The week with Linz and Paul

We are so thankful that Lindsay and Paul spent a week with us!  We had such a great time just hanging out with each other.  We didn't do anything crazy but really just enjoyed spending time at home, going to the park, daily Starbucks runs and watching Joseph have so much fun with them.  Lindsay and Paul were both such a great help and it was so hard to say goodbye to them.  Here are some pictures of the week:

The girls in our matching Christmas pajamas

Aunt Lindsay snuggling with baby Ella

 Paul and Linz with baby E

 Baking cookies with Nani and Lindsay

 Cheese!

 

More snuggles with Aunt Lindsay

 Did lots of playing in the playroom!

Check out the outfit in this picture-swimsuit rash guard which he calls "Surf surf surf" and his "big boy car boxers" And, of course, his football eyes...can't forget the football eyes!!!

 Some finger paint fun with everyone

 And another cheese with Paul

 A little game of backyard baseball!

 Group shot before they left.  They left during Joseph's nap and when Joseph woke up he said, "Joseph sad, no airport, more Paul"

 Hugs for Aunt Lindsay and kisses for baby Ella.  

Thank you again for coming Lindsay and Paul.  We are so appreciative that you spent your vacation days with us.  Come back soon!!  

They Made it!

By Wednesday the 26th at noon everyone had arrived and Joseph was in HEAVEN!!  He woke up that morning asking for Nani and was so excited when she walked downstairs and he took to Paul immediately and Aunt Lindsay was a nice added bonus :)  Ella was thrilled that everyone finally made it, too!

And Nani was in heaven of course, too!

We had our Christmas dinner that night and I was able to use my new Christmas dishes!

We are so glad that we had family come to visit to celebrate the holidays and the arrival of Ella.

December babies

When we found out that we were pregnant with Ella and due in December, Rich joked around that it was going to be a very expensive month for us with two birthdays and of course Christmas.   Although we'll have to save up all year for the month of December, it is fun having both kids born in the same month as we will be able to  have fun photo shoots with them at the same age. 

Ella Jane-December 30, 2012

8 days old

 Joseph-December 19, 2010

12 days old

Side by side comparison-they don't look identical but definitely like siblings

Photo shoot!

On Friday, December 27th, Ella had her first professional photo shoot at only 5 days old!  She was a great model and enjoyed the warm room and the white noise that the photographer had on nice and loud.  

She loves to sleep with her mouth open. 

 Our Christmas baby!

Love this one!  Well, who am I kidding, I love them all!

 And a few with the umbilical cord (these didn't make the cut for the birth announcement!)

 Getting tired of the photos...

Thankfully she woke up towards the end-I was hoping for a few with her eyes open!

 And we'll finish with baby toes because who doesn't love baby toes?

Merry Christmas, ho ho ho!

Christmas was so much more fun this year with Joseph having somewhat of an understanding of the holiday and of all of the fun that comes with Christmas.  Most importantly he will say "Happy Birthday Jesus" but he also loved saying "Merry Christmas, ho ho ho" to everyone, singing carols especially "Rudolph", "Frosty the Snowman" and "Jingle Bells", looking at the lights in the neighborhood and counting down to Christmas with our Advent calendar.  On Christmas morning he walked down the stairs and said, "All gone Santa Claus?"  He really likes the idea of Santa but has no interest in having him in the home or being close to him!  

Santa came-Joseph and Ella (all 3 days of her) were good this year

"Merry Christmas, ho ho ho!"

When you asked Joseph what he wanted from Santa he would say, "Goggles" so  he was very happy with his goggles!

The aftermath!

This is what Joseph did for most of the day-he had his backpack on from Nona and Pop Pop and pulled his suitcase, which was a gift from Aunt Gina, Uncle Brian, Michael and John, back and forth and would tell us that he was going to work for a meeting or sometimes on the airplane to California to see Nani, Poppa and Cali dog.

Christmas afternoon naps...

And what Joseph was doing during their nap

We ended up having our Christmas dinner the day after Christmas since Lindsay and Pauls' flight was delayed and my mom didn't get in until after dinner time so our celebration continued.
*We got the cutest video of Joseph coming down the stairs but the sound isn't working, which I am so sad about-if anyone has any ideas on how to fix this from the iphone send me a message-thanks :)
And as a sidenote I think Joseph is wearing 3 different "outfits" all which consists of different combinations of pajamas in the pictures above...he is still very much into changing outfits frequently!!