Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Miss Ella!! Now you know we have to have several outfits to commemorate the day, so here is No. 1.

I'm ready to rip some paper!

Santa brought lots of goodies!

Hubs had to show baby girl how to open presents. He'd tear open a little piece, then she would follow.

Like this Dada?

Yessss...I got this!

She only opened one present before she was ready to get to the good stuff. She wanted us to open the gifts and give her the toy.

Her little baby doll from Sassy and Poppy

Miss E loves stuffed animals and dolls. She hugs and kisses them and will carry them around with her. Can't wait to give her Barbie dolls!!!

She could not get enough of this bear from Tia Santa and Tio Lalo! She kept burying her face in it.

I'm already tired mom, you open the gifts for me

Ummm... I did not know the wonderful doll makers out there still made Cabbage Patch Dolls. Only the best thing ever for us little girls of the 80's. But they do and Ella got her very first one from Sassy and Poppy. But you know, they've got to keep up with the times. So this one was a "Surprise" doll. As in you took off the little sack it was in to reveal whether it had on a blue or pink diaper! Boy or girl??? How very, very clever. Miss E got a sweet girl named Charlotte.

Hey, what else should you do with your super sweet blocks box?? Climb on it of course!!

And back to the bear

E is officially a school girl, she's got a backpack! From Gigi and Hoot, this sweet bag has a little doggie that you can take off to carry as you walk into school!

I mean, seriously...how stinkin cute is it?!?!

And the death trap. I call this wonderful Pottery Barn Kids Anywhere Chair this because Ella is surely going to fall off and break something. When I first thought about getting her one of these, I could have never known what a monkey she was going to be. We've already had a tumble with a few tears. But it's perfect for her, she likes to chillax in it with a nice cold bottle of milk and sing along with Dora.

And outfit No. 2.

She wore this for the midday festivities and nap time.

Which included hugs for Santa Claus

And outfit No. 3

For dinner!!

I realize it's E's first Christmas. And I fully expected her to play with only the coolest toys she got. I present the best.toys.ever.

Ralph Lauren Baby

Among the many finds at Century 21 in NYC (only the most AH-MAZE-ING store ever!), mommy struck gold in the kid's section. While walking around with 6 pairs of shoes hanging from arms and purse straps, I saw a woman with kid's clothes and immediately accosted her, demanding to know where she got them. She directed me to the 3rd floor where I stocked up on clothes and shoes...you know, the essentials.

It was so crazy up in there that while standing on top of each other in the dressing room line, us three gals got our bounty of hangers caught together.

This super cute Ralph Lauren number was among the scores, for 75% off!!

Ka - BOOM!

To me, E looks like a completely different baby with her hair down. But I got tired of her fighting me while trying to gather the mop into piggies and left it down for a few days. There is definitely some curl going on in there.

On the go, with people to yap at

Santa actually put her hair up like this...so cute!

So, we've got a climber. I didn't really think much of the fact that E likes to try to climb everything until someone said that their baby wasn't a climber (followed by a "Thank god!"). Remember how I said we wouldn't babyproof much? I am officially eating those words. That kid is quick! Give her 2 seconds and she can scale Mount Everest with only a toothpick and a ball of twine.

So here she is trying to climb...the gifts under the tree??

She just lifts her leg while eye-balling you to see if you are going to disapprove.

Yep, someone told her no

Skinny Jeans

We big pink puffy heart skinny jeans and 'jeggings'.

These are babyGap jeggings

In a super cool washed grey

With a swanky kitty cat

In Target yesterday I actually had a woman approach me and tell me how cute I dressed my daughter. She couldn't stop gushing over her outfit and piggies. When she asked me if I always dressed her so cute, I almost laughed and said, "Of course! Little girls are like a grown woman's Barbie doll!"

Getting Ready for Christmas

It's almost here! Sweet E's very first Christmas! I'm so excited as anyone can tell by the fact that our decorations have been up since the day before Thanksgiving. I love the holiday anyway, but now I get to see it through the eyes of my daughter and share all my favorite traditions with her.

And I love how Ella is blooming in school. Apparently we have quite the social butterfly. She loves to play with the other kids and has bonded so well with her teachers. They told me this week that Miss E never cries, never fusses. She just walks around playing, talking and smiling.

And she plays with such fun art projects! A sampling of her Christmas work along with a gift from her teachers and a little something for mama and dada.

Her very own stocking to hang by the fire

Peppermint handprints

And a little ornament for Mama and Dada to hang on the tree

Molli the cat (cuh, cuh as E calls her) soaking up some of the holiday warmth

And there is nothing better to spread a little Christmas cheer than a little whose laughing. And why is the little laughing you ask? Well, let me tell you. So there I was changing her diaper when I went to pull out a wipe and I pulled out the last one. Under my breath I muttered, "Cotton pickin wipes!" Because as any mom knows, there is no worse time to have your dispenser run out of wipes than when you are in the middle of a diaper swap.

The noise from the changing table caught my attention. In the midst of the fidgeting that is now common while on the table, I hear a giggle. Did she just laugh at 'cotton pickin'??

Oh yes she did. And I'm digging the little 'tttdddddhhh' noise she makes with her tongue thanks to those two new teeth (which you can just barely see in the video)!

Happy 11 Month Birthday!

Holy batman!! I never thought this day would come. When you are overwhelmed and exhausted all you can think about is when will she eat next and what time do I need to change her diaper?!?! You never in a million years picture your baby at 11 months old! Almost one year! Nevertheless, here we are.

Miss E woke up this morning like a ball of energy. No diaper change, no putting on clothes and don't even try to mess with baby girl's hair. She wouldn't sit still on the changing table for anything. Every toy I gave her (including the fave, non-toy-items such as a diaper and a hanger) ended up angrily thrown on the floor in clear disapproval of my attempts to dress the little.

It was just a sample of the non-pictures that would be taken. And yes...it has begun. Let the temper tantrums start.

Here is one of my favorite books, "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly"

Indeed, a fave

The only pics I could get where on-the-go

Hair = outta control when the little won't hold still anymore and thrashes her head around when Mommy tries to pull the hair out of the little's face

Yay...

For....

Meeee!!!!!

At 11 months baby girl, you continue to amaze us all. Today marked 11 months and you celebrated by standing all by yourself in the middle of the floor. You stood up from the floor with no help and took off. And you also commemorated the day by throwing your first temper tantrum. At least that's what it seemed like. The hitting, throwing and screaming this morning were all signs that you want things your way and now! But I've got news for you honey, that doesn't fly with this mama. You will keep hearing no until I run out of breath. But I still love you to bits!!

You have 2 new teeth on the top and one more coming in. You must have heard me say that my baby would only have two teeth for her first birthday!

You must have also heard me tell Dada that it was safe to say that after 5ish months, you were finally napping in peace. No more screaming and crying for nap times. Because the very day I said that, you stopped quietly napping in the afternoon. The last few days you have either not napped at all or cried or played for an hour then fell asleep for a half hour. Are you clairvoyant?!?!

You have become more confident with your walking. And although you still want a hand when you go outside, the indoors is your kingdom. You leave behind you a trail of pots, plastic ware, dishtowels, toys and Christmas bows. Yes, the bows that you keep stealing off your presents under the tree. You follow me around the house and are surprisingly quick. And you have actually run! Although it was a short run, you still picked up the pace and trotted across the room.

You have started giving kisses and hugs. All we have to do is ask for a kiss and you give a (sometimes wide open-mouthed) kiss. You showed Maggie Mae, Zuzu Bee and Rex some love with hugs and layed your head on their fur. You still love when the dogs fight, when Zues licks your face off and when Maggie does a drive by, almost knocking you over.

Your fave toys are the dogs, any type of ball and anything music related. You always shake your groove thing when you hear a jam. You love the snowmen plush and reindeer doll that Tia and Sassy got you. You start jumping and smiling while you bury your face in them.

Finally, we have gotten over a double ear infection, double eye infection and the resulting diaper rash from the antibiotics. I know it's all good for you, but I really don't ever want to see your little face look like you've been punched again. There is nothing else that teaches selflessness like seeing your baby sick.

You talk more and more. Everyday you just babble endlessly to yourself or whoever will listen. And we think it's adorable!

Your first birthday party is in a month and Mommy and Sassy are in full planning mode. Can't wait to see you eat that cake. But in the meantime, we'll enjoy your first Christmas and seeing Santa for the very first time!

Love you E!

Messy

This....

is not what Ella wore to school today. But this is what she looked like when I picked her up. With the following explanation.... "Well, first she threw up on the outfit you brought her in and then she peed all over the second outfit when she was on the changing table. And then we painted. With red. That's what on her cheeks. And arms. And fingers. And maybe a little on her legs."

See? Right here Mama...this is where Ms. Courtney and Ms. Diane put the paint on my hand. And see, right here? This is where it got all stuck in my itty bitty fingernails.

At least she had fun!

Pink

Pink. It's my favorite color. Any and all shades...from baby pink to persimmon. I adore it on toes and clothes. On pictures and bows. And flowers and walls. And anything else that would hold still long enough to be painted in the sweet color. It is sweet and sassy and fun. It's what makes little girls full of sugar and spice.

However, I am not so enamored by the rosy shade today. There are places that pink belongs. And on Miss E's eye is not one of them. Yep, that scoundrel little bacteria that gives pink a bad name is making my little rather blue. Pink eye. Uuuuuugggggghhhhh.

I never had pink eye as a kid, so I've had no experience with it. When E woke up from her nap yesterday with yucky eye goobers, a trip to the minor emergency led to the bad news, And to top it off, she's got a total of not one...not two...but three teeth coming in. One of her top middle ones has already broken through. I knew the other middle one was on it's way, but when I looked the other night to see the progress, I saw a third one on the top!! And she's showing it with lots of fussiness. And crying. And whining. And waking up all night. And just general I'm pissed-this sucks-not having it-fed up-unhappiness.

And the cold. Oh, the cold. That's been going on for a month. I force a smile when I think that one day when Ella reads this, she will be the healthiest girl on the face of the planet. Because by her first birthday, she will have built up so much immunity that scientists will study her. At least that's what her pediatrician tells me. That this is actually a good thing and all kids go through it sooner or later.

So, today I don't like pink. I hate pink. I hope that our relationship can be saved. And I hate teeth. I curse teeth. I mean who really needs them anyways? Purees can be delicious. And I hate colds. Colds just suck. But as my dad reminded me what a very wise woman used to day, "This too shall pass." But can it hurry up a wee bit?!?!

Copycat

Oh sweet Miss E...you are so very silly! You like to copy what Mama and Dada do and it brings a smile to our faces.

Here you are sorta kinda copycat-ing. You only want to perfrom when you feel like it. That doesn't allow me to be the crazy stage mom with a bleached boufant and bright red lipstick that I am destined to become. So we need to work on that. But you are just too darn cute with your little burp and smile.

First Words?

I think we can officially say that Miss E has said her first words. That's right...words...with an "S"... as in plural. It's a toss up as to which one was first, but right now, Mama and Dada are the first words!

She has been babbling mama and dada for a long time. Usually dada refers to well...just about anything. And mama means I'm tired, grumpy, pissed, etc. But yesterday, she said both with meaning. While playing on the floor, she got up and said "Mama" then started walking towards me with her hands reaching out. And then, when I took her into the bedroom, she pointed to the lump under the sheets (that was the hubs, trying desperately to sleep), smiled and said "Dada" very quietly. And then today, when I picked her up from school, I was just watching her play from the window in her room. She turned around, saw me and smiled. Then she stood up, said "Mama" and started walking over to me!

She isn't babbling those two words much all of a sudden. I think she's realized that they mean something. I keep going back and forth in my head trying to determine who's name she said first. I am sure hubs thinks it's Dada. But I honestly think it's a tie.

In other vocabulary news, her babbling is starting to sound like talking. A sound she makes all the time is sounding more and more like "What's that?" And "Sa" is getting "Si" added to it a lot more for Sassy. And earlier tonight it sure sounded like she said Tia. I can only imagine when she starts actually talking. It's going to be nonstop.

And since I don't have a video of her talking, enjoy the following:

Don't be alarmed. That is dogs snarling in the background. And Ella is almost in the middle of them. Maybe it's because Ella really did get used to all 7 dogs (8 now) barking, growling and snarling while in the womb. But I can't describe the joy on this little girl's face when the dogs start playing. She absolutely loves it when teeth are bared and the fur flies. She may sound like she's getting upset in the following video, but trust me, there is a big 'ol smile plastered on her face!

And some official walking. The only thing she can't do yet is stand up on her own without pulling up on something. But she's practicing for sure.