6 Months Old!!

It is hard to fathom that Ella Grace entered this world just 6 months ago! I feel like that is such a short amount of time but yet we already have a lifetime of memories. Maybe now I understand why older people forget things. I think at this route I will be absent minded in a year! We always knew our lives had changed forever the day she was born, but I don’t think we completely understood how much joy & love this precious little bundle would bring. While it hasn’t been all smiles or clean diapers, I wouldn’t change this experience for the world! She has made our family complete.

I have started packing up her 3-6 month clothes and bringing in the 6-9 months. It is such a bittersweet time. You fold up each little outfit, each with it’s own memory and pack it away. While I want her to grow and hit those milestones, I also want her to stay just the way she is, small & cuddly. Needless to say, it is very fun to see her develop her little personality with her big smiles and rolling laughs. We are blown away at how much she has grown & how much she has learned in the past 6 months. (I know this is a saying that won’t go away since I still hear it when people talk about me.) So at 6 months this is where we are:
-She has really started to like all the solids. Right now she is on the yummy diet of sweet potatoes, carrots, applesauce, pears & cereal. (And for all those with potty humor, solids definitely make diaper changing interesting!)
-She is rather impatient if she sees a full bottle and it's not already in her mouth. ;-)
-She is “talking” a lot, telling us all about her day. While we say we have heard her say “Ella” I really think it might be wishful thinking!
-She squeals & does the running man in her exer-saucer when she sees a kitty.
-When she is on her tummy she can do push-up & pull her feet under just not at the same time.
-She can sit up on her own with the occasional slow fall and if she is holding something like a couch or the outside of the exer-saucer she can stand on her own.
-She is a great sleeper going from 830p-630a.
-Basically she is now a sponge taking everything in and if you look at her you can see her little wheels in her brain turning all the time. She loves to be held when you are working in kitchen so that she can see your every move or when you are driving and she is truly looking out the window to see what's out there. It's so funny to see her taking it all in.

Well I think that sums it all up. TGIF and happy 6-month birthday Ella!!

Almost 6 months old!

It's hard to believe that this Friday Ella will be 6 months old! I don't know where half a year has gone but it feels like just yesterday that we brought her home! After all they always say time flies when your having fun!

Since it has been pretty chilly we have to bundle up to leave the house and Mommy puts these silly ears on me. Don't I make a cute bunny!

But mostly we have been hibernating at home playing lots of little games and spending lots of quality time with Daddy....
I love sitting with Dad and watching TV.

I guess I can't win....Mommy makes me wear bunny ears and Daddy makes me wear baseball hats.

Daddy loves to play "kissy monster" with me and I think it is sooo funny!

But other times I just like to spend some quiet time snuggling with Daddy.

Here I am trying to get to my toys. While I haven't started crawling yet I really want to learn how to move! Who knows maybe I will walk before I crawl since I really prefer standing and dancing than being on my tummy!

I still love playing in the "pond" and sometimes I try running in my seat!

I am smiling so big because I love bath time, splashing around and eating the soaps suds.

Look don't I make a cute flower!

My parents are always trying silly things to make me laugh and for whatever reason I think it's really funny when Daddy talks in this weird voice. (my Mommy thinks Daddy sounds like a character in a horror movie but I think it's hysterical)

We hope everyone had a great weekend!

The Speedy Holidays & 2009

It's hard to believe that another holiday season has flown by and we are now in 2009! 2008 was an amazing year with Ella and we are so excited to see her grow & experience many firsts in 2009.

Here's what she has been up to.....

Fun play date with the 2 princesses & the stud. (Hannah, Blake & Ella)

Ella showing how much she loves the holidays!

(or us holding a kitty in front of her)

Yes Ella loves all animals and trys to tell them how excited she is to see them by squealing in delight. Needless to say Sophie & Sid go running in terror. Oh little do they know what will happen when she can walk!

Christmas Eve at the Brown's, she thought the shiny red bag was pretty neat! Since she has started teething I really think she was eyeing the bag to shove in her mouth and maybe if the bag was lucky get doused in her drool.

Oh look a fun little toy for me to play with!


Oh wow, Santa came!!!

She has started to sit up on her own but she immediately trys to put her toes in her mouth, hence the photo in her little seat so we could catch her face up, but she is still trying to grab those little piggies!

Ok this photo was really for us. We only thought it was fair to make Ella our present, after all she is the gift that keeps on giving!

Visit with Santa, Cereal, Tagged & Laughing

Tis the Season. Yesterday we went to see Santa & I am happy to report that Ella did great. Skip & I both held our breath when we first put her in Santa's lap and while we didn't see any smiles, we also didn't have any tears so I consider that a huge success!

Also this past weekend we tried cereal. I think the photo says it all. Most ended up outside of her mouth but not too bad for our first attempt.

Here are some more photos since our last post.

I just woke up & am so happy!

This is one of my first Christmas outfits.

Also I have been "tagged"....so here is my 4th photo in my 4th folder....This is Katie Gordon when she was in the hospital about to have little Blake Gordon!

We will do whatever it takes to make Ella smile or laugh so here she is giggling away.... I had taken a sip of coke when Skip said something really funny which made me inhale the soda causing me to choke. As I was coughing up my Coke filled lung, Ella started to laugh uncontrollably. I had to pull over (since I was driving) and Skip jumped in the back seat and caught this....

And the winner for worst blogger is....The Brown's :-)

So yes I know it has been 2 months since our last post and needless to say lots has happened....

Ella had her first play date with Hannah Harrison. From the photo you can tell that Ella could eat Hannah however now the two are practically the same size. I think they are feeding Hannah miracle grow. ;-)

I started back at work.

Ella turned 3 months

Ella had her first Halloween, she was the ever so cute "love bug"

It started getting cold so we decided that Ella needed to wear a hat (or at least bunny ears)

Ella's friend Caroline Kane Sanders was born on 10/27/08 - that makes 3 of the 4 College friends that just had girls.....

We went to Skip's 10 yr high school reunion

Ella turned 4 months

We had a girls dinner at Taverna Plaka to celebrate mine & Jennifer Golden's B-day's, Thanks!

I had my last day at work (yes I decided that spending 2.5 hrs in the car each day was too much, so I will be at home through the holidays and then look for something closer to home after the new year)

Had a very thankful Thanksgiving

Ella loves playing in her exer-saucer (AKA "The Pond")

Had dinner at the Brown's for mine & Aunt Sarah's B-day's

Ella's new friend Blake Kel Gordon was born 12/3/08. Now all of Ella's friends have arrived healthy and ready to play! (Hannah, Caroline & Blake)

Whew, that was a lot! Hopefully everyone is caught up. Now that I am home enjoying Ella, we can give you more updates with fun photos.

Our Little Traveler

Ella Grace the little traveler....

To celebrate Ella's 2 month birthday we went to Destin for a spontaneous family vacation before I head back to work. While Ella did not spend a lot of time down at the water, she enjoyed being at the beach & the ocean air. Plus, Grammy & Pop-pop came down which she loved since she was always being held & snuggled. She had many firsts - first laugh, first dip in a pool & ocean, first time out of state...It was so fun to see her reaction to all these new things!

The Family

Ella dipping her toes in the Gulf.

Look I wear my sunglasses on top of my head just like Mommy & Daddy

Hmm I kinda of like the beach scene...

After the beach it was off to the mountains to see the leaves & take in some cooler air with the Brown Family. We went to Vogel State Park where the lake & trees were gorgeous. Since it was a little chilly we bundled her up & surprise she looked too cute! She loved walking around in the Baby Bjorn & having s'mores - ok not yet but you could tell she can't wait to eat one.

I love being so close to Daddy.

I'm all bundled up!

Ella is almost 2 months old!!

Who can believe it? She is growing up so fast!! At her Dr.'s appt she weighed 11 lbs 8 oz (75%) & was 22 3/4 in long (50-75%). She has started to give real smiles, rather than the "I'm just pooping smile." And when she shines one at you, it melts your heart & makes your whole day! The activity mat is her new fun hang out. When I put her on it, she turns into a little wiggle worm and oohs & aahs at all the hanging toys. She has started taking prevacid to help with her acid reflux & reduce the projectile spit ups, yeah! We are excited to say that we no longer play hot potato. (The game to see who's holding her when she decided to blow.) The kitties are starting to come around more but I still see Sophie & Sidney rolling their eyes when she starts to cry. I think they realize that she is here to stay. ;-) Otherwise things are great! Everyday is a surprise since you never know what new little trick she will learn!

Ella & Daddy for his birthday.

Ella laying on Daddy's chest after eating too much cookie cake, yum!

Sidney & Ella catching some rays on the bed.

Look at me, so happy on the activity mat!

Ella decked out in her Georgia dress & booties cheering on the Dawgs!!

Yeah! Hannah Harrison was born on 9/15. Ella is so excited to meet her new friend.