**ONE YEAR**

You guys.

My itty bitty baby isn't so itty bitty anymore. 

She's ONE YEAR old!! 

I've been dreading this post for the past 365 days.

I can't believe it's really here. 

It's been an entire year since the best day of my life.

I thought taking pictures of a baby that was always on the move was tough.

Try taking pictures of a baby that wants to run walk everywhere!

It's seriously impossible.

No trick, no bribe, no obnoxious noises (read: all my previous tricks) would work.

Not even food. 

who took my kid? where'd she go?!

Seriously, she is always on the go, which can be made very clear with these photos.

My Princess Babe..

is walking (running) everywhere!

is beyond obsessed with being outside

loves the sound of rocks beneath her feet

is doing really well with the transition to cow's milk, but still loves nursing at night

this transition still makes me sad, but unfortunately my body had other plans!

loves her rocking horse

dances to music

says dada, nana, pupu (puppy?), nie-nie (night night?)

can sign 'all done'
no longer crawls up the stairs - she tries to walk up them!

still weighs about 23 pounds

has four teeth

loves loves loves Lily

waves goodbye to Mickey when she hears the hot dog song
(meaning MMCH is over)

likes to empty things out, then put everything back

always wants to share her food

food favorites: hot dogs, chicken nuggets, pears, toast, waffles, sweet potato, chicken
picks up her feet when we say socks or shoes
can reach the door in .025 seconds from anywhere in the house if she hears it open

loves playing peek-a-boo
smacks her lips - SO funny!

has started pulling big bows off her head (read: sad Mamabear)

So, this is what happens when you take her out of the rocks...

then two seconds later she's RUNNING back to the rocks

 "can't catch me now, Mama!"

My attempt at taking her further away from the rocks...

FAILED. Because now she's headed for the fountain!

Clearly outside wasn't working, so in we went.

Happy Baby, no? 

 I think she may have wanted back outside.

And we finally had a winner! LOVE her.

My Sweet Elliebean,

I can't believe it! You're officially one year young. It's hard to believe that it's been just one short year since we were meeting you for the first time, but looking back, life without you is such a distant memory. You're transitioning from baby to toddler by the minute, right before my very eyes. While it's a beautiful sight to see, it breaks my heart. You bring a smile to our faces, happiness to our lives, and a full heart that's bursting at the seams. My love for you is truly indescribable. You've become the most fun, sweetest, hilarious, goofy little baby and while my hands are now fuller than they've ever been, so is my heart. I hate to see these years go by, but I'm so excited to be here with you - learning, growing, and loving right beside you. Daddy and I are so blessed to call you our little miracle and we're so excited for what's to come! 

I love you, my beautiful baby girl.

Love, Mama

First birthday party pics coming soon! :)

PLEASE VOTE :)

Dreaming Big

I have a couple posts I'm working on and will be posting soon.

Unit then..

Seriously?! I die.

I can't believe this BABY girl turns O-N-E just one short week from today!!!

Cue the tears.

These were taken last weekend at a car show put on by a car enthusiast group my father-in-law is a part of. It was a gorgeous day and the Biltmore Resort was the perfect location!

She wanted to walk everywhere. Shocker.

She was just like any other person there walking around, checking out the cars. She was of course picking out the future car her incredibly handsome, intelligent, doctor husband will buy her when she's 65 and I let her move out of the house. Dreaming big, y'all! 

Speaking of car shows, we're off to another big car auction in Scottsdale.
You wanna know how it's January in Scottsdale?
Take a drive and admire the million dollar cars you see perusing the streets.
I definitely married into a car family. It's fun, they're starting to grow on me.

Plus, I have to be on the lookout for Ellie's future doctor husband.

Also, as they do every quarter, Top Baby Blogs reset.

So, please, please, pretty please....VOTE! :)

It takes two simple clicks. Click on the link, then the owl on the left. 

Thanks loves.

xxoo

11 months!

ELEVEN MONTHS.

I can't believe we're here. The final month before my sweet Bean turns ONE YEAR.

She turned 11 months on Christmas Day!

I *may* have gone overboard with her pictures this time around.
AND.
You may or may not notice that I have to get more and more creative to get her attention.

A little grass never hurt anyone, right? Right?

Miss Ellie....

can take about 10 steps on her own!

eats an insane amount of food

still weighs about 23 pounds

still loves the Mama milk
although we're slowly beginning to transition to organic cow's milk (sad day for Mama)

had her first Christmas and loved it!

is about to get her 5th and 6th toofers any.freaking.second

(please, Tooth Fairy, PLEASE!)

is all over and into everything she can get her little hands on

uses her pointer finger to point at everything

loves stepping on things

laughs at everything, especially herself

has Mommy anxiety

pushes things off of the couch, chairs, etc. just so she can step on them

has enough hair for a pony tail and little piggies

if only I could get a better grasp at using micromini hairties 
I swear these come with a learning curve

 is making all sorts of consonant sounds and babbling like crazy
although she has yet to put any sounds together to form a legit word

My Baby Girl,

It's hard to believe you're almost not a baby anymore! You're just about to enter toddler-hood and Mommy is not ready. I'm pretty sure I'll be calling you my Baby Girl for the next 27 years, so please get use to it. Over the past month it seems like you're leaving your itty bitty babyhood behind and it makes me so sad, yet I love the hilarious, adventurous, and oh so sweet little babe you've become. Each and everyday is new and fun. My smile grows and my heart overflows on the daily. 
We sure are lucky to call you ours.

I'll like you forever. I'll love you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

Just remember that, sweetheart.

Love, Mama

December Recap

In addition to all of the fun we had on the actual holidays, 

here are a few more favorites from December.

Ellie decorating her first Christmas tree.

Experiencing Arizona in December - with temps in the high 70's!

New favorite of these two, melt my heart!

She saw Santa for the first time. :)

Here's the best shot within 3.5 seconds before cue the tears.

Mommy went photoshoot crazy afterward.

Ellie and her BFF.

She got to wear her My First Christmas onesie!

Someone enjoyed the presents under the tree a little too early!

My Mommy knows Santa.

Yes, yes, she does, sweetheart.