Friday, November 11, 2011

18 months Eliana


Ellie is 1 1/2! aka 18 months! Can't believe it, yet sometimes it seems like she has been here forever! Since it took me about a month to get this post written, some of the following info came about in the last month. Just for the record ;)

Your little personality is really coming out and you are quite the cutie patootie. Love to be silly and make brother laugh. You have a solid fake laugh. On the other hand when you are sad or crying, Bubba likes to make you smile with a silly face. Nothing sweeter. It works too. You adore him. You have even begun to enjoy wrestling with him. Blows my mind, but I can appreciate you just wanting to do anything he wants to do just to be with him.
(On a sidenote: I also love it when he tries to "teach" you things- like when walking into the library and I had just gone over the "rules" with him in the car and he decided to go over them with you. "Now Ellie, you have to be very quiet in the library." Yesterday he got down on her level, took her hands, and said "Ellie you did a great job with Honey today." As serious as can be. I have no idea where that came from since she always does great with Honey and he was at school the whole time too.)
On the other hand, she has started to stand up for herself. There is nothing funnier than when she gets really mad at Alex and starts "yelling" at him. She will go off! and has started hitting him and holding on to what she wants tighter. It's not really funny, but I am proud of her. It has taken Alex by surprise and he is quickly learning how he has to treat her with respect or she is gonna "give it to him". (Don't worry, she gets her talking to too)

this is what happens if I try to take a picture of them together

Miss thang is showing her "tude" more and more. Does a really good whining fit...often in front of the pantry in which she is begging for food. I swear we feed her but the girl is ridiculous about snacks and wants to eat all day long :) She gets it from her momma I am afraid. Girlfriend canNOT handle it if Alex gets something that she doesn't- i.e. dessert

I love your excitement for reading books. You will grab one and back yourself into my lap and make it clear that you want me to read the book. You could read all day if I let you. Favorite book is probably Goodnight Gorilla. Alex always loved it too.
Ellie, I love that you eat your bananas monkey style, poke the raisins out of your raisin bread, lick the icing out of the oreo and toss the cookie, gobble muffins whole (Alex said you look like a warthog), lick the butter off your toast, and prefer to eat your yogurt by yourself and make a huge mess (although you are really good with a spoon).

Sadly, we know that you also love popcorn, fruit snacks, and skittles (on occasion). Oh this girl is spoiled and poor Alex was so deprived.

You play babies for forever...hold, rock, lay on blanket, move, lay on blanket, hold and rock...you get the idea. She also loves to talk her sweet jibber jabber to them in the highest of voices.


Recently obsessed with the wagon and stroller and ALWAYS wants a ride!
LOVES to do puzzles and over the last month you have gotten pretty good.
LOVES to rock! You are supposed to bounce on this turtle but she makes it rock somehow and she gets the biggest smile and big eyes while doing it! She is crazy!

Serious about pouring water from cup to "cup" in the bath tub. We haven't got the heart to tell her that she is pouring into the open bottom boat.
mohawk night by daddy

Likes to move the chairs around and will tote her stool to anywhere in the house. Alex always says "Ellie frong! (strong)"
Really good at going through drawers and bringing us random trinkets from around the house.

Learned how to climb into the kitchen chairs and then follows with up onto the table. Its super.
Would go to the other room for a millisecond and come back to find you digging for "treasures" on the table!
And so Daddy got the booster out while I was gone and decided you needed to graduate to sitting at the table, out of the high chair. (tear) You are quite proud.

Loves to shake her head yes or no. My favorite is the yes. Its slow and big and you know she means it! Not to mention that it's so nice to communicate with you! You started the "where is it??" hands and expression. You make cute little grunts when you think something is hard to open or heavy to pick up. (You probably get this from me as I get bigger in the belly and moan and groan as I do the daily pick ups)

Will give a pretty good try at words you ask her to say- amazes me daily! Her main words include - Momma, Dadda, Alex (Ahlah), Ellie (cutest E-yee) Baby, Uh OH, water (wa-wa), Bye!, Hi!, thank you (ank ou)Set into a good nap routine of 1-3 (or longer) on non school days and 12-2 on Tues/Th.

Never posted about all our iron deficiency issues and drama (it was a lot of drama for the momma) but at the time I didn't want to rehash it all out. Anyway, when going back in at 18 mo, she was lower than at 15. Oops. So, we are really on the iron "juice" now and the administration/cooperation is going much better than the first go round. We've been doing a big push over the last month and hope to see some major progress next week. Cross your fingers.

Her stats from the doc- weight: 19lbs 4 oz (less than 5%)
height: 31 1/2 in (25-50%)

Our big secret, still on bottle at nap and bed. Geeze louise we gotta go cold turkey one of these days but it aint gonna be pretty.

Learned how to give real round the neck tight hugs! Nothing better!! Along with loving holding my hand when we walk. Oh how I treasure those lil hands wrapped around mine.

Love you sweet girl!!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Fun on The Farm



We headed out to Crowe's Nest Farm with the MOMS group at my church last week. It was sooo fun and I highly recommend it! Both kids loved it and we were all WORN out (Alex even took a nap that day when we got home)! With Alex being slightly obsessed with animals right now, this trip couldn't have come at a better time!

hayride out to see the buffalo and ostriches
these amazing beasts run with the tractor because they know the foods coming :) really cool!

couldn't take his eyes off them he was so excited

(we had just learned about buffalo because he got one in his animal cookies, so this was too perfect! and cool!) down to the ostriches and Ellie was still concerned about those buffalo
showing the egg while the big birds chow down

on to check out the other animals, including this beauty lama lama ;)

some BIG pigspriceless

on to the chicken coops
and dont forget to milk the cow!


This preggo momma had our moms group all feeling quite sympathetic.

It was a beautiful day to get to know new friends and spend some time with the animals!

Monday, October 10, 2011

Soccer!!

Go Avalanche!

Alex is doing YMCA soccer this fall and is loving it so far! He has been waiting for this for a while and couldn't have been more excited! Dad decided to coach and relive a little of his high school glory days :) Well, at least he thought he would use soccer skills. 3 and 4 yr old soccer is not alot of skill. These kids just run around after the ball and kick it wherever...if they are even paying attention and not playing in the dirt or waving at mom on the sideline. Quite entertaining and seriously cute. But Travis has done a GREAT job with the little ones and really enjoys seeing them succeed and be so proud of themselves. He is putting a lot of time (and patience) into it, so I am really proud of him! I love the precious moments father and son are getting together too.

Alex is doing well but has really had to warm up to the idea of games. He is little and young compared to a lot of the other kids so its kind of intimidating and can get rough. I know he will get his goal by the end of the season! He has had some great kicks on the ball and has had some good defensive moments- my favorite move is arms and legs out like he is totally blocking all that he can.

mom can coach a little too- "you want to go that way"
end of game cheer tunnel run! maybe Alex's favorite part?


Here are some of the details...
Practice every Monday night and games every Saturday (ours our at 9).
They don't keep score and its all about fun.
Travis stays on the field the whole time to help.
They play 4 on 4 and there is no goalie.
The kids get subbed out often to keep it fresh and give everyone a chance.
Our team name is Avalanche and NO Travis did not come up with that, it was assigned. please. :)

We are loving our team and have great participation! The kids are just adorable!! We especially love that Evan S., our good buddy, is on our team! And his Dad is helping Travis out by assistant coaching!

We have quite the cheering section...with all the family in town there is always someone (or many) to cheer Alex on! He is so lucky and doesn't have a clue.


this cutie was a good cheerleader
and the biggest fan and Alex's favoriteEllie shockingly stays in her chair most of the time!


First Practice!
It was HOT! So glad its cooling down a bit!


This was just a day that he wanted to wear my headband while playing soccer in the backyard...said it helped him. As cute as he is, glad it wasn't a trend that stuck.

Friday, October 7, 2011

flashback friday

me and my dad, I just see Ellie! poor girl got her mommas bad (and lack of) hair