Christmas=Success!

Well Christmas was a success!

Christmas Eve - Ella wakes up with a cold (I tried so hard to keep her from getting sick!) - but she's a kid - can't be helped :( We laid low most of the day to just let her rest...we did go to the Christmas Eve service at church...which Ella did pretty well sitting (playing) through...at the end the lights get turned off and candles are lit...Ella did have a minor melt-down...saying, "MINE!" as I wouldn't let her have a lit candle...so Ella and I made a quick exit before a full on tantrum went down! We came home and she got to open her Christmas PJ's and she got dressed for bed, had dinner, and to bed she went! We waited until Christmas Eve night to put any presents under the tree...I was the biggest kid...as soon as Ella was in her bed...I started makings trips up and down the stairs to bring presents up....

Santa came!

 

I didn't wrap the stroller (to the right)...it was too big...so when Ella came out Christmas morning...of course she headed right for that!

Ella woke up Christmas morning...coughing around 4:40am..she fell back asleep...I didn't! More because I was so excited for Ella to experience Christmas! So finally around 6:30am I get up to make Cinnamon Rolls and drink a cup of coffee before the day begins! Ella woke up around 7:30 I guess it was...the dogs started barking at something...so it woke her up....we set up the computer to skype with Nanny and Grampy in Vermont....so that was pretty cool!

Ella's morning in picture form....

Baby Doll #1!

Excited!

 This is a cooking pot that sings/talks...has vegetables and a spoon that go with it.

 Baby Doll #2

 Her baby dolls are lined up and ready to go!

 A Mr. Potato Head party pack - she has really enjoyed playing with it!

 A princess pop-up tent.

 The spoons - her favorite :)

 And a flamingo puppet!

Whew - after all that....we needed a nap...and a bigger living room! :) But instead...we all got ready to head to the lake for Round 2...

Ella took a mini-nap on the way over...

 Somebody got her very own chair!! She loves it!

 

She also really like attention and people clapping for her :)

 

All in all it was a fantastic day! She was a little over-tired by the time we got home last night...

Today - we laid low again...we actually had a day full of rain/sleet...so I was glad Josh and I both had today off. We took down the Christmas tree to make room for all of Ella's new toys!

 

Ella relaxing and watching some Veggie Tales in her new chair today!

 

I did lots of picking up/laundry/dishes/vacuuming....and I feel as though I have only made a small dent :)

So Ella is just picking up on new words left and right...my favorite is "Elmo"...but she can't really say "e's" yet...so she says, "Melmo"...and I just laugh and laugh...it's so cute....I got her to say "Ella" tonight....to see how that would turn out....and it comes out, "Mella"...we'll keep working on it!

She had a little bit of an early bed-time tonight...it was needed....she is so tired...and this cold is taking it right out of her...so hopefully a good night sleep and she'll be ready to go for tomorrow!