VA/MD Trip

We are home from our visit to Virginia and Maryland! Jason, Ellie, my mom and I left last Thursday afternoon, spent the night in Wytheville, VA, and then finished our drive on Friday to my aunt's house in Hague.  We spent a few days visiting with my Aunt Julia, cousins, and their plethora of animals (geese,  ducks, chickens, horses, cats, and a pretty Collie named Lady), and then headed to Maryland to visit with my grandparents.

All in all, it was an awesome trip! Between taking the 13 hour drive in two days and my mom riding in the backseat with Ellie, the car ride was much more bearable than I thought it would be.  The only thing I would have done differently would be to have switched Ellie to a convertible car seat.  Though she still fits in her infant carrier (and will for about 13 more pounds), she gets very warm when she has to be in it for extended periods of time.  Still, she handled the car ride (and the majority of the trip) really well.

My cousin Lucy (8 years old) was *very* happy to meet Ellie.  She held Ellie at every opportunity, and wanted to sing her to sleep every night.  Our second evening there, she asked me, "So... when I'm done singing Ellie to sleep, would you like me to just put her in her bed?"  Haha!

We got in a little sightseeing (George Washington's birthplace, Annapolis, Whole Foods--ha!) and a lot of wonderful family time.  Ellie gave her sweet smiles freely, and charmed everyone she meet (including lots and lots of strangers, everywhere we went).  It was a great visit, but we're happy to be home! (Leia really missed us!)

Ellie and Great Grandpa, having an intellectual discussion

Ellie loves Cecilia!

Ellie *really* loves Sophie the Giraffe. 

Redneck baby on the beach

Ellie and Griffin got along splendidly.  He enjoyed licking her toes!

Ellie and Aunt Cynthia

Happy baby!

Ellie and cousin Megan

"Hey Griffin, what's up?"

Enjoying lunch at Carol's Creek in Annapolis

We even managed to take her 28 week picture-- she's so big!