21 Months Old...

I have the BEST video of this moment in action, but it's too long for blogger and I can't seem to get it uploaded to You Tube (and then linked over here). If anyone knows any tricks, please let me know! Jason and I had the sweetest time throwing balls, playing with babies and diapers, and receiving Ellie's sugars. Then it happened...Jason crossed the line!...here's a smidgen of what he taught Ellie! Teach me how to upload my video and I'll show you the rest!

Ellie woke up early one morning (you'll notice her yawning in the video...arg...she sooo could have slept longer!). So we decided to color a star picture to send to Nina (which I still haven't mailed). I was completely moved to hear Ellie singing all by herself (she hasn't been much of a ''sing by herself" kinda gal). I love how she intertwined Twinkle Twinkle and Jesus Loves Me! (you may or may not have already heard this story from my FB status) One of my favorite moments I've experienced up to this point with our little angel is when I told her that I loved her, and that Daddy loved her, and named many others that loved her...then asked her who loved her most...she finally answered back "Je-Sus!". We have told her this since she was a little baby, but since she's been able to answer...the answer was always the name of the person listed last. Now she always answers Jesus!!! Most precious moment ever!...so far! :)

Levi was especially active one evening (3-1-10), so I decided to try to catch it on video. I always intended to do this when I was pregnant with Ellie, but never did. I have monthly belly pictures of her, and I have belly movement of him...does that make it even??? :) I'm sorry that the camera kept going out of focus, I didn't know how to keep it from happening. The video doesn't really do it justice...this babe was MOVING...he has been more of a mover than I remember Ellie ever being (with the exception of the night before she was born...she knew something was up!)...

Elina loves to help! As you saw earlier, she really enjoys helping move the clothes from the washer to the dryer...which honestly has become such a blessing as my belly has gotten bigger and bending has become more and more difficult. She recently unloaded an entire load all by herself...with out any help or even any prompting on my part...I simply held the dryer door open and away she went!!! Now Elina has promoted herself to folding towels/wash cloths...We are honestly quite impressed with her new skill!...

Well, you're pretty much caught up now...I wish I could post every single precious video and picture, but that would take several months (you know all the months I've missed!). Our sweet little baby girl is definitely no longer a baby...she doesn't even seem like a toddler anymore...she seems like a little girl! She's growing so incredibly fast, and we are reminded daily how blessed we are to have her in our lives! She's going to be the best big sister ever and I can't wait for her to meet little"Wevi"!

I don't know if I'll post again before Levi is born, but rest assured that we are anxious to introduce him to the world...just a handful of days to go!

20 Months...

Naming our children has been the most difficult part of both of my pregnancies! I seriously agonize over it. I would pray that the Lord would give me their names, but I never got an answer. I recently learned that one day in Heaven, God is going to give each of His children a rock with our real names written on them (Revelation, can't remember exactly where). This brought me such 'revelation'! I knew that no matter what we named our children, it was only temporary! Still, it was a long process! Jason and I actually came to the name Levi on the same day and both agreed instantly (a miracle if you ask me!). That same day, Jason also came up with three middle names that I was good with. So at that point we didn't know what else to do except take our friend's advice and let Ellie draw out of a bowl. Her reaction is still confusing to us, but absolutely precious...

The look on Jason's face told me instantly what the name was even without looking at the paper! He really liked the name Aaron this whole time. However, as most of you know, the name we ultimately chose is Levi Spencer Cox. The day after this video was taken, Jason changed his mind and said "no, his name has to be Levi Spencer!". We will always be thankful for the investment that so many people have made in our lives, and for the way they have loved you all have loved us and our daughter. When it comes down to it, there are no words to explain the was the Spencer Family has blessed our lives as a couple and now a family...we love the name, we love the Whole Family! Thank you so much Tommy, Lana, Paige, and Jaci! Thank you for loving us and allowing the love of Christ to pour out on us! We can't wait for you to meet Little Levi, and we can't wait to meet Li Ji! We are praying her trip to America comes before our trip to Canada!!!

More Bedtime fun! Daddy kept "getting Ellie's nose" and eating it. Of course she wanted her nose back, so he had to find some extra noses in his pocket! So funny! Once again, I have a great video of this but it's too long for blogger. We had so much fun...I love how he makes her laugh!

SNOW! Ellie wasn't too fond of the snow...it was cold! But she had fun looking at it from the inside! It was so funny when she walked through the kitchen one day and saw the snow falling outside of the living room window..."SNOW!" she declared!

The day she got her big girl bed!...(no this isn't it, but she thought it was fun to hide in her animal basket!)

Here it is!... Sweet Dreams little angel!...(she sleeps with her bear every night! Nina gave it to her on the day she left for Austria...we call her "Nina Bear")

19 Months...

Nina taught Ellie how to eat and peel clementines. They are one of her new favorite snacks. I can't believe that she will actually stand at the trash can and put every piece of peel in the trash! Such a good girl!This my friends...is our New Year's Pig Cake! Sweet Nina thought it would be fun to bring something creative to the celebration at the Reagan's house...actually she thought it would be fun to dress up like elves. Once I convinced her that maybe we should do something else, she decided we should make a pig cake...then proceded to come up with even bigger ideas! (Sorry Nina, I have to share!!!) Our Nina thought that we should put a device in the cake that oinked when we cut into the cake...I thought that would probably be impossible since we only had a few hours to do this...so I told her to just make the noise when she cut the cake...so she proceeded to "work" on her "oink" in the middle of Walmart! Hilarious!!!

I never dreamed this would acutally turn out, but give Nina and me a challenge and we won't let you down!!!

Happy New Year...this little girl make it all the way to about 11:59!

(I'm going to include several details of the next event...remember this is as much for us to remember as it is to share our lives with you)

A few days before Nina went home, we had a purity ceremony for her. It was one of the most special moments we've ever had in our home. All of the people she was close to in Vernon came to celebrate with and support her. Every guest brought a letter of encouragement for her. Jason spoke about the importance of a lifetime of purity...purity exceeds sexual ramifications...it's something that God asks of us...to live purely in all areas!

Then Nina read the Purity Covenant we wrote with her and drank from the cup. Drinking from cup symbolized her acceptance of purity...

Then she put on her purity ring...it was so sweet to see how excited she was about getting this. She really understood what it meant and was thrilled to get to wear it (a complete turn around from the first time she heard about purity rings! Ha!)

Her purity covenant, letters of encouragement, and a hand written (sealed and dated) letter to her future husband were all placed in this box. Everyone signed the covenant as witnesses to her committment. Only Nina knows what her letter to her husband says...it's going to be so precious for her to give that to him on her wedding day! The seal is incredibly significant to her and I know that he is going to appreciate this gift from her!

We finished the ceremony with a song that Jason led, Nina prayed (for the first time out loud...beautiful!), testimonies to encourage Nina, and then a prayer of blessing over her.

When Nina flew home, one of her suitcases was lost...the one that had this box in it. It was so disheartening to know that this could be lost forever and become just a memory. I'm so thankful that 3 months later, her suitcase was finally returned to her. God is so good! I firmly believe that He knew just when she was going to need it most! She said that re-reading all of her letters of encouragement brought such joy!

I have a great video of this moment but can't load it to blogger b/c it's too long. Elina crawled up in the chair and was 'visiting' with her frogs! It was so sweet to see all of her expressions. Then she noticed the picture and yelled Nina (who had just recently left to go home to Austria)...she misses you Nina!!!

Learning something new...

New favorite thing...pockets!!! She seriously askes me just about daily for a jacket just so she can have pockets!

Christmas 09...(18-19 Months)

Good Morning! Here's our sweet angel sitting so well in the kitchen watching Daddy get Christmas breakfast ready! As with most of you I'm sure, this year was a little different for us because of the weather. Our plans got rearranged, but I think we ended up having one the sweetest Christmas celebrations ever! We were blessed to get to hang out with a dear family on Christmas Eve (our service was cancelled, but I'm glad we got to have it on the following Sunday morning...we love our Christmas Eve services). Then we spent Christmas morning at home (no hopes of getting to Lawton on icy roads). However, we were invited to the Rosalez's for an amazing Christmas dinner and snowmobiling afterward!

Our traditional family 'pj' picture in front of the tree on Christmas morning...

Attempt Number 1...

I laugh so hard every time I watch that video...who knew you could put your video setting on timer too! Ha! I love how Elina held her little crooked smile the entire time too! I can't believe it only took two attempts this year!

Nina was surprised to find a pepperoni drawing on her card from Jason! (she hates pepperonies)
Elina enjoyed opening presents!

This is one of the prizes Nina pick out at the Chris Tomlin concert. She surprised Jason with a Glory in the Highest jacket...
Nina surprised Elina with her very own pet water frogs (and they're still alive!). Nina thought that since we couldn't take pigs to Canada...frogs were the next best thing! Ha!

Nina's first experience snow mobiling...

Christmas in Lawton with the entire clan...

There's that face again!...

Christmas in Burkburnett...

I made Nina a "C" ornament for her tree back home...we have an "N" ornament that is now part of our collection forever!

Nina, Jana (future sis-in-law!), and Jason's brother David... PaPaw helping Ellie open a gift...

Nina helping Ellie figure out her new puzzle...

Merry Christmas...(just a few months late!)

18 Months...

Family Photo Shoot...

New winter coat...I think she likes it, what do you think!? :)

Rocking, Soothing, Eating her baby...
Nina, Elina and I went to Houston for Carol Anne and David's wedding. We had a lot of fun the whole weekend (with the exception of Ellie's uneasy stomach...yuck!). The rehearsal dinner was western themed...so fun! Once again, it was a close call but I actually fit into my dress!

Our second Chris Tomlin Concert of the year! So much fun! Nina actually won the prize for being furthest from home and got to pick out anything she wanted from the merchandise table!

Nina, Paige and Jaci Spencer...love these girls!!!

Here she is with Jason picking out DVDs to show her future youth group in Austria (a dream the Lord gave her!)

Another prize...backstage pass to meet Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio...

Chris and Nina...

Jason got to meet the guys too! He remained composed, but I know that he was freaking out on the inside!!!

Louie Giglio, Nina, and Jason...

Delivering Christmas presents to her Sunday School teacher...

and her Nursery SS Teacher...

Nina's Baptism...

Jason was stoked to get to baptize Nina...

Had to get a pic by the poinsettias

Elina loves to copy the way we sit and stand. We noticed this when she started copying Nina when they brushed their teeth...

Cowgirl Nina...

Our Little Business Baby...

I love this face!...