My Birthday Present

My Mom called me a few weeks before my birthday and asked me what I wanted. Of course I said money! Then I thought about it and was thinking of all things I could possibly want, but I kept coming back to a swingset for Ella. So I called my Mom back and told her I wanted a swingset for Ella for my birthday. And here it is....

in a million pieces! Trey of course got the awesome opportunity to put it together for me. So what did he do....He called his Dad and asked him to come and help!

Ella was so excited when she saw her Daddy and Granpop putting it together. (Please excuse her crazy outfit. She was wearing this dress and would not take it off, so I put the warmest pants she has on her which happen to be zebra print.)

Right in the middle of it, of course!

The guys worked all morning and finished it around 5:30. Ella went down for a nap at 2:30 and when she got up at 5:30 it was all ready for her!

Silly Daddy!

She played on it for a long time. Then this morning she had to go outside first thing to go "play at the park".

Thank you Mom and Dad for getting me a present that my baby girl loves! And thank you Jack for coming down here and putting it together.

Jealousy

This is how it goes whenever I am ever taking pictures of Layla...

First picture. No Ella in sight. I am talking very loudly and making noises to get Layla to look.

 

Second picture. Ella hears what is going on and she comes to investigate. See the big smile on her face.

Third Picture. Ella is still smiling in the background, but now it is the forced smile. The smile that says "Look at me, Pay attention to me!".

Fourth Picture. I am mad. I feel left out. Take my picture, not Layla's!

Fifth Picture. Ahhh! The center of attention again!

Basking in the limelight.

Okay, I'm over it. 

And back to Layla!

Pumpkin Patch

This weekend my Mom came in town for my birthday, which was the 20th, so my sister came over and we took the kids to the pumpkin patch in town. We hadn't ever been to this one, but it was cute and they had hay rides, animals to feed, a little train and pumpkins. The kids really had fun and ran all over the place and wore us out.

Ella and Layla's Grandma (Trey's Mom) got them these precious outfits last time they were in town.

They went on the little train, which went so slow for our little ones. Ella kept blowing kisses, waiving and yelling "watch out!". I guess she thought they needed her help directing things.

Granny and Ella fed the goats, sheep and cows. I was surprised that Ella would stick her hand out, but she did great.

This sign was so cute!

Of course we couldn't get all the kid to stick their heads through this at once, but oh well!

It was pretty hot outside so by the time we left we were all sweating. Ella's eyes were getting more and more red and then started getting yucky stuff in them so we had to call the doctor and get medicine for pink eye! Yuck! Poor thing....her eyes got so red, and she DID NOT like having eye drops put in but she is getting better. Never a dull moment! 

Mom Me Designs is having a Giveaway

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Layla is 5 Months!!

Layla Lou, or as Ella calls you Layla Boo Boo, I can't believe you are already 5 months old!! I weighed you this morning and you are up to almost 24 pounds! You had to switch you to size 4 diapers earlier this month and they fit so much better! You have such big thighs and tummy. Well, honestly, everything is pretty big, but those stand out! I love how chunky you are and I wouldn't trade it for anything. You can still wear size 12 month onesies, but 18 month pants fit better now I  just have to roll them up because they are a little long. Everywhere we go everyone asks if you are 7 or 8 months and they are shocked when i saw that you just turned 5 months.

You got your first tooth on September 30th. We were at your Daddy's reunion in Holliday watching a football game when it finally broke through. Your second one is almost through, but not quite.

You are almost sitting up on your own. Well, you can sit up by yourself for a while, but then you start slumping over, so you are 90% there!!! You can roll from your tummy to your back and your back to your tummy. You are a rolling machine!!

You blow spit bubbles all the time! Your clothes are constantly drenched with spit. You love to talk and laugh. You grab for everything and love to pull Mommy and Ella's hair. I remember I wasn't able to wear a necklace for a long time with your big sister and you are going to be the same.

You LOVE your big sister! When you are fussy Ella always sings to you and you instantly start smiling. You light up when you see her and you love it when she plays with you. I LOVE watching you two together and seeing how much you love each other, there is nothing more sweet!

On the down side, you still won't take a bottle. You won't take a pacifier either, but that doesn't bother me. You also have some serious Mommy attachment. You won't let too many people hold you, I think you just have stranger anxiety, well and I am just such a fabulous Mom, who wouldn't be attached to me! HAHAHA!!!

We love you, love you, love you and I don't care that I am the only one who ever gets to hold you because you are my baby! It's not such a bad thing!

Layla is 4 Months!

Layla, you are four months old!! Where does the time go? September is flying by, so I am nine days late with this post. We took you to the doctor last week and here are your stats:

Weight: 21 pounds, over 100 percentile
Height: 26-1/2", over 98 percentile

Yep, you are a big girl! You are wearing 12 month clothes, although 18 months fit your thighs much better, they are a little long. I have been putting you in 18 months and just rolling up the pants. I figure you would rather have them too long than tight on your legs and tummy. You are still a bay though and I wish I could find larger sizes in Baby clothes. It seems the larger sizes don't have the onesies like you need. I don't want to dress you like a little girl, I want to dress you like a baby! You wear a size three diaper

You have done a lot of new things this month. You found your feet for the first time and any time I lay you on your back now you go straight for them! It is so sweet to see my little butter ball all curled up getting her toes. You have also rolled from your back to your tummy about 10 times. The first time I thought it might be an accident so I rolled you back over and had your Daddy watch you and sure enough you did it again. Sadly, all the family was here yesterday and you didn't do it. You tried so hard, but I think you were too sleepy to muster up that extra energy you needed.

You have the sweetest belly chuckle when you laugh and when you smile your face lights up! Your cheeks are so big you hardly have any eyes when you smile. You are drooling constantly. I don't feel any teeth coming in though, maybe you are just a drooler.

You are going through a phase where you pretty much only want to be held and only your Momma can hold you. Your Daddy thinks you don't like him, but I have reassured him that it is not him, you are just like you sister because she went through the same thing. You still won't take a pacifier or a bottle. I would appreciate it if you would start taking them because with Fall photo shoots coming up your Momma is going to be gone some and you will have to eat somehow!

You love your sister and watching her play. You give her big smiles and your eyes always follow her as she walks across the room. You will stop crying if she sings to you. I can't wait for you and her to be able to play together!

Your Daddy and I love you so much! I can't imagine what we would do without you. You are so sweet, cuddly and happy (well, if I am holding you!).

First Day Of School

Last week Ella started weekday school two days a week. Trey's Mom came in town so I didn't have to wake up Layla and take her up there and so I could give Ella all my attention. This is a big milestone after all and Mommy needed some cute pictures.

At first she wasn't into taking pictures at all, but I finally got her to smile. I had search and searched for the perfect first day dress and actually bought two. This one was the second one I bought and I LOVE it!

I love this sweet girl!

I picked her up at 2:30 and she was so excited to see me. She said she had a lot of fun. Her teacher gave her a good report and said she was cheerful and good natured. It is so fun to pick her up and see what she has to say. She has a great memory and tells me if a little boy cried or that she likes to slide on the playground during recess.

I was a little sad the night before her first day. My sweet girl is growing up so fast! It helps so much that I have such a great family and friends. As soon as I dropped her off my sweet friend Melody was calling to check on me. While we were talking my Mom called, then my husband called, then I got home and my mother in law was doing our laundry and was cleaning out Ella's drawers (a task I had been meaning to do for about 6 months, but never really had the time, or honestly, the drive to actually do it!). It was a good day! Ella has loved everyday since and I am so glad she is liking it.