12 months

Pretend this is September 21...

Happy 1st Birthday Ellie Grace!!

How is my baby girl already one?? Makes me sad and happy all at the same time. Ellie brings so much joy to our lives and we love her to pieces!

I love her little personality and watching her learn more and more each day. She knows what she wants and she wants it NOW! I call her feisty:) There is never a dull moment with her. Caden is all boy, but he is pretty calm. Ellie, not so much. She never sits still and is always on the move. She crawls so fast and can take a few steps here and there.

She loves food, eats mainly everything we give her. She does have a sweet tooth thanks to her Dada. I can't eat anything without her grabbing for it or demanding it. She still nurses 4 times a day, I still cherish that time with her and I don't want it to end yet.

She weighs 21 lbs and is     long. Long girl. She sleeps from about 7:15 to 7:30. Love that! Still takes two naps a day, about an hour and a half each. I like her morning nap when we are home and hate it when I want to do something in the morning. But, if she skips her morning nap, she still only sleeps an hour and a half and that just isn't enough to make it through the day.

She knows how to give kisses if you ask. Occasionally she will wave. She says Mama and Dada and that is it. But she sure can tell you where she wants you to take her by pointing and yelling.

We did a pink theme for her birthday party, nice and easy. She loved all the attention and thoroughly enjoyed smashing and eating her cake. She was too busy playing to really care about opening her presents, so Caden made sure to help her. She loves playing with her dolls and stuffed animals.

We love you so much and thank God daily that you were given to us. Can't wait to watch you grow up every year!!

Ellie is 11 months!

I can't believe my baby is almost 1! She is getting so big. Sometimes I just stop and look at her and I can't believe she isn't a tiny little baby anymore:( I am loving watching her grow up and learn new things daily. She is starting to show her personality more and more. She is a feisty little girl that is sure! If she doesn't get what she wants she sure lets us know it, we might have our work cut out for us. 

                                                      

Ellie loves her milk and food. She nurses 4 times a day still and I love nursing her. Such a great bond. She really likes all food we have given her, and always wants what we have. Hopefully it stays that way. She weighs about 20.5 pounds I would guess. I tried to measure her and I would say she is about 29 inches tall. She goes to bed at 7 and gets up between 7 and 7:30. Great sleeper and what a blessing.

 She is starting to love playing with Caden and following him around. He loves his Baby as he calls her, but we are working on sharing our toys and not taking things from her. He doesn't like the fact that she can reach pretty much anything of his now. Mine is not a word I want allowed in this house. I want these two to be best friends and I am trying to instill that early on. I love when they make each other laugh and have those cute little moments together. They are blessed to have each other, even if they don't always think so:)

 This is a face I see all to often! It is the look of I am going to cry in 3, 2, 1... One word I don't like right now is teething! When they hurt she is a bear. Nothing makes her happy and all day she is saying Mama, but not in the cute way. More like Mama save me!! Breaks my heart and I just wish I had a cure for it. So teeth: HURRY UP!

Last Friday we went to the state fair again and Aunt Rachel was holding Ellie and she started 'shooting' people. Ellie has always reached or pointed her whole hand to show you where she wants to go. I guess she learned to point on Friday, but doesn't realize you need to tuck your thumb in also. So, now it looks like she is shooting us. It is cute for now!

She is a super fast crawler and is into everything. A little girl who is 6 told me I should enter her into a crawling race:) She pulls herself up all the time and cruises the furniture. No first step yet. When we are out and about she wants down all the time. She can't understand why she just can't crawl everywhere. Makes it hard to wrangle her. The park is especially difficult right now. So part of me wants her to stay little and crawl, but another part of me is ready for her to walk to make life easier. I would rather chase her then have to hold her all the time when she is trying to get out of my arms. We will see if I still think this way when she does walk!

I am going to try to enjoy this last month before you become my one year old. Lots to do to prepare for a birthday party. I want to cherish each moment I have left of your babyhood. In a blink of an eye you will be Caden's age and I won't know what to do with myself. (I am not going to say that I should just have another baby because I did that in Caden's 11 month post and little did I know you were already in my tummy:) Hopefully the next one doesn't come along quick so soon, but it will be a blessing whenever God blesses us.

You have my heart Miss Ellie Grace and I can't believe how big you are! Love you to the moon and back!

Both of my kiddos at 11 months! Look completely different to me.

Kiddos

I have been looking back at pictures/videos of Caden at the age Ellie is now and can't believe what a good walker he was at 11 months. He started walking before 10 months. Seems so early now! Funny how we want our first child to do everything early, but we want the second one to stay a baby longer. (Except Derek says she needs to walk to keep up with Caden!)

Caden seem so big to me now, but I am sure I will always feel like that. I look back at pictures when Ellie was born and he looks so young. Yet, I felt like he was so old. I am interested to see what Ellie is like at 19 months, I am sure I won't be able to believe that is how old Caden was when she was born!

I can't believe that in a little over a month I will have a 1 year old and a 2 and a half year old. My baby girl is growing up! She turns 11 months on Tuesday, but that is another post!

Hard day

Oh my poor sweet Ellie Grace. Teething has not been fun for you. You have 6 teeth so far, and more are coming and you are not happy. Your naps are suffering and you are a fussy fussy girl. Makes for a long day for Momma. You only slept for 30 minutes this afternoon, you woke up a few minutes after I put Caden down. Praying that your teeth cut through tonight and you get back to your happy self. Praise the Lord through that you still are sleeping through the night!! Hopefully all those teeth come in and we can be done for awhile!

Oh the things children have to go through their first through years of life. You think it would be enough just being a baby, but you have to add sleepless nights, teething and for Ellie, egg intolerance. Praying year 2 is easier than the first.

But my sweet Ellie Grace, you are SO worth it. I would do it all again in a heartbeat for you!


Like her new smile:)

Siblings

Love these two kiddos and love that Ellie is old enough to finally play. Best friends:)

Iowa State Fair

We decided last minute to head to the fair late Friday afternoon. It was beautiful outside and we had lots of fun. I would love to go back again for the food:)

 We decided to ride the bus from the state capital. Caden absolutely loves buses and was thrilled to be able to ride it. He has asked several times since then to ride the bus again.

 Caden enjoyed doing the Little Hands on the Farm. He was confused why most of the stuff was plastic and not real food, or corn. He did like planting his seed in the dirt though:)

 Love the perplexed look on his face:)

 His favorite part!! Riding the tractor!

 Such a big boy

 Papa held him up to this farmer cutout

 Nice belly Caden!

 Best Buds!

 What a great Mimi to climb up the combine with Caden!

 Silly boy sitting in the tractor tire

Mommy wanted a break!

Should have taken some pictures of the food we ate and the lemonade we drank. Derek was even so kind to walk all the way to Pioneer Hall to get us the BEST lemonade at the fair! Thanks sweetie! Not being able to eat eggs did put a damper on my fair eating, but I survived. Caden and I shared a corn dog and Derek and I split a peppermint ice cream bar. I definitely didn't eat as much as normal, but we are probably going again this weekend!!

Caden enjoyed seeing the animals and watching all the people. He wanted to ride the way uppies and the midway rides, but we steered clear of the carnies! Maybe next year:) He did eat a ice cream cone with Papa and some chocolate chip cookies with Mimi. Yum!

Ellie was a trooper and even slept in the Ergo for a little over an hour. Thought she was taking a nap and not going to bed!

What a fun time and can't wait to do it again!

iPhone pics

Swinging in the cooler weather!


Playing at the mall.


Riding tractors at the state fair.


Big girl standing up!