We have also taken new strides in eating.  She is starting to eat more adult food.  This has been frustrating for me at times because I feel like I waste more than she eats.  The other night I made Pizzagna and had no expectations of her eating it.  She gobbled it up.  I fixed Cheeseburger Chili Mac and Cheese (I know heartburn) and she ate that like crazy.  I was thrilled by all of this.  She has also enjoyed Baked Cavatelli with Italian Sausage and Eggplant.  I am just glad she is eating.  The good thing is these recipes make enough to have leftovers!

Friday we head to Clemson with Eliana feeling better and mama feeling yucky but hanging in there.  We had a great time at the tailgate with our usual crowd.  We could not have asked for a more perfectly shaded spot in all of Clemson.  Eliana had a good time playing and showing her limited skills to all.  She did have a short nap…better than nothing.  So we pack up to go to the game at 6:00.  I missed kick off for a reason and Craig has Eliana in the stands.  I go up and she is doing great taking it all in.  She sits in my lap and sucks her thumb with her blanket.  At the end of the 1st quarter I take her down to feed her supper and then go up at the start of half time to see that it has started raining.  Seriously?  Who knew this would happen?  Why?  Why tonight?  So under the stands Eliana and I go for the rest of the game.  She was no longer sleepy and went wild.  All the other kids were with their moms sleeping or sitting quietly.  Not OUR child.  She was ready to go and off she went making people laugh.  She was filthy by the end of the night.  Got back to Brandon’s and laid her down while she was asleep in her pack n play and she woke up screaming and coughing.  Ended up spitting up lots of mucus.  And yes, she and I slept in the recliner…AGAIN.  It was okay.  I did not even get my clothes changed or (hold your breath) teeth brushed.  Long night but worth it if she was comfortable and feeling okay.  It is amazing what you do for your kids.  I now know.

So, we are home and I am about to go to bed.  I will post pics from the game later on.  I have to get the site updated.

This weekend we will go to Georgia to celebrate on Saturday.  We look forward to seeing the family and mostly to meeting my new niece, Eliza.  I know Mama will be confused with the different “E” names. 

Eliana has learned to love Oreo’s.  I cannot eat one without being attacked!  She loves the creme.  She also enjoys Grilled Cheeses.  She must be related to me!  Last night we fed her porkchops and rice.  I have been nervous about feeding her table food.  I don’t want her to starve.  I am just really happy she loves milk!  I am not sure where she gets that from.  Must be her Grandpa.  Craig and I do not drink milk.  I have not had to buy a gallon milk in a long time. 

She is not walking yet but I know it will be just a matter of time.  She will hold on to my hands and then walk around the table.  She really enjoys getting into our chip drawer and taking those out.  Today I found her sitting on the chips!  She is a hoot!

I have to say…she was the cutest baby on the beach!  We had a great time at Hilton Head.  It is a great place to visit and we will go back.  It had been a while since I had been.  (I think the last time is when Mom and Dad took Katie and I to the beach for a day and it rained!  That was a four hour drive for a great lunch and ice cream.)  We stayed in the Sea Pines Resort within walking distance to The Salty Dog and other places.  The weather was great.  We were able to see lots of sea life…dolphins about 6 feet off shore, starfish, sharks, and sting rays.  Yeah that was cool.  Eliana loved the sand.  She would take off crawling down the beach toward the water and once she hit water…she cried.  Once we passed the waves, she was okay.  But overall she did great.  Craig has put the pictures up in our photo gallery.    Now we are preparing for San Francisco.  I will miss Eliana on that trip.  She will be with both sets of grandparents throughout the week.  Pray for us.

So beach here we come! I know Eliana will eat the sand and probably hate the water.  She hated the splash pool I bought her (it was the giraffe head on it that scared her).  Maybe she will like the big pool.

One cute thing she did…yesterday we were playing in her room after lunch.  I knew it was getting closer to nap time.  She crawled over to her crib and spotted her blanket between the slats of the crib.  She starts to pull it through but does not get it all the way out.  Then she holds the end of it and sucks her thumb with it tucked in her hand.  She loves to have her blanket and thumb in mouth when she is sleepy.  That was a definite sleep cue!  It was cute.