PRECIOUS PICS

A couple of weeks ago we traveled up to Kokomo for a photo session to capture as much of Eliza at this age as we could.  Here are some of the photos from that session.  

Photography by Erica Freeman. 

SWEETNESS

Sweet Eliza, 15 weeks September 30, 2011

THREE MONTHS ALREADY?

 

Our sweet Eliza is just a little over three months old and is just as sweet as can be!  She recently had a weight check at the doctor's office and gained almost a pound in three weeks. She now weighs over 14 and 1/2 lbs and has outgrown nearly all of her three-month sizes. 

She is still in love with her fingers, sucking on them or staring at them for most of the day.

She still won't take a pacifier or a bottle.  We are very close to officially giving up trying.

She is ticklish on her feet, the left more than the right.  Her little giggle is darling!

She finally likes the swing we got from Adam and Megan (thank you!).  She hated it for so long but she seems to enjoy it now.  We are thankful for a new and exciting activity to add to our daily routine.

We'll have more updates in the coming weeks!  

31,556,926 SECONDS

La Brea Tar Pits, September, 2011

On this day a year ago Jason and I were leaving sunny Los Angeles on a red-eye flight back to Indy.  We had just spent 12 days driving down the coast of California stopping in amazing places like Napa and Sonoma Valley, Yosemite, San Francisco, Monterrey, Moro Bay, Big Sur, Long Beach, Beverly Hills, Venice Beach and Hollywood.  We celebrated our one year anniversary on our last day in California (9/12) and it was a trip to remember.  And the perfect start to an incredible year to come.

A year is 31,556,926 seconds long.  We managed to make the most of every single one.

We got pregnant. 

I stopped selling hot dogs. 

I started an amazing new job with Wish For Our Heroes.

We decided to seriously start looking for a new home for our new family. 

We looked at one house and decided it was our dream home. 

We started sorting, packing, and donating our possessions in January and didn't stop until April. 

We saw Squiggy (aka Eliza) for the first time.  She was perfect. 

We sold our house to the perfect family - our neighbors, the Sevier's. 

While seven months pregnant we finally closed on our new house and moved in late April.  

We started renovating our new house one week later.

Our dream home's basement stays flooded for the majority of April and early May. 
We spend April through June wondering if buying and renovating a 100+ year old house while having our first child was such a good idea. 

We have a new bathroom and second floor laundry room, some new plumbing, a repaired kitchen ceiling, a new living room ceiling, a new roof over the living room, new drywall in the master bedroom, new paint downstairs and new paint upstairs, some new electrical and the whole exterior of the house is painted by June 16th, 2011. 

On June 17, 2011, Eliza Everlee McLane was born. 

In July Jason changes territories at work and is getting to know his new team at Monster. 

In July I attempt to go back to work. 

In August, I realize taking care of Eliza is the most important job I will ever have.  I become a stay-at-home mom. 

By September 12th, 2011, all of our Phase 1 renovations are complete and our precious and perfect Eliza turns three months old. 

We celebrate our two year anniversary and decide that a very quiet and uneventful October, November, and December sounds absolutely wonderful. 

SLEEPING BEAUTY

Eliza Everlee 9/6/11

ROCKWOOD TUBERCULOSIS SANITARIUM - HOME SWEET HOME

Many of you know that we moved into our dream home back in April.  Pretty much since day one we've been inundated with contractors working on Phase 1 of our renovations.  We are nearing completion of this stage and can't wait to post before and after pictures (soon!).  Many of the contractors (painters, plumbers, electricians, etc) grew up in the area and were familiar with our house through it's previous owners.  We've been told about the horse farm and the acres and acres of land that used to be part of the property.  Most of the land was sold over the years leaving us with three acres.  We also had heard stories or what we thought may have been rumors about the sanitarium.  Well, Jason did some digging and the rumors are true.  Our home was the main house for the Rockwood Tuberculosis Sanitarium (1907-1913).  

Here's a link to a brief history: Rockwood Tuberculosis Sanitarium

We also found some interesting text from the Indiana Medical Journal

We hope to visit the Hendricks County Historical Society to learn more about our home's history.  We'll keep you posted on what we find!

TWO MONTH UPDATE - AT 11 WEEKS

We are a little late in posting Eliza's two month update only because we've been having so much fun watching her grow!  Today she is 11 weeks old and is as adorable as can be.  At nine weeks she had her first set of vaccinations, which she took like a champ!  Here are some new and old stats. 

June 17, 2011(birth)

Weight: 7 pounds, 15 ounces

Height: 19.25 inches

July 21, 2011

Weight: 11 pounds

Height: 22.75 inches

August 19, 2011

Weight: 13 pounds, 4 ounces

Height: 23.5 inches

She's talking up a storm these days (albeit indecipherable) and we are on pins and needles just waiting for that first big chuckle.  She's been chewing on her hands for some time now (still has no interest in a pacifier) and is kicking her chubby little legs all day long.  Eliza is a pretty good traveler and recently made the trip with us to Rensselaer for my family reunion.  She's also been to Starbucks a couple times to visit with Auntie Lori, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Target (of course!) and even to a couple of farmer's markets to name just a few of her jaunts out of the house.  Mommy had her first trip away from home without Eliza, thanks to Aunt Megan, for an hour a couple of weeks ago.  Eliza did just fine but I still need to work on my separation anxiety.  I coped by buying an antique settee.   Maybe next time I will just go get a massage instead of visiting the local antique stores.   

Eliza loves to be read to and will even read along to some of the books she knows by heart.  Again, it is 100% gibberish but she jabbers when I read and stops when I turn the page.  I will be a happy mommy the day she reads her first book to me.  And although she slept through her first visit to the library I have a feeling it will become one of our favorite places. 

We couldn't be more thankful for a happy, healthy baby and all of our family and friends who just adore her.  She is loved and we are blessed.  

Eliza enjoying a nap with one of her many four-legged companions, Otter Cat.