Yogurt

We are making some good progress in the world of Ella and solids.  Got off to a rough start, then the stomach bug hit and we took a break, but we are getting in a routine now.  Most importantly we have discovered Ella's favorite food - yogurt.  She loves it and likes fruit mixed in, even when we know she wants a bottle she'll at least humor us and have some yogurt.  Still working on the veggies, but we're getting there.  She seems to like sweet potatoes and squash and corn, basically the orange options.  Not a fan of green beans, although having tasted them myself I can't really blame her.  Definitely would benefit from some salt.  We are also practicing with a sippy cup and so far she likes to chew on it more than drink from it, but we'll get there too.  Ella has the tendency to pull up her bib and start chewing on it, so sometimes we strip down to the diaper just to make things easier! 

You know you eat too much Mexican food when...

You are looking at the full moon with your 4 year old and get into a discussion about the moon and mention that sometimes it isn't a full circle, sometimes it is more of a half circle and the 4 year old says "you mean when it looks like a taco?"  Yep Addy, when it looks like a taco. 

Mom and Dad Night Out

We met our best friends Mark and Melissa for an adults only night at the zoo...Feast with the Beast.  We didn't really know what we were getting into, but we knew there would be food and drinks, so figured it couldn't be too bad.  It was a great time and will definitely be an annual tradition.  Lots of snacking on good food from restaurants around the city, a rockin' concert by the Spin Doctors (remember them from the 90's?!), and great times catching up with our friends who we don't get to see nearly enough since they left Houston! (OK, they just moved to Humble, but still, we don't see them nearly enough!)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Despite 1 sick kid, we still managed to have a fun Halloween.  And I finally got both of them in their costumes generally smiling and looking at the camera at the same time!  Addy still loved being Wonder Woman and even agreed to wear the red leggings I had bought since her costume was a little short.  Ella was surprisingly tolerant of the tutu, although she didn't wear it for too long.  Her tummy was still not quite right so she relaxed in her carrier most of the time.  We went to the carnival in Aunt Jean's neighborhood which as a lot of fun again this year and then went to Granddad and Meme's for dinner.  I think that Addison especially liked running to the door at Dad's house and helping give the kiddos candy.

Addison is officially candy crazy!  Not sure we've found a candy she doesn't like.  She has been really good though, she likes to sort through her Halloween basket (for a while she was calling it her Easter basket, but we finally got the holiday correct and we'll just roll with the basket part!) and look at the candy but won't eat any until she is done with her meal and asks permission.  She has also been cleaning her plate - think she is convinced she has to eat every bit of food before she gets the candy, regardless of how big the plate is.  Turns out she likes M and Ms with Aunt Jean and of course Butterfingers with Granddad.  She was very excited when she got a Butterfinger at the carnival and couldn't wait to show Granddad what she got!

Having fun playing at the duck pond with Aunt Jean

Hunting for treasures in the sand

The Sesame Street booth was the favorite again this year!

M and M snack with Aunt Jean.  Addison later apologized for having candy before supper - not sure where this rule follower is coming from, but it is cute!

6 months!

Baby girl turned 6 months old on Saturday!  We actually went to her checkup back on the 15th, so we were a bit early but the doctor's visit confirmed that Ella is growing like a weed.  I keep forgetting to go back and re-measure her b/c they marked her height at 25 inches but she was squirming and grabbing the paper that the nurse was making the marks on so there is no way that is right.  But the scales don't lie and she weighed in at 15 lbs. 1.6 oz.  That is in the 25th percentile.

Although we have no visual confirmation, Michael and I swear she is going to get a tooth any day now.  She is chewing on everything!  Her favorite right now is this rubber giraffe we have - the giraffe hooves are the perfect size right now! 

We are still working on solids.  She apparently eats great at school and doesn't like the rice cereal, but likes the fruit or veggies straight from the jar.  I can't get her to eat well for us at home...and this weekend she came down with a stomach virus that is floating around the school so we are on a solids hiatus right now.  Fortunately it was only really a 24 hour deal and she is much better now.  It was odd, she was her usual happy self and didn't seem to really care after she would throw up on us, no fever.  Nevertheless, we are glad to be done.  It was her first real illness though - not bad going 6 months before getting stick.  And she's already been in school for 2 months.

We won't go back to the doc until 9 months, so more stats to come in 3 months!

Pumpkin Carving

This year at the pumpkin patch Addison picked out one of the cool ones with the "bumps" on it.  Looked cool but was one hard sucker to carve.  Turns out the outer layer was woody like and it took some serious arm muscle from Michael to get through it.  We'll make sure to buy a normal one next year!  Addison decided that she wanted to carve a cat.  I showed her templates of cat carvings from the internet and she didn't like any of them and instead decided Michael was going to draw the cat.  And he did.  Turned out pretty darn good too!

Quote of the Day

"Daddy, I'm just going to take a cat snooze" - Addison

Zoo Boo 2010

Another fun year at Zoo Boo! 

Little ballerina

Pumpkin decorating

Wonder Woman

I'm beginning to sense a trend - I can get super cute pics of them individually, but getting 2 kids happy, smiling and looking at the camera...nearly impossible!  Addy was being a trooper, but you can tell by the look on her face that she was done trying to keep Ella from falling over and tired of her screaming in her ear!

Pumpkin Patch

We got to St. Luke's before they ran out of pumpkins this year!  Couldn't get both girls in a pic at the pumpkin patch, but still got some cute ones

Super Sitter

Ella went from hardly being able to sit up by herself to doing an awesome job sitting completely unassisted.  I still like to put Boppy or something behind her for a little support and there are some tumbles but she is doing great!

These links are the best invention ever - Ella could chew on them all day!

Ella loves pounding on her piano

Meeting More Family

Ella got to meet more family this weekend.  Most importantly she got to meet Dottie, Fred, Dave and Vicki.  Unfortunately didn't get a pic with Dave and Vicki (hopefully at Thanksgiving!) but here is a super cute one with Aunt Dottie and Uncle Fred

Update: We got a pic with Dave and Vicki at Thanksgiving.  Had tons of fun hanging out with them.

Family Reunion

This weekend was the somewhat semi-annual (somewhat because the last one was 4 years ago but I think that there was one that was cancelled since the 1st) Denson reunion in Galveston.  We went down on Friday and made a day of it in Galveston.  Started with a nice lunch of good ol' fried seafood and then we headed to the Moody Garden's aquarium.  I just love this aquarium, great size, good exhibits...they have penguins and seals, what else can you ask for! 

After the aquarium we headed to the beach house to hang out with the rest of the family.  Addy had a great time playing with cousin Ava.  Ava is about 6 months older than Addison and Ava's sister Zoe is 2 months older than Ella.  Zoe is crawling and moving all around and Ella had a blast watching her cruise around, it was super cute.  Heather (Ava and Zoe's mom) and I appear to be on the same baby schedule, but we both agree that there won't be a 3rd new cousin to meet at the next one!  Here is a pic of Addison and Ava

Day At The Farm

We made a family trip to Dewberry Farm which was a lot of fun. It was actually a school event, "preschool day at the farm", but the farm was crowded and it is pretty spread out so we saw some of Addy's classmates but not for long. Our wonderfully cool weather had passed so it was a bit warm but when we went two years ago it was freezing, so I definitely preferred the heat this time. Lots of fun activities, play grounds, pony rides, pig races, farm animals, corn maze...good times.

Best Dessert Ever!

Best dessert according to the two people in the pic that is!

4 Years Old

On the 15th we went for Addy's 4 year old checkup.  I'm not sure if it was good or bad, but I had told her ahead of time that she would have to get shots.  She was well prepared for the visit, but all morning she was saying  that she didn't want shots.  There were moments of tears.  She did great once we got there though, got 4 shots and totally milked it for the next couple of days.  There were moments when she couldn't walk because her legs "hurt" and I think everyone we talked to heard about the 4 shots she got!

Here are her 4 year old stats:  height was 3 ft 3 inches and weight was 35 lbs.  She also had a vision and screening test which she passed.  Not really sure what the test was, the nurse took her to another room to do the test so we didn't get to watch.  But no excuses for her when we ask her a question and she ignores us, or we ask her to get something and she says she can't find it but it is right in front of her face! 

In honor of her 4th birthday I asked her what some of here favorites were and here they are

princess:  Ariel, Aurora and Belle (apparently there isn't 1 favorite right now!)
food:  macaroni and cheese
drink: milk
snack: bunny crackers
color: pink
things to do: play with Barbies and paint
story: "Ruby and Max:  The Froggy Prince"
song: she wouldn't tell me anything here, the response was "the wonder woman song" -- no clue what that is and she wouldn't sing it for me, apparently it is some yet to be made up song!
thing to do at school:  play on the computer
tv show:  Hi 5
couple of categories she created:
favorite sea animal - mermaid and sea horse, she did clarify that a mermaid wasn't an animal, but I'm not sure how you classify it exactly so I'm leaving it here!
favorite farm animal - again, 2 tied for 1st - sheep and horse
favorite animal in the house - "Super Star"

Here are some pics from her actual birthday, we had a fun time at the zoo!

Incredibly adorable baby elephant! 

We've been going for 4 years but she has never played on the playground until today. 

Addy crawled through the tunnel all by herself but wouldn't look my direction when she popped up.  She told me it was because her shoe fell off and she was trying to get it back on. 

Posing with the groundhogs

Addy took a pic of me and Ella.

Couple of Silly Addy Pics

Star is such a good dog.  Addy decided she needed some bows and a headband.  Star just sat there and ate her bone as Addy pulled on her fur and stuck the bows all over. 

Before Addy goes to bed at night she is really into picking out her outfit for the following day.  Not just on school days, but on the weekend as well.  On the weekends Michael and I don't initiate it, so a lot of time we'll put her to bed and then she'll get up and pick her outfit out herself.  This is exactly how she sets things out.  I especially love the undies hanging on the drawer pull with the head band on top. 

Couple of Fun Ella Pics

Ella is getting really good at sitting up.  Assisted of course.   She can play forever just sitting with Boppy around her and with her toys at arms reach.  She especially likes to throw the toys around and then she lets you know when she's ready for you to retrieve them for her! 

She is into grabbing at pretty much anything within arms reach and seems to be especially fascinated with beer bottles. 

Big Girl Food

Today we started rice cereal with Ella and things went surprisingly well for the 1st go-round.  She woke up from her nap hungry, so I think that she would have preferred to go straight to the bottle, but she tolerated the cereal and the spoon pretty well.  Encouraged enough to try again at dinner time at least! 

"I want my bottle, not a spoon"

thinking about it...

A few minutes later..."Hey, not half bad"

FPD #2