Ella turns ONE

Ella it's still a little crazy to me to think that it's been a whole year since you were born.  The days just seem to fly by and as much as I love watching you learn and grow it makes me a little sad as well.  You're getting so big and growing up that I know around the corner is lurking with less cuddles, less cute tantrums, less slobbery baby kisses, less baby babbles, and less of wanting me but instead wanting Dad.  I know there will be lesses in our future but I also know that with the less brings on more.  I can't wait to see you accomplish all that is in store for you.  For now though we will focus on all that you did in your first year of life.

Here are some of my favorite things/things I don't want to forget.

* Your smile and that you started smiling super early.
* Your love for Kody.
* That you love saying Dog, which kind of sounds like Dad.  It's super adorable and it's the only word you consistently say.
* Recently you've started carrying around a baby, barbie, or stuffed animal cuddled up in your arms and I just love it.
* The fact that I can count on you crying every single time you get your bum changed, you get dressed or undressed and when you get put in the car seat to be buckled in.  You do not like being told what to do and I would be lying if I didn't say that it kind of scares me for the future.
* Your scoot instead of crawling.
* How excited you get when Dad comes home.
* That you will play and entertain yourself.
* Your excitement over horses.
* That you are attached to your blanket and have been since about 6 months. Recently you've started handing it to me when I come and get you out of bed.  It's super cute.
* How you have to taste everything by poking your tongue out a little bit before you will eat anything.
* The impatient cries when you see a smoothie, or a treat.
* That you started eating solids at 4 months because you were always trying to steal a taste of our food.
* Your laugh! And that you think it's funny when we start laughing so you force out more laughs even if it's totally fake.
* Your babbling
* Your curly hair.  It was pretty curly when you were little and now it's just the back of your hair that goes a little curly but it's so cute.
* Speaking of hair, I love the red tint your hair has.
* Your love for water.  Bath time is definitely a favorite of yours and you get so excited.
* How you love to plop yourself right in front of the vacuum every time I'm vacuuming the floor.
* That you love playing and rocking in the little wooden rocking chair.
* That you are always trying to drink out of Heidi's water bottle instead of yours.
* How you get into EVERYTHING. I am constantly telling you no, or redirecting you because get into everything or are constantly trying to touch things that you shouldn't.
* How you went through a phase of pulling/running your hand through my hair while you nursed.
* The fact that I have only trimmed your finger and toenails a few times during this year because you scream bloody murder and I'm afraid of the neighbors calling the cops on me.
* That you like your sleep.  When you are ready for bed we all get to hear about it.  You are like a light switch when it comes to sleep.  One minute you're happy and fine and the next your are crazy crying and the only thing you want is to nurse and go to sleep.
* Once you fell asleep on Dad while he was giving you a shower.  It was the sweetest thing.
* That you love to dance.  If we stop you bounce up and down to tell us to keep going.
* How you were always so happy and smiling that I would often say that you loved life.
* Your love for being outside.
* That you still don't completely sleep through the night.
* Ah speaking of sleep when you were still really little you would cry from 8-11pm.  I could not figure out why you would not sleep and just cried and cried.  I don't remember how long it was (I think it was months, luckily you didn't cry like that the whole time though), but we finally figured you out a little bit and realized that you like your sleep and that you wanted an earlier bed time.

Well now that I've had this post written for awhile I think I'll just post it instead of trying to add more.  We LOVE our little Ella girl and sure are glad that you are in our family.