Christmas Decorations

Ella's Pink Christmas Tree in Her Room!

Our Christmas Tree This Year!

John and I set up all of our Christmas decorations the Saturday before Thanksgiving! For all you folks out there that don't believe in decorating early, then, you are more than welcome to unpack all of the bags from our Thanksgiving trip, do our laundry, and take care of Ella while finding the time to decorate for Christmas post-vacation next year :o)

We spent the day pulling out of all of the Christmas boxes to see the tons of cute stuff we got on super clearance last year. So fun! There were several things we had forgotten about since we bought it after Christmas last year and it got shoved straight to storage. We listened to some good ol' Christmas music and had lots of fun! We also watched the classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and Ella sat in her bouncy seat mesmerized by the Grinch on the television! She has also just loved staring at the Christmas tree in the living room and her super cute pink tree in her room. She absolutely loves lights, so you can just imagine how much she is diggin' all of the Christmas lights!

It was such a fun day and I love having our house set up as a little winter wonderland! We couldn't help but think about how last year's Christmas was not an easy one. I pulled out our little Charlie Brown Christmas tree from last year and thought about how far God has brought us. And, little did I know at last year's Christmas that I was pregnant with our second baby but too early to know it! This Christmas is all wrapped up in pink with hairbows and we couldn't feel more blessed! So let the Christmas season begin!

Ella Gisela Phillips

"For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to Him. Therefore I have lent her to the Lord. As long as she lives, she is lent to the Lord." -1 Samuel 1:27, 28a

Ella Gisela Phillips born on September 11, 2010
at 11:13pm
Weighing 7lbs 7oz and 20 inches long!

Moments after she was born!

Getting all checked out!

Daddy and his little girl in the hospital

First family picture of the THREE of us!

My little burrito baby!

Our second day home!

Ella dressed up as an angel at her first Fall Festival!

Sweet, sleeping baby

So, my child has been born over 2 months ago and I have yet to write a blog. BUT, we can go ahead and chalk that up to just having a child 2 months ago, hehe.

There is a little girl sleeping quietly in her crib upstairs while I type this blog. To her parents, she is absolutely perfect and is completely surrounded in all things pink. There is a precious baby girl snoozing away and has no idea how much her parents petitioned the Lord in prayer for her. She's sleeping all cozy and tucked in her swaddle, while her mommy fights back tears in writing a blog to declare God's goodness and faithfulness in the blessing that is her.

We have so loved getting to know this little girl and how easily she can confuse John and I, haha. We do have a bit of a crier on our hands, which just shows me that she is probably going to be a non-stop talker when she reaches that stage of life! Her poor daddy, two non-stop talking females under the same roof.

Speaking of her daddy, she has really does have the best one in the whole world. Since she was born, she has just loved to be held by her daddy. Can I just say it has been the most amazing thing in the world to watch?? I am completely in love with the fact that my daughter has a daddy as amazing as John. She really hit the jackpot. He has been so great in taking care of her and me. And, he is so smitten with her, that I have the feeling she will always have him wrapped around her little finger! A friend once told me that not every man is good at naturally being a daddy to a little girl, but that John is such a good daddy to a little girl. And, I completely agree :o)

We are so thankful for this baby! The last year was a season in life of uncertainty as to whether we would ever get to hold a baby. And, we are very grateful to the Lord that He has given us a precious baby in heaven and a beautiful baby girl to hold this side of heaven. The verse at the top of this post was one I prayed and prayed before getting pregnant with Ella and all through the pregnancy. It is now hanging over her crib as reminder to us that she is forever lent to the Lord and that He answered our cries for a healthy, beautiful baby.

I do plan to actually keep up with the blog now! So, look for more tidbits about our precious baby in the coming days and weeks!!