Ellie's First Beach Trip

This past weekend, we had the opportunity to go to the beach for a quick getaway.  It was so nice to have a change of scenery for a little while!  We still can't really take Ellie anywhere because of flu season, but we were able to breathe some fresh ocean air with the screen doors on the balcony.  The weather was beautiful!  We ordered take-out and Justin cooked for me one night.  It was wonderful.  I feel a bit rejuvenated.  It was hilarious to see all of the snowbirds at the beach.  They were everywhere!  We were by far the youngest couple there.  It was so nice and quiet.  I hope we get to go again soon.  Thanks to the Reynolds' for letting us use their condo for the weekend. 

ELLIE IS HERE!!!

After 18 hours of labor, Eleanor Ashley made her appearance on December 30 at 9:42 pm.  She is so cute -- we just can't stop staring at her!  She weighed 6 lbs 10 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long.  We are so proud of our little girl.  Right now I am doing well, but it has been a rough recovery process -- not to mention the overwhelming feeling of being a new parent.  I will update with more pictures when I have more time in between her frequent feedings.  Justin and I can't wait to introduce her to all of our friends!

Highlights from Thanksgiving and Christmas

Since I am so close to my due date and unable to travel, the relatives had the opportunity to come and see us for the holidays!  This is the first time I have ever had a real holiday at our house.  It was pretty fun, except that things couldn't be as prepared as I wanted because of my large belly and lack of energy.  We still had a pretty good time.  Justin's parents came down from North Carolina for Thanksgiving and we ate a wonderful dinner at the Yacht Club.  It was so nice to have food that I didn't have to prepare!  For Christmas, my parents, sister, and brother-in-law came over from Mississippi.  I actually got to use my wedding china.  It was great!  We had a nice time watching movies, playing games, and shopping at the Summit in Birmingham!  (We did gift cards for Christmas -- perfect for the pregnant lady)Here are some photos from the holidays.

Mississippi Baby Shower

Here are some photos from the Mississippi baby shower this past weekend. It was so nice, and so much fun! We had some great food -- shrimp and grits, cream cheese biscuits, baked brie, breakfast casserole, fresh fruit, and blueberry poundcake. Yum! Wow, that is making me really hungry.

Aunt Betty Ann, Aunt Bunny, Me, my cousin Melanie, and my sister Katie -- the hostesses for the shower.

Me and my sister -- she is so excited to be an aunt!