A few new changes in the works

Just a few updates as I am thinking about things.
We have Elizabeth about 99.9% weened off the pacifier. She used to "need" it every night before bed and would even wake up at wee hours of the night, screeming, looking for it. With in the last couple weeks, she began falling asleep w/ out it, and not needing it much through out the day. Whew. What a relief! Now, we are working on weening her off the bottle. She does pretty good with sippy cups, but its usually times like, bed time, that she prefers the bottle. Working on this! Hopefully sooner than later, we can be just giving E sippy cups! Also, for the most part, E is drinking regular milk. SOMETIMES its mixed with formula, but we're getting away from that as well. Now, if I can just get grandma to keep the pacifier away from her, and start giving sippy cup before bottle, we'll make better progress. It will take a little more time.
Its amazing to see these small changes...small changes, make a "big girl"!
Elizabeth has continued sleeping through the night, and now that I think of it, since she has stopped "needing" her pacifier, is when she stopped waking up in the middle of the night. And here, I blamed it on teething. (I am sure that has something to do with it as well, though.)
I have become a garage sale junky! I am pretty sure if they had "Garage Sale Anonymous" classes, I would be the first to sign up. But, I just can't justify spending full price on new clothes that E will outgrow, sooner than later. And with living on the farm, and playing outside, she doesnt need new clothes. So, every Thurs-Fri I stop at garage sales. Finding new treasures every time. Usually, clothes/toys/stuff for E, but, once in a while, I find good deals for me as well. Jamie thinks I am crazy, I think, but, it sure beats paying full price! I have gotten so many good deals, I would be craazy NOT to garage sale. Anything from kid clothes/shoes, to book cases to wall art, to under the bed storage containers, to bird baths, to books. Someone elses junk is my treasure! I dont know what I will do when garage sale season is over. Maybe turn into a thrift store junky?
I better get going. I have a busy weekend of doing a whole lot of nothing!! Well, I am planning on taking E to the Sauk County Dairy breakfast in the AM...I hear they have a petty zoo there. Then, Saturday afternoon & Sunday, I am not sure what we will do, but, beings we have a busy week next week, I am sure we'll just relax and enjoy family time together!
I'll let you know next week, what we end up doing!

After Brunch....

Another family photo...after brunch...I was wishing had was wearing sweat pants at the time!

Elizabeth got a pretty white hat from a family friend and she just loved wearing it! We went out for a nice brunch with Jamie's family for his dad's birthday. I didnt think E would leave the hat on, but, she did, and she was proud! (And definately ADORABLE!)

A Day in the Yard & on the Farm

All of the Grandkids

Needing a Drink AFTER the Big Party

DISCLAIMER: THE BEER CAN WAS CLOSED. I REPEAT, THE BEER CAN WAS NOT OPEN! LOL! THIS, I THINK, WAS THE FUNNIEST EVENT OF THE DAY! AFTER EVERYONE LEFT, MOMMY & DADDY HAD AN ADULT BEVERAGE...E ALWAYS WANTS ONE TOO, THE COLD CLOSED CAN FEELS GOOD ON HER GUMS. ANYWAYS, SHE JUST PLOPPED DOWN ON HER NEW COUCH AND CHILLED! LITERALLY!

Birthday Pictures--PAST DUE!

This is just a small collage of pictures taken from Elizabeth's birthday party. I'll describe pictures, starting with the top roll, left to right. Picture 1: Mommy, Daddy & Elizabeth with our colorful lei's on. We went out for supper to Pedro's in the Dells for E's birthday dinner. I swear, its what Elizabeth wanted! Picture 2: Elizabeth fed the giraffe at Storybook Gardens in the Dells. This was an awesome experience. She wasnt afraid of anything! Picture 3: A group shot of the "Welter Grandkids" on the slide in our backyard. For the most part, I beleive all the kids, kind of, cooperated, for once! They aren't all looking, but, the important part was that not-a-one-of-them was crying! FIRST TIME EVER! LOL!. Bottom Row, Picture 4: Elizabeth wore a pretty yellow dress while opening presents. I wanted her to be the "sunshine" of her party! Picture 5: BEFORE cake, she had a pretty pink outfit on...and all the kids at the party got flowered lei's. Elizabeth was having a blast putting them all on. She was ready to party!! Picture 6: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! Mommy & Daddy helped blow the candle out with Elizabeth. It was a beautiful cake! I will have to post a close up picture. The bakery did an excellent job on this! Picture 7: ITS CAKE TIME! She was a mess, but it was so much fun watching her eat her birthday cake! Needless to say, after cake eating was when we had to change outfits!!!
This was the Thank You card I mailed out to friends/fmaily that helped celebrate Elizabeth's birthday.