Ella's First Birthday!

Posted by Chandra August 19, 2018

Ella's First Birthday!

Oh! My sweet Ella Bella! I just love her so much! She is the best little baby. She's so good natured and happy. I have ZERO complaints about this girl. She is "go-with-the-flow" and smart and cheerful and the best snuggler around. She is a good eater, will take a few steps here and there but prefers crawling, can swim and loves the pool, loves to be outside, is perfect in the car even when we have to drive to OC a million times. She smiles constantly, has 3 teeth on the bottom and 4 on the top, wears 12-18 month clothes, and has soft, wispy blond hair. I still rock her to sleep for both her naps and at night. It is during these quiet, precious times that I feel closest to my Heavenly Father. I feel the need to offer a prayer of gratitude almost every time I'm rocking her. I experience such an intimate connection to Him- He who created her spirit, but I created her body and thus we are divinely linked. He blessed me with her and it is my sacred duty to raise her in truth and light so she can return to Him someday. I feel so strongly the weight of that responsibility, but she makes it easy. Ella is light and peace and all that is good. She is sunshine and brilliance and warmth.

We were all very excited to celebrate her first year of life- her one year with us as a member of our family. We had a little family "party" before Tanner left for work. I love taking pictures of my sleepy eyed children- it's a rare site! We spent most of the day bending to her every whim and playing with her. She is easy to please.

The next day we had a big family party at our house! We had good food and music and the kids all performed for Ella. Kim, Kaela, and Jessi wrote and sang a song, and all the kids performed a dance to choreography the Parker imagined and a song he created! Even Rayleigh sang "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and we were all amazed at how brave she was to perform and how thrilled she was at the end when we all clapped for her! Tanner made a beautiful video montage of Ella's first year and I cried my eyes out when we watched it. Ella smashed her yummy lemon cake from Nothing Bunt Cakes and I had strawberries and shortcake for everyone else. We topped it off with a few hours of swimming and the evening was absolute perfection! After everyone left, Tanner helped me clean up (all the food was gone which was great!) and we watched Father of the Bride because doesn't it seem like it's her first birthday today but before we know it, she's going to get married!?!?!

The next day, I took Ella down to Taylor Taylor's house to celebrate Poppy's first birthday! It was a Mommy and Me party and her talented sister created the most beautiful and delicious charcuterie boards! They were to die for! She has flamingos everywhere and it was just the cutest party ever! It was so fun to be there! There is never enough celebrating when it comes to babies turning 1 year old.

We love you, Ella SueAnn. You make us happy each and every day. When you are not right next to me, I miss you. When you are asleep or behind me as I'm driving, my arms crave you. I always want to feel your weight in my arms, your soft cheek against mine. To hear your sweet laughter and feel you grasp my fingers as you attempt to walk. You are the light of my life- my beautiful baby girl. I am so lucky to be your mother. I love you forever.