Through the eyes of a child

Oh what JOY Christmas was this year! I learned so much through the eyes of Ella Beth. Scott and I (aka - Santa) got Ella Beth a kitchen for Christmas. We were anticipating it being moved to the playroom of our new house, but when that got nixed...I had decided that I was not going to have a tacky play-kitchen set up in my living room. Just not going to have it. Isn't is funny how God teaches us? Seeing how happy and excited Ella Beth has been over her kitchen has made me content to leave it out for everyone to see. I still wish that there was a playroom in the near future, but since there doesn't seem to be...I am happy watching her enjoy herself "cooking and cleaning" all day long.

Ella Beth got so much stuff for Christmas...a baby doll we named Anna, accessories for Anna which Ella Beth absolutely loves, a bus with people that move and sing, blocks - 120 of them!, puzzles, a tractor with a farmer and animals that make noises, money for savings bonds, clothes, her name painted and framed (meant for playroom...still wondering where to put it), books that have at least one kitty in each (a must), and various food items for her kitchen. Way too much, but she has enjoyed it all.

Okay...what I know you really want - PICTURES:

I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours. It was so much fun to share in the love of Jesus with Ella Beth. Next year it will be even more fun with Landon in our family!

We leave for Gatlinburg on Friday, so I'll be taking a short hiatus. Plenty of pictures to share when we get back...that's a promise!

Happy 2008!

Through the eyes of a child

Oh what JOY Christmas was this year! I learned so much through the eyes of Ella Beth. Scott and I (aka - Santa) got Ella Beth a kitchen for Christmas. We were anticipating it being moved to the playroom of our new house, but when that got nixed...I had decided that I was not going to have a tacky play-kitchen set up in my living room. Just not going to have it. Isn't is funny how God teaches us? Seeing how happy and excited Ella Beth has been over her kitchen has made me content to leave it out for everyone to see. I still wish that there was a playroom in the near future, but since there doesn't seem to be...I am happy watching her enjoy herself "cooking and cleaning" all day long.

Ella Beth got so much stuff for Christmas...a baby doll we named Anna, accessories for Anna which Ella Beth absolutely loves, a bus with people that move and sing, blocks - 120 of them!, puzzles, a tractor with a farmer and animals that make noises, money for savings bonds, clothes, her name painted and framed (meant for playroom...still wondering where to put it), books that have at least one kitty in each (a must), and various food items for her kitchen. Way too much, but she has enjoyed it all.

Okay...what I know you really want - PICTURES:

I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours. It was so much fun to share in the love of Jesus with Ella Beth. Next year it will be even more fun with Landon in our family!

We leave for Gatlinburg on Friday, so I'll be taking a short hiatus. Plenty of pictures to share when we get back...that's a promise!

Happy 2008!

Birth Announcement

This is my most favorite birth announcement that I have made thus far. I just think it is absolutely beautiful, and I just wanted to share it with someone out there. Oh, how I can't wait to create one especially for Landon! (Can I be honest and tell you that I already have 3 different layouts just waiting for his precious pictures! Oh boy!!!)

Birth Announcement

This is my most favorite birth announcement that I have made thus far. I just think it is absolutely beautiful, and I just wanted to share it with someone out there. Oh, how I can't wait to create one especially for Landon! (Can I be honest and tell you that I already have 3 different layouts just waiting for his precious pictures! Oh boy!!!)

I'm confused...

When I went to the doctor in November, they told me that I had gained 13 pounds total.

When I was weighed on Tuesday, they told me that I had only gained a pound and a half in the last month...which is why the doctor wasn't satisfied with my weight gain. She said that pound and a half had only put my weight gain at 14.5 pounds, but the nurse told me that I had gained a total of 19 pounds. Now, I know I didn't gain 6 pounds last month...but I don't know what my total weight gain is.

It was much easier during my pregnancy with Ella Beth b/c I stood backwards on the scale and didn't know how much weight I gained until the end of my pregnancy. I think I'm going to start standing backwards again (it's only 11 weeks until my due date, so no biggie). And, I guess it doesn't matter since I don't know exactly what I've gained anyway.

So much for braving the scales!

I'll be posting belly shots as soon as Scott takes them. Believe me, the belly's not easy to miss!

Cookie Recipe!!!

Okay...I know this is 2 posts in one day...but I just have to share the cookie recipe that I just made. These "semi-homemade" cookies remind me exactly of the Chocholate Chocolate Mint cookies my grandma used to make. DELICIOUS!!!

1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge mix)

1 stick of butter

2 Large eggs

1 Tbs. water

1/2 bag of Andes Candes Mint Pieces

Mix first 4 ingredients together with mixer. You will have to work the batter off the sides and bottom b/c it will be very thick. (Remember, we're making cookies, not a cake. :o)

Stir in Andes pieces.

Drop by tablespoon on to parchment paper and bake @350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet about 3 minutes; note: cookies will appear "puffy" when you take them out of the oven, but will settle by the time they are ready to remove. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Little Miss A

Oh, how I love newborn sessions! The pure sweetness and innocence of a brand new life is so special. Working on these pictures really started getting me excited about taking Landon's pictures. I just can't wait to see him...his features, how he resembles Ella Beth, how much hair he has! Such anticipation!

Enjoy these few pics of Little A...

A band-aid and update

Yesterday, Ella Beth cut her finger and it bled pretty badly. We put her first band-aid on her tiny finger. She didn't know what to think of it at first, but left it on long enough for it to stop bleeding...and long enough for a quick picture!

I went to the doctor this morning for my appointment. I had to have my glucose screening test as well as a Rogham shot since I have a negative blood type and Scott has a positive. I got stuck twice within two minutes. OUCH! I am still measuring 1 cm small, which I did with Ella Beth. The doctor also said that my weight gain was low. Ummm...hello...have you looked at me? I surely am not sparce on the growth area! I have gained 19 pounds thus far, which is a lot if you ask me. However, since I was considered "under weight" at the beginning of my pregnancy, the doctor says I "should" be gaining more. Okay...I am 5 feet and 1/2 an inch tall. 19 pounds is a lot of weight for me. And, I still have weight to put on. Grrr.

Well, the doctor talked to me for a while about my contractions. I had three while at the doctor's office this morning. She said that I need to be re-evaluated at my next appointment in two weeks to determine whether or not I will need to be put on bed rest. Lovely. Just what a mother of a 16-month old wants to hear. I told her that I am sure they are due to chasing Ella Beth around all day. We'll see what they say in two weeks. Two weeks?!?! Can you believe that it's already time to start going to the doctor every two weeks? Where, oh where, has this pregnancy gone?

Over the weekend, we were invited to a Birthday Party For Jesus. It was so fun to get together with friends and their families. We had lots of yummy food, story time, craft time, and good ol' fun for the kiddos. We also found out 100% that Ella Beth still does not like to be dirty - even for craft time. There was an angel to make, and we tried to put paint on Ella Beth's hands to make the angel's wings. She started screaming when we got within a foot of her with that paint. Such a funny girl! She is such a neat freak that it really is comical. At dinner, if she's eating off of her tray and her food is all gone, she wants us to clean it off before she will let us put more food on it. We try to tell her that it will just get dirty again, but she won't listen to reason. ;) If some food falls in her lap, oh boy...we'd better get it up quick! Where did this come from? I mean, Scott and I like to be clean and tidy like the next person, but freakish about it we are not. She definitely gets this personality trait on her own. Here's a picture of Scott holding Ella Beth as she watches me get the paint ready. Can't you just read her face, "Ummm, you're not planning on me actually touching that are you???"

I feel the need to ask for a little bit of prayer. I have not been handling the not-getting-a-house situation very gracefully over the last few days. Apparently, I am much more disappointed, upset, angry, etc., than I thought. I am sure it's due to the fact that we had already done so much regarding the house (e.g. chosen paint colors, lighting fixtures, carpet, re-designed the kitchen, and on), and also due to the fact that this house seems so small just thinking about Landon's arrival. I can't imagine how small it is going to feel once he actually arrives. I know that I should be thankful for what I have; I know that I am "rich" compared to 98% of the world; I know that "one day" will actually be reality. I know all of this. I don't need a lecture, just prayers that I will be content and happy where God has me.

Thanks.

Love grows best in little houses

Well, this past weekend Scott and I have decided not to build the house that we put a contract on in Dawson Forest Manor. Wow. I actually typed that, so it means it's true.

Am I disappointed? Yes.

Am I okay with the decision? Without a doubt.

Isn't it weird how you can be very disappointed about something but totally okay with it at the same time? I guess that's what faith and trust are all about.

It is still sinking in that we will remain in these tight quarters for yet another "little while longer," but when my husband comes to me and tells me that he "just doesn't feel right" about the house - I trust his decision. I know that the Lord will still bless us here. I know that the Lord will still bless us in the future when we do build our "dream" house.

Scott has really thought about the house in DFM, and he feels that the builder is really taking advantage of us. We want a nice house, and since Scott was going to do so much work himself, financially the builder was still asking way too much. We could afford it, so that's not the issue. It's just that if we are going to put so much money and personal time into something, we want to make sure that it's worth it.

For now, we will just wait and see what happens. We are under contract with Century 21 for 3 months for their real estate services. With the market the way it is, I'm sure we will still be here in 3 months time. If something were to come out of our real estate contract, we'll just go from there.

There is a bright side...I do have a nursery that I now get to decorate. :)

Anyway, thanks to those of you who have kept us in your prayers about the house situation. Apparently, our prayers were answered; just not in the way we thought they would be. But, that's okay. As they say, "Love grows best in little houses."

Ella Beth

My daughter is 16 months old today. That takes my breath away. She is getting so "big" in many different ways. She wants to feed herself, and if we try to help she gets very upset. It's messy business. Ella Beth loves to twirl around and around. With or without music. She throws her arms out to the side, and just goes around and around. She wants "down" almost always when we're out in public. It's almost as though she's hit the teenage stage where kids want to be separate from their parents. At home, it's a different story.

My daughter is wide open all of the time. My dad used to use the term "wide open" and I never really liked it. However...Scott and I use it on a daily basis to describe our little girl. She is non-stop from the moment she wakes up until she goes to sleep. She runs everywhere. She talks constantly. She talks in her sleep. Really.

My daughter is tiny. She finally weighs 17 pounds. We fed her beyond her compacity over the last month, and it worked. However, she's eating less now b/c she knows when she's hungry and when she's not. That's fine with me. The doctor told us at her appointment this past Monday that Ella Beth has achieved all of the 2-year milestones. Wow. The doctor observed Ella Beth for almost 20 minutes and determined that, "due to her advanced acheivement I don't feel that it is necessary to see a nutritionist. I can see from watching her that she is 1) very active, 2) very advanced, and 3) going to be petite." Finally. I wanted to say that she could have listened to me months ago. But I didn't.

I love this little girl. I love watching her around other babies and children. She is very sweet to babies. She thinks she is as big as older kids. She is a paradox. Feisty and stubborn and whiney one minute. Cuddly and sweet the next.

Ella Elizabeth has changed me as a person. Although not always evident, I am much more patient and tolerant and understanding than ever before. I try to look at things from her perspective, and I realize that it's hard being a baby toddler.

It's hard being a parent, too. Knowing that so much love can consume one heart is over-whelming. Love for the child and for the father of that child.

So much fun!

I am loving each stage with Ella Beth more than the previous one. My friend, Jennifer Kinsey, always told me that I would...but I just kept thinking that I would always cherish those first few months with Ella Beth more than any other. While I do cherish those months, it is just so much fun to play with Ella Beth and watch her grow. She is beginning to really show her personality.

She is sweet.

She is fiesty.

She is a very early riser. It was 5:38 AM this morning.

She is talkative beyond belief.

She is cute to boot!

Scott's sister, Karla, donated Katilin's old play house to Ella Beth and it's her new favority thing. "House" as she calls it, is outside. So is Whiskers. Whiskers is the community's neighbor's cat. She visits quite often, and she entertains Ella Beth like nothing else can. I got some great pictures of her playing today. The last pic is my favorite. Whiskers had just walked off, and Ella Beth is saying, "Where's Whiskers?" It was too cute, and I'm glad I had my camera ready!

On Friday, Ashley and Hamilton came over for some play time. Ashley brought me a huge tub of boy clothes for Landon to wear. I have had such a fun time going through them. Boy clothes are very different from girl clothes - lots of primary colors, cars, sports, and dogs! It was about the 5th time that we've gotten together, but it's the first time captured on camera. Here's a sweet picture of Hamilton putting on for the camera!

Here are two cute pics of Ella Beth and Hamilton. Such a sweet hug! And, there's Ella Beth teaching Hamilton about "hair." Which she loves. :)

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And...one last pic of Ella Beth before bath time. :)