Easter

(I got into an argument with our Internet connection, and I obviously lost, which is why this post is late in coming.  But I am finally connected now, thanks to a very helpful Time Warner Cable service tech.  And all is right with the world again.)

We had quite an eventful Easter, celebrating with friends and family (both from here and out of town).  We wanted Ella to learn early on that East is more than a bunny, eggs, and pastel colors.  So while we did the requisite "Easter-y" stuff, we also tried to show her the real meaning by reading her books about Jesus' life, singing children's hymns and giving thanks for the most amazing gift that God gave us.  Unfortunately, we didn't make Easter mass with her (the times and length of the service just made it unrealistic), but we hope that she will come to know the miracle, grace, and love that Easter represents.

That being said, we celebrated Easter sunday with a low-key brunch at Grandma Donna's house with our immediate family and Ella's godparents.  It was quite a little feast and we definitely enjoyed the sunshine and company.

Food coma strikes again...this time, strawberries were the culprits.

Her Easter egg hunting consisted of sitting on Grandma's lap and me handing eggs to her.

We realized we haven't taken a picture of just the two of us in a long time. 

Ella's first Easter basket--filled with goodies she would enjoy: puffs-filled eggs, MumMum crackers, clementines and stuffed toys.

After brunch, Adam's cousin and her family made a trip out to see us and stayed with us for the remainder of the weekend.  Ella had a wonderful time seeing her cousins, Sydney and Samantha, again.  This time around, she was able to interact with them more.

For Easter, Ella received a new dress to match her cousins.  While it's a bit big, we couldn't resist taking a picture of the three girls.

The warm weather made poolside lounging inevitable.

And for her first birthday, Ella received an American Girl baby doll.  She loved it right away and appreciated the care that her cousins took in choosing one for her.

We love that Ella got to experience such a warm Easter holiday filled with family and friends.  We definitely look forward to her learning more about the significance of why we celebrate it and all the festivities that will come with it.