9 months Goose Girl

I know you've been waiting for them! Lucy's 9 months Stats!

Length: 26.8 inches = 25th percentile

Weight: 16.9 lbs = 11th percentile

Head Circumference 44.5 cm = 65th percentile 

She hasn't gained very much weight since she was 6 months. If she had started out in the 11th percentile, I don't think our doctor would be worried. But since she started out in the 98th percentile and each time she gets a check up- she goes lower in the percentile, I've been counseled to mix butter into her food. We're not too worried about her since her development is above average - but we'll just try to fatten her up a bit. 

Since 8 months she's had 8 teeth! She's a little vampire - and I have the bruises on my arm to prove it!

She's been crawling for 2 weeks now and pulling herself up for 1.5 weeks! And she couldn't be happier. She was always so frustrated when she was trying to get to where she wanted via rolling or scooting backwards. Now she can crawl into my lap or attempt to steal her sisters toys anytime she wants. Lily has taken to carrying her favorite toys with her where ever she goes to protect them.

As of this week she's been cruising around the furniture and today she started walking crazy fast holding on to our fingers.

I contribute her doing these so soon to the best cheerleader a little girl could have- Lily. She often gets down on her tummy so she's at Lucy's eye level and says, "Come on Lucy!" And then she gives Lucy big hugs and says, "I love my Goosey Lucy!"

She has awesome fine motor skills and spidery long fingers- My dreams of Olympic gold swimming medals have turned into her playing the piano at Carnegie hall. 

Her favorite books? Little People's lift the flap books. How do I know they are her favorite? They are the only ones she'll sit through.

She loves to be outside - even if it's cold. 

She is a happy smiley little girl - she smiles at the girls at the gym day care as I leave her, at strangers in the store, and especially at cute baby boys! 

She is easily entertained by other kids- she loves to watch her sister and her friends play and she loves story time just as much as Lily.

She can say "Dada" but I think she means both of us. I have heard her say "Mama" just twice in the past week, but I think that was random.

Favorite food? Any mixed fruit- and anything she can feed herself.

Favorite Toy? Her sister's princess figurines and her sister's doll house. Mainly because those are also her sister's favorite toys.

"How does this work again?"

Nursing school has made me weird. I think it's perfectly normal for poop to be apart of everyday conversation. I also think babies pooping faces are hilarious.

Mommy, I have a surprise for you! :)

The "hair watch" The only hairs choosing to grow are those directly below her bald spot. Mullet City, here we come.

 At only 9 months we can already tell she is going to be an active, happy, spunky girl and I am loving every minute of her life!

Food on the Floor

The girls and I came home from the gym one Friday and a little after we got down the stairs I noticed that Lily was eating skittles. I had watched my neighbors kids the night before so I thought maybe they had brought them. I found a few on the floor, and I started eating them (I was starving okay?). I then noticed that there was a perfect line of skittles, leading me to the kitchen!

Jordan knows me well eh? Skittles, Coconut dreams, grasshopper cookies and a note to make my heart melt. It's a good thing I had gone to the gym because both those packages of cookies were gone within 24 hours. Isn't that why we work out? So we can eat yummy food? I love that man of mine!


Since I never sent out that Christmas letter, and I'm already updating what the girls are up to, I might as well add Jordan.


He was accepted to be a Sherpa next year! Sherpas are second year mentors to the first years. They have to go through an application processes and only 40-60 are accepted - he even gets paid, we won't embarrass ourselves by saying how much, but it's something :) 


His biceps have never been so big- he prefers to train for marathons as his exercise - but since he doesn't have time for that- he does push ups and crunches in the morning. 


One of his goals for the MBA program was to get involved - and so he joined the Morning Market Call team - they are the news team for the MBA program - they interview people to did internships at popular companies, professors, ect. I must say, he missed his calling to be a news anchor. It's pretty hot.

He loves his girls. He puts Lily to sleep on the nights that he's home by 8 pm - that is their special daddy- daughter time.


He was just released as the ward clerk- While we are grateful for the lessons we learned with that position - we are glad to have Dad back. I say "we" because I learned how to get all of us ready for church by ourselves, and how to handle the post-church starving/tired/getting dinner ready chaos. His participating in disciplinary counsels made us reevaluate some of the simple things we do - such as some of the TV shows we were starting to watch which might not have been the best of influences on us. 


The other day, after leaving for school 5 minutes prior, he comes back home. All he said was, "I was listening to Aerosmiths, "Don't want to miss a thing" when I realized that I forgot to put on my deodorant!" He's still the crazy random boy I fell in love with.


Jordan was a good man when I married him, but he just keeps getting better.

Sunday Afternoon Caos

After eating lunch with our neighbors the Smiths, we drove up to West Valley City to finish off conference at their house and eat AJ's yummy Navajo Tacos. 

How did Jordan and I get all these kids to come cuddle with us? We each have different methods. I open up a book and start reading. Books are like Cat Nip for Elliss children, they can sense when one is being opened and come running as fast as they can.

Jordan's method isn't really a method. It's just that he is the silliest uncle. Here's proof.

This picture takes me back to how things were a little over a year ago when Michelle loved Lily and had a tendency to over-mother her.

However Michelle is now one of Lily's absolute favorite people in this world. You wouldn't be able to tell by the pictures today- Lily was having an emotional day.

Baby Lucy was a favorite as usual. AJ has them well trained to know that they have to wash their hands before holding a baby- so now instead of asking to hold Lucy they just honestly say, "I washed my hands!" 

 It's going to be a rough summer without our favorite playmates!

Sunday Morning Cuddle Fest

 Sunday Morning of General Conference went great. Lily loved watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing, as usual. 

She was the long distance guest conductor for the choir this year :)

And then we spent the rest of the session snuggling

Lucy entertained herself with Lily's favorite figurines while Daddy "listened" to conference :)


I'm so glad our lunch with the Smiths turned out well because we had a rough start on Saturday. We made our traditional conference foods- French Toast Casserole and Banana Nut Muffins (thank you Paula Dean!) Jordan put the French Toast casserole in the oven early Saturday morning while I did some pre-conference shopping. When I came home told me he turned the oven up 50 degrees so it would be done in time for conference!


I ran to check on it and found it black. We though we could pick the burnt parts off - only to find a soggy bottom. I totally blamed Jordan.


Oh well- we still had the muffins. Except the same thing happened. Even when cooked at the correct temperature. We discovered only the top of our oven was working. 


Lesson: Don't pass judgement. 


At least the Smiths gave us some of their yummy, perfectly cooked Cinnamon Rolls :)

Lily-Kins

"Mommy I want to snuggle you" or " I want my Mama." or "Mama, come play with me!"

"I've got to find my brother!"

She shakes her little bum like a bunny when she's excited , " Mommy, I want...*insert bum shake here* .. a Sucker!

Lily loves to dance! I took her to watch her friends Chloe and Gracie in their dance recital (they are 3 years old). Lily sat completely fixated during the first few numbers. But when it came time for Chloe and Gracie's class to dance, and Lily recognized them on stage, she broke down and cried for the next 45 minutes saying, "I want to be up there too!".

I was holding Lucy trying to teach her to say "Ma-ma" when Lily came over and insisted on holding Lucy in her lap so that they were facing each other. She proceeds to teach Lucy something very important. "Say Hot- Dog Lucy", slowly enunciating each syllable   in Hot Dog. If Lucy says Hot Dog before Mama, I'm going to be just a little bit upset!

She knows her name! Anytime I tell her, "You're so cute (or happy, or sweet, ect)!" She responds with "I'M NOT (Cute)! I'm LILY SOPHIA ELLISS!"

She lives off of Peanut butter & honey sandwiches, chicken nuggets, strawberries, bananas, oranges and sweets of any kind.

She is a cuddly, snuggly mama's girl- who also happens to have the energy of a rocket. She only stops for hugs,  reading, food and one of her favorite shows (SuperWhy, Dora, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Little Einstiens). In fact the only way to get her to nap is to give lie her down in my bed (there are no toys in my room:) ) and give her about 10-15 picture books - and eventually she falls asleep.

We know it's going to be a good day when she wakes up before Lucy and gets to crawl into bed with me and snuggle. She usually brings either her "friends" (her little plastic figurines) or a book to play with while I go back to sleep. She stay there snuggling with me until Lucy wakes up - which can take up to 40 minutes.

One night, hours after Lily had gone to sleep, I heard her talking in her room quite distressed. I went in to check on her, only to find Dora the Explorer. Lily kept talking about her backpack, and following the map to save ice cream truck. I laid her down and she went right back to sleep. I'm not sure if she was completely awake to begin with.

She is a happy, sweet little girl who is my shadow. She loves to help me water the plants, cook, and take care of Lucy. When I put Lucy down for her naps, Lily puts Minnie down for naps as well. As I feed Lucy, Lily pulls her little dollie's high chair over next to us and feeds whatever dollie or stuffed animal is close at hand. She wears her princess shoes (mommy shoes she calls them) and sunglasses, puts her dollie in the stroller and says, "I'm going shopping!". I guess we do go shopping a lot.

Birthdays! Every day is everyone's birthday! And we sing the Happy Birthday song to each person/toy in the house.

Story time is the highlight of her week. "We're going to see the puppets!" Lucky for me, she also loves the day care at the gym and nursery.

Lily loves her friends - both her plastic figurines and her real friends

Priesthood Session April 2012

When the boys go off to their priesthood session, us woman folk stay home, lonely and unable to enjoy ourselves without our hunks. Some of us decided to get together to help pass the time until the men returned. We got through the dreadful night reading David Copperfield and knitting.

Oh, and celebrating Brittany's birthday :)

Brittany had a little extra help blowing out her candles from little Lily Diane. Funniest moment of the night!

We relite the candles and they did it together - I'm sure the birthday candles will honor both Brittany's and Lily Diane's wishes.

Poor Clinton. You can see him in the background thinking, "Dad, come home and save me from all this estrogen!"

Dinosaurs

Last January my dad and Kathy came up with 3 of Kathy's grandkids- and they brought a second Christmas with them! They spoiled us rotten and gave Lily what Jordan hopes to be the closest thing to a real cat we'll ever have (A fur real baby) :) She's been just a little obsessed with it ever since.

The following day we all went on an adventure to the Dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving point.

Tub-tastic

It's all fun and games until someone gets their hair washed.

Goosey Lucy the old man. I could look at this picture all day it's so cute.

"I'm swimming" Hopefully we'll be able to sign her up for swim lessons this summer while we're in Indiana

Nap Time

I don't think I'll ever understand the toddler's fascination with pretending to take naps. Especially now that they all refuse to nap. It's taunting us Mom's.

Lap

I remember when we first brought Lucy home from the hospital, for the first month Lily always insisted to hold Lucy by patting her legs and saying, "lap!". It was the first thing she would say in the morning and be upset if I said no because Lucy was still sleeping. 

Now Lily says, "I want to hold Lucy!" Although it doesn't usually last long since Lucy is so wiggly unless a movie is on. It's embarrassing how much Lucy loves to watch TV and always has.

Birthday Party Hats

Lily's been a little fixated on birthday parties as of late. And with birthday parties, come birthday party hats. These are the hats she picked out for her and her sister for this particular "birthday party".