9 month Ella

Ella is such a fun baby. She is starting a get a bit mobile. She can get from her bum to her tummy and scoots using the tip of her toes. She is motivated as she wants to get her little chubby hands on everything she possibly can. Not only is Ella a grabber but she is a major gabber.
 Not fun when the boys are trying to play Legos anywhere in the vicinity. 

 She is wiggley and almost impossible to hold when trying to absorb a Sunday school lesson. 

She makes the funniest sounds (blowing through her nose and closing her throat.)
 She is also, we believe, saying dada and mama. Pretty impressive. 

She likes to stretch her arm(s) out when she sees people- kinda like she wants them but definitely doesn't. It's really cute and endearing if not tricky.

She has two teeth on the bottom now. The right one came in first at about 7.5 months and the left one followed about a month later.

 Stats:

Weight- 19.14 lbs 80%

Height- 28 in 75%

Head- 18.6 95%

6+ 

 Grabby McGrabberson

The juicy roundness of those cheeks...

 Sweet strawberry curls. I hope they stay.

Dancing Queen

Megan finally had her very first dance concert last a few nights ago. It was so precious. 

Megan started taking dance from Just Dance studio in Jan. My friend, Jamie, and her little girl, Alli, attend the Mommy and Me class and got us a spot to join. Megan has always been very attentive at dance recitals she has attended and loves to dance herself. So while I hadn't planned on putting her in dance until at least 4, I decided to give it a try. 

She has mostly loved it. She has been bashful at times but has always been happy to go and tries her best. 

I had no idea what to expect when it came to getting on the stage. I didn't need to worry though. She kept asking me, "When do I get on the stage??" Asked many times. She got out there and did her thing with a smile on her face and had a good time. (I got verklempt.) She was all excited to get back up there at the end for her bow. 

Later she's loved performing her dance for everyone that wasn't there. 

                  4th dancer in. 

         
Megan and her good friend, Alli.

What a sweet little dancer she is. 

Mommy and Daddy are so proud. 

Happy Mother's Day to me. 

If it weren't for these little people of mine I wouldn't be celebrating this day. 

They made cards for me with words like 

"If all the moms got together you'd be the best" 

and 

"I love helping you". 

I love being their mommy. 

And I'm thankful for Adam who makes my job as a mommy a little easier.

He was up early this morning making wild rice soup, 2 salads, dessert, breakfast sandwiches and ironing clothes for the boys.  

What a guy.

 I feel very blessed. 

Things I love about today...

Kyle reads the newspaper. I don't read the newspaper. (It helps that it
was an article about Legos. But still!)

Megan running to the bathroom and telling me she's "not going to freak out" (as she is wont to do).

Megan insisting on using my bathroom to wash her hands because the "boys bathroom stinks!"

Noah telling me if he had three wishes they would be -to be rich with money and gold -to be a ninja "wif" swords and 

-to have robot armour. That's not asking too much, is it?

Ella getting excited about getting the tub. I loved her quick breaths and feet and twirling. 

8 Month Ella

This has been a month of becoming a strong sitter, trying a variety of food, more sleeping through the night, getting a first tooth, and lots raspberry blowing. Oh she is so darn cute...and wiggley! This has been the most difficult photo shoot so far. Ella wanted to do everything BUT look at the camera or pose with her bunny. EAT her bunny is more like it.

Temple night

Went to the Jordan River Temple tonight to do sealings. It was really nice to sit still in the Temple and be quiet. It felt very peaceful. The sealer instructed me to respect Erin and that our marriage was the most important thing we will do. I love seeing Erin in the temple, it reminds me of our wedding day.

Thumbs

Oh the thumb-sucker's thumb

May look wrinkled and wet

And withered, and white as the snow,

But the taste of a thumb

Is the sweetest taste yet

(As only we thumb-suckers know).

-Shel Silverstein