Happy Birthday, Sweet Elliana!

I'm not sure if I'll have time to sit and write this tomorrow, Elliana's official birthday, but since it was one year ago today that I went into labor, I figure it's ok for me to write my birthday note to my sweet girl.

Elliana, Ellie Girl, Love Bug, Ellianski-Boo,

What an absolute JOY you are!! I can hardly believe that it's been a whole year since we first laid eyes on you. What a year it has been!!! You are an incredibly sweet little girl. You love to cuddle, you love your big brother, your lambie and, of course, your daddy and your mommy, (there is no denying that you are a mommy's girl...we're finally getting to a point where someone else can be holding you while I'm in the room...and if I leave the room, you're doing ok now. :)

I have cherished every minute that I get to spend with you. You've given me more opportunities to be up in the night than Noah did...some nights were hard, other nights I remembered how fast this time was going to go, and soaked in every last minute I had to nurse you, rock you, sing to you and pray for you.

You are a mischevious little girl. If there's something not to touch, you'll touch it. If there's something not to climb, you'll climb it as fast as you can. If there's something that shouldn't be eaten, you'll pop it in your mouth before anyone has the chance to take it away. BUT you do it all with the biggest smile! :) A smile that truly melts our hearts.

You love to eat. Even though you're smaller than Noah was at your age, you are my little piggy. If you could, you would eat all day long. You weren't a big fan of baby food, but as soon as we started table food, you ate anything and everything I put in front of you. And since you had your first taste of "sweets" long before your brother did, you recognize when one of us is eating something sweet and DEMAND that we give some to you. :)

You say: Mama, dada, ba (ball) and just this week began pointing to things and saying, "this" and "that" so cute. :)

Elliana Joy, your mommy, daddy and big brother, love you to pieces. You have added so much to our family and we feel so blessed to have you with us. We look forward to another year with you.

Progess

Well, it's official. We got the keys to our new house last Friday. We decided to give ourselves a week to get some stuff done before we actually move, so this past weekend we spent hours and hours painting our new place. We were so blessed by our friends, so many took time out of their weekend to help us, making a project like painting much more enjoyable. :) Here are a couple before and after pictures:

Living Room:

Dining Room:

Family Room:

Noah's Room:

(we still need to put the chair rail up)
Elliana's Room:


(also missing the chair rail)

Our new sectional was delivered this morning, it really helps fill the space in the family room (excuse the lighting):

Brown Bear, Brown Bear...

Peanut Butter

I love peanut butter. Everything tastes just a little better with a bit of peanut butter...ok, not everything.

Noah loves peanut butter. I'm sure he agrees that most things taste better with peanut butter.

I had really high hopes for my sweet little girl. I couldn't wait until she turned a year for her to taste PB too. Well, that day came...2 1/2 weeks early...and though she liked peanut butter...well, atleast the small bite of her brothers sandwhich...it did not go so well. :(

Here is a picture of my sweet girl this morning:

And here she is before going to bed:

*sigh* I sure hope this is something she'll grow out of.

Random

Do any of you have items that you must have a certain brand of? People tell you that they're all the same, but you know your special brand is superior? I do! For example, I only buy Viva paper towels and Cottonelle toliet paper. I know I can find other brands for less money, but to me, they're worth the "splurge". Another, Naked Juice orange juice. Costco sells a gallon for $6 (approximately) and it's fresh orange juice (of course living in the middle of orange groves makes it even easier to have fresh squeezed oj). Again, worth the extra money. Yesterday as I was walking through Costco, excited that some of "my brands" were on the coupon list, it made me think of all the little brands that have earned my loyalty. What are your, "I will not settle on a different brand" items?