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!

 

 

undies for our big boy

A month into moving in to our new apartment, we decided to start potty training Lincoln. Even better, he decided he wanted to use the toilet on his own. A few days prior, we all went to the store together and I decided to buy the kids their own fun underwear. I was a little hesitant to start especially since Chris works literally all day every day! But one Sunday after church Lincoln told me that he wanted to wear underwear... Ok then, we were on. And I knew the second I put on his undies there was no going back. No night time or nap time diapers, no pull-ups or trainers, just underwear from here on out. 

I am amazed at how easy it was to potty train him! Which makes me happy to know that he really was ready to be a "big boy" no more diapers for my little Lincoln. 

It was a bit frustrating at first, but I had already prepared myself for the worst. I didn't push him at all. I didn't time him every time he took a sip of something. I didn't sit him on the toilet forever waiting for something to happen. I just let him be. I wanted him to feel for himself and understand his what his body was telling him. 

Let me just say, I did a lot of laundry! He played all day in his undies and he'd pee his pants often. I cleaned up after him and reminded him to run to the toilet when he had that feeling to go and there was lots of praising for when he did go in the toilet. Fortunately, I knew exactly when he pooped so we didn't have any of those messes to clean. He wet his bed only a couple of times. I really don't know how many accidents he had and I didn't care to keep track of it...that would just discourage me and add more work for me. 

One day it just clicked for him! I remember it took exactly 7 days and he was completely potty trained! It didn't feel stressful for either of us and he has not had any accidents since then! He's great in public, he wakes up dry, and he goes all by himself! (He does usually inform us that he needs to go, and we just give him the ok and he runs off to the bathroom). 

All in all, I am so proud of my Linc-a-dink and the big boy he's become!

LA zoo

 

Ella led the way for us

this silly girl!

Lincoln saw this group of kids lining up on the wall and he ran up to join them

Ella was so scared on the marry-go-round..

...so she jumped onto my lap

  long, hot day at the zoo calls for a yummy treat!  

 

say 'cheese'

today Lincoln and Ella had their first dentist appt. I wasn't planning on doing a blog post on their visit but I am just so proud of how cooperative they were and how stinkin' cute they looked that I just have to post these pictures!   first up was Lincoln! He was so attentive as the nurse was explaining how we were going to take pictures (x-rays) of his teeth.

 

next was Ella, and after seeing big brother go, she was eager for her turn.

 

and they got to pic out a new tooth bush

  I think playing doctor/dentist with them every night really paid off... I'm one happy mama right now!