All about Ella...

Well, I put Nanna on a plane and made it home safe and sound. (She made it safely home too, XOXO) Now I am sitting her trying to keep everyone updated while Ella snoozes in her pac-n-play. We are taking it easy and relaxing. Josh has his consult for his back on Monday, cross your fingers, they say he needs surgery. Anyway...we love all of you and hope that your Sunday is sunny and relaxing. XOXOXOXO

Daddy and Ella
Ella's onesie say's "Daddy's wrapped around my finger"
True, oh so true!

Nanna and Ella after a bath.

Snoozing! What a life! :)

Our first outing...Nanstein Castle

We made our first outing with Ella Ann to Nanstein Castle in Landstuhl. Nanna, Josh, Me and Ella had a great time. Here are a few pictures from that adventure.

Ella and Friends (Nanna playing dressup with the stuffed animals)
Nanna and Ella 8-25-09
Daddy and Ella 8-25-09

Daddy, Mommy and Ella 8-25-09 Nanstein Castle

Ella waiting at the gates of her castle!

3 generations (of Ann's)

Terry Ann, ShANNon, and Ella Ann

Nanna and Momma

Already photogenic!

Ella Ann Gilreath August 19, 2009

She arrived! I went into labor at 4am 8-18 and Ella Ann came into this world on August 19, 2009. She was born at 2:53am, weighed 7lbs 12oz, and was 20 1/2 inches long. She is the most beautiful, amazing, wonderful gift we could have asked for. Here are a few pictures. Sorry there are not more, but momma and daddy are tired after almost 24hours of labor!!! :)

Me after the epidural, finally able to relax and enjoy labor.
Ella right after birth.
The doctors trying to make her cry, she was too busy checking things out.

Ella Ann Gilreath

Ella and Mommy

Ella and Mommy

Ella and "Proud" Daddy

Ella and Daddy

Our wonderful Doc Capt. Bergerson. She was not on call but stayed at the hospital all night to deliver Ella to us. It was an awesome experience because she was there!

Brooks and Ella

Sabrina and Ella

Nanna and Ella

(Nanna got there about 1pm on the 20th)

The "BIGGEST" "littlest" UT fan!

Ella and the quilt Nanna made for the ride home. GO BIG ORANGE!

Finally home! She is already Daddy's Little Girl! :)

We are so excited to finally have our miracle home with us. She truely is a blessing and we are so lucky to have her in our life. Thank you to everyone who has shared this experience with us. We love ya'll and will hopefully see ya'll in the states soon!

Love and Baby Hugs

Josh, Shannon, and "finally" Ella Ann

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

Ok, so all we have to do now is wait. Wait for Ella Ann to get here, wait for Nanna to get here, wait for Mims and Mo to get here...I see a growing trend. :) LOL! Anyway...just an update. Josh has to work tomorrow and wednesday, then we pick Nanna up on thursday morning. After that we go to our 40 week appointment. Hopefully we will know something then. After that we wait for Ella to decide she is ready for the world. Nanna leaves on the 29th and then Mims and Mo get her on the 4th. Exciting stuff. Josh and I are sooooooooo excited to have family here. We wish that my dad could be here (not sure of his "Ella" name yet), but he will be here in our thoughts and hearts! Ok, so that is what we are up to the next couple of days. Hope that all is well with ya'll. Please keep Nikki (Josh's cousin) in ya'lls prayers as they will enduce her on the 21st because her lil Collin is just raring to go! :) Love and Big Hugs to all!

Shannon, Josh, and Ella Ann

Are we there yet???

Ok, I have prided myself in not being too grumpy through this pregnancy, but I have to say that I am about ready for little Miss Ella Ann to show her pretty little face. 6 more days till her due date. I went to the doctor for my check up on wednesday and my cervix has started to soften and I was almost 1cm. I wish that ment she was on her way, but the doctor still says she will probably be late. Oh well, Josh and I are (not so patiently) waiting. LOL! I will try to post some more pictures soon, however I am having so major problems with my computer, gotta have it looked at to see what the memory problems are. Anyway...stay by your telephones. Josh says DEFCON 3 will strike at any time! :) That is his codeword for Labor. We love all of you and can't wait to share our little one with the world!

Love
Shannon, Josh, and Ella Ann

11 days till the BIG day...

"I love my fat wife!" Quoted from Joshua Gilreath

LOL! That is what Josh says to me when I say I feel fat! ;)

Ok, we are getting to the end of a very long wait! Only 11 more days until Ella Ann is scheduled to arrive. We have a doctors appointment on August 12th and then again the day before she is due on the 20th (the same day momma gets here). Everyone says that the first one comes late, so we are just waiting around until she decides to join us. Josh and I were joking this morning that she will probably be late because she is a girl! LOL! Also that she will want to be fashionably late! Anyway, Josh and I are so excited and happy. We wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone for there love and support. We could not have done this without family and friends, so THANK YOU again! Love and Hugs to all!

The BIG 27!

August 6th was my 27th Birthday and Josh and I had planned to have a quiet dinner with our good friends Brooks and Sabrina Jones. Little did I know that he had BIGGER plans. (Thank you Patron!) When we got to Chilies, there were about 30 people there to Celebrate with us. (Jones', Stewarts', Stovalls', O'Neils', Boyd, Carmona, Gattis, Durnells', Flavins', Kilfoyles', Bonillas', and some of the new members of the 786th) I had no clue! I got some really nice gifts and some gift cards which will come in very handy! We had a great dinner surrounded by friends. My Husband is the most amazing man! I know that I say that often, but it is true! Here are a few pictures of the night. (Thanks Brooks) The one couple that I did not get a picture of were the Jones'. They are great friends and we are lucky to have them in our lives. Thanks to all that helped celebrate my special day!

Me all dressed up for dinner.

Me and the love of my life! :)

Lely playing hide and seek under the table! :)
Josh and I eating birthday chocolate molten cake, our favorite!!! It was a great night! Thank you my Love!!!