18 Months

Elsie Sophia:

How did you go from being a tiny baby to toddler so fast?? It breaks mamas heart to see you growing up so fast but I think the age you are at is my favorite yet! You are so fun right now I could bottle you up and keep you forever!! You have started talking up a storm. It just happened one day, you repeated everything we said and now you are just a little chatty kathy! Just like I knew you always would be!! Words that we hear at least 50 times a day are... mommy, daddy, outside, walk, go-go, chica, color, sholler (stroller) bab (sippy), bebe (binki), wing (swing), slide, bubble, rock, drink, water and bite. But everyday you surprise me with at least 10  new words I never knew you knew. It is fun to have you talking!! To say you love to be outside is an understatement! You would live outside if I let you! If you are awake you have to be outside. You are quite the active little thing! You love to push your go-go around and your strollers and lawnmowers. You also love playing with the kids! Lucky for you there is a plethora around you! You definitely think you are a big kid and would rather be with the bigger kids doing things you shouldn't be doing than sitting by mommy and playing with other babies. You are still fearless! The other day you tried to walk off a rock wall like it was nothing! You keep your mommy and daddy busy! You are such a sweet and happy little girl! You love to give hugs and blow kisses. You will give any a hug and it is so sweet! You are also the friendliest! You love to wave to anyone on walks on while we are out and about or at restaurants! You are so charismatic, just like your daddy! You are the giggle queen! I love to hear your giggle all day long. It is such a distinct quality of yours... always laughing! You have a slight obsession with cars, rocks pushing things and babies. everywhere you go you always are saying baby, baby. You think babies are everywhere! You are love to watch shows on mommy's phone, but mommy's phone only. You will watch them in that car but never at home on the tv (that probably is a good thing I guess). By far your favorite show is Elmo! You are completely in love in anything Elmo! You also love love love dogs and chica! Your like a little Dr. Do Little! You love animals!! You are such an independent, determined, strong willed little girl! Sometimes it tests your mommy's patience but we love you for it! We love to hear your little pitter patter run around the house and to hear you sing all day! The songs you sing are my favorite! "Happy  Happy" (you love "if your happy and you know it"), la la la (insert a random word like chica or gogo or daddywork)  la la la. You are the cutest! Oh and you love to tell me things are cute, pretty or cool! We couldn't ask for a more special little girl! You are the light of our lives and we love you so much! You have so many amazing qualities and talents that we know you have been blessed with! We have loved every minute of having you with us!! You will always be our littlest princess!!
xoxo
Mommy and Daddy

Portland & Vegas

Two weeks ago Elsie and I headed up with my parents to Portland to see my brother, sister-in-law and Amy! It was a long drive but Elsie actually did really well! I think we watched the same episode of Elmo 35 times, but it got us through! Portland is gorgeous and we had so much fun! It was so fun to finally see where Amy lives and Elsie loved seeing Doug and Harley the dogs! We stayed with my brother and sister-in-law and it was great to catch up with them and visit! We miss them when they are gone!! Elsie was so shy and nervous around my borther it was pretty funny! If she was getting mad he would just have to say "Shh" and she would instantly stop! It was amazing! They live right in the city so we just walked around and went shopping. ate lots of yummy food, walked around the river, when to Washington Park and hung out. If you are ever up there you have to get a chocolate shake at Moonstruck... best thing ever!  One of the days my mom, Kaen, Amy, Elsie and I went to Cannon Beach. It was the cutest place ever!! Elsie of course Loved the beach and all the dogs! She was so happy! We went to the cutest candy shop and loaded up and Elsie and Dave's favorite treats! We were sad to leave and had so much fun in Portland!!

The day after we got back we left Elsie with my mom and Dave and I headed to Vegas to stay at The Trump with Mike and Traci! It was a much  needed vacation! It was the most relaxing thing ever! We got to take naps and sleep in and actually lay out at the pool. We had relaxing dinners, shopped, went to a movie, went to the spa and we sent and saw la Reve! It was amazing! I would totally recommend the show! 

Summer Catch Up

This summer has been so busy! I feel like we have barely had any down time. Most of the time I am busy with weddings so when we have free time we have been out doing lots of fun things!

Here is Elsie doing what she does best these days... she goes around and takes things from one room and puts them where she things they belong, which is usually the office garbage. I found three swimsuits in there the other day! We are still missing a shoe though!

We have made lots of visits to the splash pad!

Elsie started swimming lessons!! Oh boy were they a trip! Apparently I signed her up for the military drowning swim lessons. The first two days were awful!! She was throwing up and peeing through diapers all day. Her little voice would be so hoarse from screaming. We finally told them to tone a down a little and this helped a ton! She started to love to go and was floating on her back, pulling herself up to the edge of the pool, getting rings underwater off the steps, and starting to swim a little to the steps. Then apparently they decided they should go back to military style and she freaked! We skipped the last two lessons!

Elsie went to her first Princess party. Actually it was a Tangled party. She had no idea who Rapunzel was but she was so excited to dress up and go with the big girls!

If we are at home and she is not sleeping she is at either the back door, front door or garage door saying "outside"! She would live outside if she could! If we are home we are outside!

We have been swimming with Dad on his days off!

For the 24th of July we had a BBQ with all our neighbors in the park! Elsie had so much fun playing with all her friends! Dave dragged us up to Evanston a few days before to by a bunch of fireworks so we had quite the show!

4th of July

This year for the 4th of July we headed up to the cabin in Oakley. That night we went to the rodeo of course. To say Elsie loved it would be an understatement!  She was totally into the bull riding.. the girl is something else! She also loved the fireworks! The next few days we just hung out, relaxed and played! The girls had so much fun riding the four wheelers and playing with the splash tower. 

Monday morning we woke up early and headed down to my parents for the East  Millcreek Parade. I was so excited for Elsie to be in the parade. When I was little I did the parade every year with my sister, Natalie, and Adrienne until I was seriously in high school. Adrienne and I of course planned for the girls to be in it together! Here is their parade debut!

We went to  breakfast after at Over The Counter with my parents and then went to a fun BBQ over at Morgans that night. Elsie had quite the weekend celebration!