Precious Pics

Well, I haven't blogged in a while so I thought I would update, but not much is new with us. Here are some new pictures of Ella and us...sorry there is so many - I couldn't decide which ones to post so here is a bunch!

I can finally sit up like a big girl on my own!

Here is Ella tasting her teething biscuit....yeah....so I remember a long time ago someone told me that there was a treat or something that was super messy for infants and be careful when you give it to them...now I remember - it was these:) Oh well - she loved them and thankfully they don't stain clothes or blankets:)

Ella finally got to meet my dear friend Sarah - she was visiting from Kentucky - great seeing you Sarah!

At first we kept thinking Ella was sucking her thumb...nope...she just loves to chew on it constantly:)

They are hard to see here, but there is in fact 2 little teethers there!

"I like to suck in my lower lip...it helps with the teething"

Working hard AND hardly working:)

At times it can be hard to find things that ease the teething - Grandma Koning suggested carrots! She really digs them:)

We don't let her sleep with blankets but we were playing on the bed and she fell asleep and it was chilly...she just looks so cozy in there!

Here is me and my nephew Reed - we took him out for supper and some bowling for his 7th Birthday - he almost broke 100 - what a guy!

Here she is last week on her first walk this spring in the jogger - she loves walks....I can hardly wait for permanently nice weather!

Tonight we got to meet my cousins Angie and Ben's little baby boy Andrew Benjamin - he was born last Monday at 9lbs 11oz and 20 inches. He is so adorable! Another little playmate for Ella!

Parents-Only Weekend

This past weekend, us and 4 other couples went up north to Brad's parents cottage for a weekend away. This was our first weekend away from Ella - it was difficult to be away from her but it was a ton of fun to be with our friends! We did a lot of vegging - watching movies, playing games, eating at the local restaurants :) and lots of girl talk while the guys did Manolymics. We were just able to kick back and relax - like a mini vacation. Here are some pics from the weekend... The guys out on the ice on Big Star Lake...against the wishes of the wives:)One of the Winter Manolympic events - a Wii sports tournament!Mere and JillJulie, Jill and Lindsey

Curt, Jim, Darrell, Brad, JoeWii American Idol - go Jamie and Brad!

The Manolympics winner showing off his "plunger torch"- Joe (Brad, Curt, Joe, Darrell) Jill, Jamie, Lindsey and Mere

"All I want for my 5 month Bday is my 2 front teeth!"

Ella is now 5 months old! Where did the time go? She has grown up so quickly and sporting quite a personality - a mix of a lot sweet a little bit sassy:) It is such a blessing to be her mom! It seems like she is learning something new every day - it is so fun to see a glimpse of the world through her eyes. She is really enjoying... shrieking when she plays with her Daddy, her rice cereal, her newfound toy/treat - her piggies!, her Jumperoo (although not a lot of jump yet), chewing on anything and everything, and looking at herself in the mirror...to name a few. The biggest development for her is she has 2 front teeth coming in on the bottom! She has been drooling and chewing on anything possible for a month now but it was finally last weekend when she was chewing on my finger that I felt something sharp and sure enough today I see a second one coming through. You can barely seem them but they are there! I am excited but at the same time sad for her because I can tell they bug her at times and she has many more to go! We are still working on sitting alone and rolling over but she will do them in good time - no need for her to grow up any faster than she already is. She is a love! Sorry for so many pics but it combines 2 of my favorite things - Ella and taking pictures:)

"My first rice cereal - yum yum!"
Standing up and playing - what a novel idea!

"Now what Mom?"
"These piggies are delicious!"Scootching out of everything now!

"Don't I look so innocent?" A drooling machine!"I love being in the nude!""Well hello there!""How do you like my butt chin?"

Tiny bubblesShe loves to try to hold the bottle by herself

She thinks it is so funny to see her reflection in the mirror

"I love my Auntie Betsy! I can't wait to meet my new cuz!"

"I love my Uncle Ross, Auntie Chris and cousin Carley!" (And Reed too!)

Mommy and Daddy time!