One month down!

February is over and I'm still here (and sane). Our first official month in California as a family was successful in my book. The apartment is put together, though the walls are still blank; we know the lay of the land, though still exploring and finding new things (restaurants, stores, etc.); and our daily routines have taken shape and are becoming more stable. We are definitely comfortable in our new home. 

(Eleanor in her "play area ... Aka the living room)

(Lucky likes being on the porch, and Eleanor loves the fresh air).

There have been a few growing pains though. Gavin and I had to get back into a routine that involved each other -being apart for over two months meant getting back into a "joint rhythm" as opposed to the more independent one we'd both been living. It took a week or two but I like how we've come back together. It feels good to have my partner in crime back. 

I've also had to make the huge adjustment from working-mom to stay-at-home mom. I'm still not totally used to it but I'm getting there. There have been a couple of meltdowns (both me and Eleanor) and part of me misses the challenges working offered, not to mention being able to talk with adults all day. But I've grown a lot as a mom and I've learned a lot about my daughter as well as myself.

Now I know I said I would try to get better at Blogging, especially now that we're so far from most our family and friends, and I've been slacking. So my promise is to post once a week at least and if I don't then yell at me (Christina is good at this). 

In the mean time, keep up with us on Facebook and Instagram. We also love phone calls, FaceTime, Skype and snail mail! Just ask if you need any of that info. 

We love you all! 

(Attempted family photo at the park!)

It's been one week.

One week since Gavin and I packed the last few remaining items into our Jeep and headed down to California. One week since I set foot in the beautiful state of Washington. One week since our family and friends have seen us (with very few exceptions). One very long, tough week, filled with all the feels one can have.

The road trip down to California wouldn't have been the same if Gavin (and Lucky) hadn't been there with me. They made the drive away from home a lot easier and proved to be fun to travel with. With Backstreet Boys sing-a-longs, side trips to see "where it all started" in Medford, Oregon, every third rest stop, and some of the most beautiful countryside we've seen, we finally made it to our apartment in Folsom around 9pm.

Once in Folsom, we focused on getting the apartment unpacked, set up, and organized. We'll be here for the next 10 months at least. My mom flew down with Eleanor Saturday morning.As hard as it was leaving her in Washington while we drove down, we didn't want her to have to endure a 12+hour road trip, and there was no room in the Jeep. My mom stayed until Sunday night, which gave us two full days with the much needed extra hands and emotional support.

View from our balcony most mornings.

Name spelled right! Starbucks Miracle.

Well, time to wake up the kiddo. Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom I'll hopefully be able to update everyone on a much more consistent basis. And next time I'll include pictures of the baby. :)

Im slack-a-lacking

Sorry for the lapse in posts amigos.  Gavin is gonna work on getting the wifi working at the house to make it easier for me to post. I have all these amazing pictures and videos of Eleanor, but they're all on my laptop. Ugh. On a better note ...

Our baby girl is 6-months-old!!! 

It's so crazy to think that it's been half a year since she came into our world. I now completely understand why adults always seem so amazed by how fast kids grow. I look at Eleanor and Im just in awe at how she has grown and developed and learned about herself and the world around her. My baby is so big now! 

I consider it a huge blessing that she has such a curious personality. She loves to see and touch and eat (haha!) EVERYTHING. Gavin and I joke about needed to get her carpet samples because she loves running her hands over carpet. We bought her a little safety glass mirror so she can see herself and she is always curious about the baby that stares back. She always seems just content to watch everything happening the world; to observe and explore with all her senses. It's a beautiful thing. 

Ill try to post a bunch of 6-month milestone pictures and posts through out the month. Her doctor appointment is on the 14th (I think) so that'll get a post too of course. Ill also start posting all the awesome videos I have of her. 

Autumn has arrived.

Like so many other people, Fall is my favorite time of year. I start getting out all my sweaters, order my Starbucks hot, and don't get odd looks when I wear a scarf. The leaves change, the air gets crisp, and the pumpkins grow. Yep, autumn is my favorite. 

Our little pumpkin is growing too. She's getting longer by the day and she's super active. She doesn't crawl yet, just scoots and rolls, but she's ever so close to crawling. She can get herself up on all fours and she can move her legs as though she wants to crawl, but she hasn't quite gotten the arm movements down yet. Instead she gets in the right position and rocks back n' forth. 

Her curiosity is growing each day too. She is very interested in Lucky and his fur. I figure the different textures is what she likes. Lucky is pretty amazing with her too. He is very good with her -better than we ever thought he'd be. He lets her "pet" him, pull his ears, and stuck fingers in his mouth and nose. It's cute to see. 

Just two more weeks before she's six-months-old. Where has the time gone? From spring to summer and now fall. 

Five Months Already ... Crazy.

Eleanor Anetta Smith is 5-months-old. 5 months in this world and she's already learned so much. 

She knows if she cries one way she'll be held and if she cries another way she'll get milk. She knows her hands can help push her over or grab her favorite toy or help get her toes into her mouth. She knows her name is Eleanor. She knows her mama and her daddy and shes starting to know some of her grandparents. 

She is amazing, our little love bug, and watching her curiosity grow and her discovery of the world makes us so incredibly happy. Before we know it she'll be all grown up and watching her own children ... now there's a thought that makes a mommy emotional.

Chew toys (What?? That's what they are.)

Today's post features my child with various things in her mouth. Teething is definitely not very enjoyable and it can be hard to find the right chew toy for her little gums. Not to mention, the amount of drool all over my house is crazy!

(The last one is my favorite. Haha!)

Fantastic Four (Months)!

Miss Eleanor Anetta Smith is officially 4 months old! It blows my mind some days how much she has grown and developed in such a short amount of time. I catch myself getting teary-eyed sometimes when I realize my little baby is getting bigger. Weird too, since I have never been a baby person -though we all know I do get pretty sentimental. 

Work is work is work. I miss my little love bug like crazy while Im gone and the second that clock hits 4 pm you'll find me racing to the door. She does really well at daycare though. Everyone loves her -of course- and I like that she can experience new people and interact with other kids. Plus, it's still just 3 days each week. 

Gavin and Eleanor have their Daddy/Daughter days Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Im sure those are their favorite days of the week. It's cute to watch Gavin play and sing and act silly just for a smile from Eleanor. He's such an amazing Dad. 

Length: 24 3/4 inches (55%?)
Weight: 12lbs 7oz. (25%)
New skills: she can rolls from both tummy to back, and back to tummy! She scoots across the floor like a champ too.
Old skills improved: she can grab things first try and is a lot better at sitting up (supported by us or her bumbo).
Working on: sitting up on her own and "crawling" (she scoots).
Best part: when she giggles and laughs. Melts my heart to hear and see her so happy.
Worst part: she is teething so she drools like a St. Bernard and gets fussy when her gums hurt a lot. 

End note: Eleanor was baptized on July 20th in a beautiful ceremony at St. Philomena's Catholic Church in Des Moines. I've been meaning to post pictures, but Im having issues with my laptop and that is where the pictures are at this current time. Ill get them up soon though!