The latest

The McQuay's have been super busy lately, but not doing anything too exciting. I have to apologize that pretty much every post I do is about Ella, our lives pretty much revolve around her and her schedule I try to keep. Because of her we don't get out and do as much as we used to, but we have so much fun just playing at home. I absolutely love my days with her and she is such an easy baby. I can't believe that January is almost over, and I am really having a hard time with the fact that Ella is almost 1! Time goes by so fast, and she has really changed in just the last month. She is starting to understand and respond to certain things we say and that is just so amazing. She has stood by herself a couple of times, but I don't think she will be walking on her for another few months.

Ella LOVES the Baby Einstein movies and they are the only thing she will watch for an extended period of time. Here she is captivated by one of them, and you can also see her crazy mohawk hair. This is how it dries, and I just love it. I am sure it will lay more flat as it grows.


Ella loves to play any type of peek a boo. Even if I just put one of her bibs over my face and then pull it away she laughs and screams. In this picture she was hiding behind our blinds and Dustin was sneaking up on her. She obviously knew he was coming everytime, but the game did not get old for a long time.


And here she is playing peek a boo with me from the side of the couch.


Ella has just figured out the whole phone thing and she likes to put my phone up to her ear. She will also use a shoe, her baby, or anything else and it cracks me up. These are some pictures of her talking on my phone the other day.




In the last couple months Ella has finally shown that she will sit long enough for us to read to her. She has 3 or 4 books that she loves and will listen to, but if I try any others she is out of my lap in half a second. She has figured out turning the pages and a few weeks ago I found her "reading" one of her favorite books by herself.


I like to think I am an organized person and I keep all of Ella's toys in bins and a bookcase. Everyday this is what happens in probably 1 or 2 minutes, seriously. She never plays with all of it, but she seems to get some satisfaction in pulling toys out and throwing them on the floor. If I ever try to put anything away while she is awake, she will pull it right back out. I just love her feisty little personality.


Here is Ella with her cousins Hannah and James and her Great Grandma Velma. This is one loved little girl.


This is just a cute picture of Ella during a meal. I think Dustin was doing something to make her laugh.


We finally gave Ella her first haircut. This picture doesn't show much, but the haircut didn't really consist of much anyway. I just cut her rat tail that she was starting to sport. She is just starting to get a lot more hair growing in, so I will probably have to cut more soon. Thankfully Grandma Diane was there to help distract her.