Eliana's first haircut

the Before picture

Aunt Rhonda had the honor (or the challenge) of cutting Eliana's hair for the first time.

Eliana wonders what in the world is going on.

Oooo, that tickles!

But Aunt Rhonda gave me this really cool toy (a comb) to play with!

the After picture

The beginning of February, David had his second week of vacation from residency, so we planned a little trip.  We drove to Indy where we dropped Eliana off with her grandparents, and then David and I flew to Arizona (blog post about our trip to follow...eventually).  While we were in Indy before we flew out, Eliana got her first haircut!  I thought the back was looking scraggly and kinda like a mullet.  David's sister Rhonda is a hair stylist, and she volunteered to cut Eliana's hair.  It worked out really well because she brought the salon to us.  I think Eliana was more comfortable being in a familiar place to get her hair cut instead of a Great Clips with all of the lights and smells and scary hair clippers.  Rhonda said she did great!  Rhonda's boyfriend Rex did a wonderful job of distracting Eliana.  Rhonda cut her hair really fast and was able to work around her wiggles.  I love the hair cut!  She looks very neat and a little older.  As her hair has grown out some, it has started to curl under in a perfect little bob.  Another step towards growing up for our big girl!  Thanks Aunt Rhonda for the awesome 'do!

A quick update about our lives here in Ohio.  David is currently doing night float in residency.  It has been a hard rotation for us all.  David has crazy hours and always feels tired and out of sorts from trying to sleep during the day.  I kinda feel like a single parent because David is in the hospital by 6pm and I have all parenting responsibilities after that.  David is stretched very thin because when he is home (and awake during the day), he squeezes as much daddy-daughter time in as possible.  Eliana is so blessed to have such a wonderful Daddy, but it has been hard on all of us to be apart so much. 

Eliana is getting to be a big girl.  She now has 8 teeth!  She is also working on four molars I think.  The bottom ones are almost in.  And to really top things off, she has started walking!!  She has been taking a few steps here and there before, but now she is really moving.  When we can home from daycare today, I put Eliana down outside the doorway while I opened the door.  David was standing in the living room waiting for us, and Eliana walked inside the door and then walked all the way to him!  I'm so proud of my little girl. 

As for me?  My biggest news is that I am training for the Indianapolis Mini Marathon in May.  I have run it several times in the past, including last year when Eliana was just 4 months old.  As you can imagine, it wasn't my best time ever for the race.  I hope to make up for it this year.  Since Eliana was born, I really haven't been working out much, so this is my first venture back into the fitness world.  Right now I am averaging a little over 11 min/mile pace, but I'm okay with that.  Hopefully I can improve on my time from last year!  I am extremely lucky that David works so hard to provide for our family so that I can work part time, which leaves me time to train for a race.  Even during the night shift rotation, I have to count my blessings!