Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend for us, was spent in Daingerfield. Walt and I decided that it would be nice to get away (ha...we seem to travel all the time) and have some down time on this holiday weekend. We left on Saturday morning, so that we would miss the traffic and we were able to see his parents, and my mom and grandparents. Saturday was spent taking Eloise to the pool. She LOVED it!! WE definitely have a water baby on our hands. We stayed out at the pool for almost 3 hours and Eloise loved every minute of it!!
We are pretty sure that Eloise has decided that it is time for her to start teething. She is almost 4 months old, so this is quite possible. She fussed and fussed ALL Sunday afternoon, and when you have a baby that isn't normally that fussy it is extremely frustrating. It was a good thing that we were around family, so that they could help us out. Walt and I weren't able to spend as much time with everyone that we wanted. His battery died on Sunday night, so Monday was spend getting a new battery and unfortunately we weren't able to take Eloise over to see her Lou Lou....next time we come in...she is all yours, Lou Lou!!
Walt and I have been sticking to a pretty strict schedule lately for Eloise. People seem to think that we are crazy, but this has really been working for her. We figured that she needed to be a on good schedule once summer rolled around because I need to be able to get things done. She is eating every 3 hours still, but she only gets up once at night. During the day she will usually take two, 2 hr. naps, and we ALWAYS put her down at 8:00 at night. The first night we tried this she cried for an hour....tonight, she cried for SEVEN MINUTES!! She has never been a baby that just falls asleep at night, so 7 minutes is a miracle!! Walt and I decided that since we have a child that could stay up until midnight, we had to get some alone time in....and after a week, this has really helped. The schedule for us, is working. Thank goodness.
Eloise is growing by leaps and bounds! She is now able to hold her head up and she LOVES her exersaucer that her Great B gave her!! Eloise LOVES anything that will bounce and she just laughs when we bounce her.
Walt and I are taking it easy the next several weeks and just staying here in Houston. After the trip to Tulsa, Eloise has associated the car seat, with LONG car ride, and this does not always end up very well. I can assure you that I will be posting more because, oh yeah...I'm out of school in 3 days...so HELLO, SUMMER!! Be jealous...it's ok...

Eloise in her Exersaucer

No matter what she does, she always has those big eyes

See what I mean?? Here she is checking things out

"Mom, quit taking my picture, and just let me enjoy the water!"

Eloise, just relaxing

It was an itsy bitsy teeny weeny pink polka dot bikini

So, Eloise decided she would much rather skinny dip....this is where she decided she would tinkle on her daddy

Walt: "Oh my goodness, Mer...she just peed on me!"

Love the naked rolls...lOvE them!!

Dressed for church on Sunday

Taking a nap after church at my Super Nana and Super Poppy's house

Sunday naps are good....

Hanging out with Daddy

"Goodness, could they be talking about anything more boring?"

Eloise and the boys...

Kisses from Daddy

Me with my beautiful momma

Gambi and Eloise...Eloise loves her Gambi

Eloise is laughing while she holds onto Super Poppy's finger...she knows a good thing and doesn't want to let go!

Poppy and Phoebe...what a pair

Starting to get a little tired....my roly poly

Poppy showing Tucker how it's done. Look at that throw....90 years old and still got it!

Poppy is the pro

On our way home from Daingerfield....bubble girl!

Mommy: "Eloise we are going home!"
Eloise: "YEA!!!"

Sleeping on her way home

Love those little hands holding onto mine

Happy Three Months!

I'm a little late on the posting, but I have a reason...Walt, Eloise, Gracie and myself were all in Tulsa this past weekend (Thurs.-Sun) visiting friends, and watching all my old kiddos (I taught them for two years) graduate 5th grade. Eloise turned three months on the 19th...look how big she is!! Eloise, your daddy and I have had so much fun with you....at three months you:

*Love to smile at everyone
*Know your momma's face
*Can sit in the bathtub all day
*Sleep from around 8 and get up at 3...then sleep until 8 again.
*You sometimes will eat 6 oz in one sitting!
*You LOVE t.v. this might be bad...but, oh well!
*Goodness girlie, you are a stretcher....love to kick your legs and be all sprawled out
*You love to be held...all.the.time.
*Gracie loves you more than you know...and you seem to like this
*Have giggled twice for us...we know a lifetime of laughs are coming
*Make your momma and daddy so happy everyday
*Are loved more than you know

Eloise was wonderful on our 20 hour round trip to Tulsa. We stopped off in Dallas on Wednesday night and spent the night with Gambi. We then got up on Thursday and drove to Tulsa, where we stayed with Emily and Adam Green. I taught with Emily in Tulsa, and we became extremely close. She just had her precious baby girl, Catherine Elizabeth, 3 weeks ago. It was so much fun to be with Emily and to experience mommyhood together. I am very thankful for our friendship....we have not lost touch over the year and she is one of my best friends...thank you for letting us stay!! Catherine is beautiful, and Eloise and I will be spending more time with them over the summer when Emily and Catherine come to visit for a WEEK in July!! Sooo exciting! ON Thursday night we went to watch my students graduate....these kids are so special to me. I taught every 5th grader Reading when they were in the 3rd and 4th grade. They have the most amazing parents and they are the neatest kids. I was truly blessed by all of them. Friday was spent going see my kiddos at lunch, then heading to Utica for lunch with the babies. Emily and I then went shopping while Walt and Adam went back to Emily's house for drinks on the back porch. Friday night I went to the 5th grade party and hung out with all my old kids, then the Green's and Bass' went to dinner at Garlic Rose. We sat outside, enjoyed great wine, great company and two extremely cute babies! On Saturday, after brunch at Stone Horse, Walt and I drove to East Texas where we were able to see my Nana and Poppy. Eloise loves spending time with her Super Nana and Super Poppy....
We then drove to Daingerfield where LaLee and Pops spoiled us rotten. Dinner was waiting, and Walt and I were able to lay around and watch t.v. because Eloise always prefers her Lalee. Sunday was spent going to lunch with the family and then we drove home.
We have found out that Eloise is quite the traveler...thank goodness! 3 months old and already she has made 6 trips out of town and one to another state...how blessed are we??!! Now I am just trying to keep my head above water...7 more days and then it's summer time!! Or should I say mommy and Eloise time??

Eloise's Boast and Toast

Poco and Sue hosted a "Boast and Toast" for me, Walt and Eloise this weekend. This was a wonderful party where guys could come and see our sweet baby and enjoy themselves as well. Walt and I were completely overwhelmed with all of our friends that showed up. We definitely felt loved and it was a true testament to what wonderful friends we have. Thank you to everyone for coming and a huge thank you to Poco for organizing this event, and to Sue and Matt, for organizing the event as well, and for giving up your house! The party started at 4 in the afternoon and I think we strolled out of there at 1:00. We truly are blessed. Love to all for taking time out of your weekend to come and meet Miss Eloise!



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Mother's Day

To think that a year ago I was questioning whether or not I could even become a mother....it seems like so far away. I am so blessed that God chose me to be Eloise's mother. I am so blessed that He trusted me with His precious angel. After all the heartache and hardships that Walt and I went through...we finally have our miracle. Mother's day is something that I never knew if I would celebrate or not. God is good.
How can you not love this little BIG brown eyed beauty?

Today has been great...daddy has let momma and his girls do whatever we want. He even fixed us his specialty for lunch...hot dogs. haha! Walt and I FINALLY got a t.v. for our bedroom today. I've been married to the man for 4 years and we've never had a t.v. in our bedroom...I can't wait to watch It's Complicated tonight all snuggled up under the covers!! Thank you daddy for spoiling your girls rotten!
Here I am with my two sweet babies

Oh and about 2 weeks before Eloise was born I was in the shower and one of my diamond earrings went down the drain. My earrings were my wedding present from Walt. He had already gotten my push present, (the birthstone necklace) so he was a little upset when I told him that I "lost" the earring. I tried explaining to him that it was not my fault...but Walt tried to tell me that I shouldn't wear jewelry in the shower. Well of course YESTERDAY (because my husband can't keep secrets) something came in the mail:

He's so good to me. I've had one wonderful Mother's Day weekend!

Whew...wild week!

The Bass Family has been M.I.A. lately, but with a wonderful excuse. Last Friday I went to pick Eloise up from "school." We did our normal routine and we came home and then took our nightly bath. While Eloise was in the bath she fell asleep...this to me was extremely weird. Around 8:00 Eloise took her last bottle and went to bed. At 9:00 she woke up fussy...I decided to change her diaper. When I put her on the changing table she was just smiling at me...but something told me to take her temperature. Sure enough...it was 101.5. Well..Eloise has not made it to the three month mark yet, so Walt and I frantically called the doctor's office. Of course we were told to go to the ER. Walt and I made our way there, where we got in quite quickly...the people in the ER obviously did not know what they were doing. A blood culture was said to be taken...it wasn't. A urine test was supposed to be done...it wasn't done correctly...we arrived at the hospital at 9:30 and by 4:30 we were finally admitted to our room on the pediatric ward. Needless to say, Eloise and I did not sleep on Friday night. Walt had to go home because we had painters scheduled to come on Saturday morning. Eloise was given an antibiotic and we stayed in the hospital until Monday afternoon at 4:00. According to her tests...she had a urinary tract infection, on top of a high fever, on top of extreme congestion. Walt and I also figured out that Eloise has momma's veins. She was poked and prodded so many times....and after the needle would go in, her veins would collapse and give out. I hated that for her. But through it all one would have NEVER known that our baby was sick...she was happy and smiley every single minute. That in itself was a blessing!
Eloise on Saturday morning...we quickly found out that she did not want to sleep in her crib, so we asked for a bed to be brought in. Eloise slept on my chest for three nights...in all honesty...I loved every minute of it.

Sleepy baby

We brought her bunny that Aunt Poco gave her. Aunt Poco recorded her voice and we played it over and over again for Eloise.

SEE?!? Happy baby!

Sunday afternoon...taking a little cat nap

Sleeping on her daddy

Mom...everyone knows I'm cute..stop taking pictures!

Ok! I'll smile for you!

All sprawled out on Monday morning sleeping in the bed

YAY! The doctor just gave us the all clear...WE CAN GO HOME!

Precious angel

Poor baby with her IV

Once we were allowed to go home, Eloise's LaLee (Walt's momma) came up and stayed with Eloise on Tuesday and Wednesday. LaLee took Eloise to the doctor and Eloise had so much fun. Walt and I were extremely thankful that LaLee came up...Walt had to go to Midland for work and I had to go back to school. We love you LaLee!!
This week was Teacher Appreciation Week at school. In my 6 years of teaching I have never experienced a Teacher Appreciation Week like this one. The parents really go all out and it is obvious that they are extremely thankful for the teachers. Not only do the parents go all out, but the teachers do as well. We have a theme every day where we are supposed to dress up. Well our overall theme this year was "Holland Rocks" so on Thursday we had the "Htv" Music Awards. The teachers were given a luncheon from 11-1 (parent coverage provided). There were awards, food, and entertainment. My team decided that we would all dress up as famous singers. I was Tim McGraw and Beth went as Faith Hill. My partner, Emily, dressed up as Kanye West, and Melissa was Taylor Swift. Sarah went as the so precious Kelly Pickler. We had so much fun...and we WON for the most creative team for Thursday! I scared myself because I looked so much like a man. My kids didn't know who I was, teachers didn't know who I was...am I really that masculine??
I am so blessed that I was given the opportunity to work at such an incredible school...and with such an amazing team. I talk about my team a lot....and this is because I truly, honestly LOVE going to work every day and being with them. They have had my back from day one, no questions asked. When Eloise was put in the hospital and I knew I wouldn't be at school Monday, my partner, Emily, picked up the slack and took care of all my stuff. Sarah made sure my sub plans were done, so I had to prepare NOTHING and Melissa and Beth were right there as well to inform the sub on all the things that needed to be done. Not too many people can work in an environment where people just do that, no questions asked. I love my team.
Here is Tim (I honestly look like a man, it scares me), Faith, Kayne and Kelly Pickler

Me and my beautiful wife, Faith

Me and my partner in crime..KANYE!

Kisses from my wife

Our whole team...Mer (Tim), Beth (Faith), Sarah (Kelly), Emily (Kanye), Melissa (Taylor), and Melyssa (Alicia Keys)

WE HAD AN ELVIS IMPERSONATOR

He's leaving the building

And here we are...the winners for the best dressed for the day...
We are the "Bomb dot Com!"