First Visit To Santa

Ella's first visit to Santa. She was a bit apprehensive about him. She didn't cry really, just stared at him like "who the heck are you" or maybe it was "I really want to pull your glasses off your face and tug on your beard". There were no smiles to be had though, she was miss stoic! Maybe no tears this year but we can only imagine the scene next year might bring about! Oh how we love to torture our poor children with these strange but jolly traditions!

Posing by the Christmas Tree

All dressed up to go visit Santa, so we made it a photo opp...they are a bit grainy though, sorry we used our old camera. She's sitting like an angel by the tree, maybe we should make her the tree topper! Actually Ella isn't really all that interested in the tree. A couple of times she's rolled up to it, or should I say nearly under it and then decided the branches looked fun to play with and run through her hands, but in all she isn't all that interested. She'll roll from one side of the room to the other if she's in the right mood, and will turn in a full 360 if something catches her interest, but I think it'll be another month before she crawls, lucky for us I think! Once and a while she'll get her butt up and her legs under her, but nothing too intentional yet. We've got a gate up at one set of stairs down to our garage & front door just in case she gets overzealous with her rolling, but we still have another set of stairs to our 3rd floor to think about once the time comes. Oh the challenges that will come with a moving baby! For now we'll just savor the cute bow-wearing baby that will sit still and give us our photo opportunities.

"....um excuse me Santa, don't forget the dolls and teddy bears, maybe tickets to the rose bowl for mom and dad, and oh ya, a puppy to chase wouldn't be bad either! Thanks Santa!"

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree....

This is the one!

Jason and I have never had a Christmas tree together. We've been together almost 8 years and this is the first year we put a tree up. We've always been away at college and would come home for the holidays, or in California and come home to Oregon for Christmas. We're finally settled a bit, and it's a special year being Ella's first Christmas and all so decided we should get a tree, especially before Ella is really mobile next year and we can't have one again. My step-dad John knew of a place in Estacada to u-cut trees for $8...any tree on the lot was just 8 smackeroos - tough deal to beat. We found a beautiful 7-foot tall douglas fir just calling our name! The fun of the tree hunt and pretty tree in our living room were well worth the freezing cold temperatures we had to endure.

The tree hunters

Putting up lights

(Pictures of our decorated tree to come once our computer decides it wants to talk to our photo card again!)

Thanksgiving

Reading with Aunt Meme, it's one of Ella's favorite things!

Ready for the feast!

The cook!

Grandma Betty supervising Erin's gravy stirring skills

Ok, so I'm a bit behind on the blogging...it's been busy around here! We spent Thanksgiving with my Beasley side of the family. We had great food and good company. Ella played lots with her Aunt Merideth and Uncle Erin and Grandpa & Grandma and Great-Grandma. She even got to have a turkey dinner of her own....yummy pureed poultry, appetizing isn't it?! We had a great day and have so much to be thankful for!

Ella was really diggin her turkey dinner

Hugs from Uncle Erin

Aunt Meme cuddles

Go Ducks!!!

We're all in ducky garb just in time for the Civil War game tonight! Ella even has her ducky jammies all ready for tonight. We'll be cheering loud (until the baby goes to bed) for our favorite team!!! Let's go big green!!!

Pink Glove Dance

This is a breast cancer awareness video that they made at my hospital. My department was hoppin busy on the day they made this so we didn't get to be in it, but thought I'd share it anyway. It's pretty cute I think! Remind all the women you love & care about to do self exams and get annual screening mammograms when they are of age!

Toy Box Raid

Ella's new trick is to pull over her box of toys and roll on top of them all. It's pretty interesting to see which ones she chooses to play with. Most often it's the one with the longest tag to chew on that she likes best. We've given her random kitchen items that are safe to play with and funny enough those too are the toys of choice. She has a pink thermos lid that she loves to chew on and talk into. We think she likes the echo back at her. It's metal and cool too so it probably feels good on her mouth. On an unlucky note this same lid is a bit heavy, and apparently when thrown from the towering height of a high-chair it's capable of breaking kitchen floor tile! We have 2 big gouges in our floor and this is the only heavy thing that has fallen on it....we're now searching for a way to repair travertine tile without replacing the whole thing...any ideas please comment and let us know! (Our condo management thanks you!) :(

Sorry this is a bit long and may be funnier when in person but still kind of cute.