the Latest on Ella {2 years}

An update on our little Ella-Bella:

• She is wearing mainly 18 month clothing and some 24 months and she just grew out of her size 4 shoes. 
• We've been cloth diapering her since about May and she loves picking out which color and pattern diaper she wants to wear. 
• She self weaned off of breast feeding at around 18 months old. I'm so happy she completely did it on her own!
• She's got 16 teeth in and we're just waiting for her back molars. 
• Her hair is still really short but absolutely beautiful. She has beautiful golden brown hair with the greatest curls all over. 
• She has been sleeping through the night for a while and even slept in until 8 am...then, something changed, and now she crawls into our bed around 6 am. Every night, and during naps, she goes to sleep with her baby, two large dolls her great grandma gave her, a cup of water, and her favorite "blanky" that her grandma Seymore made for her. (She really really has to sleep with all of that). 
• She now naps at the same time Lincoln does but they don't last as long as his do. 
• Ella loves a variety of food! Some of her favorites include broccoli (but only the florets), carrots, avocado, hummus, greek yogurt, cream cheese with bagels (not bagels with cream cheese), for that matter, she actually likes all kids of cheese! She loves eggs and almonds and all kids of fruit. 
• And she's a talker! She talks so much and so clearly! She's got the cutest little lisp. She is so loud and demanding and tends to do a scary monster voice often. she counts so well and sings her ABC's. 
• her favorite movie right now is Dumbo. She wants to watch it every single day. 
• She's such a daredevil! She climbs up onto everything and jumps from couch to couch to ottoman to couch. She loves the pool and beach and never wants to get out of the water. 
• Ella is such a mommy's helper! She helps me wipe down the table and windows. She helps pick up toys and always puts her dirty clothes in the hamper. 
• She is the biggest girly girl by nature! She loves her baby dolls and always sings to them and rocks them to sleep. She changes her clothes like three times a day and she always chooses the frilliest skirts and twirls around saying she's a princess. She's a great dancer too!
• She is so squishy! She gives the tightest hugs and longest kisses (they're now closed mouth kisses) and the latest, "mugga-mugga" aka Eskimo kisses!

I love Ella's spunky personality! She brings so much light into our lives.

PHOTO BOMB TIME!

 

 

our 4th of july in Virginia Beach

I love living so close to the beach!! It is literally a 10 minute walk from our place (less if I didn't have this very pregnant waddle going on). So where else would we spend Independence Day but at the beach!   Come along with us and enjoy the VB we've come to love!  

   

a little video of the kids from my cousin's wedding last night.

 

 

a day at the cove

sand crabs, sea urchins, climbing rocks, tide pools, chasing seagulls, eating sand...lots of adventures at crystal cove

 

 

 

...and of course the shake shack

 

happy Easter!

this is my attempt at taking a picture of my babies on Easter Sunday... I told them "smile!"

-Lincoln, "cheeeese" (shifting around impatiently)

-Ella, "NO!"

 

 

and here's a little video of them getting their baskets!

  the day before e have a little Easter egg hunt at the park with a bunch of kids from our church

 

pirate party

today was my nephew Zack's 9th birthday! My sister-in-law Nicole did such a great job decorating and hosting his pirate party. I'll have to post some pics...but in the mean time, here's a little film of Linc and Ella enjoying the party! (Ella couldn't get enough of the trampoline)

*music by Peter Bjorn and John  

a day at the park

Ella just impresses me with how adventurous she is! She may be little but she can definitely keep up with the big kids!

gettin' his fitness on

Every morning Lincoln and Ella see their uncle Andrew, Grandma and Grandpa Seymore working out in the garage. So the kids will go out and join them every so often - lifting weights, doing push ups, using the elliptical... What a great example they are to them because they aren't learning this from me! You should see Lincoln flex! He's got big muscles like his daddy!

 

 

*music by RUN-D.M.C.

 

baby #3

...joining us this September!

little fashionista

silly girl

 

learning to count

 

a little fun

 

"that's crazy man!"

just a cute little video of Lincoln jammin' in the car. "that's crazy man!"

 

nap time

sneaking in on my sweet little Ella during her nap time.  

 

 

 

when the house is quiet...

 

 

my little artists

my little artists at work

 

more clips of my Linc-a-dink

    

 

   

 

 

 

 

my baby boy

found some these old clips of my little Lincoln when he was a couple months old!

LOVE him to pieces!