Ella 1 Year Update

It has been a while since I've wrote a blog post but I've been wanting to do this one for a while. Ella turned one June 11th and I still can't believe a year has gone past already. Not to mention the fact that Ella is about the size Harper was at 6 months - so that always makes it difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that she's a year old. 

Weight: 21 lbs

Height: 30"

Teeth: Four

Sleep: 12 Hours straight at night and has one nap a day ranging from 1 hr 30 minutes - 2 1/2 hours.

Walking: More like running. Yes. And has been since she was exactly 12 months. 

Nursing: Yes, whenever she can get it - which seems to be constantly when I'm not at work. It doesn't bother me because I LOVE breastfeeding and she's my last baby so as long as she wants to I will continue to nurse her - unless of course she's 4 and is able to lift my shirt to pull my boob out..

Confession. When she was first born I was really really concerned her squished nose was going to stick forever and ever. I was very relieved when it settled back down after a few days - poor thing was all squished from being over due. As if her scowl isn't intense already - imagine her scowl with that crease in her nose! Wowza, she would have taken RBF (also known as Resting Bitch Face) to a whole new level!

I remember this day like it was yesterday. Not just because her labour was the most intense pain I've been in in my life BUT how much I immediately loved her. I obviously had all of the sames feelings when Harper was born but I didn't think I could love another baby as much as our sweet Harper. But I did and do. Ella is seriously the perfect end to our little family. She is the fiery babe who makes us grind our teeth when she's been sassy and bust out laughing when she's doing something funny.

Also, her relationship with her big sister is something made of dreams. They LOVE each other so so much. Harper constantly calls her "Ella Marie" and "Baby sister" which melts my heart every.single.time.

Sisterly love.

Favourite foods: These organic Squoosh packets - which seems to be the only way I can get veggies into her unless I'm hiding them in her dinner. She is obsessed with any type of berry but LOVES oranges. She enjoys chicken and ham (although we mostly eat chicken). She drinks water like her big sister and almond milk.

Ella is seriously the funniest baby ever. She is the perfect addition to our little family. Fraser and I could not be happier with our sweet girls.

27th Birthday Festivities

This past Friday marked my 27th birthday. That's right, I turned 27 on the 27th of May - that's never going to happen again! Fraser took the day off work to hang out with me and the girls. Our original plan was for Fraser and I to go out for lunch while my mom watched the girls but since the weather was so nice I thought we would bring the girls to the park. I couldn't think of a better plan than to bring Harper and Ella to Storybook Gardens. Harper had only ever been once and this would mark Ella's first time.

The last time Harper was at Storybook was right after Ella was born - so last summer! She was still really small and didn't get to enjoy everything like she did this time around. She was OBSESSED with the mini houses and buildings and since it was a Friday there was barely any kids which made it easier for her to play. She particularly loved the grocery store and the little cottage/house. 

And can we take a moment to talk about how freaking cute she is in her sunglasses. I'm lucky if I can get her to eat breakfast without wearing them!

The go-karts were still too big for Harper but Fraser pushed her around a few times which she loved!

These two were melting my heart walking around together holding hands.

My sweet lady and I - gosh I could eat her all up sometimes!

Our sweet Ella pretty much chilled in her stroller while we walked around since it was super duper hot out and she was really tired. However, the second we rolled around to the parks splash pad, Ella nearly jumped out of the stroller. This girl goes banana's in the water, she is completely fearless and is a fish in a babies body. She was literally in her glory playing with her Daddy in the water. She was sticking her face and hands right in the stream of water. Harper on the other hand, took a few minutes to warm up to the water. I walked around with her coaxing her to splash around. Before I knew it she was running around playing.

Overall my birthday morning was amazing. I spent it with those that I love and finished off the day with a lovely dinner out with my hubby. I seriously love these guys to the moon!

Hope everyone has a lovely rest of the week! xx

Ella 11 Month Update

Oh my sweet Ella baby. I cannot believe she is only a month away from turning one. Where has the year gone?! It makes me want to hide in a corner and cry a little. She's our last baby so I'm literally holding onto every.single.moment with her. All of the "baby" moments like how she still curls her legs and feet up to her chest when I change her bum, as if she's still crammed in my tummy! Waaaahh.

Ella is FULL of personality still. She always has been. She is full of laughs, giggles, screams - always making noises. I call her a menace because she's always into everything. Every time I turn around for 30 seconds, she's doing the mad dash into a cupboard or drawer - and the best part is she will see you looking at her and she will make the biggest and cheesiest smile ever. Love it. 

Sleep: Ella has been doing amazing this past month and a half with her sleeping at night. For the most part she sleeps through the night with the exception of waking up at 5:30am some mornings to nurse and then going back to sleep until 7/7:30am. She has also dropped her morning nap and only napping once after lunch when Harper also goes down. This has actually been amazing. She naps for 2-2 1/2 hours which means I get a nice break while the girls nap.

Nursing: Ella still nurses 5-6 times within 24 hours. There's a few nursing sessions that will obviously be dropped once I'm back to work (the countdown is on). 

Eating: For the most part, Ella's a really good eater. She will try almost anything and very rarely spits anything out. However, like her sister, she doesn't care for too many veggies - apparently they take after their momma! Fruit though, holy moly, I cannot cut fruit up fast enough for her.

This monkey is the light of my life along with her sister. She is one of the funniest babies ever. She is so smart it's scary - always watching her sister do things and trying to do it as well. I give her until the end of May and I think she will be walking. She has been pulling herself up on everything and walks with her walker toy. I don't think I'm ready for her to walk, she just seems too tiny!

I am almost done collecting everything for her 1st birthday party, including some things I make myself and sell on my Etsy shop: photo garland  , cupcake toppers , place cards/food cards , favour tags.

I just want to slow time down, my babies are growing up so fast and I want them to stay little forever and ever. 

Hope everyone has an amazing weekend! xo

Growing up too fast

I say this almost daily, my babies are growing up too fast. Harper seems to have gone from a baby to a little lady overnight. I feel like shes grown up so fast in the last 6 months because she's a big sister and no longer the little baby anymore. She's also incredibly smart for her age which also makes her seem older than she is. We've discovered over the past few months that she is very emotional and very sensitive. Her feelings get hurt very easily and she wants constant hugs and reassurance throughout the day - which we are okay with since it's the sweetest thing ever. Harper is very passive like her daddy and is the most considerate little girl ever.

 Harper also likes to play favorites everyday. She will either wake up in the morning a daddies girl or a mommies girl - never both. Once she has picked who she wants, she is attached to that person all day not wanting much to do with the other. It can be frustrating at times, but we like for her to make her own choices as much as possible. Obviously I get more mommy day's being that I'm home on maternity leave - woo hoo!!

Now our sweet Ella. Oh boy, where do I start?!? She is a mini me, which is both awesome and terrifying. She is a very serious baby who always has a scowl on her face - but when she smiles, holy moly it's pretty amazing. She is very independent, trying to always keep up with her sister. Currently she's a little slap happy, from having to learn from a very young age to swat her big sister out of her face (Harper's bad for hovering an inch away from Ella's face which would probably drive me crazy too). Now whenever Fraser or I go in for a kiss it's up in the air whether we will get a sweet kiss or a smack in the face - we're currently working on her being "gentle".

 The past few weeks, Ella has been pulling herself up on things. I have a feeling she is going to walk earlier than her big sister did.

 Ella has been doing the army crawl for over a month now. But recently has been motoring. I feel like I put her down in one spot, I turn around and she's already on the other side of the room into something. Little monkey.

Ella is also the absolute worst when it comes to picking things off of the floor and eating it. The picture above is exactly what she does constantly, while she's playing on the floor. I will sweep the floor and she will still manage to find something to put in her mouth. I've also noticed that she likes to empty bins, blocks or other small toys, and will put them all back. She will do this over and over and seems to have a blast.

 Harper has been right into accessories lately. She is all about her "hair cripps" and "gwasses" or even my scarves. She will wrap a scarf around her neck while also rocking her sunglasses and about five different hair clips. Cutest thing ever.

Meal times with these two is pretty hilarious. Harper thankfully has been less picky and trying new foods again. With Ella it just depends on her mood. If she's tired or cranky, she will swat everything that comes within in an arms reach, usually resulting in her being covered head to toe in food - along with the floor, table, me, the dog..Ella never wants to drink her sippy cup but would rather have Harpers. Harper will scream her head off if she isn't the one to put Ella's food try on, yelling "I help!". Also a new favourite is "I say please". Harper thinks if she says please, that automatically means she's going to get what she wants. So if she's already said please, and I tell her no, she will say "I say please" as if that will make me change my mind. Makes me laugh almost every time. 

These two are the cutest little ladies ever! And as sad as it is to see them growing up so quickly, it is also a total blast. Love them both to pieces. 

The next thing on the agenda is planning Ella's 1st birthday party - waaaaaaahhhh. I'm thinking a woodland creatures theme: baby deer, owls, wood, gold (my favourite). Something cute and girly but not pink overload. 

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!