Food Time!

No surprises here, Ellie isn't shy when it comes to eating.  Although she does continue her ability to savor each bite...I have a feeling there are going to be some long nights at the dinner table.  She's gone from her "Jumbo Bumbo" to her very own high chair.  Who doesn't love pictures of kiddos with food on their face...

Official Studio Pictures

So we finally got our stuff together and took Ellie in for professional pictures.  We could see how it is a little easier to take baby portraits when they first start sitting...not on the brink of crawling.  Ellie really wanted to show off her moves, which get her where she needs to go without officially crawling.  It is like baby breakdancing!  She was a really good sport, especially when you consider she is battling an ear infection.  She's quite the tough cookie!

Before the real photo shoot, we had the 6:00am "let's see what dresses fit you because we waited a long time to get these pictures taken" photo session...

 Super adorable...super tight! 

Another very fitted dress, but oh so adorable!  Thank you Great Grandma Cannon! 

Apparently she's ready to escape this photo shoot.  And if you are concerned for her safety...her mattress has been lowered to it lowest position :-)

Hungry?!

And now we'll let the professionals take over...

 Sitting, um no.  I'd like to show you my moves!

Check out those strong little legs! 

 Oh and Ellie and her funny expressions

"Okay I'm sitting...take the picture"

 "Oh mom"...is this the first eye roll for embarassing her in public?  We may have been doing a whole lot of ridiculous noises and dancing to get her to smile.

Just our happy baby girl!

You would never guess that this was followed by a short lived crazy fussiness.  Which was luckily followed by a nice little nap!

First Black Butte Trip!

If you know our family, you know that we love to head south to Black Butte Ranch each year.  This year was no different.  Ellie made her first trip.  We spent the weekend relaxing, hanging by the pool, and watching Ellie play with her cousins Lukie and Jane!  We can't wait to head back next year!

 Just relaxing after the 3 hour drive...

 ...someone was in the mood to play.

 BBQ TIME!

 Taking a snooze before pool time!

 Pool time is so close...

Did someone say pool party?!

Ellie has proven to be our little water baby!  She got to test our her new swimsuit and we got to see what these swimmer diapers are all about.  If they are so great at holding in the poo...I really think maybe all diapers should swimmer diapers??  Anyway, Ellie sported her athletic side with the wetsuit look this year...and her birthday suit.  She LOVED the water.  She played in the fountain spring in the kiddie pool, chased her cousin Lucas in the big kid pool, and took a tour of an adult pool in her yellow submarine.  Hopefully we can upload some video and more pictures soon!

 Ellie's first trip to Black Butte and her first time in the swimming pool.  Don't let that apprehensive look fool you, she was quite the fish!

 Skinny 

 Dipping

Ellie decided to hang out poolside at home when we had a bit of a heat wave.  I think she would like to request this be her new bathtub.

Getting ready to take a dip at Grandma Cassandra's house...luckily for Ellie our water baby Grandma has indoor and outdoor pool options!

 "Oh Cousin Lukie I see you have a pool...mind if I take a dip?!?"

Playing at home in our own pool.

Ellie's Summer Concerts

Ellie's Summer Concert Series

We got a bit of a late start on the summer concert circuit, but we're hooked!  Elli's first concert at the park was at Foothills park in LO next to Grandma Cassandra's place.  To our surprise, it was a Michael Jackson tribute band!  Yes there is video and Ellie is showing off her moves to Beat It.

Two days later Greg wanted to go wander around on a nice warm Friday evening, so we ended up at the Portland Rose Garden...no not where the Blazers play, but where the roses are!  Attempting to get pictures of babies with flowers proved to be a little more difficult than we both thought.  Pretty sure they would not appreciate Ellie's attempts at picking (errr destroying) every flower she saw!  

                                  

Apparently Greg could see her face in the first picture and couldn't stop laughing...we sorta got it together on the second one.

Just another Friday hanging with dad amongst the roses listening to some tunes.

Garden Time!

Ellie was feeling quite zen a few weeks ago, so we packed up the baby bjorn, the always necessary minnie mouse sunglasses, and a very important accessory these days - a bib - and headed to the Japanese Gardens here in Portland.  Ellie had a great time smelling flowers and giggling.  And apparently it was such a relaxing walk, she couldn't keep her eyes open by the end of the morning!

Oh what?!?  I think I see a little "oh snap" in this picture

Moms and their babies :-)

She is usually quite the sleep ninja, but the power of the baby bjorn always wins!!  Thank you Sweden!

First Trip to the Beach

Ellie has had quite the summer.  She has had lots of "firsts" including this first trip to Cannon Beach!  Grandma Cassandra wanted to spend a girls day at the beach to celebrate our birthdays...my 32nd and Ellie's 6 months!!  It was an absolute beautiful day!  Ellie sported her usual sunglass wear, but decided to go sans glasses playing in the sand.  We found a perfect shady area to picnic and then ventured down to the sunny sand for a few pics to capture the day!

 I feel like in this picture she is getting ready to say something in a really matter of fact tone.  "Did you know Sand is formed as a result of weathering and decomposition of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks?" 

  Wow Ellie nice use of metamorphic!

 I hope I can always make her laugh...even if it requires some dorky mom moves when she's older!

 Giggle pants!

Sleepy pants!