Easter at our House

Our Easter Sunday was a pretty normal Sunday for us.  We went to church which I will add Ella has been going to nursery for the last couple months and done great.  The first time I dropped her off she cried.  At our church you basically just pass your child off through a window…it's nice because of safety reasons but it was hard for Ella the first time because the poor girl had no idea what was going on.  As for me, I knew shed be fine, but I won't lie once I got back to my seat there were tears.  It's just hard to leave her when there are tears.  Like I said, I knew she'd do great…which she did and she loves playing with the toyyyys!  This week though, there was a man that was in the nursery…very nice and friendly but that was a little startling for her as well.  She cried again as I dropped her off but was fine after probably 2.5 seconds.  

She also goes to nursery once a week while I attend a women's Bible study.  The ladies there just love Ella.  After the first week of that they told me she just played and played and played and played, etc.  They said she didn't even say a word because she was too busy playing.  The very best part of it all, at both places…is when we pick her up, she is lined up looking up at the window waiting for us to get her…she shouts, "MAMA!" when she sees me peek in!  Then the whole way to the car she holds me tight and says Toyyys.  

Here's a few pics of my little sweets on Easter.

Little Bunny Foo Foo….that's how I taught her a bunny, I held up two fingers like bunny ears and said little bunny foo-foo.  That's how she signs for bunny.

This was the only pic of the three of us we got.  Terrible, I know.

She was smelling the flowers.  Kinda looks like she's trying to smooch them at the same time, goof!

This dress was the one that Lillias and Bea got her for my shower.  You can see it in this post.  Thanks again girls!

Here's Ell's Easter basket.  She kinda hit the mother load for Easter.  Only because we hadn't gotten her anything for the other holidays and I just had gathered a few things over the last few months.

She was so excited waiting for dada to open the blocks!

Sweet girl figuring out how they work.

We had to play outside after church.  She always goes and sits on my raised beds.  We are starting to sprout!  And you can sort of see in the back bed I have a mint take over going on back there.  They were actually from the previous people living here.  She accidentally composted the mint soil with the rest.  Oops.  We like mint, just don't need 50 pounds of it!  haha

I made the famous sugar cookies to take over to our friends house for brunch.  They were a hit, as usual.  Why are they so good?!

English Muffins

I found a recipe on Pinterest for homemade English Muffins.  It turned into an all day kinda thing but it was well worth it.  They were soooo good!  I never would have thought to bake them except for while we were in California there was a well known bakery in Napa that was known for their amazing english muffins.  The Model Bakery was even on Food Network a few times for them.  Believe it or not, their english muffins were BETTER than donuts.  Serious.  So when I found this recipe and was in the mood to bake I went for it.  

They are so yummy!  I will definitely be making them again soon.  My Grandma Joyce said they'd freeze well so I may make a big batch of them and stick in the freezer.  Since I have 3 freezers now!  haha!  Two big refrigerators and a deep freeze.  It's glorious.  :)  If any of you all want to venture down to Mississippi--I'll make you some!  

xoxo

Had to add a pic of Ella.  This was after her bath the other night.  She hadn't even gotten a diaper on yet but INSISTED on wearing shooos.  So this is her wearing her shoes reading her books.  Too cute.

Park Time With Friends

We've been having lots of play dates with our friends at the park lately.  This is one of the parks on base for younger kids….and ella LOVED it!  She went up and down the slide over and over and over and over and you get the point.  This was also the first time I've let her just go and figure it out on her own.  I am…yes, maybe a bit overprotective sometimes…so it was fun watching her little brain and body at work.  It was the first time we actually went to this particular park, too.  Which I don't know why…it was awesome for her.  Needless to say, we will be there at least once a week.  

                                     

18 Months

Ella turned 18 Months on January 16.  A year and a half…wow!  Time flies.  

Ella LOVES:

• BABY
• Playing outside and swinging
• wearing shoes
• reading book after book after book after book after book after book after book
• blueberries
• minion shaped grahm crackers 
• airplanes she hears in the sky

Ella DOESN'T LOVE:

• getting her hair washed
• going inside
• cows milk

Ella was 22 pounds and 32 inches (a whopping 2 1/2 inches taller than at her 15 month appt.) at her check up and healthy as can be.  She still hates shots and doctor and nurses getting too close but other than that, she's good!  

Ell walks and trots with her hair swinging back and forth all over the house.  She is really a very good baby.  She knows her boundaries and listens to me pretty well so far.  Not saying she doesn't ever get into things she's not suppose to, like the cupboards with heavy cans in them or under the sink when I leave the lock off for like .2 seconds.
I call Ella my little wanderer.  She isn't afraid to wander a little bit--like in our huge back yard or at the park.  She doesn't feel the need to be right by my side.    

Her favorite toy is definitely BABY and the stroller it came with.  She pushes baby around ALL DAY LONG!  She's the first thing Ell wants in the morning when she wakes up.  She says, "ooohhhh baybeeeeeeee!" She just gets so happy to see baby.  I don't let her sleep with it but she doesn't ask for it either.  We had a couple nights where she was just needing to hold baby so I let her keep it for a bit but then realized I didn't want her playing with it ALL night long so we just leave baby to go to bed with the rest of the toys.  It works for now.  :)

She knows most normal animal noises which includes a fox(video to come soon).  She also randomly knows what an aardvark and yak are because she has a toy with them on it.  haha  

Here are some 18 month pics of little miss smooches.  I am LOVING some her expressions.  They are priceless.

What I love about this photo:  The curve of her little precious hand rubbing her eye
               The shape of the one eye open
              Her mouth as she rubs her eye
              The random cup handle..haha

I sort of wish she was looking at the camera but I LOVE her expression here.

she was trying to climb to the front of the chair.

Here she was reaching for whatever I was dangling above the lens to get her to look my direction.

My sweet girl.

Here's a couple I got of ella and Kyle that same day.  Just some sweet shots.

Air Show

This last weekend our base put on an air show and we, of course, went to watch!  We actually were spoiled and went the day before for a family day at Kyle's squadron and got to watch the practice rather than fight the 45,000 spectators that showed up on Saturday.  It was right during the middle of her nap time that the Thunderbirds were suppose to start but she did great and wasn't acting too tired so we stayed.  I was worried about her ears, because the planes are LOUD, but they only startled her with the first flyover and then she was fine.  She kept saying, "airpanes, airpanes, airpanes"  She Loved it.  We got to see a C-5 and then his current plane as well.

Ella did fall asleep as soon as the Thunderbirds were done.  Kyle picked her up out of the stroller and she immediately laid her head down and fell asleep.  There were still all sorts of loud engines running and some other planes practicing.  Didn't phase her.

First Twelve Months

I just wanted to take some time to share all the pictures in one post from month 1-12.  I love that I can go back and look at each month to remember what she was like.  It's definitely crazy how incredibly fast she goes…because here we are a whole six months after her 12 months photo.  There are things that I wish were different and will maybe try when we decide to have another--if I have the energy to get around to it.  

It's fun to see her personality develop with each picture.  

sleepy ella

Ella doesn't really fall asleep that much in the car anymore.  She obviously used to when she was much younger. She does occasionally now, but it's really still a very rare occurrence.  This particular morning we went to the Library to go to a class however it was cancelled so we just played with some friends.  It was great to get out of the house and Ella loves books so the Library was very fitting.  Also, I noticed on the front door of the Library that is was Something Something. Bateman Library so we kinda run the place!  haha.  

Anyway, we got almost home and she passed out.  I really wasn't worried she would fall asleep because it was early for her nap and she had been jabbering the entire way.  Then I looked back and she was OUT!  I think I wrote on my Instagram (farahbateman) that she's my favorite thing to carry in after going to the grocery store-becasue we stopped there after the Library.  She just melts into my arms and is so peaceful.  What a gem.

Nothing is better than a sleeping baby.

When she falls asleep I have to loosen her straps up so much so I don't budge her little arms too much to wake her.  It usually works.  :)