happy 10-months, my baby love.

today ellie is 10 months old. i know i've said this every month since she as born, but i cannot believe it. where has the time gone?! it's crazy. she's been standing up for a month and half, but she's yet to take any steps. she has lots of new tricks though. she's getting so smart. she's definitely getting interested in toys, and it's so fun to watch. she loves to sit in her room surrounded by things. things that play music are the very best. we have a dancer on our hands. anything with a beat gets her grooving like crazy. i really think she bobs to the beat too. smart little girl. she's developing a personality more and more, and it's really quite amusing. she has everyone charmed. she can be being a little toot in the store, but if someone walks up, she just grins and grins like she's never done anything but grin. i think i might have my hands full with her. but i'm loving every minute of it. she is still a daddy's girl, but she's starting to have the "mommies" sometimes. she actually puts her arms up for me, and wants to be carried around the house sometimes instead of left to play or watch praise baby (her all time favorite dvds). the christmas season has been extra magical with her around. watching her look at the lights and the sparkles and the colors - even though i know she doesn't quite comprehend yet - has been every mother's dream. i can't wait to watch her tear into presents. yes, yes. i know she's going to like the boxes better than the toys themselves, but that's OK by me. it's just way cool to be christmas shopping for your daughter. a dream come true.

i'm only posting pictures that i took of ellie today, because i'm using landon's SUPER AWESOME new laptop -- i am endlessly jealous -- and he doesn't have all the other photos. mine is tragically slow because i have, oh, 1800 photos on it. i do have two ADORABLE pictures of her from a few days ago, but pa said i can't post them 'cause it's her naked bootie. so enjoy her beauty from today. i, for one, have never seen a more beautiful baby girl.

i love you, my ellie. with more love than you can ever know.