Elli Loves...

Here are a few of Elli's greatest loves:

-FOOD (any and all varieties...she does prefer homemade squash, but overall she loves to eat...make sure you are not in between she and her bottle as she will knock you down!)
-Patterns: carpet, upholstery, clothing, doesn't matter (she loves to look and touch patterns...especially carpet patterns)
-Her DADDY - he's the coolest person in the whole world; as soon as he walks into a room she lights up and starts smiling and laughing (she especially loves his funny voices)
-Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - especially the theme song and the Hot Diggity Dog dance (I have officially been inducted into the world of parenting as I've has both of these songs in my head for about a month and a half now...over and over and over and over)
-The Itsy Bitsy Spider - she likes to sing along with this one (and usually tries to be louder than whoever is singing it to her); generally all songs are all right with her
-Our Babysitter's Kids: Grace and Chloe
-Standing, kicking, grabbing, chewing, playing airplane, rolling, sitting up - as long as she's moving she's okay
-Her bug blanket - thanks Grandma and Grandpa Mast...she's loved this silky little blanket since she was about a week old
-Football - she does enjoy watching the occasional football game (she also enjoys her Chicago Bear teether...guess which grandparents that came from??)
-Coldplay Lullabies - it's a sure fire way to get her calmed down and to sleep (thanks Uncle Syd!)
-Her Changing Table - we have some of our funniest times on the changing table...I think it's because we are constantly talking and singing to her when we are changing her
-Baths - she seems to like baths but definitely not the being cold afterward part; she's just recently started trying to swallow all of her bath water
-Tags - it's amazing that she can have the funnest toy in her hand and the thing she goes for above all else is the tag; whoever made the 'taggies' toy line must be a gazillionaire

Other fun things we've been up to:

Elli's always been super ticklish but just recently she's really started laughing hard when being tickled. Greg has the touch...she rolls every time. We'll have to get a video of it and post it.

Going to Greg's basketball games. Elli seems to enjoy watching the boys play...until about halftime of the second game at least.

Grace's preschool Christmas concert. Elli was so great during it. She loves to watch other kids...part of the reason why I think she loves Grace and Chloe so much.

Elli's grandparents have come to babysit which is fun for Elli and also nice for Greg and I to get out. We've had a lot to celebrate lately so we've had some nice dinners out.

Greg and Elli had some daddy/daughter time when school was cancelled last week. I'm so grateful that we all three are off until January 5th! We are going to take advantage of this time together...and play a lot of Rock Band (after about two months of trying to validate purchasing this game for our Wii we finally got it...and it is SO much fun...totally worth it!!!!).

I'll try to get some videos and pictures posted soon. I just wanted to post something so that my sister would get off my back about 'being a bad mom' and not updating our blog. Elli is as cool as ever (actually cooler) and we are having so much fun playing and watching her grow. This Christmas already means so much more. I've been reading Twas the Night Before Christmas and The Shepherd's Christmas to Elli on a pretty regular basis. We are trying to share the true meaning of Christmas with her now...it might be a year or two until she gets it though. :)

Giving Thanks!

Aren't we all so incredibly blessed? To have families, friends, jobs, freedom...and the list goes on. I am truly thankful this holiday season for the blessings in my life. Our Thanksgiving was a good one. Elli started on vegetables Thanksgiving day. She celebrated with some carrots...it seemed only appropriate. She is really loving her food and seems to really enjoy the homemade apples that Aunt Ehrin mentored me through. I took the week of Thanksgiving off so Elli and I took a trip to Ehrin's so that she could school me on some baby food making. We made squash, sweet potatoes, apples, carrots and peas. It was pretty simple, cheaper than buying baby food and ended up being fun. Ehrin is definitely my mentor. I call her for every question, issue and panic attack and she calmly guides me through. I am so grateful that she is close to us and watching Elli.

I am also grateful for amazing friends. Elli has so many 'aunts' and 'uncles' in her life. From my good friends and accountability partners Katie and Heather to our much loved cousins Syd, Chris, Sarah and Katie (yes, I am mentioning Katie twice...I just love her so much and am SO excited for her to move right next door to us...come on, you know you want to!!!:) to Beth who is the most generous person I know to our Bible Study friends Justin and Audra. And the amazing thing is I could go on! We spent time with some of those aunts and uncles tonight - Chris, Sarah, Syd and Katie. We are so excited for the Ponslers travels to Ethiopia to pick up their long awaited bundle of joy. We can't wait to meet our newest cousin...we already love him so much!! The boys played Rock Band (or whatever it's called) and Elli seemed to enjoy it about as much as they did. I think they can take their show on the road. Elli and I could totally be groupies. Below Elli is watching Syd playing the drums. She alternated between watching Syd and looking up at Greg while he was singing.

Thanks Sarah and Chris for the Pumas...Elli's kickin' it in them for sure! :) I never thought I would have shoe envy toward my six month old!

Speaking of six months...HAPPY SIX MONTH BIRTHDAY ELLIOT! I took her for her six month appointment today and everything looks good. She's still pretty much off the charts for her weight, but she's now up to 12 lbs 6 oz! The funny thing is that she's technically not in 6 months clothes if you go by weight alone (most we have start at 12 1/2 lbs) but as you can see from the picture above she's already getting too tall for them. Do they make baby clothes in 6 month waist and 9 months length??? The doctor seemed to approve of everything we have going on with Elli including her development (sitting up by herself, grabbing things and switching hands, the feeding schedule she is on, eye contact, etc.). She also commended me for continuing to nurse Elli as she's been with me since the beginning struggles with Elli's weight...my goal was to get to six months and we made it! Who would have thought we would be able to do it!?!? When the doctor got to Elli's legs as she was checking out all of her joints she must have hit the tickle spot because Elli started cracking up as the doctor was moving her legs in circles. It was so funny. The next thing: talking. The doctor said she should be working out mamamama, dadadada, babababa any day. I'm betting on the mamamama first. :)

We are so thankful for Y-O-U! Happy Belated Thanksgiving!!