45 weeks

Dear Ellie,

You are 45 weeks old now, princess! It has been a very hectic week, but as usual you have been a trooper.

Last Sunday we had the usual Sunday craziness. Running everywhere. You did not nap at church, but stayed pretty quiet for the most part. I did take you out at the end and you really loved playing with another little girl out in the lobby. You are such a social butterfly!

We got home, you finally took your nap, and then we got a little play time in before I had to go to the gym. You and your brother are simply a HOOT together. You just adore him, and he is so good with you. Your Daddy and I are so lucky to have the two most awesome kiddos ever. I took this video of you two playing and you just giggling up a storm, and I just love it! I think you are the only one that can grab a tennis ball right out of his mouth without him even trying to bite. He is such a sweet big brother to you. You both make us so very happy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC8xEba4jFg

Monday was our recoup day, as usual. We just stayed around home, which is nice after busy Sundays. Even at home, though, you are something else to keep up with. You are pulling up on EVERYTHING these days, and can devise a way to get around most of the living room standing up. I cannot believe that you are that big already! I am not ready to be the Momma of a walker!

But, I do think I can officially count your first word now! You've been saying "Momma" for awhile, but I haven't been sure that you know what it means, but Monday you were at you walker, turned around, stretched out your arms and said "Momma!" waiting for me to come pick you up. I think that counts, right?

You also are doing much better with using your spoon. You LOVE greek yogurt, and finally 'got' that you can use the spoon to put it in your mouth instead of grabbing it off the spoon with your hand.

No worries, though, you still manage to coat yourself in yogurt every single time!

Tuesday morning came early because you had a pretty rough night where you were up a couple times. You are such an awesome sleeper that I get spoiled, I think. Usually you are out by 8 and sleep until 6 at least, and then go back out for a couple hours.

It was also a rainy, icky day. We had to run a couple errands to the bank and to the vet, but nothing major. We just stuck to taking Truff on a couple walks!

Wednesday you got to go visit Grandma for some play time. After I got back, we went out to grab a quick lunch. You were a stinkerpants...perfectly happy as long as we kept the cheerios coming, but the second we didn't, there was hell to pay. Oh, little bean, you are so high-maintenance some days! And such a cheerio monster. I cannot believe how many cheerios you can fit into that little mouth. Aunt Andrea said she's counted 6!

That evening it was off to the gym, and then back home in time to get ready for bed. The bad news is that you DID NOT want to go to bed. I had to go in and nurse you down multiple times and it still took over an hour. Sigh. Sleep is good little one!!!

Thursday we had to go run some errands. No problem, I thought! You took a good morning nap and then we headed off to the dollar store. Got finished there and headed to Target. I decided to let you ride in the cart like a big girl. You were SO excited to do that! However, there was a problem...the nice Starbucks lady came around giving out free white mochas. I like those, bean. So I was very excited to get one. You were grunting and looking longingly at it, so being the good Momma I am, I gave you a little bit of the whipped cream. BIG MISTAKE. You had a TOTAL meltdown in the middle of Target, complete with trying to heave yourself out of the cart because I wouldn't give you the entire drink. I thought I had awhile before these kinds of tantrums started! Sadly, I had to throw out my drink, only half gone, because that was the ONLY way to get you to stop screaming. Oh how I love you, little one!

Friday was VERY interesting, it was your first gym overnighter as an outside baby! We were very worried about how you would do being there all night. We set up your pack n play in my office, Daddy hooked up a router so we could use the video monitor, and we hoped for the best (although both Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Andrea were on high alert in case we needed them at any hour of the night!) You did awesome, though. You hung out, watching the big kids and clapping for them until about 8:15, then I nursed you and put you down and you slept until we woke you up at 6:15! You just tolerate our crazy so well. You really were meant to be our baby.

We sent you with Grandma and Grandpa in the morning so Daddy and I could sleep, since we hadn't yet. That was nice, but we missed you horribly. After only a couple hours, I definitely wanted you back way more than I wanted sleep. You had a blast at Grandma and Grandpa's, though, going on walks and playing with the water table.

I still can't believe that we're creeping up on you being a year old. It has gone by SO fast. I feel like every time I blink you are doing something new. I love seeing how you are precocious, strong-willed, and incredibly sweet all wrapped into one! Whenever I'm not feeling good, one of your gummy kisses where you just suck on my lips makes it all better. You just never fail to make me smile. I love being your Mommy, and I love every single moment I spend with you!

I love you, Ellie!
Mommy

44 weeks

Dear Ellie,

You are 44 weeks old today! And of course, you get more and more fun every single day.

Monday evening we took your 10 month pictures. I cannot believe that you were in such a good mood, as we were seriously pushing your bedtime (whoops!) but you were all giggles. The only issue was that you did NOT want to sit still. You were trying to stand, and climb, and everything else. Big shocker, as that is pretty much all you are doing these days! But we did get some great ones, as usual.

Tuesday was an icky, dreary day so we didn't get to take all our normal walks. You did, however get to go see Grandma while I had to go to a Dr. appointment. Looks like my body is still all haywire from having you, bean. Good thing you are worth it!

When we got home, you helped around the house. Well, if you consider helping dumping ALL the diaper laundry out of the basket. How long before I can teach you to fold them???

Wednesday we went to Michigan City with Grandma. The weather was nice, and we had lots of fun. You even found a BIG butterfly! Pretty impressive since you just LOVE chasing butterflies with Grandpa these days. We had to take a pic with the big butterfly and send it to him. I think he's on the lookout for a really big jar now!

Wednesday night we were at the gym, and since your separation anxiety is getting pretty bad these days, I let you stay in the gym with us for the most part. You had fun cruising along the mats and yelling at all the girls!

Thursday was your first Independence Day. I got a little weepy thinking about how this is pretty much your last "first" holiday, but then Daddy reminded me that there will be lots of other "first" holidays: first holiday you remember, first holiday you can talk back at, first holiday you are grounded for... Okay, so maybe I am looking forward to some of those more than others, baby bean. 

We started out the day with waffles and a walk with Truff, then I gave you your first pedi! We now have matching toes, and the cuteness just kills me! You were very good sitting still...especially since Beauty and the Beast was involved. 

After a nap, we went up to Grandma and Grandpa Mason's house. Your cousins Mason and Gavin were there, and they had fun punching themselves in the face and falling down all over in order to make you giggle. 

You went swimming in the lake too, and even though it was cold, you had a blast. You are definitely a little fishy...you LOVE the water!!!

Overall, we had a very nice 4th of July. And as usual, we had lots of fun with you, little firecracker!

Friday we were wiped out, so we skipped the gym (whoops) and slept in (YAY!) You did NOT have the best nap day, but that's okay. We did manage to sneak in lunch with Grandma and Grandpa. Then, when Dad got home, we had to run some errands, and you were a big help with that. You even make errands better, bean!

It is now Saturday, you are napping, Daddy is working in the yard, and I am trying to get muster up the energy tackle some laundry. I save all my spare energy for playing with you, so it is hard to convince myself that the pile of laundry needs work. You're just much more fun. Seeing you smile and giggle, and clap your little hands just amazes me every single time. I love you so much, from the top of those little whispy hairs all the way down to your pretty little piggies! You make me smile in a way no one else ever could.

I love you, Baby Bean!
Mommy

43 weeks

Dear Baby Bean,

43 weeks seems sooo old. I cannot believe that as of TODAY you are 10 months old. Wow! I cannot believe that it is time to start thinking about a birthday party! Weren't you just born yesterday? Time sure does fly...

Enough Mommystalgia. Onto this week. It was a pretty rough week, as you were feeling under the weather for a good portion of it, like I had mentioned before. Your naps weren't great, and you were pretty cranky. We kept you on Tylenol pretty religiously Tuesday and most of Wednesday. It was so hard seeing you so uncomfortable. I wouldn't given anything to switch places with you, bean.

It was pretty cute, you were fighting naps hard, but needed them so badly that you ended up in the funniest postitions. This 'faceplant' one was my favorite. You were sitting up, trying to stay awake, when all of a sudden you just fell (literally) asleep. Such a cute bean, even when you are sick.

By Wednesday evening, you were doing a bit better and your fever was staying down, so you did get to go to the gym, although you stayed in the gym attached to me. I'm pretty good at spotting the girls on their tumbling with you strapped to me in the beco! 

Thursday led to even more improvements. In fact, you were even into playing a little...not just sitting in front of Beauty and the Beast (which Mommy has seen WAAAAAY too much this week since it is the only thing you wanted to do!). You were having a lot of fun playing with your new vanity. You especially like putting on your lipstick...

...and kissing the pretty baby in the mirror. We definitely have something in common...I like to kiss that pretty baby too!

Since we had pretty much stayed home all week, we did have some errands to run on Thursday. We had to be over in that direction, so we went to the breastfeeding group. There was a 1 week old the same weight as you...she just looked soooo tiny. I cannot believe you were EVER that little! We did weight you, although I wasn't expecting much since you were sick this week. 16lbs 5.5oz. Not a great gain, but I'll take it, baby bean!

Thursday night Daddy took us on a date to Hacienda. You loved sharing my quesadilla again! But you loved the birthday song that they sang to another diner even more. You were squealing and clapping along. When we came home, there was a gorgeous rainbow that you and Daddy were looking at! Your first rainbow...since you slept through a couple good ones this year already...

Friday was pretty hectic! You got to go over to Grandma and Grandpa's house in the morning. You still got to chase butterflies with Grandpa, and swing in your swing...your favorites. Then we had a couple errands to run, then home for a nap, then out again with Daddy to get ready for this weekend.

What were we up to this weekend? Well Daddy did a Tough Mudder in Jackson, and we went to watch. You were SO good, and slept in the car on the drive there. We did a TON of walking, so you spent a lot of time in your stroller. We did manage to catch Daddy a couple times on the course and cheer him on though. You did miss him once, because you were snoozing in your stroller like a good little princess, after you managed to get your snack, a fruit pouch, all over you!

You were a TROOPER, though, little one! It started abslutely downpouring at one point when we were making the mile trek back to the car. Jugging the stroller and umbrella through the mud was NOT easy, but we did it! And even though you were soaked, and messy, you had the biggest smile on your face when we made it back to the car!

Daddy managed to do every single obstacle AND finish the 12.5 mile run in about 3 hours. Woooohooo! We were so proud of Daddy!

Sunday was the usual church then gym. You were a stinker at church and didn't nap, so Daddy got to play with you a bunch. Then at the gym you are still very much in Mommy-mode, so I got to do two parent meetings with you on my hip. I gotta say, I don't mind having you attached to me. 

Now it is Monday morning and I'm waiting for you to get up so we can start our day. I love every single day that I get to spend. Whether we play at home, or run errands, or have adventures pummeling through huge mud puddles, I love doing it with my favorite little girl in the world. I love you so much, and I just love being your Mommy!

I love you, Ellie-bean!

Mommy