Events of the Day: D.P.S.B

It seems like everything happens all in one day. A few non-eventful days, and then BAM...everything happens at once. That's sorta what happened today, but in a good way. Ella was quite the busy-body today, so I better get started on the details (so the title will make sense):

Dresses: At one of my showers, my mom was given the beginnings of a hand made dress for Ella. One of my aunts is extremely talented and makes beautiful clothing and special occasion dresses and has been telling my mom since "It's a girl" was spoken that she needed to make Ella a dress. So, she started the dress and gave my mom the pattern to hand smock the top of the dress. Now that the dress is more her size, my mom has been frantically making this dress for Ella for a very special reason (you'll find out in the next letter of the acronym).

I have to brag on her for a moment because the dress is absolutely GORGEOUS! It looks like something found in one of the pricey boutiques, yet has so much more meaning and sentimental value. The blue fabric brought out Ella's eyes beautifully and the details are so intricate. I'm absolutely amazed- really! Mom says she's hooked, I can only hope so. :)

Pictures: This is why my mom has been rushing around. Today was Ella's 12 month portraits (I know, I'm a couple of weeks late). Leslie Proffitt, the lady who did Ella's newborn and 6 month portraits met Earl, Ella, and I at the McDonough square for some outside shots. I thought this would be interesting because we've never done anything outside. Outside wasn't the problem...the sleepy Ella was! Anyone that knows Ella, knows what a wonderful and routine napper she is. Not today! Of course not, when I needed her to be..

We ended up getting some decent shots, I think...so Leslie says. And Ella perked up a little. Find out why next...

Steps: That's right! Ella was so miserable looking sitting there in the grass. A little discouraged that we wouldn't get any good pictures, I decided just to stand her and see if she would walk. She took one step (good), two steps (great), three steps (surprise), four steps (shock)....and this continued for about 20 feet! Yep! Ella just took off. Earl and I could NOT believe it. When she lost her balance a little she would squat down and then get right back up. She literally walked the distance of half of the inside of the McDonough square! So when you see the pictures in a few days (I'll post a link when they're up), you will be seeing Ella's first REAL steps! We were so excited...and Ella was too. That was the turning point in her photo shoot. :)

Bubbles: I'm not finished yet. We were pretty much floating over the walking that she kept doing OVER and OVER, but then she took it one step further. I took some bubbles along just in case. As I mentioned earlier, Ella was exhausted because she hadn't had a nap, so the shots that we tried to get of her sitting down were pretty grumpy shots- UNTIL...the bubbles. I remembered that I brought those along and quickly pulled them out as a last resort (thank goodness). Once Ella saw those, a huge smile came across her face and she CLEARLY spoke these words: "It's the bubbles!" (It sounded more like "Iss da bubbles") And she kept saying it and saying it. It was so hilarious. Earl was looking at me like, "Does she normally say this," and I'm giving him a total look of shock like, "No Way!" She does say "bubbles," but that is surely her first time saying it in a sentence.

Well, if Leslie didn't get one good picture, what Earl and I got out of it was a beautiful dress, and a walking and talking maniac! What a great afternoon! Enjoy the pictures of a beautiful dress, an adorable girl, and now- a walker!