It's been a while

It's almost been a whole month since my last post, so I have to sneak some pictures and notes in before it gets to that point.

Our most exciting bad news it that Mike spent the night in the hospital last week with kidney stones. It was so horrible, and I wasn't even the one in pain. I wish that on no one, and I certainly don't want him or me to go through that again, but it looks like we will because he has another stone waiting in the other kidney. Yikes. Everyone says it's worse than childbirth, and judging by how much pain he was in, I believe it.

Anyway, let's move on to some better things... like this cute, fun 16 month old girl. She's a crack up. Here's some baby book news about Ellie:

-This girls is a big talker. She says well over 100 words. I stopped keeping track, but she says words like "cereal, yee-haw, outside, ni-night, water, slide, wee, cheese, peek-a-boo, mole" and phrases like, "shoe, where are you?" "there you are" in the cutest little voice.

-When we're in the car stopped at a stop light she says, "stop, go!"

- She loves to watch "Signing Time" DVDs and can do the signs for dog, food, sleep, quiet, bath, all done, more, apple (but she actually does the sign for pig, while she's saying apple), daddy, play, milk, baby, please, ball, and more I can't think of. When we sing the alphabet she does her signing version of the ABCs which is just moving her fingers around (that's for you Aunt Holly and Shannah :)

Ellie cheesing it for the camera. Showing off her new molars. Her last one is just now bulging through. Ouch.

-She folds her arms during the prayer (sometimes) and even says "amen" at the end of the prayer (sometimes). One night while we were eating dinner, she randomly folded her arms and said "amen."

-She thinks every little crumb or speck of dirt is a bug. She says "is a bug?" (like "is it a bug?") and goes in for a closer look - unless it is moving - then she is scared. One day she pointed to a mole on my arm and said, "bug." I told her it was a mole. Then she said, "mole bug."

It is super hot here already, but this girl loves to be outside. A couple weeks ago we were outside for not even 5 minutes and she was all pink from the heat, so I pulled this tub out and filled it up with water. It was the best entertainment.

-This girl still loves to nurse. I've been trying to wean her, and we've come down from 5 feedings to 3 a day. She won't drink cow milk, so that makes things more difficult. I want to be free of nursing by 18 months. I think that is my max number.

- She waits outside the bathroom door for us and will put her cute little fingers under the door and wiggle them around. Let me tell you - there is nothing cuter.

She started giving this dirty look for a few days, but has since forgotten it.

-She has this real hearty laugh that just cracks us up - so of course she does it more - especially at night when her and daddy are playing before bedtime.

- She loves to pull my shirt up and blow rasberries on my belly and back. She tried it on Mike, but paused before blowing - not too sure about blowing on the hairy belly I'm guessing.

This kid has tons of personality and is such a fircracker. We love her to bits!