dear gammy,

thank you SO much for coming to visit me and my mommy and daddy last week. i already miss you tons! i wish you were here so that i could share my "scary cry" that i only do when i'm in my car-seat.


i wish you were here so that you could watch me kick and turn and splash in my little blue bath.

i wish you were here so that you could sing me to sleep...and so that you could watch me sleep.


i wish you were here to take tons more pictures of me like we did in our little photo shoot.

i wish you were here so that i could hear you make my mom laugh...really hard.

i wish you were here so that you could watch me roll over.


i wish you were here so that you could play with me and patch.

i wish you were here so that i could stare at you curiously.

i wish you were here so you could make me smile.

but most of all, i wish you were here so that you could hold me and tell me you love me.




i love you, gammy! i can't wait to see you again in two weeks!

love,

Ellie M.

birthday boy.

Top 10 reasons to love Mike this year:

10. he loves potty humor. and so do i.
9. he is becoming a killer golfer! watch out, tiger.
8. he works his butt off! at school, work, and everything else he does.
7. he is quite the handy man (see our nursery for proof- he refinished that beautiful black dresser all on his own! go M!)
6. he cooked dinner for me multiple times this year- at moments of stress during pregnancy and teaching. what a man!
5. he has the sweetest smile.
4. he has almost conquered EXPERT on guitar hero! my knight in shining armor.
3. he has basically become a professional mover. seriously- UHAUL has a competitor in sight.
2. he makes me feel loved, beautiful, special, and appreciated every day. what girl can say that?
1. he is the most adorable daddy you have ever seen.

happy 25th birthday, Mikey. thank the heavens you were born.

xoxo

seventeen.

i remember when i was a teenager...i used to buy the newest seventeen magazine every time i went to the grocery store with my mom. i remember looking at the models...and all of the fashion tips in this magazine, wondering when i'd ever be seventeen... and now, my baby sister is seventeen! seriously, what happened? many of you will remember miss Mimi as the most adorable little girl on earth- with dark skin and the most beautiful green eyes you've ever seen...and the most hilarious sense of humor. none of that has changed, except the little girl part. she has transformed from that adorable little sister to a gorgeous friend of mine...who everyone mistakes as my older sister. seriously. it's kind of depressing to have graduated from college, be working in the real world, be married, and have a baby...and still be asked what grade i'm in. anyway, sorry this is a bit belated...but i hope your birthday was fabulous, Mimi! thank goodness you were born...our family would be so dull without you! i miss you like crazy and can't wait to give you a big squeeze in a few weeks.



xoxo

four weeks!?

beautiful Ellie made her debut, fashionably late, four weeks ago today.

can you believe it??!

though i can't believe it has already been four weeks...i also can't remember not having little Ellie as a part of my life. there are other things i can't remember:

what it was like to get a full night's sleep.
what it was like to be out in the real world...
what it was like to know what time of day it was for a reason other than the feeding schedule.
what it was like to think poopie diapers were gross.
what it felt like to put on a normal bra...among other things.
what it was like to stand still. or sit still for that matter.
how to put on mascara.
what it felt like to take a 10 minute shower.
what normal food tastes like...with the good spices...and chocolate...sigh.
what it was like to talk in a normal, human voice instead of a baby babble voice.
what our house looked like (well, the Chapman's house) without baby stuff...everywhere.
and, in spite of it all,

how i ever lived without her.

happy four weeks, sweet Ellie bear.

XOXO,

mommy

p.s. isn't she absolutely beautiful?

Ellie's Got Moves

After a period of inconsolable crying, we finally figured out Ellie's hidden passion ... dancing. Check out her sweet dance moves!