11 Months!

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!  Needless to say we did...one little lady was absolutely spoiled ROTTEN and I mean ROTTEN!!  We are extremely blessed, grateful, overwhelmed, and a tad bit embarrassed at the outpouring of love and thoughtfulness that was shown upon our family this holiday.

When I get the time and energy to do a full Christmas re-cap, I will.  But for now an 11 month post will just have to do!

Ellie, I cannot believe you are 11 months old!  Throughout the craziness of Christmas I just kept thinking back to this time last year, before you were even born.  Every time I would look at your cousin Turner I would think how that would be you in a year...and now we are here and you are just as sweet, active, "talkative" and funny as I had imagined!  We tried to make your first Christmas extra special (even though you were clueless!) and I think it turned out pretty great.  You have no clue how loved and adored you are by so many people.  It's pretty awesome for us to see that love shown to you in so many ways.  Sure the presents are great, and you WILL never be bored again a day in your life, but just knowing how many people want to hold you, and love on you, and babysit you and come visit you, and stare at your pictures is just so SO incredible!  I hope one day you will realize what joy you have brought to so many people.  Your timing was impeccable!  Even your Daddy is pretty blown away!  You have stolen our hearts and we love you SO SO much!


I guess now that Christmas is over, I need to gear over to full on party planning mode.  The invitations and decorations have been ordered, and we have now decided to request no gifts for your party.  We want this to be a celebration of your birth, but also a way for us to say thank you to the people that have done so much for you this past year.  They don't have to bring you another thing to show their love.  Their "presence" will be enough!  Here are a couple of funny outtakes from our birthday photo shoot!

You have become a little pickier about your food this month.  You won't eat another diced carrot or piece of ravioli.  Diced apples make you gag, but you and that yogurt are still BFF's!  I am going to really have to get creative about what to feed you now.  You love anything banana, mac-n-cheese, and still all the same baby foods.  Cheese puffs came in your stocking and you would eat the whole can if we let you!  Daddy says you are going to turn into a cheese puff!  I am starting to see a cheese trend, we really need to branch out a little more!  You are slowly wearing almost all 12 month clothes, moving up to a size 4 shoe and still a 3 diaper.  You are tall!!

You may be spoiled, but that just means that you are loved.  You are such a good, sweet, content baby.  I cannot believe you are about to be 1!