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!