Model Ella (Pictures by Raquel's Photography)

So my wonderfully talented friend Kelly, just launched her new beanie/hat line for kids and had a photo shoot to get some good pictures for advertising purposes. Anyway, lucky for me, she let the girls model some hats and I got the BEST pictures from the Fantastic photographer Raquel. I have some of Lily too, I will post later.

Time goes way too fast

Seriously, when you have kids I feel like time speeds up like crazy! This is my girl only 8 months ago and now her hair is so long, she doesn't wear diapers anymore, and these cowgirl boots are way too small! I want to just freeze my kids sometimes and stop them from growing up, but I guess I will just have to keep taking tons of pictures so I never forget all their little faces and phases.

Big Girl Ella

Ella loves to sit in the booster chair and eat her cereal at the table, I think she likes feeling a part of the group and being near Lily when she eats her lunch. And we are working hard to get her sitting up all by herself for longer than 15 seconds, she likes the boppy support. It is so fun to see her growing and learning new things, like she just figured out how to roll multiple times in order to get around more, even though she still can only roll to her right side. And she absolutlely LOVES her big sister, anytime Lily is in the room her attention is riveted to her and her favorite thing (and sure to get a big laugh from her) is to jumo on the bed with Lily.

MAKE-UP

So Lily got this cute little make-up set last year for her birthday and I had put it away not wanting to deal with the inevitable mess it would create. Well, the cold weather has come again and wanting to give Lily something else to occupy her time inside I unveiled this little beauty. Before she could open it I made her swear to uphold the universal rules of make-up which are : 1. Make-up only goes on your face, NOT WALLS, OR CARPET, OR TOYS, OR BABY SISTERS
2. You can only use make-up if you first get permission from a parent
3. If you do not follow the rules make-up will be taken away until you are more mature to handle it.
Basically, I wanted to impress upon her what a big deal it was. We even got Dad to put up her little shelf under her mirror so she could have somewhere to put it. I have since thought I am crazy for giving a 2 year old play make-up, but it has kept her busy for a bit these past few days and it is so light you can hardly tell she has any on at all. Of course it has been taken away after finding it on things other than her face. But overall, way too cute to see her get all dolled up.

Curly Hair

So for the first time ever Lily actually asked me to curl her hair with the curling iron (I think she saw me doing it and wanted to act like a big girl), so I jumped at the chance and then took a bazillion (?) pictures of it because of course it was the cutest thing ever. And then when I was looking back through them I cried my eyes out because she looks so old in them. Enjoy! (And yes she changed outfits mid-photo shoot) (And I was trying out different settings on my camera because after 2.5 years I still don't know how it all works)

A couple more (2 year old sayings)

-(Tonight after dinner I said I would play Hi-oh Cheerio, after she asked me several times to which she replied) "Thanks for listening mom, you're a gooood momma!"
-(When we sing the monkey/alligator song she always says) "Along comes Mr. alligator quiet cansa be" (instead of quiet as can be, Chad and I find ourselves saying it sometimes and it always brings a smile)
-(I've been listening to the HSM3 soundtrack a lot lately, not knowing how much Lily ever paid attention and today in the car had a different song playing from the same main girl in HSM3 and Lily noticed by getting a cute look on her face and saying) "Hey I know that girl, Troy and Gabriella, that's Gabriella mom, she has a very pretty voice"
-(I hope she never looses this one) "Ganks" (for Thanks)
-(From 101 Dalmations I think, the chubby puppy says this and Lily has for the past couple of weeks) "I'm really hungry mother, I really am, I'm so hungry mother"
-(When I tell Lily only little girls get to do something she always reassures me) "Mom, its okay when your a little girl you can do that to, okay mom? (She is always looking out for me)
-(Her favorite game is for us to pretend we don't know where she is, and then finally find her) "I'm gonna go hide and you guys to find me okay? You guys to find me!"

Lily Talk

A few favorites right now:
-(After caving, or giving in to her which happens after a long day with the kiddies) "Mom, you are the nicest mom, thank you, that was such a good choice, I'm so proud of you."
-(After I have her apologize when she's done being in time-out) Me: "So what do you need to say?" Lily: "Sorry I . . . (fill in the blank) and I'm sorry you yelled at me mom (she says this no matter what, even when I am calm and collected, I promise I rarely raise my voice but you can bet after hearing your child chastise you, I think twice now!)
-(To Chad if he doesn't shave everyday) "Dad, I don't like the hair on your face. I really don't like the hair on your face." Repeated about 10 times
-"Mom, Ella cries, A LOT. But, its okay, babies just cry, like this waaahhh!"
-(After I ask her where she got anything, her answer is always) "Disneyland" (We've never been)
-" Mom, after lunch I want to go play at Emma's house and watch a show and dress up, is that a good deal mom, is that a PLAN?"
-(After getting a really sad look on her face and pouting, which she does to get attention sometimes, I ask what's wrong?) "I'm just sad because I have no puppies in my life."
-(Anytime she goes to the bathroom now) "Mom, I can do it BY MYSELF, I need some PRIVACY!"

Fun in the Tub

This girl loves to lay and splash in a couple inches of water and have the tub all to herself! (I usually just stick her in with Lily for a minute)