Happy Birthday Great-Granddad!

Eli had a very busy weekend traveling to Denison, Sherman, Fort Worth and then finally back home. I taught her how to sign ‘home’ a couple of weeks ago and I have been surprised by how often she has signed it. She signed it at Grandmother Jo’s house and then on the way to Fort Worth! Poor girl, she got homesick!

At Granddaddy Keith’s big 90th birthday bash, I spent my time chasing Eli around, protecting her 15 month old cousin from getting swatted at by Eli and trying to protect Eli’s head from the floor as she went in and out of tantrums!  God makes babies cute for a reason!  Needless to say, this was not the highlight of the trip for me. But Grandmother Jo and I managed to break away and get manicures together!  I sense a family tradition in the making…

We got treated to lunch in Fort Worth by Eli’s other Great-Granddaddy, Gene!  Joe T’s had good Mexican food and a couple of fountains, so naturally Tata got thrown in for a swim!  Where was Water Baby when we needed her?

Here is a shot of the Hull/Cleveland clan, although Julia & Dan’s other 3 kids were missing because they were doing some traveling of their own.

Composer or Etoile?

Is there anything cuter than a leotard? Yes! Eliana in a leotard!  At the tender age of 18 months, Eli has a long time to decide if she would rather live for the piano or the toe shoe.  But in the meantime, we will have fun with both!

Here she is giving the tutu a good twirl…

Bravissimo!

A Very Special Unbirthday

Today Eliana Liz is 18 months!   To celebrate Eliana got to watch Alice in Wonderland, oh wait, we do that everyday…To celebrate Eli got to play with sidewalk chalk for the first time!  Or rather she watched me doodle all over our backyard!

Eli is wearing one of the many sewing projects I completed last week.

Eli also got her first pedicure by yours truly!  For me painting her tiny toenails was a bit of a dream come true.  You see, when I was a Kindergarten teacher I once loved my girl students so much that I actually sent home permission slips to paint their fingernails! We had a very special field trip to attend the next day and everyone was going to dress in their Sunday best, so it only made sense that everyone should have a manicure!  Eli seems a little confused why the pink won’t rub off…

Here is Naughty Eli plucking flowers off our cilantro.

One more shot of the toes in case you have a baby toes obsession like me!! Happy 18 months Eli, I love you and your wiggly toes!