Elle turns 1

How, oh how, is it possible that it has already been a year since my baby was born!? I can't believe a year ago today I was in the hospital with my 6 lb. 14 oz. baby and now she is closer to 20 lbs. This year has been challenging, fun, and fast. I feel lucky to be Elle's mom and I can't wait to continue to watch her grow and change. She has kept me sane on those potty training days and other days that Amber has been hard or I have been down. I sure do love her and am glad that she is my daughter. Enjoy the pictures and the video (sorry it's long).
A Year of Elle

Cut it all off

Amber and Elle got their hair cut today. Amber kept asking to get her hair cut and it is getting long and hard to keep out of her mouth and face so I thought why not. Elle has been sporting a mullet for a while now so I thought that we would try and rectify that since we were going anyway. When I asked Amber how she wanted her hair cut she kept telling me: "I want it all cut off." I am not sure what she really thought that would be so I helped her decide how short to go. I think that it looks really good on her. When it came time for it to be Elle's turn I was worried that she was going to cry the entire time and not hold still. Kandice thought that it would be easier if I just held her on my lap and she could cut. So that is what we did and Elle didn't seem to care one bit. It went so smoothly and without any tears. :) Now I just need to decide what I want to do with my hair so I can go back in and see Kandice. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them.

I forgot to mention that this was Elle's first hair cut. Amber got her first one when she was 6 months old and Elle is almost (in 5 days - aahhh) a year. I don't know why but it is so strange to me how they can be so so different from one another. You would think that I would understand that they are different children but I guess I just expect Elle to be like Amber because that is what I have experienced before. They have been so different from each other from day one and it is fun to see the differences as they grow. Here are some fun pictures to see the before and after of both girls.

Mother's Cookies

Is it lame that when I found out that Mother's Cookies closed down I was really sad? I thought of all the yummy cookies that I craved every couple months and how I had been eating my entire life where just gone. I just couldn't believe that they weren't at the store anymore. Like these and my favorite these. The part that was hardest was that I didn't know that they had closed up and so I missed buying as many as as I could find before they were gone. I didn't get the chance to saver the last cookie or last bite. But then as I was researching online I found sites that were selling these treasure at a high price. And then when I was really tempted to indulge and get a couple I found this article. Kellogg's was going to be making Mother's Cookies! Yippy and yahoo because really it would be sad if they were gone forever. Now I just have to be patient and wait for my cookies to return in June. I think I can make it but now that I can't have them, I want them more than ever. I am weird that way. It is like when I am pregnant and want to do things that I am not supposed to or when I am car-less and feel like I have to go somewhere. I guess I just need to be happy that they will be back and I just hope that they taste the same.

Grey's Anatomy which character are you?

This kinda shocked me because I didn't think I was anything like her (aside from the name). Oh well, I am not reading too much into it, I did it just for fun.

Birthday loot update

I said that I would provide more pictures when Amber got the rest of her birthday loot. Well, I am finally getting around to it. Enjoy:)

All the fun stuff Amber picked out at Barnes and Noble with her gift card from Jed, Kelli, and Drew

Amber on her new big girl bike with helmet.

Amber with her new butterfly helmet

Amber playing with her new baking set on her new table, all from Grandpa Max and Grandma Mary.

Amber trying on her new jacket from her good friend Taylee.

Birthday Girl

Amber turned three on Monday. She didn't seem to have just one day of birthday, though — it has been closer to a week of birthday. She's been having parties and entertaining family so her birthday started a little early and seems to be going a little late.

It all started on Friday when she went to a Valentine's Day party and thought it was for her. Then on Saturday, her Grandpa Ben, Grandma Virginia, and Aunt Bonnie came into town and she was spoiled rotten by them until Sunday when they headed back home. Monday — being her birthday and President's Day — was great because Papa got to spend the whole day with her as well. We all went to lunch, bowling and to pick out her new big girl bike (which will be here in a couple of days because it wasn't in stock).

With all the birthday stuff that she already has gotten, and all the fun stuff still coming, she has been very spoiled indeed. These pictures don't show all the clothes and other little things that she got. She was very hooked up.

Amber on her birth day.

Amber's 1st birthday.

Amber's 2nd birthday.

Amber's 3rd birthday.
Her she is in her new apron and monkey gloves from Aunt Nettie

Amber with her new puppy Katie/Penny (depending on the day or time) from Aunt Bonnie.

Amber with Pinky from Zach and Natalie (cousins).

Amber blowing out her Backyardigans cake.

Grandpa Ben, Grandma Virginia, Aunt Bonnie, and Elle singing to Amber.

Amber at the bowling ally.

*I will do another entry when she get the rest of her loot*
**Thanks everyone**

Update

So I keep intending to be better about doing more posts but I just seem to think I will do it later. So here is a little update for you. Elle is 10 months old and I am having a hard time accepting that she will be one in a month and a half (to me it seems like just yesterday that she looked like this). She loves to pull herself up and stand. She pretty much thinks that she needs to be standing all the time, including in the bathtub (she get really upset with me when I sit her back down). She gets into everything now that she can crawl — well I guess it is more like an army crawl. She loves to wave (which sometimes can look like she is trying to karate chop you) and clap. Giving snuggles and fives is her latest thing, which I really love. She eats more than Amber does. My sister-in-law asked me back in December if I felt like all I did all day was feeding my girls and I didn't then but I now know totally what she meant. I feel like all I do all day long is get some meal or snack ready for them or clean up the mess after. It can be a exhausting and frustrating because I swear they just ate! Elle had a great time playing with Grandma Mary while she was here; Elle was really good with her (she can be a stink with other people besides J, the babysitter, and me) but I guess she has seen her a lot since she was born.

Amber also had a great time with Grandma Mary. She has been acting like she is at least 16 the last couple of weeks. Okay, probably not really, but she thinks that she can do everything now and she had the attitude of a 16 year old. The other day she told me she was going to drive me around here soon and yesterday she wanted to sit in the drivers seat. She will be three in a couple of days and I still don't know how it went by so stinkin' fast. She has been doing well in her Joy school class. She seems to really enjoy cutting. She is always asking if she cut up papers she finds around the house. It is weird to see her with her little friends now because she really does try and play with them instead of just around them. She and her friend Taylee will pretend to be animals, doctors, and all sorts of other interesting thing together. It is so fun to watch. She has become a pro at riding Drew's trike that he let her borrow until she gets her new bike for her birthday. It is hard to believe but she is a little girl now and not my little toddler, but Elle seems to be trying to take over that role anyway.

There you go, that pretty much sums it up for you. As for me. I am just trying to keep up with these little people and training for a 10k that I am doing in about a month. I hope everyone else is doing well and Happy Valentine's Day. Look at me I am even a day early. Here is a video of Elle's army crawl. Amber decided to give it a try as well.
*Sorry it is kinda long because I was being lazy and didn't cut it down.

Playing with blocks

Elle playing with Grandma Mary

Amber making a birthday card
Amber riding the trike

Elle eating the animal crackers that she got into and dumped all over the floor

Elle eating Cafe Rio black beans - she loves them!