We're Back...kind of!

We're back! I got so consumed with Mommy Works blog that the family blog kind of went...well...non-existent. We didn't really go anywhere and things have been AWESOME, but I plan to be a more frequent poster on this blog. So many people ask about us and Ella Grace all the time and we are going to try to do better at updating! I'll get some recent pics up soon, and will certainly post pics and information from our Disney trip next week. Woohoo!!

Our Crazy Life

Due to our everyday craziness (good craziness I might add) we haven't posted in forever. Hopefully, I will be able to post more frequently though now that things are settling in at work (finally!) and we have to stay inside more because it's getting cooler. We'll see though! On the left hand side of our blog is the RSS feed to our Mac gallery updates and I have made TONS of updates in the last few days. So definitely check it out if you haven't lately. I think there are new pics from months 9 and 10 to the present. I guess I added 5 or 6 albums. Also, you can follow me on Twitter where I will post any new blog updates so you can know right away (because I know you are that interested!). To follow me, or Chris, you can join Twitter and search for jessdepew or ChrisDepew and click "follow". Also also you can find both of us on Facebook. That usually has the most up to date pictures and information b/c I can do it from my phone (scary, I know). Anyway, I am trying to find new and interesting ways to keep everyone updated on us (well, Ella Grace, b/c no one really cares about us any more :) ). Keep checking this site as this is now our Depew Family homepage. Anything cool and new will be posted here. Look for more posts in the near future!

Almost one year!

Wow! So it's been a while since I've posted on here! I guess I was just caught up in my wonderful summer at home with Ella Grace. Also, I was having difficulty uploading pictures from my Mac. And what's the point of blogging if you can't upload pictures? Anyway, the last couple of months have been event filled and Ella Grace is starting to walk! She also has 8...yes 8...teeth! I hope to get on here regularly and provide updates for those of you who actually get on here and read. I can't believe Ella Grace is almost a year old! Here are a few recent pics:

Updates galore!

Wow!  It's been a while since I've posted anything on here.  I've just been at home enjoying our little princess for the summer.  What a blessing it is to be able to have this extra time to spend at home with her.  We've been having so much fun!  Here's a rundown of some of the more exciting things we've done recently.

Yesterday 6/15 - Christopher's first Father's Day!  Ella Grace colored him a picture and we put her handprints on it and framed it.  I also gave him a couple books, some body spray he likes, some Williams Sonoma grill rubs and a marinade, and I made him a miniature scrapbook of him and Ella Grace.  Last night we went up to Monte Sano pool for a Father's Day cookout and that was a lot of fun.  Ella Grace loved the baby pool!  Check out the pictures on our web gallery!

6/9 - Back to the doctor...again.  Ella Grace has pretty much been on constant antibiotics for about 5 weeks.  She spiked a fever of 102.3 early this morning so I took her in again.  Turns out her other ear is infected, and, in an attempt to hopefully knock everything out this time (she just finished another round of antibiotic on Saturday - two days ago), Dr. Susan put her on Augmentin for 10 days.  She goes back on the 18th for a re-check and hopefully she'll be well!!

6/8 - Another tooth appeared!  On top this time!  She's about to have a lot coming in at once on the top.  They're all right there ready to pop through any time.  She's not been to thrilled with this either!

6/7 - First trip to the zoo in Birmingham!  My dad came down with Isabella while Christopher was at a conference and we took the girls to the zoo.  Again...super hot...but loads of fun!  Pictures on web gallery.

6/4 - We went to the Botanical Gardens with Kate and her mom to take pictures.  It was SUPER hot but we got a lot of great pics and had fun.  I hadn't been there to look around in years!

My First Shoes

Today Ella Grace got her first pair of "real shoes" from Stride Rite.  Long story short...I just went in with Kate and Ella Grace to "look around" and got convinced that I needed to start putting shoes on Ella Grace to get her used to them.  That actually made sense to me and we ended up going home with a pair and ordering a pair.  They were so cute I just couldn't resist.  And Ella Grace actually doesn't mind wearing them too much.

Crawling...in her own little way

I think Ella Grace has mastered the art of her own crawling style.  She was moving around like crazy today, much more than she has been lately.  I'll see her go a couple feet every now and then.  Today was also the first time her daddy got to see her crawl around at all.  It is so cute how she does her little one foot up and one knee down "crawl".  I think she'd actually prefer to walk, she pulls up on everything, especially me!  She is so sweet and I can't believe my little girl is CRAWLING...already! 

Mommy's new, old, hobby!

I've entered the world of digital scrapbooking and I'm loving it!  I've been sad that I haven't had time to get out all of my scrapbook materials and sit down to make some pages.  But, now that I have my Adobe Photoshop I don't have to worry.  The digital world makes things a little easier and faster but still so cute and personal.  I'm just getting started, and will never give up on paper scrapbooking (I don't think...this sure is fun), but this is a super alternative for right now!  Here's a picture of my first attempt:

More Mother's Day

I forgot one really important and very cool Mother's Day present from my own mother. She bought our family a one year membership to the Birmingham Zoo which includes lots of cool things including free admission to many other zoos in the surrounding area (i.e. Nashville, Knoxville, Atlanta, etc.). I can't wait to take Ella Grace this summer! Maybe we'll go the weekend after next to Birmingham. I bet she'd love to see the animals and play in the fountain. What an awesome gift that we can enjoy for an entire year! Thanks Mommy!

Oh, and I also thought of #22 on my list of favorites...

22. That cute little pointer finger and thumb...she is starting to really point and touch things with just that little pointer finger, and the is starting to grasp tiny things between her finger and thumb to pick them up. It's too cute (like everything else...)!

#21...

21. the way Ella Grace crinkles her nose when she smiles sometimes and makes a "k" sound like she's saying "whatever"

It's so precious!

Top 20: 7 Months

I was thinking just today how incredibly fast the last almost 8 months have flown by. And so, nearing the end of Ella Grace's seventh month I was inspired to create a list of my "top 20" favorite things about month number 7. I'll make this a monthly tradition and am going to go back and create my "top 20" for the previous months as well...that may take a while though. But, in no particular order, here goes for month 7:

1. The way Ella Grace gets so excited to see me any time I'm away, even if only for a second. Those "whole body" smiles melt my heart!
2. The way she has become even more observant and has started using her little fingers to examine things...the other day she held her silver bracelet between her pointer finger and thumb and just stared at it for a few minutes. It's like you can almost hear the wheels turning in her head.
3. Learning to "pull up"
4. Snuggling with her when she is sick (even though I hate she was sick!)
5. Gerber cereal puffs stuck in the palm of her hand
6. Reading Snuggle Puppy with Daddy and Ella Grace before bedtime (especially when Daddy sings it!)
7. Rocking back and forth on her hands and knees...almost crawling!
8. Getting to me any way she can without crawling
9. Hair that seems to multiply by the minute
10. "conversations" with Ella Grace (ba ba ba ma ma ma ga, etc.)
11. Listening to her snore like a grown man (however, this only happens when she is sick, so I hate that...but it is so cute!)
12. Nodding her head "yes" or "no" as if she understands exactly what you are saying and is trying to answer you
13. Pulling Maddie's hair
14. giving us a beat with her maracas during dinner
15. Snuggling with her at night
16. Sweet smiles and giggles when you talk to and love on her
17. Cackling when you flip her upside down
18. The fact that Ella Grace is still unbelievably attached to her Mommy :)
19. The way she says "ma ma" when she is sleepy or hungry
20. Watching Ella Grace try to stack the rings on her Rock n Stack...I'm amazed by her every single day!

There might be a few more "favorites" to add before month 7 is officially over next week but that's all for now. I love that girl!