New Year's Thoughts

I'm a retrospective/prospective sort of person (i.e., an over-thinker).  I like to look where we've been

NYE 2010

NYE 2011

and even more, I like to imagine where we're going.  

NYE 2012

There is no better time for that than New Years.  It's amazing to think how far our little lady has come this year, but I can't help but wonder what Ellie (and our life) will be like when the calendar changes again.  Will she still suck her thumb and sleep with her lovey ("nu nu")?

Will she still nap at all for that matter? Will she still be nursing?  Will she be potty trained (please God!)?  Will she have started preschool?  Will I have gone back to work in some capacity?  Will there be another little one?  What weird, scary, funny, wonderful things might happen this year?  Of course, there is no way to answer that right now, but it's exciting and terrifying to think about.  I can tell you that the future is as bright as this smile here

and that life as we know it is as sweet as this girl.

Welcome, 2013!  We're ready for you and all you have in store for us! .... I think

Layover

Grandma and Grandpa left Friday morning, but Grandma came back this afternoon (she had a 22 hour layover)!  Thank goodness too because someone was craaaaaaanky today.

While her daddy and I got dinner ready, Ellie and Grandma whipped up some tasty things of their own.

I tried to get a sweet picture of the 2 of them, but Jax photobombed it (he must've learned that from Josh).

I tried again and this time he bumped my arm, so it was blurry.  Stinker.

Finally!

We said goodbye to Grandma right before bed.   It was a quick, but nice visit.  Tomorrow she heads to Dallas, Little Rock, and then on to somewhere else that I can't remember all before heading home on the 1st.  Phew.  The crazy life of a flight attendant!

Polar Bears, Pull-Ups, and Presents

While Grandma and Grandpa were here, we had quite a few giggles.

Ellie just loved that she and Grandma both happened to be wearing polar bear shirts.

We also got a few more great presents.  Her daddy and I both got to cash in on our Christmas massages from my dad and we got to use this baby that I won last month

and went on a date!  We saw the HFR version of The Hobbit in 3D (it was our first 3D movie).

Isn't my date the cutest?! :)

When we got back we had another giggle.  While we were gone, Ellie needed a diaper change, but I failed to make sure that the diaper cubby was filled.  My parents looked, but didn't see the giant box of Costco diapers in the guest room.  Mom told me they put a pull-up on her instead.  That was fine, but when I went to get diapers, I noticed that the pull-up package was still unopened.  Hmmm... what was covering my child's tush then?  Ah, yes.  A swim diaper...

... on backwards.  Hehe.  My mom took her mistake in stride and we were all just happy that Ellie had something clean on and didn't have a giant pee (since those things don't exactly hold any liquid).  Also, kudos to my mom for changing her first diaper in 28 years. :)

Finally, Ellie received (what I expect to be) her last Christmas present for the year on Thursday.

Thank you so much, Aunt Jackie, Uncle Josh, and Sidney!

"Tea, anyone?"

Looks like she got a taker. :)

Yup, my date is definitely the cutest.

3 Days (and 90 pictures) of Christmas

As usual, Christmas was done a little differently around here,

 but that's just how we like it.

Christmas Eve Eve a visitor arrived!

No, not Santa!  Grandpa!

Helping Ellie read the last advent story

Christmas Eve morning he left to fly to meet Grandma who had to fly turnarounds to San Francisco Christmas Eve and Christmas day with the intention of them both flying back to us Christmas evening.

The prospect of flying on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was rightfully terrifying to Ellie!

 She just said, "No no no".

 However, she said, "Yes yes yes" to opening up the one present under the tree on Christmas Eve.

"New jammies!"

That evening she got an extra special treat: we sat her down to watch tv!  

The Grinch, to be specific.

It was only 28 minutes long, but she managed to sit about 76 different ways.

Before bed we put out milk and cookies for Santa and carrots and (bottled) water for the reindeer.

Looks like Ellie was a very good girl this year!

The first glimpse!

Ellie immediately had to try out her new comfy chair from Santa.

She checked to make sure that the cookies and carrots were gone.

Then it was on to more presents!

Uncle Matt's present was a big winner!

Mickey + book + stickers = LOVE!

Santa also brought her some really fun puzzles!

Hands down, the most popular gifts of the morning came from Aunt Mary!

She then made Daddy put it all together right then and there.

She also had to open all of the puzzles.

She's already mastered them.

The dogs got into the spirit as well.

In other exciting news of the day, we took down her crib since she wasn't using it except as a trampoline.

Now she has more room to play!

The dogs have more room too.

We also made sure to sing "Happy to you, Jesus!"

and then she had a cookie in lieu of a cupcake.

By mid afternoon it was clear that thanks to weather delays, Grandma and Grandpa would not be coming in until possibly very late Christmas night (if at all), so we went outside to play.

 After a fabulous Christmas dinner of bison burgers and sweet potato fries, we all watched Charlie Brown Christmas and went to bed.

Grandma and Grandpa didn't make it in until 2pm on the 26th, so our family Christmas celebration took place on Boxing Day.  Ellie dressed appropriately for the occasion

including her Boxer pants. :)

"'E' for Ellie!"

She was so excited to get to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa

and open more presents

potty training stickers and chart.. dun dun dun

play doh kit!

and was even more excited when the doorbell rang and another box of presents was dropped off!

She pushed it down the hallway toward her room and claimed it as her own.

And actually, it was her own.  It was chock-a-bock full of more presents from her Aunt Mary and Mrs. Q!

"Books!"

Aunt Mary got her the entire set of princesses for her castle!

Thank you so much for the fabulous books, Mrs. Q!

The rest of our Boxing Day celebration was filled with playing

 and more playing

and a gorgeous sunset that just demanded to be photographed by Ellie.

 Dinner was a wee bit of a disaster.  I totally misread how many pounds our ham was, so I got frustrated when after the allotted time it was still cold and for some reason my annual batch of popovers became pop-unders.

Ellie still liked them though

and none of it mattered anyway because we got to spend lots of quality time with family and that's what counts.

And now for some Christmas flashbacks!!!

2010

2011

(She didn't feel well that morning)

2012

2010

2011

2012

We hope your Christmas was just as full of love!