Birthday Bubbs!

My sweet, little Ellia, you turned 1 on Feb. 10! I can't believe it. In honor of your first birthday I made you a bunny cake. I meant it to look like your favorite little toy

Here's the birthday girl. Already a little lady! Excitement's in the air...you can feel it!

Your new baby. Yes, we already have about 10 baby dolls in the house, but we thought you deserved one of your very own. Now your sisters can't take away the baby you are playing with and say, "No Ellia! That's my baby!"

You were not a fan of getting your hands dirty and digging into your cake. As soon as you got the frosting on your fingers you had had enough...

Even after your sisters showed you what to do!

Your life has flown by. It doesn't seem like it's been a year since you were my 7 lb. 11 oz. little newborn. You add such a sweet spirit to our family! I'm so glad you are ours! Here are a few facts about you as a 1 year old!

* I may have cursed myself by calling nursing nummy nums, because now you can ask for it. When you get hungry or tired you come up to me and say, "nu nums" I'm sure I will not be as happy about it later, but for now I LOVE IT. It really is the cutest thing.

* You can do a few animal sounds, but my favorite is a dog. You stick your tongue out and pant. It's hilarious! (I also love your chicken "ba ba ba")

* You love your mom. Getting so clingy. I have to remind myself that you will only be a baby once when you are hanging on my leg crying and pulling while I am trying to make dinner.

* You are NOT very tolerant of your sisters lately. You scream every time they try to pick you up. You want to walk around by yourself (or you want mom to hold you) !

* You are getting into EVERYTHING. Emptying drawers, cupboards, pulling books off shelves, throwing things in the garbage, playing in the laundry... you are a girl on a mission!

* You have had ear infections galore! Just when you start sleeping well you get another cold, which turns into an ear infection, which leads to horrible sleeping habits...and the vicious cycle repeats itself. You have been waking up at 12 and 4. Oh to get a good night's sleep (sigh).

* You are a pretty picky eater, and the fact that you are allergic to milk has made it even harder. Your favorite foods are: pizza, spaghetti, and cheese. So healthy!!

* You know how to bust a move! I love looking back while I'm driving to see you bobbing your little head! You are always dancing to music. LOVE IT!

* You love being outside and getting out of the house!

* 4 teeth. 2 on top. 2 on bottom. They are crooked!

* Darling laugh and smile and beautiful blue eyes!

We cannot imagine life without our baby girl! Love you, love you!

A Little of Each

Janie
She hates going to bed at night. She hates waking up in the morning. She hates being cold. She loves playing wii/computer. She loves playing pretend (and has quite the imagination I might add). She is WONDERFUL with her baby sister and loves all babies. I think it's fair to say... I see more of me in her everyday.

Addilyn
Ever heard of the little girl who had a little curl? Yes, the one who "when she was good, she was very, very good. But when she was bad she was horrid". This is Addi to a T. She is deliberately disobedient, and yet hates to be in trouble. But that heart of hers is so big and soft and if she makes you sad she gives you a great big hug (even when she's mad). So quick to say sorry and forgive. I think it's fair to say... she does not get this wonderful trait from me.
P.S. She has the BEST laugh in the whole world! Goofy little girl!

Ellia
This girl knows how to get what she wants. And what she wants most of the time is mother's milk. She has been waking up every couple of hours to nurse for the past few weeks. But how could I get too upset? Yes it's 1 AM, and yes, I just fed you at 11 PM, but you wrap those little arms around me and pat my back with your tiny fingers and bury your face into my neck, and patiently await the goods. I can't stay angry, but it's been wearing on me. So Dad insists that we make you tough it out. We started letting you cry Monday. The first couple of nights you cry for HOURS (relentless child)! But the last couple of nights you pretty much slept through the night. Finally. And I think it's fair to say... with all the walking and no more late night snacking, your thighs haven't been this thin since you were 4 months old!

Poor Baby...

The other day I turned my back for a few minutes.

This is what happened...

It turns out Ellia has a milk allergy. We discovered this at about 9 months when I tried to give her a little yogurt. The other day she raided the pantry and found an ice cream carton she could stick her face in and lick all the remaining melted icecream. The icecream washed off...the hives...not so much! We're hoping she'll grow out of this soon (or I might be nursing a little longer than expected). Any suggestions? I've heard mixed reviews on soy. Goat's milk maybe?

Ready or Not...

Here She Comes

Ellia, you have been taking steps since you were about 9 months. You would take 3 or 4 and then fall down. A couple of weeks ago you woke up one day and took off! Now you are walking all over the place! You started walking exactly when your older sisters did. Right around 10-10 1/2 months. Such a happy girl! You are so much fun and so pleasant right now. Love you SOOO much little one.
Love, Mom

Christmas Traditions

Making Candy Trains for Family Home Evening

Anderson Family Christmas Party. We are all hoping Aunt Megan and Matayia will make it a new tradition to have a Christmas pinata every year!

We were lucky enough to spend a little time with both families. Grandma and Grandpa Hardy came to visit the week before Christmas. Here's Grandpa watching Frosty the Snowman with the girls. Thanks for coming (even if it was just for a day)!

The Christmas Eve feast. It was DELICIOUS!

New Christmas Jammies

Playing Games on Christmas Eve. We also read A Christmas Dress For Ellen and watched the
Luke 2 Nativity movie.

Christmas Morning

My favorite thing about this picture is actually my nice husband. Look at his face. It sums up Christmas morning for a parent. Nothing quite beats the joy of watching the faces of your little ones. I will say however, that Addi wanted everything Janie got. "I want jammies like Janie's. I hate Dora now. I want Ariel. I want a Live Baby like Janie's..." Oh the rivalry and competition that already exists! What is it about three year olds? She did like her little toy laptop at least. Janie was very happy and thankful for her gifts. Ellia was very fun too. She just walked (yes, she is already walking) around from one gift to the next smiling and having a great time! Wade and I got a new camera. Now I just need to learn how to use it!

Bring on the Cold!

For some reason, I just want to sing, "Fat guy in a little coat" when I look at this picture! But isn't this little bundle darling?

It makes Wade a little crazy when Janie won't get off the heater in the morning to get ready for school. So it's true...she is her mother's daughter. But honestly, is there anything better than a warm heater in the winter?

Did I mention I love our tree? My sister informs me that the ribbon makes it look like I'm trying to tie up our tree. I guess I needed more than one roll of ribbon? Oh well. Notice something in the bottom right corner?

Oh Santa, I can't wait for you to come, I just can't wait for you to come...

P.S. I find it very strange that I have a daughter old enough to be in the elementary school Christmas program. I swear that was me not too long ago. Do you girls from Sandy remember East Sandy Singers? Ha ha ha. ;) Heather, I still remember singing at the mall, and your mom buying us pizza!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

There aren't many things I don't love about Christmas time. In fact, I even like the snow (in the month on December)! I love that we get a real tree (imperfections and all). And I love the fact that Wade goes up "our" mountain and chops it down himself!

I love Christmas cause you get to spend time with family. And I love spending time with my crazy sisters more than almost anyone else!

(This is actually a girl's day out to see New Moon. I had already seen it though, and did NOT want to pay money to see it again. No offense to all you movie lovers out there, but they just DON"T do the books justice. SO, I joined the girls for lunch, but didn't go with them to the movie.)

I love the decorations, lights, and even decorating my little girls in their Christmas dresses! And speaking of little girls, I love how Addi sings the song from The Grinch (fa who la...), and how she is obsessed with Santa's list (and if she is going to be on the nice list or the naughty list). I love how excited Janie is to play in the snow and drink hot chocolate with dad. And the fact that they ask me EVERY day how many more days until Christmas. I love the magic of Christmas for children.

I LOVE all the work parties, friend parties, family parties. And especially the homemade treats and goodies. On the agenda for today...Sugar Cookies! :)

(Picture courtesy of google images)

I love Christmas stories and traditions, and this book is both. We read it every Christmas Eve, and it is among my very favorite Christmas stories of all time. If you haven't read it, do yourself a favor and go buy it!

I love Christmas music. Almost all Christmas music. Here's my favorite. Let's just say Wade is ready to throw it away by the time December is over.

I love the lights on Temple Square and the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. But mostly, I love that THIS is the reason we have Christmas. I know it's true and I'm so grateful.

"Of all things of heaven and earth of which we bear testimony, none is so important as our witness that Jesus, the Christmas child, condescended to come to earth from the realms of His Eternal Father, here to work among men as healer and teacher, our Great Exemplar. And further, and most important, He suffered on Calvary’s cross as an atoning sacrifice for all mankind. At this time of Christmas, this season when gifts are given, let us not forget that God gave His Son, and His Son gave His life, that each of us might have the gift of eternal life."

-President Hinckley