Happy First Birthday

We celebrated Ellis's first birthday on December 22nd.  We had a girly circus-themed party, complete with popcorn, cotton candy, and a big pink, white, and yellow cake (thanks Wa!).  I had so much fun throwing Ellis her first big party and I look forward to many more parties to come!

Here are some pics...thanks to all our family and friends who joined us for this special day.

 Ellis loved the balloons!  She played for hours even the next morning.

 Yum! 

Ellis picked up on gift opening very quickly! 

A sweet bracelet from Nanna and Papaw. 

Let's hope she is not this near-sighted. 

Thanks for the bike Pop and Wa! 

A special serenade from Mr. Jason.  This girl is enthralled

by music and started dancing right away at the first chord.

Catch Up! 11 Months and Thanksgiving

I am waaaaaay behind on the posts over the past couple of months, so this is a quick catch-up from November.  In November, Ellis turned 11-months old and also celebrated her first thanksgiving (well that is if you don't count all the Turkey and dressing she had while in my belly last year).

At 11 months old, Ellis....
-  Eats cut up table food, though she still prefers cheese, yogurt, and cheerios.
-  Says "go go go" as she walks around the house with her walker.
-  Laughs uncontrollably when Daddy smells her armpits or Mommy smells her stinky feet.  What are we teaching this child?
-  Has fun at daycare.  She pals around with another little girl her age named Allison, usually one chasing the other around the room.
-  Enjoys playing with her favorite toys, including Wanda the puppet, blocks, and puzzles.
-  Is quite proficient at taking everything out of its container, but hasn't quite figured out how to put it all back in yet.  This leaves for a messy living room.
-  Says "momma," "dadda," "kitty," "ball," and "block."
-  Rubs her belly Buddha-style when you say "where's your belly?"


We spent Ellis's first Thanksgiving at Uncle B and Aunt L's house.  Ellis loved playing with her cousin Noelia and Nanna loved having both girls vie for her attention.  Whenever Nanna was holding one of the girls, the other would quickly whine and pull at her leg to be picked up.  Mom definitely got a workout over those couple of days schlepping around the two babies.

Ellis gave Thanksgiving meal a C-.  She had a few bites, but I think she enjoyed mushing greenbeans in her hands more than anything.

Happy belated Thanksgiving to everyone!  It has been a wonderful year and we have so much to be grateful for...

Ten Months

Ellis is two months shy of one year old!  I am a little late on the ten months post (yes, it seems to be a trend), but here goes.

This has been by far the best ten months of my life, and I am pretty sure that Scot would agree.  It has been a whirlwind watching this little munchkin grow from just a little seven pound bundle of joy to this seventeen pound wonder.  Purely amazing.

One month old...

Ten months old...

Ten months old, Ellis...
Just learned how to high-five.
Sleeps like a little angel from 7 to 7.
Prefers to eat small bits of food like carrots and chicken rather than "babyfood."
Loves cheese and cheerios...just like her Daddy.
Proudly walks across the living room floor with her walker.
Pulls herself up onto furniture, toys and Mommy.
Slaps the wood floor with her little hands when she quickly crawls to meet me in the kitchen.
Has a radar for the remote control.  I swear she can find it even if it is hidden in the sofa cushions.
Is into everything.
Claps her hands and dances to music.
Giggles and squeals when you tickle her (especially the spot right above her knee).
Is stingy with the "Mama's" and "Dada's" but babbles all the time.
Loves tags.  Give this girl a gift and she will go straight for the tag.

Here are some more pics!

And more fall pics...

Random Pictures and a Video

Ellis's first school art project...

First ride on Papaw's golf cart...

Daddy's shades...

Funny noises from the backseat revealed...

Belated Nine Months

I am a couple of weeks late on the nine month post...oops!  Miss Ellis is doing great, along with Mommy and Daddy.  We have been busy with work and school (ok daycare, but I like to pretend that if I call it school it sounds cooler), and look forward to the weekends when we get to relax and soak in all of the baby giggles, snuggles, and slobbery kisses.  Sometimes I catch myself just staring at this sweet baby girl wondering what in the world I did to deserve such a precious gift.  I thank God every day for my Ellis.  It is funny how those little moments more than make up for the hours spent washing bottles, making baby food, doing laundry (and there is always a blowout at daycare the day after I catch up on laundry), cleaning cheerios off the floor, pumping at work, and pecking at the blackberry late at night catching up on emails that came through after I rushed out the door at 5:00 from work...whew.  I am exhausted just typing all of that.  Totally worth it though when I see this smile at the end of the day!

Elly Belly at nine months...
-  Is pulling herself up to standing
-  Giggles uncontrollably when Daddy chases her around the house in the evening
-  Is finally sleeping ALL night long...12 hours straight of glorious sleep
-  Eats smushy foods along with her favorite finger foods...Cheerios and Cheese (hmmm..sounds like a Daddy I know).  Here favorite food is crockpot chicken, potatoes, and carrots.
-  Dances to music, even the annoying jazzy ABC song from one of her toys
-  Refuses to wear socks
-  Pats her belly whenever you take her shirt off
-  Crawls all over the place
-  Is stubborn as can be.  If she gets an idea in her head (to touch the cable box and blueray, for example) there is no stopping her, even with your best distraction.
-  Has shaggy and wild hair, especially in the morning
-  Loves to read in the morning and before bed
-  Makes an adorable scrunchy smily face when she is excited

I didn't get the exact stats when we were at the doctor for her 9 month check up since the power went out mid-visit (yes, Dr. F. finished the exam via iPhone flashlight), but she weighted right at 16 pounds, which is about the 15th percentile or so.

Eight Months

A little late on the post, but Ellis is now eight months old!  I think that this is the most fun age yet...she is starting to develop quite a personality and generally a very happy little girl!  This sweet little gal can certainly charm you with her contagious smile.  Seriously, just try not to smile when you see this toothless (ok well mostly toothless) grin.

Ellis at eight months...
-  Knows her name and responds to Ellis, Ellie Belly, Baby Ellis, and Munchkin.
-  Is crawling on all fours and is constantly on the move.
-  Can pull herself up to a standing position while grabbing a chair, table, or other climbing object.
-  Plays "up and down"...standing up when you say "up" and sitting down ever so carefully when you say "down."
-  Is eating lots of smushy foods and loves to shovel cheerios, puffs, and freeze dried baby nuggets into her mouth.
-  Has started daycare and the ladies love her!  They say she is one of the friendliest babies in the room and hardly ever cries.
-  Loves to play...with people, with toys, anything can entertain this kid.  Her favorite toys right now are still the stacking cups and she loves "Wanda" the puppet.
-  FINALLY laughs out loud...we love to fake laugh and then she just giggles along as if we just delivered a great punch line.
-  Has started to catch on to drinking out of a straw.  Loves her Zolibot cup.
-  Is drawn to all sorts of animals.  Still fascinated by Kitty and was so excited to meet her cousindog "Boots" last weekend.
-  Is curious, funny, and energetic.

Here are some extra pictures from the past few weeks just for fun.  We went to my parents last weekend to celebrate Papaw's 60th Birthday, and got to spend time with cousin Noelia.  It was fun to watch the girls start to play together.

 First day of school.

 Love playing with cousin Noelia!

 Happy Birthday Papaw.

 Love my Nana...

 Papaw and Noelia at the pool.  Guess who is having more fun?

 Sleepy Ellis at the pool.

 Like two old ladies on a hot summer day.

Shovelin' the cheerios.