12 Months Already!

Yesterday morning I took Ella to her 12 month well visit.  All these memories of taking Adda to that same appointment came rushing back to me.  I remember almost perfectly taking my first little monkey and now I've taken my second.  Why is it that time goes by soooo fast???  Before I know it I will be hauling two more in for their 12 month check up.  As I was visiting with Dr. Fikkert, I started to thank Jesus again for the miracles He has given us.  So very thankful for it all!

Here are some of Ella's major 12 month accomplishments:

• Talks all the time!  She is saying about 7 or 8 words on a regular basis and in context and tries very hard to repeat everything else we say.  Adda is so good about not talking baby to her and getting her to repeat real words!  I think she is ready to have another jabber box in the house.  Ella told Dr. Fikkert "NO" and "Bye, bye"!  No is her very favorite word of all!  Probably because she hears it from her sister when Ella tries to take what Adda is playing with!
• No more baby food!  This girl went very fast from pureed to all table food.  Much faster than I would have liked, but she had so many teeth that I think she was bored with eating from a spoon.  Probably her favorite thing to eat is sweet potato and banana.  We usually give her one or both with whatever we are fixing for a meal.  She even ate a ham and cheese sandwich (cut up) the other day, and a hamburger that we fixed for dinner!  
• Drinking milk from a cup!  This is something I had really been praying about.  I am going to be weaning her soon from breast feeding and I wanted to make sure she was drinking milk well before I slowed down.  I am very sad to stop breast feeding earlier than she would like, but it won't be fair to her or anyone else to have to stop right when the twins get here.  And, let me be honest...I don't really want to be breast feeding three at one time!  Ella will be just fine!  Thank you Jesus for answering my prayers!
• Taking steps!  She is not full out walking yet, but she taking lots of steps.  In fact last night she walked in between Gonzo and I and it was almost 10 steps.  I figure she will be taking off in no time.  This is almost exactly where Adda was with her walking at 12 months.
• Yelling at us when she wants something!  Although this absolutely wears me out I think it's pretty cute too!  I think is really shows her personality.  Adda was always so laid back and patient.  Ella is a little different!  Most of the time the yelling happens when she is in the highchair.  We have worked hard at making her tell us the word rather than yell until we get it right.  She still yells the words "wa-wa" (water) instead of just saying it.  When we say, "Ella no yelling, do you want your wa-wa?"  She very quickly shakes her head up and down for yes!  
• Starting to tell us some body parts and animal noises!  She almost always tells us where her head is and sometimes will squint her eyes when we asked about eyes.  Her favorite animal noise is the cow!

It's amazing to me how fast they learn and catch on to the busy daily life.  She watches everything her very busy sister does and works hard at imitating it perfectly!  I pray that the two of them will be best friends some day!  They will need each other!

 And you can see how easy it is to get a good picture!  She is always on the move!

 Oh, thanks you Ella!  Giving me the trash!

 Adda said, "Ella say touchdown!"  Her Daddy taught her to raise her hands to that!

 Ella, where is your head? 

Here is a picture I took of Gonzo taking Ella to bed last night.  She was worn out after we got home from the basketball game.  It makes me think of him holding her in the hospital when she was born. 

 

12 Months Old

  

 1 Day Old

I'll post pictures from the birthday party soon!  I'm waiting for my brother to upload his pictures.  He always takes wayyyyy better pictures than I do!  

Here is a sneak peak of her eating her smash cake!  She got after it!