Family, Friends and Diamonds Oh My!!

So there are lots of pictures to enjoy! It has been a fun filled week since I posted last. We've had our first outing, smiled a whole bunch, had some tummy time and got to see lots of people we love!

For Ella's first outing besides going to the doctor's office we went to the only place a girl needs to go...the jewelry store to look at diamonds!! Well sort of. Poppy got Ella and Mommy beautiful diamond and pearl necklaces when she was born. So we went to see Uncle Charles to finish putting together Mommy's necklace. Sassy and Ella looked at all the pretty diamonds while Mommy and Charles talked.

Then we went to get something to eat at Firehouse Subs. Ella was so happy and slept in Sassy's arms the whole time.

Then Mommy gave Ella some love so Sassy could enjoy her yummy sandwich.

We also got to see Nikki, an event coordinator with our fave caterer, 2Dine4. She met with a bride and groom booking for 2011 at The Wild Onion and stopped by the see the newest addition.

And we also got to see cousin Mimi and her hubby Rooster! On a quick break from touring with their band, The Justin Graves Band, they stopped by and brought their daughter Gabi's favorite Dr. Seuss book. It's called Hop on Pop. It's all about jumping around on Daddy. They told us sweet Gabi hops on her pop so much she's going to break his ribs!!

And here are some silly pics of our pumpkin butt, as Daddy has taken to calling our girl.

This cross eyed look cracks me up! She does it every once in a while when she is in a mood.

This is a new look, brand new from tonight. I would love to know what she is thinking...probably "Mommy stop taking all these pictures of me. I'm pooped!"

And the famous pose that she always struck, even during ultrasounds while Mommy was pregnant. She just never liked all the paparazzi!

And the best look so far... a smile! Now I know that there have been all sorts of studies saying babies can't actually smile, that it's just gas. But whatever, Ella's different! These smiles are the real deal!

Here is one of my fave outfits that I couldn't wait to put on her. It's covered in a fun owl print. For some reason while I was pregnant, I got a thing for owls. I had to have bunches of them for her room. We have owl clothes, owl cups in the bathroom, owls in her mobile...yeah they're everywhere.

Finally she is old enough to try tummy time. So we have been playing around on her play mat that Tia (Aunt Kate) got her. So far it's not her favorite activity. She will only stay on it for about 10 minutes before letting me know she's had enough! But she already holds her head up plenty.

I just had to take a picture of this outfit! Our dear friend Lauren gave her this onesie that she got at The Christmas Affair last year. I just love the print! And she's got on these knit booties that tie so she can't kick them off. We can't keep a pair of socks on her. She constantly knocks them off and Mommy constantly tries to put them back on. It's a losing battle.

Our Little Monkey

So apparently, I gave birth to a monkey, not a baby. Ella's hair is officially out of control!! But it is so adorable! She may need some baby gel and bows soon. Here is our little family at one week old! I can't believe it. We waited so long for her to be here and now she is already having a mini birthday.





Daddy giving some love. He just can't seem to put her down!

So this is right after bathtime, when her hair is the craziest. I think she is trying to be in a rock band... I just love this little face, all chubby with her tongue sticking out!

Where our daughter spends most of her time...hanging out with Daddy watching ESPN. He is convinced she will play golf, tennis or soccer when she is older. I'm thinking she may be a professional poker player because of all the World Poker Tour they watch together. Not to mention that I first felt her kick when Daddy and I were watching poker on TV.

We decided to run a few quick errands the other day and get Ella out into the world. She was so happy being in her car seat and gets very sleepy in it. She was just hanging out, staring around the car.

Almost a Week Old!

I can't believe that our sweet baby is almost a week old! She is starting to fit into her newborn clothes finally. So in honor of Daddy's fave NFL team, the Indianapolis Colts, our good friend Uncle Steven gave Ella some Colts onesies. She got here just in time to cheer on the team last Saturday in their first playoff game!




Her and Daddy sharing the team spirit. Of course Daddy's shirt has some spit up on it! She was ready for the game to start.

And then, the excitement of the Colts win knocked our little girl out.

We have been worried about how our two dogs would react to a screaming munchkin. Well I think we know how Rex feels. He just wants to lick her all over and cuddle. While Daddy was holding Ella, Rex decided he wanted to love on her too. He was a perfectly sweet boy!

Gigi and Hoot (aka my Uncle Rick and Aunt Mary Beth) came to see the newest addition. Here is a pic of them with my Dad. You can tell the family resemblance between my Uncle and Dad. Gigi and Hoot were so sweet and brought up a basket with all of their grandbabies' fave books. I can't wait to start reading them to Ella. Thanks Gigi and Hoot! And thanks Dani, Reid and Gabi for sharing your favorites with your cousin!

Ella is here early!!

Ella Rose was born Wednesday January 13th at 2:51pm. She weighed 7lbs, 8oz and was 20in long. And she has a full head of dark hair!!! Just like Daddy did when he was born. We are so in love.

She is already a Longhorn at heart and wanted to show the world her UT pride with her Daddy...

So at first I wondered who this child belonged to. I didn't think she looked like Mommy or Daddy. But now we have decided she has Mommy's eyes and lips and Daddy's hair, nose, chin and cheeks.

So shortly after I delivered her, the nurse informs me that the biggest flower arrangement she has ever seen has arrived and asked if it was okay to bring it in. Well, this fabulous creation is what was WHEELED in!! My mother and her creative partners at Westbank Floral are the masterminds behind this. Every.single.nurse that came into our room had an absolute fit over Storkie!

Poppy and Sassy with their first grandbaby! Yeah, they are kinda excited.

Grandma with her latest grandbaby

Daddy with his new baby girl. Can I just say that I loved my husband before, but he has been a rockstar to both his girls! He has been running around like crazy taking care of us and waiting on our every need. Daddy is head over heels in love with her and Ella instantly had him wrapped around her little finger! We love you Daddy!!

Stay tuned for more pictures...we have taken a bunch! Ella probably feels like a little princess with her own paparazzi due to all the flashes that have been going off since she was born. Well... she already is a princess!

Baking the World's Cutest Cupcake!!

So Ella's nursery is finally completely done! We've put all the toys together, washed all her clothes and made sure it's super girly! Now all we need is for the little princess to hurry up and get here. So here are a few pics....

My mom made her bedding because I couldn't find anything special enough. So there are lots of ruffles and bows!

This is the wonderful creation my mom and sister have been working on! I am so in love with it! It's just an antique frame with bunches of pink and cream flowers of all kinds. It's perfect for my sweet pea's room!

And finally, I had to throw in a pic of part of her closet...These are all her hanging clothes. The other side has all the folded ones. Yeah...she's pretty spoiled and already has a fabulous wardrobe! You can bet we will be having lots of clothing changes.

In Honor of 37 Weeks

So I have now given in and joined the blogosphere. You will soon be able to see updates of the precious Ella, coming soon to a hospital near you.

I haven't thought much about what it will be like to have a baby girl. Instead I keep thinking of my daughter as an adult, wondering who she will turn out to be. There is so much heartache that I want to spare her from. But that heartache is what will make her a genuine gal. So I started thinking about all the things I want to teach her. Here is a very short list. It's not your typical list. Of course I want her to be caring, loving, thoughtful, etc, etc. But these are things I learned from my as well as other's mistakes. I do realize with some of these I may end up eating my words one day.

1. Listen to your mother...she is almost always right. Especially in high school.
2. Protect your reputation. It is your most precious asset.
3. In high school and college don't listen to boys. They are mainly full of crap.
4. Study hard in high school and don't take the social part too seriously. Save the partying for college...it's waaay better!
5. If you respect yourself, others will too.
6. There is a Prince Charming out there. Don't worry, you'll find him. Or in my case, he will find you.
6. Make a point to keep in touch with your real girlfriends as you get older. You'll know who they are.
7. Don't make excuses for the worthless guy your with. Dump his ass!
8. You'll always be Daddy's little girl. Rub it in his face :)
9. Don't take your siblings for granted. Yes, even when they are taking all the time they want in the bathroom.
10. Try really hard to not give a crap sometimes. Or befriend someone who has mastered this. You will be amazed at how happy they are.
11. Accept that most people will change the longer you know them. And sometimes you won't like who they become. Don't be afraid to cut your losses.
12. Don't be afraid to take a bad picture. These are often the ones that will make you laugh hysterically years later.
13. Some people are like slinkies. They're not really good for anything but they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
14. Sometimes it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
15. Be open minded and stay in the center of the road. Nothing is pretty in extremes.
16. If you think in gray terms, have friends who think in black and white. They will keep you level.
17. It's ok to marry someone who doesn't think or act just like you. Balancing each other out is the best part.
18. It's ok to go to bed mad at your husband.
19. Don't listen to the mass opinion on how to eat, sleep, live or love. It's always a changing fad.
20. Learn to recognize and avoid stupid people. They will always be there. (This is something your daddy taught me)
21. There will always be "that" girl at parties and bars. The super drunk one that everyone makes fun of. Try not to be her.
22. If you are looking for Mister Right, don't let him sample the goodies right away.
23. It's ok to look back and cringe at a mistake. As long as learned from them, those mistakes made you who you are today.
24. Do not get a credit card until you can handle the responsibility. This is probably not until after college.
25. Don't say anything to your parents that you might regret because you will regret it for life.
26. If you pick a celebrity as a role model, you will likely be screwed.
27. It's ok to be a princess sometimes. Just don't use all your princess points at once.
28. No matter how tired or drunk you may be, always wash your makeup off before you go to bed.
29. Use sunscreen on your face. That's what bronzer is for.
30. Marry someone who takes care of you. This is well demonstrated if he will repeatedly pick you and your girlfriends up from the bar because you are too drunk to drive home.

Yep she is coming....

Test Test Test 1st post I'm ready...type away!