1 Year

Eliana is a busy girl and it feels like the last week or so she has started doing so many new things that it's hard to keep track of them all. I feel like there is a huge developmental surge going on right now, which is fun to watch but not fun at night when she's been waking up more often (practicing her walking, maybe?). Today we did a developmental screen and the woman doing it commented, "What an explorer." It's so true. Eliana loves to explore and expresses her happiness by a screech that if not heard by others, may be startling at first (or make other babies cry). She's a joy to watch, she has no fear and loves to explore everything and lets you know when she is happy and not so....

Stats:
*Weight: 21 lbs 11 oz (61% tile)
*Height: 29.25" (55% tile)
*Head circumference: 45.8 cm (71% tile)

Her new tricks/interests are: *clapping, *blinking/squinting, *cruising and letting go (no walking yet), *copycatting everything including babble sounds (ba ba), *drinking cow's milk, *chewing her crib, *playing with magnets, *sorting and unsorting, *putting objects in and taking them out, *pointing.














Thanks to Rolf Gruen for this beautifully hand-knit hat


We're still doing swim lessons at the Ballard Pool; Eliana can now do the 50m butterfly, can you believe it?





I'm just as good on the guitar as Daddy is






Wearing big girl shoes



Bath time with Daddy


One of her favorite ways to get a reaction out of us is to grind her teeth


The Beaver has arrived...


Eliana loves to take things off/out/from and hold it before putting it over one of her shoulders and dropping it....we call it 'organizing' but it's really not a true descriptor

















Bathing beauty


On the move and no time to put on her pants

Eliana's First Birthday Bash

We celebrated Eliana's first birthday on her actual birthday, February 20, 2011. Grandma and Grandpa Dahlgren, Auntie Amy, Uncle Matt, Aunt Lindsey and cousin Beckett were there along with many of our Seattle 'family' members. We're sorry we couldn't celebrate with all family members, but we knew you were there in spirit.

As a celebration of our one year of being parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles, us adults went out to Matt's in the Market for a nice dinner on the eve of Elle Belle's birthday. We had a babysitter come to the house and sit while both babies slept. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Dahlgren for the treat. We are all still alive and kickin' one year later and feel very blessed to have had such a huge support group through Eliana's first year of life. She is such a fun, joyful little baby/girl/toddler (can't really call her anything but a baby still)>

After "Happy Birthday" was sung and she was already wondering why everyone was staring at her, Eliana actually put her finger in the candle. Oops! Us parents are new to this thing; please don't report us to CPS:)









Dad, Eliana and Mom





"So Big"...


Starting to get very sleepy and over the cake at this point


Some of the guests watching the cake eating: Brett Schlameus


Michelle Pickard, Casey and Katherine Newman


Aunt Lindsey, Uncle Matt, Dad and Grandma


Thanks to Auntie Amy and Grandma for helping with all the food!








Rolf Gruen (who married Nate and I) made his infamous rainbow cakes, which were a huge hit; thanks, Rolf!











Just like the day she was born, the weather was sunny and warm. It wouldn't be a perfect day for Elle Belle unless there was swinging involved. This one looks like she might just take a little nap in the sun.


Dad pushing Elle Belle and Uncle Matt and Aunt Lindsey taking some pics of Beckett (in the yellow swing).


Beckett loved it, too!


Elle Belle and Becks in the wagon and ready for the park





Clowning around with Beckett. Eliana was so happy to see her cousin.












Aunt Lindsey and Dad blew up a bunch of balloons and I think that was the highlight for Eliana. She rolled around, wrestled with them and could not get enough of them. I'm still surprised none of them popped as she was trying to eat them and poke them with her little teeth. It was so fun to watch her with them; she was having so much fun with her room of balloons.


Elle Belle had a total of 20 minutes of napping on her birthday, so every once in a while, we thought she was going to just lay down and pass out on the floor.







Thanks, Nana, for the wonderful books!

Eliana & Friends

We were so lucky to have had many other friends have babies around the same time. Here are some of Elle Belle's pals; not a complete list by any means, but some fun shots.

Lillian Schlameus is about 2 months younger than Eliana and her steady swim partner, although I don't have any recent pics of them together in the pool.


Playing at Katherine's house


Reading Jamberry is so much more fun with a friend


Katherine and Eliana at the park. Katherine calls Eliana, "Nana," "Anana," etc. It's so cute to hear her try to pronounce Eliana's 4-syllable name.






Katherine Newman, Eliana and Will Redman


Dad's working for his dinner today:)



Eliana and William Redman



Playing with Keane on a rainy day

Happy Valentine's Day

Dear Family and Friends,

Happy Valentine's Day! Since I can't see you on my first Valentine's Day, I wanted to share some of my giggles. I wish I could see you all, but this will have to do for now:) I love you!

Eliana

Spring?

Yesterday was a teaser! We had beautiful, sunny weather and were out all day. A walk, a run, a picnic and a ride in the wagon later. What a perfect spring day; and then we wake up to a rainy, windy day today, so not sure if spring is really on the way...







Dining al fresco with a view of the Puget Sound