Pink Shoes!

We strapped on our pink sneakers yesterday and walked to the North Redondo Beach Branch Library. It was Ella's first library adventure. We were supposed to go for our first storytime session at the main library on Tuesday but Daddy had to use the Escape -- the Bronco is in timeout for pooping out on the freeway. Anyway -- we enjoyed our walk. Once at the library a nice man complimented our matching sneakers and a very nice homeless man suggested a mystery author to me. It is nice that Ella is getting a nice well rounded look at society here in So Cal. I took his suggestion because I was looking for a diversion from baby instructional type reading (ugh!). So we cruised around looking at the shelves of books and even strolling through the children's section -- of which I was quite impressed for a branch library. But -- it was all for naught because Mommy's drivers license still has the Wilshire address so we couldn't check out any books. We're headed back today with a recent utility bill in hand.

Later Ella took a short nap and then had independent playtime in the pack-n-play. Daddy read something about this approach to teaching independence so we're giving it a go. She was in there for about 30-40 minutes before she started whining. Not bad for a start. The book said we should have started this at three months -- oops!

After the pack-n-play it was time for diversion -- killing time before her nighttime routine -- so we headed for the front yard. A little girl, Samantha (16 mo) was out for a walk with her daddy and stopped to smile at Ella. The sweet child seemed more interested in Ella than Ella did with her. But it was nearing bath time and that's usually when she reminds me of some grumpy bears I know in the family.

When Daddy came home we went out to visit one of the neighbors. A nice single mother with a pre-teen daughter. Ella went right to her -- our peanut is friendly and not afraid of strangers. I have to say she gets that from her father. But the big news -- when Karen handed her back and waved bye-bye I think Ella waved for the first time. It was primitive and may not have been deliberate but I have been practicing with her so maybe something in that little brain was recalling the motion and sound of bye-bye. Either way -- it's going in her baby book as a good first effort.