We officially have a 14 month old! It doesn't seem possible! I love how she can understand almost everything we say these days. She has been helping me put away books and toys when we are done with them and she'll never know how big of a help this is! Elli even helped the "teacher" put away toys at the library yesterday. Every Tuesday we make a trip to the library for "baby laptime." We sing songs, read books, and then play with toys at the end. Lately, Elli has been the "center of attention" there (literally)....she will go, stand in the middle of the circle- right in front of the teacher and stare or do a little dance while we sing and every other child is sitting on their mother's lap. I enjoy our library time as much as Elli does because I've met some other moms there with kiddos about the same age as Elli. Elliana continues to do more and more each day. She is trying to say more words and most of the time they always end up sounding the same, but at least she is trying! Tonight we practiced turn taking (which is 1 thing I sometimes start with in therapy with a little kiddo for communication)....she did great and picked up the sign for "my turn" very quickly. Of course, she doesn't fully grasp this concept, but we had fun playing with our bubbles while working on this. Here are some pictures from our weekend....

Swimming at the pool! I love this picture even though you can't see Elli's face. I think I like it so much because I know how much Scott completely adores Elli. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't hear "Ash, Elli really is my best friend....I hate letting her go when I put her to bed because she is so snugly." Scott is excited to get his boy, but he wouldn't trade this little girl for anything. She definitely has him wrapped around her finger!

I, unfortunately, wasn't at the pool to watch everyone swim (I was....well....doing something else that we won't mention and I'd rather forget), but Elli apparently loved "jumping" (from a seated position) off the side. Elli's grandparents and cousins came to visit us this weekend, which is why you see her Papa in this picture :) We were hoping for some good weather to go to the zoo and park, but instead had weather in the 30's-40's....ugh! So...we settled with a trip to the indoor play area at the mall, swimming at the YMCA, playing at the house and............... a trip to Chuck E Cheese! (Not sure what is going on in this picture....I don't think I ask her where her belly was, but maybe I did?). There were SOOOOOOO many kids running all around at this place, but the kids enjoyed it.

And here is the real reason we went to Chuck E Cheese. Scott's dad enjoyed the games as much as the kids. Ha....ok....I kid! I had to sneak this picture in....I was watching Dane and saw him run over to this game. He was trying to win the boys more tickets because do you realize how many tickets it costs to win a tiny little toy???? Unbelievable....I'm pretty sure you could get any one of their prizes at the dollar store!!

Counting up the tickets. Vander enjoyed his first experience at chuck e cheese.....

and So did Dane!

It was a good weekend despite the fact that most of us ended up sick :/