The Texas Update: (a little tardy, I know)

From June 2009

T - Teeth! Yep, Ellie's cutting two more teeth. Not the two directly in the front, but the two on the outsides. She's gonna look silly! Oh well, silly, but still adorable!

From June 2009

E - eating - well, we've tried some rice cereal again because honestly we took a break with the cereal since we were moving/living in a hotel for a while. So now we're back on track and I think she's regressed! So back at square one. Also, the little turd - I've been trying to not heat up the cereal and she wouldn't eat it. So this morning, I did heat it up and she ate it. It does align with what I started her on, so we'll see how that progresses. Oh, she's also gotten really good at communicating! She cries when she's hungry and even when she has a dirty diaper now! She definitely now knows how to vocalize I'm hurt. Those darn teeth coming in are not nice sometimes! I really do cherish that she does communicate now - she didn't used to do that and remember her distinctively being content with not eating! So yeah, for hungry Ellie!

From May 2009

X - as if this isn't the hardest letter to start something with! So we'll go with talking about Ben's job at Lockheed; it kinda looks like a K so we'll go with the K in Lockheed. He's now officially on his first day of "real work." He said he's got a lot of things to read today. Monday and Tuesday were both orientation days where he got to learn all about the company and fill out paperwork. He also ate lunch with his supervisor, and supervisor's boss, and said they are nice. There are about 30 people in his department and out of those around 5 are new hires. Interesting fact he mentioned that Lockheed employs about 140,000 people world wide and about 100,000 of them will be retiring within the next 10 years (baby boomers). So we'll see how that plays out for the Gramkows. He's also really going to like the 9/80 schedule. He's actually off this friday! Wahoo! He'll also have next Friday off for the 4th of July. He's also thinking about getting a rec membership - they have a rec facility at the Lockheed plant he's working at now. He also mentioned how that might help with beating the traffic. It's a joy to see Ben come home. Ellie's face just lights up and then it's almost like a pondering "hey, where have you been all day?" look too.

From May 2009

A - Apartmento. So far we're still working on unpacking, which is why there are no pictures posted yet. It's huge (around 1300 square feet), but we managed to fill it up quite nicely! I at least have my kitchen unpacked so I can cook meals. So far they haven't been too extravagant, but oh well. I'm also noticing how Ellie is becoming so much more active! She loves my attention, doesn't take very long naps, therefore the unpacking is taking WAY longer than it needs too. Oh well, I've just had to set short goals, room by room. Our closets (yes, we have closets with doors) are chuck full too - we really need to "go through" everything, but I'm so torn because I just want it put away! Once we get unpacked then I'll start to venture out more. So far we've went to get mail, fax some things for Ben, and the two days I've ventured out the police have been here. NOT COOL. Not sure why. Kinda weird being a bystander. At Jardine I would have just walked right up to see what the problem was. They had a "crime scene" van though. Yeah, we don't have those at Jardine.

From June 2009

**This was at the hotel pool; Ellie's first time swimming** S - Sunday we did go to a church, Trinty Chapel, invited by Jeff and Nikki who are the only people we knew moving to Fort Worth because of another friend. Jeff is also the real estate agent who helped us find our apartment. They had us over for supper on Friday and we had a great time! We look forward to having them and their kiddos over once we get unpacked. Nikki is also a stay-at-home mom and so we're definitely going to get together for some outings. I hear the Fort Worth Zoo is amazing. Haven't made it to the pool yet, but then again it has been like 300 degrees out lately! Yesterday and today they (meaning the news) said it was "unhealthy" to go outside because of pollution. NOT COOL. S for sounds - we hear planes ALL the time going over the apartment complex. Gotta love living next to Lockheed and the Air Force base. Well, we have our insurance, bank, working on getting the cars registered (whoa, that's a process!) and now my quest is to find Ellie a pediatrician. I've got some recommendations and now I just have to go meet some! We have been very blessed that Ellie has been healthy in this transition. Ellie's also been laughing quite a bit! It's hilarious. Hopefully I'll get a video posted on here! Blessings from Texas, Team Gramkow