Library and Tummy Time

Baby girl is now a little over three months and seems to be changing and growing every day. These days are definitely easier than when she was first born as she isn't as fussy and we are learning more about her all the time. She has been sleeping through the night for a while now and is getting on to somewhat of a schedule during the day. We are trying to find a good balance of building some routine but also flexibility so that she can hopefully adapt to changes in schedule.
This week Nathan got to come with us to Baby Story time at the Mint Hill library (which is right across the street!). Here are some pictures of Ella Grace and Daddy Guy (his new nickname) having fun.
This is so much fun!!! (and, yes... my bow is HUGE)
Learning a song
This is so great, Daddy Guy!!
Ready for tummy time

This is hard, guys!I'm exhausted
No more, Daddy Guy
Time for bed now

Crying Duet

Kelly and I went to a Christmas craft show this weekend and took the babies with us. Of course on the way home Clara and Ella Grace decided to start crying. It sounded like a choir.....with Clara's crying being the lower octave and Barlings the higher. We thought it was hilarious!

Our House

For all of you who have been asking, here are some pictures of the house. :) We have guests coming for dinner tonight and since it's currently clean I thought I would take some pics.
By the way, if you havn't checked out Craigslist.com you need to! We got all of Baby Girl's nursery things on Charlotte's Craigslist along with some other things around the house. If you are patient, it's definitely the way to go!


Entry way

Kitchen

No, the table does not always look like this.
Gotta love fall decor :)
View from the back. We are hoping to plant a community garden with our neighbors in the Spring! The town is also supposed to be putting in a greenway through the woods.
Our bedroom
Guest room......please come and visit!!!!!!!!!
attic room that Nathan is finishing

Bathroom.....check out the Gainesville Swamp picture ...Thanks Mel! Thank you also to sissy for her awesome photography from Burkina Faso
Baby girl's room

Thanks to Sarah for making the cushions on the rocker :)
Thanks Mel for your AWESOME art work!!
This did not come with the house
12 weeks old.....and loving her fist

October

October is going by quickly and I am continually amazed at how fast our baby girl is growing. People always tell you that "they grow up so fast" and it is SO true! Even in the challenging times I am trying to savor each day and be thankful for the blessing God has given us. Sometimes I catch myself wanting to be in the "next phase" where communication is easier and more of a routine is established. Hopefully God will give me the ability to be in the present and enjoy this time of life.

Some of our latest happenings are going to the pumpkin patch (both with Kelly (my dear friend and college roommate) and Julie (my sweet friend from Gainesville who taught next door to me at Norton Elementary). We also had Mimi and Poppy Mitten along with Uncle Josh, Aunt Melissa, and cousins Madison and Carter come to visit! We went to Gainesville last weekend for Nathan to defend his thesis and ........HE PASSED!! He has worked so hard over the past few years on his dissertation (which was on Desalination). I couldn't be more proud of him! We also got to tailgate at the Gator game vs. Arkansas (close call, huh??)

Fall in North Carolina


our neighborhood
Kelly, Izzy, and Clara
Checkin' out the pigs.

Mimi and Poppy visit!!
Madison gave "her baby" a bath all by herself
Taking charge :)
We keep trying to get a good cousin picture....havn't had much luck yet
Go Gators!

Cozying up with Debbie while tailgating (it was actually quite chilly in Florida)

With Mel!


What a surprise to see Messiah College friend Chris Regan and Elise at the game!!!!!!
Daddy's finished product. He pulled an all-nighter to get his dissertation in the mail before we left. 225 pages long


With Julie and sweet Carson!Check out Carson's arm. He was makin' the moves. Ella G was wondering what in the world is going on

Nathan's work is a a few miles from the pumpkin patch. He stopped in to see us!
With the little (actually big) Barlings

Barlings

When we chose the name "Ella Grace" we knew we loved the sound of it and couldn't wait to call her by her name. Ever since I became a mom I am constantly calling her by other very random nicknames. One that has stuck is "Barlings". It came about because I called her "darlings" a lot and we both used the name "bug" for her as well. One day, the two were accidentally combined and thus, the name "Barlings" was created. We use it all the time now and I wonder if she will know what her real name is when she goes to kindergarten....

She is growing VERY fast! We had her two month check up complete with three shots (she was NOT a fan). She weighed in at a whopping 12 lbs 9 oz. and was 23 inches long. Her weight is in the 90th % and her length in the 75th %.
The doctor was very impressed that she is sleeping anywhere from 9-11 hours straight at night. This is SUCH a blessing!!
She is holding her head up very well, smiling a ton and responding to us, and loves bath time.

When daddy came home from work one evening Barlings was not a very happy camper.


He tried to distract her from her distress by doing "airplane". Her eyes are hilarious in this video:






We used to swaddle her every night but decided maybe the swaddling days are over because this is what we found in her crib............
Here she is at 10 weeks:

Thank you, Debbie!!

Our good friends Matt & Debbie Miller came from Ocala, FL to visit for the weekend. We had a blast catching up and spending time together. Of course, we had to go to the mountains again because we couldn't resist. :)
Debbie has been doing a lot of photography lately and is AMAZING. Here are some of the pictures she took for us during the weekend. Little Ella Grace cooperated with us!! (Even when we put her in an apple barrel at the orchard)
Im including A LOT of pictures from the photo shoot to get some peoples opinions on which ones to frame. Sorry there are so many to look at!

Gingercake

Over the weekend the three of us ventured to the NC mountains to visit Gingercake (where Aunt Ruth & Uncle Mark have a home). Every time we are out in nature we feel rejuvinated and it reminds us of God's presence is our lives. Gingercake mountain was so beautiful and the leaves were just begining to change! After being in Florida for four years we welcomed Fall with excitement!! Ella Grace decided she loved being in the mountains, too!

Breakfast on the porch overlooking the mountains
just lounging while daddy worked on finishing his dissertation :)
I love the hammock and my daddy!
the lady of leisure
so sweet :)
We ate BBQ and listened to bluegrass at a general store in Linville
This is what we found on the wall
hiking with mommy and daddy



We visited an apple orchard on the parkway

Miss Ella Grace decided she didn't want to be in her car seat anymore. She is so fiesty that she slid almost the whole way out!