Christmas Hat

Maybe Danny and I aren't mature enough to have kids . . but does anyone else find this hat hilariously vulgar?!?!??! We get a kick out of it!

Blowing out her candles!

2 Year Check-up!

Ella had her 2 year check today and as always, things are great! She weighed 31 pounds (92%) and is 37 inches long (<97%)!! She only had to get one shot :) and now she only has to go for yearly check-ups!! I don't kow what I'm going to do when I'm not taking her every 3 months!! Luckily, I still have Layla!! Dr. Levitt told us that Ella is a very normal 2 year old - tantrums and all :) As alwasy, she made a liar out of me in front of the doctor! I was bragging how Ella has finally begun speaking and of course she became a mute in the office!! Maybe next time!

So now strap on your seat belts because the next couple years could get bumpy! I think this blog could get very interesting :)

Date Night!

I wanted to add this pic . .



It's been a long time, MONTHS, since Danny & I had a date night and his office Christmas Party was our best bet!! Rachelle and Ted were kind enough to watch the girls last night so we could go live it up :) The party was very nice, with very good wine :) It was just what we needed!!

Ella's 2nd Birthday!

We celebrated Ella's 2nd birthday today with a little party and a couple of her friends! We had 2 families over for cake, presents, and fun - along with our friends from next door! As Danny pointed out - a 2 year old really only needs one gift :) but she got a little more than that!! It was a great day and I'm sure we'll be celebrating Layla's 1st one before I know it!!

I ended up with about 50 pics so I may add sone more later :)

2 today!!

Today Ella turns 2 - YAY! I say this a little apprehensively :) We aren't having her birthday party until Sunday so I'll post MANY pics then!!

Getting our daily fix of "Heigh-Ho" (aka Snow White)

7 months!

Layla was 7 months old yesterday! I was thinking about the day I found out I was pregnant and it's funny to remember how paniced I was! We had only been in Seattle a little over a month and I just didn't know how we would make it work! As always, God had a plan for our little family and as always He was right :) I cannot imagine my life or our family without Layla! She remains such a joy to us and I cannot wait for her to finally meet all of you!! It's amazing how someone so tiny can be such an enormous blessing!
She has plateaued for the moment on her "tricks"! She rolls over if she wants to get to a toy, but mostly she enjoys sitting on the floor, waiting to see what Ella will do next! I am trying to work with her on scooting but as of now she is content with where she is! We have upgraded to stage 2 foods - eating about 2 jars a day and stil nursing regularly :) I don't expect the growth to plateau anytime soon!! She "talks" a lot!!! We've been saying for weeks that she MUST be getting a tooth, but as of yet, no teeth!! Oh well. She isn't due back at the doctor until February for her 9 month check and I am sure we'll have a lot to report by then!!
I LOVE having girls!! Even Danny admitted to it the other night, how wonderful little girls are :) We truly are blessed!!

Ella Sq

The Ella's got together today! I always enjoy seeing Ella interact with other children - especially her new friend, Ella (confusing huh?)! They really do play so well with eachother! And Layla just sits back and enjoys the free entertainment!

Getting into the Christmas bows :)

Picture Perfect

While mall walking yesterday, I got an offer to go have some free pics done of the girls - no strings attached - and such I'm such a picture junkie I couldn't say no! So we went back this morning and got some very cute pics!! Of course, I am bias - but who couldn't love these faces!! Don't ever tell me mall walking doesn't pay :)

Lunch is served . .

I had our stroller in the house today while cleaning out our car and Ella decided this was the new perfect chair! She sat and watched Snow White in it and then ate lunch in it as well!! She's definitely a character :)

Wrapping party!

The girls and I went to a friend's house today for a wrapping party - in hopes of getting my Christmas presents wrapped - which I did :)
Layla discovered wrapping paper, which is now a hot item in our house!! I don't know how much paper a baby can eat before it will make them sick but I think she had her fill!! And Ella got to see her friend - the other Ella! I think I will just refer to them now as Ella squared :)




The Ellas!! They play so well with eachother!!

Santa flies in!

Tonight we went to Country Village (which is exactly what is sounds like) to see Santa actually fly in! As Ella would say, it was very "cooolllldddd"!!! We only stayed long enough to see him fly in and then we scooted out of there! I think I will just have to take Ella to the mall to meet him :) They had a live nativity with a real sheep and a donkey so you can guess where Ella wanted to stay!! I guess 2 is still a bit young to really grasp "Santa Clause" . . although I think she'll like him a lot more in about 3 weeks!!

Danny got the chore of making sure Ella could see!!


Waiting for Santa . .



I got a quick shot of him walking through the crowd! It was a mosh pit!!
Ella kept pointing back to the light up reindeer on the sleigh :)

Carousel Ride

We went downtown for the afternoon today so we could do all the city Christmas activites! One of the fun things is the carousel! We weren't able to get Ella an outside horse so the pics aren't great. She didn't enjoy it that much anyways :) I think the highlight of her day was watching the pigeons eat off the ground!!


Happy girl!!

Family night at the EMP

The EMP (Experience Music Project) is a history of music museum! The first Thursday of every month you can get in free so tonight we took the girls! It's pretty spacious and they have a lot of interactive exhibits so Ella enjoyed it. They have one large room just for kids to bang on instruments - good times :) We also got into the Science Fiction Museum - not really my bag but I can say I've done it! And Danny loves admiring the building - it was dark so I couldn't get good pics of it but I posted the website in case anyone wants to check it out :) http://www.empsfm.org/

Ella was listening to some jazz!


Playing the drums!


There was live Latin music in the lobby and Ella was the life of the party :)
Pictures don't so it justice!!! It was awesome! That was by far her (and my) favorite part!!


You're not allowed to take pics inside the actual museum, but this is what sits in their lobby! Very cool!!!

Outings

"The Ella's" playing with their balloons at Red Robin



Toby & Ella & Layla shopping at Old Navy

Winter Storm 2007

All the snow has melted, but in it's place we have recieved flooding rains!! Luckily, we have been ok, but our friend Cassia and her kids got flooded out of their apartment and came over for a slumber party :)

Putting make-up on Ella!



Trying to get some sleep! (yea right!)

Christmas Photo?

Ok, I can say the one thing I've learned time and time again is that trying to pose a 2 year old and 6 month old for a picture is the perfect recipe for a stressful situation :) So this year for the holiday photo, I've tried to keep a smile, and thought you'd enjoy seeing all the mis-takes! We still never got that "perfect" picture but oh well! If anyone knows any tricks, pass them on :)

"It's ok Layla . . peekaboo! peekaboo!"


"Hello . . ladies . . over here!"


"Ella, look at mommy .. Ella, look at me!"


"Ella, don't drop your sister!"


"Say Cheese!"

Winter Wonderland

We have gotten our first snowfall of the season! It started coming down about 1 this afternoon and is STILL falling. We are expected to get up to 3 inches - there's already atleast 1 on the ground! We took the girls out - Ella wasn't to thrilled . . suprise,suprise :) Although she did let us finally put gloves on her hands - which is a big deal for her!! (small victories)





I'll post some more pics tomorrow!

Hangin with Layla