Dear Ella . . .

Your Uncle Jonathan asked Olivia to marry him this afternoon! I'm so excited for them and so proud of my little brother. I couldn't ask for a better person to be my sister-in-law and your Aunt. Right now they are planning to get married just after your first birthday next May. What a great time that will be!!

Dear Ella . . .

You finally got to meet your Great Grandmother Ella Jane Stewart last Sunday. It was a very special time for all of the Stewart family and many of your aunts and uncles were there to see the two of you together. Grandpa and Mimi, Mommy and Daddy, and Grandpa Floyd were all there with you. Aunt Rosalee and Uncle Paul and Aunt Mary Sue and Uncle John (Grandma Ella's sisters) came, and Aunt Sheila (Grandpa's sister) was there to help too.

We all gathered in the great room in the nursing home and you and I sat next to Grandma Ella. She has a hard time knowing what is going on around her now, but we helped her hold you. When we asked her about you, she talked about how cute you are! Later on, when I was holding you for her to see you you let out a little cry. She immediately held out her hands for you and said, "Oh, come here, baby!" She was ready to help us love on you and take care of you!

She may not have much memory left but she does know how to love. I pray that love is an everlasting quality with you too, baby girl.

I love you,
Mommy

Dear Ella . . .

We had a fun time celebrating Daddy's first Father's Day! While we were in Tulsa we took Daddy and Grandpa (and Mimi) to IHOP for some yummy pancakes and omlets. You wore your special "I Love My Daddy" outfit just for the occasion. We gave Daddy a card that sings, "I Love You a Bushel and a Peck" and a framed picture of the two of you together right after we came home from the hospital.

We also gave Grandpa, Bumpaw, and Granddaddy framed pictures of you with each of them. You are so blessed to have your Daddy and these three Grandads.

Dear Ella . . .

This weekend we took our very first family road trip! We went to Tulsa to meet your aunts, uncles, cousins, and great grandparents on Daddy's side of the family. Grandpa and Mimi came too!

Grandpa and Mimi came to our house on Friday. Grandpa was so happy to see you that he scooped you up as soon as he came through the door and got to feed you a bottle. He is such a sweet grandpa. Mimi absolutely adores you too. She even made you a soft little teddy bear. We need to find a good name for him.

On Saturday we drove to Tulsa. You were so good in the car and only got fussy for a few minutes right before we got to Great Grandpa's house. We got to meet your Great Grandpa Stewart , your aunts and uncles and almost all of your cousins in the Stewart family. Everybody just loved you! They've been wanting to meet you for a long time.

Sunday was special because we got to celebrate Daddy's very first Father's Day. We gave him a framed picture of the two of you and a card that sings, "I Love You a Bushel and a Peck". He loved it!

We also got to meet Great Granny and PawPaw Gregory and Aunt Rhonda. We even got to meet your cousin Jason!

And, of course, we made a very special trip to the nursing home so you could meet your Great Grandma Ella. She's a very special lady and she's the person you were named after. She's not able to say much anymore, but she did say what a cute baby you are. I'll tell you more about your visit in another letter.

This morning (Monday) we went to Uncle Brett and Aunt Gina's house and your cousin Abbey took some beautiful pictures of you. She's an amazing young photographer who is trying to start her business so she just loved playing with you today! After lunch with them, we went back to your Great Grandpa's to visit with him and your Aunt Rosalee (Grandma Ella's sister) and Uncle Paul. They are all do proud of you and love you do much!

We're almost home now and you've been such a great little traveler! You've even been smiley and happy when you're awake! I'm so thrilled that you're so good in the car. I hope you can keep it up because we're going home to Alabama at the end of this week! :)

I love you, my sweet little traveling baby!

Love,
Mommy

Dear Ella . . .

Your sweet Grandmommy flew out here to visit you this weekend. You may not know this yet but that is a BIG deal! Until you were born, Grandmommy had only flown a couple of times in her life - the last time when I was only about 2 years old. But all of that changed when you came into the picture. Grandmommy has flown twice now! Once to be here when you were born and then again this weekend. That's how much she loves us! :)

I've realized now, after watching her with you that I learned so much of how to be your mommy from her. Nearly everything I do or even say to you is similar to what she does and says. I know a lot of that comes from watching her take care of your Aunt Anna when she was little. What a blessing it was to be old enough to watch, learn, and actually remember what it was like to see my mommy take care of a baby. I know it's already making me a better mommy to you.

You are so blessed to have this amazing woman as your grandmommy!

Dear Ella . . .

Mommy and Daddy can't decide which one of us you look like the most. Grandmommy says you look like my baby pictures. Aunt Anna and Grandma say you look like your Daddy. I don't see either of us fully.

What I do see is a very familiar face. I was struck by how familiar you looked the very first time I held you - as if I've known you my whole life. I'm convinced you could have picked you out of a group of babies sight-unseen because yours is a face that I know with my heart.

When I look at you, I see so many people who love you. I see Big Grandma, Grandmommy, Grandma, and your Daddy. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of your Uncle Jonathan (I think you have his baby hair), quite often I see your Aunt Anna (especially with your cute little nose!). I even see our cousins Julie and Elizabeth and their children. All of these people and so many more make up parts of who you are and they all love you so much.

I love you my beautiful baby Ella.
Love,
Mommy