Christmastime Activities

We have had a lovely  month of December thus far! We have loved the music, the lights, talking about Jesus, and the overall spirit that is in the air. At Thanksgiving time, my cousin Kami brought some Gingerbread houses for the kids to do. Gracie had been talking about making a Gingerbread house since after Halloween and one day when Paula was watching her- Gracie called Kami and told her she wanted to make one- so Kami brought them up. The kiddos LOVED making them and ours is still standing strong at our house. We were also able to make it to the Live Nativity- this is something we have done for the past 3 or 4 years. (There is a place in Nibley that has a barn and they put on the the story or Christ's birth.) It is a very humbling experience. I remember when I was pregnant with Gracie around Christmastime and there at the end as uncomfortable as I was- I couldn't help but think of Mary and having to ride on a donkey in labor- only to find that there was not a room available. The only place a stable, and knowing she would soon be delivering the Son of God. Our Savior was born into the most humble of circumstances- I really can't think of anything more so than being in a barn with animals surrounding. What a wonderful season and the opportunity we have to stop and reflect on the birth of our Savior.

Gingerbread houses on this end of the table

Games at this end

Ella enjoyed it bundled up asleep- with her hat over her eyes

Gracie has really been into playing Mary- any chance she gets- she puts a shawl over her head and plays the part well.

Ella 6/7 Months Old

Well Ella is now 7 months old! I cannot believe how fast these 7 months have gone by. Once the baby is born, it seems like time just flies! I hate how fast it is going and how big my girls are getting. It is hard to imagine our family before Ella. She is such a good baby- we really are blessed with her! She has a very friendly, happy disposition. She is very charming and captivating. She will look at you and smile until she has your eye contact and attention. I have people coming up to me all the time saying what a friendly little baby she is- and she really is. She was sleeping like a champ, but has regressed and is back to waking up multiple times a night. This is about doing me in- I feel like I am always tired. We are to the point that we are going to have to make her cry it out and I just HATE doing it. But, we learned with Brooklyn and Gracie that one or two bad nights of them having to cry it out is worth it when they start to sleep much better! She LOVES Rice cereal. She tried baby food for the first time and loved the sweet potatoes I gave her but has since decided that she has no use for it and acts as if it is the most disgusting thing she has ever tasted- even the fruit. She is rolling all over the place- she can navigate a room by rolling and is starting to get up on her hands and knees- I don't think it will be long before she is crawling. She loves her sisters and loves everything and anything they do. Her little giggle and smile absolutely melt my heart. She loves her Saucer and spends a lot of time in there playing and watching what is going on. Everything goes into her mouth- I mean everything!! She didn't lose any of her hair and it has just kept growing- I had all these cute little headbands that she wasn't able to wear because they would come out the second she moved her head. So at about 5 months she got her first little piggy. At 6 months old, she weighed 17.12 lbs putting her in the 67% and is 25.75 inches putting her in the 43%. We love you so much Ella and feel so very blessed to be your parents and to have you in our family!

First piggy

First baby food- sweet potatoes

This picture is so her- everything in her mouth