Friday, December 30, 2011

Christmas 2011

One big long post, here we go..........

December 17.  Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Schmitt and Great Grandma Audrey.  There was no shortage of presents or food!


if you look at Whitney she found some presents with her name on them.  She carried them around everywhere and was afraid someone was going to take them.  She even had to eat with them.



they look like little Ghost Busters with their matching sleepingbag backpacks with flash lights

Whitney and Brynna




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December 22
Christmas at my sister's.  Again, no shortage of presents.


Lawton

Whitney doesn't give sister love very often, but we got this one on camera!

Callie

Callie

Alaina


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December 23, back at home playing with new presents

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December 24

Back at Jessica's for Chirstmas with Papa

Grant's expression cracks me up!


Owen, Tiffany, Elijah, Matt, Papa, Grant, Lee, Brynna, Jessica, Ellie, Me, Wade, Whitney


I wanted a cute picture of the girls since they were dressed up.  This is what we got.  They were pictured out and we were late for Church.

Santa Came!!!

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Christmas Morning

Whitney eating cookies that Santa didn't finish

Ellie wasn't big into opening the presents, she let Whitney do all the unwrapping

Whitney has been asking every day if she can wait for Santa.  Sorry honey, it will be a long wait!  I have to show her the calendar with everyone's birthdays and holidays and anything else that comes first before Santa comes again.

The End 

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Ellison- 10 Months

I'm doing this a few days early because I have the opportunity now and we'll be busy the end of the week when she really is 10 months on the 22nd.  She has been busy this month.  I'll just jump right in to the milestones.  She is walking.  Totally walking.  No more crawling for this girl.  She can stand in one place, turn corners, turn around, the whole nine yards.  She's ready to run and chase sister but can't get her legs to move as fast as her mind and she face plants squealing the whole way.  Now that Ellie is walking Whitney is starting to interact with her more as a playmate.  She can communicate with me by leading me by the hand, or stretching out her arm on where she wants to go.  If I ask if she has a hungry tummy she will take me to the cupboard or her chair.  When she is done eating she raises her arms up for me and I swear she said "all done" the other day.  Not all done as we would say it, more like ah dah, but she's 10 months so that is how she speaks.  She also tells me she is done by throwing her food on the floor.  Just last night we learned she could point at a specific picture when asking her. for example, "where is the monkey" and she finds it and points right at it.  (we have a George book and a little George head is hiding on each page and she finds it and points at it)  Totally cool.  First I didn't even realize she was paying attention when I would point out George and second I didn't realize she could point with her index finger.  When she is all done with bath time she reaches for her towel.  She can roar like a lion, moo, say mama, dada, oh no and wow.


she thought it was totally fun pounding on the presents.  This is usually how she is, mouth wide open, excited and happy.  she is the best baby



this is her serious sassy face.  her "I'm going to put this in mouth, are you watching me?" face. she does this a lot too.  and if I tell her no, she will reach her arm out at me and grunt

Sleep-  really great now!!  She sleeps about 9-10 hrs and has a bottle and will usually go back to bed for another 1-2 hours.  Her bedtime is 8:30, give or take depending on her last nap.  She has had quite a few days lately that she only takes one nap and then she is ready for a 7:30/8 bedtime.  She can put herself to bed just fine and prefers to do so.  She is not a cuddler.  She is all business when it comes time to go to bed.  So unlike her sister it just blows my mind.  She is usually up 3-4hrs before her first nap, so her schedule depends on when she starts her day.

Eating- still awesome.  Again, she totally blows my mind compared to Whitney who didn't and still does not like to eat.  Ellie has  4-5 bottles per day about 4oz each time.  She completely self feeds and finds it very odd if I try to feed her off a spoon.  She is not crazy about smooth textures.   She loves blueberries, strawberries, toast, cheese, fries, raisins, cereal bars, pancakes.  she does not like bananas or pears.  she's not real crazy about vegetables except sweet potato fries.

size- 19lbs,  wears size 12mo pj's and 12-18 clothing.  Size 3 shoe. Size 3 diaper.


likes-  books, babies, stuffed animals, opening and closing doors, pretending to do puzzles with sister, push chairs around the kitchen, pull books off the shelf at the library, eat wet wash cloths, walk, carry things while she walks, soft blankets, going to the gym to play, being naughty to see see my reaction, bite my shoulder to see my reaction and then pout and cry when I tell her no biting, toy computer, go through bags, open and clothes drawers, play peek a boo, push buttons

dislikes- diaper changes and getting dressed.  She still acts as if I had never done that before.  there isn't much she doesn't like.  She doesn't like to be told no but loves to figure out what she needs to do for me to say it. she's getting better about bath time. she hasn't ever hated it, she just doesn't like to sit down and play and then doesnt want to be in there very long.  Very opposite of Whitney.

So, that is my 10 month old baby, toddler?  Are they toddlers once they learn how to walk or toddlers after they are one year? 

Friday, December 16, 2011

Five Minute Friday

I feel like I don't have much to say today, so we'll see where this post takes me.  I do have exciting news, my sister in law had her baby boy yesterday.  Elijah Douglas.  He is the second boy for Matt and Tiff, joining his older brother Owen. 

I found a new blog to follow.  If you like sarcastic humor you will love People I want to Punch in the Throat.  Val, you would get a kick out of it.   I  think like this blogger, but am too afraid of hurting people's feelings to actually put it out there.  I guess I'll just stick to updates and photos.

We have our first Chirstmas this Saturday.  I am looking forward to the girls getting new toys.  Never thought I would say I want more!

Ellie is completely walking now.  Rarely will she choose crawling as her means of transportation.    Just last night she was trying to run after Whitney.  When they learn a new skill they just take off with it!

Wade noticed I have a crooked spine.  I suppose I should get that looked at.  It probably doesn't help that I have held a baby on my left hip for years.  I know you should alternate hips but it's really impossible and not practical to do anything with my left hand.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Dec 3 and Dec 10

December 3rd we had a wedding to go to.  Wade's friend Nolan got married.  It was a beautiful wedding and the day went really well.  We did get our first winter storm that evening.  It rained all day and then turned to snow.  It was slow driving home until we got closer to Ames and it turned to rain again.  We stayed until 10, not getting home until 11.  Thankfully I packed pj's in case we did end up staying that late, and the girls fell asleep on the way home and straight to bed.  We all slept in that next morning!



this is Dave (cheeseball)   Doesn't he look like a proud papa!?!

 Nolan, the groom

Whitney had a blast dancing!  The wedding was a lot of fun for her. 




Wade had to leave for San Francisco Dec 4 for five days


December 10

Saturday we FINALLY got ornaments up on the tree and then went out to The Perfect Gift.  


Ellie was excited to see the tree when she woke up from a nap



Who needs to wait for a first birthday for some sprinkles and frosting!?!?!


It was really cute, this year they had a tea party section

Ellie just loved on the bear while Whitney had tea

Whitney's version of decorating the tree

Sunday, December 11, 2011

My Ornaments

We finally had some time as a family to decorate the tree.  I was getting other things organized and Wade was snapping pictures of Whitney.  Little did Wade know was that Whitney found some special ornaments of mine, they are from my late Grandma Lucy.  She would buy us engraved ornaments.  I have three of them.  One from the year I was born and two other random years.






Friday, December 9, 2011

Ellison- 9 month appt

19.2 lbs
28.25 in

I would offically call her a walker now.  She walks 50% of the time.  She tries to walk before crawling, getting steadier every day.  She can go across a room and even around corners.  She can crawl up stairs and has added "moo" to her vocabulary.  The doctor was very impressed with her, saying she was operating as a 12 month old.  Yes, it's all that smart milk I make(made)   :)  j/k, take a joke!  No, it's my super teaching skills, (j/k, take a joke people!)  Whitney was a smarty pants too, hitting milestones early.

this is why I have a hard time unloading/loading the dishwasher.  little miss is all up in my business!


she would have kept going, but you can see her feet slipped on the linoleum


She is just the happiest girl!  Literally everywhere we go people always ask if she always so happy.  YES, she is!!  She is a very content girl.  I love her :)