December Nights

Two weekends ago Elle and I with our friends and number 1 babysitters Ryan and Beth went to December nights at Balboa Park. Every year Balboa Park has "December Nights" which is filled with free admission to the museums, carnival games, kettle corn, music and dancing in the organ pavilion, and food from the international cottages.

This year we bundled up and walk through the park. We enjoyed fine art at the San Diego Museum of Art, and food from Lebanon and the Philippines. The music in the organ pavilion...well, that left something to be desired. Let's just say the director should have just kept directing instead of trying to sing Santa Baby.

Elle was super bundled up in her stroller and fell asleep as we were enjoying the museum. She's such a good sport. She likes to go with the flow!!

Picture with the "Greats" Take two!

Elle got to see her Great Grandparents over Thanksgiving and so we had to take a picture of course. The first picture was taken in August (I think) and the second one Thanksgiving weekend. I think Elle's cheeks may have gone down a bit...

Thanksgiving and the Roles Loved Ones Play in the Production

We spent Thanksgiving in Yuma this year with my grandparents. We had such a great time being together. We ate, and ate...and ate. We played games, went for walks, did some shopping (the boys did), made biscotti, and watched Elle for entertainment. She kept us all laughing.

This year my grandma made the ENTIRE dinner! I can't remember a Thanksgiving where I didn't have to cook. It was so nice, and sooo delicious! When we were about 20 minutes from sitting down to eat I looked around and I noticed that everyone had a specific role in getting the Thanksgiving dinner on the table...

Dad was reading and Cole was napping...mmm...helping?? Oooh..

Dad was researching new recipes, and Cole was resting so he could

be the life of the party. :)

Mom was feeding the baby, so I could enjoy the meal.

Grandma was slaving away in the kitchen...while

Coach was praying for some morsel to fall to the floor (clean up duty)

Hot Mess

Right now we are having a bit of a dilemma.

A hot mess if you will.

Elle's bed.

Both sheets are in the dirty clothes bin.

The bumper keeps getting attacked by a squirming child.

Or attacks a squirming child...either way...attacking

This is how...

A leg...

Has escaped the crib!

Elle's Newest Expression

Elle's newest expression is absolutely hilarious. She scrunches up her nose so her top gums are showing, (so NOT attractive) and breathes in an out of her nose quickly a bunch of times.

I think it is sort-of pig-like unfortunately! It makes me laugh so hard, and then Elle just continues to make the face.

Here's a picture of the expression. It's not the best, but you have no idea how hard it is to catch this in action! I'll keep up the attempts to capture the expression, I may have to bust out the video camera!

I've told Elle that this is not her cutest look...

she doesn't seem to care...

what a rebel!

Anticipation

I would love to know what goes on in an 8 month-old's mind. I love to guess and say what Elle is thinking at certain times of the day. She has gotten way more expressive in the last few weeks which makes my game a bit more fun. She is also able to stand while holding on to something for a few seconds or so, and when we give her a bath we let her hold on to the tub and check things out before diving in!

Bath time is one of my favorite times. I love to see Elle play in the water and there is nothing sweeter than a freshly bathed baby. I could eat her up! I think Elle really enjoys it too. Daddy usually starts the bath while I go and round up the diaper, night clothes and other needed items.

The other day when I came into the bathroom with the goods, Elle and Cole were peering over the edge of the tub admiring the bubbles and toys that lay below. Cole was explaining to Elle about the fun she was about to have, and the grin on Elle's face was too cute for words! (too bad I didn't get a pic. of that) She gets so excited when the water is filling the tub, she starts to giggle and can hardly wait to touch the water. Here are a couple pictures of Elle getting ready for her bath.

Holding on for dear life!

Okay Elle, here's the deal...we have to wait for the

water to fill up, then you get to play with your toys

and make words with your letters!

8 Months

Elle is now 8 months old!

I can hardly believe it. Time seems to be flying by.

Now at the ripe old age of 8 months Elle is...

• About to crawl (she rocks back an forth a bit)
• Reading and turning the pages of books
• Clapping
• Saying bababa and a few others...every once in a while I think I hear mamamama
• Expressing herself with numerous facial expressions
• Stands up if holding on to something...for a few seconds at least.
• Growing hair...come on red hair...you can do it!

Here are a few pics of Elle on her 8 month birthday!

This is an 8? I'm 8 months old? What?

I know Mom...I'm old now!

I'm reading Mom...This right here is a monkey!

It's hard growing up! Am I prematurely aging?

Eye Doctor

Cole and I had eye doctor appointments this week. Our eye doctor told us about the free infant exams that they do, so we brought Elle in for her first appointment.

When we went to Elle's appointment I told our doctor that Elle didn't know her letters yet. Not a problem...

All Elle had to do was follow a light with her eyes and get a light shined in her eyes, and get her eyes dilated.

Elle's eyes are in perfect shape. She followed the light and behaved herself. I was actually surprised that she opened her eyes to have the light shined in there at all, as she usually closes her eyes when we are outside in the sun.

They dilated Elle's eyes, so of course, when we left, Elle had to wear the sunglasses for the walk home...WAY TOO CUTE!! I was so surprised that she left them on even when we got in the house since she usually takes off her regular sunglasses. Not these ones! She loved them!

I can't see a thing...but this toy is tasty!

Where are my toys??

This is how we walked home...Elle is too cool for school!

Christmas Picture??

We're trying to come up with a good Christmas picture for our Christmas card this year....

Okay...we'll keep working on it...

Now We're Talking...

The other day we were having some lunch and Elle kept making the funniest faces. Here's what I think she was thinking...

Yo Dad! What do you want from me?...cuz you're not gettin' a smile...

What? You're telling me I have to smile all the time...not gonna do it Pops!

Oh..boo hoo...now you're crying huh??

Well, you are going to have to get over it...and make it snappy!

Too bad! I'm not playing your little game today!

Sorry, maybe next time...

yeah, keep talking in that high-pitched voice and see where it gets you!

I'm out!

Cole's Man-card

My back started to hurt from carrying Elle in the swing and Cole so nicely volunteered his services. He even wore the sling!! Yep he lost his man card for that one! But it was really cute! Here are the pictures to prove it!

Look wife! I can clean, cook and bedazzle my jeans

with the baby on my hip!

Elle, these are what we call fish...

So sweet!!

Family picture!

One Sleepy Girl

We went to a wedding last weekend. Our friends Daniel and Kate got married. It was a lovely ceremony and such a fun reception. We brought Elle with us to both the ceremony and the reception. She had a great time. She enjoyed the decor, the dresses, the dancing and the food. Althugh she did not get to taste the italian feast that we enjoyed, she did have her lentils, carrots and peas.

Elle was up WAY past her bedtime but she was a sweet girl through the whole thing. We weren't a block away from the reception when she fell asleep in the car. When we got home she did the funniest thing that she has done yet..

Cole was holding Elle. She would open her eyes for a minute and then fall forward as she shut her eyes. She was absolutely pooped. We laughed so hard I thought we would fully wake her up...not so!~

When we got in the elevator another family with a 2 year old was in the elevator and the mom said, "Sweetie, look at the little baby" just as Elle shut her eyes and began to fall forward. We all started laughing so hard. Poor girl!

That's what happens when you party like a rock star!

Elle and her daddy in the elevator

Yum!

Elle is to the stage now that EVERYTHING goes in her mouth...

hands

feet

spoons

toys

Mom's hands

diapers

washcloths

wipes

Pretty much, if it touches Elle's hand it finds it's way to her mouth. I'm thinking that teeth might be in our very near future. We shall see...

Mom, I'm telling you, you really should taste this...

Blocks are good Mom...think of it as another form of protein!

Okay...that one didn't taste so good!

We Love the Zoo!

We went to the zoo last week and we had a blast! Elle was awake the whole time and she enjoyed herself! We saw the elephants, the birds in the aviary, the gorillas and the hippos! Here are a few pictures of our time at the zoo:

Mom! This elephant is about to step on me!

I'm not so sure about this hippo Mom!

I'm on a hippo!

Come on birds...let me see you! (we are in the aviary)

I love the zoo!

Help! My Bumper has Attacked Me!

The other morning Cole and I walked in Elle's room to get her out of her crib. If we are both home we like to go in together just to see her sweet smile. We have seen many things in the past 7 months...

A girl on her tummy (she was on her back the night before)

Wet sheets (diaper leak)

An arm or leg through the crib slats (surprising since they are so chunky)

Little eyes looking through the slats (way too cute!)

Never before have we seen this:

Ahhh the light shining through the blinds...

and this bumper/blanket is keeping me toasty warm!

Good morning parents!

I think that something is not quite right here...

I guess I'm going to need to find a way to tie down the bumper a little bit better!!

Daddy Fun Time!

Cole and Elle had a bit of fun at the park...

Cole: Elle, this is the way a big girls jump

Elle: Yeah, well, I'm only 7 months Dad. I don't know if that makes me a big girl, but I'm doubting it!

Cole: ...and this is the way we do a karate kick!

Elle: I've got this one down Dad! Bring it Mom, I'll show you what Dad taught me!

Cole: This is the way we walk Elle!

Elle: Okay...this sounds fun

Me: Alright...take it down a notch...we don't have the baby gates up yet!

Bathtime!

I can't resist a picture of a cute booty....

Here's Elle getting ready for her bath the other night...

Well Mom, from here it looks pretty good...I like the variety of toys, the water seems warm enough and the bubbles, well, they looks like little clouds of comfort!

I can't wait to get in there...let me at it!

Just a pair of eyes!! Pure bath enjoyment!

Slide!

We headed over to the park to swing on the swings which Elle loves to do, and when we got there Elle told me that she really wanted to be a big girl and ride down the slide.

Of course I told Elle that I would have to ride with her just because she had never done it before. So we ventured over to the slides. Here's a look at our newest adventure:

Okay Elle, this big yellow thing is what we call a slide.

Hold on to this bar. We will use this to propel ourselves forward...

One...two...ready...go!

Weeeeeeee

What do you think??

"Well Mom, it was OK, but really I'm kinda tired, can we go home now?"