Happy Birthday, Babycakes!

Ella turned two yesterday and we celebrated over the weekend with an Olivia-themed birthday party.  I had initially planned for a small gathering, but it quickly turned into quite the event.  She loved all the celebrating (well, maybe except for the part where everyone surrounded her to sing "Happy Birthday"), and it made me so happy to see her enjoy all the festivities.  (Pictures coming in the next post.)

I can't believe I'm the mother of a two-year-old.  It has gone by so fast, yet I look back and see how far we've come from her newborn days.  I'm sure all moms feel this way, and that I'll get all nostalgic and sentimental with every birthday we celebrate.  I am just amazed at this little girl just growing leaps and bounds before my eyes.  She is talking so much these days, learning new words and showing new interests.  What gets me most is how good her memory is.  She can tell me where everyone sat on our couch when we had family over for Easter.  She still remembers how she cried "again! again!" after every ride at Disneyland.  She can identify the different places around our home that she fell (even months ago) and who comforted her.  Today at lunch, we were in a restaurant that we've only been to a couple times before.  She pointed to the table we had sat at previously and told me about where each of us sat.  We definitely have to watch ourselves around this little sponge, who holds on to everything!

At two Ella is singing and dancing and talking and running around.  She loves bouncing on the yoga ball while singing "Old MacDonald" and dancing with her pom poms.  She "calls" her puo-puo on the fake phone in her kitchen, and bathes her dolls and animals.  She loves to gallop her horses around the coffee table and make tea for us (and makes sure to add milk upon request).  She always asks to out outside to draw with chalk or blow bubbles or splash in the pool.  She herds the pugs around the kitchen, sneaks them snacks, and tries to give them hugs and kisses.  She's a good eater, and will try pretty much everything.  Her favorite foods are ice cream, noodles (ramen especially), grilled cheese sandwiches, oatmeal, raisins, and jello (which she has to say twice--jello, jello!).

She's a creature of habit and can basically walk anyone through her daily routine.  She loves stickers and painting and getting stamps on her hand.  She's fallen in love with Olivia, Minnie Mouse, and Ariel (or her music, at least).  When she wakes up in the morning, she pulls books into her crib and reads to herself or sings songs while kicking her feet up in the air.  She reads books to her baby brother, gives him kisses, and asks to pose for pictures with him.  She draws Mia wherever she can.  She makes sure Adam gives us all kisses before he leaves for work. She gets her own bib and pushes her high chair up to the table for every meal.  She says "no, thank you" (which makes me feel like I'm doing something right).  She also puts herself in time out (we're working on that).  She prays for her family every night.

She's still quiet and timid when around strangers.  But she's boisterous and outgoing with those she trusts.  She loves to laugh and is just the silliest kid I've ever met.  What gets me... really makes my heart overflow... is when she says "Jesus luv" every night before heading to bed.  It's her way of reminding us that Jesus loves us, and it humbles me to see the purity in her words.

Today we went to her 2 year well visit.  We prepped her for what would happen (she's not fond of going to the doctor), how the pediatrician would check her ears, look into her mouth, and listen to her heartbeat.  She did fantastic, which reinforces how much she's matured.  There were minimal tears, with the help of Minnie Mouse getting examined first, and some gummy bears.  She even asked the doctor for bubbles (and she promptly obliged).  She is 23 lbs. 3 oz. and 32.5" tall.  She's still petite but growing steadily.  After the appointment, we had a mother-daughter day and had ramen for lunch, followed by ice cream.  I got a chance to just sit and enjoy my baby girl, watch her eat her noodles, cleaning up the ones that fell from her bowl as she ate, and wiping her hands, mouth, and eating area down after.  She's just this little independent person and I was reminded (yet again) how incredibly blessed I am to be her mother.

Happy Birthday, Babycakes. 

Four Months Stats

Gavin had his four month wellness visit a couple weeks ago.  He's still at that age where doctor visits don't phase him, so everything went incredibly smoothly.  He's 13 lbs. 9 oz and 24.5" tall.  Our little man is growing fast!  He took his shots like a champ and was happy as could be the entire time.  I love this little guy!

Waiting for the pediatrician.

broken

I didn't really know how to go about posting this.  Perhaps it's because I'm embarrassed to share it.  But there is no hiding it.  I have a constant reminder of my mistake.

Yep, that's a little cast.  On my baby's leg.  Ella fell off the changing table last week.  I was dressing her, decided I wanted to change the sweater I was putting on her, and a second later, she was on the floor.  Plop.  Like a watermelon rolling off the counter.  Her life flashed before my eyes.  I scooped her up, held her close, and just kept apologizing for my lapse in parenting.  Tears, doctor's visits, multiple x-rays, and a leg cast later, she's the bravest baby I know.  It was a pretty traumatic experience for us all, and I still have that vision of her falling seared into my head.  But I am grateful that she'll be okay and that it was the best case scenario, considering all that happened (and could have happened).

As a parent, my motto has become, "never say never."  Before Ella, I had all these preconceived notions about motherhood.  "I will never sleep in bed with my child."  "I will never buy a bunch of baby stuff that we'll never need."  "I will never let my baby fall off a changing table."  (Ha!)

I am completely humbled.  Every time I look at that cast, I am reminded of how I just can't be everywhere and everything to her.  I consider myself a pretty good mom.  I know all her cries, I make all her food, and I anticipate all her needs.  But despite all my efforts, I cannot protect her from everything.  Yes, it was my decision to move away from the changing table.  Yes, it was my mistake.  (One I will always regret.)  But at the same time, this has taught me that while I can be super mom, I'll never be able to protect and love her the way God does.  He is everywhere and everything.  He ultimately is in control.  And for that, I am eternally grateful.

I totally thought I broke her.  I mean, she did break her femur.  But I thought I had ruined my perfect, beautiful baby.  But she's resilient.  We all are.  I just have to trust that no matter what happens to her, today, tomorrow, and years from now, that God's got her in the palm of His hand.  He'll be her cast.

Getting some fresh air after having the cast put on by the orthopedist. 

Still sitting tall.

Still able to roll over, cast and all.

Still happy as a clam.

Well Visit One

We had our one month well visit today with the pediatrician and we are happy to report that Ella is thriving!  She is now 8 lbs. 6 oz., which means she gained 1 lb. 3 oz. since her last visit two weeks ago.  She is definitely living up to her nickname--milk monster.  She's now in the 25th percentile for weight, and the 50th percentile for height (she's now 21.5" long).  She probably will never be a rolly-polly baby, but we are appreciating her slim build.  We all got a laugh from her noisy ways while at the doctor's office.  We definitely have a little grunter on our hands!

Since Adam took some time off work to go with us to Ella's check up, he also scheduled a much-needed hair cut.  We brought Ella to meet our friend and stylist, Christy.  She thoroughly enjoyed her big outing (and we were happy that the day went pretty smoothly)!