Ella's birthday week

I can't believe how long it has taken me to add this entry to the blog!  Life has been kind of hectic, but Ella had a wonderful week of birthday parties and surprises.  Here are just a handful of the hundreds of pictures that were taken...

Ella started off her birthday by getting her new chair.  She woke up to it on her birthday morning, before daddy left for school.  

Ella soon had the chair figured out, and I couldn't keep her sitting still long enough to get an

 "I am 1 today" picture taken...

She loved opening her new Little People Farm when it came in the mail, and couldn't wait to play with it!

Getting ready for her first party.

Ella's friend Justin came over for supper on her birthday night. As you can tell, Ella is kind of a little bully!

Ella and Justin both had runny noses, so we had lots of kleenex around.  When mama wasn't looking, Ella decided to make her own birthday confetti...

Good morning, sunshine!  

(In her birthday PJ's--we had a cupcake theme down to the shoes AND PJ's thanks to Grammy!)  

Party day!  

We had a Ella's party on Saturday the 13th.  Her Grammy and Grampy Harold,  G.G. (Great Grandma Ele), Uncle Nate and Kristin all came to help her celebrate, and we had a wonderful time.  Ella loved getting to spend time with all of them.  

Ella was not fond of the birthday hat!

She wasn't too sure about the cake at first either, and tried to give it away...

but then, she decided that it was wasn't too bad!

BIG GIRL!

Getting ready for a birthday party!

In less than one week my baby girl is going to be one...it's amazing how fast time flies.  Ella is walking all over the place and is attempting to climb onto and into things she has no business getting into.  She is signing "more" and "all done," and is starting to say mama and dada (she's been saying dada for awhile, but it is more consistent now). Ella gives kisses and hugs, and loves her baby dolls. They usually get more kisses than we do!  I am fixing birthday treat bags for the neighborhood kids, as they all love her.  As soon as we pull into the driveway in the evening, we are asked if Ella can come out and play.  And, as you can imagine, she loves the attention!  Daycare is wonderful and Ella is thriving there.  She now wants down as soon as we get there and barely has time to tell me goodbye.  Life is good...

One of the pictures from Ella's birthday invitation photo shoot...

(for those of you waiting for your invitation--we are still trying to get them. Shutterfly messed up the original ones and is supposed to be sending us new ones.  Boo.) 

Ella now gets her own snacks out of the pantry.  She is still quite the eater!

Last weekend, Ella helped Grammy make pancakes.  The pictures make it look like she did really good, but don't be fooled.  I just didn't get any pics of her waving the whisk around and splattering batter...

Ella also attempts to get her own drinks...looks like we need to move the beer!

Walk this way

Ella has surprised us all this week by taking off.  She will take several steps on her own, and has even stood up by herself on a couple of occasions and taken off.  She seems to surprise herself every time she does it!  I got a Flip video camera for my birthday, so many videos will be coming.  :)  Here are a couple of her walking between us. I am trying to catch her when she does it on her own, but I'm still a little slow on the draw...

More pictures (of a now 11 month old)

I added a few more pictures of fair weekend and from Ella's 11 month birthday.  I can't believe we are going to have a 1 year old in less than a month!  As you can tell from the pictures, a BIG personality continues to emerge...

Ella continues to be too short to use the walker at Grammy and Grampy's, so she uses it as a step stool instead. 

Saturday with GG

Just a fun then and now:

April 6, 2008

August 3, 2008

Ella loves to walk, but still needs some assistance.  When her walker isn't handy she uses whatever is nearby, including the trash can.

August 10, 2008

Boo...it's the end of our summer.

We are sad to say that our summer vacation is over.  We have had a great time, and have gotten way too used to being together. We are currently in the market for a new daycare provider, as the one who has been watching Ella is not going to work out. All I am going to say on this subject is that I don't know how hard one's heart must be to not be able to make an effort to love and nurture my beautiful girl.  And now on to the end-of-summer memories that make us SMILE...

We went to the Wallace County fair with Grammy and Grampy Harold.  Ella was much more interested in escaping the stroller and walking than she was in riding the rides, but humored us all by riding the helicopters and carousel.  :)  We think she may enjoy it more next year!  

More pictures to come, I am having trouble getting them on blogger right now (and my little helper is now awake and not being much help!)  :)

Ella's first rock show

Ella got to go to her first rock show last weekend.  Her Uncle Nate is in the band, The Honorary Title and they played in Lawrence Sunday night.  The band didn't come on until about 10:30, but Ella did great and made it through the first two songs before going back to the hotel for bedtime.  She was excited to see Nate onstage and pointed and waved to him!  

Ella's first pizza (a white pizza from Rudy's).  She loved it, and many other new foods that she tried this weekend, including mashed potatoes, edamame, tofu, and risotto.  She has quite the diverse palate and two of her current favorite foods are Israeli couscous and cooked red bell peppers.  

Ella giving her baby a ride.  She is getting quite brave!

Grammy started Ella walking this way this weekend, and by Tuesday Ella did not want to ride in the cart or be carried--she wanted to walk!