Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

I have threaten to take Eli away if Angie doesn't do some more blog posts for you guys! I need your help! Please tell Angie she needs to make some posts. She accepts all criticism through email, facebook, and comments on this blog.

Eli Stone Reusser

Angie and I are pleased to welcome Elijah Stone Reusser to this world. He was delivered 11/15 at 2:29 pm. He weighed in at a whopping 9 LBS., and measured at 21 inches. Mommy and baby are doing great. More to Follow

The Waiting Game...

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock

I took the last week off of work, thinking that little man was going to arrive. We stayed busy, in hopes that it would shake something lose and send me into labor... mission failed! We did however get the chance to spend a lot of quality family time together before our household of three grows to a family of four.

We visited the zoo...

we couldn't walk him out!

We attended Veggie Tales Live...

we couldn't dance and sing him out!

We celebrated Grampy's birthday...

we couldn't party him out!

We cleaned and prepped the house for baby...

but we couldn't nest him out!

It's now Saturday afternoon and still no baby boy. Eli has proved much more patient than his mama! We are headed to the hospital tomorrow afternoon to be induced. The next family blog post will be one welcoming our newest family member, Elijah Stone Reusser. Stay tuned!!!

A Pup Named Lenny...

Each weekend someone in Addie's preschool class gets to take the classroom "pet" home with them. They get to name him and take him on adventures that are chronicled in a journal to share on Monday afternoon. Meet "Lenny." He was named after the lovable shark, Lenny, from A Shark's Tale.

Lenny met and snuggled with Frenchy & Tucker Boy

Lenny's Big adventure was an outing to the Children's Museum

Lenny the Chemist helped me concoct an experiment

at a learning station that resulted in hot pink silly putty!

Designing fashion motifs in the Barbie exhibit.

Cultured K-9 exploring the Chihuly Art Exhibit.

Halloween 2010...

My peeps celebrate at the Ranek's Halloween Party

Treasure Hunters Addie & Bella

find all of the loot Amber hid for the kiddos!

Ready for Trick or Treating

Mommy honed into her Martha Stewart side when she

created these monster cupcakes for the weekend's festivities!

AHHHHH!!!

Zoo Boo...

We cowgirled up for a fun-filled afternoon at the zoo.

Natalie, Addie, Zach and Bria

Eli Update...

We were hoping for a little pumpkin in October, but looks like we'll be happy with a tiny butterball in November. For all of you ladies out there who have been 38 weeks pregnant, maybe you can relate. I skipped (waddled) into my Dr appointment today with the pipe dream that I'd get my examine and within minutes I'd be whisked by my husband off to the hospital for delivery of our little bundle of joy... NOT! I have to admit, I'm disappointed, but have learned that Angie's timing and agenda isn't always God's timing and agenda. I just need to be patient. For heaven's sake, we are in the single digits for days remaining in the pregnancy and I'm acting like I've got months to go. I return to the Dr in 5 days for a reexamine and with fingers crossed, will be induced on Wednesday afternoon. Have I mentioned I am soooo eager to hold little man in my arms and love on him nonstop!?! Is it Wednesday yet!?!

Hamilton Co 4-H Fall Festival...

Pumpkin Decorating

Ballerina Butterfly

Last Tuesday was a fun filled evening with family and friends. We headed to dinner with mommy's co-workers and all of their kiddos before heading over to the Hamilton Co 4-H Fall Festival. Tuesday is also dance night, so mommy talked me into incorporating my ballet costume into the evenings festivities... very sneaky. You know I'm supposed to be Jessie from Toy Story this year for Halloween and I have a sneaky suspicion that she wasn't done with my costume yet. No worries, I was completely enthralled with the games, prizes, face painting and candy treats that I could have been wearing a burlap sack and have cared less. Good times!!!

Pumpkin Patch...

Can you tell who my number one guy is these days? I've got this man wrapped around my little pinky. Daddies make really great best buddies!

Addie asked us, "Is my tractor sexy?"

Yes, yes, I know that I probably blast Kenny Chesney a little more than I should in the mom-mobile!

Cowgirl Up!

Put your back into it...Heave-Ho!

Mommy is smuggling a pumpkin from the patch!

Adventure is out there!

Quick Update...

Yes, I have become that blogger... you know the one that doesn't seem to ever have a spare moment to update the world on what's been happening in our household. It's just down right pathetic and we really do have a lot to share. It's been a month since my last post and that saddens me. There is nothing more irritating than stalking someone's blog only to be disappointed with no new pictures or updates.

In my defense, I haven't quite mastered the conversion to the Mac. I know, I know, I'm pushing 2 months with this beautiful piece of technology, but seriously who has time to wait in line at the Apple store for 3 hours to get some tutorial time with one of the nerd herd members that's going to be speaking "geek" to me... especially when PB Kids is around the corner and in my personal opinion, it's sooo much more fun shopping there!

On the baby front, I am pleasantly plump and Eli is cookin' away with ~ 41/2 weeks until he arrives. The induction date isn't set in stone, but most likely will be at 38 weeks, which puts us in the first week of November. I am feeling good now that I'm over my sinus infection. I am just so ready to hold little man in my arms and be able to love, love, love on him. "Nesting" finally set in this past weekend and I'm pretty sure you could eat off of my garage floor it is so clean and organized. I don't understand why it takes the "Clean Sweep" team on TLC a weekend to whip an organized spaced out... any pregnant lady could do it in 2 hours flat!

So I guess I just didn't want all of you to think that I was sitting around eating bon-bons, getting foot massages, doing nothing. We are alive and well in the Reusser household. I just haven't been snapping pictures of everything we head out to do. Hopefully we will start working on the nursery soon and I will have some pictures to post.

Take care blogger stalkers! I'll be back sooner than later!

Surprise Baby Shower...

Okay, they got me... I mean they REALLY GOT ME!!! Saturday afternoon, I walked into Amber's home thinking we were headed to lunch and to see a movie, but the "A Team" (Amber, Alli & Amy) had other plans. I was absolutely moved to tears when I realized that the kitchen was full of some of my favorite ladies gathered to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Little Man Eli. They hosted a surprise baseball themed luncheon and put so much time and effort into every detail... If you haven't caught on from other blog posts (There's only hundreds of them!) I L-O-V-E each of these ladies more than I will ever be able to show them or tell them!

Needless to say I was pretty emotional the entire afternoon. Not only do all of these gals shower my life with laughter, love and friendship, but today they showered me with gifts for little man. I have prayed and prayed for our family to be blessed with a baby for so many years, that I think actually celebrating the upcoming arrival of our baby, was just beyond what my heart could handle wrapped up into one afternoon. "Water Works" is the nickname I'm giving myself... Really, it was a little embarrassing how much I teared up throughout the afternoon. Thank goodness for waterproof mascara. It is such a blessing to have so many supportive and caring people to help our family celebrate Eli's life. I can't wait for each of them to meet him!

Addie the Tattooed Lady...

This is the state I picked my four year old up in from school today..."Tattoos" up and down her arms! When I asked her if stamps were for skin or for paper, she replied, "For skin of course Mom. Just like Olivia." I couldn't help but laugh at my little "Olivia."

This would be the Olivia book she was referencing...

Olivia Saves the Circus

After school, tattoos and all, we went to Yo-Gi, our favorite little treat on Tuesday afternoons. Addie always opts for frozen yogurt with sprinkles and jelly beans. My personal favorite is piled high with fresh fruit and granola... yum! We had the opportunity to meet up with twin boys in Addie's class. One of them I have heard a lot about, because his name is Eli. As we were leaving and saying our goodbyes, Eli told his mom that he was pretty sure he loved Addie. Sooo cute!

Brooks School Elementary or BUST!!!

To use the opening line from Finding Nemo...

"First Day of School! First Day of School!"

Man alive was this girl fired up for her first day of preschool. Addie thinks it's pretty cool that she gets to use a backpack and be in a real classroom in the same school where all of the big kids go. She has been so excited to start her "learning" as she refers to it, that she has been counting down the days for the past week. She has also reminded us each day that it's only for kids... no mommies, no daddies, no nanas and no grampies are allowed to go to her school. I'm able to post this update this afternoon simply because she has crashed in the middle of the floor surrounded by her Barbies. God, I love that kid!!!

Perfect Ending To A Great Summer...

Addie vs. Cheetah

We decided to head downtown to the Indianapolis Zoo the last Friday of our summer vacation. Addie was excited to see the Cheetahs and put her track and field talents to the test... needless to say we have A LOT of work coming off the gun before we can begin dreaming of a gold medal!

Our Tiny Dancer Turns 4...

Doug & I have been fans of the song "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John for years. Little did we know that one day our lives would be blessed with our very own tiny dancer. Addie has danced through four years filling our hearts with music and our lives with rhythm.

Addie's 4th Birthday Party...

Sunday we celebrated Addie's 4th birthday with friends and family. The above montage is my first attempt using I-video on on my new IMac... be kind when scrutinizing the art form of movie production. I now know why big time Hollywood directors get paid big bucks and also hire teams of experts for editing, lighting, sound, etc... it's all a little much for this woman to take in. Any who, it was the year of the Barbie in terms of gifts and excitement! One of Addie's favorite songs to jam to right now is featured in the video... ENJOY!!!

Final Goodbyes...

We meet Mandy & Co Monday afternoon at the airport for lunch and to say our final goodbyes before they loaded the plane, headed for their big move to Qatar (Saudi Arabia). I really enjoyed loving and kissing on the kids. We feel really lucky to have spent so much time with them this summer while they visited Indiana.

My Little Pony Dance Camp...

Two weeks after the fact, Addie is still talking about her dance camp at the Pink Slipper. She enjoyed the week long camp along with some of her best buddies!

Bella, Fallyn & Addie

Miss Amber & Her Biddy Ballerinas

Prancing Pony

Ballerina Buddies...

Bella spent the night with us last night. The girls are enrolled in a My Little Dancing Pony summer dance camp this week. Addie asked for her "fun buns" this morning when I went to do her hair, and Bella in turn replied, "Yep, just like Addie." I personally think they are tutu cute!