New layout the second.

I took the creepy Santa layout down. I couldn't even look at my own blog.

Edit: For those that missed it, you can view the scary Santa here. It's smaller, but still freaky.

New layout

Sooo...is that Santa over there on the right-hand side creepy?

Back among the living.

We've been living in a house of pestilence and disease, but finally (about 10 days later), there's light at the end of the tunnel, and we're all on the mend. Thank goodness. It was nasty head colds and coughs all around. Ella's been a trooper through the whole thing...probably more of one that I was at times.

Anyway, while we were all wallowing in sickness and piling the tissues up on the floor, Ella turned 16 months! Last Thursday, to be exact. I didn't get around to snapping a few pictures until yesterday...I didn't feel like doing it before then, and I'm pretty sure she didn't feel like having her beauty struck before then either :)



-I have to keep her hair pulled up in a topknot like this most of the time, because otherwise, she pulls it down in front of her face and puts it in her mouth, which makes me insane.
-She is REALLY into books...she loves for both Jon and me to read to her. Current favorites include Jamberry, Moo Baa La La La, and the book we got at Kindermusik.
-She walks everywhere all the time now.
-She thinks petting the animals is such a hoot -- she gets so tickled when she pets them, just squeals and laughs. She's really good about being gentle with them, too.
-She's always toting her stuffed animals around with her. She gives them hugs and kisses, and likes to give them to Jon and me for hugs as well.

What's that saying again...

...about good intentions? And the road to hell? Something like that.

We had such nice plans this weekend -- Renaissance Faire one day and Duke Gardens and dinner with the Robersons on another.

So guess who woke up sick this morning? Me, baby. Me.

I could feel it coming on last night, and I knew there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. That's the worst, I think. When it's in the mail -- and you know it.

So instead of fun, today consisted of me sleeping and resting a lot, and Jon taking care of the baby.

I feel okay, not great -- mostly just run-down. Hopefully, it will be short-lived. Sadly, though, I think Ella is already getting whatever it is. She was starting to get sniffly before bed tonight, and acted like she just didn't feel that great this evening.

New kicks.

Ella is walking more nowadays than she's crawling, by far. It's funny how things just *click* with babies, and once they pick something up, how fast they latch on to it.

Since she's among the bipeds now, we decided it was time to get her a pair of shoes that were functional, not just cute to look at -- although there's nothing wrong with a cute pair of shoes. So we headed over to Stride Rite this afternoon, and came home with these sassy new pink-and-white tennies.

She was not a particular fan of the process, though. Much like I did when I was a baby, she screamed when she had her feet measured, and again when the salesman put the shoes on her. I, on the other hand, wanted to cry when I paid for them, especially knowing she'll only wear them 3-4 months.

Oh, well. You only get one pair of feet, so you better take good care of them.