Elle Weston - 18 Months - Sailor Dress!

Elle has the most adorable natural curls.The longer it gets, the more curly it gets! We brush it straight after bath time and when she wakes up, it looks like this! I don't know if she'll hate it or love it when she grows up --but I hope she loves it because we sure do! :)

My Mom bought Elle this darling little sailor dress --Elle my dear, it was made for you!

She's been loving her new car/buggy we got her. When we go out into the garage to do laundry she runs over to it, gets in, and begs for me to take her outside in it.  

 How could you deny this face???

  I sure love her curls

Such a ham!

 This is the face she makes when she's trying to smell a flower. I don't ever want to forget this exaggerated piggy face.

I know you can't see her whole face but these ones warm my heart because this is her trying to tickle me and she's the one that's cracking up! Which of course then had me cracking up!

Snack Break!

"See" Food!

Running at me!

Running at me, "Huggies!!!"

Loving the flowers!

A happy little trot

I sure love ya Elle...

 I've had a ton of people ask me recently why I don't go back to work? I always give them my reasons of how I want to be a stay-at-home Mommy but a certain article called, What if the 'best years of your life,' just.... aren't?" puts it perfectly of why I choose to stay at home with my daughter. :)

Long days, short years...

No judgement to anyone! Everyone has their own circumstances and personal decisions within their family. Sometimes a family cannot make it financially work for the mother to stay home. I know we certainly earn far less than we did when we were both working FT. We definitely have made and continue to make sacrifices. Motherhood is the hardest, most wonderful, most patience-trying, most rewarding job I've ever had. On any given day, it would be easier to go to work and do dental hygiene. Elle can take me to my wit's end but also to my most happy and fulfilling moments of my life. I quite honestly can't bare to be away. (I do work two times a month doing dental hygiene --sometimes I wish it was more and then there's times I wish it was even less). I am grateful for my little Elle, my little mini-me to keep me in check, to love me unconditionally, & to keep reminding her stubborn mama what life is really all about. I am glad she is just mine for this time in her life and I wouldn't have it any other way.

My Dear Little Elle,

That's what many people call you, "Little Elle"...You are tiny but mighty!  Elle, you are one amazing little girl. That's right, little girl! What happened to my baby?! I have it good. Life being your Mommy is pretty wonderful! Don't get me wrong, you sure can drive me crazy haha, but I'm still crazy about you. You are a force to be reckoned with when you want something. You are incredibly strong-willed. You give new meaning to the word 'picky-eater'. We have had the roughest go since about 12 months getting you to gain weight. Between getting sick frequently, anemia, and allergies to nuts, dairy, soy, and eggs --it's been a rough go for you sweetie pie...and me. I am always worrying about you and fiercely protective of you. Your Daddy & I couldn't imagine life with you. 

You love to be chased or chase us. You are obsessed with shoes and want them changed multiple times a day. You love to bring us our shoes and wait impatiently for us to put them on all while saying "Shoooo". Your favorite thing in the whole world besides your Mama & Dada would definitely be your blankie. Your favorite stuffed animal toy would be your stuffed doggy Bailey. Your two favorite animals are doggies and duckies. You think duckies and geese are the same things and as we jog around Cameron Park Lake you yell at the geese, "Hooonk!"

You've recently mastered saying some animal sounds and it is so adorable. I love how you do and say them...Sheep: "Ba!",  Horse: "Nay",  Cow: "Moo",  Lion: "Raaar!!!", Auntie Ray Ray taught you raccoons hiss and it is hilarious to watch you do it. Somehow you learned donkeys say: "Ee-aww" & I never want to forget that for doggy when you say 'Woof Woof!' your whole body jumps.

You understand so many emotions. One of your favorite books is a book with babies showing different expressions. When it gets to 'happy' page you laugh very loudly!, when it gets to the 'sad' page you pull your index finger down your cheek to show tears. You pay such close attention. You are very sensitive and sweet. I couldn't even practice my Ursula song around you because you would scared that I was upset with you. You watch what your Daddy & I do ever so closely. You love to give us hugs and kisses and boy do we love to get them from you. 

You absolutely LOVE for us to read you books! You don't care what time of day it is or what we're doing, you will grab a book and plop yourself right into our lap for us to read it to you. Sometimes I think I might go crazy from reading the same book over and over and over again,...but you are so enamored, I surrender and just read it again. I love how you love the book "Go Dogs! Go!" and say it as one word "Gowdaagow". 

You are a real whiz with knowing your body parts. You can now do eyes (finger in eye, Owe!), eyebrow, nose, mouth, teeth (while tapping your teeth), tongue (while going "Lalalala"), ears, hair, cheek, chin, tummy, belly-button, "knee-knee", elbow, hand, fingers, feet, toes. You have picked up on each of them so fast! You are very smart. Your comprehension is very high, sometimes I found out you've been holding out on me ;). You love to stick your nose right into a flower to smell it. I love that attitude and how you know how to fully enjoy life and things around you. 

You don't get much TV but when you do get it, you are OBSESSED and constantly request 'dancing' which sounds like "Dansee!!!" You think dancing is pretty much the bees knees. You love to shoot your hands in the hair while we sing "Throw your hands in the air like ya just don't care. Ooo! Ooo!". If you hear classical music or see ballet you immediately put your hands up in the air and turn in circles with the biggest grin on your face! If you see my radio on the ground you beg at my knees for me to turn it on. I have all of "Dancing Day on Sesame Street" memorized and so do you. You think the Cookie Monster is amazing and you think all crackers are cookies. Awesome. 

You have had no trouble going to nursery at church, you trudge right in there and own the place. You love to pretend to cook when I'm cooking by stirring anything in any bowl or just cry at my feet until I hold you. You love to snuggle on our shoulders on your blankie when it's time for "Nigh' nigh'". You don't walk. You run. Everywhere. What you lack in height and weight you make up for in speed. And cuteness. 

You do a "Nakey Dance" when it's bath time where your run around naked of course and slap your thighs espeically in front of the mirror. It's hilarious. You love to hide in our closets and play peek-a-boo --espeically while naked which has caused a few pee pee accidents, haha. You love to growl at us and strangers because you get quite the reaction of people! 

I am always getting stopped at the grocery store and shops by people telling me how beautiful you are. People love your eyes, fountain pony, toothy grin, and overall cuteness. They look at you adoringly but with a certain sadness in their eyes and tell me how they miss "those days". It makes me feel so lucky to have you now. But not when your screaming in the cart at Target... ;)

You are my petite little girl. You still wear size 3 shoes (which are 6-12 months). Your 6-12 months clothes still fit you like a glove. You can wear your 12-18 month clothes but they are a bit baggy on you. When you were 9 months, you were18 pounds and in the 48th percentile for weight. Now you are 18 months, 19 pounds, and in the 13th percentile for weight. You are finally no longer "Failure to Thrive" but it was a rough go around 15 months. We even had to take you to see an allergist and pediatric dietician. Luckily the saving grace has been your favorite food is now Jimmy Dean Pork Sausages. I'm sure you'll laugh at that when you're older, but for us now as your worried parents --it was sent from Heaven. Your favorite foods are sausage, orange juice, toast, pretzels, and fruit snacks. 

You hate it when your Dada goes to work each morning and will sob for him if you don't get to walk him outside to his car. So every morning we wrap you in a blanket and walk Dada out to say goodbye. You give him a huggie and have recently started giving kisses. We say "Ba-bye" and see him off with your 'Princess Wave' and then you're good to go.

You are a remarkable little girl and I am overwhelmed at the love I have for you. I wasn't sure how good I'd be or how much I'd be able to embrace the whole mothering thing. I worried I wasn't a natural. But let me tell you, there is nothing more natural and wonderful than loving you. Nothing feels more right. You are worth every pound gained, every gasket blown, tear shed, sleepless night, carpet stain, dirty diaper, etc. because of all the little moments I get to have with you. Even though you are stubborn, I am grateful that you are strong-willed. I hope you can use that as you grow to not let others break you down. I want you to have a beautiful self-image and want you to keep that same fire you have now burning. 

Thanks for being my little Elle. I love you.

Love Mama

Age: 18 months

Height: 30.75 inches  - 18th percentile

Weight: 19 lbs 11 oz  - 13th percentile

Head circumference: 18.5 in  - 70th percentile

Cruisin'

Yep...this really happened! This is Elle's new buggy which she loves. After Daddy gets home from work or after dinner we'll take her on a walk around our neighborhood in this. Truman had a long day at work and decided he needed a ride too. Elle was loving it and Mommy was laughing. 

Like Father Like Daughter

I go to run some errands on a Saturday while Daddy was watching Elle. I return home only to find they are both shirtless in the backyard. His explanation was he was doing some yard work shirtless and she kept trying to pull of her own to be just like him. No shirt? No problem! Love these two! :)

Ursula's "Poor Unfortunate Souls" Video Recording

I have had many people ask me to post the video recording of my Ursula performance, so here it is! 

***Disclaimer*** -There are some little mic issues and singing issues and such, the performance that had no hiccups didn't get recorded :(, just glad I have this one! :)

Ursula's "Poor Unfortunate Souls"

My Cheerleaders

 I wanted to say a huge thank you to my awesome wonderful parents! Both parents were indispensable in helping me with the whole production. They actually were the ones to tell me about the upcoming Disney themed plays and urged me to try out. I was a skeptic at first but then had an overwhelming feeling that I should. They encouraged me and cheer-leaded me all along the way. They BOTH brainstormed costume ideas with me, were interested in every step, lots of baby-sitting Elle while sewing or practicing or rehearsals. They also were champs and came to all three of my performances. You couldn't ask for better cheerleader parents! My Mom wrote to me: "Truly a shining moment for both of us. I feel so fortunate that I was able to help and be a part of it. You truly surprised yourself and everyone else. My only regret is that my own mother was not around to see it. She would have been so thrilled and amazed. She always enjoyed the accomplishments of her family so much. I hope you pursue many more dreams with equal enthusiasm throughout your lifetime. You can do it! Love Mom"Thanks for everything Mom & Dad, I love you! :)

 This was my other much smaller tinier cheerleader. Everyone kept asking me, "Has Elle seen you in your costume? Is she scared of you in it? Does she know it's you?". The funny part about it all is Elle had no hesitation toward me whatsoever! She would point to me and smile and say, "Mama!"  Does this look like a scared baby to you? Elle even got to see me perform two times and I was told she would point at me when I came out onto the stage and performed and then clapped along with everyone else when I finished. What a ham! :)

 This little cutie Naomi was my partner in crime! She was the voice of Ariel backstage for me so that Ariel and Ursula could have their dialogue at certain parts in the song. She has the sweetest youthful voice so it came through so cute when she spoke her lines. She did a great job!

My sisters listened to everything from the beginning and were so excited for me all along! Lots of ideas bounced off of them and words of encouragement. I felt so loved and was made deaf by the cheers of all three of my sisters and their husbands/boyfriend coming to watch me! You guys all rock (even though I didn't get to get pics with all of you)! :)

How could I forget my sweet husband? My husband Truman is just a good guy :). He is not into the whole theatrical and costuming thing but he was a champ in being happy for me and trying to be enthusiastic about it all for me. He wrote to me: "Oh my lovely wife, the costume turned out amazing! All those long nights of working on it paid off. I would get home from working late and lo-and-behold you would still be up putting time into the costume! Even with the most intricate costume ever, the most amazing part of the whole thing was to see you face something that was not in your comfort zone. When you told me you had been practicing and you were going to try-out the next day I was blown away! As a mom, you live and breath for Elle and all her needs. It was fun to see you do something for AMY, and then blow everyone's socks off with the actual performance, including your husbands. Show-steeler for sure. So proud that you did this for yourself! Love you!"

 I'm super grateful to Truman for coming to the show twice and recording it for me! So grateful for Truman's parents who watched Elle so Truman could come one night all alone and enjoy it undistracted! :). 

Thanks to all my sweet cheerleaders! I love you guys!