Elliott Goes on a Test Drive....

John and Elliott like to go out driving. Here they are driving around in their lamborghini.

Cool Thursdays at the Dallas Arboretum

Cool Thursdays at the Dallas Arboretum is one of my favorite things about Dallas in the summer (when it's not 100 degrees outside). Music + Friends, family, wine and appetizers out on the lawn overlooking sunsets over the lake = a wonderful evening.

We have made it out twice so far this summer for Cool Concert Thursdays. The Project played party tunes on our first trip out and the kiddos had a blast...so did the parents.

Trip #2 was a sold out show for Emerald City. The sunsets over the lake for this show were spectacular and The Parkers took some fabulous photos.

Elliott likes laying on his blanket, getting his dinner and listening to some tunes. John and I enjoy some relaxation time by the lake with friends and some adult beverages. The hot Texas summers are upon us and with our first 100 day coming on Thursday it may be a few months before we get to enjoy Cool Thursdays again with the baby. Since Dallas is frequently referred to as " The City of Concrete" any time on green grass near a body of water is relished!

Elliott - 4 months

Our little man is growing like a weed.

Last week we had his 4 month doctor's appointment. He did MUCH better this visit...except when they poked him with needles. John came to this doc visit...so I hid in the corner, closed my eyes and plugged my ears when they pricked him.

This visit he was 17.2 lbs (90%) 25 1/2 inches (75%) and 55% for head size. John is hoping that he is a linebacker...I hated to tell him that at 6 months he could be in the 25% for everything.

He LOVED the mirrors and the crinkly paper that he stomped all over. Why do we buy expensive toys when the simplest things make him happy??

He has learned how to laugh when he gets tickled, he love to hold onto his feet and he now not only rolls from front to back...but he has started to master rolling from back to front. Now if we could just get rid of this acid reflux we would be in good shape!

Teylor, Ben and Finley were in town last week as well. We had family brunch at our house. Finley even let me hold her...briefly but a conquest nonetheless. Finley was not so keen when her mama was holding Elliott. She apparently thought he was dirty because she took a wipey and started cleaning him. She was also a big fan of Willie (the pug). She was so cute I am thinking of ways to kidnap her.

Multiplication

The Nation (the name our group of friends have dubbed themselves) is multiplying fast!

Leading the group are Alex, Cole, Charlie, Jackson, Sydney, Bianca, Stella and Luke. Following this crew are the three babies - Mitch, Elliott and Zoe. It has been so wonderful to have such fantastic friends to know what to look forward to and suffer through the tribulations of newborns. And now the next 3 are on their way~

Jonna and Craig are expecting a baby sister for Stella in November and Bianca and Luke's siblings will be due in December (I am hoping either baby Carr or baby Barrera makes its appearance on the best blessed day of the year....my birthday, December 15th.)

John's business partner (Alec and Lauren) are expecting baby #3 as well! It will be awesome to have 5 DSM (Davidson Stewart Morelock Insurance Agency) babies (and more to come I am sure) to learn the ropes of the insurance biz. DSM is under contract to buy several more insurance agencies in various areas throughout Texas (including my favorite...Austin!). We hope to have a condo in Austin for frequent visits and cannot wait until (hopefully) one day soon The Davidsons, Stewarts and the Morelocks have acerage on a Tx lake where we will build houses and make amazing memories for the company and all of our kiddos by the lake. I know Ken, Alec and John need some much needed relaxation for all of their hard work at growing the best insurance agency in the country! ( I am a little partial of course!).

Our first blog

First and foremost I am not a blogger. I figured I would channel my Facebook addiction into something a little more productive....so we shall see how this goes.

John and I celebrated our first anniversay last Sunday (May 31st). It's been a year of a lot of firsts....first came marriage, then came a baby, then came a new house, new insurance agencies and my new job...as a full-time mom. I can only hope that further achievements in our life happen a little more spread out!

That list doesn't even include all of Elliott's first...He will be 4 months old on the 10th. These days he has had his first giggle (with NeNe), lots of smiles, feet grabbing, first dips in the pool and even his first roll over. Oh and let's not forget his first trip into a bar. He had a bottle and puked on the floor...something he will surely do again, but hopefully not until he is 21.

Our three dogs (Dutch - the chow mix, Bear - the lab mix and Willie - the pug) are adjusting to life as second class citizens in our household. They are begining to learn the plus side to having an infant around...licking up baby spit up, stealing his toys and endless diaper sniffing. I think they will be euphoric by the time he is eating real food and throwing it on the floor!

We look forward to another hot summer in Texas with lots of trips to the pools and lots of beautiful evenings with friends. We have a trip to East Texas Hill Country coming up in August, James and Holly's wedding in Denver in September (our first trip away from the bambino) and a trip home to Kentucky so Elliott can meet his Aunt, Uncles and Cousins.