Welcome Baby Ellie!

THIS PAST WEEKEND, WE MET OUR DEAR FRIENDS THE BELLITOS AND LIVINGSTONS IN WHEATON, IL TO WELCOME BABY ELLIE TO THE LIVINGSTON FAMILY. SHE WAS AS PRECIOUS AS CAN BE, AND A VERY GRACIOUS HOST TO US ALL. EACH TIME THAT WE GATHER TOGETHER, WE ARE AMAZED HOW MUCH OUR LIVES HAVE ALL CHANGED IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. WE HAVE ADDED FIVE CHILDREN TO OUR GANG AND ARE AWAITING ONE BABY BOY LARSON. THE DAYS OF LATE NIGHT DINNERS IN THE CITY HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY AFTERNOON LUNCHEONS AT OUR HOMES, BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE LORD FOR THE TREASURES HE HAS GIVEN US - SWEET ROBBIE & ELLIE LIVINGSTON, LUKE & RYAN BELLITO, AND CHARLOTTE. WE WONDER HOW LONG WE WILL BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE KIDS WITH MAN ON MAN COVERAGE?!

ELLIE SUZANNE LIVINGSTON

ROBBIE INTRODUCES CHARLOTTE TO HIS BALL PIT...LET THE FUN BEGIN!

"WHY DON'T I HAVE ONE OF THESE AT MY HOUSE?!"

FEELING QUITE RELAXED.

DADDY WITH LITTLE RYAN BELLITO.

OUR AFTERNOON WAS FILLED WITH BABY SWAPPING, EXCHANGING PRESENTS, GIGGLES, GREAT CONVERSATION, NAPS, AND OF COURSE A FEW CRIES. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THE ADULTS WERE AS TIRED AS THE CHILDREN. WHAT A MEMORABLE DAY WITH FRIENDS! WE ARE READY FOR BABY BOY LARSON TO JOIN THE CREW!

Head Shots

IT IS HARD TO PASS UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO CAPTURE OUR LITTLE LADY'S BLOSSOMING PERSONALITY. I HAVE FOUND THAT TAKING PICTURES WHILE SHE IS EATING ALLOWS ME TO PHOTOGRAPH HER QUICKLY WHILE SHE IS IN ONE SPOT, WHICH IS USUALLY NOT THE CASE. ENJOY THIS NATURAL PROGRESSION OF PICS; YOU WILL NOTICE HOW QUICKLY CHARMING BLOSSOMS INTO AGGRAVATION! WE LOVE THE MANY SIDES OF OUR LITTLE MISS THANG.

THE TURNING POINT...

WAIT FOR IT...

AND WE'RE DONE!

Beach Fun

THIS PAST WEEK CHARLOTTE AND I JOINED THE REST OF MY FAMILY FOR A DAY AT THE BEACH. IT WAS A LOVELY DAY - 80 DEGREES AND SUNNY WITH A BREEZE. IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER WITH ALL OF THE COUSINS AND CHARLOTTE WAS GREATLY ENTERTAINED BY EACH ONE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A SAND CASTLE, WE DISCOVERED CHARLOTTE HAS A STRONG DISLIKE OF SAND. SHE SPENT THE REST OF THE DAY AVOIDING IT, WHICH IS NOT AN EASY TASK AT A BEACH. THANK GOODNESS FOR HER NANY AND PAPA'S STRONG ARMS, HER AUNTIE DAWN'S LOVE OF STROLLER WALKS AND COUSIN ZACH'S PLAYFUL CHASING. I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY SHE IS MORE OF A "POOL GIRL." WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO SPEND THE DAY WITH FAMILY; WE ONLY WISH DADDY COULD OF JOINED US.

WORKING UP A HUNGER.

SPORTING YET ANOTHER SUIT.

"THE BEACH IS A PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE PLACE TO SHOW OFF MY PERSONAL STYLE."

GETTIN' DOWN TO SOME FUNKY MUSIC WITH COUSIN KENDALL.

OUR ONE SUCCESSFUL PICTURE WHERE BOTH GIRLS ARE LOOKING AT THE CAMERA. (WE NEED TO WORK ON THIS.)

WHAT DARLING LITTLE LADIES!

HEADING BACK TO MADISON AFTER A FULL DAY.

SWEET SANDY DREAMS.

Farmer's Market

EACH SATURDAY MORNING, CHARLOTTE AND I AWAKE EAGER TO HEAD TO THE FARMER'S MARKET AROUND THE SQUARE. IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE WAYS TO START THE DAY, AND IT REALLY SETS THE TONE FOR A LOVELY WEEKEND. WE ESPECIALLY ENJOY IT WHEN JEFF IS OFF TO ENJOY THE MORNING WITH US. WE HAVE OUR ROUTINE DOWN PAT: PACK ENOUGH QUARTERS TO PARK IN THE PARKING GARAGE, HEAD STRAIGHT TO THE COFFEE VENDORS, STOP AT OUR FAVORITE PASTRY BOOTH, ENJOY DANISHES ON A PARK BENCH, AND PROCEED TO PERUSE THE PRODUCE AND FLOWERS AROUND THE MARKET. CHARLOTTE'S FAVORITE MOMENT OCCURS AROUND THE LAST TURN, WHEN WE CROSS THE STREET SO THAT SHE CAN WALK AND DANCE TO THE STREET PERFORMERS. THIS PAST WEEK SHE DREW QUITE A CROWD OF OBSERVERS! WE MAY START SETTING OUT A TIP HAT. HERE ARE A FEW PICS FROM THE LAST THREE SATURDAYS...YOU WILL NOTICE A PATTERN OF EATING.

WAITING FOR THE MUSIC TO BEGIN.
"READY FOR MY BLUEBERRY DANISH."


NOT QUITE SURE IF THIS NEW HAT IS NECESSARY.

"MOM, IS YOUR DANISH AS GOOD AS MINE?!"

"I DON'T THINK I WANT TO SHARE MY MUFFIN THIS WEEK. PERHAPS NEXT WEEK YOU COULD GET YOUR OWN?"

SAVORING THE LAST BITE...YUM!

Daddy's Little Tutor

JEFF HAS RESUMED HIS ROTATION ON THE PLASTIC SURGERY SERVICE AND OFTEN SPENDS HIS NIGHTS PREPARING FOR THE NEXT DAY. CHARLOTTE, THE BUDDING SCHOLAR THAT SHE IS, USES THIS TIME TO BOND WITH HER FATHER AND POINT OUT INTERESTING PICTURES IN HIS ENORMOUS TEXT BOOKS. FEW MOMENTS ARE MORE PRECIOUS THAN THIS AS A PROUD WIFE AND MOTHER. (PERHAPS, I SHOULD PULL OUT MY OLD TEACHER TEXTS AND SEE IF SHE IS EQUALLY DRAWN TO THEM?!)

Say "Cheese"

CHARLOTTE LEARNED TO CLIMB UP ONTO THE PLUSH, LEATHER CHAIR IN OUR LIVING ROOM, AND IT RESULTED IN A MINI-PHOTO SHOOT. SHE LOVES TO CHEESE IT UP FOR THE CAMERA NOW, AND I COULDN'T RESIST TAKING MULTIPLE SHOTS OF MY LITTLE LADY.

IS IT JUST ME, OR DOES SHE LOOK MORE LIKE HER DADDY EACH DAY?

BEGGING FOR MORE...

"CHEESE."

"MOM, YOU ARE HYSTERICAL!"

PROUD GIRL.

Paging Dr. Larson

ALLOW ME TO SET THE SCENE FOR YOU...

IT IS 6:00 PM, CHARLOTTE AND I EAGERLY AWAIT HER FATHER'S RETURN AFTER A LONG DAY AT WORK. SUDDENLY, SHE HEARS THE LOCK AT THE FRONT DOOR BEING TURNED. SHE ABRUPTLY ABANDONS HER TOY OF THE MOMENT AND RACES TO THE DOOR. SHE BEAMS, HOLDING HER ARMS UP, CALLING OUT AN ASSORTMENT OF DA-DAS. ALAS, DADDY HAS COME HOME! HE; HOWEVER, IS NOT FOOLED. WHILE CHARLOTTE ADORES HER FATHER, SHE IS ENAMORED BY HIS DOCTOR GEAR! HE QUICKLY TURNS THEM OVER TO HER AND THE FOLLOWING OCCURS (ON A DAILY BASIS).

SHE CONTINUES TO BE LIKE HER DADDY IN SO MANY WAYS. MAYBE OUR SON WILL WANT TO BE A TEACHER?

"NURSE - MY SCALPEL, PLEASE."

"IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY...I HOPE MY PAGER DOES NOT GO OFF."

Summer Fun

CHARLOTTE LOVES TO BE OUTDOORS AND WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GETTING OUTSIDE WHENEVER WE CAN. THIS WEEK CHARLOTTE HAD A PLAY DATE AT THE ZOO, AND ALLOWED ME TO PUSH HER IN THE STROLLER FOR HALF OF THE TIME BEFORE ASKING (A.K.A. DEMANDING) TO WALK. WHILE OUR LITTLE MADISON ZOO DOES NOT HAVE THE BEST EXHIBITS, IT IS FREE AND PROVIDES MANY PATHS FOR CHARLOTTE TO ROAM ON! IT IS A GREAT WAY TO SPEND THE MORNING WITH FRIENDS! WE ALSO HAVE ENJOYED TAKING TRIPS TO THE FARMER'S MARKET ON SATURDAY MORNINGS. IT IS THE PERFECT WAY TO START OUR WEEKEND. THE WEATHER IS JUST LOVELY IN THE EARLY MORNING, AND CHARLOTTE ENJOYS TAKING IN ALL OF THE SIGHTS WHILE JEFF AND I ENJOY A COFFEE AND CHEESE DANISH! THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS, PRODUCE, CHEESE AND CHEERFUL PEOPLE ALL ADD TO THE EXPERIENCE. IT IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE MADISON ACTIVITIES.

MAKING FRIENDS WITH A GOAT.

WISHING SHE COULD TAKE A DIP IN THE WATER TO COOL OFF.

TAKING A BREAK FROM THE FARMER'S MARKET, CHARLOTTE ENJOYED DANCING TO THE BEAT OF THE STREET MUSIC.

FINDING HER INNER RHYTHM.

GETTING DIRTY AT THE PARK. CHARLOTTE WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE WOOD CHIPS THAN PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.

"THIS TUNNEL IS AMAZING!"

READY FOR SCHOOL...ALREADY!

READY FOR PRESCHOOL OR JUNIOR HIGH?

"MOM, DID YOU KNOW THAT I AM A BIG GIRL?!"