She's Brilliant!

Ok, so I sound a little like Mrs. Doubtfire and I promise I don't normally sound that way but I was so proud of my girl! It's in french (most of it) and I'm basically asking Ella to bat her eyelashes at me... and she surprised me by actually doing it!!

Enjoy, my friends, 'cause I sure did!

Ella Bella

Ella is getting so big. Almost 7 months! She already has two little teeth! She started eating all different kinds of baby foods, which she LOVES! She wiggles herself all over any room with ease. Sees a toy she wants, she gets it. We're going to have to start baby-proofing around here soon! She is still the happiest, most pleasant baby I have ever met. She has such a mellow, loving attitude. She wants to do everything her big brother and sister do. You can see the hunger in her eyes. She will keep up with them perfectly I think and I will definitely have my hands full when she can walk. 3 to 1... uh oh. Here are some photos I took of her this afternoon after her nap...

My Ella Bella.

And here is what's going on with her little "nugget" on her head, as my brother Rich likes to call it. She has had it since birth. I love it, as it's part of who my beautiful little baby girl is. I went to have it checked by a dermatologist just to make sure it wasn't anything to worry about. 2 dermatologists couldn't tell me exactly what it was so they referred me to a pediatric surgeon. I will know more after that appointment. Removal would mean she would need to go under general anesthesia. An idea I REALLY don't like. They did both ensure me that it's not a cancerous growth. More like a cyst they *think*. I'll update when I know more. Regardless, I think she's perfectly beautiful as she is...

Really Good Mornings

I love taking the kids photos in the morning. They are all refreshed from a good night's sleep and the smiles come easily. I love taking photos of all of them together because I really love to see pictures of me, Keeny and Lil' Rich when we were little all together. They make for such good memories and they really just melt my heart with their smiles. I'm so glad they all love each other so much. Well, most of the time anyway.

Rain, rain go away!

It has seriously been raining for a week straight. The kiddos are getting so tired of being indoors and also of the cold. They're spoiled living here in Southern California! We are used to sunshine and warmth almost all the time. I have to fight these days to get Charlie to wear jeans instead of jean shorts!

They spent a lot of time standing right at that window watching the rain fall. They've never seen it fall that hard. It captivated them. At night, they would set themselves up in front of the front screen door in little chairs and a big warm, blanket and watch the lightning and then wait to hear the thunder. Charlie got impatient because they lightning wasn't coming fast enough for his tastes.

Kate's (and Ella's) first movie in a theater!

It's been a cold January so far. It's hard keeping the kids entertained indoors when they SO love to play outside on their swings and ride their scooters and bikes. The kids got a toy they loved in a happy meal. (Yeah, I failed royally at the not going to get fast food anymore, folks. But I must interject that they have been eating MUCH better and healthier than before.)

Anyway, it was the Alvin and the Chipmunks characters. This brings me back because we used to watch that as kids and Tante Be used to play us their cassette all the time - Yes, cassette, I am 30 after all, we didn't have CDs back then. I loved Alvin. Maybe because I'm so much like him, the revolutionary.

Charlie got to bring a friend but it was already later and they had school the next day so he brought Shelby since she isn't in school yet. The kids were so excited to go see a movie on a "big TV." Jaclyne got their movie snacks before we went and they were all set. I was hesitant at first to bring Ella but J convinced me saying it was a kids movie and she would do just fine. Well, she did. She LOVED it. Every time a chipmunk would come on the big screen she would wave her little arms and laugh. She was watching so intently. Kate loved it too. It's a musical movie and Kate loves to dance so her little butt was always shaking and her head was bobbing. So cute. Charlie and Shelby were the perfect age.
They had the attention span to sit there the whole time and not play around. They also liked the movie a lot.

Ella watching the screen so intently

30th Birthdays & NYC

It's been a while since I blogged. I've been so busy. The month of December went by and it's all a big blur to me now. I feel like I didn't ever get a chance to stop and breathe. Between being there for my mom and her brothers and sisters during the passing of uncle RDL and being there for my own little family, I turned 30. Kind of a big deal for me since that was the age I always thought of as the age I'd have all my ducks in a row and I'd feel like an adult finally. I'd have my husband and my kids and the beginning of a career. That was my magic age. Um, not feeling so much magic right now but I do feel like an adult.

My sisters and mom and Tante Be and Teche came to lunch for me at the Cheesecake Factory in Anaheim. It was fun but there was a little bit of underlying sadness. I was sad for what my family was going through. Uncle RDL passed on the 16th and they held a memorial bbq for him on the day I turned 30. The next day, Nini Lambert and Eliane hosted an elegant winter wonderland birthday soiree for Lafleche Barbeau and me.

It was very touching. I have such great friends.

The beautiful flowers and cookies from J since she couldnt be there.

Our birthday cake

And the big hurrah, for my 30th birthday, I got to go to NY. My favorite place of all. A full week of no kids, no housework, no carpools ... just relaxation and fun. I had an amazing time and it truly was something I will never forget. Thank you so much J. And Keeny for coming with us.

I can't post all the pictures as I have about 600 so I'll just post my favorites, the highlight reel!

Here's our itinerary:

Friday, December 25

Fly in to La Guardia

Walked to Times Square in the rain
Saw Rockefeller Center
Ate at Roxy's
Walked back to Omni

Saturday, December 26
Walked to Bryant Park
NY City Library
Grand Central Station
Lunch at Pastis
Walked to Greenwich Village
Magnolia Bakery
Chelsea Piers Market
Taxi to Macy's
Shopped Herald Square
Times Sqaure (again)
Dinner at Ruby Foo's
Ended the night at Serenidpity 3 for dessert

Sunday, December 27
Central Park
The Loeb Boathouse for lunch
Strawberry Fields
Tavern on the Green
Wollman Rink
The Plaza Hotel
5th & Madison Avenue Shops
Dylan's Candy Bar
Empire State Building
Burger Joint

Monday, December 28
Balthazar for breakfast
World Trade Center
Wall Street
Battery Park
Lower Manhattan

Grimaldi's Pizza, Brooklyn

Il Cantinori for dinner

Saw "It's Complicated"

Gray's Papaya

Tuesday, December 29

Cafe Luxembourg for lunch
Times Square
Lomardi's Pizza
Rice to Riches

Wine from wine shop & watched Couples Retreat

Wednesday, December 30
Telepan for lunch
Lincoln Center
Columbus Circle
Bouchon Bakery
Magnolia Bakery

The Met Museum

Sosa Borella for appetizers & cocktails

"Rock of Ages" Broadway musical

Bar Americain for late night dinner

We did a lot! When I look at this I'm a little surprised we got to do that much stuff in 6 days.

The 3 travelers...the Omni Hotel

Pastis

My favorite night in NY... Il Cantinori for my 30th

Bethesda Fountain in Central Park

At Columbus Circle in the Mall

Central Park

Top of Empire State Building

At Lombardi's

The actual self portrait of Van Gogh

Our last day in NY... it snowed!

The Gosselins: Our Year in Review 2009

January: Our year started out rocky as we, as a family, sat vigil by my Granny's bedside. She passed on the 7th and the world hasn't been the same since. Not much else can be said about this month other than we found out our little bun in the oven would be a girl and my dad turned 50!

February: We love Valentine's Day around here. Hearts go EVERYWHERE. Especially now that Kate is around. Coeur was her favorite word around this time. Charlie went to his very first professional hockey game with Eric. They saw the Kings. He loved it and I loved that they got some father/son bonding time.

March: Charlie appeared (I'm really forcing myself not to say STARRED) in his first Spring Spectacular for his preschool. He was SO cute. The flower on his head kept falling but he, like the little star he is, carried on and sang his little heart out. We were so incredibly proud of him.

April: Our boy turned 4 years old. He has been such a joy to be around. We celebrated le 17 with our families.

May: We enrolled Charlie in Basketball camp. The anticipation for Ella to arrive was almost palpable. Kate and Charlie kept asking for her and I was SOO ready for this little girl to come out. Charlie got his new red ROCKET bike.

June: SHE'S HERE!!! THE HIGHLIGHT OF 2009. ELLA GRACE LAFLECHE GOSSELIN!!! In other news, the twins graduated from high school this month and I was VERY proud of them.

July: We adjusted to life with little Ella thrown into the mix. Katie girl got her ears pierced and although it was painful, she LOVES them now. Her "diamonds". We played a lot in the backyard and swam. We hosted a Sip & See in honor of Ella and also presented her.

August : We went to museums, the Orange County Fair & a concert in the park. It was a very relaxing and laid back month until I had a gallbladder attack and had to have surgery to remove it. Shortly after that, we took a lovely weekend trip to San Francisco in celebration of Jaclyne's birthday.

September: Charlie had an end of summer sleepover with all of his cousins. We celebrated Eric's birthday at Adventure City. We also went to Canada as a family and the kids got to finally meet their cousins and paternal grandparents. Charlie also started his 2nd year of preschool.

October: The girls and I met Martha Stewart, went to a farm, and had a fun Halloween at Jack & Russell's party. Charlie and Kate were Superman and Super Girl and Ella was a little lady bug. Our Kate celebrated her 2nd birthday! We had a Minnie Mouse birthday party for her. She's all about Minnie these days.

November: We celebrated Thanksgiving at Eliane's house with the family. The kids really got into it this year and we made all kinds of paper crafts. We also went to the Noah's Ark exhibit at a museum where the kids had a blast.

December: We lost a great person, my uncle RDL Barbeau on the 16th. He will always be in our hearts. I turned 30 and in celebration of that, my wonderful friend Jaclyne took me to New York along with my sister Keeny. I had a birthday lunch with my mom, aunts and sisters. My great friends also had a fun little get-together at Eliane's house in honor of my and Fleche Barbeau's birthdays. We made gingerbread houses, Ella turned 6 months and Kate potty trained herself!! What a month!

Aside from watching my kids grow together and the blessed arrival of Ella, 2009 was a very tough year to endure. Here's hoping 2010 is a better year filled with beautiful and heartwarming moments to remember. While it's always fun to look back, we are also looking forward to all that is coming our way. May 2010 bring love, laughter and good food to everyone!


In 2010 I resolve to:

- Blog more often, as well as take more photos and videos of the kids.
- Finally get healthy once and for all.
- Sew more.
- Take more time to just sit and BE with the kids.
- Go to the beach!
- Be more optimistic.
- Become more organized...
- Have fun!