Like Daddy, like Daughter

Ian at about 21-22 months old

Ella Rose at her 1st Birthday party

Now we all already knew that Ella Rose looks so much like her Daddy but I was going through some of Ian's baby pictures and ran across this adorable picture of Ian when he was close to 2 years old. Is the resemblance amazing or what?

Ella Rose helps Mama with Gardening for the very first time

First we have to put on our gloves

Now the dirt...wow this should be fun

Hmmm...I wonder if this tastes good?

Getting busy putting the dirt into the flower pot...Ella Rose didn't mind getting dirty one bit...you notice there is NO bow on her head...this is serious business!

Ella Rose admiring all of her hard work

I look forward to many more times in the future where Ella Rose and I can garden together as GARDENING is one of my FAVORITE things to do so I sure hope our girls enjoy it like their Mama. My Grandmother Davis was great at gardening, and she and I used to plant Tiger Lily's and Sweet Williams' on their farm in SC when I was a young girl...great memories. Then when I lived beside Grandma Ella Mae (who Ella Rose was named after) in GA, she reminded me so much of my own Grandmother because she too enjoyed planting flowers all over her yard. If there was a patch of grass, they both would find something to plant and BLOOM there. I remember the very first things I planted at the first house I owned...Hostas and Lilies (very hard to kill those) all with the help of Grandma Ella Mae...I know my Grandmother Davis would have been so proud.

Setting the flower pots out in front of the house

Making memories with our girl

Ella Rose posing with Mama

Does Ella Rose look like her Daddy or what!!!


Joshua (almost 9 months old) comes over for a play date

They are so precious although Ella Rose was not still for long

Ella Rose wearing an awesome hand-me-down from Amelia complete with a bow too

One of Ella Rose's favorite things to do...play ball

Pure JOY


Our girl will eat almost anything...she is eating Indian food. Can you believe she likes curry!

Ella Rose is officially a "Daddy's Girl"

Wow am I ever BLESSED! Not only do I have a man who is such a great husband, but I have a man who is an AWESOME Daddy too. The pure joy I see between them thrills my heart and no doubt Ella Rose is already a Daddy's girl for sure. When we say goodbye to Ian every morning when he heads off to work, Ella Rose stands at the door waving goodbye and throwing kisses and then when we meet Ian at the door when he comes home from work, Ella Rose squeals with delight and can't wait to be picked up by her Daddy. Soon we'll have 2 little girls wanting to ride on Daddy's shoulders...yes Ian is going to get a lot of attention, and he is going to be spoiled rotten by all of us girls. But then he spoils us rotten too!


I just love this pix...Ella Rose nuzzling Daddy

Ian's and Ella Rose's favorite pastime...checking out all the dogs in the neighborhood

Cinco de Mayo in Germany

On Monday, we celebrated Cinco de Mayo at Ian's squadron. Our Commander's wife, Tonya also wanted to see as many of the babies in the squadron before leaving in a couple of weeks so I got some pics of the babies who were there too although I missed a few because I was so busy chasing after Ella Rose.

Handsome little Brennan (16 months old)

Shannon (Brennan's Mama), Josh (20 months old) & Kathy (Josh's Mom)

Ella Rose likes hats!

Ella Rose enjoyed going to see Daddy at work

The Stiyer's just had their little man, Jayden (8 days old)

Our Trip to Holland

Last weekend we took one last road trip to Holland before our baby girl arrives in June. We visited Keukenhof Gardens where there are millions of bulbs ranging from tulips to daffodils to hyacinths...it is a beautiful place, but we were quite shocked at how many folks were there. We didn't realize that Holland was celebrating a National Holiday called Queens Day so everyone came out in full force to see the flowers blooming. Although the place was a bit crazy, we still had a great time watching Ella Rose check out the tulips, the animals at the petting zoo, and her also getting excited about every dog she saw.

Ella Rose loves being with Daddy

The tulip fields behind us were glorious with color

Quite an adventure checking out all the flowers

Ella Rose standing right in front of a "Don't walk on the grass" sign...woops!

In Europe, folks are allowed to take their dogs everywhere they go including restaurants, parks, Zoo's, etc so we know when we return to The States, Ella Rose is going to miss seeing dogs in restaurants...it's in her DNA...she and her Daddy just get so excited when they see animals. Ella Rose thought for sure she had run into Buster (her little friend Katie's dog) because this dog named Murphy was a Buster look alike.

The tulips were taller than Ella Rose

What a perfect opportunity for 2 Southern Belles to wear our hats

Ella Rose has found the petting zoo

Hmmm...do you think I can catch this white thing moving so fast?

On a mission to catch a chicken

Petting the sheep...this was just a second before one of the sheep knocked Ella Rose over...Ian called him the "hit and run sheep". Ella Rose took it in stride and got right up and followed the sheep to pet him just one more time.

The weather was glorious with temps in the mid 60's

These trees reminded me of Springtime in The South

"I think I've had enough of these flowers!"

These 3 items cost a whopping 6 Euro which is the equivalent of $10.00 USD...Coke Light, Milk, and a piece of bread...and just think you can go to Chick-Fil-A and get 2 meals for $10.00

This was a beautiful area of the Park where Trees lined a walkway...did I mention how many people were there?

Bringing out the bubbles

Glorious Azaleas

There was an area in the Gardens where they had these huge beanbags where you could sit and lounge so we took a much needed break

Beautiful tulip fields all over Holland

I kept trying to talk Ian into letting me walk over the water on this ladder but he didn't think it was such a good idea with me being 7 1/2 months pregnant...but boy did it look like fun!

Mama, c'mon I have had enough of these TULIPS!

Waiting for our food at a restaurant on The North Sea

Ella Rose met a 3 1/2 year old girl named Leise Lotte from Belgium

They put the whole Sea Bass on the plate...yum yum!

The North Sea

Are my feet looking a bit swollen from this pregnancy?

Ella Rose tries on the wooden shoes

We strolled through a local market in Haarlem and flowers were everywhere

Beautiful cathedral in Haarlem

The Corrie Ten Boom Museum is also in Haarlem, but because of limited hours for the tours, we weren't able to see it

Lovely canals in Haarlem

Heading back to Germany with a worn out 13 month old and Pinky Bear

The fields in Germany start to come alive with color in May (these are grown for vegetable oil)