Cute pictures from Michelle Young!

We LOVE these shots Michelle snapped on Ella's birthday....Thanks, Michelle!

Had to share just a few because they are just darling....notice the little cupcake sprinkles on her lips below...

Happy 1st Birthday Ella Valentine!!

Ella's birthday was such a joyful day! Jason and I decorated the house with balloons and streamers the night before - I think that was her favorite part of the day. She woke up and saw the decorations and looked.....confused/shocked....and then was delighted. She's been enjoying her balloons ever since. We let her open up a present when she got up in the morning - her Aunt Deedee and Uncle Jay and sent her a few sleep sacks, so I wrapped up one of them and let her open it. She just loves the paper so much!!



We had a lovely morning at the house doing our usual "play in our pajamas" thing until her morning nap. We even played dress up ....putting on princess clothes over our pajamas.

After the nap, we went and met Daddy at work to show off the birthday girl and go have some birthday lunch at Red Robin. We ordered Ella her very first meal at a restaurant....broccoli and chicken strips - giving her only the chicken - I sacrificed and ate the breading :)

Birthday lunching....

The Youngs dropped by and snapped a few shots of Ella - I'll have to share those in the next post, and then Jason came home and we did a little celebration of our own. Ella got to eat her first cupcake! That darling little girl never even got messy. I tell you, she ate that cupcake like a little lady. We gave her the whole thing thinking she would get frosting everywhere, but she just used her little pincher grasp and slowly pinched off pieces of cupcake and placed them in her mouth. Darling...

Now she was ready for her presents....we didn't actually get her one, but she had a few from relatives....

And this was her first ride in her Radio Flyer wagon!! Thanks to Grandma Gretchen for the fun new toy!

Its was such a good day.

Feeling Nostalgic

Oh, my....at this time last year, Jason and I were in labor....still with about 28 more hours to go! :) I'm feeling SO nostalgic today. It's been quite a year. A year that started out with so many challenges, and days where I didn't know how we would make it even through the next hour. We've learned so very much, matured in many ways, and learned to cherish life in an entirely new way. It's been a roller coaster of ups and downs. And I'm so so very thankful to be able to say this day -- its all been worth it.

Carolyn got the shot below on her cell phone just after Ella was born.....I feel just a tad exposed -- I'm a modest girl :) but it's my favorite picture from Ella's birth....

Oh Ella Valentine....we love you dearly.

Midnight frozen green beans

Ok, this is the shot of one of our favorite family moments with Ella - I mentioned it in the last post. (Not a great photo as it was taken in a dim room in the middle of the night on a cell phone). She had been crying a lot...notice the puffy red face....but these frozen green beans were a miracle for teething! Ella - you slay us with your cuteness!

December

Lots of new developments at the Lacey household in December...especially in the life of Ella Valentine. Teeth, eating solids better, crawling, stair climbing....I've got lots of photos to share below....

Back in the summer, we got a bike trailer for Ella at a garage sale. We attempted going for a ride this month....got it hooked up to the bike, got Ella completely ready, and then realized there was a hole in the inner tube of one tire. Blast! Oh well....another time....here is Ella's bike ride attempt....

Christmas this year wasn't what we had anticipated. We were at the doctor's office Christmas Eve with a sick baby and she had her very first ear infection, coupled with teething! So....Christmas Eve was just us 3 Laceys at home, with a baby who didn't sleep too well, and a husband who had a really bad migraine in the middle of the night. We were TIRED Christmas morning and took turns sleeping in more. Ella did feel better by then at least.
Here is Ella on Christmas morning! She was WAY more into the paper and the boxes than anything else.

She helped us open up all of our gifts....

The sleepy family in front of the fire....

See her little snaggle tooth up top??

We headed up North to Grandma Gretchen's house the day after Christmas with a MUCH happier baby.

After spending a night there we continued North to visit Great Grandma Amy Valentine & Great Grandpa Charlie Valentine. Ella learned to climb stairs in their house while we were visiting!

Continuing North all the way up to Grandpa Mike's and Grandma Lisa's house. Here is Ella with Grandma Lisa....

And with Aunt Sarah, Aunt Courtney, Aunt Kelly, Uncle Evan....

While we were up there, my step sister Sarah had her 21st birthday! Jason and I actually went out to the bars and stayed out until 11:00 PM!! WHOA! Wild and crazy. Here I am with my step sisters, wearing my "mom cardigan" on our night out... :)

Earlier that day, Jason and I had actually had an entire 8 hours away on a date! The family took Ella (gladly), and Jason and I had a blast puttering around town for an entire day....heaven.

Continuing on with teething, Ella woke one night from her sleep and was screaming in discomfort. She wouldn't calm down even when I was holding her (unusual!), so we knew it was the teething. Jason had a BRILLIANT idea of getting frozen green beans for her to gnaw on, and it worked like magic. We sat in bed, the three of us, in the dark, giggling and chewing on frozen green beans. I honestly think it is my favorite FAVORITE moment of Ella's life so far. At first we were irritated to be awake, but suddenly it turned into a beautiful moment.

Chewing frozen green beans in the car on the ride back to Portland....

New Years Eve is annually spent with our friends the Satterfields, and this year was no different. They came over with their kiddos and we ate and talked and played games until the final countdown of 2010.

We were all really tired in the morning, but this put a smile on my face....our kiddos in their PJ's on the couch new years morning.... each with their favorite stuffed animal of course.

Ok and just a few more fun shots of the month....here is Ella eating an orange...just diving in....By the way, she's FINALLY started to eat solids with excitement. Took 11 months, but we have arrived!
And here is the most hilarious (OK, annoying in the day to day) part of our life right now....

We have a new way to track Ella....