Happy 1 year baby girl!

Wow I cannot believe we have hit the one year mark. This year has gone by quicker than any other; however, has been the most fulfilling year of my life. I thought creating Ella, having her grow in my stomach, and giving birth to her was amazing but did not realize how watching her grow and change would be even more phenomenal.

Ella is a brilliant baby and this is not just me being a biased mommy! She is walking around everything but has yet to let go. She does really well climbing the steps!

Here are other things shes doing right now (Im sure Ill forget some)

Saying: Hi, Hi baby, Hi Ella, Ella, happy, help, bug, pig, duck, dog, woof, bird, car, ball, bear, bunny, bye bye, kitty, rock rock, up, vroom vroom.

She is able to label: kitty, dog, duck, car, ball, baby, bunny

She can point, clap, wave, blow kisses, so big, dance

She can expressively identify belly. She is able to receptively identify nose, eye, belly on herself and others

She is able to pat and rock her baby while she either says hi baby or rock rock

She pushes her car or train or walker and says vroom vroom

She clearly says up when she wants to stand up, be held, or get up from dinner

She is able to sign all done and more

We have started the transition to whole milk and are gradually mixing whole milk into breastmilk. My supply is crashing and though Im sad, Im also very proud that I made it to the one year mark. Out of her three bottles a day she is taking one and a half of them from a cup with no lid! I cannot wait to transition her fully to the cup.

(will add more pictures tomorrow as blogger is acting up)

Cannot resist the sparkles

While mommys away, daddy will let the baby play.....with jewelry

Aw Baby

Ella absolutely LOVES her new stroller and doll. She is constantly hugging, patting, rocking, or saying HI BABY (very clearly) to her babies (two not shown in picture). All three babies have to ride in the stroller which she loves pushing!

Nosy baby

Winston was causing quite the commotion at our back door tonight. So of course Ella had to crawl over there, pull up to the door, check out what was going on, point out and label...bunny!

Night Apart

Tom and I finally got a much needed night to ourselves. Yesterday afternoon we dropped Ella off at grandma Joyce's for her first overnight without us, stopped and had some LaGrande for lunch (yum!), and headed to Bowling Green for one of Tom's closest friends wedding. The wedding venue was gorgeous. The ceremony and reception took place at Nazareth Hall, formally a Catholic boys boarding school. The ceremony took place in an outside rock area called a Grotto and the reception was inside in Cadet Hall. We had a great time catching up with old friends from high school and time alone; however, we couldnt wait to get back to Ella this morning. Grandma reports that Ella had a great time and slept through the entire night. Thanks Grandma Joyce and Paul for our time away!

Story Time

Ella absolutely loves books so I decided to take her to the library tonight while daddy mowed the lawn. She had a blast cruising the shelves, pulling books off the shelf, and sitting on mommy's lap to read.

Feeling Better

Poor Ella started with a minor cold on Sat morning. Saturday night I put her to bed at 730 and at 930 I heard that awful croup cough that sounds like a seal barking over the monitor. By the time I got up there she was gasping for air and throwing up flem So we headed to the ER and sure enough she had croup. On Sunday she was the most sick ive seen her thus far. Lots of crying (which she never does) and only wanted to be held (which normally shes go go go). Even though she still has a nasty sounding cough, she was all over the place playing today!

Musicians playing Mary Had a Little Lamb at Findlay Market...

I am finally uploading pictures of Ella in her 4th of July outfit. Ella is cruising around all the furniture and toys in our house and Im sure she will be walking on her own in no time. She loves walking with her walking toys but loves using the toy to bend over and pick flowers most of all! She is signing more at dinner time when she needs more of a food item. She has been saying dadda and mamma for months now but within the last week has finally attached those labels to Tom and I! So amazing to hear her call us dadda and mamma!

Blowing Kisses!

Ella recently learned to blow kisse (as seen below). She also is signing all done when finished eating; although, every now and then still just fully clears the table with one swipe! I also discovered her yelling get get get at Winston last night! Im sure shes learned this one from mommy!