Goodbye Paci

This month is just flying by and we are getting closer and closer to Elli's first birthday. With Elliana's first birthday so close, we decided last week that it was time for us to get rid of her pacifiers. She already has 4 teeth, so it was time. Thursday during her nap at daycare was the last time that she had her paci. She only really has ever gotten it in her crib, in the car for naps, or in public when she started to get fussy. Elli has done GREAT without it. The biggest change has been that she has been waking up a little earlier then she typically does. However, I think we are starting to get back to her normal schedule....she slept until 7:30 this morning (8:00 or sometimes 8:30 is normal)!! Also, instead of going straight down for a nap or bed....she might cry for maybe 2-10 minutes. Not bad....it'll get better as time progresses! The mother in me is a tad sad about this....this has comforted her since day 1, but the speech therapist in me is jumping for joy! :) I can honestly say....I never thought about all the transitions we would go through in the first year (breastmilk to formula, bottle to sippy, milk to baby food, baby food to table food, paci to no paci.....). These transitions and/or the anticipations of the transitions were not all easy.

So...here is a tribute to our pacifier....one of the few pictures I have with her and the pacifier. Obviously, this picture was taken a long time ago.
Goodbye paci....you have been a great comfort to our little Elli.

She did this all day today and was pretty proud of herself. Will we have a gymnast on our hands?

We read MANY books throughout the day and often we read the same books. Elli always goes over to her shelf and grabs a book of choice. She always walks over to me just like this picture and holds it right in my face until I grab it to start reading it. This book is a favorite of hers (and mine)....Rudolph's First Christmas....she still doesn't want to admit that Christmas is over!

I love this picture....I'm not sure what she was waiting for....


Grinning from ear to ear-running all over the place.
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Elli ran a fever for a couple days over the weekend (I'm pretty sure it was just more teeth coming in). As a result, we decided to not put her in the nursery at church in case it wasn't teeth and she was contagious. She did quite well in church. She enjoyed the singing and even started singing herself. Elli enjoyed when people would start clapping and eagerly joined in! She spent the 1st part of the service waving 200 times to the guy behind us. Elli then wanted to get out and walk all around....so we took her to the cry room where about 5 other toddlers were including Siena (apparently the nursery was all full that day).

These days she always is carrying around something.


Trying to play with Bella.


Trying to get a good picture of her in her church outfit. I had to start singing for her to look and smile...notice the hands....These days she is really into singing and trying to do hand motions. Her favorite songs with hand motions are: The Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.