Memories and fun

I just thought I'd share a little about the week so far. The other day I made a pizza and we were able to go play some basketball. A funny thing happened...it felt like deja vu. As I stood making the pizza I remembered the times my sisters and I would would put the toppings on and enjoy our masterpieces when they came out of the oven. Then later that night as I stood practicing my foul shots and layups my mind kept wandering back to all the time spent in the gym at our old ward building. I somehow felt incomplete not having my mom rebounding, my dad and sisters shooting around me (and knocking my ball out of the bucket...don't worry though Steve did that) :). I remember shooting hundreds of foul shots and the times Paw pa and Geri came to help me.
All the time, all the traveling, all the sacrifice.

I felt sad. So much of my time was spent on a court, but most importantly it was who I was on the court with. I could almost see you all there and wished you were.

We took another walk to the park today... here is my little beauty.

A day in the park...

We went walking yesterday, it was so nice out. Here are a few pics that I took.

When sharks attack...I mean when Ella Bella attacks!

There must have been something in the food or formula because when I got home from church the little one was wired. Here she is grabbing daddy's hair.
Then when she saw me with the camera she got fired up...

Watch OUT!!! Here she comes

But who can resist this face? not me

Goodbye my little baby...hello my little girl

I don't have any pictures to post, nor videos, nor anything else particularly exciting. Tonight wasn't particularly special--we watched a movie and ate pizza. But after the movie, Meredith showed me the insides of our little one's mouth, and there on her bottom gum was the white sparkle of a tooth coming in.

This may sound silly, but it makes me really sad in a way. Gone are the days that I'll be able to safely allow her to take my fingers and put them in her mouth and slobber all over them. In all of my excitement for her growth and development, I feel that in one sparkly white tooth, that my little baby is slipping away, soon to be replaced by my little girl. She's growing so fast...I can hardly believe that one can learn to talk and walk and crawl and eat solid foods all at once. It sure seems like a lot to take in.

For posterity's sake, I want her to know that I really love my baby Gabriella. I look forward to getting to know Gabriella better, but will forever miss baby Gabriella's beautiful gummy smile.

Signed,
Silly Dad

Trying something new

I thought perhaps you guys might like this...I remembered that our camera can take video, so I tried to catch some of Ella standing up by herself. The lighting is really bad, but you can make some of it out.




Here's another couple of videos, where the lighting is better, but she decides to ham it up rather than stand.

I'll try to do this ever so often, if people like it. Let me know!

Steve

Something is happening...

Today was a great day, I was able to get some things done and we were both able to talk and see our families through the computer. Well after our fun visits I found something very interesting and sharp inside Ella's mouth. I could be wrong but me thinks it's a tooth!
YEA!!!

But it does make me a little sad, it means she is getting older and before I know it she will be one. I can't get over how fast time goes by.
Earlier today I could help but take some pictures of her.

Seven months and standing

Well she can't completely stand on her own but that doesn't seem to stop her from trying. So much has happened just within 2 weeks: she rolls better, sits better, and climbs her way to standing while holding on to something or someone of course.

She is fearless
She loves to smile
She doesn't like carrots (yet)
She is amazed by the smallest things and is amazing
She loves to go on walks with mommy and daddy
She says, "da da and ba ba."
She can make you smile,
but watch out she's a spitter

The rest of us here are doing well...Steve continues to amaze me with his will and willingness to further his education by taking classes to get his Master's. It also looks like we will get some house projects done soon and I am so excited. I've been keeping busy with some things. I have gone back to work on Saturday's at my old job and a new one every other Friday. It has been nice getting out of the house for a couple of hours. Other than that I've had to take a break from knitting..."a monster was created." In the mean time I've been working to improve my culinary skills. Oh I got a new pair of shoes and they were on clearance.

Today I took Gabriella to the Health Dept. to get her booster shot for the Flu. Our pediatrician's office was out so off we went. It's never fun to get a shot and Ella did pretty well considering. She was such a good girl today that daddy bought her a new toy.


(Side note)
This morning was pretty interesting. As I got up to give her a bottle I noticed this awful smell...yes oh yes there it was, EVERYWHERE! POOP! Poop on her legs, poop on her arms, poop on the side of her face, and all over her shirt front and back.
It was so nasty.
Lucky for all of you I didn't take a picture, it would have haunted you. It is best to leave you with this image of her...ENJOY

Adorable

I just thought it would be fun to show off some more pictures of our favorite girl...I hope you enjoy!
Here she is in her new dress

A day late and a dollar short...

Here we are again another snow storm later...
Sweet Gabriella turned 6 months and we have been trying some solid foods.
So far it has been going okay. At her last doctor's appointment she weighed over 14 1/2 lbs and got her flu shot.
Update: Steve told me that Gabriella can pull herself onto her knees. OH NO!!! Just kidding, that is great. She is getting more and more mobile as the weeks go by and she is also starting to reach her arms out when she wants to be held. SOOO CUTE!!!

Another day....

Today was a good day...


I sent my hats off to the NICU. It was really neat to work on them and in some way give back a little. I just hope they will work and I know many of them will be too big for the babies in the NICU...but maybe they can use them later.
















After that I went by the pediatrician's office. I love my PEDIATRICIAN!!! They have been so good to us. They get me in when I need, are very professional and most importantly they give us free formula! Most of the time they try to give me as much as they can and in some cases all they have left. Last time I went they only had 4 small cans of concentrate but when I went by today they gave me enough to get through till Friday. AND they gave me the okay to start Gabriella on rice cereal so here is how that turned out.

Christmas Miracles

Quoting my uncle the meteorologist....."I'm amazed to see another huge storm system dump snow in Denver...create severe weather for Texas...and heavy rain for KC. Classic storm set up.....I feel for you and others in Denver. WOW.....had enough snow????"

(My answer is YES!!!)

Although I wasn't there for the second round I have a feeling that it is going to take some time for it to melt. Well, enough about snow even though it was the cause of much stress and in a way a small miracle. First we were snowed in with everyone else the week before Christmas, hence our flight was cancelled...very cancelled. So Steve called and got a ticket out for the 26th, but then we wouldn't be there for actual Christmas...so I being the persistent person I am called all day Thursday to no avail, and then on Friday morning I finally reached the hold line. I was on HOLD, YEA!!!! And as you may guess, after being on hold for over an hour and half I am sufficiently sick of Gershwin. They could at least play some of the other music. So I got us tickets on Christmas Eve and even better they put us in First Class, but before we could make it to the airport we noticed there was NO coolant in the Volvo so we jammed everything into the Mustang...what else could go wrong? Anyhow we made it with plenty of time to the airport and arrived in Portland on Christmas Eve. Santa found us!!! and Gabriella loved all her gifts...and I've busy Knitting away


While in WA we had the opportunity to go to a reception in Boise...my first trip to Idaho.
I would say the trip was a success and that getting to be with family is what truly matters.