Playgroup Easter Egg Hunt

Our playgroup had it's 2nd annual egg hunt this morning! It was at a great park in Frisco with lots of space to run, a great playground, and a picnic area. And the weather was great, too... a little windy, but really beautiful! It went really well. I didn't see or hear even one scuffle over Easter Eggs! The kids were all very excited, and all seemed to have so much fun! We had a picnic lunch and lots of playtime at the park just afterwards. Fun day! I sure do love our little playgroup!!

Carter & Mason patiently waiting while the Moms "hide" eggs

 Ella hanging out, too

Hillside full of eggs 

 First thing is first.... group pics.

From top left: Aspen, Tyler, Avery, Graham, Taylor, John

Braydon, Connor, Damon, London, Mason, Carter, Ella, Hayley (hidden), and Avery (patting Ella on the head!)

 Another group shot, including Colton on Brooke

Gavin & Lucy not pictured.

 Opening the eggs as he's hunting.....

 Ok, now we've got it down....

 ....still going.

 Love these two!

 Mason, Carter & Tyler getting into their eggs

They are taking it quite seriously

Laura took these two pictures of our kiddos. Two of my favorites, for sure!

 Especially this one!

And I have to say that this.....

......is quite a change from last year's Playgroup Egg Hunt! :)

Gardening with Daddy

Eric's company has started a garden recently, and Eric took Carter today to go work on our plot. They planted jalapenos, tomatos, and asparagus for us! I'm pretty sure Carter played in the dirt the whole time, but could you really expect more from a 3 year old boy? :) Anyway, they both had a good time, and Carter will be very proud when Eric brings home our first produce!

Grandad came for a little while, too!

 A little work....

But mostly play.... 

 Into the shop to change clothes and snap a quick pick with some switchgear.....

there is a picture of me somewhere like this when I was about 3 or 4.

 And lunch with Dad at Subway. He was such a hungry boy after all that hard work! He ate every bit of his lunch, and got a cookie for desert! Fun day for Carter and Daddy!

Silly New Habit

Ella lately really loves to grunt.... all the time! Sometimes it almost sounds like a growl, too. It's pretty funny. She's starting to get to that age where her little personality is really coming out, and we love it!

Silly girl!

Bananas

Ella has her first fruit today.... bananas! Carter was eating lunch, and she was giving him a hardcore stare down, like she usually does when someone is eating. I asked Carter if he would share his banana with his sister, and he excitedly said, "SURE!" So broke off a chunk and mashed it up in a bowl for her, and fed it to her on a spoon. She definitely gave me some funny faces, probably due to its bitterness and texture. But I think she liked it because she ended up eating quite a bit. I'd say she ate about 1/3 of his banana!

A few funny faces.....

Bluebonnets 2012

There is a really great field of bluebonnets near our house, and this morning I took the kids for (an attempt at) some pictures. Poor Ella just wasn't feeling it. She was either crying or so distracted by the flowers that she wouldn't look up at me, much less give me any smiles. Carter was very sweet with his sister and cooperative with Mommy. Thank you, bud! Maybe next year will be easier! Here are the ones I got that were halfway descent.

Mommy & Ella Time

I have Carter and Ella's nap schedules synced so that they are napping at the same time in the afternoon and I get a little bit of a break. Occasionally, though, something will be a little bit off with Ella, and she won't be needing to go down until sometime after Carter does. I really look forward to my "me" time each day, but I have to admit, I definitely enjoy a few quiet moments alone with just me and my girl from time to time. They don't come too often.

Today she was awake until about an hour after Carter went down, so we played a lot and enjoyed some snuggle time together. Love her to pieces!

And please excuse my dorkiness, but I'll do pretty much anything to get my girl laughing!

Ella's First Solids

About a week ago, we gave Ella rice cereal for the first time. She did pretty good, and has gotten a little better each time since. Here are some pictures and video of her first taste of something other than breast milk.

Carter was excited for her to have cereal.

He was confused about how it looked though, so we had to explain the difference between Ella's cereal and Carter's :)

First bite, she handled the spoon pretty well, although she did start grabbing at it when we were just about done.

Not really sure about this.....

Definitely getting pretty messy

Yummy!

And a little playtime on the floor after her big dinner :)

You Are My Sunshine

I always sing this song to Ella right before I put her down for a nap. I guess I didn't realize there were sweet little ears that were listening. He just randomly started singing this song tonight, and I had no idea he even knew it. And he even sings it to his sister. Love my sweet boy!

(And I have no idea what happened with the sound...
just turn your volume all the way up, sorry!)

Ella at 5 months!

Ella, you're already 5 months old! Hard to believe, I know!

Here are a few photos from your 5 month photo shoot!

 These monthly pictures are getting harder and harder to take! She kept pulling her bow down over her face, touching the chalkboard and smearing the letters, and of course getting chalk on her fingers, which then transferred to her face, shirt, pants, etc., rolling over, wiggling, you name it. I'm going to have to get creative in the coming months to continue this, I think!

You are......

• continuing to sleep wonderfully at night... 11-12 hours, consistently.
• a descent napper. Usually you take shorter morning nap, a long afternoon nap, and a midday snooze that often times is in the car or your swing. Occasionally you'll wake up early from your afternoon nap, and that warrants another cat nap about dinner time, or else you'd NEVER make it to your bed time!
• nursing 5 times a day, anywhere from 2.5 - 3.5 hours in between. We just started you on rice cereal this week (and a post on your first time eating off a spoon to come shortly). You have one meal of rice cereal per day, at dinner time. You are doing really well with it..... each time is a little easier and less messy!
• rolling and scooting all over the place. You definitely have you're own funny little way of getting around. You are sooooo different from your brother in this way. At this age, he literally just layed in one spot and occasionally rolled over. Not you. You're everywhere.
• playing with your feet and toes constantly! I forgot how utterly adorable this was!
• still very much a Momma's girl. Although your love for Daddy has grown this month. He is a very close second in your book now. Along with Carter. If any of the 3 of us are in your line of sight, all is right in your little world. But if not, be prepared for the most pitiful little pucker-up pouty face, ever! Complete with eyes that well up with tears. Oh little girl, it never gets easier to see you get scared and weary of others around you that you don't yet recognize. Makes me sad. :(
• sitting up on your own really well, but still assisted with the boppy. You do get tired quickly, but you definitely love the view from the sitting position.
• doing SO much better sitting in your carseat, and really loving riding along in the jogger on our nightly runs.
• still sucking your thumb to put yourself to sleep, and all fingers/wrist any other time of the day!
• blowing bubbles and raspberries, and talking nonstop!
• giggling and squealing on command.
• wearing 3-6 month clothing comfortably
• getting a tiny little bit of your hair back, and it's coming in a little bit red..... strawberry blonde, maybe?! And your eyes are still blue as ever!
• in my opinion, looking more and more like your Momma every day! (This makes me very happy).

You're such a happy and sweet little baby! We love you to pieces, little girl! Can't believe you've been with us 5 whole months now. Eeeek! That is ALMOST half a year!

Love.

I just wanted to post a very sweet moment I captured between my two babies. They sure do love each other! Look how tender he is with her, and how she looks at him so adoringly. I can't wait to show them this video in, oh, maybe 5-20 years to remind them how much they do love one another! Having a big brother myself, I know first hand what struggles lie ahead of them in their relationship, but it will all come full circle in about 20 years! :)

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