Another Reason

We love Ella's high chair. It's the perfect size for our apartment, it folds up and gets tucked away so I'm not scooting around it all day, and we can pull it right up to the table so Ella gets to eat with us. Then today we discovered yet another reason to love Ella's high chair:

This can occupy her while I cook, clean, or study. Maybe some day the banging will turn into beautiful music.

8 Months

Ella is 8 months old now! We went to stake conference this past Sunday at the Provo tabernacle and the weather was so beautiful that afterward we spent a few minutes taking some pictures of Ella on the lawn outside. She hadn't had a good morning nap but was sweet enough to give us 7 or 8 minutes of calm before she demanded to get in the stroller for the walk home. Ella seems to have changed tremendously in the past month. Here are a few things about her:

She has two new teeth on top! If you look closely in this picture you can see them (click on the picture to make it bigger).

Ella really likes playing with things that aren't toys. Shoes, pens and markers, wooden spoons, and rubber spatulas are at the top of her list. She also likes an empty plastic salt shaker.

Ella has learned to give kisses and if she's in a good mood she'll give mommy and daddy kisses.

Her face is very expressive.

Other things about Ella this month:

*She says mamma and dadda (well, she said dadda for a week and refuses to say it now...but she says mamma a lot). We love to hear her babble.

*She loves carrots and peas and puts up with green beans. She also likes sweet potatoes and she will only eat prunes if they're mixed with peas. Yeah, delicious.

*She likes to drink water from a cup.

*She gives high fives if you hold your hand up and say "give me a high five!"

*She loves fabrics and textiles. She can't get enough of the different textures.

*She's really good at picking things up and dropping them.

*She enjoys the feel of wind on her face. If we blow on her face it usually makes her grin and squeal or laugh.

*She hates the vacuum and cries every time we turn it on. But she tolerates the sound of the hair dryer.

*She loves to have mommy read books and usually complains or cries when the book is over.

*She is a joy to have in our family!

New Toy

Nope, Ella didn't get a new toy. I did! It's a Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens for my camera. Beautiful depth of field, lovely bokeh. For those who don't speak photography, it's a great portrait lens that will give me more control over making parts of the picture fuzzy. Unfotunately, it came during a very busy week so I haven't had much time to play. But I did break it in with a few snapshots of my favorite subjects.

Chewing on some braided trim from my sewing area

My handsome husband in our office/sewing room

Ella hanging out on our bed. Notice that her eyes are in focus but her ear isn't. I shot this one at f/1.8-- That's some pretty shallow depth of field.

Playing in the family room. f/4.5

Picture Update

Here's a quick update on Ella:

She still likes to hang out with her friend, Elizabeth. Ella is very interested in grabbing ears, noses, and hair, so we have to watch carefully when they're together!

Reading with Daddy--notice that she's reading the Journal of the American Dietetic Association

We finally got Ella a high chair last month. We literally have no floor space in our kitchen for a traditional high chair so we got this one. It scoots right up to the table and we can fold it up and tuck it away when Ella isn't using it. It also has a handy pocket on the back for bib storage.

Ella still won't take a pacifier. But she'll play with it--it's a great toy for teething!

We love this face.

Ella also now has two new teeth on top! Pictures coming soon...

Are You Happy?

Oh, so that's the secret!