3:30 AM

Why is it that fire alarm batteries always seem to go out at 3 in the morning? At least this has happened to us 4 times now. And we even change them regularly. Last night Patrick woke me up to help change the fire alarm battery that was beeping every minute-an annoying sound especially at 3:30 AM. And....it was of course in Ellie's room....although she slept right through it:) Even though I was bugged at 3:30, I am thankful that we have alarms that do work.

Do you like "See Food?"

Ellie has decided that she needs to show us all of her chewed food each time she's eating....thought you would love to see it too:) She loves her cottage cheese:)

Clapping and Mooing and Oh So Much More!

Well, I am finally posting a video and I'm so excited because this one is so cute! Ellie has been doing so many things lately and she is so much fun. She has been making a cow sound for a few weeks and the other morning, Patrick decided it would be fun to teach her an elephant. Here it is for your viewing pleasure, along with a few of her other tricks:) Enjoy!

Mothers Day!

I had a great first Mothers Day this year. Ellie and Patrick made me an awesome card that I had to share! I also got something I have wanted for a while now. A salad spinner and this one has an added bonus! Mandolin Slicer and grater!I also wanted to say I am so glad to be able to have such great mom's in my life. I think that having a baby has really made me realize just how much love my mom has for me. My mom is such a great example to me and I am so glad to be able to call her mom. She taught me pretty much everything I know and I appreciate all she did for me growing up and all she still does for me. She is always there for me when I need her and willing to help with anything and everything. I love you mom!I also have to say that I am one lucky girl. I married in to a wonderful family that I get along with so well and instantly felt at home with. They are great and I really appreciate all that my mother-in-law has done to make me feel welcome. She is a great mom and I'm glad that I have her in my life too! Love ya Judy!

Baby Food!

Ellie has always been a really good eater. She pretty much will eat whatever, but of course has her favorites. Well, the last few days she has decided that she is done with baby food. As soon as it hits her mouth, she spits it down her chin. This isn't too bad, I would just keep trying to get her to eat it:) Well this morning, she decided to make her point and really spit it! It went all over Patrick's shirt....guess we will move on to finger food.....Any ideas on balanced baby diets?

Hair Cut....Well a Trim:)

This is an extremely overdue post, but I want to put it on so I don't forget it. As you know, Ellie has quite a lot of hair...at least on the top and back. Well, there seemed to be a couple of spots that were a lot longer and looking really strange. So...I got out the scissors and chopped them off. Not a lot, but it made a difference. The top was on March 7 and was from the right side of her head. The bottom was on March 15 and was from the back of her head down by her neck.I am actually thinking of cutting more, or having someone else cut more. Maybe bangs. What do you all think?

11 Months!

Ellie turned 11 months on Saturday(I know what you're thinking...am I actually posting this just 2 days after 11 months?!?) Here are a few things she is up to right now!

• She loves reading books! She will sit and read(flip through the pages)them all by herself. Last night I got these while reading with daddy before bed.
• Ellie loves to be outside. She really likes to be anywhere. I think she is a lot like me in that she likes to be going and going and not sitting around the house. She has a lot happier days when she is out and about. Here she is playing on the grass at Grandma Judy's and Grandpa Cassity's. It's funny because when we first put her on the grass, she would hold her legs up so she was in a sitting position just to make sure her feet didn't touch. I think it was just cold and a new feeling, but it was hilarious! She really likes to swing as well. This is at Grandma and Grandpa's house. She was having a fun time with Uncle Eric.
• She is getting into everything! Ellie is so fast and getting so tall, that she will crawl over to something, and now she can actually stand and reach it! It is crazy to me because what I thought she couldn't get....she now can and does get into! She even pulled this table over...
• She loves strawberries. Here she is after I gave her 3 strawberries. It is nice because I can actually just give her the whole strawberry and she will chew pieces off. This is all that remained after 3 of them!
• She has 2 cute little teeth and I am pretty sure she is getting more on the top this time.
• She likes to put things into other things. Example since that doesn't make a whole lot of sense:) She will take all her toys out of the bin and then put them back in and get so excited. Patrick even found an Easter egg in his shoe this morning that she so kindly left there for him:)
• She is getting so smart. She will mimic a lot of the things we say and do. Saturday we tried out the Pizza Pie Cafe(pretty good) and she started doing an Indian call(that's what I call it at least) Putting her hand up to her mouth and moving it back and forth while making noise(if that makes sense) I do that and will sometimes do it for her, but this time she did it all by herself. Last weekend, May 30, we went down to my parents. At the middle landing of the stairs my mom has a cow sitting there. Ellie would crawl up and my mom would say the cow noise. Then we started asking Ellie what sound a cow makes and she says Moo! Now we can point out a cow and ask her and she will say it!
• Also while at my parents how she started saying burrrr! We walked to church and it was a little breezy outside so Patrick said burrrr and Ellie repeats it. Now every time there is a breeze, she will say it. She has also been saying it whenever the door opens....or when we go outside:)
• She still loves the bath and likes to splash around and play. I am hoping this means she will like swimming as well. I am planning on during a mommy and me swim class this summer and really hope she likes it:) We will see.
• Ellie is still a great sleeper at night. She will usually sleep from 7:30-6:30. She has even started taking a couple of great naps during the day, which is nice to be able to get some things done.

Ellie is just growing so fast and is so much fun. Patrick and I were talking about how each stage she gets to we say is the most fun, and then the next stage comes and it is the most fun! I love being a mom and having her in our family. She is so happy and just so much fun!

4.0!!!

Patrick just finished his second semester of his masters program and got another 4.0! He has never really liked school that much, but is really enjoying it the last couple of semesters! I am so proud of him for all of the hard work he has put it. I know that it is time consuming and sometimes he feels a little....A LOT burned out. I know he feels like he doesn't have a lot of time to spend with me or Ellie, but when he is here, he is always so happy and plays with Ellie like he has all the energy in the world:) I love him so much! Hopefully only a couple more semesters and he will be finished!

Good Morning!

This is how we found Ellie this morning. Her crazy hair just cracks me up and I thought we would wish everybody a good morning too.....afternoon:) Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!