Ella's First Birthday Party!!

Ella's Birthday Party was something I planned for and anticipated for months! My BFF Nicki and I had so much fun putting our minds together long distance and planning this party together! She played a huge role in pulling off Ella's party...she made all the paper supplies for me, which tied everything together so nicely!! Thank you so much for all your help Nicki!! Ella's party was such an awesome memory!!

The cake table: my friend Amy and I took a beginner cake decorating class this past winter so that we could both make our babies' first birthday cakes! It was a lot of work, on top of making everything else, but it was also a lot of fun!!

So hard to believe our baby girl is one already!! She brings so much joy into our lives!

I made all these little buckets with balloons that were supposed to go on the tables outside, but it ended up being way too windy, so they ended up being scattered around the house.

Jeff and his mom took care of the food so I could concentrate on the decorations and desserts. It was a joint effort for sure. Also, my friend Amie made the beautiful fruit arrangement, and our friends the White's brought the veggie trays.

I had so much fun decorating for this party!!

So girlie!

Me and my baby girl. She was a little overwhelmed by how many people came over.

Some of the outside decorations. Yummy lemonade and strawberry lemonade. Nicki also made me some adorable personalized water bottle labels. She put so many personalized details into this party for me! Loved it!!

Ella's smash cake. She didnt get into it very much.....she mustv'e known 40 people were watching her! :o)

Getting into it a little....it was so bright outside!

Opening all her wonderful presents! Thank you everyone that came for all the generous gifts you brought Ella!

I love this picture of Ella! So cute!

I took one last picture of the cake before we cut it....hey, it was a lot of work to make! lol

The birthday girl all tired out from a super fun birthday party! Grandma gave her a bath and put in her jammies. Ella didn't even notice all the balloons in the house until everyone left. She had fun playing with them.

Whoa.....trying to catch up!

Yikes....it's been three months and I havnt made a post. I think it's because I tried to load way to many pictures per post, and it takes so long that I dread it. So, I am going to try to condense the amount of pictures in my posts. So.....pardon me while I try to go back and catch up over the last three months- the shortened condensed version! :o)

Ella's one year pictures

We had Ella's one year pictures taken at JcPenney's. I was overall very pleased with how they turned out! It's so hard to believe how fast this last year has flown by!! How did my little baby girl already turn one?? I love this pink dress! It was also her Easter dress.

One of my FAV'S!!!!

Such sweet innocense!

I am so glad we got a few of her standing...it shows how tall she has gotten!!

This is one of our favorites too~she looks just like Jeff's brother in this picture!!

I made a giant cupcake cake for Ella to tear into....she wasn't quite sure at first.

Getting a little more brave.

There we go!

Now we're talkin'!

Now to bring her down off the sugar high! :o)

April 13th 2010

Happy Birthday to my dear sweet Ella Grace! I had no idea one year ago today how much my life was going to be blessed with you in it. You bring joy to my EVERY DAY! You are such a happy girl....you always have been. You have been such a joy to take care of, and you have for the most part been easy to take care of. I love you so so much, and cannot imagine my life without you. Thank you for loving me. Your love is so unconditional and makes me feel so special. Thank you for loving your daddy. His world lights up when you are in it. I love watching you two love each other....you are two little peas in a pod. This last year has been somewhat of a whirlwind!! It's so hard to believe that a whole year has past, yet it also is so hard to remember what our lives were like without you! You have changed your daddy and I so much. Our hearts are so much more full than we ever knew they could be. WE LOVE YOU!!!! Happy Birthday our little Ella Bear!

April 1-12, 2010

The first part of April has been a good one in our house. I worked my very last night shift on April 2, so we were all happy to put the chapter behind us. I'm sure it will take most of April for me to get used to dayshift, but it will be so much better overall for our family.

Easter morning all ready for church. This is the first Sunday mommy has been able to go to church in several months! So glad that is over too!!

Mommy and Ella all dressed up for church.

Sweet baby girl!

I don't know what I was thinking wearing five inch heels....our bodies just weren't made to be able to do that! :o)

Quick picture in the parking lot at church. Ella wasn't into it!

Try again. It was really overcast and humid that day. The sun came out in the afternoon though. We went over to Andy and Amies for Easter brunch. I forgot to take pictures from that.

I painted Ella's toes for the first time. They looked so cute, and she loves to play with them.

My beautiful flowers from Jeff and Ella for being done with night shift.

My friend Rayanne and I are learning how to make hairbows. This is all the ribbon we ordered! FUN!!

This is my little gymnist. She likes to play a game where she gets into this position, and then has you flip her the rest of the way around into a summersalt.

Pretty Princess in Purple

Waking up from a nap....ready to go PLAY!

So excited!!

And of course, more swinging time!!

We go to the park quite often, but I never remember to take my camera with me. She LOVES the black baby swing at the park. She can see it from a distance as we are walking to the park, and she starts squealing!

Such a big girl!

Daddy giving underdogs.

I got a new mirror in my bedroom, and of course it already has baby handprints all over it! She loves to look at herself. And, as you can see, she also loves her toothbrush!! :o)

Hi Mommy!

Our friends Joseph and Jennifer are moving to Ohio, so we all got together one last time and had dinner. All four of us girls had on the same color, so we had to get a picture!

Their daughter Gena and Ella are only a few months apart. It was a lot of fun to watch them play together. Gena was having fun pushing Ella around on her little train scooter.

Ella also got to try out Gena's rocking horse.

Trying to stand on her own! It won't be long now!!!

This was the first weekend that I was on days. Daddy didn't take very many pictures, but he took this one of Ella trying to play the piano. She loves to sit and play the keys. She is very gentle with them too....she usually doesnt bang.
Jeff and Ella also came up to my work this Sunday afternoon and had lunch with me!! That was so much fun and brightened my day!!!! Just one of the many benefits of working days now!

I can't believe our baby girl is going to be one this week!!! It has been an amazing year!! I wouldn't trade it for anything!! Ella brings so much joy and laughter into our home!! We are so blessed and so thankful!!