The Ellington Family: July 2009

Monday, July 27, 2009

Holden Beach 2009

We just got home from another wonderful vacation to Holden Beach with my family. I absolutely LOVE going to the beach and this particular one holds lots of great family memories. It's one of my favorite places and I look forward to it at the start of every summer. I actually started packing things more than a week out in anticipation. There's just nothing like sitting out in the sun with a good book while listening to the ocean waves in the background to really relax you!

But things were a bit different this year with an almost 18 month old. There was much more action and a lot less reading. There were naps to work around, swim diapers to change, and TONS of extra stuff to carry down to the beach. Thankfully, my family was more than eager to help out so David and I did get some time to relax and read (or sleep for David) and they even stayed inside with her at times while she napped so David and I could go back out and enjoy the beach sans baby.

We enjoyed spending the whole week with my parents and sister. My brother and his wife came down for part of the week, as did Heather's boyfriend and his son, Dylan. Juliann LOVES Dylan (she calls him DD) and thoroughly enjoyed playing with him while he was there. He's almost 7 but is so good with her and she just thinks the world of him. We also hung out with the White family, who usually get a house right near ours.

Although we were sad to leave on Saturday, we're also happy to be back in our own home (and Jules in her own room). I always feel like summer is over when we leave the beach even though we still have all of August. Luckily David and I still have our St. Maarten trip to look forward to in September. :)

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer and enjoy the pictures from our beach trip!

Jules at the beach last year at almost 6 months old

Jules at the beach this year-almost a year and a half

part of our group

Uncle Ry wearing Juliann's hat :)

Jules playing in the sand with Gracie and Brandi

hanging with her bud, Dylan

She was also quite taken with Carter

Walking one morning on the beach with Daddy

and Mommy

family footprints

Foggy family portrait on the last day-darn camera

Monday, July 20, 2009

Potty Time!

Our little girl is quickly becoming a big girl! The past month or so she has been REALLY aware of wet diapers. She has also been following anyone and everyone into the bathroom and is a huge fan of toilet paper! I've heard from a number of friends that these are all signs that she might be ready to start using the potty. I had a hard time believing this because she's only 17 months but about 3 weeks ago I decided to get the potty out. At first we just sat it in the bathroom and let her get used to it. She was very interested in it from the get-go, examining the outside, lifting the lid, and even sitting on it fully clothed. I figured I wouldn't push it and we'd take things at her pace, still thinking she was too young. However, the day she took her diaper off in the crib during a nap and peed everywhere while saying "pee-pee" over and over, I figured she might actually be ready. So we started to occasionally get her to sit on the potty when we would change her diaper, but with no real expectations. Usually she just sits and reads a book and then is over it, but we have had some success! After 2 weeks of "sitting" on the potty-she has now officially done both on the potty!!!! She is definitely not on any sort of schedule and does not always want to go on the potty, but we're taking it at her pace and just happy she's trying! She'll kill me one day for posting this picture but she just looks so cute I had to share!

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Happy 4th!

Happy Birthday America!!! As you can tell from our pictures, we had lots of fun at the lake with my family. The weather was beautiful on Friday and we enjoyed riding on the boat, jet skis and tubing around Smith Mountain Lake. We were even able to sit on the back deck that evening and watch fireworks-they were fabulous! Saturday was another great day we went and visited with the Thomas family at their place. It was great catching up and hanging out on their dock. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate today. We took a very quick (and chilly) boat ride this afternoon and there weren't many people out on the lake. Although we would have loved another sunny day, we really enjoyed our weekend! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends!