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Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Blanket Living

Mother Nature has finally decided to give in and give us some warmer temperatures. In fact, I think she might've skipped straight over spring and right into summer. We've had temps in the 80's for close to a week now.

And it happened just in time. Ella isn't quite mobile {though she's certainly trying}, and I was really running out of things to do to occupy our time.

Enter the blanket: a Pottery Barn quilt I bought when I was in my teens. It  has become our saving grace. Front yard or back yard, we don't discriminate. Georgie is a blanket staple, as well as sunscreen, and a magazine or two for me. I throw a few of Ella's toys on there and we're good to go. Though, truth be told, she's just as happy to roll around and pick at the grass.



We have picnics. Mostly puffs for Ella, an apple {or something not nearly as healthy} for me. And sometimes Dave joins us when he gets home, which is the icing on the cake.






Monday, April 13, 2015

Easter

 We had such a fun, sweet and simple, Easter.

We started out with brunch at a favorite, local restaurant of ours. It was delicious. I didn't grab any pictures, but I had the eggs benedict and pretty much the most delicious bloody mary, ever. It was called the Dilly Mary, or something similar because of the added pickle juice. I could've drank about 8 of them.


I love when mine and Dave's family comes together for holidays {or BBQs, or anything in between}. It gives me that feeling of a large family I've always wanted.









Ella was completely spoiled for her first Easter.



We were stuffed from brunch, but we made room for dessert. My brother calls this his dessert pocket.



After dessert, we headed outside to enjoy the first beautiful day we'd had, weather-wise, in quite a long while.



Ella actually opened her basket from the "Easter Bunny" last. We hadn't really had time earlier in the day.




We took a family photo, right in the sun no-less, but still, a nice picture to add to the collection!



I'm already so excited for Easter next year, which will be such a different ball-game with an 18 month old! Crazy to think about :)

Friday, March 13, 2015

Sixth Month


Look how you've grown!
4/3/15

Ella Bella,

Happy 6 {and a half} months my sweet girl! I love all 16.5 pounds and 25.5 inches of you so much! I cannot believe half of your first year of life has whizzed by in the blink of an eye.

I love watching you grow! You are learning new things every single day. You roll over both ways constantly now. You would do it occasionally before, but now I never, ever find you in the position I left you in! You sit up for long stretches of time, playing with your toys and watching Mac, mesmerized.  And I sit and watch you, mesmerized. It is insane the way I love you. I can’t put it into words.

You are a happy, happy baby! Giggles are an every day occurrence, especially when Mommy or Daddy give you belly kisses. Today, I was feeding you breakfast, and you had a funny reaction to your cereal. It made Mommy laugh and I swear you realized it and did it again and again! We were both laughing. Who knew breakfast could be so fun?

You are such a joy to be around. Your hair is getting blonder, thicker, and longer. Everywhere we go, strangers tell me how beautiful and absolutely perfect you are. It makes me so proud to be your mama, and I know you will continue to make me proud. You are so smart, so aware. There are such wonderful things in store for you!

We have settled into much more of a routine these last few weeks. You have started taking much longer naps, much to my amazement and relief! You love your oatmeal breakfast, waffles, and potatoes {sweet and white}. A carb girl like her mama? Uh-oh! We spend the day playing with your toys, reading books, letting Georgie out, and running errands. On warmer days, we take walks. I can’t wait for it to be warm and stay warm. Spring is really taking its time this year.

We’ve also been out visiting friends. You got to spend some time with Gavin, Cole, and Olivia this past week. Your Big Kid Friends brought you “baby toys” and blankets and pillows to make sure you were comfortable. Cole especially loved you. He wanted to hold you and spend all of his time with you.

I keep thinking you’re teething, but they’ve yet to make an appearance. Your will put anything and everything in to your mouth, especially my phone and any soft toys. I’ve bought you a million different teethers, but it seems you’d rather use anything except actual teethers! In fact, you LOVE the tags on stuffed animals, blankets, and clothes. No matter the purpose of the item, you find the tag and in your mouth it goes! You even found the actual product tag on a tag blanket and sucked on that instead of any of the tags!  Silly girl!

I am so enjoying being your mommy. I love you so, so much.

Mommy







Pictures with Georgie are becoming MUCH more difficult to take!






Friday, February 13, 2015

Fifth Month




3/3/15

Well my sweet girl, you are about halfway through your fifth month. Almost a half-year old? I can’t believe it.

Your daddy and I were reminiscing about when you were just a few weeks old. You were so small compared to now. You couldn’t reach for things or communicate with anything other than tears. We had to support your neck and head if we readjusted our position on the couch or handed you off to one another. You were so fragile and dependent then.

It’s safe to say that times have changed! You are such a strong girl now. You fully support your weight on your legs when we hold you up, which is something you’ve done for awhile now. I even have you practice holding on to my arm and you last a few seconds! I won’t be surprised if you’re pulling yourself up on to the couch and coffee table in no time! You reach for lots of things too, especially my cell phone and Georgie’s fur.

And Ella, you sit up! Like full-on sit up without help from Mommy, Daddy, or the back of the couch. Just a few weeks ago you could do it for short amounts of time while leaning on your hands. But now, no support needed! From what I’ve read in all my baby books and countless Google searches, you are way ahead of the game. I’ve added this to my evidence file that you are pretty much a baby prodigy.

You’re sleeping through the night, pretty much from 7:30 to right before 7. This is thanks to the miracle that is sleep training. You’re also extending your naps, well your afternoon nap at least, which is heaven-sent. I love spending time with you but it’s nice to have a little time to do “mommy stuff”.

You give us laughs, though not too, too often yet. The best way to get them? Belly kisses. Or Uncle Sam. He still elicits the most smiles and biggest reactions from you. You also SERIOUSLY LOVE Mac. When you’re tired and won’t make eye contact with me, or Daddy (or any other living, breathing person or animal), you will smile for Mac. If he is anywhere in your field of vision, knee-slapping, gummy smiles, and deep breaths will commence.

More big news! You’ve started “eating” solids. I read about baby-led weaning when I was pregnant with you and it seemed like a no-brainer to me. We’ve skipped the land of rice cereal and purees and very recently landed in the land of soft foods. You love potato wedges, suck on a lot of orange slices, and I think you may have swallowed a tiny bite of pasta. Mostly, though, you’re just experimenting. You sit at your highchair while we eat dinner and you eat yours then too! We get a big kick out of your style of eating and take lots of pictures and videos.

You almost took your first plane ride last month to visit Aunt Carly! We spent a considerable amount of time (6 hours) on the plane but it never took off due to the ice and snow. Lots of people commented how good you were, and you really were. It’s definitely helped ease our minds about future flights! You also met your first “celebrities” at the airport: Jax and Tom. They’re from a reality show that Mommy and Daddy watch (that we’ll probably deny some day due to extreme embarrassment).

Your hair is getting blonder and thicker, and you’re losing the thick patch of dark brown that was hanging around near your neck in the back.  Your eyes have remained blue and sometimes they even look crystal blue. Your eyelashes are also getting longer and thicker. At your 5 month appointment you weighed 15 pounds and 4 ounces and measured 25 inches long.


I love watching you grow and being your mama! xoxo









Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Fourth Month


1/13/15

Happy 4 Month Birthday, My Love! Another month of HUGE changes and AMAZING firsts, Ella Bean!

It’s the morning of your 4-month birthday and I am typing this while you lay on your activity mat and play with the owl. {The owl is your favorite by the way, with the apple running a close second}. This has to be my favorite change. You now wake up smiling and happy, happy enough that I can leave you in your crib while I slowly wake-up. Just a month ago, you were waking up crying and HUNGRY and I’d have to jump out of bed and make a bottle as fast as my hands would let me. As a former “hit the snooze button at least 3 times” person, I really appreciate this change!

At your 4 month appointment you weighed 14 pounds and 6 ounces and measure 24 ¼ inches long. This last month you started eating 6 ounces from your bottle, though you go back and forth between 5-6 ounces from bottle to bottle. You like to keep us guessing that way!

Lots of firsts leading up to your fourth month! This month you rolled over from your belly to your back for the first time! At first, it was very random but the last few days you’re doing it more and more! When I go to get you from your nap, I often find you on your back and smiling. You wouldn’t think it, but it’s absolutely adorable!

You seemed to have found your voice this month too. Sometimes you scream for fun. Sometimes you scream to let us know you’re upset but don’t feel like crying. Right now, your daddy and I think it’s funny and cute, but I think that may change down the road ;)

But my favorite first? Your first REAL giggle. You still laugh mostly by squealing, but Daddy got some giggles out of you a few weeks ago and it is just the best. For a little while, Daddy was the only one who could make you laugh, but I figured out a trick to make you laugh too…it involves lots of kisses and raspberries! I can’t wait until your giggles become more and more frequent!

You also celebrated your first Christmas! We had Christmas at our house this year. You were spoiled by your whole family and Santa Claus. You got toys, shoes, and lots and lots of books! You even got your first piece of furniture, a chair with your name on it, from Aunt Ali. You are so, so loved and maybe just a little bit spoiled!

In other news, we hit a major sleep regression L You went from pretty much sleeping through the night to not sleeping through the night, ever! I’m not gonna lie, it’s been very hard on our little family! Mommy and Daddy are tired, and we hope it gets better soon!

Even though you keep us up at all hours of the night, we love you so much! We cannot wait to see what the future brings {besides, hopefully, more sleep}!

Love,
Mommy