TWO is better than one....

This girl turned TWO today!!


She is the messiest...


the sweetest...


funniest...


most fearless...


loving little girl I know!

Ellie is so sweet and compassionate. No one in this house can sneeze, cough or even scratch an itch without Ellie asking if you are alright. She tells you she loves you about 20 times a day (more when she is sick, much more!) She loves to sing, read and watch TV. She loves soda and anything gummy (just like her mommy). She can count to 10 and gets some of the ABC's in the right order. She loves owls and her brother and has to sleep with all of her stuffed animals and babies. Ellie is the messiest child I have ever met (but she LOVES the bath so I guess it all equals out in the end) and she hates to go shopping with me! I think Heavenly Father knew exactly what he was doing when he waited so long to send her here, but I am so glad she finally made it!

AND...perhaps this next bit of information deserves its own post, but I have a feeling if I don't mention it now, i will never get around to it.....ERIC FINISHED HIS MASTERS DEGREE!!! I am so incredibly proud of him. There were days I didn't know if one or both of us would make it through alive but Eric managed to work full time, be Elder Quorum President, commute to school, maintain a *nearly* perfect GPA and was still the favorite parent (how does that happen?)! Yay Eric!!!

(sorry honey, I had to.)

Bangs!

Ellie got a hair cut! My dear friend Ali trimmed it up and gave her some bangs! I personally think Ellie looks adorable either way, but I think she is pretty happy not to have all that hair in her eyes!

Before


After

Now we are Six

When I was One,
I had just begun.

When I was Two,
I was nearly new.

When I was Three
I was hardly me.

When I was Four,
I was not much more.

When I was Five,
I was just alive.

But now I am Six,
I'm as clever as clever,
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.

* The End
A.A. Milne

Karate Kid

Nate earned his first belt in Karate tonight!

Bowing to his audience with his instructor Brian


"Cheeky hands" kick


I couldn't help but tear up as he did his formations, he looked so awesome out there!


Breaking his first board!!


Getting his new belt (Orange) from Mr. Maris

Karate has been the BEST thing for Nate, he loves it and (I have to brag here) he is awesome at it. I am not sure if Nate was more excited to break a board or get ice cream afterward!

First lost tooth

You know how you can tell a "real" cry from a "fake" cry, I can always tell when Nate is seriously hurt or scared, he has this totally panicked cry that cannot be faked, even though he sometimes tries :) I know when I hear that cry that to come running. Friday Night right before bed Nate belted out a "real" cry and I came running! Nate's face was sheer panic when he tearfully told me that he has a loose tooth. Yay! I was so excited, but I almost shed a few tears myself, I can't believe he is getting so big! Nate was so nervous and claimed to be heartbroken because "that was his favorite tooth!" The next morning, I wiggled it to see how loose it was and it just popped out! No traumatic string tied to the door knob or anything! Nate was still a bit freaked right after it happened but he is okay with it now. He refused to put the tooth under his pillow though because he didn't want to have a run in with the Tooth fairy so we put the tooth under a pillow on the couch. Good thing the tooth fairy knew where to look! The tooth fairy brought a gift instead of money since this was the first tooth. She was pretty generous if I might add too!


"The Hole"


The tooth (and Ellie trying to grab it)


Ellie's unhappy because we wouldn't let her have Nates tooth...poor tortured soul!


The loot.

Tutu

I made this tutu for a friends babyshower but I had to have Ellie model it first! I think we are going to have to make one in every color! I love having a girl!



 

Looking to see if she is about to get in trouble for going into the street




Concentrating very hard...trying to walk on uneven ground

Trip to Home Depot

Nine.

Some of my favorite memories from 9 years ago today:
*Having to take a cold shower because Tracy took all the hot water, trying to shave my legs with goosebumps...
*Eric eating a couple of jalapeno corn dogs from 7-11 for breakfast on the way to the Temple
*Making it through the entire ceremony without shedding any tears until the very end when Sealer spoke about our future children.
*Jared being in EVERY single one of our wedding pictures
*Honeymooing in Vegas (Just like Elvis)


Some of my favorite moments today:
*Getting my carpet cleaned
*Getting roses
*Watching Nate having a blast at Karate
*Not having to cook dinner
*Grocery shopping with my favorite guy

Carson Slotcar Raceway