Busy Week!

Whew...it's been a busy week!

Monday - Josh was off...lucky him....I worked 9-7...not so lucky! Ella and Josh spent the day together...having fun!

Tuesday -Josh and I both worked so Ella went to the sitters. I worked until 6...however, Josh was off at 3...so he picked Ella up early and they got to spend the afternoon together.

Wednesday - Josh worked and I was off....and it was my birthday! Yes...28...another year closer to 3-0! Yikes! Mom and Dad came over and took Ella and I out to lunch..and then to Sweet Frog....yum!
Ella and I played in the afternoon....

Josh came home around 3:45...he went and got Ella out of her crib (I had just put her down for a nap...she wasn't having it though!)...he got her all ready to come out and deliver my gift...

I don't think she was too thrilled with the hair accessory!! :)

Thursday - Josh was off...and I worked 9-7.

Friday - Josh was off...and I worked until 5:30. Josh did bring Ella by for a little visit today! They were out and about for the afternoon...he took her to his old work as well...they went and hung out.
Josh said he felt like he was a stay at home dad! But he said he was thankful to be able to spend time with Ella...just the two of them...as soon his long shifts are about to start.

And I hate to even say this...it's 8:00 on a Friday night...and I am going to go get into bed...I have a book that I am going to go read for a while and then go to sleep...I am exhausted!! And I know I will be up early with Ella tomorrow...as 6-6:30 is her time to rise and shine!! This morning she was making little peeps at 5:50am...my alarm was set for 6:45am...she was 55 minutes ahead of schedule!! :) She however got to lay down for a nap at 8:15 and took a 45 minute nap...while I was getting ready to go to work!

Tomorrow is shopping day! Time to go spend some gift cards! :)

Christmas!!

I really wanted to post a few Christmas pictures for you all to see...

We went over to my parents house on Christmas Eve and spent the night....Christmas morning Ella was up at 6:30 (pretty usual for her!)

Here is Ella playing with her Grandma and Grandpa first thing in the morning...

I got this mom...I got this....



Pulling at the bow....

Loves the bows!!



BELLA refused to move....

Playing with her new Christmas toy...

Playing with her new friend...

Ella and I hanging out....(all I notice are the big bags under my eyes...thank you Ella for that!!)







Taking a big bite of her phone....

Showing off her new boots...



Phew...it was a busy Christmas weekend...but a good one!

I had to work today...and Josh was off with Ella...they got lots of good playtime in :)

Fun Evening!

I ended up getting off at 5:30 tonight instead of 7...so I came home just in time to feed Ella her dinner...it was a yummy mix of Spinach/Potatoes and a side of Plum/Bananas...it really grosses Josh out that they mix the different veggies and different fruits together! :) But Ella doesn't mind...I put the veggies on the spoon...and I have to put a touch of fruit on the spoon as well...if not she won't eat it...so we will do that if it helps her eat her veggies :)

Here Ella is after having some of her delicious dinner...

My what big eyes you have!!

After our fun time of eating...we then had playtime...Josh, Ella, and I climbed onto the bed and played with blocks...ok so maybe it was really just Ella playing with the blocks and Josh and I enjoying watching her...she is so fun! She was squealing and laughing up a storm!!

Here she is being a big girl sitting up (I put a couple of pillows behind her just in case she went backwards...but she did really well and sat almost the entire time without tipping over!

The tongue has found its way out again....

She was just so playful tonight...I think she would have stayed up for hours! :) However at 7:20...I said sorry...it's time for bed...she cried for a good 5 minutes...which made me so sad to hear her cry...but then she was out! I'm hoping she will sleep in tomorrow...6:30 would be good! The last couple of mornings were 5:45am...Mom doesn't want to get up quite that early tomorrow!

My new favorite thing at night is getting into bed and reading...and that sounds perfect to me right now...Josh is playing on his Xbox...and I am going to go downstairs and read.

Sitting!

Well Ella can now sit on her own...kind of :) I set her down so she is sitting...and I let her sit on her own...but I keep my hands right there to catch her...she's not quite steady enough to sit for a long amount of time. She got a Christmas gift from the sitter the other day (some blocks) and she REALLY likes them...so if she's sitting and playing with them she does pretty good keeping her balance...until she lunges for another block...and sometimes she'll have a block in each hand and throw her hands up...and then of course throws off her balance as well...we'll keep working on it!

Ella got to spend some time today with Grandma and Grandpa...they came over to watch Ella while I gave in and finally went to the Doctor...I really haven't been feeling that sick...all that's left is a cough...well it's a persistant cough...and I also have no voice...I had enough people urge me to go to the Doctor...so I finally gave in and went...and yes...mild case of bronchitis, and confirmed...laryngitis...so I am on an antibiotic to clear up the bronchitis...and as far as no voice...I'm drinking tea :) Ella has been puzzled by my voice...or lack of...she was sitting on my lap early this morning...and I was talking...and she kept turning her head around and giving me this really puzzled look...she knew that wasn't my voice!

Ella ate really well today...for breakfast she had apples...and for dinner she had spinach/potatoes and a side of apples/blueberries...the minute she is done eating she whips her head to the side to refuse the spoon...we now have her in her highchair...she thinks she is such a big girl sitting in that. She was rubbing her hands all over the tray tonight...Josh just watched her and laughed...and said oh man...I can see where this is headed when she has food on the tray in front of her...so I guess the poor dogs will have to be put in the other room during dinner!

Well tomorrow is Thursday...I work 10-7...and Josh is 8-2...and then we are both off on Friday...and then the Christmas festivities begin! It's still really hard to believe it's Christmas...especially when it is 60 degrees out!

Jumping Bean...

Friday was Josh's swearing in ceremony and "pinning" ceremony...I did go through a few practice runs before we went so I wouldn't get up there and not know how to pin his badge on! After that ceremony his parents took us out to an early dinner (a celebratory dinner for Josh) - to Red Lobster...a favorite of ours...and then they were on the road again headed back to Vermont. Josh and I have had a pretty laid back weekend...I have been "sick" with a miserable cold...yet again....I did stock up on some Vitamins and Immunity builders...which I started taking yesterday.


Ella really likes her Jumparoo now!! It took some getting used to...and Josh figured out how to lower it so she now can finally touch the ground...

Ella really only likes fruit...so I have been buying baby foods that are a mix...like today she had...Bananas, Blueberries, and Beets...yuck...but she loved it...but if I do just the vegetable on its own...she will not eat it and throws herself back. Her favorites seem to be any mix that has pears or apples in it...she just gobbles it all up....at least she's eating...that was half the battle...I was afraid she just wasn't going to eat baby food!

A picture to show that yes...Ella really does smile! :) (This was at graduation the other night).

It's a week away from Christmas...and still no tree...I told Josh I just don't have the energy to deal with it this year...we will be at Smith Mountain Lake for Christmas...and with having a cold practically every other week....I said I'm just not dealing with it this year....next year it will be more fun for Ella...she won't remember this year anyway! :)

Well it's after 9....that means yes...it is my bedtime :)

Graduation Week

It's been a busy busy week! Let's see...Saturday was my works Christmas party...Ella wasn't having a part of it...she cried everytime someone came near her...a new phase? I hope not! We played "Dirty Santa" (yankee swap for those up north...we moved down here and I heard...Dirty Santa? What is that??)...and I won...are you ready for this...a Kindle Fire!! How exciting!! I immediately put it to use :) Ella was up at 2am...we have found...everytime that her little schedule gets thrown off and she isn't in bed by 7pm...she has a bad night of sleep and wakes up in the middle of the night having a meltdown...which yes she did!

Sunday - my mom and dad came to pick up the dogs...they were going on vacation to the lake :) And Sunday I came down with...who knows what...chills, achy, sore throat...blah! This time I was the sick one...Ella didn't get it (thankfully!)

Ella has been introduced to more foods...she really likes Pears/Apples/Raspberries/Squash...Peas...not so much! :)

Josh's parents came to stay with us this week...as this is Josh's graduation week! Here is Ella hanging out with her Grampy...

She really likes facial hair on men...always checking it out!

Josh's graduation was this week....on Wednesday...

Here he is...dressed and ready to go...

A lot of my pictures came out blurry :( But here is Josh shaking the hand of the Chief for Lynchburg...

This was taken right after Josh won the first award of the night....and that award was the, "Academic Award." Josh placed first academically with his scores on his quizzes, tests, etc. We were all very proud of him!

Here they are lining up to get their diploma...

Ella made it through the dinner...once the ceremony started...and the first round of applause happened...she had a meltdown...her Grandma sneaked her out and spent some time with her out in the lobby! Again...since her schedule was thrown off and she wasn't in bed by 7...she was up at 12:45am...having a mini melt-down! She was up for about an hour....which resulted in about 5 hours of sleep for mom (and I have a cold)...so that means yes...it's 9:00 - and I am headed to bed!!

Tomorrow is Josh's, "Pinning Ceremony." I have to pin Josh's badge on him at the ceremony...I better do a few practice runs :)







Christmas is Coming..

Christmas is coming....slowly...we don't even have our tree up yet...I did put up 2 Christmas candles...that's about as far as I have gotten...and I did send out a handful of cards...but then I ran out of stamps (I will be stopping to get more tomorrow!) I did start some wrapping today! Ella was a big helper...she layed on the floor next to me and kept me company...and of course I had to take many breaks to play with her! My favorite part...I had just flipped her over so she was on her tummy and she was stretching to get the toy in front of her...when all of a sudden the dogs come FLYING into the room (we were on my bedroom floor)...and they start "playing" which consists of chasing each other...it really is funny to watch them...well Ella is all about this...she is turning her head as fast as those dogs are running...and she starts laughing hysterically watching them...she turned to me all smiles and then the dogs ran by again and her laughter started all over again...and then of course I started laughing...I don't know which was funnier...the dogs or Ella!

Christmas (which is almost here) - marks another goal I was hoping to make...I'm not there yet...but it's close...so with Ella I gained over 60 pounds!! Unbelievable! I really don't know how I gained so much...I still ate salad almost everyday! My diet didn't change too much! Now the first trimester I did definitely have some carbs...it was the only thing that made me feel better...but pretty much the second and third trimester I ate like I normally do...salad, veggies, I did increase my meat intake...and the Doctor kept telling me that I was gaining weight too quickly - that my baby was going to be really big if I stayed on the track I was on (yeah thanks Doc...you were right on the money with my 6lb baby!) So how I gained all the weight...I don't know...but I am happy to say that I have lost 45 pounds!! I have 17 more to go and I will be right back to my pre-pregnancy weight...I was hoping to have lost it all by Christmas...wishful thinking! But it's not too far off...maybe by her 9 month appointment!

On the menu tonight...sweet potatoes and bananas....mixed in with a little of her green veggies! We'll see how it goes...I tried earlier today to feed her some...she wasn't having any of it! Kept turning her head and pitching a little fit! The sweet potatoes and bananas I made! I followed one of the recipes in the Baby Breeza book. Well she's awake now...she was taking a little late afternoon snooze...time for dinner!

Winner Winner!

We have a winning flavor of baby food! Now to me it sounds kind of gross...but it's the first one Ella has eaten that she doens't wrinkle her nose at...Pumpkin/Sweet Potato/Apples/Blueberries...I mixed it all up with a little rice cereal...she ate alllll of it! Yesterday morning and this morning! I think it's a winner!

Monday was a Josh/Ella day...as usual she gives him a run for his money...I came home from work at 7:30 and Ella was already in bed...he just said...."wow, I'm tired!" She was a bit fussy all day...nothing held her attention for more than 10 minutes.

Tuesday she went to the sitter's house...in the morning before we left...she was a slight bit fussy still and putting everything in her mouth...so I assumed her mouth must be hurting...so I did give her a 1/2 dose of tylenol to see if that would help her mouth feel better...I don't really know if it was effective or not...the sitter said she was a bit whiny during the day...not her normal self. Tuesday night...Josh was planning on going to dinner with a bunch of the guys from the academy and he called me during lunch and said...would you like to come? Most were bringing their wives...so I said sure! So Ella and I tagged along...we had a great time! I figured Ella would sleep the entire time...she slept in the car on the way there and her eyes popped open when we walked in...but she was so good...she was in her car seat most of the time...and she was very content...she never even made a peep! She played with her toys...and was entertained by all the people coming over to see her...very few smiles of course...didn't want to show those pretty gums :)

Today it's Mom/Ella day...right now she is playing on the floor with all her toys...but she did sleep in until 7:45 this morning...she was tired out from last night! :) We were going to run some errands but right now it's raining...and going out in the rain trying to balance a car seat and an umbrella are not easy! So I think we might hold off on those errands!

Strawberries and Apples

After "fighting" with Ella to eat her vegetables...we finally made the move to fruit. She did manage to get a few bites in everytime I tried to feed her...nothing close to the 1/4 cup she is supposed to be eating for breakfast and for dinner! However the first time she tried the fruit (which was a mix of strawberries and apples) she made the same faces as the vegetables...I managed to get a few extra bites in yesterday morning with the fruit...and she did great tonight with it...now tomorrows adventure will be getting back to those veggies...maybe it will be a good mix of fruit and veggies!

Yesterday Ella, Josh and I went on an outing...well it was just errands...but Ella did great...we had to go to the Dry Cleaners, Target, TJ Maxx and Kroger...I thought maybe by the end she would be sick of sitting in the car seat...but she did fantastic with her toys that we brought and as we were walking through Kroger she even fell asleep! Speaking of sleep...she's going through a little phase that just started this weekend that she has an absolute meltdown everytime I lay her down in her crib either for bed or for a nap...she CRIES and CRIES and gets herself so worked up she starts "choking"/coughing. So last night she held her breath and then let out this huge cry...it broke my heart...it's worse than the cry at the Doctors after shots...so I told Josh I am rocking her to sleep! I know that is supposed to be a no-no...but I have only done it once since she's been born...so I scooped her up and sat in the rocking chair holding her...and sure enough...after about 15 minutes she was out....her eyes did flutter open when I laid her down and she looked at me and whimpered...but then closed them and went right to sleep. She did it again this afternoon when it was nap time...this time I just let her cry it out...it didn't last too long and it was a whimper...Josh went in to check on her and she was asleep...and this was how she looked...

Her face wasn't covered (that was my first thought as he showed me the picture)...but she did have that little birds feather stuffed right in her mouth...which brings me to the next thing....anything and everything she can get her hands on....it goes directly to her mouth...her favorite being the remotes and cell phones...although she is NOT allowed to put those into her mouth...she can touch them...but they get taken away before they go in...we really encourage her toys instead! :)

Yesterday was her first "scoot." Josh had her on her belly...and she wanted so badly to go forward...so he put her feet against his chest so she could push off of him...and she did! She certainly didn't go far...but she did make it forward!

Ella got a package in the mail from her Nanny from Vermont...with a few pretty dresses...she wore one today for church...its a cute sweater dress and she had on little black tights under it...Josh took a picture of us before we left for church this morning...and as usual...Ella didn't smile! (I promise she is a happy baby and smiles a lot..just not in front of a camera...clearly she didn't get that from me!)

Ella's Kitchen

My plan this morning was to leave a bit early so I could drop Ella off at the sitters and run to the store before work...I have found I miss the days of when I can "run into the store"...now it's more like exericse...carrying that car seat around...ugh...so my plan actually worked this morning...usually when I give myself extra time I end up using it and find myself running late...but not this morning...out the door at 8am on the dot! I decided I was just going to run into Target as it was on my way to work...so I go in there...which I have decided that at 8:30am...that's a great time to do shopping...the place was practically empty! I found the "Baby" section...and stared at all the food choices! Well I knew I wanted to go organic...so that really limited what I could choose...so I focused in on the organic section and picked a few different kinds out...I check out and go to work...I bring my bag of baby food in (I'm very excited about it!!)....and I pull out one of the containers to show a couple of my co-workers...they kind of looked at me like..."really? you're showing us baby food??" But then they laughed...

The name of it...is "Ella's Kitchen!" How perfect!!! So I picked up 5 different kinds...and I will slowly add the different kinds in...

On the menu tonight....

(With the dogs in the back-ground)...I think they thought I had a snack for them! :)

Well...yeah she really wasn't a fan of it at all!!! The first couple of bites she did ok...then everytime she would take a bite she would pucker right up and squint her eyes and wrinkle her nose...it was funny...I couldn't get a picture as I was the only one home...and I was trying to wrestle the spoon away from her :)

So tomorrow night...she gets to try it again! The Doctor told me you have to give something 10 tries...if they still don't like it after 10 tries then it means they probably just don't like it right now...I had read that online as well...so try again and try again we will!! 



6 Month Appointment

Last night I asked Josh what he thought Ella was going to weigh...(she was having her 6 month appointment on Wednesday)...he thought about it for a minute and said....14lbs and 8oz...so imagine how surprised I was when I took Ella in for her appointment today and as I set her on the scale and stepped back only to see the scale numbers light up...14lbs and 8oz...I laughed...the nurse probably thought I was nuts! Although she was Miss NON-personality (worst nurse I have ever seen there). So yes 14lbs and 8oz...and 25inches long. So she has put on 8.5lbs and has grown 6 inches in 6 months...not bad! She has a variety of sizes that she wears...almost all her clothes are still 3-6 months...but her pajamas are 6-9 months as she is long and needs that extra length.

I talked to the Doctor mainly about baby food...she wrote out a guide for me to follow...I didn't even know where to begin...I told her that I had done some research online and one site would say one thing and another site another thing...so she gave me a good idea of what and how much Ella should be eating. I talked to her about organic vs. regular baby food...I told her I wanted to make as much of it as I could...but some things I wasn't going to tackle (such as meats!) she said research shows that right now there isn't a difference in the product...organic vs. non...she said however research may say differently 10 years from now...I already knew that any baby food I bought was going to be organic but I was curious to hear the Doctors perspective...she said personally she has bought both.

Ella finished up her 4 month baby shots today...and over the next couple of months I will take her back a few times to finish up her 6 month shots...and then she will be ready for her 9 month appointment. The Doctor really wanted the flu shot to be given...Josh and I had talked about it before and he didn't want her to have it...he has never had the flu shot, and the only flu shot I have ever had was last year when I was pregnant...so Ella will return for her immunizations but we are going to forgo the flu shot.

Poor little Ella did cry and cry today at the Doctor's office...she cried when getting weighed, she cried when getting measured...she cried when the nurse just looked at her...she cried when the Doctor entered the room, and she REALLY cried at the shots...I think she knows what the Doctor's office consists of now :) Poor little thing...she was wiped out...she had an extra early bed time tonight...6:30 came and she was rubbing her eyes! So we read a few books and in to bed she went!

Carrots?

We tried carrots today! Well I actually made them yesterday (using my fantastic Baby Breeza!)...and it was about 6:00 last night and I had the yummy carrot puree all ready for her to try...and I brought the spoon to her mouth and she was just done...she's been pretty cranky the past couple of days (her teeth have got to be making an appearance any day now!)...

So instead...Sunday afternoon we tried again with the carrots...

Well....not a fan! So I guess we'll have to try again...I'll make some more yummy carrot puree and we'll go for round 2! She did get a few tastes in...and made awful face after awful face...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm going to start with Wednesday...lots to update! :)

Wednesday (one of my favorite days as I am off with Ella all day!). We decided to brave the crowds in Lynchburg....really I just had two places I wanted to stop...I stopped at the first place...a consignment store that I bring some of my clothes to...and I had some cash there! :) So after picking that up...we headed to this amazing store called, "Sweet Pea's," in Wyndhurst...it's an upscale childrens consigment shop (but they sell quite a bit of new things as well)...it was kind of hard to move around in there as they have so much and not enough space (I found out they are going to be expanding) - it was hard to carry a carseat through the store! I was after 2 items...1) a toy for Ella - it's like a little mat that they lay on and there are toys that are above her...Josh thought she would like that...so I thought I would see if they had one...and they did! Second item....2) Sophie the Giraffe....it's a teething toy that I have heard from many people is great....and Ella has been chewing on everything she can get her hands on...so now she has a special "Chew Toy"...Ha - she fits right in with the puppies! :)

Thursday - it's Thanksgiving! We packed up and got ready (which took us at least 2 hours) to head over to Smith Mountain Lake...Josh, Ella, 2 chihuahua's and myself...what a crew! We were doing our tradition of seafood...which this year was grilled Salmon. After lunch...we went for a really nice walk out by the lake...

Josh and I were able to have a date night! Ella went to bed around 6:30pm...she was whipped...and we were just leaving the house...Mom and Dad "watched" her...well really just checked in on her as she slept....we went and saw "Breaking Dawn"...my request...Josh just put up with it!


Friday - Our date day continues! Dad had to work...so Mom watched Ella while Josh and I went to Roanoke to go to the Gun Range...yes that's right...he went with me to my movie...so I went with him on his fun outing...but I actually did enjoy it...it was my second time ever shooting a handgun...and I do have to say...I'm pretty good ;) I was shooting better then the people in the lane next to us...that made me feel pretty good! It was loud...even with the ear protection....and it definitely took a little getting used to...everytime someone was shooting I jumped...because I just didn't expect it...but after 20 minutes or so I was more relaxed. After we did that we went to lunch...we went to Red Robin...right next to the mall...or should I say right next to the zoo! The parking lot was packed...and no we didn't brave the crowds...we went home :) We packed everything all back up again and came home! And the best part...we still have 2 more days off!

Rice Cereal #2

Mmmmm not so bad after all!

Rice Cereal

So we took a break from the rice cereal...she liked it the first 2 times...and then the 3rd time we tried...she kept spitting it out! (about 20 times of spitting it out!) So we took a few weeks off...and tried again tonight....

Here's take 1...(we had to film it in low resolution so it would load...so keep the box small and the picture quality will be better!)

She wasn't sure in the beginning...but by the end was grabbing the spoon and bowl for more! We didn't do a whole lot...still introducing it to her...but I think she is getting the hang of it!!

Play Date...

Well Miss Ella had a fun night out tonight...she got to go to a friends house! Yes another play date with Neko and Payton as well!

Look at how cute these girls are (not too bad for 7:45pm!)....

Left to Right....Ella, Payton, Neko

Ella is 6 months, Payton is 4 months, Neko is 5 months

I laughed when I saw this picture...looks like Ella is going to knock Payton square in the jaw...and little Neko is just as happy as a clam! :)

Ella was so quiet and serious...as always...she is typically quiet and sits back and takes it all in when she is a new surrounding (hmmm she really is just like mom and dad!) She slept all the way home...and woke up when we got home where she proceeded to "talk" and smile and giggle before she went down for the night.

I had a chance to win some groceries today...but my name wasn't drawn :( I had to run to the store to get a few things...and K92 (local radio station) was set up at the store....they were doing a big drawing for all the groceries you could get in a cart and you had 92 seconds to "Shop"...sadly my name wasn't drawn (I had my strategy in case it was...I was going to hit the diapers, and baby wipes aisle!) But I did win a prize...a CD! If I guessed the guys age (within 2 years) I could pick out a CD...I guessed it right on the money...35! So as I looked at the table...there were 5 CDs on it...none of who I knew...so I just picked one...talked to them for a minute and went on my way...I got home and I am telling Josh about it...and I hand him the CD...he laughed...he recognized the name...some hip-hop stuff or something....maybe I'll throw it on e-bay and make a few dollars :)

Time to update!

Josh watched Ella on Monday - he had to stop by his work so Ella got to go along for the ride! I was a little nervous...he hasn't taken her anywhere by himself yet..so it was a first for him...but they did great!

Ever since the time change - Ella is ready for bed usually a few minutes before 7:00pm...Josh keeps her up on the nights I work until 7, as I normally do not get home until 7:30...often this is how I find Ella when I walk through the door...

On Tuesday Ella went to the sitters and Josh and I both to work...I went out for a little "girls night" - so Josh got to put Ella to bed.

Wednesday it was a Mommy/Ella day...it was cold and dreary...so it was also a pajamas day! :) We played and played all day. The thing Ella likes most right now is to stand and I hold her body...she thinks she is big stuff! She just laughs and laughs and smiles so big!
I gave her a bath Wednesday night and put her in some PJ's...I had her out on the couch and I couldn't get over how long her hair is getting...Josh attempted to take a picture...it's not a great picture of it...

(yes those are her Halloween PJ's!)

So as I'm looking at this picture...I had to go back to the picture the day after she was born...

Look at that dark dark hair! It has really lightened up!

I got home last night and I was reading Ella's "report" for the day...it said, "I napped from 10:30 - 12:15. And from 2:30 - ." Josh said...do you see her napping time...I said well yeah...but it doesn't say when she woke up...he said that's because she was still sleeping when I got there...which he did get out a few minutes early so he picked her up at exactly 5pm. I said...great...so she slept at the sitters for oh 4-5 hours..which means...will she sleep tonight?? She did...yay! She was however making noises at 5:30...I kept my eyes closed hoping she would go back to sleep...I finally gave in at 6:15...she was up...so I got up and got her bottle ready...and brought her into the living room and fed her...and I really wasn't ready to get up yet...it was still dark out, I was freezing and tired still...so I put her back in the crib and put some toys in there...and I laid down...and I drifted in and out of sleep...she just played and played with those toys, "talking to them."

Speaking of "talking," Ella is really finding her vocal cords...her favorite being, "muuummmmm"....I told Josh she would be saying "Mom" first! :)

Well I can hear the little girl kicking away in her crib...she was napping...although it was short...about 20 minutes (guess she got all her naps out yesterday!!) And now I can hear one of the toys rattling around and she likes to kick her legs up in the air and they bounce onto the mattress...her little legs are certainly getting some exercise!



Party Girl!

Ella went to her first birthday party yesterday! She had been invited to one in October...but she was unable to attend due to her nasty cold that she had...so yesterday it was her first birthday party! It was a party for our friends little girl, Kayla...she was turning 2. There were lots of kids there all running around having a good time...now of course Ella wasn't running around (yet...that will come soon enough!) but she did enjoy watching all those kids! She kept her eyes on them the entire time just watching away!

We came home and she slept for a little over 2 hours! She woke up...it was time to eat...and a few minutes of play time...and it was round 2! Another birthday party! This one was for one of our friends...we had a big group- 18 of us that went to LaCarreta (a well-known Mexixan restaurant in the Lynchburg area)...Ella did great...she had toys to play with...we brought a bottle as it would be dinner time for her in the middle of dinner...so she did well until the waiters came out singing, and playing whatever instrument it was...and they were popping something...whatever it was it was loud! They popped 4 or 5 of them...and Ella had an absolute meltdown...she calmed down quickly...but it was loud and it scared her pretty good! About 20 minutes pass...and then I hear the waiters coming out again and this time headed to a different table behind us...I had Ella already in my arms...so I stood up and made a quick exit and waited out in the lobby until they were done :) I was glad I did that...we didn't need another meltdown! :)

Josh had tomorrow off so he gets to watch the little girl! He's got a few errands he has to run for work...and said it was fine that Ella was with him....so they will be hanging out together tomorrow!

I've got to start taking more pictures...Ella has had on quite a few cute outfits...a personal favorite of mine are her tights with the shoes...it looks like she is wearing shoes but it is actually the tights that have an image of shoes on them...so they look like little mary janes! Josh doesn't like them....but his only reasoning is that it's hard to put them on her because she is such a wiggleworm...which I guess could be true!

Relaxing...

This is Ella's new favorite sleeping position...she looks nice and relaxed huh? :)

Today was a Mommy/Ella day...it started off a little early...6:45am....not too bad...I was kind of hoping for 7:30 though...I was up very early Monday and Tuesday...but with the time change and it now gets lighter in the morning...Ella tends to wake up a little earlier!

She was such a happy baby all day! She played and played with her toys, we read lots of books, and I held her a lot so she could stand on my legs...she loves to be in a standing position when being held. It was only 6pm and she was ready for bed tonight! I made her hold out til 7 though...we played and I read a few more books...the last one we read...I think she yawned 20 times during it! So I brought her into her room and put her in her crib...I walked into the kitchen to get a drink and walked back to Ella's room to check on her...and she was fast asleep...it took all of 1 minute! I knew she was tired!

On a side note....all my Christmas cards are addressed and ready to be mailed...yes I was avoiding having to clean...I was looking for any project that would prove to be a distraction! :)

First Taste...

This was written on Friday night (but I never posted it!)

Well tonight was Ella's first taste of rice cereal...all organic of course! :) I looked at the Gerber compared to Earth's Best...and the Gerber brand had some sugar in it...so I didn't want to use that...so I picked up a box of the organic no-sugar kind. It was a fun experiece...we only let her have just a little taste of it tonight...and we will slowly add a little bit more each time...we recorded a video of it...but the file is too large and won't load :( But she liked it! She was very curious...and kept wanting to grab the little spoon...

Ella has done well this week....she's over her cold. She spent the day with Grandma yesterday. Josh wasn't able to pick Ella up due to a change in his schedule...and I work until 7...so we didn't have anyone to pick her up. So Grandma came to the rescue and came and spent the day with the little girl!

I have had so much fun looking through our family pictures that we got back...and this week I have put together our family Christmas Cards...I have ALWAYS wanted to send a photo family Christmas card...and Josh has always been ehhh....but this year I said I was definitely doing a photo Christmas card using some of the great pictures!

 

Ella has really been fascinated with the dogs the past couple of days. She watches their every move and any chance that she can get to reach out and grab towards them she does. A few times she has gotten a little fistful of fur...thankfully she hasn't pulled :) I watch really closely to make sure she doesn't grab any tails or ears...we want her and the puppies to get along good :)


What I wrote on Monday (11/7/11):

Well Ella had another taste of her cereal Sunday evening....I did skip a day between the two...I wanted to make sure she adjusted ok to it...so Sunday I bring the spoon up to her mouth and I get some in...YUCK! She spit it right out and made a face....I tried again...still spit it out...I tried a third time...now it's not so bad...she looked up at me and smiled :) She was funny...once she got that little taste down...then she was all about having some more...and quickly sucked down a few little spoonfuls! Josh fed her a few bites too...she was enjoying it!

Ella was up at 2am and 5am...Saturday night and Sunday night!! Yuck...what's up with that schedule! Saturday night she went right back to sleep both times...this morning...5am...that was it...she didn't go back to sleep...Mom is tired (oh and did I mention that I then worked 9-7, then came home and cooked dinner, did the dishes, and did a load of laundry)....it's 8:41pm as I type this and I hope to be in bed before 9! Josh was very helpful and took care of Ella tonight...he fed her and got her completely ready for bed...while I was making dinner he was reading her a bedtime story...then he brought her into the kitchen so she could get a kiss from mom before bed...and then he put her to bed. I have to say...I definitely couldn't do that 5 days a week!

I'll leave you with a funny Ella picture (from the photo shoot)...

Discoveries

Ella has discovered that she can bend her leg all the way up and is able to get those toes into her mouth!! She may have done this already at the sitters...but tonight was a first that Josh and I got to see it...we were laughing away and then she would laugh...it was very cute! It quickly became a fun game for her and she probably would have had fun doing it for quite a while...however it was her bed-time!

Well here are some more of those pictures as promised....

Pictures were taken by Kristin Salvia - she did an amazing job! There were so many great ones to choose from...these are just a few of my favorites...

This was right before she discovered she knows how to roll over!! :)

See that little grouch face starting to come through...that was the last picture of the session! She was done :)

Happy Halloween!

Well Ella didn't get to go anywhere for Halloween...with her battling her cold and me working til 7...she instead got to dress up in her costume at home :)

One of these days we'll actually get her to smile (in front of the camera!) She is all smiles until you take the camera out...it's too funny...this is the closest we got to a smile! She didn't really know what to think of it...she kept looking at her arms and toes....bright colors!

We got our professional pictures back from the photographer...wow! They are amazing!! Here is just a taste....

One of my favorites! :)

I'll be adding some more this evening!



Over the weekend...

Little Ella did share...so yes what I thought might be the beginning of me getting a cold...indeed resulted in me getting a cold. Luckily with Ella's cold she hasn't had the breathing problems that she did last time...but she has been sleeping with a humidifier every night - so that I am sure is helping. Ella and I have had a few days of staying in our PJ's - I've been so drained with this cold...I haven't wanted to get off the couch or bed...so poor Josh (or he probably thinks lucky!) had to go out for lunch and dinner yesterday as I wasn't up to cooking anything. I did venture out to the grocery store to pick up a few things as we really didn't have anything! And in the crockpot now is a pork roast to make into pulled BBQ - thanks for the recipe mom!

Ella's friend Neko this week got to go into her jumperoo/exacauser (I really have no idea what the difference between the two are) - and I can't remember which one it was! Neko's mom told me this and said that Neko loved it....so of course Ella had to try it out! We have a jumperoo that Ella's Nanny from Vermont let us borrow - so I set it up and cleaned it up on Saturday....and put Ella in it...well I don't know if there is a setting on it to make it shorter...if there is I couldn't figure it out...so I put Ella in it...hmmm she's too short - her feet don't touch the ground! So I hunted around to find something to put under her feet so she could touch....

Lets see - Ella's reaction...well she loved it if I sat next to her and helped her bounce...but she didn't want to do it on her own! I thought she would love it - because everytime you hold her she is trying to push herself up so she is standing on your legs.

I left Josh in charge of Ella while I ran out to the grocery store...I left and she was playing in her boppy on the floor...and Josh was playing video games...and I told him if she starts getting fussy you need to stop playing your game to take care of her...this is what I came home to...



We get our pictures back tomorrow from the photographer - she is dropping them off at my work...I can't wait to see them!!!

Slowly on the Mend...

Well the little girl is in the midst of her cold...she just seems to have the stuffy nose now...hopefully it's almost over! However I think she may have shared :( I have been sneezing away today...and that's how it always starts!

Our Wednesday night excitement...the smoke detectors chirped at 12:30am...only once and then it stopped. It of course woke me up...thankfully not Ella! About 30 minutes later...chirps again...grrr...I drag Josh out of bed to do "something" to make it stop...I have never changed a battery in them so I didn't know what to do...we have 3 of them right in a row...1 in the office, 1 in Ella's room, and 1 in the hallway between the 2 rooms...I couldn't tell which one it was...so he changed the battery in the hall and Ella's room. No more chirps :) Well that is until 6:45am...it chirps once and that was it. Then a few minutes after 8 - I hear my mom pulling in the driveway (she came to watch Ella on Thursday) - as she is pulling in - the alarm starts to go off!! Not just the chirp...but the LOUD alarm...the dogs go ballastic...so I run to the door to open it so they can run outside as I'm sure it was hurting their ears. Ella is looking around with huge eyes like what?? I run into the kitchen and grab a chair so I can reach the detectors...and then it stops...again I don't know which one it was...so I take the battery out of the one in the hall. Well that just makes it chirp every 2 minutes...that's not going to work...I put the battery back in and nothing...(now I'm late for work!) Sorry mom....I tell her that if it goes off again...call the Fire Department...I don't know what to do! :) Thankfully it didn't go off for her...it did however go off again at 8:00pm last night...Josh ran and yanked both of them and completely unplugged it from the ceiling...hope we don't have a fire! :) Although there are more in the house that are working...but I guess getting new batteries will be on the agenda this weekend. The alarm was so loud it gave both Josh and I a horrible headache...I went to bed with my head having a dull ache...and I had to get up in the middle of the night and take motrin because I woke up with a really bad headache. My stumbling around while half asleep woke Ella up :( So I got her up and gave her a little bottle...her vaporizor had turned off - so I refilled it and set it back up as well as the poor thing was really stuffy.

Today Ella and I got up and went to a little meeting at my work. Ella got passed around and got lots of love :) We came home and we had the best time...we laid on my bed and read lots of books...and then I was showing her videos on my cell phone...it was so funny...I wish I could have recorded it...she was holding 1 side of my phone, and I was holding the other...and I have I think it was 5 videos on my phone of Ella...so I played the videos...and they are of her laughing and "talking"  - she watched with great interest...and would look at me and smile...and then she would look back at the phone and I would replay the video and everytime she was laughing in the video she would turn to look at me and just laugh away! She loved hearing herself laugh!

Winter Woes - it feels like winter is here! It was in the 70s yesterday...and the temperature is reading 40 degrees right now...eeewwww!! And I kid you not...I saw just a few white things land on my deck...now they did melt immediately...but I was not happy about it! I hate being cold!

I'm not sure what is on the agenda for this weekend...I think laying low...let Ella get back to feeling normal...and I have a feeling I will be battling my own cold :( Guess we'll stay away from Josh and hope he doesn't get it!

Sick Again :(

Poor little Ella isn't going to even remember what it feels like to NOT have a cold! Poor little thing just got over one to come home yesterday with the start of another cold! I got home around 6:30 last night...Josh had picked her up when he got off from work at 5...I walked in the door and I was talking to her...and she was sneezing and sneezing...and I all I could do was say...ughhh not again!

I laid her in her crib...and she went right to sleep...no problem. Around 10:30 I woke up to hear her "choking" - she wasn't really choking but those were the sounds that she was making...I ran and grabbed her...she stopped making that noise and I laid her back down. She never once opened her eyes...she flopped around for a few minutes and went right back to sleep. Around 12:30 I woke up to hear her sniffling and making a little cough...so I got up and went and filled the humidifier up (yes the one that I just put away last week!) and I filled it up and set it up. Then I went and got her swing and carried it into her room...I scooped her up out of the crib and set her in her swing...again never opened her eyes! She slept fine from that point until 7:30am..I however did not...I was paranoid and was constantly waking up and going over to peek at her...

Today she has just been a miserable mess...her eyes are really glassy, her nose is a mess, and she's just a touch on the cranky side. Grandma and Grandpa were planning on coming over for a visit today as they were already coming to Lynchburg to get their car inspected at the dealership...so after that was done they came over...unfortunately Ella wasn't all about visitors today...she did do 1 or 2 smiles. She was very interested in Grandpa's goatee...and kept putting her hand up to feel it...and look at it. She took an hour nap as they were leaving...and once she was up she had a bottle and then we read about 15 books...she does really like story time. She loves to hold one side of the book...always the left side...and looks at the pictures...and often she will turn to look at me as I read (especially when I change my voice to go along with the book)...or when I make animal sounds (we have a lot of those books!)

She's been going to town on those teething rings. She knows just what they are...I will take one out of the fridge..and hand it to her...again grabs it with her LEFT hand (just like her daddy again!) and brings it right up to her mouth. I just looked over at her (she's taking nap #2 in her swing) and she has in her left had a teething ring, and in her right hand she is holding on to Miss Piggy...and she is just snoozing away!

I'm not sure what I am going to do quite yet for tomorrow...I am going to wait to see how Ella feels a little later on this afternoon....Grandma might be coming tomorrow to spend the day with Ella while Josh and I go to work...I hate to send her to the sitter's with a bad cold...

I was grouchy last night after I discovered that she was sick AGAIN...and Josh said, "Are you mad at me?" I laughed and said nooo...I wasn't even mad...I was annoyed that she was sick again...now I know that it is bound to happen she's around other kids...not only at the sitters, but she was in the church nursery, and she was at the YMCA childcare over the weekend when Josh and I worked out on Saturday...if parents know their kids are sick - why do they send them to be around other kids!?!

Well while Ella sleeps I better get a few things done around the house! The laundry pile has turned into the laundry MOUNTAIN!

Few Things...

I had a few things that happened this week that I forgot to post and I didn't want to forget about them again...

1) Ella loves to rub my hair...maybe she's getting me confused with Bella and Brinly :) When I hold her up close and she can reach my hair...she rubs her hand through my hair over and over...very cute!

2) The reason I say that maybe she gets me confused with Bella and Brinly is....she now will hold her hand out when the dogs are near her so she can "pet" them. They tolerate it for a few seconds...but then they usually get up and move away.

3) She has REALLY found her voicebox...so yes she had already found it by last Sunday during the dedication...but besides that...normally her "talking" is pretty quiet...except for the last few days she has really learned how to turn up the volume! Josh said what is wrong with her...why is she so upset...I said I don't think she is upset...she "yells" but then she laughs...I think she just might be realizing that she can be loud!

Photo Shoot and Major Milestone!

7:15am...Ella's awake...so she was up a little earlier then what I wanted. I was hoping for closer to 8. I wanted to make sure she was happy for the photo shoot! So she got up and ate...and I put her back in her crib while I finished getting myself ready and doing some last minute cleaning. I was hoping maybe she would catch a quick nap...no such luck!

I got Ella bathed and dressed just a few minutes before 10...hoping the drool wouldn't soak through her outfit! :) We kept the bib on til the very last minute!

The photographer came - she was very sweet. She set up in Ella's room and we did most of the pictures in there. I have to say...she had Josh and I in more shots than I had thought there would be...I didn't really pay attention to our outfits...I had just focused on Ella...thinking oh we'll just get a couple of family shots...I mean I would have gone and gotten my hair done and a new outfit...annnddd hit the gym a few times! :) I still have 20lbs to get off! So hopefully her editing skills are good! :)

Well Miss Ella realllly wasn't a smiling girl! She wasn't unhappy...she was just very serious. She was puzzled by the camera right up in her face! I think there were a few half smile shots...she did show us a few...and they were looking good on the camera...so hopefully they turn out well! We did the majority inside and a lot of family shots outside...we had a few outfit changes...and we did some with her wearing just a headband (and a diaper of course) but you only saw her upper half. Sooo...the big milestone happened during the photoshoot (however wasn't caught on film). Ella has been on her tummy multiple times...but has never rolled over. We had transformed our table to a platform with a blanket on the top of it (the nice furry ones from Christmas last year!) and Ella was laying on that on her belly and she was propping herself up with her arms and she was looking all around. Then boom - she just rolls over! It was so quick and we didn't expect it...and the part that scared us all was she rolled over and was right on the edge of the table. Josh ran and grabbed her! He moved her closer to the other side and I kneeled down and propped her up to make sure she didn't roll off...and Josh was on the other side...and sure enough...she rolled over again! That's it...photo shoot on the table is done with! :) By this time an hour had passed and Ella was done! She started getting cranky...and I gave her a bottle and she was out!

Later on in the afternoon - I had Ella on the living room floor (a much safer place) - I wanted to capture her rolling over! Of course she did it twice and both times I missed it! The first time I was recording and recording...and she didn't roll over so I turned the camera off...boom she rolls over! The second time - I swear I hit record...but yeah I didn't...missed it again...I tried for a 3rd time...but Ella was done with being on her tummy...she likes her back better. So I'll try again tomorrow for that video!

Lots of great pictures!

Well Ella has had her share of pictures taken this week...and her photo shoot is tomorrow...hope she's ready to smile!!

Monday/Tuesday I worked...9am til close each day (7 on Monday and 6 on Tuesday)....I was tired out after that! Ella went to the sitters...it was cute...on Monday I walk in to drop her off and the kids all start yelling...Ella! Ella! Ella is here! They were very happy to see her! It was all boys...hmmm hope that's not a sign of the future! :)

On Wednesday Ella and I went to our friend's house to see Erin, Xavier, and Neko! Well Xavier is 4 so he isn't as interested in playing with the little girls. Neko is 4 months, and Ella is 5 months....

Neko on the left. Ella on the right.

Ella trying to take Neko's hand.

Ella can't keep her hands to herself!!

I love this one...looks like Ella is saying, "What??"





Wednesday night...Ella kept making the funniest faces at Josh....we tried to catch it on camera:

She was going back to a bit of the tongue thing again!

Today we had to get all bundled up again before going outside...it was chilly:

Well I have got to start picking up a little bit...as the photographer is going to be here at 10:00am...praying that Ella is a happy girl!! :)