Saturday Snoozes

I peaked in on Ellie this morning during her nap and this is what I saw:

Her tiny toes, chubby diaper bum, and little snores brought a smile to my face. I snuck out quietly before she woke up.

For Today

Outside my window...winter is definitely here! I hear the wind howling and the snow blowing around the house. It is cold out there and warm in here!

I am thankful for...having my Mom and Dad here since Wednesday, meals and coffee together, and our conversations around the supper table. They are on the highway tonight so I pray they make it home safely!
I am also praying for...sick and hurting loved ones and friends.

From the kitchen...warm Beef Stew.

I am creating...Christmas projects for my Grandmas.

I am celebrating...Advent and old and new Christmas traditions.

I am going...to change the load of laundry, make myself a cup of tea, and keep blogging.

I am reading...Matthew and Watch for the Light.

I am hoping...we can go out to find our Christmas tree tomorrow...weather permitting.
I am hearing...Sarah MacLachlan's Wintersong album playing.

Around the house...it's a relaxing Saturday.

A few plans for next week...a trip to Costco, some Christmas shopping, cleaning, and maybe some baking.

A picture to share...of our El-Bear last December-rrr.

At 12 months, Ellie...
* can crawl quickly and confidently up any flight of stairs.
* wants to walk and holds tightly to our fingers.
* loves to play peek-a-boo around the kitchen island or through the afghan at naptime.
* crawls toward us and starts laughing when she hears us say "Going to get you!"
* enjoys helping unload the dishwasher or cupboards that she can reach.
* is getting very persistent when she sees something she wants.
* waves bye-bye and blows kisses.
* is starting to say her first words...hi...mama...dadee...pa (for the puppies next door). Her intonation for words is incredible!
* reads books from her toy basket every morning for a good chunk of time. She is totally engaged with the pictures, the touch 'n' feel swatches, and turning the pages.
* spends Wednesday afternoons, Thursdays, and Fridays with her Daddy (and sometimes her Bestemor and Bestefar) while her Mommy goes to work.
* has the most beautiful smile I know. She has dimples in her cheeks and her eyes light up!

For Today

Outside my window...the sun is trying to poke through the clouds.

I am thinking...about what this week will hold. What do I need to do? What do I choose to let go?

I am thankful for....talking with a friend on the phone just before lunch.

From the kitchen...leftovers for lunch.

I am wearing...comfy clothes and wool slippers.

I am creating...a video of Ellie's 1st year.

I am going...to make myself a cup of coffee.

I am hoping...that my sister and Dad have safe travels today.

I am reading...Classroom Instruction that Works.

I am hearing...Ellie talking to herself as she settles down for a nap.

Around the house...there is lots to do to get ready for company and Ellie's birthday party on Saturday.

One of my favorite things....quiet Sunday afternoons.

A few plans for the rest of the week...catching up on housework, preparing for school and teaching, grocery shopping, making birthday cupcakes.

A picture to share...taken around this time last year and now our El is here!

Where's Ellie?

Many people stop and ask me, "How old is she?" It is an "ah-ha" moment each time I answer as I realize that she is 11 months old today and next month she will be 1! Ellie is growing and changing so quickly and each day is about learning something new. It's amazing!  At 11 months, Ellie...

* is on the move and is crawling on her hands and knees.

* is by no means walking yet but she has figured out how to walk with assistance! She pulls herself up on everything and has started reaching toward the next piece of furniture as if she's contemplating how to get there.

* magazines, books, Tupperware, the pantry, and the pots and pans cupboard are her favorite things to get into.

* loves her food and aside from cereal in the morning, applesauce, and yogurt, doesn't want us spooning it into her mouth mashed up or pureed. Just bite size on my tray please ;)!

* has two teeth and weighs about 22 lbs.

* is back to drinking 3% milk from her sippy cup. She took a break and wasn't keen on drinking anything. Period. Many thanks to the help and encouragement from my Mom, I persevered and kept offering her the sippy cup...first with soy milk, then with half soy milk and half 3%, and now we are only drinking 3%. But, warmed up please!

* is determined and persistent when she sees something she wants.

* wears 12-18 month clothing but the jeans are almost too tight.

* loves going for walks and meeting new people along the way. She gets so excited when we meet a walker and their puppy.

* loves to sit on the floor or on your lap and look at books.

* plays peek-a-boo with her hands and her blankets.

At 10 months, Ellie...

* battled her first real cold and eye infection. Many runny noses and goopy eyes to wipe!

* hasn't been sleeping the greatest. Her naps and sleeps have been interupted and at times choppy. We think it's because she's been so stuffy and because she's teething.

* has started pulling herself up in her crib. This means that she doesn't have the bumper pads on her crib anymore and the mattress is at a new height :).

* is sleeping on her tummy. We'll go in to check on her at night and she'll have turned around in her crib to a new position.

* is a confident mover!

* is still doing the "army" crawl. Sometimes she'll get up on her hands and knees and rock back and forth.

* has successfully rolled over from tummy to back and back to tummy and is SO quick!

* gets excited when she sees herself in the mirror

* spent back-to-school week with Bestemor.

For Today

Outside my window...the sun has set and it's dark and cloudy out.

I am thinking...about a Nooma video by Rob Bell I watched tonight.

I am thankful for...a hardworking husband.

From the kitchen...BBQ chicken, baby potatoes from the garden, romaine and mandarin orange salad

with toasted almonds, corn, and icecream with berries

I am wearing...denim, Old Navy bermuda shorts and a t-shirt.

I am creating...editing pictures of Ellie to print at London Drugs.

I am going...to bed soon.

I am hoping...to see a good friend from University days soon.

I am reading...My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

I am hearing...the sound of the train going through Lacombe.

Around the house...there are lots of piles of school things as I gear up to go back at the end of August.

One of my favorite things...watching Ellie sleep.

A few plans for the rest of the week...going into Red Deer to run errands and check out new stores at the mall; picking raspberries, saskatoons, and strawberries; moving our office to the family room.

A picture to share...Ellie at the beach this last weekend :).

At 9 months, Ellie...

* has quite the personality! We've noticed that she is a detailed person. She loves to investigate new things and play with ribbons, tags, and other small things. She is so expressive and loves to spend time talking with people.

* gets quite excited when she sees her Daddy come home.

* is no longer in her newborn, baby carseat. We bought her a bigger carseat as she outgrew the new and improved bucket seat in height and weight.

* started drinking milk and water from a Nuby sippy cup.

* still has no teeth but chews and chomps on cold teethers.

* loves spending time outside on the grass, in the sand, or out for a walk. We enjoy watching her feet feel the new textures and her eyes take in the new sights.

* has quite the sandle tan. She has her Daddy's skin :)!

* does not like it when sunscreen is applied or wearing hats. She will pull on the hat until she gets it off.

* started raising her hands above her head when she's happy, clapping, and waving.

* has started to spin around in circles on her tummy and will motor backwards. She will pull herself forward if she grabs our hands.

* gets excited when she hears the water running for bathtime. She's quite the little fish and will splash in the water for a long time!

* had her first Canada Day BBQ and Westerner Days parade.

A sunny day for a parade...

Ready, Set, Maybe...

Dear Ellie,

Tonight you woke up with a start just after 10:00 pm. I'm not sure if you had a bad dream or if your stuffy nose and cough from your cold startled you. I went into your room, lifted you up from your crib, and sat down in the rocking chair. At first I tried to hold you close to me with your head resting on my shoulder but you wanted something different. You wiggled and squirmed until you had turned yourself around and were facing out. I gently tucked your arm behind my back, wiped the tears from your eyes, put my hand on the side of your cheek, and then you immediately put your head on my chest. You lifted your other hand and rested your fingers on my arm. I wasn't ready to lay you back down after you settled and were calm. Instead I held you, your head resting against my chest, feeling those tiny fingers against my skin, listening to the steady rhythm of your breathing, your body perfectly cradled in my arms. I wished time would slow down and almost stop. I wished I could hold you like that for a long time. My eyes welled up and tears fell down my cheek. I was speechless except for one prayer silently whispered, "Thank you, Lord for my Ellie. "

Love, Mommy

Hiccups, Giggles, & Jumps

At 8 months, Ellie...

* made 6 plane rides to North Carolina and Thunder Bay, Ontario. She was a wonderful, little traveler. Now she has been to each coast of North America.

* and her mommy (and daddy too) are thankful to be home for the rest of the summer.

* measures 30" long, has blonde hair, and dark brown eyes. We've been told that she has very distinct eyebrows :).

* is wearing some 9 month clothing but mostly fitting into 12-18 month clothes.

* doesn't like to play on her back anymore but likes to sit up to see and reach for things around her.

* can push herself backward when on her tummy.

* is very ticklish and laughs every day.

* makes gaga, baba, aaahhhh, mama, and murmel sounds.

* LOVES food! So far she has tried applesauce, pears, peaches, bananas, and orange wedges,

sweet potato, carrots, peas, green beans, pumpkin, cucumber, and corn on the cob,

cereal, yogurt, chicken, and crackers.

* has no elbows, knees, nuckles, or ankles...a little chunky monkey!

* uses her pointer finger and thumb (and sometimes her whole fist) to pick Cheerios and Puffed Wheat off her highchair tray.

* celebrated her first Father's Day!

I can't believe that Ellie is 3/4 of the way to her first birthday! I know this summer will go by fast!

At 7 months, Ellie...

* loves to jump in her Jumperoo.

* is sitting up on her own but still a bit unsteady.

* enjoys playing Peek-A-Boo, singing songs like "Little Green Frog", "You Are My Sunshine", and "Skin-na-ma-rink-i-dink-i-dink", and reading books (although she likes to eat the pages :)).

* had her first swimming lesson and loved the water. She is a little fish indeed!

* still loves the yogurt and cereals we started a month and a bit ago and now enjoys sweet potato, carrots, pumpkin, applesauce, pears, and peaches too.

* instantly loved the Cheerios when we gave them to her the first time.

* went to visit her Grandma and Grandpa de Andrade in Abbotsford and meet her cousins, as well as other special friends, for the first time.

* travelled over the mountains, took 2 ferry rides to Victoria, and got to visit the ocean too!

* had her first Starbucks Strawberry Lemonade :).

* slept in many new beds and did well but it wasn't her favourite part of travelling.

* celebrated many family birthdays and her first Mother's Day!

At 6 months, Ellie...

* went for her checkup and weighs 16 lbs. 13 oz. and is 63 1/2 cm. long.

* started eating solid foods about 2 weeks ago as she was waking up out of sorts at night and really early in the morning.

* has tried yogurt, oats, and wheat cereal and thinks they're pretty yummy!

* doesn't sit in her bouncy chair anymore but in her Bumbo.

* continues to be a wonderful napper, with 2-3 naps a day.

* is sleeping much better with a fuller tummy at night.

* puts everything in her mouth to explore and taste.

* is still so happy, calm, and content.

* is recognizing familiar faces.

* celebrated her first Easter!

* and her Mommy survived 4 nights without her Daddy but were sure glad to see him when he got home!

1 stroller, hoodie, blanket, and soother

2 winter boots 

3 pictures snapped

4 rosy cheeks after our walk

     

So Much Joy

"...Your laugh, baby
To me it’s just like helium
I breathe it in until I am
Ten feet off the ground

Oh, your laugh darlin’
It warms me up like sunshine
It is golden, it is so fine
Baby, when you laugh..."   --Carolyn Arends--

At 4 months, Ellie...

* wears 6 month clothing and size 3 diapers.  She is a long baby!

* goes to bed around 7/730 and sleeps through the night with a little snack before I head to bed      at 1030/11.  We are so very blessed!

* wakes up from her sleeps happy and calls out from her crib with a voice like "Mommy, I'm ready now..."

* had a weekend sleepover with her Bestemor and Bestefar while Marco and I were at BreakForth

* had her first set of shots and we both did okay :)

* enjoys tummy-time and playing with her Clutch Cube 

* is happy to sit in her bouncy chair while I have my breakfast or make supper

* has the best smile and is full of giggles and laughs

* thinks her Daddy is pretty fun

* is so content

* had a visit from Grandma and Grandpa de Andrade from Abbotsford, BC

Outside Our Window

I woke up this morning to it looking like this outside our window and the weather report saying it is -30C with the wind chill:

So it is a good day for a warm oven, rhubarb muffins,

and a second cup.

Hope you are keeping warm!

Monday Mornings

I love Monday mornings because of moments like these and a little girl who brings so much joy.

At 3 months, Ellie...

* has discovered her hands and loves to look at them and suck on them

* smiles, laughs, and brings so much joy

* is so strong and can roll from her tummy to her back (did it for the first time on January 9th)

* celebrated her first holiday...Christmas and New Years

* is getting to be so alert and aware of what is going on around her

* loves to kick during bath time, push her feet against the edge of the tub and is so serious when she does

* likes to be wrapped up and snuggled with the blanket on her cheek with she's tired

* has at least 3 naps during the day and sleeps through the night from 10:30 pm to 8 am (has been doing this for over a month now :))

* sleeps with her hands folded like she's praying

* still has dark hair and brown eyes like her Daddy

* is beautiful and we love her so much!