All About Elisha

Pretty Kitty

2010-04-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

The clown at Chick-fil-A turned Elisha into a pretty kitty (her request) and made her a mouse out of a balloon. Elisha was thrilled!

Easter & April 2010

2010-04-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

We had quite an eventful weekend. On Friday we went as a family to the Easter celebration at the church where the kids attend preschool. Our friends, the Vicks met us there. There was a petting zoo, egg hunts, inflatable jumping fun, spin art, and sand art. It was a beautiful day and fun was had by all.

On Easter Sunday I dressed the kids up, even though we didn't attend a traditional Easter service. We took some pictures in the yard before house church in the evening.

Elisha got to hold our little buddy Thomas. He's Eric and Heather's son; we all lived together before he was born. Doesn't he look handsome in his little suit (a hand-me-down from Micah and the Newton boys).

Just for fun, our house church group had an egg hunt for the kiddos, too. Monday morning Elisha and I opened an Easter gift from Great Grandmom Bagosy. Like I said, it was quite the eventful Easter weekend - so much so that we never dyed the dozen eggs I boiled - oops!

March 2010

2010-03-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

March = painting, weather warm enough for time at the park, the tub trio again, and a stupendous new sandbox from Oma and Opa.

Teddy Bear Tea

2010-03-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

Nana took Elisha, cousin Norah and Hosanna to a Teddy Bear Tea at the Baron York in north GA. Elisha felt like such a big girl and really enjoyed the teddy cookies with mini m&m eyes and drinking out of a real tea cup (complete with raised pinkie).

February 2010

2010-02-28T12:29:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it is fun to dress up in army pants and a heart necklace with a pink princess sweatshirt. It's also fun to dog pile Daddy! And reading books together always makes for a lot of fun. February = fun, fun, fun!

Circus

2010-02-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

February - We had an amazing opportunity to go to the circus, Barnam & Bailey 3 Ring Circus with our dear friends, the Vicks. This was the first time I took Micah and Elisha downtown to something like this and the first time I did something with the two of them without Hosanna since her birth. Elisha talked most about the elephants.

Little Teacher

2010-02-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

When I picked Elisha up from preschool on Friday, this is the story I got from her teacher, Rhonda:
They went to music class and just like Rhonda normally does Elisha told all the kids to sit with their backs on the wall. One kid, Sean, wasn't obeying, so Elisha said, "Sean, you must sit with your back on the wall. If you don't obey, you'll sit in time out." She even used her little pointer finger. Then she counted each child by touching his/her head. Rhonda and Sarah, the class aide, thought this was so funny, they had a hard time telling the story without laughing. Rhonda said something about knowing that imitating teachers and moms was very normal, especially for little girls, but doing so at 2 years old is a little early. It makes me wonder what she's going to be like at 5...

January 2010

2010-01-31T12:16:00.000-08:00

January = all three kids in one tub, a little bit of snow in Georgia (I think it took longer to bundle all three kids than they actually stayed outside) and sword/axe fighting with Micah. Note also, that Elisha's hair now fits into two tiny ponytails that form ringlets. She also wears this brown dress with dogs on it every time it is clean. She got it at Christmas from Auntie Kim and her cousin Charlotte has one just like it.

Cousin Charlotte

2009-12-31T12:11:00.000-08:00

Elisha's cousin Charlotte came from Texas for Christmas. She is less than 3 months younger than Elisha. They get along famously. We had pictures made and then played on the playground at the Mall of Georgia. The girls were so cute together!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-27T12:04:00.000-08:00

Here are what seem to be the highlights: baking and icing cookies on Christmas Eve, time with cousins, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse toy, making icing & ice cream cone trees, and her personalized rocking chair.

Brownies

2009-12-15T08:59:00.000-08:00

I don't think I've ever made brownies with Elisha and let her lick the spoon before. She wasn't sure she wanted to put it in the dishwasher - - even after quite a few minutes of licking.

Second Birthday

2009-12-14T13:03:00.000-08:00

December Photo Shoot

2009-12-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-01T12:49:00.000-08:00

Mema's Wedding

2009-11-09T08:46:00.000-08:00

Elisha, Oma and Opa joined us for the reception of Mema Alice's wedding. Although she originally did not want to put on the pretty red dress and jacket, she ended up liking it in the end. The dancing seemed to be the best part to her. Opa carried her around and Nana danced with her, among others. P.S. It is not easy to document a daughter's involvement at a wedding when a husband is out of town, a son is in the wedding and a baby daughter is only 3 weeks old, even with 3 grandparents present.

Elisha meets Hosanna

2009-11-05T18:09:00.000-08:00

Elisha officially became a big sister on October 11th. We brought Hosanna home on the 12th and Elisha got to meet her on the 13th. She is so sweet with her, hugging and kissing her. She talks to Hosanna in a squeaky little voice. My prayer is that they will be fast friends, loving one another and looking out for one another. The last picture is moments after Elisha saw Hosanna for the first time.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T12:49:00.000-08:00

Elisha went to the aquarium in the morning with Micah, Tanti and Uncle Eric. It's reported that there were lots of folks who pointed to her and noted how cute she was. She spilled her chocolate milk on her costume, so she spent the rest of the morning walking around with fresh clothes, wings and antenna on. After a nap and a costume wash, we went to a fall festival with the Mooney cousins, Nana and Pop. Then to the Discover Mills Mall for a little Trick-or-Treating, a carousel ride and some treats. What a fun-packed day!

Trip to Texas

2009-10-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Oma and Opa took Elisha with them to Texas to visit Uncle Matt, Auntie Kim and cousin Charlotte. Reported activities include the flight, Dallas aquarium, Charlotte's ball pit and chasing Uncle Matt around the living room as he spun on the Sit-n-Spin. What an adventure!

Trip dates: 12/23-26/2009

Toe Nails with Amber

2009-10-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

Our housemate Amber was painting her toe nails in the living room one night. Elisha decided that she wanted to have hers done, too. We weren't sure if she would sit still. That ended up not being a problem at all. She was determined enough to have her toe nails painting, that she sat very still, watching intently and smiling the whole time. It's really funny to me sometimes, just how feminine she is...at less than 2 years old.

Big Girl Bed

2009-10-06T19:55:00.001-07:00

It's been quite a time of transition in our house during the past month. Heather and Eric moved out and Amber moved in. Micah and Elisha moved into a bigger room. And this weekend Micah and Elisha got their bunk bed. Elisha is transitioning to a big girl bed. She likes the idea, but it's been a little tough for her to stay in the bed at night.

Micah's birthday

2009-09-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

Micah had a couple birthday celebrations - family (plus Heather and Eric) at the park, friends at Chuck E. Cheese's and classmates at school. Elisha enjoyed being at all three. Oma even made her a cape like Micah's so she can be Robin, while Micah is Batman.

First Days of School

2009-09-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

Elisha is attending preschool two days a week. She did really well the first week, so brave. It might have been easier for her, since she dropped off and picked up Micah with me last year. She loves her teachers, Ms. Rhonda and Ms. Sara. She picked out her lunch bag and the buttons for her school bag with me. I gave her some options for the buttons and after she picked the ladybugs she added sweetly, and pointed, "and flowers, please?"

Baseball Game

2009-08-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

Britt's company picnic was at a Gwinnett Braves game. I think Elisha liked best the mascots, who ran around on the field and crawling around in the stands.

Bowling

2009-08-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

All the room mates went on a bowling adventure. Elisha took it very seriously, picking up and carrying her ball to the ramp she used. The bumbers helped her to knock down pins. She got a kick out of her shoes, too. Oh, and the popcorn and Sprite were yummy, too.

Summer Fun

2009-08-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

Elisha really enjoys the playground. If she falls, she brushes herself off and tries again. She climbs and slides, always amazing me with how daring she is. Her hair gets curlier, as she gets hot and sweaty - so cute.

She found this newsletter from Pastor Daniel, who runs the Mercy Home ministry in India. She pointed him out and called him by name. Then continued to look carefully at the rest of the newsletter.

Fun at the Cabin

2009-08-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

This summer at the cabin, Britt took Micah, Elisha and Jeremiah to a Thomas play area in Bryson City, complete with legos, sand tables and a petting zoo. The other highlights of the week were swimming at the pool, playing on the playground close by, smores by the campfire, playing in the creek, playing outside with Micah, McKenna and Jeremiah, talking to Norah (lots of "hi"s) and rocks. When we pulled into the driveway and unbuckled Elisha, she stood up in her carseat, looked outside and yelled, "Rocks!" She stuffed her pockets full of rocks and acorns on a walk she and I took. We had such a great week.

Accessory Girl

2009-07-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

Elisha has become quite the little accessory girl. On Wednesday morning I found Elisha in her room. When I asked her what she was doing, she said, "Get dressed. Flowers, please?" So she picked out a dress with flowers on it and a matching bow and we got her dressed. It's amazing that she knows what she wants to wear at 18 months. Later in the day, she put on one of Micah's pj tops and a hat and came to show Daddy. (See the post "Hanging out at Home", the picture labeled "dressing up") She also has a bit of a shoe fetish. She loves to try on anyone and everyone's shoes. She'll change her shoes several times a day. She seems to especially like "pip pops" flip flops, or at least she tries a lot of them on - maybe because they are easy for her to put on herself. I prayed that she wouldn't be prissy...and although she is pretty girly, she will conquer any slide she finds and almost picked up both a frog and a snake the other day. Thanks, Lord, for giving me a well-balanced little girl. She's so much fun!

Hanging out at Home

2009-07-03T19:34:00.001-07:00

eating popsicles with Micah outside on the swing setplaying in the sandbox, with fresh new sand, with Heather and Eric

dressing up

making cookies for the teachers at Daddy's school
and licking her little fingers every chance she got

17 months

2009-06-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

We visited Aunt Di in Pensacola. We spent one day at the beach and one day at the Naval Air Museum.
She sure liked playing in the sand more than the ocean water.

The we drove to Mobile to visit Great Grandpa and Granny Schneider.

16 months

2009-05-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

Easter bunnies and jelly beans

playing with Tabitha

watching Jason mow the lawn, while standing in the kitchen sink

I got tired of trying to hold her up so she could see out the window and I was trying to fix lunch. Sometimes necessity is the mother of ... letting your child do something a little odd.

Soapy water in a bucket on the kitchen floor makes for great entertainment.

It's getting warm in Atlanta and Britt bought the kids a Slip-n-Slide.

Aunt Andrea's (Tanti) wedding was on May 1st. Uncle Matt, Auntie Kim and Charlotte were in town. The girls had fun getting all dressed up.

Elisha admiring her reflection

15 months

2009-04-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

three Irish cousins in green on St. Patrick's Day (Elisha turns 15 months)We combined a trip to Rose Creek Village and Emily and Trent's wedding in Memphis. I haven't been feeling so well, so pictures are greatly lacking.
Who me??? Elisha got caught playing with Micah's walkman and piglet;

she got all tangled in the headphone cords.

Micah, Elisha and cousin Norah snuggled up in Micah's bed, just for fun! Elisha is signing "more" because I was signing to try to get them all to smile and look at the camera.

Zoo Atlanta

2009-04-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

During Britt's spring break we took a trip to the zoo with everyone in our house: Heather, Eric, Jason and Saji.
Elisha especially enjoyed these primates. They were jumping and swinging around and were close enough that she could see them. She was talking to them, saying "hi monkey", "bye monkey" and "where monkey?".I think we wore her out!

14 months

2009-03-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

What a month for trying new things!

crayons, play-dough and watercolors
popsicles, ranch dip with carrots and ice cream (Thanks, Uncle Eric)

rediscovering outside play with swings (Thanks, Katherine!) and slides

Elisha really surprised me the first time we went to the playground. She was so adventurous and conquered every climbing area and slide she saw.

playing with pots and pans and hiding in the kitchen cabinet

Micah never climbed into this cabinet until Elisha showed him how. Now they try to both get in there at once and giggle, giggle, giggle.

tap-dancing at the Children's Museum of Atlanta

Elisha is trying to give up her morning nap and just take just one nap in the afternoon, but sometimes, she just doesn't make it.

13 months

2009-02-15T18:27:00.000-08:00

13 months = a touch of chicken pox from the vaccine, time with Aunt Di, girls' day complete with warm vanilla from Starbucks and dress shopping for Aunt Andrea's wedding, pigtails, and her first German restaurant

Elisha plays so well with little cousin Norah. Here's Norah with a truck Elisha gave her.

Another trip to PA '09

2009-02-15T09:45:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of February, the kids and I headed to PA again to be with my mom's family. Grandad passed away and we were able to be in town for the funeral and to see family Elisha had never met, including Uncle Tim's family.

Four generations: Grammie Force, Oma Schneider, Elisha and me

Elisha had fun playing in the game room at Grammie's nursing home with my cousin Danny.

Even though she wasn't so sure at first, Elisha ended up really enjoying her time in the snow.

12 months

2009-01-15T18:18:00.000-08:00

Holiday Travel

2009-01-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2008

2008-12-26T17:47:00.000-08:00

2008-12-23T20:10:00.000-08:00

Elisha has been mimicking people's laughs. It's hilarious!
When giving hugs, she now sometimes adds pats.
She can very consistently climb up and down the stairs now.
Pretending to talk on the phone is another new skill. Especially now that she has her new purse from Stacy. It's so cute to see her acting like me.
She loves her baby doll from Nana for her birthday. She even makes crying noises and then goes over to check on the baby doll.
There are more and more people who she recognizes and calls by name: Mema, Saji, Charlotte (her cousin), Aunt Andrea, Eric, Jason, Heather. She likes to echo me when I say, "Micah, wake up." She even has the same inflection.

Gingerbread and Purse

2008-12-20T19:50:00.001-08:00

Last night before house church, Mema made gingerbread people with Micah and Elisha. She watched very carefully and seriously, taking it all in. And Stacy brought Elisha a present: "my first purse". It came with play lipstick, keys, change purse, cell phone and comb. Elisha knew what to do with the phone and the comb right away. Every time she picks up her purse and carries it somewhere, she just beams. Precious!

Elisha's 1st Birthday (part 1)

2008-12-19T08:48:00.001-08:00

On Saturday, December 13th, the Mooneys gathered to celebrate Elisha 's and Britt's birthdays at our house. Here are a few pictures. It was so much fun to have all the Mooneys hanging out at our place and Elisha had a wonderful time! I asked her later if she had fun and she energetically shook her head yes. Like good American parents, we let her dig into her cake and she really liked the icing, but only for a few mouthfuls. Then she was "all done".

Children's Museum

2008-12-09T19:25:00.000-08:00

We went to the Children's Museum with our good friends. Elisha played really hard - climbing, sliding, taking down pieces of the stone wall and putting them back up again, smiling, squealing, playing with balls, following Micah around and generally having the time of her life.

Elisha walked up and down these stairs by herself about 15 times in a row. She could put her hands on both walls to steady herself and the steps were only about 6 inches high. She fell quite a few times, but she was determined to do it until she got it right.

She makes this wide open smile face only when she's really excited and it usually coincides with her being proud of herself.
After we wore ourselves out at the museum, we walked through Olympic Park, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather and Christmas lights, to the CNN center, where we ate dinner at Taco Mac. Elisha took a cat nap in the stroller and then happily ate and ate and ate at the restaurant. I had to finally just tell her that it was time to go. She was still eating after everyone was finished and ready to go. She fell asleep in her stroller on the way back to the car and didn't wake up until the next morning. What an adventure!

Micah and Elisha

2008-12-07T19:09:00.000-08:00

Micah and Elisha are really sweet to one another almost all the time. It's been the prayer of my heart that they would be very close. They snuggle and kiss and miss one another when they're apart. They keep each other awake at night talking and often wake each other up in the morning. They like to sit together to watch TV, even squeezing together in the laundry basket. I was hoping to get a good picture that I could use as a Christmas picture, but was not very successful - at least not at getting the kind of picture I had hoped . . . but they had fun . . . mostly.

Discovering Elmo

2008-12-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of December, we plugged in our cable (all 14 channels) for the first time since we moved into this house (September 2007). So, we've watched Sesame Street a few times this month in the mornings. Elisha has discovered Elmo. She does a lot of pointing and squealing, while watching. I'm still not so sure how I feel about having regular TV programming in our house again, except that I enjoy watching Sesame Street with the kids.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T18:41:00.000-08:00

Andrea played outside with Micah and Elisha outside on Thanksgiving day! They had fun running around in the leaves. We didn't do a good job of documenting our Thanksgiving activities: Melissa & Charleston's house Thanksgiving morning for birthday banana pancakes, Oma and Opa's house with Aunt Andrea for Thanksgiving dinner, and Thanksgiving dinner number two at Nana and Pop's on Friday.

Heather's Shoes

2008-11-24T18:34:00.000-08:00

Elisha and Heather are good buddies. Elisha has been saying her name for months, always with a little sing-songy voice. She felt like such a big girl when she found and put on her shoes . . . with a little help.

And next comes . . . talking

2008-11-14T20:51:00.000-08:00

The word of the day today for Elisha was, "play". It was clear and she knew what she was asking to do. In her highchair at lunch she pushed away her plate, said, "all done. play?" And she got what she asked for.
She also said "bye bye Piglet, bye bye Pap (her name for her pacifier)" as she left them in the crib this morning. I've been having her leave both of them in the crib and having her tell them bye bye for weeks. This morning she very clearly did it, too.

Yummy Treat

2008-11-12T19:07:00.000-08:00

Aunt Andrea joined us this Tuesday during our trip to the Mall of Georgia. We go to the indoor playground and then eat our picnic lunch at the food court. Elisha loves the playground because she can do almost everything by herself. She was showing off her walking skills this time and trying to get folks to smile at her. After lunch Andrea treated the kids to a 'hot vanilla' from Starbucks. Elisha loved it and being able to drink out of the cup unassisted. Starbucks at 10 months - should I be concerned?

Worship

2008-11-10T18:35:00.000-08:00

On Friday night during house church, Elisha saw Alice, aka Mema, clapping during worship. She started clapping, too. She got down out of my lap and started swaying and dancing a little like Saji. She tried to help Daddy play his guitar. She really interacted with the music and worshiped the Lord. It was precious.

She also remembered Saji playing with her hair and rubbing her head from earlier, because she looked right at him and rubbed her head and smiled.
(Please excuse her pajamas; I thought she was headed to bed when all this took place.)

Walking, walking, WALKING!

2008-11-10T18:32:00.000-08:00

Elisha is walking everywhere now, even on the kitchen floor with socks on. On Friday she figured out how to get up without crawling to something to pull up on. I tried to get some good pictures of her walking, but she likes to walk right into the camera, so it's a little difficult.

Myself, please!

2008-11-04T18:57:00.001-08:00

In the last two days, Elisha has eaten oatmeal, sweet potatoes and cottage cheese by herself with a spoon out of her bowl. It started when she pointed to the spoon and then signed please. How could I say no to such a polite request? She got the spoon into her mouth amazingly well. She just needed some help getting the food onto the spoon - and that with some convincing. In addition to walking and feeding herself with a spoon, Elisha is exercising her independence in other ways: she shook her head no, then turned and walked away when I asked her to come on Saturday. She's also been trying to take toys away from Micah. What next, little lady?

Piglet

2008-11-04T18:52:00.001-08:00

Steps

2008-11-01T19:13:00.001-07:00

September 4th - standing alone
September 16th - taking a few shaky steps
October 15th - took 10 steps
November 1st - walking across the room

I was just looking through pictures - the way I document and remember dates of events. Elisha is now toddling all over the place and trying to learn how to climb down the stairs. She has the up totally figured out. She's saying and signing quite a bit now and has learned how to shake her head no. She's becoming quite the little independent woman.

Little Ladybug

2008-11-01T18:56:00.001-07:00

Superheros & Smiles

2008-10-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

Why do you think Elisha is smiling?
A. She knows Micah is already in bed and she is still up.
B. She's standing by herself to play and is proud.
C. She really likes playing with Micah's superheros.
D. She just really loves superheros.
It could be any of the above. I don't think we'll ever know. She's a little mystery!

Books are fun!

2008-10-10T13:32:00.000-07:00

Elisha has recently discovered books. I've been reading to her more often and also asking her to sit in the reading corner (bean bag chair and a basket of books) in their room for a few minutes a few days a week. I think she's decided books are fun. This is a great thing she's learned from her big brother!

Micah & Me

2008-10-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

So, they've started sitting in the big green rocking chair, eating snack, drinking juice and watching shows on TV together. They are so cute cuddled up together and Micah dialogs to Elisha, describing what's going on. I'm trilled what good buddies they're becoming!

Row Your Boat

2008-09-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

We like to play "row, row, row your boat" in the big green rocking chair.

Chuck E Cheese's

2008-09-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

Our good friend Stacy invited Elisha and I to Chuck E. Cheese's to meet some of her friends one day while Micah was at school. Elisha loved eating pizza and playing.
It seemed like she recognized Bob the Builder and Scoop from Micah's toys.

Here's Stacy's friend Berkley. Her mom and I were both in Stacy's wedding. That was in 2001. We hadn't seen each other since. I now have two kids and she has gotten married and started a family since then, too. It's amazing what can change in 7 years...

Tubbie Time with Micah

2008-09-21T23:00:00.000-07:00

I think this one speaks for itself; here a picture truly is worth a thousand words.

She's 9 months old!

2008-09-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

Elisha is 9 months old. She's standing well by herself and getting so close to taking steps. She's using her signs well - please, more, all done, get down. We've been having fun spending time just Elisha and Mommy while Micah is at school two mornings a week. Such a big girl...

She loves the playgrounds at Chick-fil-A and the Mall of Georgia, where she can play well by herself.

Big Girl

2008-09-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

She'll be 9 months next week and look at all the big girl things she can do.Big Girl Games: I put Elisha in a laundry hamper to occupy her and keep her safe while I moved laundry from the washer to the dryer and she played peak-a-boo with me.
Big Girl Pajamas: These two piece pajamas without footies make her look like such a little girl and not a baby.
Big Girl Tricks: Here she is standing up with no assistance. She has been doing this more and more often lately. We're anxiously awaiting her first steps.
Big Girl Bunny Bath Towel: She doesn't fit in those baby towels any more. When I wrapped her up in this towel and showed her herself in the mirror, she got tickled.
Big Girl Food: Here she is eating an English muffin pizza, peas and peaches - the exact meal I served Micah (except she ate hers with her hands).

Super Girl

2008-09-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

It's really amazing how much she really wants to be just like her big brother. Check her out in his cape. Can you see how proud she is in her expression? She also eats best if she's got exactly the same thing on her plate as he has on his. What a little personality!

A Normal Day

2008-08-19T07:56:00.001-07:00

Isn't she cute? Sometimes it is so nice to just hang out at home and play. What a happy girl!

8 Months Old

2008-08-17T20:29:00.001-07:00

Elisha is now 8 months old. We realized today that we really need to start keeping a close eye on her. She can crawl and pull up on just about anything very quickly. Her new words this week were Micah and book. I think she said pig one time that she was looking at a book on her changing table. It's a farm book and when I turned to the page with the pigs she acted very proud of herself. After spending all day at her house, I think she said Nana Saturday evening, but she was also quite attached to an Ernie character she found in Micah's tub toys. She's finally starting to have a little bit of a belly. She's been eating almost everything I put in front of her-all kinds of fruits and veggies from asparagus to tomatoes. This week's big introduction was egg yolks. She likes them, but they always end up in her hair (the little bit she has). Her favorite by far is square rice cereal (like Chex). It always makes her smile. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital in her little Christmas stocking cap. She's hardly a baby anymore...

Playgrounds and Ice Cream Cones

2008-08-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

It was an exciting week. Sunday Elisha started saying "Micah" very clearly.
Monday she really convinced me that she knew his name when she asked for him on her changing table and at the playground. We went to the Mall of Georgia. It has an inside play area for preschoolers. Micah has been wanting to go. We haven't been much this summer. There were other things to do and the times we went, there were too many school-aged kids playing. For the first time, I let Elisha play with Micah instead of just watching. She crawled around and pulled up on things like she owned the place. She was so proud of herself that she could hang with the big kids. She'd stop now and then, look up and me and say, "Micah?" Once she knew where he was, she'd continue cruising around or trying to make friends.
Tuesday (pictures below) we went to the "Treehouse McDonald's", as Micah calls it. Again it was his request. We were spending time with Aunt Andrea and that's where he wanted to go. Andrea treated us to ice cream cones. Elisha pointed and then signed both eat and please. I couldn't resist such a polite request. She ate ice cream, making funny faces each bite but always wanting more. Then she played on the playground a while, just like Micah. When did she stop being a baby and start being a toddler?!?

Laundry Basket Fun

2008-08-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

What is it about laundry baskets? She had so much fun! She is now officially cruising, pulling herself up on all kinds of things and walking around - the coffee table, the couch, Micah's train table (she giggles and grunts like a gorilla) and anyone sitting on the floor. She also got her second top tooth this week and started saying Mama. How did she get so big already?

Mooney Family Cabin Time

2008-08-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

Elisha really enjoyed riding on my back for a short little hike. We didn't do a very good job taking pictures because Micah was sick most of the time.

She's 7 months old!

2008-07-25T04:26:00.000-07:00

Elisha started crawling a few days before she turned 7 months old (7/13&14). She has also figured out that people think she's cute, especially when she's dressed up to go somewhere. Heather and Eric insisted upon taking this picture. Right after she turned 7 months, she started pulling up to standing on one of her toys. A few days later she did it in her crib, so we lowered the mattress. That didn't stop her. Here she is standing in her crib after her nap (7/24). She got her first top tooth this week, too (7/21). Her ability to communicate continues to amaze me. She's saying eat, "kiglet" for her Piglet, get down and signing milk, all done, and please. She's so sweet with Micah, even when he's a little rough. They are learning how to share toys. I never knew my heart could be so full as when they initiate being affectionate toward one another or when they are both snuggled up with their Daddy! Thank you Lord for sending us our little Elisha!

Elisha loves...

2008-07-25T03:39:00.001-07:00

eating apple slices,sleeping with her Piglet,
posing for the camera (this was new in Texas, at the beginning of July)
and her big brother, Micah.

Texas

2008-07-25T03:22:00.001-07:00

Uncle Matt, Auntie Kim and baby Charlotte (3/11/08) live in Texas. We took a road trip to go visit at the beginning of July. Elisha did great in the car all 17 hours there. She talked and played and when she got fussy, her passifier and Piglet helped her drift off to sleep. Opa flew to out join us. Baby Charlotte is as cute as a button and she and Elisha were the same size, even though Elisha is almost 3 months older. It's so strange to me that Elisha is so small compared to other family babies. We tried to get some cousin pictures with Oma and Opa, but it proved a bit more difficult than we thought...

We didn't take any pictures, but one of the highlights of the trip for Elisha was our trip to the pool. She played - splashing, kicking, talking, squealing - for over an hour before she got tired. Matt and I took turns playing with Micah and holding Elisha.

On the way home Oma treated us to a night in a hotel. Elisha loved playing in the swimming pool and also really enjoyed her portable crib. She's so easy to please!

Six Month Milestones

2008-07-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

Elisha started eating solid foods - avacados, rice, sweet potatoes and the like - the beginning of June, just before she turned six months. Since then, she has started sitting up on her own and posing for the camera. She is so close to crawling. All she has left to figure out is how to get her arms moving. Sometimes it looks like she is about to turn a summersault, as she is up on all fours with her head on the floor. She also walks well holding onto someone's hands.
We transitioned her into a bigger car seat and out of the baby bathtub into a tub chair. She took her first bath with Micah last Monday and they had so much fun.
She has also started communicating. She says hi, hey, again and all-done. Sometimes her use of again is a little askew - when she really means 'more' or 'I want something'. She's using her baby sign for eat and recognizes a few others.
She's also decided that she wants to eat finger foods, too. She really isn't big enough to do this, but she is proving to be fiercely independent like her brother. One morning this week, in an effort to keep her occupied while I made breakfast, I put her in her high chair and put a few O's (Cherrioes type cereal) on her tray. Oma helped her figure out how to get them in her mouth. She felt so big and so proud of her self - this was obvious. Then it was time to eat breakfast. When the spoon got to her mouth, she clamped it shut and then signed eat. At first I was a little confused. Then I pretended to not understand. Eventually I gave in and let her eat more O's, with bites of babyfood snuck into her mouth when I could. Lunchtime was similar. At dinner she ate her babyfood and then I gave her a piece of celery and a carrot stick. Those guys made her very happy, too.
Elisha also survived her six month check up. She is now 27 1/2 inches long and weighs just shy of 16 pounds.

Cabin Time

2008-06-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

***Oops! This post should be on Micah's blog. Let me figure out how to move it.***

We went to the cabin with our Friday night house church group

Micah and Saji climbed trees.

Eddie made Micah a walking stick just like his - only smaller.

The creek mud was "squishy" between his toes.

He worked hard on his fish face, too.

Big Girl Bath

2008-06-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

Elisha took her first bath in the big tub today (without the baby bathtub).
Splish - Splash!

Micah helped wash her off.

Look closely, she has a mohawk!

Father's Day

2008-06-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

Elisha and Aunt Andrea looking so cute together!We let Elisha ride Micah's car after he went to bed. She felt so big!

She cut her 2nd tooth over night (Saturday to Sunday) - that made her feel so much better. We had a great Father's Day!

Sibling Piglets

2008-06-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

Elisha cut her first tooth on Sunday (June 8th). The second one is not far behind. She has been struggling to go to sleep at night. Last night I put her in bed with Micah for a couple minutes. She settled down right away. Aren't they so cute with their Piglets?

Look close, she's smiling behind her pacifier.

First Swim in the Pool

2008-06-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

We went swimming at Lisa's pool with her daughter Beth and friend Will. Elisha loved splashing in the water. Doesn't she look cute in her watermelon suit from Laura Beth?

Picnic and Frosting

2008-06-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

We went on a family adventure to Stone Mountain, mostly so that Micah could ride the train. We had a picnic after our train ride. I think we picked one of the hottest days of the summer.

Later that evening, we had cake with icing at house church. Elisha was sitting on Daddy's lap and decided to dig into the icing. She was very proud of herself, but we caught her before she stuck a whole handful into her mouth. Check out the face of victory...

Food and Floor Time

2008-06-04T12:32:00.000-07:00

On June 2nd, just two weeks before she turned six months, Elisha started eating baby food. She was acting ready, so we gave it a try. She did great! Later the same week, she dropped her late night feeding and started sleeping 10ish hours a night.

She's growing up so fast!

In the Grass

2008-05-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

We went to a picnic at the park on the Saturday before Mother's Day. Elisha got to play in the grass for the first time.

Three Months Old!

2008-03-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

March 2008

All Clean

2008-03-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

Elisha at 3 months on March 23, 2008

Easter 2008

2008-03-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

Isn't Elisha adorable all dressed up for Easter?

She acted like she felt pretty. Thanks for the beautiful dress, Mema!

Blankey and Olive Garden

2008-03-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

Elisha loves to cuddle, especially with a blanket.

Easter weekend on Saturday night we went to Olive Garden with a big group of friends. Elisha got to spend some time with Aunt Gina and Uncle Ben.

Our friends the Flemings came to visit for a few days. They came to Olive Garden, too.

Faith Fleming had so much fun with Elisha.

Smiling and Slumbering

2008-02-27T19:32:00.001-08:00

Two Months

2008-02-20T19:31:00.000-08:00

Today (2/20/08) was Elisha's two month check up at the doctor. She was 2 months old on Sunday, February 17th and 9 weeks on the 18th. She is now 11 pounds 4 ounces and 24 inches long. The doctor says she's doing great. She is really smiling a lot now. As soon as she recovers from her immunization and vaccination shots, we'll take some smiley pictures.

Six Weeks Old

2008-02-20T19:25:00.000-08:00

2008-02-20T19:14:00.001-08:00

Aunt Gina bought this shirt for Elisha. Doesn't it suit her well?Although we try to live a simple life without too many frills, on this particular January morning I was very thankful for these two inventions: the bouncy seat and Play-Dough. I actually got a few things done.
Until this day, Micah had only climbed up and peered over the side of Elisha's crib to talk to her. This morning I found Micah in Elisha's crib talking to her and sharing Piglet and a few other stuffed friends with her. I ran for the camera and was so touched by his sweet interaction with her that I couldn't scold him for climbing in her crib. I'm just glad neither of them got hurt!

One Month Old

2008-02-20T19:10:00.000-08:00

Inside and out

2008-01-05T18:56:00.001-08:00

It's hard to believe she used to fit in there!

Week 2 in Review

2008-01-05T18:32:00.001-08:00

One week old
Will this bear be Elisha's piglet?
After her first bath in the tub - Jan. 2nd - 10 days old
Chillin' on the couch

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

We are so blessed! What an amazing Christmas!

She's Here!

2007-12-23T12:42:00.001-08:00

Elisha Abigail was born on December 17th at 2:49 a.m. She was 8 lbs. 1 oz. and 21 1/2 inches long. Contractions were about 5 minutes apart at 7 p.m. and we arrived at the hospital shortly before 11 p.m. God really blessed us with a pretty easy, natural labor. We were just a little concerned because Elisha's heart rate dropped drastically with every hard contraction. The midwife and nurse kept a close eye on us, but everything went very smoothly.

Nana brought Micah to the hospital later that morning and he instantly fell in love. He wanted to hold Elisha and kiss her. It was so precious! I've been asking the Lord for him to enjoy being a big brother. I never dreamed he'd love her the moment he laid eyes on her. What a blessing!
We got to leave the hospital on the 18th around 2 p.m. to go home and finally get some sleep!

2007-12-16T11:55:00.001-08:00

Little Elisha, today is your due date. When will you come?
Your crib is ready and has passed Micah's safety inspection.Nana made you a special quilt.
All your little clothes are washed and folded.
Oma got you a bassinet and decorated it so sweetly, just for you.
Mommy's belly can't get much bigger and Daddy can hardly wait, so please come soon! We're awaiting your arrival, little Elisha Abigail.

Micah's Waiting

2007-12-14T19:16:00.001-08:00

Micah is waiting for his little sister to arrive. Don't worry Elisha, he's testing out all your toys , your crib and your car seat for you. He's already taking his role as big brother quite seriously. When are you coming to meet us?