Yes, we’re still here.

To everyone (anyone?) who still checks this blog for Ella updates, thanks so much for still checking in on our girl.  She is getting B-I-G and oh so much fun!  There are many moments Ella has us crackin up.  And it seems that we need to laugh more than ever lately, with all the things that go along with our very busy life these days.  Anyways, Ella is up to some fun new things.  She is talking up a storm.  It used to be that we would purposely try to teach her words.  Now she’s saying words that she has just heard us say, causing her parents to turn to each other and say, “I didn’t teach her that.  Did you?”  Just yesterday, she requested to bring her stroller to the sidewalk by saying, “Sidewalk?” and is beginning to put two words together.  She answers questions like “how many?” (she is learning 1 and 2!) and “which one?” (to choose different thing to eat, drink, etc).  She likes to say to “hi” to everyone, proud to be able to point and name who she sees.  And Ella has been giving the BEST hugs and kisses lately.  We call them “hug tights”.  She’ll wrap her arms around your neck and SQUEEZE!!  If you’re lucky, she’ll also plant a big kiss on you.  It is the best!

Ella still loves music.  We were at the Corner Brewery last weekend, where Geoff and his cousin had a Cousins Vinyl booth set up for a “33 1/3″ birthday celebration, and Ella was racing around (she loves to run!) and dancing to the music.  She really can get her little hips shaking from side to side, which she often does while running, and the effect is hillarious!

Well, it seems that this only touches on a little bit of what’s new, but thats all for now.  Here are some recent pics.  Hope Ella’s happy face makes you smile!

Easter Morning Ella

In the backyard.

Yummm...spagetti.

Ella at the public library.

Ms. Happy Pants

Snow Days!

Ella had fun splashing through some puddles today, but a few weeks ago, she was cruising around our backyard in her sled.  She LOVES being pulled around in her little sled.  When Geoff pulls her around, he’ll stop every once in a while to check in with her, and she always signs for “more” sledding!

Happy 2009!!

Geoff and I  had the past two weeks off of work/school for the holidays.  It has been WONDERFUL to have this time to spend with Ella, Geoff, and our family.   Ella had an absolute blast this Christmas!  She really enjoyed opening up her gifts, being around her extended family, and all of the yummy food.  Other Christmas high-lights for Ella were pulling ornaments off of her Nana’s and Baba’s trees and, truth be told, enjoying all the extra time with her mama.  As Geoff puts it, Ella has been a big time “mama fan”  while I’ve been home.  I’m so grateful for all of the extra cuddles and silliness that we’ve gotten in over my holiday break (one of the many benefits of working for the public schools!).  I’ve posted some of my fav xmas pics below:

Ella was very interested in all of the Christmas decorations at her grandparents’ houses.

 

Ella’s Uncle Jason & Auntie Ceacea sent her this darling Christmas dress all the way from Colorado.  She was obsessed with the angel figurines in this photo! 

Ella doing what she did best this Christmas: removing all the ornaments from the tree within arms reach.

 

I love this family photo of us.

Some recent photos (it’s been a really fun month!)

When I get home from work in the evenings, and on the weekends, it truly is all Ella, all the time.  I just can’t get enough of my girl!  It seems that the older she gets, the more I fall in love with her.   The sounds of her giggling, the sight of her beaming smile, the feel of her soft, chubby cheek on mine, the weight of her body when I hold her-all this calms me and fills me with joy at the end of a long day.  Here are some recent around the house pics:  

Ella is walking

Sorry that the new posts have been so far and few  inbetween (is that how that saying goes?).  So for those of you who still check the blog and haven’t given up on this busy, working mama, thanks for still checking in on Ella.  Here is her latest: she started walking a couple of weeks after she turned a year.  Geoff was up north hunting for the weekend and my mom was visiting me and Ella while he was away.  Well, my mom left, Geoff came home, and as if she had been waiting all weekend for Geoff to come home, Ella took 11 steps, all at once!  She was a bit tentative for the first few days, but you should see her now!  She is walking everywhere.  Sometimes to get some place or get something,  and sometimes just for the pure joy of it, it seems.  It’s so much fun to watch her.  She also as a new word: “Hi!”  Recent pictures to come!!

Ella and her birthday cake.

My mom made Ella a homemade, pumpkin birthday cake with cream cheese frosting. Yum!! We were all dying to see what she would do when we placed that cake in front of her and let her do as she pleased (a family tradition on both sides). She took her time exploring the gooey textures, starting with gently poking the frosting with her little, chubby finger, and eventually moving to full hand squishes and highchair tray smacking. I think she had an actual taste of the cake only a few times (although she did offer squishy handfuls to multiple party guests).

Happy First Birthday Ella!!

Ella is 1 year old!!  We had a birthday party for our big girl a couple of weekends ago.  She had sooo much fun!  Above is a picture of Ella’s very own birthday cake, made by her Nana Patsy.  More photos of her digging into her cake and being a birthday girl to come!

Back to work

For those of you who don’t know, I went back to work in late August after being home with Ella for 10 lovely months.  So, needless to say, I don’t have a whole lot of extra time to update Ella’s blog these days.  I’m going to try to post about once a month.

Let’s see, whats new with Ella…  Well, she says “da da” when she sees Geoff.  She points at him, smiles, and says “da da!”  It’s really cute.  She’s understanding a lot too.  She’ll point to my nose, mouth, and eyes when asked, “where’s mommy’s …?”  And she’s really figuring out how to express her likes and dislikes.  Last night, she wasn’t really into the asparagus at dinner, so she kept chucking it on the floor.  She HATES getting her nose wiped (she has a little cold) and scrunches up her face and turns her head.  She reaches up when she wants to be picked up (or she crawls over and pulls herself up on mama or daddy’s legs).  When we’re outside, she loves looking for dogs, planes, and birds.  When she spots one, she points and babbles.  

Ella’s cruisin along on the furniture pretty well these days, and she can stand all by herself for a few seconds (I don’t think she even knows she doing it!).  I know that she’ll be walking soon, but it’s so hard to picture it. 

We’re planning for her first birthday party next month.  It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly a year since she was born. 

So here some recent photos of our big girl.  Hope everyone is doing well.  I can’t wait to see everyone at Ella’s party!

Curious Wiggle Worms

This is the name of a class that Ella took this summer.  She LOVED it!  It was really fun to watch her explore all of the different toys and play structures.  She really enjoyed the other babes, too.  I loved watching her crawl up to them to check them out and smile.    

        

 

Stair Master

                 

Lately we’ve been referring to Ella as “Ella 1 Note” due to her one-minded determination when it comes to her latest interest or skill.  For the past two weeks, Ella’s passion is climbing stairs.  Sometimes she’ll climb a flight three times in a row!  Above, her Auntie Emily is “spotting her” as she climbs the stairs at her Baba and Grandpa’s house.  Go Ella!