Happy 4 month birthday, Elizabeth!

Elizabeth is 4 months old day. In the past month she has acquired quite the belly laugh, which her sisters are the best at pulling out of her. Abby loves to give her big tickles and dance around her and they both love giving her "zerberts" and getting her to laugh by tossing her big soft blocks around her. Elizabeth enjoys using her hands to grab things more and more. She especially likes to try to hold her giraffe rattle, soccer rattle, big soft blocks, and pink bug. If she doesn't have a toy to play with she often likes to suck on her fingers. She squeals a LOT...especially when she wants to get our attention. She loves to be part of the dinner table, but she put her hand in Mommy's food for the first time this week so her days sitting on someone's lap during dinner are numbered. She often smiles at strangers, but if she is a little hungry or tired, a big crowd of strangers can really overwhelm her. Often in these situations she pops her lower bottom lip out before any tears come. I feel bad saying this, but it may be her cutest face. Happy 4 month birthday Elizabeth! We love you!

My sisters gave me a tubby!

Thank you Teal Playgroup!!!

Today we met many of our teal playgroup friends at our pool for a swim and lunch. Anna & I joined the "teal" group in January of 2009 when Anna was just 9 months old. We've been meeting with this group weekly since then. A week from today most of the babies who joined the group in 2009 will be headed off to kindergarten. There were a couple teary moms at the pool when we took this picture, including me :) Thank you teal playgroup for giving Anna, Abby, Elizabeth, and me an amazing community to share parenthood and childhood with over these past 4 1/2 years.  Thank you to all moms and kids for sharing your homes for playdates, listening to us, laughing with us, playing with us, and being there for us. It is hard to imagine these past years without your friendship!

Aug. 2013, Vienna Aquatic Center, right to left: Alyssa (5), Maddy(5), Logan(5), Jacob(3), Anna(5), Abby(3), Corinne(5), Jack(5), Lucy(5), and Ryan(3)

summer 2013, Vienna Baptist playground: Maddy(5), Anna(5), Carter(2), and Abby(3)

May 2012, last day of soccer class: Logan(4), Andrew(3), and Anna(4)

May 2012, Vienna Public Works Day: Anna (4), Abby(2), Alyssa(3), Maddy(3), Ryan(2)

spring 2011, Peterson Lane Park: Abby(10 mon.?), Jacob(8 mon.?)

spring 2010, our house: Logan(23 mon.), Anna(23 mon.)

fall 2009?, Meadow Lane Park: Anna(18 mon.?), Corinne(20 mon.?)

Teal PG Halloween Party 2009: Anna(ladybug), Corinne(ladybug), Logan(bear), Tyler(dinosaur), Maddy?(bee)

summer fun at the beach :)

Last night we got back from a week at Grandma and Grandpa's house in North Carolina. We had a great time seeing Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Dan, and Aunt Bridget. The girls loved the waves and sand at the beach and went swimming at a pool almost every day we were there. We went to some great restaurants, the playground, the marina, and the aquarium in Myrtle Beach.

flying a kite with Daddy

playing in the waves with Grandma

just chillin' with Grandpa

studying the breakers with Dad

silly girl :)

look who else went swimming!

playing on a friend's giant turtle float :)

whole family!

going for a stroll with our babies

lunch at Provision Co.

snuggling with Aunt Bridget and Uncle Dan

at the Marina

3 kids and still standing!

Then on to Albany!

After Binghamton we headed to Albany for an almost 2 week visit! We had an action packed week, which included 2 trips to Hoffman's Playland with the O'Sheas, a trip to the NY State Museum with the Wolf family, lots of swimming in Grandma & Grandpa's pool (including a swim with the Sherwin Family), many trips to playgrounds, tractor and tricycle rides, an introduction to Nintendo, morning iPad with Nana, an introduction to checkers, lots of late night card games, a sushi date for Mom and Dad, Dad's annual trip to the track, a celebration of Liam's birthday, a celebration of Uncle Pete's birthday, Uncle Dan's bachelor party, and of course lots and lots of playing!

 checking out cousins' new swing set

 ok, explain rolling over one more time, Briella

snuggling with Grandpa

 Uncle Pete's birthday cake: designed by the Glassman Gals

We love Hoffmans!

All aboard!

 snuggling with Grandma

big smiles at Liam's 5th birthday...

 a construction-themed tumbling celebration!

a visit to Binghamton

After the baptism Anna, Abby, Elizabeth, Grandma, Grandpa, and I headed to Binghamton for a night to visit Grandma Jane and Aunt Diane. It was great to see them.

Behind me and Elizabeth is "my tree." It was planted by Grandpa Elvin in the year I was born. Who knew a 34 year old blue spruce would be that big!

Elizabeth's Baptism

On Sunday, July 21st, Elizabeth was baptized at St. Mark Catholic Church in Vienna, VA. It was a beautiful day and she was happy to celebrate it with Mom, Dad, Anna, Abby, Nana, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jeff, Aunt Becky, Liam, Kieran, Briella, Uncle Dan, Aunt Bridget, Rich, and Cornelia. After the baptism we celebrated with a party at our house.  Thank you everyone for helping to make it such a special day.

pretty girl!

our family with Father Pat and Elizabeth's godparents - Uncle Jeff and Aunt Bridget

all the cousins! 

 beautiful cake made by Nana!

 yum!