Ella's Gift

I was getting ready this morning, and Ella was watching Diego. She had just gone to the bathroom so I thought she was okay. When I was all finished I came out of the bathroom, and could smell something. I thought maybe Mowgli had pooped, but it didn't smell like her poop it smelt like Ella's. Sure enough she climbed on the coffee table and took a little poop. Luckily it wasn't on the carpet and got everywhere. She is good about running to the bathroom when she has to go pee, but it looks like we need to work on the poo a little more. Ha! Ha! Sorry I hope I didn't gross anyone out just thought it was funny!



Ella'a Gift

Potty Training...

So proud of our big girl Ella


Had to post this picture. Last night we went to check on her before we went to bed, and that is how we found her. Ella's head was hanging off and her feet stuck between the poles on her bed. She is so funny and won't sleep the long way on her bed. Even if she sleeps with us she has to sleep sideways. We might have to get her a bigger bed soon so she can sprawl out. The other night she also fell out of bed again, but didn't even wake up. She is so funny.



We have been potty training Ella for the last couple of days. So far so good. She has been running around naked while we train her. She is doing really well and getting the hang of it. I wasn't sure if it was to early, but she has really been interested in the potty lately so I thought why not try. We just ask her about every twenty minutes if she has to go, and she will go and try. We have only had two accidents so far. One we put her big girl underwear on and she started peeing, then yelling,"oh, man." She is doing better about running to the potty when she really has to go and saying, "hurry mommy, potty." She is so silly. Now we just have to work on keeping the clothes on while she goes. If she has a shirt on and needs to go potty she thinks she needs all of her clothes off. Let's hope we can break that. We went and got her a little chart so she can put stickers on after she goes then in the end she will get to pick out a prize. I can't believe my little girl is getting to be such a big girl!

If anyone who has potty trained has any other ideas to help out I would love to hear!

Las Vegas

George and me


Zach and Snoop Dog


Ready for a night on the town


Trying to get a tan



We had so much fun in Las Vegas. We went to eat at the Cheesecake Factory (which is our new favorite place. So good!) We layed out everyday by the pool, went shopping, walked around, and saw Phantom of the Opera. We stayed at the Trump Hotel which is super nice. They upgraded our room to the 48th floor and we had a view of the strip. The hotel doesn't have a casino in it so it was actually nice not getting all ready, and then walking through a casino and smell like smoke. We went to the Phantom at the Venetian. It was such a good play. Zach now loves the Phantom, he downloaded the music onto our Ipods and has listened to it everyday since. We also went to Maddam Tussoad's Wax Museum. It was a lot of fun. Our camera died half way through so the rest of the time we used our phones to take pictures. We finally got some tans, but came home to rain so now they are fading. I had so much fun and was glad to take a much needed vacation with my wonderful hubby!

My sweet little Ella

I just love my little Ella bug so much! I wanted to post how much my sweet little girl means to me, and I don't know what I would do without her in my life. She is so sweet, loving, funny, spontaneous, joyful, and full of life. She makes me want to live life to the fullest. I thank Heavenly Father more and more each day for letting me be a mom to such a wonderful little spirit. I love when I get home from work she is so happy to see me. She is always doing something new to make us laugh. Don't worry there are definitely hard days, but the good ones out weigh them. I just had to post about my how much I love my sweet little buggy!!!

3 Years

Happy Anniversary to my babe! I can't believe it has been 3 years. I am so greatful that I married Zach and couldn't ask for a better husband or dad for our kids. He just loves his girls so much and does so much for us. We are finally spending some money and going on a trip since we haven't been on one since our honeymoon. We are leaving today and flying to Vegas and staying at the Trump Tower Hotel. I know it is only Vegas, but we need this trip so bad. The first year of marriage I was 7 months pregnant so we couldn't go or do anything too exciting. Then last year Zach was getting ready to enter Police Academy. So we decided it was a good time to go. I am so excited to go do something just Zach and I. I am nervous to leave Ella since it is the first time we have ever left her, but I know she will be okay. Zach and I are going to have fun and just enjoy each other's company. I will post pictures when we get back. I love you babe and can't wait for many more years together!!!!

Smarty Pants...

Ella bug is becoming our little smarty pants. In just the last month she has learned and changed so much. She can now count from one to ten not only in English but also in Spanish. Thanks to Dora and Diego, Ella will be fluent in Spanish and English. Haha. Zach and I will have to learn some Spanish so we know what she is saying to us. She also likes to say every word we say, knows lots of animal sounds, sings lots of songs, dances, and now we are working on her colors. She picks up things really fast and remembers them. She is also getting better at throwing temper tantrums. Her new thing is if I tell her not to do something or put her in time out she will say, "Mommy do it." If Zach does it then it will be, "Dada do it." The other day she fell and scraped her knee then came to me and said, "Mommy, Grandma do it." My mom wasn't even by her. I thought it was pretty funny. She is still funny and keeps us entertained, but if she throws a fit watch out. I think the terrible twos are coming faster then we want. Ella also showed interest in going potty a little over a month ago. I went and bought her a potty, but she wouldn't use it she had to go on the big girl potty. She went a couple times then stopped showing interest. I also didn't want to force it on her because then she won't do it. But now she will take off her diaper and want to go potty. I haven't had a couple of days to stay home and do it. Zach and I are going on a trip next week, and I think after that I am going to try and potty train her. Wish me luck!!!

Feeding ducks, ready to swim, etc.

Ella wakes up every morning this past week and puts on her
floaty and says, "swimming, water."

She also has her phone. Can't go anywhere without her phones!

Ella feeding the duckies!

We are trying to do family night or family day every Monday. We always have something fun planned to do. A couple of weeks ago we went to dinner at our favorite Cafe Rio (seriously we go there once a week.) Then we went and fed the ducks by the Jordan river parkway. It was so much fun. Ella loves the ducks, she would follow them around saying, "quack, quack." Some of the ducks will walk right up to you and eat the bread out of your hand. Ella wasn't to sure of that, but she loved throwing the bread down to them. We only got one picture and then the battery on our camera died. We planned to go again this past Monday, but it was raining. So we will get more pictures the next time we go.

Our pool opened finally a month late. So this week we have been going every day. Ella loves it and thinks she is big enough to do it herself. We have a lot of little temper tantrums in the pool because she wants us to let go and take her out of her floatie. She is so brave sometimes a little too brave. She figured out she can stand on the stairs and jump by herself. So most of the time we are sitting on the stairs and she holds on to the railing and jumps. She is such a little fishy!!!