Crazy!

smilin in her Sunday best - wish we could've got one with her hat on, too. . . .waaaaaayy cute! :)

Elli climbed this entire flight of stairs last Wednesday night (with support from Daddy and her uncles and Grandpa)

We had fun playing around this morning before church - and Elli enjoyed the freedom of not having to have her jumper on yet. :)

A sideways look at the Booger.

Here's to great times playing by the bench in the living room!

This is a fun toy we got from the nursery here in Dix. Elli has figured out how to make the merry -go-round go round! (Daddy taught her - you just gotta push on that red thing. :))

Here's El and me havin' fun with the camera the other day while Daddy was gone.

ElliAnna LOVES books!!!

Here's the sweet little almost 10 month old. :)

Here's Elli playing with toys in her room.

She has 2 toy benches - one in her room and the other in the living room. It is great fun to pull the toys off the bench and onto the floor!! :)

CRAZY! :)

That's what I (Denielle) think when I realize that ElliAnna is almost 10 months old. . .what in the world? :) She has had a week of firsts this past week. Her first steps (4 in all); her first top tooth (and the 2nd threatening to break through any day); her first animal sound imitation ("moooo" says the cow); her first real crib for a bed; her first time of consistent sleeping in her OWN room (much to her parents' joy!); her first tastes of cornbread, yogurt, pomegranate (just one at lunch time. . .she wasn't too sure about it :)), tangerine, biscuit, and cheese; her first times of doing the fishy swim on her belly (on the carpet, really - and sometimes she does it when she's throwing a fit!), her first use of signs for "more" and "all done" when she's eating. . .

We've really been blessed to have an apartment to call our own place - the Lord provided for it wonderfully and we're so grateful! It didn't take us long at all to feel moved in and settled. And I've been loving the opportunity to make meals and clean a home again. I've been experimenting with a cleaning schedule and with menu cooking in an effort to not only make the most of our money, but make the most of my time, too. It's a challenge I'm thrilled with being engaged in! I've been reading Elizabeth George's book on Proverbs 31 and have been getting some great ideas and "inspiration" from it. Yesterday (Saturday) I had a great time going through the 3 folders/cases of scrapbooking supplies I've collected over the past year and a half. I got them all organized and put away - almost all done before Elli woke up from her nap. :)

Elli and I went for a walk across the street and through the park to the "playing" park yesterday. It was about 45-50 degrees, so it felt nippy but not too chilly as long as we kept moving. :) The whole way there she talked and swung her legs back and forth as we walked, and then as soon as I got her in the swing, she was quiet and just stared straight ahead without smiling. She'd been on swings before, and has loved them, so I don't know why she quieted down so much. Maybe it was just the new park or something. :) Anyway, on the way back to our apartment, we saw - and heard - some dogs barking. She LOVES watching "puppies", and got pretty excited about them as we went by. :) One day recently I said (without really thinking), "Jon, we should get a puppy for Elli." His response and reminders that that would not exactly be the best choice for us right now were completely accurate. :)
Thanks for listening and loving us. :) Tchau!