The months keep ROLLING along!

Little Miss Ella is so proud of herself because she can now roll around the room. One minute she's on her play mat, the next minute she's laying by your feet. We love to see her learn new things, and she's definitely mastering this!

Ella's other favorite thing to do is sit on your knee while you bounce her and sing "This is the way the ladies ride..." She LOVES that! I remember my Mom singing that to my nephew and he thought it was the greatest. Ella clearly does, too!

Ella smiles with her whole face, and that smile makes everyone in the room smile! 

Ummm....what is THAT?

Ella has finally been introduced to baby food. Rice cereal was quite a hit, but squash has its own story to tell.

RICE CEREAL

 "Interesting, though I'm not sure about this spoon thing."

"I'm even beautiful when I eat." 

"Did I do good Mom and Dad?!?" 

"I'm sitting up like a big girl, and I think I like this."

SQUASH 

"What are you trying to do to me? This doesn't taste like rice cereal?" 

"Seriously, Mom? I'm not digging this!" 

"How did I agree to just one more bite?" 

"I'm not amused, parents." 

"Fine. Just one more." 

"Bad choice. I should have said NO!" 

"Fine. I'll smile once, but I won't eat that stuff again!"

Hello, Wisconsin!!!

Once the school year ended, we packed our bags and headed home to Wisconsin. This was Ella's first trip and the longest that she's ever been in the car. She was amazingly good! She only had two meltdowns because she was hungry. Other than that she is a great travel companion.

We were blessed to be home at the same time as my brother, Joe, and his family. It had been a long time since we had the entire family together. Ella got to meet her cousins, aunts, uncles, lots of friends, and her great-grandma Costabile! We started with a party to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday, a trip up North to the family cabin, Ella's first trip to Bay Beach in Green Bay, a trip to the Milwaukee Zoo, a family pizza party, and sleepovers at Grandma and Grandpa C's and Aunt Elizabeth's! It was an incredibly wonderful week, and we know how blessed we are to have families who love us so much.

Ella was assessing her surroundings at Bay Beach.  

Grandma was assuring Ella that Bay Beach was a fabulous place!! 

At the top left you can see Joe, Jackie, Calvin, Mayzie, Alex, and Skyler ready for their ride down the slide. My parents and grandparents used to take us to Bay Beach all the time! The rides there are still only 25 cents! Lots of fun memories from here! 

Alex and Skyler made it to the bottom. 

Cousin Mina with Ella! Mina is such a great big cousin and helped out with Ella any time she could. 

Calvin, Natalie, and Mayzie LOVED going up and down the ladder to the loft. The loft had 4 beds where my siblings and I used to sleep. 

Mina, Skyler, and Ella after a good nights sleep. 

Alex was trying to sleep a little more! 

Elizabeth, Joe, Kasey, and Jane-- The Core 4, as Jane refers to us, being as silly as ever! 

4 fabulous generations! 

Ella's Great-Grandma Costabile, Ella's Grandma Costabile, Mommy, and Ella 

All 7 cousins together at last!!  

Aunt Jane LOVES her nieces and nephews! 

The cousins playing together at the cabin.  

Cousin Natalie holding sweet Ella. 

Feeling for teeth?? 

Grandma C. and her grandkids at the Milwaukee Zoo. 

Sleeping Beauty missed out on the picture with Grandma and the grandkids. 

Since there were so many of us at the zoo, everyone had their own zoo buddy. I was lucky enough to have 2 zoo buddies, my two sweeties Kaylie and Mina!!

The 4 month whirlwind tour!

Ella turned 4 months old in June! That was the same month that school finally ended for Kasey, but the sad month Grandma Bradbury headed back home to Utah. It was the greatest blessing to have Grandma B. here with us. Going to work everyday was much easier for Skyler and me knowing that Ella was being taken care of by someone who absolutely loved her. We all miss her and love her so much!!!

Let the teething begin!! The drool is a staple of Ella's wardrobe. 

Ella's face says it all. She's constantly being kissed!! 

But she is more than willing to give kisses in return.

Two very happy girls! 

 Ella takes great care of her Daddy, and is always willing to do his hair (which mostly involves licking it and pulling on it).