Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

Last night, it started to snow I was a little skeptical. However, by noon today, this is what we saw:



With all this powder, I knew I had to bust out the snow suit for Miss Ella. So...


She wasn't thrilled with this snow suit just yet.


(I kept thinking of the famous line from "A Christmas Story": "I can't put my arms down!" -- hehe :)

I had to kind of layer her up...I mean, it was COLD out there for my treat!







***Enough of the Mama-razzi for today***

Weekends around town

Mom and Ella love to make juice. Especially ones that have just the right color for a good-lookin' mustache!



It's so great that Bounce Town is just around the corner. We're talking like, less.than.a.mile. Fabulous when you and your tot dont' necessary LOVE car rides! Mom, Dad, and Ella ventured out to check out this fun bouncy world. Look!


Up we go!

And then!


Watch us go!


On Sunday, we went to Longmont's Cultural Center and Museum to see the "Dia De Los Muertos" Exhibits (The day of the Dead). It caught my interest since I studied the Spanish language and hispanic/latino cultural all through highschool and college. It was really beautiful and interesting to see and learn all about this event.





I think Ella liked it too. At the top of the museum, there is a spectacular view of Longmont - which also allows you to get a panoramic view of the Rockies. Outstanding! Plus, we got to play a little with the costumes pretending we were...







** Ella's birthday is just around the corner!

Escucha:

** Exhale **

Birthday, weekend, and coasting...

On Friday, I turned 27. Only 3 years from the proclaimed "magical" age of 30. Ask Nathan, or any of my friends, I've wanted to be 30 FOREVER as in as long as I have turned 20 or so. I thought it was such a great age. An age of which, people start to take you more *seriously - like a mature thriving adult in the world. -Or something like that. Now, being a new age of 27 - I don't think that 30 is so magical - I don't really think there is a "magic" age at all. I am beginning to realize that you have to be able to acknowledge the magic in whatever age you are at the moment. If not, life will quickly pass you by knocking you down on your a**! So no, 30 isn't necessarily "it". People will only take you seriously and see you as a mature human being if you believe that of yourself. So, there! Now I know that and understand that.

Now, on to the birthday details. The day began really nicely. We all work up early - like 6:15am early! Nathan and I sipped coffee and watched the news deliberate about the "Balloon Boy" story (ugh - don't get me started!) and Ella drank her milk and played. Nathan sweetly gave me a very special card he picked out from one of our favorite stores in Boulder called Bliss - and a very beautiful necklace with a swallow (bird) on it. Which mirrors his swallow tattoo on his neck. The neck is to always help me feel close to Nathan and remind me of home and family. Very sweet.



There was a rollarcoaster of napping events and lack-there-of's with Ella. Needless-to-say, miss Ella napped for 1 hour - THE WHOLE DAY! - and went to bed @ 6pm. EARLY! It worked out ok because when Nathan got home @ 6:15pm - he brough wine (lots and lots to fill our lonely wine rack) and beautiful white roses and other pretty flores. Gratefully, we used the baby-sitting co-op and had a sitter come over @ 7:30. We went out for the night to the Sugarbeet restaurant and had some damn fine eats. Very yummy and nice. We then we to The Dickens downtown for a little extra drink. Then home. Ella did just fine with the babysitting too. Only waking up a few times for a lost pac-i. *BIG SIGH*

It was all very nice. In addition to that -- I got lots of sweet "Happy Birthday's" in all forms from family and good friends. Thank you MUCHO to all. I truly feel blessed, loved, unbelievably lucky to have such good people in my life. Thank you, thank you.

In other weekend news- we checked out Anderson Farms, in Erie. Let's just say, it was busy; people want their pumpkins!



**

Still working on the sleep thing...

Sleep Begets Sleep!

One tiny word; sleep. It is a one-syllable word, 5 letters, and such a beautiful thing -- especially when you quickly realize how terribly important it is to our existance.

Hi, this post is specifically about dear Ella's sleep schedule --- er, well -- something along those lines...

For the past 10.5 months -- I thought I was doing right by putting Ella to bed between 7:30/8ish. Naps were typically every 3-4ish hours. Waking up in the morning was something like 7:30ish. However, I'd say at LEAST 50% of the time, especially at bedtime -- was pure hell trying to get Ella to sleep. Very very stressful.

After months of talking about sleep schedules with other parents, going to sleep seminars at the hospitals given by professionals...I was really starting to think that Ella's sleep schedule just wasn't right. It most definitely was NOT benefiting her or her parents!

Oh and by the way, yes we did try the 'cry it out' thing too for a while. I hated it and by the octave levels Ella's screams reached night after night -- so did she. I really believe that that method only works for some children. I think it's a case by case scenario - and you have to decide what method or style is the best fit and feels right for everyone.

That said, my dear friend Jess passed on an amazing and very insightful book to me that her sister (a new mom too) had read.





So I have been reading this. And my eyes have seen the words written by a true genius! As of last Friday, Ella has been a whole NEW schedule. And, of course, so have we.

After reading about how babies do best waking early, having an early AM/PM nap, and going to sleep early -- I was stunned. I felt like I had been in the dark for the past 10 months! I guess I was kind of doing this -- but basically Ella's 'sleep intervals' were WAY too far apart. When this happens, trying to put a child to nap/bed who is OVERLY tired - is damn near impossible. You can only imagine how I looked forward to a glass (or two!) of wine when I could. The book basically said that when the babies schedule is push too far into the day/night - babies suffer by being over tired and simulated, etc. SO! Friday morning, my thought was to WAKE Ella up at 6:30am. She/we would aim for a nap 2 hours after she woke. And, not let her sleep more than 2 hours to 'protect the 2nd nap/secure the sleep schedule'! Nap #2 falls around 1-2pm and again should not last for more than 2 hours.

We've been doing this as I said for the past 5 days. Now at days 6 I think she is starting to catch on. Now at bedtime too - we're doing dinner, bath, jammies, books, bottle, bed. Trying to start this whole process around 5/5:30 or so. I have been trying to continue to wake up Ella at 6:30 or so - but a few of the days I did get up at 7. I didn't realize how much of a change it is for me too to have an earlier schedule. BUT, I'm going to stick to this! I have to for the love and need of sanity!

So, I shall keep her on the schedule and be tough with it. Sleep is so important -- and I know Ella has lots of growing to do during that time.

I'm still alive

Trying to get back to this blogging thing. I have realized that I just really like reading other people's blogs. But the truth is - I have a lot to say and report too! So I'm going to give this another shot and try to get some pictures up of Ella and some updates. The world needs to know that Ella is now walking! And, as exciting as it is, and sad too, my baby will soon be 1! We're in the final last few weeks of her 11th month of life, of babyhood. Then she will become a toddler!

Behold!



A dynamic duo *





Pure excitement!