Good Girl

Mia's taken to calling me "Good Girl" - especially when I give her something she wants. Its quite humorous actually. It first started when I was holding a bunch of receipts in my hand and was going through them and Mia decided she wanted to take a look at one so she kept pointing at my hand and saying "Dis, Dis" (aka "This). Did not really know why she wanted the receipt but I handed it to her and she said "Good Girl". Classic. It definitely made me laugh!! Below are a few recent pictures of the little trouble maker! Enjoy!

All the animals in her crib & her new Easel!

PIZZA!!!!!!!

Mia in her pearls, posing with her "cat"

Mia & Charlie on the train at Fairyland

Learning how to hold the rope - Daniel hopes she will be wakeboarding by next year! Ha!

Mia's first time driving the boat

Mia and her Monkey (AKA Mukey)

Yesterday Mia woke up with a fever but no other symptoms which I thought was kind of strange. So, I chalked it up to teething, gave her some Ibuprofen and plopped her on the couch with her "Mukey" and an Elmo movie. She loved it and by the end of the day was already feeling much better! Below are some pictures.

This past weekend our very good friends Kristin and Ryan got married in Mill Valley - it was a beautiful wedding and Mia "performed" as flower girl. I say performed because the day of the rehearsal and wedding was extremeley hot (high 90's) and Mia was miserable and letting everyone know it. I was pretty sure there was no way she would walk down the aisle when it was time to make her debut - pictures below from the rehearsal show you what we were dealing with. But, when it was time for her to walk down the aisle, she did it with such confidence and enthusiasm that people were coming up to Daniel and I all night complimenting us on what a great job she did. Go Mia! Way to make Mom and Dad look good ;-)

A big thanks to Nina who helped us at the wedding by pushing Mia down the aisle towards us and CONGRATULATIONS to the new Mr. & Mrs. Cooney on a fabulous wedding weekend! You guys make a beautiful couple and we are blessed to be a part of your lives.

I did not take any pictures of Mia in her flower girl dress, but once I get them from others will definitley post them!

Mia's play date with the Triplets!

On Monday, Mia and I had my dear friend Sally and her three beautiful triplets (Hunter, Cooper and Olivia) over for a play date. Mia had such a blast with all the babies and was trying to get them out of their car seats the second Sally unloaded them on our front porch. It was so funny! In order to get a picture of all four kids looking at the camera we had to put the triplets in their car seats and Mia behind them ...

The above picture is of the four babies who were checking out Tucker who was sitting outside begging to come in. Although Mia is eight months older than the triplets, she is not much bigger than them! My poor little peanut!

We loved seeing Sally and the babies and can't wait to do it again very soon!

Friday!!

So today my wonderful husband leaves for a two-night bachelor party adventure in Tahoe which means Mia and I are on our own for the weekend! Well, not really because our schedule is jam-packed this weekend! Tonight, Mia is being baby-sat by Ya-Ya and Bubba (Daniel's parents) while Mama, Nina and Kristin go out to dinner for a little girls night out! Yay! I am really looking forward to that as it has been a while since I have been out to dinner without a baby to chase back and forth in the restaurant! Saturday we have made plans to hang out with my dad all day and then we have been invited to a family friends house for dinner. Sunday, if we get it together in time we plan on going to church followed by lunch on the deck at Sam's for my cousin Chris' birthday! Yum! I love their Crab Omlette!

Below, I am posting a couple of pictures I took of Mia this morning ... the first is of Mia giving her baby doll a big smooch - think she is ready to be a big sister?! The second, is of Mia eating a lollipop - yes, I know! But, does it make it any better that they are organic? And, I can't really say no to her when I am sitting here sucking on a "Preggy Pop" which are the "all-natural" way to cure morning sickness. I have to say, they do sometimes work! Enjoy the pictures and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

It's been too long!

Well, its been quite some time since I last updated my blog so I am taking this opportunity, while Miss Mia naps to update the blog! Finally! The past few weeks have been a whirlwind - Daniel has decided to go back to school to pursue his EMT degree so that he can eventually become a fireman so we have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to get all of his paperwork, immunization records, TB Tests, etc. together so that he could start school this week. So far, everything is going well and he seems to be enjoying the course material, just not the going to school part. Regardless, I am very proud of him for making the decision to do this, because I know how much he hates going to school. Plus, I think he would make a pretty darn cute fireman :-)!

Other news in the Elkington Household (and quite exciting news to boot) is that Miss Mia is going to be a big sister come next March! Thats right folks - Daniel and I are expecting our second child - EDD (Estimated Date of Delivery for those of you who are out of the pregnancy terms loop) is March 31st, 2010. That means that we will have two March birthdays! How fun (and expensive!). We hope to find out the sex of the baby in October because those of you who know me know that I am not patient enough to wait to find out! Plus, I figure there are enough surprises during labor and delivery!

We have had some beautiful days here in the past couple weeks ... that meant lots of beach and pool days. So, I am posting some pictures of Mia at the beach with one of her best buddies Charlie (aka "Carlie") ... they are pretty darn cute together and their new thing is holding each others hands while they do everything - walk, go down the slide, run, etc. So precious! "Young Love"
Cutie Pie Carlie
"I don't really have to wear my hat mom, "Carlie" isn't either!"

"Mom - I am in the water! Isn't this cool!"
Just trying to take a quick snapshot ... hold on here ...

Pictoral Update

Hi Guys - just a brief pictoral update today. Wanted to post some more pictures from the remainder of our trip to Europe - below are some more from our hikes in Berchtesgaden. Enjoy!

My Mom

Its been a while, and most of you know why. We returned from our European Vacation on July 8th at around 7:30 in the evening and got home and were in bed by about 10:00 PM. At 3:50 AM I got a phone call from my father that he had taken my mother to the Emergency Room because she could not stop coughing and that the doctors in the ER had told him he should probably contact the family as she was very sick and they did not think she would make it another couple days. I was in complete shock - there are no words to describe this feeling. I left for Europe a month prior, the day after my mom's 62nd Birthday Celebration where she was feeling fairly good and returned to the news that my mom probably was not going to make it more than a day. We were all devestated and even my dad who was with her every day prior never dreamed that would be the news they would get when they got to the hospital. My mother did pass away that day, July 9th at about 5:30 PM surrounded by her family and close friends - I feel like she was hanging on to see me and my family again. I am still in shock and feel as if this is all a bad dream and that maybe my mom is just on a vacation and will be coming home soon. And, I could kick myself for not being here with her during her last month - if only I would have known. She did not tell me anything that was going on because she did not want to ruin our vacation - even on the days she felt the worst she was selfless and worrying about others. My mom was an incredible mother, and I only hope that I can be as good a mother to my children as she was to me and my brother. I miss her every day but know that she is looking out for us from above and I see her spirit and spunk in my little Mia every day. I am so grateful that she was able to meet and spend so much time with Mia - they had such a special relationship and Mia sees the pictures I have of my mom throughout the house and always points to them and says "Moma" (which is what she calls my mom) so I know she will always have fond memories of her as well. Mama, you will be missed terribly by all, espcially your family and close friends. We love you so much, and will never forget you! May you sleep in peace in a better place - no more pain, sorrow, worries or fight.

Do not stand by my grave and weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the swift uplifting rush.

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there, I did not die.