Elle-Belle (lately)

One thing is for sure. We are in love with our little girl and as her personality continues to unfold, we can't help but be charmed by her as well.

Not afraid of a little manual labor. Who needs snow in order to shovel?

This past week she made good use of my enormous baby belly and turned it into her personal footrest during diaper changes. I give her points for creativity. Cute, but less so when she decides to throw a fit and delivers a swift kick to my tender bump. I have to note that she constantly asks to see my belly by walking up to me and saying over and over "bellybellybellybellybelly" while tugging on my shirt until I bare my belly for her! She then proceeds to either gently pat it, kiss it, or just stare at it in wonder and exclaim "BELLY!". On her more mischievous days she'll try to sneak in a quick swat or two, and when I ask her to stop and firmly tell her 'no no', she gets this hilarious evil grin on her face and chuckles. Oh dear.

First, these are the best pigtails I've ever accomplished on her! It was a good hair day, and if you know Ellie you know her hair has a mind of its own right now. She really hates for me to put the pigtails in, but once they're there she forgets about them.

Second, this is how I occupy her if I need to get ready in the morning. She loves to mimic every step of my morning routine (brush teeth, hair, and makeup) and feels so special when I open up my makeup bag and let her have free reign. And yes, she knows what to do with all of the different brushes. That's my girl. ;)

Gaah. Aunt Megan took this one with her phone and I could just eat her up! She adores this kitty cat hat and begs me to put it on her all the time.

This was a few weeks ago - I didn't mean to pair such a wild coat with her oversized flower hat, but as we walked out the door it's just sort of what fell together. I'm all for a cute or sassy piece of clothing or accessory, but we tend to dress a little more quietly than this on any given day. In the car, she added the sunglasses as her own accessory of choice.

Too much??

So many reasons to love this little girl! She definitely makes us laugh.

Obligatory snow pictures :)

The beginning of February looked like this for us...

2 kids who forgot what it was like to play outside got all bundled up one Saturday morning, ready to venture out into our very own winter wonderland. (Don't you love the skeptical looks on their faces here?!)

I plopped them down in the bank of snow in our front yard, which was easily 3-4 feet tall from all the snow Rob had recently shoveled off the driveway.

They nearly gave themselves frostbite on their little cheeks because the entire time we were outside, they both insisted on eating the snow off their mittens. I love the curiosity and wonder that children have for simple things like how cold snow is on your tongue and how yummy it is to eat!

My handsome little guy.

Child labor. Clearly we were prepared - that shovel is her size! Haha.

The kids go for a walk down our deserted street - it was fun to see neighbors out shoveling their drives and walks and say hi.

I am so lucky these two are mine.

Our next door neighbors have kids a few years older than ours, and I can tell this summer will be the summer that they all finally enjoy playing together - Robbie's old enough to keep up and the boys adore one another. Here Robbie is enjoying the fruits of their labor - a snow slide!

They are sitting on a mound of snow so high that it covers the mailbox!

(We are in trouble if/when all this snow melts at the same time.)

Unfazed by the frigid weather - I think on this day it was in the teens.

Ellie acted like all the world was her personal walk-up buffet. She just kept trodding down the sidewalk between 2+ foot walls of snow and dipping her little hands down and shoving snow into her mouth. Good thing it's is low-cal. ;)

I made a big pot of hot chocolate from scratch once we were too cold to feel our faces, and while Ellie's was poured into a sippy cup still fairly cold, Robbie got to experience for the first time a mug of warm hot chocolate.

Complete with heart shaped strawberry marshmallows. Because I'm a sucker for seasonally shaped sugar.

He was so careful with his mug, and nursed that hot chocolate for a good half hour while discussing how 'tasty and sweet and good indeed!' it was in between sips. This kid. He kills me.

Daddy still had some shoveling to do so we watched from the front window. This picture reminds me of just how much I have to be thankful for (not that I quickly forget). A hard working husband who will do anything for us, two sweet kids who love us and just want to be with us, a warm home on freezing cold days... we are so blessed.

Ellie is our little bookworm right now.

After Rob came inside, we put the kids in a warm bubble bath and let them snuggle in our bed for a few minutes while we all got ready for a big fat afternoon nap. On this particular day both kids slept for 4 hours! Definitely makes all the effort of getting them bundled, playing outside, then unbundled, and finally bathed worth it.

A few more pictures just to document Blizzard 2011 in Wheaton.

Being buried in snow and freezing temperatures has meant many trips to the DD drive through for hot coffee and sweet breakfast treats. Oh who's kidding who, it's just my excuse for now.

And this one was too cute not to post, but it's from January - all dressed up for Church!

31 weeks

Yikes. Definitely falling into the category of women who look like they could deliver any day, but in fact are not due for 2 more months. This may be the first and last belly shot you see on here with this pregnancy. (You're welcome!)

Yeah, so...

We are still here. Apparently being a mom to an almost 3 year old and a 1 1/2 year old while nearing the end of another pregnancy will kick your butt. Who knew?

The month of January (much like recent months) proved to be challenging and at times straight up difficult to manage. But in between our second round of the stomach flu (oh yes, they did both throw up again!) and my general slowing down in the third trimester of this pregnancy we have created our own fun and captured sweet memories that were even documented with pictures at times. I will upload them soon... I have to, or else I may only remember January 2011 as the month I spent in the basement doing sick laundry while Rob shoveled endless amounts of snow off our driveway.

Each month I have kicked myself for not taking belly pictures through this pregnancy, but to be honest? Not feeling so cute or slender or 'all baby!' these days, and who wants to put that on the blog for the world to see? Well, a few friends who live far away as well as relatives apparently do... so I'll attempt to snap those this week and get them up. Please be kind.