Livin' in the Wild, Wild West!

April 10: While Mommy and Ava stayed home (eventually, we did make our way back into the world, lol!), Daddy and Olivia went to the Doescher's western themed anniversary party!  They ate Famous Dave's BBQ (and brought some home: yum, yum!  THANKS!), visited with the extended Elgan family, and celebrated Don's and Konnie's many years of marriage!

My sweet little cowpokes were all smiles!

Incognito!

Being a "BIG"

Dearest Olivia,

      She already looks at you with adoration.  Admiration.  Wonder.  To her, you are the big to her little, the built-in friend she's had since birth.  She will play countless hours with you, laugh with you, cry with you, share her secrets with you... and you will do the same.  Our wish for you both is that you respect one another's differences, appreciate one another's strengths, and offer mutual love and support to one another throughout your lifetime.  May neither of you ever take this beautiful relationship for granted, and may you realize that sisterhood is not a given; being a sibling is through the sharing of two parents.  Sisterhood is so much more, a treasure you must hold safely in the palm of your hand, a relationship you both must cultivate and work to maintain.  While we hope it is very, very slow, we look forward to witnessing the two of you grow independently, yet together, as the years pass.  May you find that you are not only siblings, but sisters - friends - that both contribute to this unique, irreplaceable, amazing bond.  We "just" 

love you girls - deeply!  

Love, Mommy and Daddy

"A younger sister is someone to use as a guinea-pig in trying sledges and experimental go-carts.  Someone to send on messages to Mum.  But someone who needs you - who comes to you with bumped heads, grazed knees, tales of persecution.  Someone who trusts you to defend her.  Someone who thinks you know the answers to almost everything." - Pam Brown

Ava's first bath at home!

Daddy had quite the wonderful little helper, who was very eager to contribute to the bathing process when needed!  Thanks, Olivia!

Clean and cute!

April 3, 2010

Easter morning, 2010

Wake up, sleepy head!  The Easter bunny has come!

Now this is my type of carrot!

The THREE people I love most!  Here's the first picture with all of them in it!

Our girls... xoxoxox

"Is solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister." - Alice Walker

The hunt is on!

We brought Ava home on Friday, April 2 at 9:15 p.m. - just in time for Easter weekend!  The next morning was the annual "Ranch" Egghunt; this year, it was a Daddy/oldest daughter event not to be missed!  While Mommy and Ava spent the morning adjusting at home, Daddy and Olivia strolled down the street to find some eggs and say hello to the Easter bunny himself!

Strike a pose, girlie!

Cousin Brianna was not as fond as Olivia was of the furry critter!

Surveying the scene...

to make their plan of attack!  Go get 'em, Elgan girls!

Later that afternoon, there were eggs to be dyed!

Daddy, lending a hand!

What lovely springtime colors!

Anything with stickers is a do!

They turned out so pretty!  Great job!

Little Miss Ava Grace!

Born April 1, 2010 at 8:25 p.m., she weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces...

and was love at first sight!

Ready or not, here she comes!

So... two weeks early, our little Ava decided that she would be our little April Fool's Day baby!  However, from this point forward, April 1 will have the title of Ava Grace's birthday around our house!  

In spite of multiple attempts to insert my IV, three tries to place my epidural, and the epidural wearing off during the height of my labor, I was still smiles (especially after the anesthesiologist made it back to my room)!

Ready or not?  We're ready!

Her last "swim" as an only!

Days away from Ava's arrival, we spent the afternoon in our wonderful backyard in the new "pool!"  Ya gotta love the beautiful Southern California weather we are so lucky to experience in March!

Our fashionista!

Roxy swimsuit: $22

Gap sunglasses and hat: $23

That perfect little Olivia smile: priceless!

Our new $29.99 Target special... a "family sized" pool!  It'll be great for those lazy summer days that await us!

Basking in the sun!

Yes, she is crawling through the screen door, as it makes for quick entrances and exits!  (Our deepest thanks to Bella and Calia for creating the "Olivia" door!)

Bring on the sunshine (and a little sister perhaps)!

A date with my favorite photographer...

Before it was too late, I wanted Daniel to take some "maternity" shots of me, as this will be the last time in this lifetime that I will have a pregnant belly!  To me, that is such a crazy thought; its one that we are more than okay with, as we have decided that two is our lucky number (and two girlies at that!), but its still odd to think I will never experience being pregnant again...

Thank goodness Daniel is as talented as he is because - let me tell you - I am a difficult one to photograph!  I'll stick to my day job, as modeling would just never work out; I make some of the strangest faces!  Here are a few of my favorite images that I absolutely adore and will always treasure... thank you, my love, for working with me!  You're the best!

Olivia's (actual) THIRD birthday: March 25, 2010

On March 19 (what would have been Emily's last day at work), Emily and Daniel surprisingly spent the day at Loma Linda, as Emily was experiencing some contractions that morning.  Well, after many hours of monitoring, Emily was staying dilated at a three and still having pretty substantial contractions, but sent home to rest, drink lots of water, and let nature take its course.  Daniel banned Emily from doing anything (NO DRIVING!  NO TARGET!) for both her health and Ava's, so the next week (Spring Break for both Emily and Olivia), we just laid low at home.  Ama came down and stayed with us to help out with cleaning, cooking, errands (TARGET!), and everything in between...

With Olivia's actual birthday falling during that week, we  sought to find something to do in her honor, something that would allow us to celebrate all that is Olivia and her turning three, but keep Emily in a restful state!  We decided on Chuck E. Cheese; with Ama driving Miss Emily and Miss Olivia, we went and picked Daniel up from work and headed down the street to Mr. Cheese's establishment.  We played games, ate pizza (which was oh so yummy!  MMM... cardboard with cheese!  LOL!), took in a show, and had a fun time watching Olivia enjoy herself!

Happy birthday, sweet, sweet, sweet girl!  You are very, very, very special to your Mommy and Daddy!  Cheers to being three!

She loved this ride that took her picture!

Emily and Daniel both loved a game very similar to this one as children!

Even Ama got into it!

Love this shot... three generations all working together!

Check out these tickets!  Thanks, Daddy!

During lunch, a "show" began... she was mesmerized...

from afar!  Then he came a little too close for comfort!

Love the movement in her hair!  Now this was some serious riding!

Final ticket score for her first Chuck E. Cheese experience: 85!

Let's get a prize!

Our evening ended with gift opening, a dinner of her choice (mac and cheese), and a delicious cake.  Thanks for your baking help, Ama!

He loves me, he loves me. There's no "not" about it!

March 23.  Daniel.  In line at Costco with some of his co-workers.  With:

A woman in line behind him says, "Wow, looks like you're going to have a fun evening tonight!" to which Daniel replies, "Well actually, this is for my 36 weeks pregnant wife who is at home on bed rest."

I'm so very lucky to be so incredibly loved!

(And I'm sure it was still a fun evening, as any evening is with him in it!)

What a difference a year makes.

A year ago, the four of us were in Maui, which made us all very nostalgic (and a tad bit depressed, lol) this year!  However, while our backyard may not be overlooking the Pacific and there is no smell of plumeria lingering in the air, on March 21 we experienced our own taste of the islands and commemorated the awesome trip we had!  Daniel (my wonderful, wonderful, sweet, thoughtful husband!) put together a mini walk down memory lane for us; he bought us some leis, spruced up the backyard with tiki torches, and cooked a wonderful meal complete with island fare (Giada de Laurentiis style!).  It lifted our spirits, and left us toasting to once again vacaying in Maui together... here's to Spring Break, 2012!

The, as Sandra Lee would put it, "tablescape" (hey, we watch a lot of Food Network around here).

He is just so darn cute...

and was quite pleased with his culinary vision coming to fruition!

Mahalo, honey!  You made all of us smile!