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Monday, January 2, 2012

Happy New Year!!

Well.....it's only been 2 months or so since I really updated the blog....whoops. We were just having so much fun and staying so busy! We had such a wonderful holiday season filled with so much fun. I still need to do a post about our wonderful pictures the Jenny Spires took of our family, and I swear, that is next, but I figured I would catch up on what we have been up to the last 2 months. We had a great time having holiday parties with family and friends, our small group had a wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving meal....yes, we ate 2 Thanksgiving meals....I think I can hear my waste line groaning as we speak. Bella has been one busy little bee and we are just so in love with her. She is talking up a storm, talk about explosion! She has about 90-100 words, I was really doing such a good job keeping a list and lost track around 80 or so. And she speaks in so many sentences I can't keep track, I think her longest at this point is maybe a 5 or 6 word sentence, crazy! I love our little chats, she has the funniest little stories to tell! And we had such a beautiful and blessed Christmas. It was so fun with Bella this year. She still obviously doesn't understand how Santa works but she could say Santa and loved reading her little Christmas stories and she absolutely LOVED our Christmas tree. The moment she came out of her room every morning we immediately had to turn the tree lights on. She was also great at opening presents this year all by herself but occassionally became overwhelmed by having to open so many presents, sometimes she just wanted to play with the present she had just opened, so gift opening took a while.... It was just so fun and made Christmas so magical this year and I know each year will only get more fun! We are looking forward to a fun filled 2012 with our sweet girl!


In November, Bella peed in her potty for the first time and since then has gone a few times in her potty but we haven't really been trying to potty train yet, we just have her sit on it right before bath time. Lately, she has seemed very interested in the potty (and definitely loves getting an M&M for going) and I actually think she may be ready, I just need to make myself be ready to take on the challenge. She's getting so big so fast!


Somteimes after bath she just runs around with her jammies like a cape on her, if I haven't mentioned it before, she is goofy!


We celebrated Bella's friend Oliver's 4th birthday at a trampoline place and she LOVED it. I really can't emphasize enough how much she LOVES trampolines. The Fays have introduced this love into her life because they have a trampoline at their house and then had Oliver's birthday at trampoline heaven.....wall to wall trampolines.



She had so much fun running around with her little bestie Maya!


Bella tried to bounce but hasn't really mastered "jumping" yet so most of the time she would just sprint full speed or do an intentional belly flop and wait for Jenny or I to come and bounce her!


Oliver's birthday was superhero themed and Christy's mom Shelagh (who is an incredible seamstress and made Bella's gorgeous curtains in her room) sewed everyone superhero capes. I actually thought Bella would rip it off the minute I put it on her but she loved it too. And Bella got to eat a yummy cake pop....seriously, I'm pretty sure this was Bella's idea of the perfect day.


Superhero Bella!


I walked into the playroom one day to find Bella had climbed into one of her buckets...again, goofy kid. She thought she was hilarious!


Then, she yelled "night night" and tucked her head in like this.........


And then she peeked out to see if I was still there and started cracking up at how hilarious she found herself!



Christmas morning, opening presents, I think this is the only picture I had where she was actually looking at the camera, she was very consumed with her new toys!


New Minnie Mouse ornament! Bella LOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, I think Bella received every Minnie Mouse ornament made this year, and she loved them all!


Bella loved this tea set and has been having tea parties at her new table and chair set every single day. Her usual attendees are her two new baby dolls that she LOVES, sometimes Mickey and Minnie, sometimes doggie, sometimes lambie, and almost always Mommy or Daddy.


One of her new baby dolls. She is SO sweet with them and takes care of them all day. Bringing them blankies, fixing their pacis, feeding them bottles, sharing her snacks with them, it's seriously so adorable!


Our family at McDowell Mountain Church's production of "It's a Wonderful Life" (which was incredible!) (Bella's mouth is full of some cookie she found at the snack table....of course)


More pictures.....more Bella chewing on a cookie :-)


Tried to get one of just the 3 of us. I should have known better, between Bella's squirminess and what I'm sure was her need for another cookie we only got this one of her diving away :-)



Hope everyone had a blessed and wonderful holiday season!! Happy New Year!