HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY BABY ELLA MARIE!

Happy First Birthday to my precious baby girl. You are a beautiful, happy baby and a wonderful gift from God. Our family feels complete with you making us laugh and smile every day of our lives. I'm so proud of you and how far you have come in just a few shorts months. It's been awhile since I've kept this journal, however, we sure have been busy! You took your first steps on December 1st, at 11 months old. 6 steps to be exact. I thought for sure you were off to the races, but a horrible stomach bug got you down and out for over 5 days. Then I caught the bug you had but it turned out to be a 24 hour flu with days of recovery. Lastly, Daddy got sick too, his lasted for days. Somehow Tyler was able to stay healthy, but December has simply been a trying month. Luckily for us, October / November was the BIG month of many milestones. On Oct. 31st, Halloween night, you FINALLY slept through the night at 10.5 months!! I thought this was a fluke b/c of all the trick or treat excitement, but your shocked us by sleeping through the night almost every night in November! What a blessing for Mommy and Daddy! (Dec has not been so great but I like to blame that on your illness messing up your schedule :) ). In November you finally masted using a sippy cup, took to whole milk and you became much more aware of your surroundings. Today I'm celebrating your life, your health and mini milestones like: being off a bottle, off formula, on whole milk, walking, you are beginning to try and dance, new babble words, and your contagious laugh :). On a different note, you have been extra whinny. I mean, really whinny. You are still VERY attached to me which I LOVE, BUT it is nice for Mommy to have some space to cook and get a few things done. You have also got your 2 top teeth which seemed to really hurt as they came in. I am going to chaulk up all this whinning to more teeth on the way (even though I cannot see them yet :) ) .
You and Tyler and now best friends. If I ask you, "Ella want to go see Tyler?", you laugh and giggle and head for his bedroom. You two love to play together and you are a really good sport when he takes your toy away. (which is often :( ). You LOVE when I say, "Ella no touch" and then Tyler walks over and touches it and laughs....you crack up! Hard to get mad at two smiling kids, even though they are doing something mommy and daddy said no too... like touching ornaments on the Christmas tree.
For your birthday today, it was 35 degrees and we had a first real snow of the season, even though it only covered the grass, it was a nice suprise. Grandma Wilma, Great Poppa, Grandmommy and Grandpa Rob all came to our house to help celebrate your big day! After a lot of debate, i decided to have an owl cake made for you to match your owl themed crib bedding - which you love and is simply adorable! You did not hesitate at all and ate almost the entire smash cake; luckily it was small. You favorite gift was from Granda Wilma...a pet kitty that purs and meows. You seem to think it's really funny and Tyler named it baby strykie. Today was also the day that Grandmommy and Great Poppa and Me all gave you your time capsule to reopen when you are 18 years old. I must say, i cried a lot while writing it but not matter how deep and heartfelt I wrote you, words just don't seem to describe my love and hopes of happiness, healthy and love for you. I pray for you both daily and think about you practically every second of my existance. There is no possible way to know a mother's love until you are a mother yourself. I hope we are close and that I am still here to celebrate that with you. I love you with all my heart Ella, you are a gift and an angel in my life.