Happy Birthday Ella Girl!

My princess is one. Holy smokes. We partied like is was 1999. The theme was Spring time in Paris. Obviously, this was mama's party too. There was french music in the air, baguettes, pastries, and no Parisian party could be complete without an Eiffel Tower :) I was a busy lady for weeks prior to this party. First, I dusted off the embroidery machine that Justin bought for me the Christmas before last, and FINALLY learned how to use it. I've been wanting to figure that thing out since I got it, but it's overwhelming, seeing all those bobbins and needles, and I haven't the least bit of domestic talent. Or, at least I didn't think I did. But as it turns out, I'm not half bad :)

Here are some pics from her 12 month photos that I took...

I baked and decorated a smash cake! We took pics with the new camera that Justin and Sherry bought me this past Christmas. My little princess did so well. She didn't really smash the cake though, just a few little fingers full of icing and she was satisfied. Brother on the other hand, wanted to dive in head first! Needless to say, I didn't manage to have the photos edited, printed, and framed prior to the party, but I hope to mail them out and have some printed for either Easter or Mother's Day. Look at my sweet angel in a basket!

 Such a doll baby. Her 12 month well child check was yesterday, Ella was 22 pounds and 15 ounces and I don't remember how long :( She was on the 60th%ile for just about everything. Her head was a little big, but hello, have you met her brother? :) This sweet girl is talking up a storm. She impressed our pediatrician so much. Dr. Shawinsky said, "You can carry on a conversation with this child. It's remarkable." Why, thank you ;) (Proud mama) Ella was showing off her knowledge of colors, body parts, trying to put her shoes on, etc. This is one smart girl. She can say blue, and point to the color blue, she can say shoe, book, Jack and make all sorts of animal noises (dog, cow, monkey, elephant, duck, goose, owl). She sleeps through the night (Thank you Lord!) and is miss independent. She wasn't so badly to walk and will take a few steps at a time. She mostly enjoys walking around holding onto someone's finger, only one though, don't try to take both of her hands, heaven forbid!

Our chalkboard in the kitchen...

Daddy, getting in the spirit. He could pass for a disgruntled French man. Wee,wee!

Jack helped get sugar cookies ready for Ella's party. I almost scrapped the whole idea b/c, while they tasted delicious, they looked more like rockets than Eiffel Towers. Thankfully, Katie convinced me to finish them, the night before the party, and they turned out so cute! I'll definitely keep practicing at them. I've looked up some decorating ideas for Easter too. They are pretty easy to do, just takes practice.

 Jack also assisted me getting ready for Ella's photos, until he took off with the props :) He said, I go wake Ella up with balloon. And he did.

 She was very happy!

The night before her actual birthday, we decorated her bedroom door. I also sustained an injury, trying to scrape dry food off of a measuring cup. I didn't let it slow me down, we had a party to plan!

 Day of the party. These pictures are from my cell phone. If I can figure out how to download them from my camera, I'll post more.

 We wanted dad to get in on the photo booth action...so we "stormed the Bastille!" with a pink boa :)

Ella stole my champagne!

I'll post more soon!

1983

32 years old...Is that insane?!? I pause looking at that number for a long time. 32. Mostly, because I have a hard time accounting from about 28 until now...that is, until I look around. This house is cluttered with baby toys, I smell the intoxicating scent of Dreft laundry detergent, I hear Jack and Justin talking, as they do every night, while Justin tucks Jack into bed. Sometimes, I stand outside his door so I can listen to the two of them talking. They'll go over the day, say prayers, and talk...all of this usually punctuated with giggling and poking. "No poke!" "Yeah, POKE!" Jack says, as he digs his pointy little finger into your cheek. He's really cute and lovable at this age. He's always been so easy to love.

Jack is doing so much fun stuff. He pretend plays with his trains, giving them different voices, creating catastrophic situations, "help, HELP!" "Hi, what's you name?" "Need more coal." He's started fighting bed time too. "Two minutes, five minutes." "Eat mama!" Whatever he can say to prolong bed time. And he still gets up at the crack of dawn. He's gotten the hang of his mustang Santa brought him. He and Ella like trolling around the neighborhood. We went to the park this afternoon and Jack buried his trains in the mulch. That, swinging and going down the slide a few times, are his big interests.

Ella is a climber. That girl climbs everything! Under tables, on the picnic table, up the slide, up the climbing wall in the park. Just like her mama. I loves climbing trees. My favorite was the dogwood outside my grandparents house. I would sit up there after school on cool fall afternoons, smelling the leaves burning in the neighborhood, waiting for Dad to come pick us up. Granny came outside a few times to tell me she was worried I would fall out, but she never stopped me from climbing higher.

There is a lot of me in Ella. She is a fighter. If she wants something. She makes it well known and doesn't stop until its hers. She's going to be a strong leader one day. She brings comfort to people around her because she is so sure of herself. She'll probably be walking this month. She stands for several seconds unassisted, and she'll about twist your fingers right off your hands walking around the room. She loves to walk, and climb stairs. I must pull her off the stairs ten times a day. Well, I don't really pull her off the stairs. I let her climb all the way up. I'll pinch her thighs and bite her ribs as she climbs. It's fun. I can't blame her.

Ella is getting more verbal too. She says Jack, uh-oh, and baba (bottle). She can tell you what a monkey, lion, elephant, cow, dog, and duck say. She nods her head and says "yeah, yeah" when she wants something, likes something, or you ask her a question. I could have sworn today, she was saying 'want.' I'm not sure though.

The weekend of my birthday, Sherry and Cliff were in town, we went to Halls. They'd never been and it's always a treat for us! The joke of the evening centered around an exposed brick wall. We couldn't get enough of it but only seemed to comment on it or admire it or touch it (yes, touch it) as the waitress was coming to our table. She looked at us like we had consumed too much...probably correctly so. Either way, lots of fun.

Last weekend, mom and dad came down. They watched the kids while Justin and I went to dinner. It was nice to have an evening away. They are so great with the kids. Jack loves his Mimi and Pops!

After meeting Mimi and Pops out for lunch, we came back to the house. The next day, we went to the aquarium. 

This weekend, Aunt Katie came down. We went out on the town, something we've never done before. It was great to spend time together like that. We went to a roof top bar at Grill 225 and got martinis and a tuna tower. Then we went to Halls where we were squeezed in after a glass of Prosecco (time increment). We split scallops, okra, cream corn, and lobster mac and cheese. Man, oh man, that place is amazing. Really, the best food I've ever eaten.

Katie watched the kiddos for me while I went to a doctors appointment. She sent me this little nugget via snap chat. haha!

Katie is such a good aunt. Those babies love her like crazy.

Below, we're riding the train in the mall...

So between babies and family, that's where the last few years have gone. It's been a whirl wind and it's amazing how time speeds up the older you get. This year, I hope, will be no different...busy and full of love. It was nice to be surrounded by family and friends as my 32 year rolled around. Short of the stomach bug that struck the weekend after, I have to say it's shaping up to be the best one yet :) I mean, who couldn't be excited about spending another year with these cuties?!?

Or growing another year older with this hot rod? (Love ya honey)