ONE YEAR: Birthday and Baby #2!

Ellie seems like a full blown toddler now! My favorite nickname for her is Bug, short for love bug. She walks everywhere, sometimes even runs, and is really showing her personality. She loves walking up to new people and just staring or being near them. We celebrated her birthday the week before and had some of her favorite foods, friends, and family. She enjoyed the cake, but wasn't very interested in opening up presents. Her dad made her own table and chair set and one of her new favorite gifts is a farm set she got. She likes to try and make the noises the animals make that I think she learned from all the times we have read her Favorite book Moo, Ba, Lalala

One big thing this month is that we have fully transitioned to whole milk. We're learning some new thins in this process, like how quickly whole milk can spoil. She has been given sour milk a few too many times!
We have had a few more ear infections this month and some high fevers because of the new tooth she is getting.
Lots and lots of head bruises. If Rand could put her in a helmet, I think he would! Lots of head bonks into the wall  corners and other objects.
She seems to really enjoy her time at the YMCA with friends while mommy works out. Sometimes I'll get a wave goodbye, but most of the time she just starts to play! I'm really thankful that it's easy for both of us now.
Before bed she has snuggle time with dad with her purple blankie. She hugs onto his shoulder and just want to be held, rocked and sung to before sleepy time.
She loves to dance to the only movie she will watch, baby einstein. She rocks back and fourth and shakes her head.
She is learning how to play hide and seek and a sort of tag game.
She likes to hide under her blanket and say "where is Ellie" until she takes of her blankie.
Her communication style is a variations of grunts, ahhs, and pointing. I have a feeling when she starts to learn more words she will have a lot of them. She has started to say dadda and ba, for bye. She really likes to wave bubye.
She really enjoys playing with kia. They laugh and play together.  Sometimes she will grab her and put her face into her fur.
She is starting to run away from me when it is time to get dressed, put her coat on, or change her diaper.
She is learning lots about electronics. She loves to hold the xbox controller, turn the t.v off and on, take my phone, and play a game on my iPad.
She still doesn't like pulling herself up to standing, but she is getting the hand of it. She still doesn't crawl, but she is learning this butt scoot thing.
The weather is finally getting a bit nicer and one day we spent the afternoon outside. She couldn't stop laughing! She thought it was hilarious to walk off the curb and splash in the puddles.
She also spent some time trying to bond with my parents cat. Loui is a pretty scared, overweight kitty and was not a fan of all the attention she wanted to lavish on him. He would hiss at her and pretty soon Ellie was hissing back. Super entertaining interaction. Whenever she sees a cat she will giggle and squeal with delight.

New Kitty Shirt, SHE LOVES CATS!

Table and chair set Rand made. 

"Amelia Earheart"

Reading with Dad. 

Birthday party!

Unsure about Quedoba..

Multitasking in Grandpa's new wagon. 

One of her favorite passtimes-taking all my cards out. 

Birthday smiles on our roadtrip home from the cities. 

Cherry Berry to celebrate turning one!

Casual Dining. 

Attitude. 

This month has seemed so long! We have gone from winter, to spring, to winter, to spring. Rand just got back from a week long conference in Montreal for work and so Ellie and I spent some time, just the two of us. I was petrified to be alone with her that long, but I found myself very surprised through out the week. I was able to figure out activities that would be honoring for me and was able to ask for help so that I could have some mommy breaks. It was really neat to build that confidence and see that I was capable of doing things I didn't feel capable of even 6 months ago. Rand's parents provided a lot of support and one night they did an overnight with Ellie. It was our first night apart and it was heavenly to sleep in past our normal routine. I also savored some sweet time with friends, a trip to the cities, some meals out, and a pampering getting a mani and pedi. One thing that struck me as I sat in tears after Rand left was seeing how much of an idol he is to me. While intimacy with my best friend is something I think is a huge dimension of marriage, I realized how much I turn to him to meet all my emotional needs in a way that he wasn't designed to fill this side of heaven. I savored some sweet time with Jesus confessing that, sharing some deep parts of my heart with him and basking in the love, comfort, and peace he offers.

Another event we enjoyed this month was finding out that we are expecting baby #2 on November 11th, making me 10 weeks along this week! So cheers to reproduction, this season of morning sickness, puking after changing diapers, sensory overload, and the pendulum of craving everything under the sun to not being able to eat anything at all. The reality that we are not entitled to a healthy pregnancy or child has really struck me this pregnancy, making the sweet moment meeting our tiny person over ultrasound and hearing it's heartbeat one of thanksgiving and joy.

Little arms and legs!