Another milestone...

As Travis put it, "Ella, now you can do something mommy can't do: Ride a bike". Well, I can ride a bike, I think, but I don't like to and would choose not to...but anyways....

We got Ella her very first bike today. I know it is weird for it to not be her birthday or Christmas but she hopped on one at the store last night and took off and all we thought was with the weather being so nice now, it would be silly to wait for her birthday in September. I had wanted to get her one for Christmas but she didn't want one then....so we jumped on the chance of her being excited and Travis took her out to Target today so she could pick it out. Of course, she chose the Disney Princess bike (with attached baby seat) and matching helmet.

After a little while of watching her parents try to put together the bike, she was ready. She jumped on and took off. It was quite chilly outside so we went up and down the street a few times and around the cul-de-sac about 5 times and then called it a day. So fun!

Trying to get her to look up and watch where she is going will take some time :)

We've got the fever!

Bieber fever that is!!!

Friday night Ella, my mom, my cousin Amanda, and I had a "Girls Night Out" and saw Never Say Never...what a great movie. If I was thirteen right now, I would definitely be one of those emotionally crazed girls crying her eyes out at just the thought of him. Makes me laugh now and with Ella already liking him a bit, I see my future very clearly.

Amanda had the best quote about her connection with my kiddos, "I am so much their cousin, I'm their Aunt!"...I love it. Thanks Auntie Amanda for joining us.

15 months

Our baby boy is now 15 months and doing perfectly. He weighed in at 25 lbs. (50th%) and was 32 1/4 inches tall (80th%). He has been at those percentiles since he was 4 months so we are happy to see he is staying steady. Doc said he is right on track with everything and although I would like him talking a little more (anything would be nice!) we will settle with "uh-oh" and what seems to be "Hi Sister". If he were my first baby, I would probably be freaking out that he isn't saying much but I now know that it will come and soon enough he won't stop talking :)

Right now, Jonah loves:

his BIG sister

his dog and cats

wearing backpacks and hoodies

eating EVERYTHING

climbing on top of ANYTHING

trying to use a spoon

playing in the bathroom (toilet, sink, light switches...what have you)

hitting his head against the wall when he doesn't get what he wants or is really tired

taking NAPS!! (still takes two 2-hour naps daily and 12 hours at night)

shopping with his mama

drinking milk

his pacie (more and more each day...which is not good)

chewing, drooling, and spitting on everything (getting those bottom eye teeth)

his mama and daddy and his PAPAS!!

He doesn't like:

sitting still

the television (could care less - so the opposite of his sister)

scrambled eggs

being told "NO!"

and that's about it

CHEESE!

He has now mastered the "smile for the camera" smile.

Kind of a "Chucky" face but we still love it.

This is where I found him the other day...I swear he is ALWAYS into something - usually something he shouldn't be getting into - but this time it was ok.

"Hi Mama"

Jonah LOVES getting this duster out of the hall closet and pretend he is sweeping....he might be my cleaning helper one day (not holding my breath though).

Happy Love Day!

With three Valentine celebrations to attend this year, Ella was just loving LOVE Day! Plus, she got a lot of use out of her "LOVE" shirt that I made her.

Fast friends...Ella and Hannah are just 3 months apart and are quickly becoming besties.

The Zaur's had a Valentine's Day celebration and there was lots of fun things to do. Although Ella is quite the perfectionist and likes things to be simplistic, she thoroughly enjoys creating and being artistic...and she has a great ability to do so.

Fun times with friends....and so fun to see all these kiddos growing up together

(sorry didn't get that pic)

Snow time!

Last weekend we ventured up to Flagstaff to visit Adam and Katelyn and play in the snow. There wasn't much snow at all but enough for us. We drove a couple of minutes from Adam's to Woody Mountain and played for just a little bit there....us AZ Mantle's can only handle so much cold. I have never been a big fan of snow and Travis doesn't seem like much of one either, but Ella had been dying to play in it this year....so instead of being cozy/lazy at Adam and Katelyn's all weekend, we got them ready and out the door twice - gotta make use of the winter coats and gloves :) It was a wonderfully relaxing weekend and even the snow part was fun (all 20 minutes of it :)

I don't know how people do it....bundling these kiddos up and getting them into the car was NOT FUN! I would take 115 degrees of burning hot seatbelts and sweaty children over this anyday!

She was excited!!!

Ella didn't want to take part in the family picture...

not when there was a snowball she could be making.

Uncle Adam taught Ella the art of making the perfect snowball....and then also throwing them at mommy and Katelyn.

She LOVED the snow.....but once her pants got wet, and she was a little bit cold, she was done...just like her mama.

He wasn't too sure of the snow....not being able to move in his clothes didn't help either :)

Uncle Adam and Jonah

I love Jonah's face in this pic.

A month's worth

It has been a while....since before Christmas....so I am just posting the last month all in one shot.

Enjoy!

Ella was thrilled to see all the presents from Santa and could hardly sit still for this picture.

Good morning! Merry Christmas!

Jonah was sooo excited to get a chair like his sister's.

After a while, he finally decided to open some presents.

On Dec. 29th we had quite the scare when Ella woke up and started into a Febrile seizure that lasted a really long time (about 35 minutes)...we brought her to Mercy Gilbert Hospital just around the corner and although the seizure was over by the time we got there and after a few hours she was acting just fine, the Drs decided to admit her for 24 hour observation. We are still awaiting tests to make sure that all is really ok and that these simply are Febrile Seizures (which she will grow out of).

"Hello, who is it?" During Ella's hospital stay she found it quite funny to use the board that kept her IV intact as a phone.

We were there for over 24 hours but she kept busy and never complained once.

Chocolate milk, a cozy bed, and some t.v....she loved it.





"How do they get this messy?"

"Our Beauty"

"Jonah's first haircut"

"before"

As soon as he heard the blowdryers, he wasn't too happy.

Looking a little frantic...luckily it was pretty quick.

He was beyond done :)

Our cutie "after"


"The Farm Party"

Sunday, Jan. 16th we celebrated our good friend, Alexis Stephenson's first birthday at Marley Farms. The kids got to pet all sorts of farm animals, go on a hayride, bounce and be among all sorts of strange creatures....kangaroos, bulls, macaws, camels, donkeys, zebra/mules and many more. With this gorgeous Arizona winter weather, it was a perfect day for an outdoor party.

Jonah was all about petting the goats...Ella, not to much.

Ella had a blast in the bouncy castle/slide.

"Jonah love"

Jonah LOVES to wear Ella's hoodies on his head like a cape...he will walk around for hours like this.

Merry Christmas to all...

and to all a good night!

Knowing that tomorrow night (Xmas Eve) will be crazy and the chance of getting these two all nice and clean before bed is slim to none, I am posting this great pic now...plus, it is guaranteed there will be NO time in the next two days to do so.

Here at the Mantle home we would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2011! Sending love and warm wishes to our family and friends near and far...