42 Weeks

We continue to try the swings at the park. Despite the lack of smile, she really was enjoying it.

Jeff and I have been trying to teach Ella to get down off the bed, couch, etc, feet first. She figured it out the other day and got down from the bed all by herself. Then, two minutes later, she fell over for no apparent reason and busted her head on a chest. Notice the large bruise above her left eye... Poor baby! Actually, it didn't seem to bother her that much. She cried for a second when it happened but was fine as soon as I picked her.


We went to see Maggie and Aunt Carrie at Grampa and Grandmo's house today. Of the many, many pictures I have of the two girls, there are almost none where they are both looking at the camera, so I was happy to get this one, even if Ella has a flashlight in her mouth.

Jeff hates bows and refuses to let Ella wear them, so we took advantage of him not being there today!

Maggie was "camping" under the dining room chairs. Ella thought it was great fun to look for her under there.

Ella chasing the little toy train. She loves that thing!

Ella riding Grandmo's pony.

Grandpa and the girls.

Ella has been standing more this week and even took a few falling steps. Today she did it for real. I was trying to show Carrie and Maureen how she could stand and Maureen held her hands out to her and she took three steps right into her arms! I couldn't believe it. She did a few more little steps after that, but then she didn't want to play that game any more and got fussy about it. Now I know for sure that she can do it, it's just if she wants to.

Ella has also started trying to imitate sounds. She does it with all kinds of things, and you can really only tell because she gets the intonation right, but the two "words" I hear most often are "meow" and "bite". Neither one actually sounds like the real word, but I know that's what she's trying to say. When she's eating I'll ask her if she wants a bite and she'll say "bi" and lean forward with her mouth open. Or I ask her what the kitty cat says and she does this little squeaky "mmm" sound.

She's been screaming or screeching a lot too. This is not so fun. It's mostly when she's trying to get our attention, but really it can be for any reason at all. We were at Hawaiian Falls the other day and she was playing with a one year old little boy. I don't know which one started it, but they got into a screaming competition. I'm happy to report he won. My ears are still ringing...

Ella has been turning the pages in her books. She still needs a little help, otherwise it's pretty much just open and close, but if you get the page started for her, she can do the rest. She has a few touch and feel books, which she loves. Any time we read a book, she's pointing and running her fingers over the page. I think she's looking for those different textures.