We just returned from a week in Phoenix with my family for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was the first time my brother Mike and his wife Lauryn had met Elaina! Such a special time for all 8 (now 9) of us to be together since the baby came. We made sure to take a family shot (see below), as who knows when it will happen again!

We spent Thanksgiving at Lauryn's mom's place - gotta love the orange tree behind us!

Elaina and her Uncle Mike

with Aunt Lauryn at Mike's surprise birthday party on Tuesday

Just arriving late Monday night..

with MomMom and PopPop

Harmony and her little girl, Johnny Ella - born just 8 days after Elaina!

the original Griffith six (with Elaina)

Aunt Grace enjoyed feeding Elaina her bottle while we were there.

a little Guitar Hero with my husband...my mom snapped this photo...i could easily become addicted to this game!

Elaina's first piano lesson from MomMom

we love you, Uncle Stephen!

I realize it's been a month since I've blogged here. Check out my facebook site for many pictures from the past month. I'll post a few favorites here. Elaina Joy is doing just wonderfully. She just had her 4-month checkup this week: she weighs 14 lbs. 1 oz. and is 24 3/4 in., bringing her up to the 50th percentile, now. Praise God!! Her pediatrician said she looked great and commented on what good back and neck control she has. Developmentally, she's ahead of the game, rolling over both ways now since 3 months. This girl is on the go! We just purchased an early Christmas gift for her - an exersaucer - and though it's a little big for her, she absolutely loves it! She is really beginning to outgrow her playmat.

Taken Nov. 4 on her 4 month birthday

Dressing up on a warm November day!

An expressive Elaina!

Scott and I are doing well....looking forward to a much-needed vacation next week in sunny Phoenix, for Thanksgiving. Scott's got the week off for vacation. It's been 10 weeks since my family saw Elaina, and I'm so excited to see their reaction to her now, at 20 weeks! She's changed so much since 10 weeks. We'll see how she does on the plane now, too, now that she's bigger and more demanding and active! I'm thankful this time to have Scott with me on both flights - Lord willing he gets on! I went back and watched her birth video today for fun...such a blessing to relive that day, and to see how far she's come. No greater joy to have become a mother and give birth! What a privilege and blessing. Words don't describe it - it must be experienced. I'm already excited about the next one (though it won't be for a while!)

Our first family picnic at the park...

Daddy taught her about leaves

They taste great, too!

Scott is beginning to train for his 737 type-rating. This requires 60-80 hours of at home study time, as well as the 2-week training in the simulator. We'll be spending this time in Phoenix with my family, as he attends the training facility each day, in Tempe. So glad Elaina and I can be with him as he does this, and spend time with family! I'm excited that they'll get to see Elaina not too long after Thanksgiving as well. We're excited about what this training should produce - an interview at Southwest Airlines within the next 6 months. We are praying about this and trusting God to lead us as we step out and do this! It's exciting, but there are many unknowns. As we've read through Hebrews lately, we want to trust God and walk by faith, as the  great saints of chapter 11 did! That book is so amazing, and that chapter is one of my favorites.

Her weight at the beginning of the month.

Nurse Laura came numerous times to weigh Elaina and check on her - she was fabulous!

We had our first family portraits taken at Portrait Innovations - Elaina's first studio experience. They went great! Elaina wore her holiday dress and looked so adorable. We have a great family shot for our Christmas cards this year, and many others of Elaina: sitting in an armchair in front of the Christmas tree, looking at a Christmas book, in her diaper wearing angel wings, and under a pink blanket...they turned out just awesome! I don't know if there's a way of posting them online, but I'll try. We were very happy with them.

Sharing a moment with Daddy...

Elaina's airplane "wings" - she wants to fly like Daddy!

She likes to stick out her tongue, too!

I've started a Mommies Play Group with other stay-at-home moms, and it's been going great! There was 5 of us last week, with 5 kids, so it was plenty busy! I have 8 ladies interested, but with sicknesses going around, a few have had to stay away. I know the Lord orchestrated this group and I'm really excited about what He will do with it. It's a blessing to connect with other moms in a similar stage of life and share mommy things and life together!

First play group - Elaina is the youngest of the bunch

Elaina's new favorite position with mommy - brings many laughs!

Daddy about to put Elaina to bed

All dressed up and ready for family portraits!

Loving her new exersaucer!

Helping Mommy make dinner!