Weekend In Pictures

Ella and I had a very busy weekend.

She wore her new NIKE sneakers because I was tired of putting her socks on over and over again.

Of course, it did not take long for her to figure out how to take them off too. At least they are easy to put on.


This weekend we expanded Ella's food options. She was lucky enough to add prunes and chicken to her diet. The chicken did not go over so well.

Although she is smiling, she did not really love them. In fact, I believe she is grinning ear to ear because she managed to get more on her face than in her mouth.


On Friday Ella received a package from cousin Jennifer. It was a new HAT and sunglasses. SO cute.

She practiced wearing her hat and sunglasses for her Florida visit to see Grammy and Grampy.

Thanks Jennifer. Maybe when school it out this summer we can come for a visit. Ella would love to meet her cousins.


We also went to the zoo, but I forgot the camera.

Playing House

Grandma and Grandpa gave me a "house" for Christmas.


It has a doorbell that rings and a light that turns on and off.


It also has a door that I can open and crawl through. My mommy can even fit through the door.


Once I am "inside" my house, I like to celebrate by chewing on my toys.

When Mommy Is at Work

When Mommy is at work
Daddy gets all the love.

When Mommy is at work
Daddy gets all the smiles.

When Mommy is at work
Daddy gets all the giggles.

When Mommy is at work
Daddy gets all the cuddles.

When Mommy is at work
Daddy gets all the dirty diapers!

A Future High Flying Volleyball Player??? I Think So!

Sorry, you will have to look at this sideways....

We Love Costco

I really do.  In fact, my husband may even love Costco more.  For him, Costco is the answer to Disneyland.  Really.  I am sure it does not hurt that they offer food samples and that you can purchase lunch for a $1.50.  

For me, I love three things about the super store.  

#1

I love that you never really know what you will find.  Of course you head there with a list, but you might also find the best-seller that you have wanted to buy, "Pretty Girl" jeans at a decent price, pajamas for the baby, a TV console, and even organic produce.  I really fell in love with Costco when I found their gigantic pre-peeled vat of garlic.  

#2

The people at Costco are so darn nice.  Now that might just be in Oregon, but the shoppers and the employees are just friendly.  In fact, they often stop us to admire Ella and there is nothing like receiving a compliment about your child.  Oh, but I guess there is a down side of that.  People are so darn nice that they often stop to chat with others in the middle of aisle.  I hate that, but that just might be the New Yorker in me.

#3

I get to use the cart cover purchased at ETSY shop PaisleyPineapple.   I HEART this cover and so does Ella.  Although I am not a complete germophobe, I don't really want Ella teething on the handlebar of a filthy shopping cart.  Toys also attach to it so I don't have to retrieve her toy 1000x per shopping trip.  Cute and practical. 

Check out her shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaisleyPineapple

I Know I am Crazy....

But I am already planning Ella's first birthday party and it is four months away! What can I say!? I love a good party, nice stationary, and my little girl. Anyways, as of now I am debating between an elephant themed party or a cupcake theme, although my mom did inform me that she thought Octomom used the cupcake theme and that may have ruined it for me. So, please vote on the bottom of my blog, this is not an easy decision!

Regardless of the theme, I know I will be purchasing some cute banners like the one shown below from designerfavors ETSY shop. Isn't it cute?

Alexa? Ella? Alexa? Ella?

For those of you who do not know, Ella was thisclose to being named Alexa. We also considered Logan, Morgan, Grace, Ava, and Ella. However, Alexa and Ella were the top two. Ella has been my favorite name since way back when. You can even check my high school diary if you don't believe me. Unfortunately, many others must love the name Ella too, as it has risen sharply in popularity since my high school days. Alexa then became the favorite just due to the fact that I did not want to name my daughter the "in" name.

As a result, up until the night before Ella's birth, Alexa was THE name, that is, until I realized that people may call her Lexi. And although Lexi is a cute name, Sexy Lexi is not. And working with middle schoolers, I am terrified of having a Sexy Lexi. Anyways, I am grateful that we went with the name that I have loved for so long. It has already withstood the test of time when it comes to my taste and Ella does not look like an Alexa or a Sexy Lexi for that matter. She is an Ella through and through.

For the time being, I would consider Alexa in the future, only if everyone would promise not to call her Lexi.... But, I am not sure that can be controlled.

Broccoli. Hold the Peppercorns, Please.

Today Ella had broccoli for the first time. Since I am trying to make all of her food, I prepped it last night for today's lunch. The process if very easy~ 8 minutes to steam then throw it in the food processor. Viola, baby food!

[Fast forward to lunch time]
As we were prepping Ella's lunch Ryan noticed several peppercorns in her mush. This seemed really odd to me since I made the broccoli and KNOW I did not use peppercorn.

"Ryan, where do you think these peppercorns came from?"

"Must have been when I filled up the pepper grinder."

Must have been.

Needless to say, Ella sent her order back to the kitchen for a remake. She learned to say, "I will take my broccoli without pepper, please."

And as you can see, she liked it. She really liked it!

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun...

Ella had way too much to do than pose for pictures today. This is the closest I got to a good picture.


Today Missy Moo is 8 months old! How can that be?! Time has gone by so fast and like usual on her month birthday, I have her pose with her E letter. As you can see, she is quite mobile and does not have time to sit still. She would much rather crawl, babble, chew, explore, and play. So, as you can imagine, getting the perfect shot is not as easy as it once was. Here are some "highlights" of our 20 shot session:

Fridays are the Best....

Tonight I:

Made a weekend to-do list
Played with Missy Moo
Made LOTS of baby food
Made a donation to Hope For Haiti
Did dishes
Folded diapers
Paid bills

and I feel really content. Just knowing that I have two days to be at home with my best girl makes doing chores ALL that much better! And I feel lucky to have chores to do considering the earthquake in Haiti.




Ella's gourmet meals this week include: carrot and sweet potato mush, broccoli and sweet potato mush, broccoli, plus avocado, carrot, peas, and applesauce (all made earlier in the week)... Jealous?

Ella and Her Bestie

New Additions..... To Ella's Closet

Okay, so they are not a NEW addition as in purchased today, but these articles of clothing are the newest pieces to her already FABULOUS wardrobe. As most of you know, Ella is quite the fashion plate. She has the best clothes and honestly, I am envious. First, she has comfy clothes that are cute and that is hard to find. Also, she has a selection of dresses, skirts, and outfits that no one can rival. There is never a day that she has nothing to wear. Heck, she can switch outfits 3x a day and still have clothes hanging in her closet. She even has cute socks. Really. We get compliments on them all the time, but that is another entry. Meanwhile, I am in a clothing rut. 

Both the dress and the bathing suit are from BABYGAP.  The bathing suit was purchased for our trip to Florida this coming March.  I know she will adorable in the bathing suit with her baby bell and healthy thighs.  Don't worry, I will be sure to take a gazillion photos.  

The green dress is for her 9 month photos next month.  I know I am planning ahead of time, but Ella looks really stunning in bold colors (and pastels and well, everything for that matter).  Besides, now I can look for cute fashion tights or a matching hair bow.  I LIVE for things like this.  

Now if I could only find a bathing suit that I will be jazzed to wear come March....  

Mother's Guilt

Today I spent:

8 hours at work (with OTHER people's children)

2 hours at a Junior League Meeting

and

3 waking hours with my baby.

Talk about mother's guilt!

We Better Start Saving Now....

Ella has 7.75 teeth already and she is not even 8 months old. However, with her new pearly whites she has started a not so lovely habit. She is a teeth grinder and it is driving us crazy! So, tomorrow we phone the dentist, who already believes I am insane (but that is another story) and we phone the pediatrician to find solutions. But for now, we start saving in case we ever need to visit the orthodontist.

The Best Sound in the World

Our First Visit to the Park....

Blessed with a non-rainy, sunny and warm day, we knew we had to do something special.  We thought about the zoo but assumed it would be crazy crowded with countless other Oregonians soaking up the sun.  Instead, we thought we would walk our new neighborhood and hit the park.  I wanted to push Ella on the swing.  

This is as close as she got.  She fell asleep 5 minutes into our walk.  Oh well, I am sure there is another non-rainy, sunny and warm day in the future.... probably in May.  

One of My Biggest Nightmares....

... is to raise a daughter influenced by insecure starlets like Heidi.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20336472,00.html

My $0.02

Did you know that in order to live in Oregon you have to sign a waiver promising to breast feed and cloth diaper? Okay, okay. So that is not true, but many Oregonians do both. Lucky for us, breast feeding and cloth diapering have come a long way.  The decision to breast feed and cloth diaper was influenced by two of my favorite products: The Medela Pump In Style and BumGenius cloth diapers.

The Medela Pump In Style is a lifesaver.  All breast feeding moms need one.  Seriously.  I can remember my friend, Erin, telling me that if  there was ever a fire in her house and she could only save three things that she would save her son, her husband, and her Medela Pump.  I totally understand why and although it is pricey, it is well worth the cost.  Thanks Hawthorne Girls!

I am not quite sure why we decided to cloth diaper.  I am sure it is due to equal parts environmental, financial, and sensitive skin related concerns, but nonetheless, it is a decision I do not regret.  After all, these are not your mother's cloth diapers.  There are no pins to deal with, hardly any leaky diapers or blowouts, and I bet we have saved a pretty penny so far.  The up front cost is steep, but after you purchase your stash, you are good to go.  This brand, BUMGENIUS actually grows with the baby.  Ella has been wearing the same diapers since she was 8 weeks old.  Diapering just got a teeny bit trickier with the introduction to solid food, but a messy diaper is a messy diaper, cloth or disposable.  Neither are exactly 'pleasant' to deal with.

Believe or not, many of my friends and family have "fallen" for my waiver joke.  But, if that waiver were real, would you sign it?

Cry It Out

Operation SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT came and went.

Ella woke three times.  Each time I nursed her.

I flunked the test.

I knew I would.

*Entry style modeled after ERIN*

Another Week, Another Milestone.. or Two!

The fun has really begun!  Ella has been trying to crawl for the last month of so, but she finally crept forward this week.  Now two days later, she is much more proficient and nothing is safe.  No doubt about it, she will be a pro by the end of the weekend!  This opens up a whole new can of worms; it will force us to baby-proof the house, something we have been meaning to do.  But most of all, Ella is reaching milestones.  


The fun did not stop there!  Not only did Ella begin crawling, but she actually pulled herself up from a sitting position to a standing position!  I bet she just wanted to show off for Grammy, who was visiting from New York.  Now Ella is no longer content to nap, instead she wants to practice standing while in her crib.  Poor Ryan just lowered the mattress down to level two and it took him a good 45 minutes.  I have a feeling that he will be at it again this weekend.  


Gotta go!  Ella has crawled her way into something... 

Wish List Wednesday

I am in love with all things LAND of NOD.  I especially love their storage options and since Ella is at the age where she is starting to accumulate toys, something needed to be done;  the ordinary canvas bin was no longer enough.  We remedied the situation by ordering one of these for the living room.  It is perfect because it does not look like a toy box (who wants a toy box in their living room?), holds plenty of toys, and was on sale.  

http://www.landofnod.com/family.aspx?c=2883&f=5541

However, for her room I want something girly, something fun, something that says "PLAY WITH ME!"  I think I have found the perfect solution, STORAGEPALOOZA!  These toy bins will allow Ella to clean up in a jiffy, assuming she is like her mom and likes a clean space, and will allow her to easily find what she is looking for.  And most importantly, they will look adorable in her room.   

http://www.landofnod.com/family.aspx?c=2883&f=4072

Hats, Hats, and more Hats

My mommy is a shoe and purse type of gal.  She thinks hats look silly on her.   However, I am all about the hats just like my Aunt Gillian (Did you know that Uncle Brett and Aunt Gillian's first date was to look at hats?).  I have quite the hat wardrobe and I am still collecting.  As you can see, I like all types of hats.  Here are some of my favorites:

Guess who gave me this hat?  Yup, Aunt Gillian and Uncle Brett.  I bet it was Aunt Gillian's idea although it came from one of Uncle Brett's favorite stores. Hmmm...

My beret from my good friend SLE.  The word has gotten out that I am a hat lover!

Showing my NIKE loyalty already. 

Hats will protect me from wrinkles later in life and that is VERY important. 

And lastly, my hat that matches EVERYTHING. 

What is your favorite hat? 

Sleepyhead....

Ella has a new sleep position.  As a newborn she slept on her back with her two arms above her head. Always.  As soon as those arms were raised we knew sleep was imminent.  It was a most welcome sign. 

Arms UP!

Ella has since abandoned her arms up sleep position.  Instead, she feels that it is more comfortable to burrow into the crib, face down and literally sleep on her hands,  holding her pacifier hostage.  No joke.  She always wakes with lovely imprints from her slumber.  

Ella modeling her sleeping marks after today's afternoon nap.

A Perfect Day, Even WIthout a Morning Nap!

Ella's Baptism was a success!  I fretted about the perfect dress, the perfect napkins (pink with polka-dots and pink striped), and the amount of food.  Most of all, I fretted about her lack of nap.  Knowing the service was at 10 I knew Ella would miss her most important nap.  I had nightmares of her first temper-tantrum, arching her back, and making quite a scene.  But, true to form, Ella was perfect.  She sang during the processional, splashed around during her actual Baptism, and flirted with every parishioner who glanced her way.  She basked in the limelight and soaked up the attention all day long while keeping her happy disposition.  Every day she continues to amaze me and I could not be more proud.  How did I end up with this truly amazing little girl?  And I must say, she looked completely precious in her white gown, but I am not biased or anything!

Look At This Face...

Look hard.  Look really hard.   It is the face of an angel who woke her momma up three times last night!  THREE!  The day is coming.  She sealed her fate.  In one week, and the countdown is on just so I can mentally prepare; we are going to let her (although I am not sure LET is the best word to use) cry it out.

So I have seven nights to cherish the cuddling, the hugs, the look of relief when I enter the room.  I know she will do fine, but will I?