She did it!

Ellison pooped in the toilet today for the first time! She didn't really initiate it, but it happened! The story goes like this...Elle was sitting next to me as I was reading her a book, all of a sudden I heard a couple little toots and then she got into a squatting position, so I said "do you have to make poop, let's go to the toilet"! She didn't really respond as she wanted to keep reading the book, but I took her to the bathroom anyway. I got her on the toilet (the regular one, we don't have a little one for her yet - since we didn't officially start training her) and told her to push the poopies in there, I really didn't think it was going to happen. However, only a few seconds later I could see it going into the toilet, and I was never so excited to see poop in my life!!! Ha! I applauded her over and over. She wanted to flush the toilet, but I told her we had to wait to show daddy. Jonathan came home a few minutes later and we celebrated again, and Elle flushed the toilet! She got one Mint Thrill M&M (if you have not tried these, you have too, they're amazing) for being such a big girl!

Our little get-away and our little sweetie

Jonathan and I took a little vacation to Door County last weekend. We stayed at a lovely little bed and breakfast called the Chanticleer Guest House, did some wine tasting at 3 different wineries, rode a tandem bike through Door Peninsula Park (9 miles), and shared some quiet, alone, time together. Ellison was in good hands with my parents in Wausau, so we were able to really relax and have a good time together.
Here are some of the sites we saw and places we went:

of course we had to go to Ellison Bay

here we are at Ellison Bluff

yes those are goats on a grass roof!
Jonathan made a new friend

I guess the goats need a little help

our friends Michael and Whitney came up from GB to go to dinner with us

Here are some shots from around our B&B

yes, there were chickens running around

...and sheep!

It was so nice to get away, but we really missed Ellison and we were so happy to return to see her.

Speaking of Elle, here she is eating a banana like a big girl!

She's been having fun closing her eyes

feeding her baby (she really pushes the bottle into her baby's face, we are working on being a little more gentle).

feeding herself!

she loves her beads

and we love her!

Pretty in pastels

Here's Elle giving her daddy a hug before he leaves for work - yes they are matching (both wearing pink). kisses
Here are they are, both in purple, spending time together before Jonathan left for work when Elle was only 1 month old.

awww

This is what Ellison does when we tell her we are going for a bike ride and go to put her helmet on...

I finally caught her! It's not that she doesn't want to wear it, she's just so excited! She runs and screams and says "helmet" for a few minutes until she is ready to wear it.

We purchased this bike seat a couple weekends ago, we wish we would have got it at the beginning of summer - she loves going on bike rides with us!

She loves to play with water, however she doesn't like to drink it out of her sippy cup; this is much more fun for her.

Jonathan just had to get her this jersey. She wore it last Saturday for the Bears/Giants game. Jonathan wants her to wear it every Bears game now, since it's "good luck" Ellison liked it so much, she didn't want to take it off.
...getting ready to make a big tackle (Jonathan says "she is getting ready to crush the Packers")!

Elle hanging out with her Grandma Marcy

Here's her favorite place to hide (in our front coat closet). ..."has anyone seen Elle?"

she loves to try on everyone's shoes/sandals

Here is our Family Room BEFORE the remodel...


....and AFTER!

Our new pet...not, plus Elle being Elle

This little guy was in our house last week...after getting on my gloves (with the tennis racket near by) I trapped him in a bowl, then threw him out on the patio. This was a touch and go situation for a moment, but I set him free and everyone was ok, even the bat!

I had to take this picture as proof of Ellison's first pigtails!

Trying on daddy's shadesTrying on mom's tank

Helping dad mow the lawn

Walking in daddy's sandals...

Walking in daddy's shoes...
(listen for her saying "poop" and also the little burp-up at the end)

so cute