Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so thankful this Thanksgiving! I am thankful that God blessed us with you! You make our family complete Eliana! We love watching you grown and learn! We are thankful that you have so many family members that just love you to bits! You are blessed to have four wonderful grandparents who all love you beyond measure! You have wonderful Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins who all adore you! AND you are blessed to have so many Great-Grandparents still around who just light up when you're around, not to mention you light up when they're around! This Thanksgiving season I was very thankful for you and the family that we are apart of!

Our Thanksgiving break started off with a little trick-or-treating! We went and saw Aunt Melisa and Uncle Grant in yoru Halloween costume, since they didn't get to see you on Halloween. Then we went and saw your grandparents! Everyone though you were the cutest November ladybug! :)

We spent Tuesday through Thursday at your Grandma and Grandpa's. Murphy was there the entire time and you really warmed up to him! You guys played a lot. You also played with baby dolls for the first time! You loved them! We spent Wednesday just hanging out in Iola. Your daddy and I actually did a little shopping around town while you stayed home with your grandma. On Thursday (Thanksgiving) we went over to Cousin Cindy's house for lunch. We had a great Thanksgiving feast and you got to see Aunt Rhonda, Uncle Rodney, Cousin Cindy, Jimmy, Dylan, and Dalton, and Great Grandpa Jimmie! It was a great first Thanksgiving meal!

After lunch we packed up and headed to Buhler. This is always our Thanksgiving tradition, we do Thanksgiving lunch in Iola, and then head to Buhler so I can go Black Friday shopping with Mimi!

So, when we got to Buhler, your Mimi and I (and you at times) sat down and went through the sale ads so we could plan our attack! Your Aunt Jami came over later and the three of us decided what our plan was! So at 9:00 Thursday evening I said good-bye to you and daddy and us girls headed out! We went to Wal-Mart first for the 10:00 toy sale - and wrestled the crowds for all the toys (which we're proud to say we got all that was on our list!)! Then we went and got in various lines for electronics. We waited until midnight, then the guy came over the loud speaker to give us the five minute warning, but the crowd around me didn't listen and they all started to shove! I was thrown into the case of electronics I was after resulting in a scrape on my arm and the case went flying across the aisle! But in the end I was able to grab what I wanted! Again, we did good and we ended up leaving Wal-Mart with EVERYTHING we went for! We then we to Target. We got everything on that list, except for a cabbage patch doll for you! They were all gone! Then we went to Sears, where we stood outside in the freezing cold from 2:00 am to 4:00 am waiting for the doors to open. We originally were going to sit in the car but when we got there there were already about 5 people out there so we went out and stood in line! We again, got the item we wanted. Good thing we stayed in line because there were only FOUR in the store! Guess how many were left after we paid and were walking out? :) THREE! No one else wanted one! So we could have sat in the car!! :) Oh well! Then we went to Office Max, again, standing outside in line for 45 minutes! Again, getting what we needed! It was then time for breakfast! We ate, then went to K-Mart, got what we needed and then returned to Mimi's house at 8 in the morning! It was one crazy night! When I got home your daddy was rocking you in the chair, you were already taking your first nap of the day! I then went to bed and slept until 2:00 in the afternoon! :)

You did so good with your daddy! The two of you hung out all night and day while I ran all over Hutchinson! :)

This is the outfit you wore to your 2nd Thanksgiving meal! We had Thanksgiving at Papa's on Saturday. Your daddy picked out this outfit for your cousin Bekkah, and now it is passed down to you! :)

Your cousin Bekkah and you ended up with the same dress! Your Aunt Jami and I did not plan this one! It just happened! I'll have to post pictures from our photo shoot later! You and Bekkah did not cooperate very well and I got some pretty good photos of you crying! lol

Your Aunt Jami did buy the two of you matching pajamas! You were just SO cute!

We had a great time on our Thanksgiving break! We were gone from Tuesday to Sunday! We were all ready to get home to Ottawa and just be the three of us! Our house is still a little messy....I've been unpacking and trying to put up Christmas decorations, all the while with you following me saying, "mama, mom, mama, mama, mom...."

I can't wait to share more holiday traditions with you as we move on to December!

love you!

Mommy

Everything Eliana: 9 Months

Wow Little Girl!! You are NINE MONTHS OLD!!! :)

You are growing like crazy! When we went to the doctor last week for your ear infection you weighed 18.3 pounds! That was less than at your six month appoint. Your daddy and I feel like you weigh more, so I'm really not sure if the scale was right at the doctor's office. But we go back again in a week for your actual nine month well baby check up!

Your eating schedule is interesting right now. You decided you were done eating purees this month. Which I really don't mind because now I don't have to mess with blending food. However, you barely eat anything. But you're not fussy so you must know when you want to eat. You eat corn,graham crackers, peas, carrots, macaroni, green beans, pasta, beef, cheeto puffs, bananas, apples, and other things.... You eat a bottle at 6:00 am, breakfast (applesauce and oatmeal) at 8:30, a bottle at 10:30 (only when you're at Jodi's - you don't have this bottle at home), lunch at 12:00 which is usually a combination of different foods you like to feed yourself!, a bottle at 1:30, snack at 3:15, dinner at 5:00, bottle at 8:30, and sometimes a half bottle in the middle of the night.

You are still taking your bottles just fine, but you really fight eating your food sometimes...maybe I should try purees again...? Dr. Nichols said it was fine as long as you were eating your bottles!

You're sleeping pretty good! You wake up at 6:00, then take a nap on the way to Garnett from 7-7:30, Then sometimes you take a morning nap at Jodi's, then your afternoon nap from 12:30-3:00, then sometimes a nap back to Ottawa from 4:-4:30, then usually a 30 min evening nap before 7, then to bed around 9:00. You are in a bad habit of waking up at least once in the night. But that's okay!

You are pulling up on EVERYTHING! You started to walk with your walker!

You are blowing kisses like a pro!

Really all your milestones are pretty much the same as at 8 months, the only difference is you are a lot stroger at all of them!

I'm pretty sure you understand what "all done" means in sign language. You do it back to me, and then when I walk away to get a wash cloth you throw a fit. You know that when I sign "more" it is importat but I'm not 100% sure you've figured it out!

You hit your head all the time! I think you fall or bump in to something around 5-10 times a day!! You poor thing! You cry and need some lovin and then you're fine!

You are wearing anywhere between 6 month and 12 month clothing! Some 6 month clothes are too short for you, but they fit your width. However, your cousin Bekkah's hand-me-downs size 12 fit you pretty good. If they're new clothes size nine months are fitting you pretty perfect! : ) You are wearing size 2 shoes, and size 3 diapers!

You know the word "no". You will typically stop what you're doing when we say "no" and you just crawl away. If was say it with an angry tone you cry. And sometimes you just don't want to stop and then you throw a tantrum/ft because we stop you!

You have a TOOTH!!! You have 1 1/2 teeth right now! :) You are so funny you always have your finger in your mouth playing with your new teeth! You just can't figure out what they are!

Oh, and you cut your fingers today. We're not sure how. You were playing right by the kitchen, we were playing with you/talking with you and when your daddy picked you up your fingers were bleeding....you weren't too sure what to think about those bandaids! :)

Little girl, I say it every month. We're very lucky to have you! Even Dr. Nichols was like - this is fussy!? She seems fine to me! I was like, yes, I know we're lucky - her fussy is another baby's happy! :) And we're lucky we can take you pretty much anywhere - you just do so good!! We started to go to the Lady Braves Basketball games this month! You do pretty good sitting for so long at those games!

I look forward to decorating for Christmas this next month and celebrating all the holidays with you!! I hope I can instill a love for Christmas in you like your Mimi did me!!

Love you Little Girl,

MOMMY

Oh sweet baby. You have your first ear infection! On Sunday you were a little off. But not too bad. Then Monday morning instead of crawling around and playing while I got ready you just ate your bottle, then crawled over to me and proceeded to lay across my feet on the bathroom rug. And you just laid there the entire time I got ready. I just figured you were tired because it was a Monday - and all weekend we had slept in until 7:00! (I know, we're getting be pretty crazy sleeping in that late! :)) Other than that you were just a little fussier than normal. But, you're such a good baby that your fussy has been referred to as a "typical baby's" happy. So I didn't think too much of it.

Then, Tuesday night you started to put your head down toward your shoulder, sort of like you were itching your ear with your shoulder. This had me slightly concerned. I took note that it was your right ear and I counted how many times you did it; you did it a lot!

So then, Wednesday you woke up with a little cough, so I took the IBProfin to Jodi's with you. Then I got the phone call! At noon Jodi called to tell me that you kept hitting your ear. You weren't pulling it, you were just hitting it. She wanted me to know in case I wanted to call the dr. I asked if it was your right ear, and she said yes. So, I called Dr. Nichols.

We then went to the doctor at 3:30, where Dr. N informed me it was really hard to look in your ears, because apparently you have curved canals....not sure what that means, but he said they should straighten out... :) Dr. N said your ears were a little red, and it seemed that the start of an ear infection was there. So, with that, plus you being fussy (even though Dr. N said you seemed pretty happy to him! - see told you, your fussy is a normal baby's happy. But I know you pretty good and know when you're being clingy/fussy). Anyways, the redness, plus fussy behavior, plus not eating (AT ALL! - The past few days you have basically refused to eat!), he wanted to prescribe you with amoxicillian. So there you have it. Your first ear infection story. Hopefully you don't have your momma's ears - because if so we will be having many more of these stories in the future, as your momma STILL has awful year infections about once a year.

Your first antibiotic....

You love taking your medicine!!

Laying on momma's legs watching the sing-off! You passed out in this position. But this is the only position that must have been comfortable because we tried many! Though we did snuggle quite a bit tonight! I hope you're feeling better soon little girl!

I love you,

Mommy

All Your Tricks!

You were in a showing off mood tonight! Here is a video of you eating bananas and carrots. While you were eating you decided to wave, make funny faces, and clap! :)

After dinner you continued to show off and you WALKED with your Walker for your daddy and I! You did this with a box of diapers yesterday, and today you pulled yourself up on your walker and walked, until you ran into something! :)

You're just growing up so FAST! We lov you little girl! :)

We love you!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

First Bowlus Trip!

The other weekend we went to Iola. Your daddy had to work at the Bowlus, so we hung out at Grandma and Grandpa's! You had many people come visit to play with you! You are so loved!

Your Great-Grandpa Jimmie came to see you! You guys played in the chair and you showed off some of your new tricks while he was there.

Your Cousin Cindy came to hang out. You have also went to Cindy's one day when Miss Jodi's was closed! Your Grandma and Grandpa were watching you and in the afternoon when they were busy you went over to Cindy's and played with her daycare kids!

Great Aunt Rhonda came all the way to Iola to see you! She loves you so much! Uncle Rodney and Aunt Rhonda always send you great 1st cards! For example, you just got a Happy 1st Halloween card in the mail! They are so thoughtful!

Murphey and Uncle Grant came to see you!! You weren't so sure you like Murphey! When he was near you you would cry. Or flinch really big and wait for the blow that was Murphey! But really Murph does a really good job with you. If he comes close he really just sniffs you or licks you and then moves on. Someday you are going to LOVE Murphey and get so excited when he's around!
Uncle Grant on the other hand you love! You seem to always sleep really well with Uncle Grant! :)

Of course your Aunt Melisa was there to play with you! She always comes to Iola to see you when you are there! She loves you so much! You get so excited when she is around and you make some of the greatest faces when she's around! You probably get so excited because you know your Aunt Melisa spoils you! :) She is always buying you the cutest stuff! You are for sure loved by your Auntie M!

Grandpa just loves to play with you! He is always down on the floor playing, chasing, and rocking you! You love it! You treat him like a jungle gym quite often! :) I'm sure the older you get the more this will be! You are going to have great times playing with your grandpa and making cookies and biscuits!

That's right! You went to your first Bowlus show! We went to see Boom Town! You did AMAZING! I couldn't believe how good you did. You sat most of the show and just watched! It was a very entertaining show - so I'm sure that helped keep your focus! I was very impressed with how well you did!

Helping Grandpa with the dishes! :)

Taking a nap with Grandma! You love to snuggle with your Grandma! She is such a great Grandma! Always willing to help in any way! She also spoils you! Always finding something adorable to get you! She loves you very much!!!

We had a grand time in Iola.You always do have a grand time when we go visit the grandparents!!

Love you little girl,

Mommy

Bekkah's Bday weekend and Halloween!

Your Cousin Bekkah turned THREE years old on October 26!! So we celebrated her birthday on October 29! You and I headed down to Buhler on the 27th because we had no school on the 28th! Your daddy came with your Uncle Andrew on the 29th for the party! So, the night before Bekkah and I frosted her cake!

She was eating crackers (with frosting on them) while you were watching your Aunt Jami and Mimi in the kitchen!

Sprinkles on the Cupcakes!

You wanted to help with the sprinkles also!!

Here is Bekkah's princess cake!! I can't wait to make your first birthday cake too!

Party Time! You were blowing kisses to all the party goers!

Happy Birthday Princess Rebekkah! We love you oh so very much! You are a gorgeous, spectacular, wild, hyper, sweet, adorable, little girl! You are our precious niece who we love so much! We love getting to see you and wait eagerly in between visits! We love you more than we could ever describe!
Happy Birthday Bekkah-Boo! Love, Aunt Jenna, Uncle John, and Baby Ana!

Since we were in Buhler so close to Halloween we took your costume so you could go to Grandma and Grandpa-Great's house!

They LOVED seeing you in your adorable ladybug costume!

And I must say, you are the most adorable little Ladybug I've ever seen!

Papa and Mimi were excited that  you came trick-or-treating at their house too!

Oh silly Papa!! That's my ladybug costume!!

hehe - I LOVE this photo - your face is just priceless!

The two of you are such great pals! Now that you're really crawling you would crawl over and take Bekkah's stuff! She wasn't a fan too much! :)

Mimi reading to her ladybugs!

Your first goodie bag from Miss Jodi on your first Halloween!

We went trick-or-treating at Jenna and Joe's!

You did so good! :) hehe

We wetn and saw Erin and Devin too! You can't wait for Little Miss Scott to join us in January!

You had a great time on your first Halloween! Already loving your candy! :)

All the stress and worry about what to have you be for Halloween - and I think it turned out great! I can't wait for next year, you'll actually be able to walk and kinda trick-or-treat! :)

We love you little Ladybug!

Love,
Mommy