Mini Me

Leon took this gem one morning while Ellie and I were sleeping.  It's perfect because it illustrates one of my favorite phenomenon's of parenthood. I like to call it the "mini me" phenomenon.  Oh and how Ellie exhibits this perfectly. Not only does the princess look just like her mama with her blonde hair and round face, but she acts just like me too.  She is so feisty it is funny.  If someone touches her that she doesn't know or feel comfortable with she will give them a "what do you think you are doing" look and swiftly pull her arm away. She is so stubborn. Lets just say try feeding her when she doesn't feel like eating. And then be sure to wipe the peas off your face that she just blew at you.  She is the most cuddly, loving little girl I know.  She will just jump on your lap and start giving you kisses and blow bubbles on your face.  This I love because we can just smother each other all day. She loves to cuddle at night, sometimes we have to fight over Leon. Good thing he has two arms.  She talks and talks and talks and talks. I don't know how Leon is ever going to get a word in.  She is all that is girl. She loves sparkly things and watching Mommy put on make up in the morning.  I love this little girl and am so glad that she changed my whole world.

One year down...

One year to go!!

I love them

The Johnson Family

Me and my perfect little Ellie Bean

Katie and I were both prego with these bambinos this time last year and now they are so big!

Tonight was my "Pinning Ceremony" for PA school! For those of you not well aquatinted with my PA school jargon its kinda like graduation of your didactic year and the entrance to clinical patient care.  This year has been the most challenging year of my life both academically and personally. I am so proud of myself for getting through it with my head high.  My wonderful family cannot be given enough credit for all of their love and support.  My wonderful mom has literally driven to Arizona a million times to watch Ellie and help me out with "life", my beautiful baby has sat with me and gone through note cards and slides trying to memorize anything and everything medicine, my selfless little sister and dad have allowed my mom to leave so that I could get through this year and still be a mommy to Ellie Belly, and last but not even close to least my sweet husband who has given up a year of his life to be Mr. Mom and my biggest inspiration and motivation to keep on going (I'm pretty sure that was one really long run on sentence lol).  

I walked across the stage. Got my pin. They finally changed my last name. Leon and Ellie sat and cheered me on and made me feel so special. We missed you Mimi and Jaxon. I still can't wear eye make up so these pictures are a little haggard but hope you feel like you were there :) muah!!

Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere

clean up, clean up, everybody do your share.

Can you believe we are moving in less than a month now? Ah, its crazy and oh how I love our little apartment. I'm going to miss Arizona more than anything.  The people we have met here are wonderful, the weather is to die for, and the mexican food is heaven.  Arizona has so much history for our little family and we will cherish our time here, but we are excited to start a new chapter in our lives out in the northeast.  I can't wait to see Boston and to experience all the culture and history.  I am so excited for Leon to start Law school and to see him become a Harvard gentleman. haha.

 We have been trying to do some deep cleaning to take a little load off of our backs come time for the big cross country move and everyone is pitching in haha. Ellie thinks she is so big.  Every time the fridge door opens she jams her little body over there and climbs on in.  She loves to play with the capri suns stashed in the bottom ledge.  It was her job to help Daddy pull out all the food so the fridge could get nice and clean.  She did her job superbly. I love that little monkey more than anything!

I can see!!

Ok well kind of.  I went and got lasik surgery on my eyes today.  My eyes are watering like niagra and burning like the sun outside my house.  I was so surprised by the whole thing.  I thought it would be no big deal. A little laser here a little laser there, so when they handed me a teddy bear when I sat down I just laughed inside.  Then not two min later I was gripping the Teddy for dear life.  It felt so weird to get your eyeballs sucked out and to smell the burning flesh. egh. So when i left the room I was shocked by my experience.  Not bad, just not what I expected.  Now my eyes hurt and I feel nauseated. I can't wear eye make up for a week and my pinning ceremony is on Monday. And to top it off I'm not allowed to sleep until six, so I have to lay here with my eyes shut and fight the urge to sleep. Well I'm hoping it will all be worth it tomorrow when I can see the teacher's face from the back of the classroom. Yay for eyes that work.

Ellie thought Mommy's hat was really funny

Daddy is taking such good care of both of us. Yay for wonderful husbands

A day at the park

I know I have been posting a lot lately, but Ellie just gets cuter and cuter everyday.  I wanted to show you all how much the little love bug loves the park.  For the fourth of July we went to Holli and Jake's house and got the chance to just go play at the park together. Ellie loves the swings and playing on the slide.  Leon is seriously every little kids dream.  He works hard and plays hard lol.  He has been everything from the gila monster in the pool to the gummy bear machine in the bed to the ultimate fort maker in the living room.  Oh how I love cleaning up the messes he makes with the kids lol. Ellie is so lucky to have a daddy that loves to have so much fun.  I know I have said it a million times but they are seriously best friends and the cutest little duo in the world.  I always dreamed of marrying someone who would be a good dad but Leon honestly redefines the meaning of "a good dad".  Leon is the best dad in the world and has never loved anything as much as he loves little Ellie.  He would go to the moon and back to make her smile.  We are both so lucky to have him in our lives.  

Sweet Ellie Bean and my Dreamboat Husband so excited to play

Ellie's first time down the big slide

She is so big and so high

Ah tell me that smile is not to die for I honestly melt every time she throws that my way

I might have been having a rough hair day but Ellie Belly is my perfect accessory and she makes everyday and everything beautiful (ps she is laughing not crying)

Ellie's favorite part of the park

I miss you Jaxy! Come to Arizona and play with me at the park. I will say hi and wave to you, then I will show you my favorite dog, then I will show you splashy the whale and swim with you, after that we can play with my pink ball which I am very good at throwing, and then I can show you how I can stand up all by my self. I miss you so much and can't wait to see my best friend that is a little boy!!

love Ellie

Chocoholic

This is what happens when you leave the lid to your Ben and Jerry's ice cream on the coffee table.  The Scavenger will find anything and everything chocolate in our house.  I caught her red handed licking the lid like she was in baby heaven.  Isn't she just delectable?

Love, Love, You

So, I just thought I would share some more pics of the little love bug and her cousins from our trip.  She loves Carder and Baby B so much and they both love Ellie Belly too.  I always love the time I get to spend with Holli and her little family, but I mostly always love the time I get to spend with ellie.  She is honestly the sweetest little baby and I wouldn't want to imagine a world without her.  There is nothing I would change about the peanut, from her dopey ears to her crystal blue eyes and delectable rosebud lips. She is honestly my everything and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for trusting her sweet little spirit to me.

Poor baby got sick on Monday night and it is honestly killing me because she is still throwing up and having horrible runny diapers.  I have honestly done all that I can do to ensure that baby girl doesn't get dehydrated. Lots of pedialyte and cuddling.  Ellie has been so clingy and won't let me go anywhere without her.  She wants me all day and wants her Dad all night. Poor Carder, Jake, and Holli are all suffering from the bug too. 

The little love of my life

Ellie and Baby Brenn

This is the best thing in the entire world...An Ellie kiss mmmmhmmmm

Ellie loves babies and giving kisses

Wish me luck I'm off to New Mexico tomorrow. Mr. Johnson is the best dad in the world so supportive and loving during my last semester of school. I love him. I love her. I love life.