Catching Up...

I feel like I am on the run all the time!!

I can't even remember everything that has happened in the last few weeks...

We have made the switch to Ella drinking all milk now (no more spending $30 a week on formula....yay!) We took almost 3 weeks to transition completely...started with just one formula bottle being replaced with a milk bottle...and just over the few weeks switched out another bottle, and another bottle, and so on...She is still spoiled and still has her bottle...the Doctor said to start transitioning her to a "sippy cup"...but she just doesn't get how to drink out of it...and I have tried different brands, etc. So she has a cup of water that she has access to all day...and will take little sips of water here and there.

Along with the transition of switching to milk...she has been trying more "big girl food"...her majority of food is still baby food...but she has had some other things...I made shepherds pie last week...and she ate a little of it (still not a fan of mashed potatoes)...she likes cheese and I have also given her little pieces of deli meats...a little bit of cucumber...mushy things :)

Ella still goes to Romp N' Roll on Saturday mornings and she just loves it! She also had two play dates last week (this is why I feel like I am always on the run!) She has a busier social life than I do!

Josh just switched back to "Night Rotation" :( He was excited about it though....he doesn't love the heat...and with the day's getting up into the 90's...he was actually looking forward to going back to nights! He's still working on his Master's as well...will be finishing up one class in a few weeks...and he has another one starting on Monday (they overlap for 2 weeks).

Ella is just on the move all the time...she doesn't sit still...which does make for good "nap-times"...she usually conks out for a good 1.5 hours in the morning and in the afternoon! The hard part about her being on the move is it is hard to go anywhere! For our anniversary we went to Roanoke and brought Ella with us...we went to Red Lobster for lunch...we turned into "those parents!" Although really...Ella was very well behaved...she wasn't being loud or screaming at all...she just didn't want to sit...she wanted to be up and moving around! So we had to take turns occupying her! She's gotten to be very chatty in the past week or so....she just babbles on and on...saying who knows what! The only words I can make out are "dada" and "mama."

Ella got to go swimming for the first time on Sunday...Josh was working...so Ella and I packed up and headed to Smith Mountain Lake (but she went swimming in the pool).

 

Ready to go hit the pool!

Sunscreen is on....

The consensus....she loved it! 

The next big milestone...she took steps!! Lots of steps! I came home Tuesday night from work...Josh had picked Ella up...I went and changed out of my work clothes and came back upstairs...I sat down on the floor with Ella and I was talking to her...and I had her standing up and I was letting her jump up and down while I was holding her...and I let go...and she just started taking steps towards Josh...she probably took about 10 or so...and then of course wouldn't do it again for the rest of the night. So this morning...we got her to do it again....only a few steps...but Josh caught it on camera...

Well that's been it in a nut-shell....the goose is sleeping...so that means it's treadmill time.

Shakin' it!

The girl has got the moves...she "dances" all the time now!! Anytime there is music on she starts to dance. Josh was carrying her and an upbeat song started...she started dancing in his arms...bobbing up and down...I was feeding her dinner last night and asked Josh to turn off the music because Ella was hopping all around - she couldn't focus to eat. Maybe a future in music??

Walking (with help!)

Ella is so close to walking...she can do it...with a little help...

This was on Sunday...we came home from church (and Josh put her in this NON-MATCHING outfit)...it wasn't worth trying to change her...from what I hear I will be in for it when she wants to dress herself (I must remember to pick and choose my battles!)

So yes...she thinks she is hot stuff walking around with her little walker!

Pictures! (and a cold!)

We've got some pictures!!! And poor little Ella has a cold and a little fever...she is still in pretty good spirits though...playing away! She got to try some "big people" food tonight...she got to have a few bites of some enchiladas...she liked it!

 

I tried to narrow it down...there were about 75 great shots to choose from...these are a few favorite ones!!

June Already!

The days are beginning to blend together! Ella keeps me so busy...from 6:30am-7:00pm that girl is on the go! Let's see...Memorial Day - Josh had to work...so it was Ella and I on our own...we stayed home and kept ourselves busy...we did venture out to Target to get out of the house...Ella needed some new PJ's...she has gotten taller and all those 9 month PJ's were just starting to get a little too tight...so we did what we do best...went shopping! :) After Target, Josh called...he had a little break and we were able to meet for lunch.

Ella had her 1 year check-up on Wednesday...18lbs and 10oz (the Doctor said...well Ella has never been the biggest girl on the block!) and 29.5 inches long...she did have a 3 inch growth spurt since her 9 month appointment...lucky girl...she'll be tall and thin hopefully :) We talked about foods, and milk, etc...what we can give her now that she is a year old...so the possibilities are now endless! She has tried quite a few new things this week...she had some sugar free/fat free chocolate pudding...which she thought was good stuff! She got to try a "snack bar"...which is made by Earth's Best Organics...it's basically like a Nutri-Grain bar...but a kid's version...it was strawberry...that was a little messy as I had to cut it up and she managed to squish a lot of it in her hair :) She has also had some peaches cut up, I mashed a banana up at lunch today...I was having a sweet potato with hummus on it (I got the idea from a co-worker...and it was soooo good) so I mashed a little bit of that up and Ella tried that...she wasn't quite the fan of the sweet potato...it was a different texture than what she was expecting! She had some Sweet Frog frozen yogurt...she has had that before...but I let her have a few more bites than usual!

We went to Romp N Roll yesterday...which she always has fun at. Josh went shooting with a friend yesterday at the Isaac Walton League (a park nearby that he joined which has a shooting range) so Ella and I played at home. Anything she can do standing up is her favorite thing...as long as she can stand up and hold onto something then she is a happy girl!

Today was church...Ella has such a hard time going to the nursery...I think because it is always different people...so she cries and cries and is very serious...doesn't smile or "talk" at all...then as we were walking out to the car and it was just the two of us...she was "talking" up a storm! Must be she saved it all just for me :)

Here she is dancing around one of the kitchen chairs...a favorite of hers!

Often when I go to wake her up...she is sleeping just like a little inchworm...bottom straight up in the air!

Baby Girl Turns One!

Well...Ella's first birthday has come and gone! Thursday morning I was getting ready for work (Josh had left the house around 5:15am to go to work)...and I heard Ella making noise so I knew she was up...I slowly opened up her door and stuck my head in...and was greeted with a squeal as she was awake...I sang "Happy Birthday" to her...which kind of made me sad as I couldn't believe her 1st birthday was here already...she smiled and smiled some more! I dressed her up in a little outfit that had a cupcake on it...she was the birthday girl after all! It was another normal day for us...I went to work and Ella went to the sitters. I picked her up at 5 and we headed home. Josh was home around 6:40...so she snuggled right up to her Daddy as soon as he came home...we sang "Happy Birthday" again...and played for a bit...and then it was time to go to bed! So...kind of a low-key day!

However...Ella was spoiled for her birthday...through-out the week she was given a few new toys, outfits galore, and $ that went towards her "Harvard Fund!" She is definitely a loved little girl! The "gift" that Josh and I got her...well more a gift for us....was instead of doing a party...we did a photo session! A co-worker of mine, Jennifer, also does photography...I asked her about 6 weeks ago if we could set up a session for Ella's first birthday. We did a few family shots....and the main event...a "Smash the Cake" session! Which by the way...I was up at 6:30 this morning...and from 6:30-2:00...I cleaned, took care of Ella, and baked a cake....I don't think I sat down for more than 5 minutes...which means I will be going to bed early tonight! I do happen to have a little preview of the pictures to come....

Soooooo cute!!! I really don't even know where the idea started from...but I love it! She had fun with it...I was a little worried...I didn't know how she would react to the cake...but she did get into it...Josh did have to help her along a little bit...she wasn't interested at all in trying to eat it....that was a little bit of a fear of mine...I was afraid she would keep trying to eat it...but she wasn't interested in eating it at all (yay!) I didn't mind a little...but I didn't want her to get sick either! :) I can't wait to get the pictures and show you a really good messy one! Right after her photo shoot...she went right into the bathtub :) And then down for a nap....she was a tired girl!

Josh is working some "off-duty" hours tonight. He took over the shift for a co-worker...so it's just the girls and I tonight...which means I will probably be in bed early tonight reading on my Kindle Fire (I LOVE that thing!)

Overdue

I am way overdue for a post!

I last posted on a Saturday evening...so Sunday was Mother's Day...just another day for us...we went to church, came home and had lunch, put Ella down for a nap and then I too went down for a nap :) That cold had gotten the best of me! Just a low-key day! Monday brought work, Tuesday was more work...Wednesday...Josh was the "baby-sitter" for a few hours...I ran out and did some shopping...was kind of nice to be able to look without having to entertain the little Miss! Thursday was work again...and what do you know...Friday was work again! (I've been filling in a little bit as we are short-staffed) The weekend was busy...Saturday was Romp-N-Roll, errands, never-ending housework. Sunday...Ella and I went to the lake to my parents house (Josh had to work) and Ella got to spend the day with her grandparents and great-grandparents...I do believe she had a fun time!! That is the really shortened version of our last 10 days! :)

This girl can sleep! Put her in a car and she is out...this is from Sunday...on our way home from church!

A new BIRTHDAY toy from Nanny and Grampy in Vermont! Ella loves it when you push the car with her on it and make noise...she laughs and laughs!

She crawled right over and plunked herself right down and began digging out EVERY toy!

Just started today....the beginning of changing to a cup...she did great grabbing ahold of it...had a hard time though...couldn't get anything to come out...works differently than a bottle does! After 5 minutes she got upset and I just switched it to a bottle...she wanted it and couldn't figure out how to drink from it!

Ella got to spend the day with her great-grandparents!

 Happy Early Birthday little munchkin!! I can't even believe that she turns 1 tomorrow...ahhh where has the time gone??