Stair-climbing and hiking

Elliot is movin' and grovin'! On July 11, I was standing right next to her by the stairs, but not looking at her. Suddenly, she was on the second step! Then I watched her climb to the third, using her knees. Of course, when I grabbed the camera, she stopped. She's also crawling much faster and walking well along furniture. We now have more baby gates up!

I recently uploading about 10-11 or more videos at the 'tube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/smurfarootie

Enjoy the photos. Also, I forgot to add photos of the gallery-shot of Russ' pieces before. So they're at the top.

Russ’ gallery at the Lawson-McGee Library, downtown Knoxville July 7 - koala backpack from Great-Aunt Jan July 7 - watching Michael Jackson Memorial while playing with her new farm July 9 - playing with her kitchen July 10 - Taking a juice break in the “kitchen” July 10 - One of my 2 favorite recent photos. This wasn’t posed, she was just standing at the doors, looking cute as always. J Beautiful smile! July 10 - Vroom, vroom!! (Not quite balanced enough to “ride” on it, but she loves playing on it.) July 10 - Come on, turtle! Let’s go! July 10 - OK, she was supposed to be going to bed. She was throwing a fit, and we saw her standing there in the corner with the cutest face, all contorted while crying. I grabbed the camera & as soon as I aimed it at her - she SMILES. Kid - loves - the - camera! July 11 - she loves it when Russ plays the piano… July 12 - with birthday money burning through her pocket, she was begging for a just-my-size pool. J She could spend hours in this thing!! July 12 - Lovin' on Russ while he plays the piano - again. July 12 - She loves to play the piano & change they key tones July 14 - just playing... July 15 - The world is her playground...AKA...Just clippin' a few coupons for mom. July 18 - Hiking Little River Trail in the Smokies. Her second hiking trip. (She's smiling...behind the pacifier!) I LOVE this photo!! Had to hold onto her so she wouldn't fall into the water, but doesn't she have the most beautiful smile ever? She's gorgeous; we know. :) Taking a short nap - It's tough work, riding in the backpack! Family-shot! Self-taken family shot Flying Elliot! Comparison of Elliot in the backpack from her two hiking trips so far (can't believe we've only taken her twice!!)

Elliot's First Birthday!

DONE!! If you've looked already, peruse again! Finished up Friday afternoon.

A year has passed already! (And I really need to print this blog for recordJ Our little girl has cut so many teeth, I can’t begin to count (she won’t sit still long enough)! And yes, it seems she is going straight from crawling to walking. Not only is she crawling much faster (and with both knees now, instead of using one foot), but she can also “cruise” along furniture now. She had been side-stepping, the Sunday after we got home from our trip, she began walking from one end of the couch to the other. Then she’ll turn around & try to step away from it without holding on! Getting brave, she is! She didn’t get to use the walker while we were gone, so Monday I took her to the more-open basement & she was running in circles around the pool table - with great speed! We’ll have to do more proofing now - she’s also trying to climb up the stairs! She’s so cute - I love watching her decide where she wants to go next.

We thought she had been teething hard, when she stopped sleeping through the night again. But it kept getting worse (she wouldn’t go back to sleep). When we arrived in Paducah, she seemed lethargic. On Sunday, she kept cuddling with everyone with her head down & was so still - I knew this was not our daughter! Then her voice became horse, so Monday her pediatrician told me to take her somewhere in Paducah. Dr. Cecil confirmed a left ear infection & red sore throat! But with a little antibiotics & instructions, she was herself in no time! And on her birthday-eve, she slept all night again!! (I had resorted to letting her sleep the rest of the night with me, two nights in a row. I have to say, it was kind of nice - except for the kicking & slapping! HA!) She’s still back to sleeping through the night, thank goodness!

Elliot had a wonderful First “Smurfday” Birthday! It wasn’t too hot outside, and it didn’t rain! We grilled outside and I hope all who were able to come had some fun.

She got to swim in her baby pool while everyone was eating. Then she had cake in her cute polka-dotted swim diaper! She seemed to enjoy the icing & raspberries the most, but did get a handful of confetti cake. Then it was another dip in the little pool to wash her off! Not much for opening presents, she had some help - but loved each of her gifts and seemed to enjoy herself.

I have so many photos to share! We’ll start with the big birthday, then some from Russ’ gallery, then some random ones of Elliot playing - as I can’t get enough of those!

July 3 - Making of the Smurf Cakes by Mommy & Daddy! Finished just half-an-hour before the party!! Cooking out - OK, Pawpaw Darrell did all the grilling! Pre-party shot. No time for makeup! Did I mention we finished all 3 cakes just 30min before the party?!? Party people Taking a walk with Great-Mammy Nance. And taking a walk with Grandma Frieda. Granny & Elliot Elliot enjoying some watermelon with her smurf bib Water-bomb fight for the older kids... Russ, Owen & Patrick are sitting in a pink-decorating swing. Elliot is laughing at them. Yum watermelon! Elliot meets Owen Stoffel, and Patrick. Couple of yard signs for the party Swimming and having fun She faked us out at the store & loved the hat (pink “cake” hat with a “candle” & says “First Birthday”) so we bought it. There was no wearing it at the actual party, though! Serving her cake... Putting the candle out with her fingers! And she didn't even flinch! Enjoying the icing & raspberries. The cake was to look like “Greedy Smurf’s” cake. I videoed the beginning, so I don’t have photos of the candle, but she put the lit candle out with her fingers & didn’t flinch! You can see in this photo, a lot of icing on her left eye. It was red there later, but cleared up fast. She does the same thing with cinnamon, so we stopped giving it to her. Dig in! Interesting flavor….maybe I like it… Ugh! Daddy stole my raspberry! Washing off the icing…(she’s laughing, not crying) She tried to splash me! Pretty pink decorations She can’t decide if she wants the gift (bag) or the card…. Fisher Price Little People 50th Anniversary Farm - from her Daddy. Look at all the pretty presents! Did anyone remember to hire the maid to clean up? Playing with her toys… Family shot! Presents are opened & cake is consumed. Is it bedtime yet? July 5 - At home and playing with all the new toys!! July 6 - Walking along the couch Russ' newest photography pieces, currently hanging at the Lawson-McGee Knoxville Library:

"Bridge" - taken last fall at a bridge over Clinch River by our house. "Bench" taken at Melton Lake area of Clinch River by our house, earlier this Spring. Taken last Fall in the Smokies, Albright Grove. Brooklyn Bridge, taken February 2007.