of the month! I can't wait, and I hope we get some good weather for our semi-annual trip to the Japanese Garden.