Sorry for the delay...

It's been 2 weeks since my last post!! So much has happened, and I promise I'll update with pics galore sometime this week. Biggest news: Grace got her cast off last Tuesday! More on that later...

Parents Magazine Photo Contest

I know I'm biased, but I think Ella and Grace are beautiful and much cuter than some of the kids in magazines. So, I've entered them both into the Parents Magazine contest. You can click on their links below, rate their pics (5 stars, of course) and recommend them to friends:

Grace: http://www.parents.com/app/sharemy/photoDetails.jsp?photoId=163500228
Ella: http://www.parents.com/app/sharemy/photoDetails.jsp?photoId=164600022

Happy Half Birthday, Ella!

Where has the month gone? My baby is 6 months old! Ella Claire is truly a doll. We've thoroughly enjoyed watching her personality unfold, and we've learned so much about her in recent months. Everyday, she's learning something new, and she's getting cuter by the minute.

I love that she wakes up happy each morning. She usually starts off talking to herself in her crib, and the babbles turn into shrieks until someone goes into her room. Once she spots you, she squeals, as if to say, "Good morning! I'm glad you're finally here to get me out!" After a diaper change, she's ready for breakfast--which now consists of a bottle, a bowl of oatmeal, and usually half a jar of fruit. The girl can eat!

And, she just gets happier when she sees Gracie. Somehow, she already knows that they're a team--how fun it will be to watch these sisters grow up together!

Ella is really trying to crawl, and she can get around by rolling over and pushing herself backwards with her hands. She's almost sitting up unsupported, and she's putting everything in her mouth. Travis thought he saw a tooth coming in, so it shouldn't be long before the drool-fest starts. Ella loves being outside, especially riding in the Baby Bjorn on walks. She coos and talks and just tries to take everything in. It's such a joy to see the world through innocent eyes--everything seems amazing to her. We're so grateful to be able to share our lives with Ella and Gracie, and I continue to be amazed at God's favor on our lives!
In Gracie news, only one more week in her cast. That's right--May 20 is Cast-Off Day! She's very excited and eager to walk again. We've got another accomplishment to add to her list, as well--she's potty trained, almost! No wet diaper changes in 5 days, and no dirty diaper changes today at all. That 2nd part was traumatic for her, but she caved in after being bribed with ice cream and cookies. Hey, if it works and will get her out of diapers, I'm all for it! Keep your fingers crossed that this no diaper business continues!

Happy Mothers Day

What a blessing it has been to celebrate this special day with my girls and the moms in my family (my mom, Travis' mom and grandmother). When I was a little girl, I dreamed about being married and having babies, and when Travis and I started dating (9 years ago), I knew pretty quickly that he was "the one." He and I would spend hours talking about "someday"--the day we would be married with a family of our own. I'm amazed everyday that we're now living in our "someday," and it's so much better than I could ever have imagined!

I absolutely LOVE being a mom! My sweet girls never cease to amaze me, and they bring so much joy to this house. The first thing Gracie said to me this morning was, "Momma, I have a surprise for you! Oh, wait. Daddy has a surprise for you!" She was so excited to show me the card she made and watch me open my gifts. Speaking of gifts, she and Ella did so good this year--mini chocolate chip cookies, several different bars of chocolate, and a pair of beautiful, sparkly diamond earrings! They know me so well :) We had a lovely day spending time together as a family. Instead of slaving in the kitchen, we ordered ahead from Blue Mesa and had a delicious Mexican lunch. It was nice to be able to enjoy the food and not worry about cleaning up.

Gracie has been so great lately. I'm in awe of her sweet spirit and her zest for life. She always says the sweetest things and constantly makes us laugh. One recent example: yesterday, she and I went shopping, and I tried on several different shirts. When I tried on one particular shirt and asked Grace if she liked it, she squished up her face and replied, "Well, it's different." I decided not to get that shirt.Ella discovered the Jumperoo this weekend and loved it! Just look at these faces...

Here's another attempt at re-creating a photo. The first pic is of me and Gracie when she was 6 months old on my very first Mothers Day, wearing her "My Mom Rocks" outfit. The next pic is of Ella at the same age wearing the same shirt. They definitely look alike to me...

Gracie at Work

One of Gracie's favorite things is visiting her daddy's office. Yesterday, she, Ella, my mom and Gabby went on a field trip to NorthPark, so they used Travis' car. After work, I picked up Grace at the house, and then we went to pick up Travis at work. She loves all the office supplies and wouldn't leave without coloring. Here's a picture of her having fun:

Notice the pink gloss on her lips. That's another favorite activity--playing with mommy's makeup. She's actually very good at it. Yesterday, she wanted Travis to notice her gloss, so she kept puffing her lips out when she talked. It looked like she'd had collagen injections :)

Gracie is 2 1/2 Today!

How quickly these past 6 months have flown by! I feel like we just celebrated Gracie's 2nd birthday at The Little Gym when I was 9+ months pregnant with Ella--look at us now! For those of you who have been asking, Grace is doing MUCH better. She's basically back to her old self, except that she has to be carried everywhere and can be a little impatient when she needs something ("Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! I need some water! Are you listening to me?"). Aside from that, she and Ella are keeping my mom and Gabby very busy with daily walks and trips to the park, lots of new books and movies.
It's hard to believe that Gracie is 2 1/2. Sometimes she acts much older than that. For instance, here are some things she's told me lately:

1. "Mommy, my name is Grace, but I like to be called Gracie. Okay? Just call me Gracie now."

2. "I want a little brother. When am I going to get one?" (My answer: Go ask your dad.) (Also note--she's asked about this repeatedly lately).

3. "When I get my cast off, I want some new Dora panties so I can use the big potty." (My response: What a fabulous idea. I'm going to remind you about that one and will hold you to it.)

4. "Ella, I don't have any milk for you. My milk is only for Lamby."

5. In response to Travis telling her that she should eat her breakfast because some kids don't get breakfast at all, she said, "But, they have snacks, right?"

6. "When you get ready for bed, you need to brush your teeth because you smell like meat." (Thanks for the advice.)

7. "I love you so much. I miss you too. And, I miss my baby--my Lamby baby, and my real baby, Ella Claire. And, I miss my daddy and Dori, too."

And, no post is complete without talking about Ella Claire. She's been an absolute doll lately! She's finally starting to sleep better and is going 12 hours between feedings at night (7 pm to 7 am). Hallelujah! She's still waking up at least once a night for a diaper change and/or because she can't find her paci. Travis and my mom have been so good about tending to her and letting me sleep. For a while there, I was terribly exhausted, but now, I'm feeling much better. We've started Ella on solid foods other than rice cereal and oatmeal. So far, she's had peas and sweet potatoes and likes them both. She REALLY likes to eat, as evidenced by the rolls on her arms, legs, neck, and tummy. She's a very happy baby- full of squeals, laughs and big smiles. How blessed we are to have such good girls!