Swimming, teeth, friends, and food!

Hey all!

Sorry that I didn't post yesterday - we have some visitors from out of town! The Mertes's (Friends from high school) came to visit! We had Cory, Tyler, Blaike, Melvin, and a future Mertes here yesterday :) Yes, Cory's pregnant!!

Anyhow, it was so much fun, and the house was definitely abuzz with three kids and four adults here! Ella loved having some new friends to play with - and Blaike and Melvin were both so much fun!!

Last weekend, Ella went swimming for the first time, and that was also just a ton of fun. We put her in a Little Swimmer diaper, and that was all she wore! So adorable! Ian and I got into the pool with her, and she just loved the water - kicking and splashing - just like it was a big bath! Our favorite part was the Lazy River that went around the pool - we loved just walking Ella around that part - and it wasn't super crowded because most of the kids stayed in the kiddie play area. Just so much all around! I think when Ian is farming this Spring I'll get Ella and I involved in some Mommy/Baby swim lessons - that would be fun!!

Last day of February today - thank goodness! I am READY for this winter to be over - but who isn't?? March, April, May - and then I'm out of school! So three more months :) But who's counting ;)

Other big news!! Ella has her first two teeth popping up!!! They are super sharp but still small - but they are pretty darn cute!! She won't let us look at them if she's awake, so we really only get to see them if she's sleeping or laughing :)

On the food front - Ella is still only eating 'big people' food. She wants nothing to do with that baby food - even the fruit! Yesterday she ate: yogurt, cheerios, spaghetti, garlic bread, beans, chicken, salsa, tomatoes, and some lemon! What an appetite!! :)

Ella will be 8 months old this week! I can't believe she is growing so fast!!!!

Here's a video from swimming last weekend - hope everyone has a good week!

Our new high chair!

Well, we were finally able to get a new high chair for our dear Ella Bella! A friend of Ian's offered to let us use their own one - which will work really well for us! Up until now, we've just had her in her bumbo in the middle of the dining room table, and she would use her ninja arms to get into just about everything!

We sat down for our first meal together this morning - eggs, potatoes, toast, a little baby food (she prefers what Mom and Dad are eating) and finally, some of the little Puffs (little stars of no nutritional value that dissolve in her mouth). Now, I feel like I need to admit - we fed her every little bit of food that was listed above. She is having a hard time with the finger/thumb grasping! But, that's why we had some fine motor skills practice at the end with the Puffs - anyhow! She'll get it :)

Last night she slept in her crib for..... wait for it..... 30 whole minutes!!! Whew!! I set up an awesome sleeping place for her - it's all padded and comfy and secure (which I thought was what she wanted!) Well... 30 minutes later she was crying... and needless to say, she ended up in our bed for the rest of the night... sigh!!

On a wonderful husband note - Ian is always great on Saturday mornings, and when Ella wakes up at 7:15 (which she always does) he whisks her away downstairs so that I can get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep - very sweet!! Plus, it's some good Daddy/daughter time...

Question of the day - should I link Facebook and the blog so that posts are available to all? I took all of my students off my friend list - so now it's just people that I actually know... hmmmm.... what do you think?

I suppose that's all for now - Hope you all have a great weekend and week!

One day ahead of schedule!

Hi everyone!

So I know I said I'd post on Saturdays... but... tomorrow we are heading up for Linda's 60th birthday party! Whoop whoop!! And so I thought I would give some updates just a day early :)

Last night - Ella was in the Bumbo on the table... and we heard a *thump*... I look back, and Ella is lying face up on the dining room table! She had arched her way out of the Bumbo... my my!! Busy girl! I guess that definitely means that we will not be leaving baby ninja there anymore for even one second! (unattended, that is!)

Here's an older pic of Ella in the Bumbo so people know what I'm talking about....

Anyhow! Now it's Friday afternoon, and she is sleeping in her adorable bear outfit from my sister in the carrier. She always falls asleep on the drive home.... ahh... those babies :)

Here are a couple more pictures of our little darling :) Happy three day weekend!

Ella and Daddy!

Ella and Mommy!

well, well, well....

Look who has been away from the blog for a LONG time!!! It's been since November! Wow... I was still at home the last time I was blogging... sigh... those were such fun days! Now, we look forward to summer (yay!) and Spring Break!

Last night we took Ella to a bar (gasp!) for a birthday party of a teacher - the aunt of our daycare provider - so.... we figured that Lindsey's family would want to see Ella (Daycare lady) AND teachers from school would want to see Ella - so we thought we would go since Ella had double duty! Well... as smiley as she is, she didn't smile the ENTIRE time! It was a little loud, and there was a tv the size of a wall, bright neon signs, and new people everywhere - I think she was in a little bit of baby shock!! But, she recovered - no signs of a baby hangover from all the bright lights this morning :)

In terms of development (oooh... sounds so professional!) Ella is now crawling... backwards! hehe... she scoots herself backwards instead of inching forwards... but she'll get it! She loves zippers, and holds her bottle for her dad but not for me!!

She's a cutie and we love her!

I think I will try and update the blogs on Saturdays... so maybe once a week? That's a start!! Better than once every three months!

Here are some pics :)