Baby A.J.

For some reason...and perhaps it's the title of this blog...I've neglected to write a lot about baby number 2...Airlie Jane or baby A.J. as Ella calls her.

I'm 34 weeks pregnant now, the official home stretch is before me, and she weighs approximately 5 pounds 4 ounces. She has a bit of hair...which looks like little prickly things in the ultrasound. The other day she was sucking a toe! She's on track to weigh a good bit more than Ella, who weighed 6 1/2 pounds at birth. The midwife thinks if she stays on her current track she'll be somewhere in the upper sevens...closer to where Matt and I were at birth. I think Ella was small because I was not medicated for the hypertension during that pregnancy. This time the meds have kept my b.p. in normal range...so far.

But everything looks good at this point. I've been trying to upload ultrasound pictures but have had some complications. I'll keep trying!!

Play Date with Caela

My friend Aimee and I decided to take advantage of recent springtime weather and take the girls to the park for a play date. Caela is slightly more than a year younger than Ella but for the most part they play well together.

They ran, climbed, went for a slide and all the usual stuff. Then we went over to the duck pond to feed some bread to the geese and ducks. It all went swimmingly until the bread was no more and I caught Ella feeding the geese their own poop...which looks like giant dried up tootsie rolls. I nearly vomited. It was getting close to nap time so we called it a day anyway. Ella screamed the whole way back to the car. I could have cared less...my mind was on finding the handi-sani and wiping down her goose poop hands!

Next time...I'm thinking a park with no ducks!

Soccer!

First "game"...off to a good start!

Okay...swimming lessons went pretty well and she loves the pool! Ballet did not go so well. Gymnastics went very well...she may have even shown a bit of aptitude there. Now...soccer.

Not going so well. The first "game" (it's a series of learning stations and then a scrimmage) Ella was doing great during warm-up. But as soon as it became a "follow the rules and work as a team" thing she was off to the daisies...literally. Okay it's too early for daisies...tulips. She ran off toward the parking lot trying to make a quick escape. A YMCA volunteer noticed toddler running, very large pregnant woman screaming and efforting the quickest waddle on earth and thankfully snatched toddler from harm's way until out-of-breath mommy could catch up.


The next game was rained out. But the third "game" went a bit better. We made it through three stations with Daddy coaching and encouraging until she lost all interest.

Daddy gives a little direction

Oh well...we took a little team picture which will be cute and despite her disinterest...everyone gets a trophy in a few weeks after the last game. I'm thinking we'll go back to swimming and gymnastics...individual sports for my spirited, independent Ella.

Sharing "secrets" with buddy, Samantha.

St. Paddy's

Ooops...forgot to post this.

Each year we try to go out to lunch on St. Patrick's Day. Not only is it a tribute to my heritage it's also a relatively new tradition. Our first official "outing" (not including church and the doctor) with Ella was St. Paddy's Day 2006!

We waded our way through the drunks in Manhattan Beach, CA to the upstairs "family" area where we enjoyed fish-n-chips and a celebratory beer. It was as much about the Saint and the old home-land as it was about making it to almost three months with a new baby.

This year we went to a pub nearby. The line...albeit long...moved pretty quickly. No pictures of our feasting...sorry.

Each year since we've moved back to GA we have taken a picture of Ella in front of the house wearing her green. This year she refused to sit on the steps...defiance! No she's not of Irish ancestry...why would you say that?

BTW...when Matt referred to March 17th as St. Paddy's Day...Ella matter-of-factly corrected him..."No Daddy, it's St. Patrick's Day!"

Interpretations of a Dramatic Three Year-Old

It's true...that saying...kids say the darndest things. They also do some very funny stuff; the problem is most of the time you're not supposed to laugh.

The other day Ella was having a late afternoon meltdown...most likely a result of crappy nappy. She bonked her head or something and acted as though it was the end of the world. After about 5 minutes of her high pitched screaming in my ear I proclaimed, "that's enough...you're hurting mommy's ears!" She pulled away from me, snot and tears streaming, "Don't worry mommy!" She then placed her hands over my ears and resumed the screaming.

We're trying really hard to drive home the manners thing -- because it is tremendously important to us. This has been challenging with such a headstrong little lady like our Ella. Nevertheless...a few days ago after completing her breakfast she let out a big sigh and proclaimed she was done. Daddy asked, "What do you say?" Ella responded, "I'm sooo full of yogurt!" I mean how are you supposed to keep a straight face, I ask you?

A couple of nights ago when I sat her down for dinner she looked at her plate; sweet potato covered in butter and sprinkles of brown sugar. Her little face lit up. "Mommy, did you make me potato?" Yes I did. "Mommy, I think I might marry you!" That comment was met with many forehead kisses!

I'm sure they all say funny, endearing things. But I feel like Ella says at least on hysterical thing a day...it's really hard to remember them all...and I don't want to forget a thing!

Marching Into Spring

We took down our Valentine's decorations in the morning, replacing them with shamrocks, and by afternoon we were having snow showers. Unfortunately we didn't get too much in our little area of metro Atlanta. The snow that did fall mostly melted away as rain showers moved in. But it was pretty and entertaining while it lasted. We went out and "played" in what was left of it after nap time. Although, we were the only ones out in the neighborhood!