Ellie's first Easter

HAPPY EASTER!

I've missed a couple months... but we've been busy at the Basinger home! Nothing too special going on, just working and loving being with the sweetest baby ever!

But now a treat for all of you - an Easter treat.  Here is a tour through Ellie's first experience with an Easter basket, eggs, and that confounded grass that gets EVERYWHERE!

Ellie's 4 Months Old

 

I don't know where the time is going, but this little one is already 4 months old! She is 'talking' quite a bit and has even learned to make a loud squealing noise that means she is happy or unhappy or just wants you to pay more attention to her.  She is rolling over (but only on her terms) and her latest trick is that she is sitting up with just a little balancing help. She is still a wonderful eater, a spoiled sleeper and despises pacifiers. Yes... we keep trying.  Her poofy little hair is getting longer and she just keeps getting sweeter. 

 We are so in love with this little miss!

The Holidays

I can't believe the holidays are already over.  It has flown by, and having our sweet Ellie along for the ride has made it particularly special this year. 

We celebrated Thanksgiving with A Lot of food.... Chance started the day out with a delicious breakfast, we had lunch with my mom's side of the family at my Aunt Amy's home and then finished out with a Basinger dinner at our home. 

Here is a lovely little 4 generation pic.  Interesting to note - Ellie is continuing the tradition of being the oldest daughter as the 3 women before her.

We started a new tradition this year... We're not entirely sure if it's a tradition we'll keep, but we went to see the lights turn on at Temple Square on the first night.  There were a lot of people, but it was also an amazingly warm night. Ellie quite enjoyed the lights before she fell asleep, so we'll probably take her again next year. We'll just try to pick a less busy night. 

I loved this pic of the grandkids with Bud and Sally.  The kids were much more interested in Grandma and Grandpa than they were in posing for a picture. 

Amidst our busy holiday season we took a little time out to celebrate our beautiful Ellie. She was blessed by Chance on November 30th in our Emigration 6th ward. We wanted to do it in that ward because it feels like home there. So many sweet friends who feel like family.

Our wonderful photographer - Uncle Sky. 

Ellie with Grandma and Great Grandpa and Grandma Anderson.

Ellie with Grandma and Grandpa Basinger

Ellie with Grandpa and Great Grandma Gigi. 

 This brings us to our next adventure - Christmas!  

We did something a little different this year and had a destination Christmas.  My mom took the family to sunny San Diego to celebrate our white (beach) Christmas.

You can't tell, but Ellie loved the lights at the San Diego temple!

We spent Christmas Eve day at Sea World enjoying lovely warm weather and seeing some amazing animals.  Once again, Ellie had more fun than she is letting on in this picture. 

Ellie's first Christmas was exciting for me and Chance, though i'm not sure that Ellie really cared what was going on.  

We finished out Christmas day with a walk along the beach and an amazing sunset.

We had a wonderful week full of adventures on the beach, the San Diego Zoo, visiting 'Old Town' and learning more about the Mormon Battalion.  All in all it was a wonderful week. 

We finished out the holidays with a relaxed New Years Eve.  2015 looks like it will be a great year!

Hope you've had a wonderful season.  We sure have and we're looking forward to a wonderful new year!

2 Months Old

Ellie is 2 months old.  I can't believe it.  She has already grown and changed so much in such a short amount of time. 

Ellie loves the bath. * Ellie has started to 'talk' to us with little cooing noises. * Ellie is very strong and alert. * Ellie likes to be held facing out so that she can see what is going on around her. * Ellie laughed at mom on purpose for the first time when mom was making silly noises at her. * Ellie continues to refuse to take a pacifier (much to her parents disappointment). * Ellie is training dad on how she likes things now that mom has returned to work. 

Most important update:  Ellie's parents still think she is practically perfect in every way!

Ahoy Sailor!

Captain Landen and his first mate Ellie.

Good Morning

Ellie just wants to say good morning! Hope you're all having a lovely day!

First Day Back at Work

The time has come for me to go back to work.  This was hard! I cried when I was nursing Ellie before I left and I cried when I was driving to work.  I was able to gain composure before walking into my office, and was very pleased to meet my replacement while I was gone. 

 

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful office! They take such good care of me and know how to brighten a rough day. 

I am also very blessed because I know Ellie is being so well taken care of by her daddy while i'm at work. He even sends me picture updates to let me know how she's doing.  Here she is on my first morning away.  I feel like she is pulling some kind of gangster pose, so she is obviously just fine.