Our Little Bully

Apparently our "little darling" is kind of a bully at school.

When I picked Elle up from school last week her teacher informed me of her bully-like behavior. I guess Elle as started pushing her classmates and is kinda sneaky about it.

Apparently Elle looks to see if the teachers are watching and then, if she thinks they are not, she pushes her classmate and runs away really fast so the teachers can't pin it on her. WOW! I'm not looking forward to when Elle is a teenager. Sneakiness is not good!

Then, oh yes, it doesn't end with pushing, the next day Elle's teacher said that Elle has started taking toys from her classmates and then taunting them with it. Oh, wow do we have our parenting work cut out for us!

Last night Cole was biting Elle's arm and she was loving it, giggling and squealing up a storm. She kept putting her arm in front of Cole's mouth as if telling him to bite her again. I had to put an end to this playtime for fear that when I pick her up from school today I would get the "Elle has started biting her friends" report.

Fun times!

The Deaf Cousin

When we were in Oregon for our family vacation, cousin Karen, observing Elle communicating in sign language, began to call Elle "the deaf cousin".

Karen is anything but deaf. In fact she is the loudest in our group of cousins. Karen is very animated, always telling a story loudly, and of course with her hands. When Karen began calling Elle "the deaf cousin" I assured her that if she hung out with us long enough she might pick up a few signs and this might make her stories a bit more exciting. At least it would keep her audience on their toes! Here husband gave me the thumbs up.

Elle does love using her sign language, and I love it because instead of yelling at me she can tell me what she wants. (not that she doesn't still yell to get my attention) We started signing to Elle when she was 6 months, and we didn't get a sign back until she was 12 months. Now it seems like she is learning at least one a week!

Elle now signs:
dog
mom
dad
grandma
grandpa
water
milk
cereal
ball
car
hat
all done
more
please
cracker
juice
banana
coat
shoes
bird
apple

She can also, dance, bow, clap, snap (no sound comes out), "get in your seat" (bumbo seat), and show us that Elle is "So Big" all on command. Which are all WAY TO CUTE!

Of course Elle does SAY words, with her mouth too. She says mama, dada, daddy, dog, duck, go, no, nonononono, and she has said a few others, but very infrequently.

Here's an example of the "Clap"

Elle's Latest Stats

At Elle's 15 month check up she was...

20.5 lbs = 9th percentile
28 inches long = 48th percentile
Her head's circumference was still in the 7th percentile (I don't remember the exact measurement)

All measurements are on the curve which means that she is growing just fine!

When the doctor told me that she was in the 9th percentile for her weight, I said, "What? Only the 9th percentile?"

The doctor gave me a "rrreeeaaalllly?" look and said, "Have you looked at yourself lately? You are not going to have a large child!"

I did however, find a picture in which Elle does not look 9th percentile (I actually don't think she looks small ever, but this picture helped her pack on the pounds)... My dad said she looks like the Michelin tire man!

Family Fun!

About a week ago we got back from a great family vacation.

My grandmother (my dad's mom) treated the entire family (42 of us) to a weekend at the Inn at Spanish Head in Lincoln City, Oregon. Our family has spent many vacations at Spanish Head throughout the years, and it was so nice to be there all together once again. There was not ONE family member missing.

We had such a great time. The beach was chilly, the hot tub was warm, the bonfire made delicious s'mores, and it was SO good to see my aunts, uncles, cousins and their kids!

My grandma hired a professional photographer and we all had a individual family session with her. Here are a couple of the cute pics.

The Three Musketeers...
Elle started walking while on the trip, and I believe it is because she knew it was the only way to survive with the older cousins. :)


A sweet picture of me and my man!


Marly and "baby" Elle


Elle absolutely LOVED the sand! She even enjoyed eating it...So gross!!


My beautiful sister-in-law and me!

I feel so blessed to be a part of such a great family. I'm sure I'll be posting more pictures from this trip as time goes by. They all turned out so great!

Okay...It's been WAY TOO long!

Okay, Okay, I'm back!

Things have been crazy busy around our house and thus, no blog posts lately. Things are starting to slow down so I think I can keep on top of the blogging . Summer is just a week away!

Here's a quick update of what's been going on since the last time I posted:

We moved
I helped direct a musical at school
Elle is now walking (mostly on her knees)
Elle is talking and doing much sign language to communicate
Cole has a new job
I am applying for VP jobs
Elle is a dancing machine
Elle had her first birthday (what a blast!)
Elle has 10 teeth (all 4 molars came in 4th of July weekend...not the best!)
Elle just had her 15 month check up and it went very well. Here are her latest stats:

Height: 30 inches (48th percentile)
Weight: 20.5 lbs (9th percentile)
Head: 17 inches (13th percentile)

Life is good. We are adjusting to our new place, school is almost over for the summer and Elle continues to be the joy of our lives! We are looking forward to a fun summer!

A Day at the Park

This afternoon we headed to the park as a family unit. Me, Cole, Elle and the dog. We brought the big leash extender thingy that we tied around a tree, so Coach could roam a bit, a couple sodas, a blanket and some toys for Elle. Here are a few pictures from our adventure...

Of course Elle had to ride the swings...her fav!

Everytime I look at this picture I laugh out loud!

These might make a tasty snack...

Our first lesson on "opposites"...big stick...little stick...

...and neither are supposed to go in your mouth!

Mom...please don't bother me right now...I'm on the hunt for tasty leaves!

I love the grass!! I love Spring!

Cousins Take Two

In January Elle got to meet her cousins Grayson, Sydney and Sierra for the first time. We went to Colorado for a week at the beginning of January to see Cole's family.

Grayson, Sydney, and Sierra absolutely loved Elle.

Sierra would go and get Elle toys and then sit and play with her. Grayson and Sydney really enjoyed playing with the toys Elle got for Christmas. They all treated her just like a little sister.

I don't have any pictures of Elle with Sierra which is a bummer...here are a few pics of Elle with G and Syd:

Cousins

In January Elle got to go and visit her cousins Morgan and Marly.

Elle had a blast! Marly thought that Elle was the coolest thing yet! Every morning Marly would wake up and say, "Baby Elle??" and look all over the house for Elle. Morgan even liked Elle too. Morgan gave Elle hugs!

When we left Morgan hugged Elle, and Marly cried. It was too sweet! Elle can't wait to see her cousins again at the end of July.

Here are some photos from our trip!

These are the boxes of clothes we went through the girls thought they needed to get inside the boxes...hand me down time!! YES!

Three munchkins in the bath. This lasted only a short time. Elle decided that bath time alone was much more relaxing...less bubbles on the face and less squirting of water.

A quick wagon ride in the backyard! They all look a bit nervous!

Marly and Elle in the disaster that Elle created...Elle started crawling while we were there and thought the diapers looked better all over the floor instead of on the shelf.

More wagon ride...Elle is thinking...What have you gotten me into Mom?

Cousins out for a stroller ride in their newly knitted hats!

What goes through an infant's mind?

Here are some of Elle's latest thoughts...

I love Disneyland...but this sun is a killer!

I'm silly..and I'll prove it!

What? We have to leave Walmart already?? I was just getting comfy in this cart!

Watch out boys...here I come!

What did you say Mom?

You mean I'm not allowed to have popsicles? But Marly gave it to me!

Here's my angelic pose...whaddya think??

No way!! I love cheerios! Hand 'em over!

Really? You're gonna play that game?

I love my mom!

Mom's Old Clothes!

Here is another picture of Elle in my old clothes:

Me in 1978

Elle in 2010

Mom..do you think I'm cute??

Bad Puppy!

We enjoy that fact that we live so close to my parents. A little over a two hour drive and we are at their door. Of course when we go to spend the weekend with my parents, this involves packing the car to the brim with baby stuff....pack and play, highchair, stroller etc., and of course stuff for the dog.

Coach is a great dog. She is almost 4 years old, knows many tricks, and loves other dogs and everyone she meets.

My mom, not the biggest fan of dogs in general, but she has grown to love Coach. Mom has even taken Coach outside a time or two.

There are a couple things however that my mom cannot stand about Coach...

1. When my mom is loading the dishwasher, Coach tries to be helpful and lick the plates that might have a bit of food still on them. My mother does not appreciate this at all!

2. Coach is not dummy. The floor is a very hard place. There are many comfy options around the house. One of the chairs in the living room is especially comforting, and Grandma and Grandpa's bed....just heavenly! Although my mom detests the dog's choice in comfort, she has started to put a towel on the chair, but her bedroom door remains closed.

I happened to snap a picture of Coach making herself at home on Mom and Dad's bed...Unacceptable!

Sorry..you forgot to close the door!

This Girls Can STILL Sleep Anywhere!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...

This girl can sleep anywhere! She can sleep in her carseat, stroller, (even the whimpy umbrella stroller), a concrete patio, the nursery at church, a swing...and now here:

This seems like no big deal...a baby can usually sleep in a Baby Bjorn.

...but while her father plays the cajon?? YEP!

11 months!

Last Wednesday Elle turned 11 months old!

I can hardly believe it! Before we know it, she'll be a whole year old!

I have been the laziest blogger the past two months, but Elle has continued to grow despite my laziness.

Her latests are:

Elle lovees to dance (she sways her head from side to side and bounces on all fours or while standing holding on to something) mainly to U2. She even kissed the CD player proving her love for Bono.

She eats cheerios as if they were candy, and has just started biting them in half with her four, widely spaced teeth.

Elle doesn't quite understand the meaning of "No". She thinks its a game. Elle just looks at me, smiles and continues doing what I told her not to do, which I find totally unacceptable.

Elle is an experienced Disneyland fan thanks to G and Gma. (she's already been there 4 times)

I think Elle might end up with red hair, or at least the attitude that comes with having red hair. If something makes her mad, she growls in frustration while clenching her fists.

Elle has started mimicking anything we do...blinking, tilting her head, coughing, laughing...the more we laugh the more she continues...she is going to be a ham!

I need to get some updated pictures up here and perhaps a video or two...

Elle's first birthday party will be on Saturday April 10th...and suggestions for the theme?? Elle's Bells is what her father came up with...I think we need some more ideas...

Christmas and New Years 2009-2010

It's been a while since a real post and I'm feeling like writing a post for everything we did over Christmas and New Year's is a bit to overwhelming for me at the moment. But I DO want to make sure to post some pictures of the fun times we had, you know in case they don't end up in a scrapbook or baby-book...we've got 'em here.

We've had the best time with both of our families over the past two months.

We spent Christmas this year with my parents in Pasadena. Elle opened gifts, mainly enjoying the sound of the tissue paper and the bright colored ribbons. We got amazing gifts from my parents too...the sewing machine that I got has been put to some serious use in the past couple weeks. Coach had an enjoyable time too....Mom and Dad's bed being her favorite spot!

Then we went to Colorado for New Year's with Cole's family. What a great time we had. Elle saw snow for the first time, met her aunts and uncles, and had a great time on the plane. Elle even had fun on New Year's entertaining Grammy, Papa, and Aunt Marilyn and Uncle John, after waking up from her slumber. Grammy and Papa were supposed to put Elle back to sleep if she woke up, but they pulled the 'grandparents card' and kept her up from 10:30-1:30.

Elle hanging with G

Elle and Gma

Elle and I in our "tacky Christmas shirts"

Elle taking a bath at G and Gma's house

Coach chillin' on Mom and Dad's bed (they love this)

I love G and Gma's house

Elle listened carefully to the flight attendants

Mom, look! There's snow!

Dad and baby girl in the snow

It's a winter wonderland...

I'm not so sure that I like the snow... it's cold!

Fun family time in the snow!

Happy girls!

Sleeping baby with daddy

Daddy still has to play...

Everything goes in my mouth these days

Elle in my old sweater and hat

Brothers setting up the new surround sound

Bath time at Grammy and Papa's

Cousins!