Ella's Adventures

So as I told the story before of Ella holding her crackers down too low...and the dogs grabbing them....here is Bella getting brave...

After the dog tries to take it (which sometimes they do get it) - she yells, "No! Mine!" And yes...she is totally wearing a tu-tu....Josh really isn't a fan of it and hates when she wears it out in public...but I think it's super cute!

Ella knows the word, "book," she will pick up a book and bring it over to one of us and say the word, and then she wants to sit down with us and look through it...sometimes she likes us to read it or she will "read" it to us.

Josh and I  often sing the, "ABC's" to Ella - especially before bed...or during bath time...but we usually sing it to her at least once a day...well tonight while Josh was brushing her hair after bath time, and I was folding her laundry....Ella starts singing all on her own...and while it wasn't the REAL ABC's....it was her gibberish...it was definitely the right tune of the ABC's....it was quite cute!

Ella has mastered what a cow says...

She actually sees cows when she is at the sitters house...there is a farm behind their house...which I am sure will be bought up soon and more houses built...but for now...she gets to see cows!

She also knows how to say "Hello"....

Ella is also a bit of a drama queen....maybe gets that from me! :) The other day...she starts yelling, "eeewww! eeewww!" I had no idea why she was yelling this...and she runs over and grabs her baby-doll and runs back over to the baseboard in the living room...where there is a lady-bug and she begins to hit the ladybug with her doll! And tonight she saw a stinkbug in the kitchen and came running to me, I picked her up and she clung onto me for dear life....she wouldn't let me put her down...she kept yelling, "noooo!" each time I tried.

Poor Ella had her first gagging experience tonight...she has molars coming in...and I gave her a teething ring to chew on...well she dropped it and before I could pick it up to wash it off...it was back in her mouth...but it must have had dog hair on it. And she was trying to get the dog hair out of her mouth and she was doing this gag thing...so I was trying to help her...and Josh was sitting on the couch...saying..."she's going to throw up"....which I was like oh my word..no she's not...not over a dog hair...so I was trying to get her water...when sure enough....she gagged and threw up...it was just fantastic! I totally didn't expect it! We then had bath time! :)

I think that wraps up our Ella adventures from the past few days..I did get her to try a few bites of salmon at lunch today...that was a first...she ate only a few bites and wouldn't eat anymore...although she did eat quite a bit of my portobello mushroom on Saturday...she's getting braver in what she eats! 

39 Days Left Until Christmas!

So I am very much in the Christmas spirit! Last weekend we made a quick trip to the lake...to get some pictures done for our Christmas Card! I am almost done Christmas shopping....now time to decorate and start wrapping! Our neighbors have their tree up already!

Last weekend we enjoyed 70 degree weather everyday...now we're back to the 40's/50's...booo! I took Ella "coat shopping" yesterday...that went over like a lead balloon...she was excited to put it on...and then she was trying to yank it off and squawking in the store...so I said forget this...she instead gets wrapped up in a blanket when we walk to the car. Once she's in her car seat she really wouldn't be able to wear a coat - they are just too bulky...so we run the heat and she keeps her blanket on her.

Ella has learned some new things...

1) She can now stand up in her crib on her tippy toes and stretch as far as she can and she can reach the light-switch. We discovered this on Monday. Josh went to go in and get her...he came back out and said, "did you already go in and turn Ella's light on?" To which I replied that I had not. Then again this morning...we were walking down the hall to get her and sure enough...underneath the door we could see that the light was on....she's sneaky! Time to move the crib over so she can't reach that anymore!

2) Ella has learned how to say, "Hello,"...more specifically this morning she picked up Josh's phone, turned it on (the light), put it up to her ear and said, "hello." Well it was in her baby-talk so it wasn't as clear as a bell...but you could tell that was exactly what she was saying...that was something new this morning!

3) Ella is now really into her crackers...and tonight she was walking around eating one. Well, she takes a bite, and then holds her hand down by her side....which is the perfect height for the dogs! And Bella is a brave little chihuahua. Bella snatched that cracker out of her hand so fast. To which Ella yelled "NO!!" and started chasing Bella yelling, "No! No!" What a good girl! :)

Ella is really on a "mine" stage right now. I'm sure this was picked up at the sitters! Having 4 kids all right between 1 1/2 - 3...everyone probably thinks the toy is theirs!

Ella's favorite thing at Romp 'N Roll this week was the trampoline. They have a little mini one...and she thought she was hot stuff. She kept running over to it to jump on it.

Josh was busy this weekend (along with his fellow co-workers)....(check out the link below to see)

http://www.wset.com/story/20067716/nc-man-arrested-in-bedford-for

Well everyone likes to look at new pictures...so here are some from last weekend in the beautiful weather!

Overdue!

I feel like I have been in a whirlwind the past few weeks!

My cold is gone...Josh caught a mild version of what I had...his is gone. Ella also had another mini cold...and thankfully she is over that too!

Ella is working on cutting some molars right now...her mouth has just exploded with teeth! Thankfully she has been very good through it and not too fussy!

Let's see..the highlights over the past few weeks....we went to Virginia Beach...we met Josh's parents there for a long weekend...that was fun! (a little on the chilly side - but still fun). We visited an aquarium, a big mall that had a carousel in it, outlet shopping, pawn shops, good food, and our Ella's first ocean experience!

 

Ella had a fantastic time at the aquarium...and loved looking at all the fish, and getting to push buttons (it's very interactive for kids). 

Today Grandma and Grandpa came over and went to Rompy's house with Ella and I! (Romp 'n Roll).

 We had a great time!

I have been making good progress in my Christmas shopping! :) I bought Ella a pair of Christmas PJ's today...for her to open on Christmas eve...that will be a tradition that I want to do...getting new PJ's to open every Christmas eve.

Ella loves her Baby Doll...she was given a few things from one of the girls I work with...and one of the items is a little bottle (to feed a baby doll)...and Ella just loves it...she is always feeding her doll, rocking her doll, singing to her doll, wrapping her doll up in a blanket....so for Christmas she is getting a few "doll" related things...she is girly through and through!!

Ella is very much in a repeating stage....so there are words that we say...that she will repeat and has started to add to her everyday vocabulary.

Not too many new foods...she is a very picky eater! We've added ritz crackers (whole wheat)...she got those at the sitters and loves them. I do a lot of the "pouches"...its a mix of veggie/fruit purees...and she eats it out of the pouch...it's still pureed and I would like her to eat the real thing....but I rather her eat the pureed kind versus not eating it at all. She has gotten into eggs...she likes those....so I am still working on it...we give her (or try to give her) bites of whatever we are eating...sometimes she'll eat it just fine...other times she will spit it right out :)

Busy Week

Time to catch up....

Saturday - I was still without a voice! And the coughing started in. It was nice out but a little windy...we went to an orchard near our house, called Morris Orchard...and we got some fresh apple cider and apple butter. Ella got to pet the goats and the donkey...she was in 7th heaven! Then we went for a little ride, poked our head into an antique shop, stopped at the play ground by our house and let Ella go down the slide a bunch of times....which she didn't want to leave...and that was about it....laid low for the rest of the day.

Sunday - my cough was very persistent so we stayed home from church and watched an online service. I knew that I would begin coughing in church and have to walk out. It was a very low-key day....I stayed in my PJs all day!

The rest of the week was good. It was our usual week...Wednesday, Ella had Romp and Roll...and had a great time...it was her very first time painting...and she did pretty good with it...she got to take home her first art project from the week before...we took it home this week...and it was a megaphone that she colored and decorated with stickers...and she knows just how to use it...it's funny to watch her!

Today I finally went and bought cough medicine...Josh really wanted me to go to the Doctors...but I said....what are they going to do for a cough....absolutely nothing...so I refused to go....and he told me that if I didn't go get something for my cough today that he was going to stop at the pharmacy and buy $150.00 worth of every cold medicine that there is and stock up our closet and that I was going to take something! I really didn't want him to waste $150....so I went to the store and bought cough medicine :) The coughing really has calmed down during the day...but it starts up when I lay down at night...I slept a few nights on the couch propped up which helped some...so tonight we'll give it a try!

Wednesday night Ella woke up at midnight...I woke up to hearing, "MAMA, MOMMY!!!" Over and over through the monitor...so I got up and got her some teething medicine as they are coming in right now...thinking maybe that was it...I held her for a few minutes and she fell asleep in my arms...I put her back in the crib and got back into bed...not 5 minutes later she's calling out for me again. I get back up and go make her a bottle and give her a bottle and put her back to bed. I get back into bed...and about 15 minutes later...she starts crying...non-stop crying...so Josh said that he would get up with her and try to lay down on the bed upstairs with her to see if she will fall asleep....nope...she just wants to play, but if you don't hold her she starts wailing...meanwhile I was downstairs coughing and coughing and coughing...this went on until 3am...finally Josh said...lets just let her cry it out...so we did...she cried for about 15 minutes and then finally fell asleep. Needless to say on Thursday, everyone was tired!

Ella at 16 months did not have a single tooth...at 17 months...she now has 6 teeth! They have all broken through the gum and they are making their way down/up.

Best story - Ella was running around the week just making all kinds of noise...and the dogs begin to play with her...bouncing around and chasing her...every now and then they would bark...every time they barked, Ella would stop in her tracks, turn around and put her finger to her mouth and "shhhhhh." It happened over and over...so funny to watch!

Ella enjoys helping me clean...I was cleaning the floors the other day and she desperately wanted to do it...

 

Ella's asleep, Josh is playing video games with friends, and it's a few minutes after 9....perfect time to go downstairs and read for a few minutes and try to fall asleep without coughing too much!

Passing on the cold...

Ella has been over her cold for a week now...and who gets it...I do! Although I'm not sure if it was passed on from Ella...could be from work...and I was in the nursery on Sunday...who knows! It all started on Wednesday...I felt a little iffy...then on Thursday morning - it was all in my voice...I pretty much had laryngitis...but as the day went on it progressed...and by Thursday night I was miserable...and here I am on Friday...still no voice :( However, I haven't let it slow me down too much...which I have learned...there is no "calling in sick" when you're a mom!

Besides that - it's been a good week! Wednesday was one of my days off and my mom came over and spent the day. Before she arrived - Ella and I were getting ready for the day...part of that routine involves feeding the puppies...Ella wanted to make sure Bella was eating...

Ella fed her piece by piece...and only piece went into Ella's mouth...haha...I was watching her...so as soon as I saw her put it in...I went to go grab it...but she spit it out on her own...guess dog food isn't that good! :)

So once we were ready, Grandma was here, we headed to Romp N Roll...Ella's back in a class...it's an Art/Gym class...and she had a blast as usual! She got to color with markers for the first time...and her hands still show it :) After class we did a little shopping...we went to Target...and Grandma bought Ella her first toothbrush and toothpaste....now that she is getting some teeth finally! I bought her a winter hat...leopard print...now I am looking for a black coat to match....as cold weather will be here soon :(

We got lunch stuff at Target...came home and had lunch. Grandma left to go back home...Ella played for about 30 minutes...and then went down for a nap....after 2.5 hours - I went and woke her up! I didn't want her to oversleep during her nap and not go down at bedtime!

Thursday morning...Mommy realllllly wanted to try out Ella's new hat....she wasn't really thrilled....

In all the other pictures she is trying to pull it off...however...there is a chin strap on it so she can't! :)

Friday morning...the girl was styling...

Just needed a little pair of black boots and she would be ready to go....however this was at 7am...she wasn't quite awake! :)

Ella is picking up on lots of new words...everyday is a new adventure. She knows the word "up" and what it means. When she wants to climb up on my lap she says it...she also plays a game with Daddy...where she "pushes" him down and then pulls on his shirt and says "up" as she wants him to sit up.

She's really starting to copy what we say...I asked her if she wanted chicken this week for dinner...and she said "chicken! chicken!" - in her baby words...so it wasn't crystal clear...but definitely what she was saying. During bath time she has a rubber ducky....and she will say "ducky" over and over! She loves bath time...at the end...who ever is giving the bath...we'll say, "Ella are you ready to get out of the tub" and she says "noooo!" and shakes her head adamantly.

Haha...and this one is my favorite...after Ella just filled her pants...I said to her, "eewww you're stinky!" She laughed and said, "stinky! stinky!" I had fun with that one! :)

Ella and I did have our first conversation this week....she was handing me something and I accidentally dropped it, she said, "uh-oh," to which I replied, "it's ok Ella, I'll pick it up." She looked and me and said, "ok." It was our first conversation!

Ella is very much a "cleaner." She is getting good at putting away her toys, etc. However she has also picked up on throwing things away. Thankfully she has only thrown away 2 things of semi-importance...I did find them in the trash can right away though...so if it's in her reach...watch out...it's fair game!

Well time to go find some Sudafed...I need to kick this cold! It's supposed to be nice out tomorrow - I want to go do something fun!

A tooth is making an apperance...

You can actually see a tooth!!! This is after Ella's 2.5 hour nap yesterday!

That bottom tooth now shows up in pictures! And two more have broken through on the top....haven't come down yet...but I can feel them! Thankfully she really hasn't been that fussy from it!

Saturday Josh was working so Ella and I went to a birthday party for our friend Jackson. He turned 3. It was outside and it was a beautiful day!!

Ella really did have fun...(this picture may not show it!)

After our party we went to the grocery store and then came home for nap time. After nap time....it was still so nice out...I took Ella and the dogs outside...we played outside for about 15 minutes...I think she enjoys being outside. We brought some toys out with us and had fun!

Sunday Josh had to work again...so he was gone by 7:30am. I had nursery...so Ella and I went to church and into nursery. It's hard getting ready when Josh isn't home to help watch Ella...so while I was straightening my hair....this is what Ella was doing...

First...she played "chef"...

Then...it was time to go "riding"...

Needless to say...she was keeping me on my toes!

Speaking of toes...that makes me think of shoes...which makes me think of my day today...my shoe broke in half....literally fell apart while I was at work (my beloved Michael Kors shoes that I wear everyday!!) I didn't have a back-up pair! Sooo....I had to get all ghetto...I put clear packing tape on them to get me through the day :( At least my pants were long and it was clear tape....I don't think anyone even knew!

Ella starts back up at Romp N Roll this week...in an Art and Gym class (for 16-24 month olds)....I am very excited about it...I think she'll have a great time!

This morning as we were running out to the car..it was sprinkling...it started coming down harder...and Ella was saying, "uh-oh, uh-oh"...it was funny!

Josh and I were both laying on the living room floor tonight...and Ella was just having the best time...she was running back and forth between us, jumping on us and just laughing hysterically...I could listen to her little laugh all day...she's a cutie! Oh and the dogs were running around too....it was a crazy house!

Sick....AGAIN!

So yes...little Ella is once again...sick with a cold :( It all started on Saturday...and has just gotten worse over the last few days...I've been doing everything the Doctor said to do last time...Zyrtec in the afternoon (helps dry them up), Motrin before bed (helps take down inflammation - to breathe better), Vaporizer at night, I even put Vicks on her feet with socks on (as I've been told that helps), and orajel on her gums (as she has 3 teeth peeking through those gums)....poor little thing is just miserable :( Hopefully she's getting close to the tail end of it.

Josh is working late tonight (they are at a Child ID event) - so when he works late...I don't do anything special for dinner...I just cut up an avocado and put lemon-pepper seasoning on it (which I have never done before)...and it was AMAZING! I wish I had bought more than just 1 avocado!

All of last week was just a regular week for us...Josh did work late on Thursday (til midnight) - so he actually had Friday off which was nice as I was off too!

Saturday and Sunday we did the lake house with my parents, grandparents, and Aunt and Uncle....which we enjoyed very much. Josh got to eat a HUGE steak and drive a Range Rover...he was in 7th Heaven :) And Ella got to make a friend...Margaux the puppy...

Aunt BB taught Ella how to feed Margaux some treats...which Ella had a great time feeding them to her! Ella has absolutely no fear when it comes to dogs and kept wanting to play with Margaux...who was a very nice playmate to Ella :)

We went shopping today (surprise!) I was home with Ella...and I dragged her out...which I am sure she just loved...but she needs pants...all the Fall things I bought her are 18 months...as I was thinking that would fit her....nope...she needs 12 months...the 18 month pants literally fall off of her...so I picked up a few 12 month pants for her to wear as the weather is starting to get a little cooler! I also looked at some shoes...I wanted to find a couple of pairs that go with other outfits as she only has the one pink pair...I was in Target so I thought...ehh I'll go check out shoes...and they were right around $30 a pair....for shoes...from Target...that she will wear maybe 3-5 months....so I came home and starting "looking" on ebay....that site gets me into trouble! So Ella has new things coming her way :)

That's really been our week in a nut-shell...it's been pretty low-key...which is good...I am not complaining about that!