Updates & Recommendations

(1) I really think Ella is trying to say more words...I could just be imagining it but just in case, for record keeping purposes (and since this blog is her only baby book at this point!), I *think* Ella now says (or tries to say) water- "wa" or "wa wa" and Rylee- "ra".

(2) Her hair is getting SO long.  I tried to piggy tails again today, which I don't think we'll do again for awhile since (a) she screams while you try to do it leading to a very uneven part and level of tails, and (b) it doesn't look so great on her yet. :)


And some current obsessions...

(3) Trader Joe's Spice Chai Latte (so delicious, easy and perfect when you can't get to a coffee place to get your fix!).

(4) Stash Chai Spick Black Tea (also available at Trader Joe's)...as you can see, I'm very into Chai lately.

(5) Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Mix- this is SO moist and delicious.  It's seasonal so you can only get it in the fall, and I stock up on it when they have it so I can make it throughout the year!

A Very Merry Weekend

We had a great weekend with friends!  On Saturday, Ella had her besties over for a cookie exchange.

Santa and his reindeer (yes, that's right, I'm a mom now...I wear dorky reindeer ears to match my kid!)...


She got each of her friends a little gift...

Put out some cookies to eat...

And made a white wine cranberry spritzer for the mommies (beer only for dads!)...

On Sunday, she met her BFF, Olivia, for brunch at Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner restaurant at Knott's Berry Farm. I wouldn't exactly recommend it if you're under 65, but the food (and there was a TON) was pretty decent for buffet food...especially the fried chicken at 10:00 a.m.!




The girls exchanged gifts, and Olivia kissed her baby Elmo!


The majority of the photos of the girls were of the backs of their heads (but at least you can kind of make out Olivia's adorable curls!)...

Julie and I were saying that we can't wait until we can tell them to stand next to each other, smile and wait for the photo to be taken!! This is what happened when Gary and Julie tried to situate them near some poinsettias for a photo op (clearly, we just gave up)...



Snoopy stopped by, and Ella was not having it. She loved to look at him from afar, but did NOT want to be near him (what is up with my no fear baby??!!)...

Olivia wasn't too impressed either at first, but then she turned into his biggest fan!

They had three tables of desserts, including these cute little Christmas Snoopy cupcakes for the kids...


The whole clan...


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Per request of Jen...my Coconut Snowball cookie recipe:

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. (7oz) sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 c unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
creamy vanilla filling (recipe follows)

(1) Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Place 1/2 cup coconut into a small bowl; set aside. Place remaining coconut in a food processor; pulse until coarsely ground. Set aside.
(2) Beat butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and ground coconut; mix just until combined.
(3) Drop dough by level tablespoons onto two baking sheets, 1-2 inches apart. Bake until lightly golden around the edge, 10-12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
(4) Dividing evenly, spread filling on flat side of half the cookies; sandwich with remaining cookies. Roll edges in reserved coconut.

Creamy Vanilla Frosting
Using an electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter until light and fluffy. With mixer on medium, beat in 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down bowls as necessary. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract; increase speed to high and beat until filling is light and fluffy, 5 minutes.

Ho, Ho, Ho...Bake, Bake, Bake

After 9 hours, 7 batches, and 14 sticks of butter...

BIG Weekend...not really, but it was to us

(1) We had a much needed date night at Simply Fondue with friends, and it was really just a ridiculous amount of food but quite good.  And I didn't have a gall bladder attack this time (last time I had fondue in 2001, I ended up in the emergency room thinking I was for sure dying, but alas, I was having a gall bladder attack).

(2) I had a much needed hair appointment.  I book them 2.5-3.5 months in advance because my girl is hard to get an appointment with, and I will.not.miss.one.  Ever.

(3) I chickened out on going to AZ.  I'm out the money for my non-refundable ticket.  But the good news is that I got some much needed Christmas shopping done in the late afternoon after my hair appointment rather than running around like a headless chicken trying to get ready for a 7 a.m. flight, which is what I thought I was going to be doing on Saturday. :)

(4) Now, the BIG news...ELLA SAID "DOG" and SIGNED "MORE".  Hurray!

She often says "d" words that we think mean certain things (such as doggie), but we're never sure since she says them all the time.  On Saturday, someone had a giant poodle in Gap (do not ask me why), and she ran right up to it, pointed, and said "DOG!"  I should have known that would be her first certain and understandable word since her love for Rylee far surpasses most things...you know, like her need to say 'mama'.

Given her lack of speech, we resorted to teaching her signs, which I was initially against because I heard that it can inhibit speech.  That is until someone told me that their child's speech therapist actually works on signing with them!  So we've been working on the signs for "eat", "more" and "all done".  On Saturday, I was feeding her the ever popular snap pea crisps, and she reeeeeeally wanted another one, so she looked right at me and signed "more" perfectly!  It was so cute.

(5) And now, onto Ella's Day at the Mall and Santa Excursion...before we begin the story, please keep in mind that my child has not one ounce of stranger/separation anxiety.  Never has.  She never cries for us.  She will go to a.n.y.o.n.e.  Literally- man, woman, child, murderer, whoever.  Ok, back to the story...

Since we weren't on a plane on Sunday, as planned, Ella and I decided to meet grandma at South Coast Plaza to look at all the decorations and meet Santa.

It all started out well.  She was having the time of her life in line zigzagging through all the people and stopping to play and/or wave with each and every child in line...


We were even talking to the other parents, telling them how we know she won't cry because she will and always has gone to anyone without a problem, even if we leave the room.  So grandma handed her to the sweetest Santa ever, and this happened immediately... 


But then we thought things were looking up...


Nevermind...


Not to take away from her traumatic experience, but it was pretty funny.  There is clearly something inherently scary about Santa.  Poor guy.

Anyway, she was fine after Santa was out of the picture. She loved the carousal reindeer and gigantic Christmas tree...


Once we set her free to run through the mall, it was all over...she was in HEAVEN!




We're going to try Santa again at Fashion Island...she has two Christmas dresses so we really have no choice. ;)