Oh how I {love} this precious girl!

This morning while I was typing this blog I was watching Bella read a book. She was actually reading her ABC Dr. Seuss book but she was imitating her Goodnight Moon book. We read Goodnight Moon nearly every night. When we get to "the old lady that whispers hush" we always put our finger to our lip and say "shhhh". As she was reading, and by reading I mean jibber jabbering away, she was getting really into it and then she started putting her finger up to her mouth and saying "hush, hush, hush". {I LOVE IT} She has also been playing with her new baby a lot this morning. She has been carrying her baby and sock monkey around with her, putting them in her pink chair with her, and covering them all up with her favorite blanket. {SO CUTE I CAN'T STAND IT} Oh man, I sure do {heart} this girl!

She also has several new words all of the sudden.
Stay, pronounced "staaaaayyyyyaa"
{she has picked up her Mama's East Texas accent, I'm totally OKAAAYYAA with this}
Hello, pronounced "heooo"
{said while talking on the phone, remote, keys, or whatever she can hold between her shoulder and ear}
Puppy, pronounced "huppy"
{said while watching a movie}
Hush, pronounced "hush"
{said while reading a book, any book, must have finger up to mouth}
Uh Oh, prounounced "uh oh"
{while this isn't a new word, it is said at least 497 times a day}
I poop, pronounced "I boop"
{said while changing her dirty diaper}

We {or dare I say, {I}} have really enjoyed being home this week and catching up on rest. I have loved watching Bella grow up just a little bit more this week. She loves to cuddle, read, play with Tupperware, color, dress up in her tutu, play with her dolls, love on her stuffed animals, and sit in her chair with a blanket over her legs {which I do all the time, so cute that she is copying}.

It's hard to believe she will be 2 in a little less than 5 months!

Christmas in Review {Christmas with The Richards'}

Our final Christmas celebration was with Terry's side of the family. We headed up to Corsicana on Saturday to play for a little while. By this time Bella was a pro at opening presents and was helping everyone get the tissue paper out of their bags.

Terry's Mom, Gail and his brother, Dennis, with Dennis' girlfriend and son.

Bella helping Aunt Angie and Cousin Taylor open some gifts.

Bella got this stick horse from Terry's parents. I know this picture is fuzzy but I think it is so funny. She was trying to take out the Christmas Tree with her new stick horse. Luckily she hasn't destroyed anything at home with it. She does love on it and lay on it. I've been trying to teach her how to ride it. {I'll refrain from posting video on that!}

Playing with cousin Taylor. She LOVES Taylor. She had Taylor following her all over the house. Bella loves all of her "big girl" cousins.

We are all worn our from ALL of our celebrations. But as I said before we sure did have a great Christmas. Now all of the decorations are put up and Bella is truly enjoying playing with all her new toys.

Christmas in Review {Christmas Day}

So Bella was pretty good this year so Santa Clause did in fact come visit our house. It was our tradition in the Cox household to open our gifts from Mom and Dad on Christmas Eve and then Santa would come over night and we would wake up to Santa gifts and our stockings on Christmas morning. We were able to do just that this year and it made me so happy to be able to start that tradition with Bella. Santa brought her a new baby that has 3 outfits and a carrier, books, movies, fairy wings, a crown and a magic wand. Her very favorite gift from the big jolly guy was her Radio Flyer wagon. She A.DORES it!!

"Come on guys! I heard Santa came last night!"

-Bella getting ready to go downstairs

In the wagon {where she would have stayed all day if given the opportunity} with her sock monkey, wearing her wings, crown and holding her magic wand.

She LOVES this thing. Notice her monkey and baby are sitting on her side. She wanted them in her seat. On a side note we have seen her mature so much in the last week in the way that she plays and interacts with her toys. It has been so fun to watch.

On this Christmas morning we were lucky enough to have my parents and grandparents over for breakfast. I hope this is a tradition that carries on. We thoroughly enjoyed having them over for pancakes, sausage and eggs {I don't think I've ever seen my grandfather eat so much :)}. Then we all sat around and watched Bella learn how to climb into her wagon all by herself. I promise it was very entertaining. She did take a break from the wagon long enough for her Nana to read her a book. Books are her favorite "toy" besides her new wagon. You can almost always find her with a book. The kinder teacher in me L.O.V.E.S. that!

Mema and Papa with their great grandgirl


Christmas Day afternoon we headed over to my parents house to have Christmas with them and my brother and his family.

Mema and Terry helping Bella dig in to her stocking from Nana and Papa.

The girl loves her some necklaces! Thanks Nana!!

My cutie nephew. I love to kiss his little face. He cracks me up!

Courtney getting a shirt that may as well have her name on it. She is a "chatter box" but she is very precious!

Ryan got a new storage bin for all of his toys.

Bella got another new baby and a stuffed dog.

The kids made out like bandits at Nana and Papa's. All kinds of toys and clothes and even new bath towels. They got so much there was no way to take pictures of it all!! They are well loved, definitely not spoiled :)!

Mom got a new quilt. We found it at the nutcracker market!

I wonder what he was thinking about?

All three kiddos got to go for a ride in Bella's new wagon!

Ryan is into trains so I couldn't resist getting him his first Thomas the Train, train. I have a feeling there will be many more of these.

We attempted to get a family picture. This was a good as it got! Bella wasn't feeling it.

Tim and his family!
They were ALL looking at me!

Attempting to get a picture of Mema and Papa with their 3 great grandkids! Again Bella not feeling it.

Another attempt. Bella was not in the mood for pictures, who am I kidding she never is!

Bella lovin' on Ryan.

Sweet kisses for a sweet cousin!

We had a fabulous Christmas this year. One of the best actually. I think it had a lot to do with Bella being a little bit older and watching her getting excited about new toys! Although it's possible that our Christmas breakfast with my parents and grandparents was my favorite part. That was such a special memory!

Up Next: Christmas in Review {Christmas with The Richards'}

Christmas in Review {Christmas Eve}

On Christmas Eve afternoon we went over to my parents house and visited with my parents, grandparents and Courtney. While we were there they even fed us chili and tamales. We had a nice visit with them and watched Courtney and Bella play. I also snuck in some pictures with my favorite girls.

Auntie Em and Court Court

Beautiful Girl

Just us girls!

We were so glad to be home one Christmas Eve and Day this year so we could start our on traditions. After we left Mom and Dad's we came home and let Bella take a nap so she would be good and ready to open up family presents that evening. It turns out when we got home a transformer had blown and we had no electricity. I still had to make cookies...YIKES!! I got the batter all mixed up and luckily the electricity came back on just in time. Terry cooked dinner, we ate, and then it was PRESENT time!!

Bella is ready!

Bella is getting really good at opening presents. She especially likes the sacks that she can take the tissue paper out of.

Gabby got in on the action as well. She got a new monkey, tennis ball, and two new sweaters.

Daddy got an Indo Board. He wanted a toy this year so he got one, along with some sweaters, shirts, and a wallet.
It's a girl sock monkey. She got lots of fun stuff including; clothes, shoes, little people building blocks, books, coloring books, and puzzles...that's just from us and does not include what Santa brought her.

This picture cracks me up. Somehow we were making the same face. Mommy helping her open her present. There are no pictures of me opening presents but I did get some. Terry got me several articles of clothing (shirts, sweaters, comfy Gap outfit) and and iHome for my iPhone that is my new alarm clock.

Bella reading a new book before bedtime.......

Next up: Santa Clause comes to Bella's house.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our family!!

Penguins, Sea Turtles, & Christmas Lights

On Wednesday Terry, Bella & I decided to head down to Galveston. The weather was nice so it was a great day to take a little trip down there. We headed to Moody Gardens and went to the aquarium. At first Bella wasn't to fond of the of all the fish. They seemed to scare her. But after I VERY EXCITEDLY showed her the penguins she was much better. The penguins are my favorite so we spent quite a bit of time watching those silly things play. After that Bella referred to all the fish, turtles, penguins, sharks, eels, seals, etc. as "silly".

She even laid down on the floor after she finally got comfortable.

She also started pointing things out and "talking" about them. It was so fun to watch her warm up and get excited about everything she was seeing.

"Silly"

After we walked through the aquarium we decided to go over and walk through the festival of lights. We had such a great time. The lights were so pretty and it was something we had never done before so we really enjoyed it.

Our only family picture for the day. A nice man offered to take our picture for us.

The lights along the way.

There was so much to look at and the lights were so detailed.

Bella and I on the trail.

Cheesing for the camera when we got home! Silly goose!

We had such a good day and I hope will get to go back down there again soon. I want to take her to some of the other attractions down there. We are so lucky to have such fun things so close to us for her to experience.