Christmas with Grandma & Grandpa Jones!

Ella had her final Christmas celebration today at Grandma & Grandpa Jones' house. Let's just say she was up for 12 hours straight with NO NAP! She always has a such a ball with her cousins, there is no chance of us getting her to sleep. Sandy made a wonderful, non-traditional Christmas meal -- Mexican! It was delicious. Then we opened gifts, played Bingo (Dave & Sandy have a prize table set up and we get to choose our Bingo rewards!), and watched a movie. If we could have, I think we ALL THREE would have fallen asleep on the way home. Matt and I managed to hold it together and stay awake, but Bug didn't stand a chance. She was out before we left their driveway!

What fun! Will this Christmas thing just go on forever? Seems like every other day I get more toys -- right on!

Ella brushing her TWO teeth while Daddy shows her the new book from G & G.

The cousins on the Jones side (Clayton holding Ella, Gracie in the chair on the L,

Edy in the chair on the R).

GG holding Ella. Ella is wearing a corduroy jumper that was Mommy's when she was a baby!

Ella apparently can't wait to get a jump on her oral hygiene...she just kept brushing, and brushing, and brushing...

Christmas Trip to Marietta...Part 3!

We can't get enough of this hat that Nate got her! AND, she loves it, too....she never even tries to pull it off!

Playing with Uncle Nate.

Oh yes, and she stands now! Mostly she still holds on to something.....but she has let go a few times for a "stand alone" moment!

Step with Aunt Pam & Bogey.

Our attempt at getting a 4 generation picture....Ella was a little less than thrilled as you can see...that is because this was at about 10PM on Christmas night!

Christmas Trip to Marietta...Part 2!

Our family was MORE than generous to Ella for her first Christmas! However, she really was more interested in the packaging ....anything that crinkles! Here are a few pictures of her opening her gifts.

She was literally SURROUNDED by presents on the floor!

What do I do with these pretty boxes??

Hmmm.... maybe I eat them???

Mama had to help...

The hat is from Uncle Nate! How cute!

And the bunny is from Great Aunt Pam & Great Uncle John.

Christmas Trip to Marietta...Part 1!

Sunday morning, 12/23/07, we headed out for Marietta, Ohio to spend Christmas with Steph's Mom's side of the family....here are the pictures from Ella's First Christmas!!

Ella with Great Grandpapa.

Ella with Great Uncle John.

Ella with Great Aunt Pam....all dressed up for the Christmas Eve service!

Ella with Great Grammie Morgenstern.

She is clearly speechless about all of the presents that were given to her!

Christmas at GG's!

The celebration at GG's (Great Grandma's) started of the Christmas weekend. We all gathered at GG's on Saturday night. We were there until about 10PM -- Ella was such a trooper! We had a ball opening gifts...especially the white elephant exchange between the adults.

Ella and Mama.

Uncle Matt with niece Gracie.

Aunt Amy and cousin Edy.

Ella on Grandma's Lap....Grandpa in the background.

Ella and Uncle Swartz -- having a tug of war with his sweatshirt.

Christmas at Home

It would be good if I could figure out how to rotate pictures....but I don't, so you'll just have to turn your head...sorry! Here are a few pictures of Ella with the presents under our tree.

Ooooo! This one is for me!

Hmmmm....What could it be...?

Maybe I'll pick it up and shake it!

On second thought....

CLOSE UP!

Christmas Pictures

Well.....we took a few "Christmas Pictures" last weekend for our Christmas cards. It was quite the production....I'm surprised we got any decent pictures! We put Ella in a dress that came from Michelle & Gabi Sinn. It was adorable -- but Ella wasn't sure what to think of it.

Ella's 1st Christmas pictures...The Joneses 2007.

"This is the poofiest dress I have ever worn...I love it!"

She kept pulling the flower off of her dress....hey, it looked good to eat!

Her reaction to the black tulle that was under the dress...."What is this itchy stuff?"

Trying to keep her from pulling the flower off of the dress by distracting her with an ornament! (don't worry -- it was a "baby safe" ornament)

A Fort Wayne Tradition

If you are not from Fort Wayne, you will not know about this tradition....so allow me to explain. Downtown, on the side of a building, there is a GIANT light-up Santa! Each year, while the Santa is lit, pretty much the whole city makes its way downtown at some point to gaze upon the jolly old guy, and enjoy a meal at a Fort Wayne landmark....Coney Island. This Thursday, Dec. 13, our small group took our turn getting in on the tradition. This was Ella's first taste of this Fort Wayne tradition!

Here she is in front of Santa with Daddy! She really is awake -- I think we just caught her blinking.

Ella and Mama.

Small Group girls: L->R: Annie, Jen, Kelly, Steph.

Small Group Guys: L->R: Jason, Matt (& El), Jeff, Joe.

We think Ella enjoyed her first trip to Coney Island. She really loved her Coney Dog -- JUST KIDDING! She fell asleep on the way home...all bundled up...here she is just moments before...

First Thanksgiving....and some other FIRSTS!

Thanksgiving weekend was a milestone weekend for Ella. She got to visit with friends she had never met, she played ALL DAY on Thanksgiving with her cousins...no nap, she had another visit from Nana, Papa, Aunt Mimi (Aunt Joyce), and Uncle Greg. And most exciting of all --- SHE FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO CRAWL!!!

The night before Thanksgiving, we headed up to the McClish Homestead on Big Long Lake. It was Ella's FIRST time to meet the McClish family. Here she is with Jeremy & Molly McClish -- our friends that live out in Denver. We also got to visit with Jeremy's parents, Kathy & Bill, Jeremy's sister Deb, and his other sister Sami and her husband Ted....and of course, their puppies -- Ella LOVED the puppies.

Here is Ella on Thanksgiving Day with "Big" cousin, Edy.

I'm doing it....I'M CRAWLING! Look out Mom and Dad...

Ella's big cousins helping her pratice her new skill.

Aunt Amy and Cousin Gracie.