In less than a month, Ellison will be TWO. This is so crazy to me!!! She has grown and changed so much in the past 23 months, and continues to amaze us every day. She is unbelievably smart and so cute that even when she is being sassy, it's hard to be upset with her.
2nd birthday party planning has begun. I promised not to go as crazy as I did last year, so I am having a friend make some of the decorations so I'm not stuck at the Cricut for hours on end! We won't be decorating as elaborately as we did last year...it was easy to find Sesame Street stuff, but our theme this year is a little trickier! Still, I want things to be cute, as Ellison and the baby will probably have combined parties for the next couple years. Invitations are sent and E's outfit is ordered. 2 year pictures are scheduled. Now we just have to hope baby brother stays put until after the party and weather cooperates so everything goes off without a hitch!
E moved into her toddler bed over a week ago. There have been good nights and bad (and one really bad!) nights. It's definitely a work in progress so I'm glad we started well before baby arrives. We have her room all set up with her "new" furniture, and it looks great! Now we get to turn our attention to the baby's room, which is painted with blinds and valances up, but still needs carpeting. Once that's in we will be able to get the furniture arranged and everything else in place! Still need to stock up on some new baby items and boy stuff, but things are coming along! Working on getting laundry washed and put away, so definitely keeping busy.
Another big development is using the potty. We've had it for months, but Ellison never wanted to sit on it without her clothes on. She has started to sit on it properly every now and then, and has actually used it twice. I would say I never thought I'd be so excited about someone going to the bathroom, but since I'm a nurse...that kind of thing always gets me pumped! :)
Ells' big girl room!
Miss Ellison has a crazy vocabulary. She has been singing a lot (besides the Wizard of Oz songs, her current playlist includes Do You Know the Muffin Man, Ring Around the Rosie, her version of the ABCs, BINGO, and Jesus Loves Me, among others). She will regularly put 6+ words together. I don't always believe the things that come out of her mouth. She sounds so grown up sometimes! Maybe I'm just not around a lot of normal, healthy almost 2 year olds, but she seems super smart to me :)
Big girl playing with her tablet
We are definitely into the terrible twos already. I think they started the day Ellison turned one! Right now some of her favorite things to say are "no", "I can't", and "I don't like ____". She tells us she doesn't like everything, even her favorite things. Like I said though, she is so adorable that I have a hard time getting too angry with her. But her sassy mouth needs some work! She is definitely a little actress and can put on quite a show when she doesn't get her way. Very dramatic...obviously didn't get that from me! Haha!!! Fighting naps has been another sassy point lately. People keep telling me their kids stopped napping when they were Ellison's age or younger, but I know my girl and she is definitely not ready to go without a nap! She is so high energy that she is burnt out and stumbling around by lunchtime most days. So we will keep fighting her, I guess. She seems to nap better when she's not at home...
Ells is still a very good little helper and is always trying to assist us with whatever we are doing. She is also very sweet to her "buddies", giving them food and trying to change their diapers. She also has a little vet kit that she uses on them, although she thinks most of the things in it are hammers and tends to pound them in the head a little bit.
Ells is still a very good little helper and is always trying to assist us with whatever we are doing. She is also very sweet to her "buddies", giving them food and trying to change their diapers. She also has a little vet kit that she uses on them, although she thinks most of the things in it are hammers and tends to pound them in the head a little bit.
Cooking
Feeding her buddies
Helping Daddy build her bed
Vacuuming with her mini Dyson
Taking over chalkboard decorating duties
Folding laundry for baby brother
Baby #2 is coming along well, although my appetite still comes and goes. The doctor is happy that I've finally gained some weight, though. Heartburn is starting to bother me now and I've been eating Tums like they are candy. Little man's kicks/punches are getting VERY strong! I've been told that my belly is "huge" despite being otherwise "tiny" by numerous people, which I find funny. I think I'm carrying a lot lower and farther out than last time so I feel very awkward! Still up and down a lot playing with Ellison, but it's a lot harder to get up of the ground!
At this point with Ellison I had an ultrasound because she was measuring small...with this dude I am having one because he is measuring big! At my 34 week appointment today (actually 33 6/7) she said I'm measuring 35+ weeks. Guess we will see what's up on the ultrasound tomorrow. Ellison was actually right on track when she was supposed to be small, so who knows! One more "every other week" appointment and then we go to weekly. Time is definitely flying!
Here's some pictures from a chilly day at the zoo!
At this point with Ellison I had an ultrasound because she was measuring small...with this dude I am having one because he is measuring big! At my 34 week appointment today (actually 33 6/7) she said I'm measuring 35+ weeks. Guess we will see what's up on the ultrasound tomorrow. Ellison was actually right on track when she was supposed to be small, so who knows! One more "every other week" appointment and then we go to weekly. Time is definitely flying!
Here's some pictures from a chilly day at the zoo!
