Monday, December 30, 2013

9 Months

Ella at 9 months

I cannot believe how much our little girl has changed. She crawls super fast and sometime uses her right foot instead of knee (a half bear crawl).  This has all been a surprise to the cat, who has almost been caught by Ella a few times.  Other areas of the house are becoming accessible as she can pull herself up on the furniture and has begun to cruise along it and has even crawled up the first stair on her own (with me watching closely from behind).  She waves and claps. She loves to play with all of her toys, and has bow started carrying some of hem with her when she crawls.  We've recently supplemented her toys with a learning table and one of dad's drums. This allows her to play while standing. Her favorite toys are her stuffed dog and anything that makes a rattle noise.
The Christmas tree and all of her special holiday toys have been a big hit.  Bath time no longer involves the sling and so is now more interactive and more fun for her. She scoots all over the tub with her toys.  New foods are making their way on to the menu and she particularly loves the wagon wheel snacks. She still eats most baby foods and is learning to drink from a sippy cup. Kindermusik class remains a favorite activity and she loves to sing and dance (or laugh at me dancing).  She enjoys play dates with her friends and has been meeting new babies at the YMCA daycare when I do a workout. The ladies there love her, and always tell me how good she is.


STATS: 27.75", 15 lbs and 44 cm head circumference






Saturday, December 28, 2013

Christmas

Ella's first Christmas, and all of the activities associated with this awesome and wonderful time of the year.
The ornament Nate made for me.

The first Christmas party was at Great-Grandma Alice's house. We went straight there from brunch with Santa. Ella did not want to nap and stayed up to play with all of the cousins and great aunt and uncles. She is such the party animal.

Meeting her Great Aunt LeeAnn

Meeting cousin Eleni

Meeting cousin Lauren

Ella even made friends with Lauren's BF Aaron, we like him cause he's a Buckeye.

We celebrated Christmas in Ohio on Christmas this year. Due to a terrible ice storm in Michigan which left 125,000 without power, including all of our family that live there, no family from Michigan was able to make it to the Ohio Christmas. This was sad, but we thankfully had two babies celebrating their first Christmases to keep us distracted and happy. We visited my dad (Grandpa George) in the ICU at OSU medical without the kids over the holiday.

Lorencen ladies in front of the tree at OSU Medical Center. We walked past them when they were putting this up week's ago. It is the prettiest tree, we just had to get our picture with it.

Ella found cousin Savannah's golf toy.

Aunt Colleen time, I love how they are looking at each other.


A play room with the girls, so much fun!

I am collecting babies!

Savannah wanted to make holiday cookies, and Uncle Nate requested his favorite, peanut butter blossoms. We had a fun time making holiday cookies.

Everyone helping, cookie making is serious business.

Christmas Eve cuties:

Posing in their Christmas pjs

Savvy sits still better than the babies

We asked Savvy to hold the babies so we could get a picture...the babies did not want to sit still.

Ella had Santa feet

Check out Cici's bum! Special pjs just for her!


I know this is fuzzy, but it is a family shot of all of us with a Christmas tree.

Grandma Rene` time

The snacks for Santa and the reindeer and a sweet note

The kids all played well together, and with two mobile babies it made life interesting.  Savannah was the clear winner with Christmas. Cecilia and Ella both didn't completely understand presents, but did a good job opening presents with the parents.

Christmas morning!

Christmas morning tree at the Eve house.

Cici opening the blanket I made for her

Sav showing off her new princess dress up clothes

Dad helping Ella open her baby princess Aurora/Sleeping Beauty doll (Ella's first doll)

Ella opening her dino popper toy

Christmas dinner was amazing, we had crab, steak, potatoes and green beans. Candler Eve is an amazing cook and we ate well over the holiday. 

Ella has on her Christmas bib, time to eat.

It was so good

We had to come back to Pittsburgh the day after Christmas. We were able to make it to the "Barn Party" with the extended Winschel clan.  Ella was able to rock another one of her holiday outfits and cuddled with all of the cousins. She even got her Great Aunt Judy to walk her around the party!

Catching up with Colleen and Phil

Grandma Jeanne time

Ella is getting love from Colleen, Kathleen, Maureen and Kate

Bridget showing Ella the birds, she of course loved them.

Great Uncle Daniel with Ella and Great Aunt Marie with Gus, the babies loved the birds

How did Ella get Great Aunt Judy to walk her all around the barn?

The dress is gone to allow more movement, Ella found Gus and the babies chatted

Ella in her penguin pjs and cuddles with cousin Paul

The last Christmas was at our home with Grandma and Grandpa Andrulonis. Ella wore her last holiday dress and opened her presents.  So many new, pretty and fun items to check out.  We are very blessed to have so many family and friends to share the holiday season with.

Grandpa David helping Ella open presents

The beautiful jewelry box from the Andrulonis grandparents, Ella will love this when she is older

Grandpa David reading Ella her new book, "Good Night Pittsburgh"

Ella opening her present from Uncle Ryan and Aunt Kate

Ella got a beautiful bracelet, it has an "E" for Ella. Thank you Uncle Ryan and Aunt Kate

Aunt Caroline sent Ella a present from SC, I think she likes it

Ella opening her presents from me, I made her a blanket to (one side is nature for Nate, the other has whales for me).

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Pre-Christmas Activities

Christmas tree shopping - Ella went with us to cut down her first Christmas tree. We went on black Friday (first day they were opened) to get our tree.  There was plenty of snow, so Ella was bundled in her snowsuit. Grandma and Grandpa Andrulonis came along and helped.

I'm trying to get a picture of all of us as we are on the trailer being pulled by the tractor out to the tree farm...very bumpy.


We found our tree!


Nate and Grandpa David cutting down the tree.

Time with Grandma Jeanne while the men cut down the tree.


The ride back on the trailer, we have our tree now. Ella is having fun and does not want to sit still.

Ella was able to open one of her Christmas presents from Dad early. He got her a pink sled. It had been sitting under the tree for a few days and then we had a decent falling of snow. We decided she should go for a sled ride. She loved it! Is there anything she doesn't like?
In our backyard, ready to go down the hill.

She made it and loved it. She squealed on the way down the hill. She is liking the snow more now than her first time.

Ella received a Christmas card from her Great Grandparents in Michigan. This led to another round of opening and trying to eat an envelope and cards. Utter cuteness.

Envelopes are so tasty.

Ella enjoying her Christmas card.

Ella gets to go shopping!!!

Don't you wish gift cards made you this happy? Thank you Great-Grandparents!

Ella is wearing the flashing Rudolph nose we found in the holiday decorations box. 

Ella wants to know what is going on...

...I cannot believe she let us do this.

The night before my birthday I was surprised by my friends bringing a cake to our ladies night out, they are such a wonderful group of women and I am blessed to have them in my life. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Siba (baby free) and did not rush home. On my actual birthday, Nate surprised me with a night out at one of my favorite places, Eleven in the Strip District. He had a private booth on the second level and there were roses waiting for us. Turning 32 wasn't too bad.

My princess cake, loved it. The story behind it is even better. My friend goes to pick out a cake, and sees this one. She has the bakery add the wording. They ask if she wants glitter, she says yes. The baker then says "my 3 year old grand daughter would love this cake".  Yup, I got a princess cake. Isn't it the best?!?!

Our present from the chef at Eleven.

The roses that were waiting for me at the table.

Ella met Santa and the results were as expected. She was fine sitting on his lap, loved his outfit, but the minute she looked up and saw the beard she started to cry. At least the Santa was awesome.

Checking out Santa, so far so good.

The happy baby didn't last long.


Minutes after the Santa meltdown she is back to her happy self.

Cuddles with Mom.