A Weekend Away.... sort of

The Hills are Alive...

I just wanted to give a quick update of some things going on around here.
1. I got back tonight from the Stake Relief Society Conference up in the mountains by Winter Park and it was great. I hadn't really planned on going but with some encouragement from Steve we made it work and I'm so glad I went. I did miss my honey and little angel (it was my first night away from her, but I survived). The classes provided some answers and help I've been needing. Now that the spiritual battery is recharged I hope to keep it that way.
2.Our bathroom is coming along and we are hoping it will be done this coming week.
3.Our dishwasher got fixed...thank goodness
4.Gabriella is still walking and walking and walking but has a bit of a cold this week.
5.Steve is doing well and is wonderful!
and I hope the house will be ready in time for our awesome guests



But before I left yesterday I had to get some pics with my GIRL!

WOW 9 months already?

I can't believe it has been nine months since little Gabriella came. She is a very funny girl and likes to give slobbery kisses. She claps more and the other night as we were walking in the mall she was waving to everyone. Funny how one little person helps make life worth living.

A quick note

Current record for consecutive steps without falling: 9.

Can't Believe IT

Just to let you all know, little Missy took her first official step last Friday night! It was very exciting. Since then she is getting better and better. She can also crawl like no other: following me to the kitchen, getting under the table, and into Steve's computer stuff.
I am such a dumb dumb, in my rush to make Easter dinner (we had some friends over) I didn't get any pictures of her in her dress and then it got all wet from her food and slobber. But not to fear, I'll get her back into her cute outfit again and take some pictures even though they will be after Easter.
Here are some I took before we went shopping today. ENJOY

Happy Easter

New pics of Ella Bella

She likes Mommy's shoes!


Here are some pics of little one.....

Doesn't feel so long ago....

I was trying to clean up the bedroom downstairs when I found this picture of me and friends from college. It is so strange to think that this was so long ago. (I think it was taken in 2001?) First Jen got married, Jenny actually graduated on time, Lisa graduated, then me and Tess. I feel so blessed to have been given such good people to be around and even though I don't talk to them very often they are still some of my most close and precious friends.


So this one is for you...and I will try to call you or email or snail mail you....so don't think you've got away. Oh and I hope it's okay I put your faces on my blog. Sorry..NOT!
Love,
Myrtle Sue
P.S. Mr. Darcy is still hot!

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