Stewart Signpost

The newest addition

2008-12-05T18:29:00.002-05:00

Well, she's not exactly here, yet, but we're officially expecting another girl!

She's due May 3rd and so far all is well.

Looks like we have a thumbsucker!

Birthday girls

2008-08-12T16:25:00.004-05:00

Abby and Katelyn celebrated their birthdays on July 27.
Katelyn turned 13 and Abby turned 4.

Katelyn requested Watermelon Bomb.
Abby wanted a "purple cake with yellow indians" on it.
Turns out the yellow indians were candy.
I used Mike and Ike on her purse cake and she was pleased.

Dancing Queens!

2008-06-14T17:51:00.003-05:00

Yes, the girls are ready for a trip to Vegas!

Ella got a microphone for her birthday.

It plays tunes and she tries to sing BINGO over and over.

The two inherited some dance costumes from a friend.

A love of the stage runs in their blood,

so it's only a matter of time before they are performing.

06-07-08

2008-06-14T17:46:00.003-05:00

This year the summer birthday party fell on Ella's birthday.

She turned 2 on 06-07-08.

It was around 100º, so we turned on the water for the

backyard party.

Luke stole Ella's wishes.
Abby turns 4 in July, but we celebrated it all together.

Beach Weekend

2008-05-31T08:28:00.003-05:00

We headed to Emerald Isle with all the Stewarts

last weekend for a beach break.

Our friend Jeannie gave the girls some dance costumes.

Daddy and Ella, poolside.
Cousins.
All the Stewarts!

Spring Break

2008-05-31T07:57:00.006-05:00

Ok, I know it's been a while.

We've had to recore the computer and start over.

Not too much lost, just a lot of time.
Anyway, we took off for Orlando in April for Spring Break.

The girls got to play with 3 princesses at once.

Abby and Ella in Winnie the Pooh's tree house.

Abby feeding the sea lion at Sea World.

Mommy's little cook

2008-02-23T18:49:00.002-05:00

Ella loves to act like all the big people.

Whatever Abby is doing (or wearing...shoes, in particular) is what Ella wants.

Here are some shots of her in the kitchen.

Ella playing with Flubber

Ella rolling cookies in the cinnamon sugar.

Little Drummer Girl

2008-02-23T18:47:00.002-05:00

Is any caption needed here?

New Kitchen

2008-02-21T20:15:00.003-05:00

Abby and Ella got a play kitchen for Christmas.

It has real pots and pans - even real spatulas and whisks!

If you come over, you might be served chocolate noodles

or eggs, shrimp and cheese.

The Band

2008-02-21T20:00:00.001-05:00

Get ready for the new hit sensation!
Cousins Abby and Ava are sure to "Wow" you with their musical debut.

They took practicing very seriously.

Just like Mommy

2008-02-21T19:48:00.003-05:00

I think Abby will need a few makeup tips before she goes out on the town.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-21T09:21:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!!!

Leaf Pile

2007-12-09T19:37:00.000-05:00

The weather here has been mild and pleasant.

We finally got all the leaves raked.

Unfortunately we have oak trees, so only half the leaves have fallen.

The girls had fun in the leaves.

Costumes

2007-11-28T20:50:00.000-05:00

Jason found a real bargain at Old Navy yesterday.

He got costumes for $5 since they are post season.

Abby was so thrilled with the lion that she slept in it last night.

Bumbella Bee
Jon's a chicken! (The 2T didn't fit so well.)
Ella really liked the dragon suit.

2nd Annual Cookie Baking

2007-11-28T20:45:00.000-05:00

We had the second annual Christmas cookie baking day

on Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Princess Abby and Princess Ava rolled cookies in the sugar.

Ava spent the night and had a great time playing with Abby.

I'm glad those two cousins get along.

Elfin Anna

Abby Potato Head & Popcorn

2007-10-23T20:17:00.000-05:00

We had popcorn last night and Ella was hiding.

Naturally, it is more fun to play with the bowls.

Mrs. Potato Head

Cookout

2007-10-02T19:32:00.001-05:00

We roasted bratwurst and marshmallows

over the fire in the back yard.

Jon's cool
Nachos in the cast iron skillet
Abby took this one

Bookworms in a Basket

2007-10-02T19:29:00.000-05:00

Guess who?

2007-09-16T13:01:00.000-05:00

Jason and I met at a wedding in 1979.

Jason's aunt Elaine married my uncle Jack.

Can you pick us out from all the cousins?

Jon's here!

2007-09-09T16:53:00.000-05:00

Well, we've made a big switch. After much to do, Katelyn has gone back to live with her mom and Jon has moved here. It all happened last minute, so Jon had a little trouble getting the details worked out at school, but he's none the worse for wear. His favorite classes are Art and Drama and he's loving the church youth group.

A few weeks ago, we celebrated some Stewart birthdays in Greenville with a movie (Ratatouille) and Fuddruckers. Jon spilled his drink.

Katelyn and Aunt Laurie

Anna and Ella
Ella and Isaac
Abby and Ava, two peas in a pod

Two girls and a water hose

2007-09-09T16:50:00.001-05:00

You can imagine where this led to...

Yep, mud pies.

End of Summer

2007-09-09T16:39:00.000-05:00

The girls have been enjoying popsicles a lot this summer.

It has been in the upper 90's and 100's for most of July and August,

so we have all been mowing them down!

You'd think Ella had never had one before.

Abby, the old pro.

Family Picture

2007-08-21T13:47:00.000-05:00

Ok, so it's been a while. We took this picture when my parents were in town.

We've celebrated birthdays several times this summer.
Abby got some dress up clothes and
has really enjoyed them.

I think Ella's favorite is the shoes.

Bikiniland

2007-06-29T13:15:00.000-05:00

Abby and Ella have enjoyed our backyard pool.

The girls got some hand-me-downs and both got a bikini!

Duck Pond

2007-06-27T16:22:00.000-05:00

Abby and Ella spent some time at City "Lake" yesterday

and enjoyed feeding the ducks.

Happy Birthday, Ella!

2007-06-07T21:07:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had a birthday party for Ella Bella.

As you can see, she enjoyed the cake and ice cream.

Abby decorated Ella's cake with sprinkles.

It was tough for Abby to understand that it was Ella's birthday, not hers. So she got to blow her candle out and got to open a few treats, too.

I think Abby was most thrilled with the wagon that our friend Jeanie brought the girls.

Happy girl!

She's really starting to gain confidence in taking steps. She is now taking 2 or 3 on her own. After dinner (and a bath), Daddy shot off fireworks and hosted a dance party in the living room.

Abby & Ella

2007-05-21T20:54:00.001-05:00

Don't let this picture fool you, Ella enjoys her time in the high chair.

See?

Abby wore pigtails for the first time...for about 10 minutes.

Daddy has a different style of bathing our beauties!

Babes in Bloom

2007-03-31T20:42:00.000-05:00

It is definately spring here!

The temperature has been warm and pleasant most days lately.

This field has thousands of jonquils and was in

full bloom the day we went to Greenville for

Jason's grandma's funeral.

Abby and Ella having fun.

Ella is 9 months now.

Lay Off the Bottle

2007-02-04T21:21:00.000-05:00

The Super Bowl was an exciting game,

but the littlest fan could't make it until the end.

Doing Puzzles and Getting Stuck

2007-02-02T20:17:00.000-05:00

Ella decided to help Abby and Katelyn with their game.

Abby likes to fit the pieces of Blokus together like a puzzle.

Doesn't she look like a big girl sitting in the chair!

We spent last Sunday at Josh and Laurie's house.

Abby got into her cousins' dolly high chair...

Getting out of it was another story.

Snow!

2007-02-02T20:13:00.000-05:00

We had a light dusting yesterday.

Katelyn and Abby had a grand time playing in the half inch on the ground.

Of course, that means a snow day here in NC.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-02T16:20:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-31T17:33:00.000-05:00

We hope all is well for you this Christmas. We are blessed this year.
My parents came for a visit over Christmas and it was great having them...
and not having to travel ourselves! Here are a few shots of the fun.

Ella didn't really "get it" but had fun chewing on the toys and eating the paper.

Uncle Stephen was a popular playmate.
Yes, Jonathan has finally made it onto the blog!!!

First Haircut

2006-12-17T17:20:00.000-05:00

Abby got her first haircut today.

Her hair has taken forever to grow, and

I've been afraid to cut it for fear of her looking like a boy.

Cookie Marathon

2006-12-17T17:05:00.000-05:00

Laurie and I had a Christmas cookie marathon on Friday night.

Yep, more cooking than she's ever done before!

About 25 dozen cookies later, the kids had a great time decorating.

Anna, Katelyn and Ava trying to recycle the sprinkles

I guess they call sprinkles "hundreds and thousands" in Australia

because that's how many kids can fit on each cookie.

Abby and Ava rolling the snickerdoodles in red and green sugar

(No, they aren't wearing smocks, they had been playing dress-up.)

Abby got into the food coloring

Ava and Abby putting on the red hots

Mixing the butterscotch haystacks

Abby and Anna mounding haystacks

Katelyn making haymountains

Sweet Girls

2006-12-06T21:06:00.000-05:00

Abby has been up to her usual antics and Ella loves to rough Abby up.
She will pull her hair and growl at her and then laugh.
Life is never dull.

Big Girl

2006-10-25T12:37:00.000-05:00

Ella is 4 months and growing like a weed...almost 18 pounds now. She and Abby like to play - Abby tickles Ella and can make her belly laugh. Abby plays rough. Sometimes I'll go to protect Ella and find her cackling at Abby's antics instead of crying!

2006-09-24T15:34:00.000-05:00

Katelyn got baptized a few weeks ago.
She was very excited when she came back from camp this summer and
decided to be baptized right after Vacation Bible School.
She is ready to do great things for God.

Abby and Ella got in some swimming time during the summer heat.
Abby isn't quite potty trained, but she is more than willing to strip down for any reason.

Ella at 3 Months

2006-09-07T14:46:00.000-05:00

Ella is 3 months today!

...and teething already. Can you believe it?!

2006-07-26T12:39:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday!

Saturday was a joint birthday party for Katelyn (11) and Abigail (2).

They enjoyed the squirt guns and an inflatable waterslide loaned from a friend.

I made the girls a pool cake with a waterslide.

Abby got a "Princess" dress and loved showing it off.

Ohio Travels
Earlier in July, we headed to Ohio to see the fam. Ella got to meet her other great-grandparents. The kids got to enjoy Cedar Point with some of the cousins. Sammy and Livi were real troopers, enjoying anything we let them ride.

2006-07-20T08:09:00.000-05:00

Proud sister

Abby is very loving toward Ella. She copies all our terms of endearment and calls her "sweetheart" and tells her she loves her on her own.

Ella is growing!

She weighed over 12 pounds on Monday at the Dr. and is starting to smile.

2006-06-19T13:58:00.000-05:00

Bathing Beauty!

Ella had her first real bath now that her umbilical cord has fallen off.
(Or as Jon and Kate would say, her "unbiblical" cord.)
Abby enjoyed helping wash the baby.

Visit to the NC Great-Grandparents

We had a chance to visit with Jason's grandparents in Ayden, NC last week. It's always fun to show off a new baby to the proud great-grandparents.

2006-06-10T14:49:00.000-05:00

Hello, all! Sorry this has taken so long. We came home from the hospital yesterday and things have calmed down now, so I actually have a minute of peace and quiet.
Now, for the story...
Wednesday morning, June 7th, I learned at my Dr. appointment that I was already 6 cm dilated. Fortunately, they agreed that there was no reason to keep waiting since I was already 2 days past the due date, so I headed over to the hospital to be induced. They broke my water around 11 or so and nothing happened. After several boring hours watching HGTV and Animal Planet, they finally gave me Pitocin to start contractions a little after 3:30. The pain didn't get bad until the end, and little Ella Jane was born at 5:17 pm, weighing 9 lbs. 15 oz! Her shoulders got stuck, so she has had some bruising, but she's a trooper. I didn't need any stitches, and I feel great. This time was much easier than Abby's delivery.

Ella is our little Indian Princess, with dark hair and dark/reddish skin. She must have inherited Jason's Cherokee blood as well as his hair!
Abby is enjoying being the little mommy and already loves to tell "Baby" what to do.
We'll post some more when we get a chance.

2006-06-01T09:39:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'm finally able to post some pictures of Katelyn and Abby.

Our little princess!

Abby has already started borrowing Ella's clothes...she's wearing a newborn gown upside down like a tube top!

Katelyn just got her school pictures back.

2006-05-30T14:50:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm still pregnant! I'm still working, too. The toughest part of that is everyone looking surprised at me showing up each day. "Are you still here?" Obviously.

2006-03-27T12:09:00.000-05:00

The Stewarts are ready to expand, once again! We are expecting another little girl sometime in early June. Fortunately, God knows the day and the hour for Ella's arrival, so we're just waiting (and trying to sleep comfortably).