Sunday, June 29, 2008

One of Us is One

Went to Cousin Ryan's 1st birthday party today. I hung out in the corner with Zayde (see me there at the top right?) while Ryan tried to have his cake and eat it too...

Where's Waldo?

Then it was Bubbie's turn to hold me and we lurked as the birthday boy sat atop his throne demanding entertainment and libations...

Hey Ryan, you gonna finish that?

By the end of the party, I was pooped -- yeah, yeah, I'm a party pooper...

Conehead

Bald Is Beautiful

Amazing this pic came out what with all that glare!

Zayde and I compared bald spots today. He's still get a leg, er... scalp up on me.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

3 Months Old!

Golly gee, Ellie's three!

Here I am on that damn chair again celebrating being one month older. Who doesn't like a birthday with a little chair-y on top?

Friday, June 27, 2008

Wam Bam Thank You Pam

Pam puckers

Met Mommy and Daddy's friend Pam Stein, aka P Styles, today. She was not shy about getting to know me.

Pam poses

We had a nice lunch at Cafe Laguardia. I had the usual. Formula, neat.

Can You Pick Me Out of This Lineup?

Face front. Turn to the side. Number 2 step forward. Ma'am, does that look like the baby that stole your heart?

Oooh, this is a fun game. Thankfully both Mommy and Daddy passed. Will you?

Answer key: top row, 2nd from the right... yes, I slept thru the entire playgroup. Hey, I thought it was a sleepover party!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Rinse, Lather and Repeat

Hey, you missed a spot!

Daddy took this pitcure to use in a presentation for work. Something about reminding people that search engine optimization is not a one-time process. Looks more like a Johnson and Johnson's ad. Maybe someday Daddy will cast me in a search engine ad. What's that, they only allow text ads on search engines? Booooooooooring. Get a cooler job Daddy!

Hood Rat

Your hood or mine?

For some reason, all baby towels come with little hoodies on them. Daddy likes it so he can always know which part goes on my head and keep it separate from the part that goes on my tush. Did I already mention he's a bit OCD?

Monday, June 23, 2008

Bumbolicious

Who ya callin' bumbo?

Here I am hamming it up for the camera in my bumbo chair. Before you get too excited, you should know it's specially designed for babies to sit upright. I'm not sitting up on my own quite yet. Now, spitting up... I've got that down!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Hey Ya Hey Ya

Ellie and Great-Aunt Ya

Finally got to me my Great-Aunt Yael today! She was so good with me. Can't wait to meet the rest of the Vitiello gang. Hopefully they can make it to Chi-town one of these days or Mommy and Daddy can get over their fear of flying with me and head down to Richmond.

This Never Gets Old

Ellie right where she belongs

Grandma Marg came in town too. I've changed so much since last time she was here. I gave her a good arm workout for a while. And check out that fancy burp cloth Sarah and Chris got me. I'm stylin' even when I'm pukin'.

3rd Gen

3rd times the charm (hee hee)

I'm getting pretty good at looking at the camera. Not much choice I guess when Daddy's poppin' flashbulbs every 2 seconds. Here I am with Mommy and Grandma posing for a Neiman girl family pic. Hey, where's Auntie Em?

The Circle of Life

Mom and Ellie and Oma and Opa's grave

Went to the cemetary today with Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Great-Aunt Yael. It's been a little over a year since Oma passed so we went to see her headstone. I wish I could've met Oma and Opa while they were alive but it was nice to be in their presence. As you know from this post, my middle name Lilly is after Oma (Lotte). Mommy and Daddy have told me stories about her and Opa. I feel honored to be named in her memory.

Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen

Mom, Great-Aunt Ya, and Grandma Marg make a little Ellie stew

After a long day, Mommy, Great-Aunt Ya and MeeMaw gave me a bath. There's a joke in here somewhere... How many Buchsbaum descendants does it take to wash a baby?

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Red Rover Red Rover, Let Ellie Rollover!

OK, here's another multi-part video. In this sequence, Mommy and Daddy try to get me to rollover. It takes 3 tries and some fussing along the way but I finally did it! I suppose you could say I'm on a roll now...





I Want to Ride My Bicycle

Look ma, no hands!

Forget America's Next Top Model, I wanna be a biker chick!

Friday, June 20, 2008

For Whom the Bells Toll

You can ring my beeeelllllllll, ring my bell!

Mommy and Daddy bought this cute outfit in Sonoma about a year ago and tried it on me for the first time today. It barely fits but it's too precious not to show off so I'll be wearing it every day now til I outgrow it. So, if anybody wants to see me in the next week or so, let's just say, I'll be there with bells on!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Better Late Than Never

Hear Ye Hear Ya, I Hereby Proclaim This Little One to Be Eliara Lily

Mommy and Daddy finally got their act together and sent out my announcements. Being the perfectionist that he is, Daddy nixed the proof below in favor of the one above. I guess he didn't like that I was sticking my tongue out. Hey, can't a girl show a little personality?

Ellie's Announcement On the Cutting Room Floor

Aren't these announcements the coolest? Mad props to Rattle-n-roll.com for showcasing me like the superstar I am.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Happy Father's Day!

Daddy and Ellie

Today I gave daddy the best present he could hope for -- quality time with me.

Piggybacking with Daddy -- hey, who you callin' a piggy!?

So how did he repay me? By dangling me precariously on his back. Hey Daddy, time for a haircut. Your fro is blocking my view.

Phather's Day Phiesta at Phil's

It has become par for the course for the paparazzi to come out in full force at Goldman family events. Today's Father's Day Fiesta at Great-Uncle Phil and Adriana's was no exception...

Bubbie snapping a pic of Ellie with Great-Aunt Sue, Uncle Noah and Nonny

Here Bubbie tries to get a good shot of Great-Aunt Sue trying not to drop me.

Great Aunt Sue always manages to take her glasses off when the cameras come out

GAS recovered nicely though and got us poised for this pose.

Eliara and Uncie Nohie

Then it was Uncle Noah's turn to take me for a spin.

Hey, where's the lime?

Things got a bit out of control on Uncle Noah's watch. Hey, it's not like I was driving or anything.

Zayde not-so-patiently waiting his turn

Great Uncle Gary tried to protect me from the Goldman antics.

They're creepy and they're cooky...

We took a breather from the festivities to pose for a couple group shots (shots, as in pictures... no more liquor for this little one today... at 11 pounds, 1 sip puts me over the edge.)

...They're all together ooky!

Daddy got out from behind the camera for this pic. And, once again, his fro got in the way. Down in front!

Mug Shot

Zayde mugging for the camera

Check out the cool present I got Zayde for Father's Day. To be fair, he actually came up with the pun for this one. But if you roll-over the picture, you'll see one I made up all on my own. By the way, let that be a lesson to all my blog readers out there. If you rollover the pics, you'll see extra commentary. Sorry for not pointing that out sooner. I sometimes forget that I'm techno-savvy beyond my years... er, months. Don't worry, there's only 164 posts for you to go back and re-read. Giddyup!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Going Batty



Mommy taught me how to bat the toys on my playmat with my hands and then caught me on tape doing the deed. As you'll see here, I tend to use my left hand a lot so Daddy thinks I'm a lefty. Mommy says it's too early to tell though. Maybe I just didn't want that hand to feel left out.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Method to My Madness

Eliara's stunt double

I've been known to do a little celebrity impersonation here and there. In this case, we have a celebrity, er... celebrity's baby impersonating me. Is Jodi Sweetin's little girl not a dead ringer for me circa 8 weeks?

Jodi Sweetin aka Stephanie Tanner and baby

Thankfully the resemblence is only between the little ones here. You've come a long way, Stephanie Tanner.

Creepy Uncle Vlad

Ellie and CUV

Somehow 2 months went by without seeing the Radutnys again. They came over for a BBQ today and we had a lot of fun for a few hours -- until my gal pal Roni and I had simltaneous meltdowns. Vlad tried to cheer me up but I was not having it. Don't give me any lip, CUV!

You Can Pick Your Nose...

Roni does her nose trick

...You can pick your friends...
But you can't pick your friend's nose!

Someone forgot to tell that to Roni, though.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Devil Wears Bandana

Devil Ellie and Auntie Em

Auntie Em took the red eye into town to spend some time with me. I reciprocated with a little red eye of my own.

Pick of the Litter

Mommy, Ellie, Dimas, and Alex

What is it with Russian babies wanting to pick my nose? My new friend Alex couldn't quite put her finger on what was making me cry.

The Real Slim Shades-y

Librarian Ellie

Finally got a pair of shades that actually fit me. Although they kinda make me look like a librarian, don'tcha think?

Friday, June 6, 2008

The Great Eldini

OK, we have sunk to a new low. Daddy is now filming me through the monitor. Apparently, he thought it would be fun to watch me try to escape from my miracle blanket.

Part 1 clocks in at a cool 4:17 before Daddy decides to cut it off, thinking he'll just discard this and start a new vid showing the great escape...



Sure enough, 30 seconds in to Part 2, Ellie pulls off the feat, forcing Daddy to post both vids to show the chronology and build the suspense...

Thursday, June 5, 2008

I Want To Hold Your Hand

By the hand, take me by the hand, pretty mamma

Leo J's got some competition! Met Tyler Schilt today and he swept me off my feet -- well, ok, I was never on my feet but you get my point. He was such a gentleman, holding my hand and making me feel like the princess that I am. As you can see, I was a little nervous and not sure how to react. And the thought of a jealous Leo Spiegel coming to beat up Tyler made me cry.

Hey, don't poke me... I'm not the Pillsbury doughboy!

After I calmed down, Tyler starting poking me so I shot him the moon.

Ellie, Jenny, and Tyler

My future mother-in-law Jenny had us pose for a future family portrait.

Ate at Ed's

Hats off to Chris, Sarah and Ellie

Had lunch at Ed Debevic's today with Chris and Sarah. Wished I had my sunglasses on to protect my eyes from the glare of Sarah's humungo rock. Nice work Chris!

Can't believe I escaped without Daddy making me wear that stupid hat. Chris and Sarah took the bait though. Hats off to them for playing along. No, really, guys... hats off. You're embarassing me!

Monday, June 2, 2008

Shot in the Dark

Ellie post-shots

Went to the doctor for my 2 month check-up today. Weighed in at 10 pounds 2 ounces (25-50th percentile), 23 inches long (75th percentile), and my head measured 14 3/4 inches around (10-25th percentile). So I'm tall and skinny with a small head -- shaping up just right for America's Next Top Model.

The doc shot me up 4 times with various immunizations. I was NOT happy. After a couple hours of crankiness, Mommy dosed me up with some baby tylenol and I passed out on Bubbie. Not sure why she waited so long. Maybe she thought I'd just tough it out. That was a long shot.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Cub

Cubs duds

Got all dolled up for my first Cubs game today. Dress courtesy of cousin Sarah and hat from the Miretskys (Brian cameos in this video). Inspiration drawn from Uncle D and Almost Aunt T.

Daddy and Ellie in front of Wrigley

Daddy made sure everyone knew I was a rookie with a pink sign on the Baby Bjorn.

Brrrrrrrrrr

It was pretty chilly in the shade. Bubbie kept me warm under her coat. Luckily the Cubs bats were hot.

Mommy, Daddy and Ellie enjoying 1st place while it lasts

Can't understand why everyone's so skeptical about the Cubs chances of winning the World Series. They've been in first place for pretty much my whole life!

For it's root, root, root for the Cubbies

We took off after the 7th inning stretch. The Cubbies ending up winning their 7th in a row. I must be good luck. World Series here we come!