Presenting The Frog Prince and the Bug: A Play by Ella Majoli

You can hear a bit of her made-up language which we call "Ella Speak". Enjoy!

Airlie's Nine Months Old

It's hard to believe she's been around as a living breathing creature as long as she was in my tummy. Our Airlie Jane is just as sweet and calm as ever. It's impossible to be around her and not want to hug and kiss her...she's just that sweet.

She's showing no real signs of wanting to crawl but she is more upright on her arms during tummy time. We think part of the delay in crawling is that she's just so chubalicious! But we've both noted that either she's gotten longer or she's taking in fewer calories because she seems to be getting a bit leaner. This is either our imagination or nature's way of helping her to move.

She's eating more and more baby food and sweet potatoes are her absolute favorite!

I snapped this picture just a short time ago...while she was napping...peacefully. Happy nine month birthday little peep!

Digestive Diction

Ella has been drinking Soy milk since she was about 16-18 months old because regular milk seemed to upset her stomach. More and more we've noticed the regular milk (drank at restaurants, friends houses) didn't seem to bother her very much. So, seeing as regular milk is much cheaper, albeit not quite as healthy, we decided to make the switch. She didn't really seem to like it much at first. I think that's because Soy milk is naturally pretty sweet and Ella loves sweets. But she accepted it after a few days...but her stomach did not. She started having some constipation. We started telling her she really needed to drink lots of fluids and eat her fruits and veggies because she was having constipation.

A day or so later I ran by the grocery/pharmacy on the way home from work after Matt called saying Ella was complaining that her bottom hurt and she could not go to the bathroom. I think he was re-living in is mind the story his mother tells of having to "help" our niece when she had similar problems as a toddler. Long story short, she drank the apple juice and ate some frosted mini wheats as suggested by our pharmacist; problem solved.

Then just the other day we were dealing with another one of Ella's ongoing problems; paying attention and following direction. As I sat on the floor roping the calf that is my four year and trying to stuff her into her pants as she pulled away I told her she needed to focus. "Ella, please concentrate and help Mommy!" I pleaded. After a few minutes I was sweating but she was dressed. She looked at me innocently and said, "I'm sorry Mommy, I'm having trouble constipating."

Sharing the Wealth

So...now that I have two daughters I'm facing a dilemma. Who gets what from my childhood? For instance, I kept my Barbie doll house my dad built for me when I was little. It was in serious need of repair and TLC when we pulled it out of an out-building at my mom's house. It's been sitting in our basement for almost three years and this Christmas I called upon Santa's elves to help me fix it up. It turned out great. It still needs a few touch-ups of paint and it could use some carpet or wallpaper but it looks great. All new furniture helps any house, right?

The problem? It was given to Ella for Christmas. I don't have a single other thing to give Airlie of that same size or significance. The bookshelf my dad built is in Airlie's room right now and I suppose someday down the road she could inherit that but let's face it...it's not a toy. And at some point Ella will have to share the dollhouse with her sister. But my concern is when they are adults and have their own children...how do I pass these things down?

I guess for now I'll just give things as I see fit and hope for grandsons.

Airlie Update!

Our little sweetie is 8 1/2 months old. I can't believe the better part of her first year is over!!

She's a happy 18 pounds and showing no interest in crawling. She's sitting up on her own, for the most part and is happy to sit in the floor and play with her toys or watch Ella dance around like a princess...or fairy...or a mermaid princess with wings...I lose track by the day.

She doesn't fuss much unless she's tired or hungry or has a stinker in her diaper...but who could blame her on that one. In fact...she had two ear infections in December and I did not detect either of them...Mother of the Year...I know!

Here's one of my favorite pictures of her from Christmas...her first. She was so sweet and just sat playing with her toys all morning.

Little Adult

I'm amazed every day at the things that come out of Ella's mouth. And when I say amazed I mean sometimes I'm amazed as in, "whoa, where did you learn that?!" and other times, "hey...when did you become so grown-up?" =(

Yesterday after school Ella sat down next to me and asked, "So mom, how's your day going?" I said it was going pretty well. Then I asked how her day was going. "Oh, my day is brilliant!" Is she hanging out with a group of Brits and I don't know it? Seriously...where did she hear brilliant. The best part it she really enunciates....BRILL-ee-unt!

Personality Takes Shape

Just when you vow you can't handle the sleep deprivation and the exhaustion has you by the throat in a choke hold...a personality starts to take shape in a new baby. It's God's little wink of encouragement to new moms. Airlie Jane has started smiling...and suddenly I'm renewed. Although lots of caffeine is still in order!

Green Toes and Fingers

As Matt headed back on the road for work I called in backups. My mom and brother came over to help with the girls while I assumed solo parent duty for much of the past two weeks.

I took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy so Mommy and Ella time. My girlfriends tell me this is essential for defraying the jealousy factor created by a new sibling.

We headed to the nail salon. The ladies were very sweet and attentive to Ella. She got to sit in a special chair just for kids...hers had a bunny headrest. Next time she says she wants the panda bear chair. A light in the water tub changed colors as the technician washed and massaged Miss Ella's feet. She was ecstatic to have so much attention, and to have mommy at her side. She chose a lime green paint color, which would not have been my choice for her, and the nice nail lady painted flowers and hearts on her fingers and toes. I have to admit...it is cute.

Housekeeping Items

Our camera crapped out right about the time Airlie Jane arrived, so my apologies for the grainy photos. I'm using the still capture feature on my digital camcorder and the quality is poor. I'm hoping for a new camera for my birthday!

And...the blog has changed names. Since it's no longer just "Ella's World" I've changed the name to Daughter Diaries. I went through a few other ideas before settling upon this one but I think this title suits the purpose of this blog most appropriately. Any other suggestions are always welcome.

Enjoy!

Friends and Their Kids

Two of my best friends brought their kids to visit the baby. It's a surreal thing when you look at friends you've known since you were a kid and see them married with their own children. Anyway...I love this picture of all of our offspring gathered around AJ.

Abby, the blond, daughter of my friend, Gerin came in and asked directly, "is it a girl baby or a boy baby?" I answered girl. She then said, "then why is her name AJ, it sounds like a boy!" I explained her name is Airlie Jane and her nickname is AJ. "Oh, that's a pretty name." I'm sure we'll be getting a lot of that throughout her life. Sorry little one!!

Free Fishing Day

A local park held a free fishing day for kids recently. The fishing experts (rangers of some sort) were on hand to teach the kids. It was a Kiwanis Club sponsored event so there were a ton of people...many of them there seemingly for the free food and prizes.

At any rate...we went sans fishing pole in the hopes of borrowing one from the organizers. We registered Ella and waited for her name to be called for a loaner fishing rod. But we wandered down to the water and missed the call. So Ella didn't actually get to fish but she had a great time playing in the Chattahoochee and watching other kids catch fish. There's a hatchery near our house and I'm betting we'll be paying it a visit, WITH a fishing pole, sometime this summer.

Poolside

As the temps reach scorching mid to upper 90's here in Hot-lanta we have been venturing out to our neighborhood pool quite a bit. It's also a great way to burn off some Ella energy while baby AJ naps in the shade.

We're proud to report Ella is using her swimmies (arm floats) with great success so far this summer. She is jumping in on her own and shows great confidence in the water. Our goal is to have her solo swimming by next summer when Airlie will likely be up and about and in need of lots more attention around the water.

But so far...this is working out nicely.

Pony Riding

Ella loves creatures...everything from the tiniest bug to the biggest animal her imagination conjures up. So when her Godfather, Miles offered an invitation to go for a pony ride at his father's farm she was more than happy to oblige.

Here's a quick video of her trotting along on the little pony. She enjoyed watching them eat and play but as it turns out she didn't really like riding the pony. Nonetheless she returned home equally excited to tell me all about it.

Fernbank

Ella loves Dinosaurs, primarily because of the book, Danny and the Dinosaur so we thought a trip to Fernbank's Dinosaur exhibit would be a great family outing.

As it turns out...it was awesome but a bit too mature for Ella. In other words, an older child might have gleaned more from the interactive learning displays and such.

But...she did enjoy herself. In the naturalist exhibit she got to touch a real snake...twice. Fortunately I was nursing AJ and missed the entire slithering event.

I might be wrong...but I do think she's very science-minded. It's exciting to think of where her mind might take her and what she might be when she grows up.

Ella Tracks

A recent playdate with our friend Caela turned artistic...on my carpet.

No more than ten minutes had passed after checking in on the girls, playing quietly in the playroom, when Caela came running downstairs, hands coated in something dark and slimey. I quickly ran upstairs to the playroom to find this mess...blue and green paint, complete with footprint tracks, all over the upstairs carpet.

Next call...the carpet guy. Fortunately he removed all of it but a tiny spot in the playroom.

Ahh...thank goodness for Crayola washable!!

Airlie Jane....new pictures

While big sis whiled away the afternoon with a much needed nap the other day...I took advantage of some "awake time" with AJ and snapped a few photos. What a sweetie!

Ella...the little funny girl!

It's safe to say she's driving us nuts with the acting out and not listening, mostly attributed to the new addition in the house. But, Miss Ella is funny and at times when we should be stoned-faced it's hard not to laugh.

Sometimes I hear her repeating phrases or reprimands she's heard from us. For example, Matt was getting in the car to run some errands the other day and Ella ran after him. Opening the door to the garage she exclaimed, "Now don't drive crazy!"

Then a few days ago when playing sidewalk paint (which is awesome!!) with our friend Ava across the street Ella reprimanded her with this: "Now leave me alone right now because I'm trying to work, I'll play with you later!" Apparently Ava was trying to get some paint out of the same container Ella was using. I've heard Matt say the same thing to her when he's busy on the laptop.

Yesterday she walked up to me and said, "My daddy gave me poop yogurt!" What the??? Apparently we were all out of Diego yogurt so Matt fed her Activia. A few hours later she yelled from the bathroom, "Mommy, it worked, the poop yogurt worked!"

Just this morning while I was trying to update this very blog and chat with my friend Heidi she came running up to me exclaiming, "Mommy, I put my pull up in the toilet and I can't get it to flush!" Crap...I gotta run...plumbers are expensive!!!

What's in a Name?

First tub bath!

A sweet kiss from big sis

Daddy's girls

We have given our second daughter a unique yet meaningful name, at least for us. But we realize it's going to be tough for her because it is not your typical name...and you can't find it in any of those baby books.

So...how did we come up with it? Airlie is the name of a beautiful little road in Wilmington, NC, one of our favorite places; we miss it dearly. The road is canopied by tall live oaks and pine trees draped in Spanish moss. There are picturesque farms and homes along the way. As you round the bend you can catch a glimpse of the azaleas and huge live oaks of Airlie Gardens through the brush and iron fencing. Soon you come into the light and you are looking out onto the beautiful waters of the intercoastal waterway. Then you catch a whiff of seafood as you near Dockside, a wonderful on the water restaurant. We loved it so much we had our engagement pictures made there.

You can check out the website hyperlinked above...or I suggest you just visit someday...it's beautiful...and a perfect name for our little peach pie!

Jane is a family name traced through both sides of the family!

Airlie Jane is Born!

Airlie Jane joined us a smidgen early (about two weeks) because my blood pressure kept climbing and that made everyone nervous.

She was born April 23rd (her due date was May 4th) at 7:46 a.m. A.J. weighed 6 pounds 2 ounces and was 18 inches long. She is a tiny little thing! So far she's been a pretty good eater and sleeper, unlike her big sis. She nurses every two hours or so during the day and goes every 3-4 hours overnight!!

It's hard to say who she looks like at this point. She has dark hair, my head shape, my nose, mouth and chin and she has Matthew's eye shape and brow line. Oh, and she has those darned long skinny feet. At least I can start spending more on those high priced narrow shoes for Ella...seeing as they'll be handed down.

We had a wonderful hospital experience. A planned c-section beats the heck out of laboring for nearly 24 hours and then getting the cut -- that's what happened with Ella. The only negative...the drugs for pain they put in the spinal made me puke for two hours after delivery!!

Returning home has had it's ups and downs. When I had a c-section in California with Ella we lived in a small one story bungalow and I could walk to the grocery store. Here in suburban Atlanta one must drive everywhere and most houses...including ours...are two stories. The doctors say I'm not supposed to drive, go up and down the stairs (more than once a day) or pick up anything heavier than the baby for six weeks. It's going to be a long and difficult six weeks.

Both moms have pitched-in, taking turns helping us. But...that ends in a few days and we'll be on our own. Fortunately, Matt isn't traveling until after my six week check-up. Whew! By then the neighborhood pool will not only be open...it will hopefully be warm. That will keep Miss Ella busy...that is if this relentless rain lets up for a few hours a day.

Speaking of Ella...she's having a tough time adjusting. It doesn't help that she decided to drop her nap the same week we brought Airlie Jane home from the hospital. She's been having massive meltdowns during which she screams for me. Typically she chooses to do this when I'm nursing or unable to appease her pleading.

She's also been acting out and pushing buttons. Everyone says this is normal and it will pass but no one can give me a time frame. Ella has been very sweet to the baby so far and seems more than eager to help with her. She's just being a little butt when it comes to Mommy and Daddy. Oh well...we did just deliberately turn her world, Ella's World, upside down.

She did what?

Okay...full disclosure...get out your barf bag.

Yesterday was a fun-filled day of poop "incidents". If nature is trying to get me ready for the endless amounts of poop that will soon come with baby A.J. this was definitely the warm-up!!

We've been trying to teach Ella to get up in the morning, go potty, take off her pull-up and put on panties. She only wears pull-ups at night simply because I haven't the heart or energy to deal with the endless changing of sheets.

The other morning...as I waddled downstairs to make our breakfast I instructed Ella to take off her pull up and put on panties before coming down to eat. Ten minutes later, still no Ella. This is not unusual because she's easily distracted. Still I called her downstairs. First she lied about taking off the pull up...upstairs again. Then she came downstairs with panties but no pants. Finally the third time was the charm.

After breakfast I went upstairs to make her bed and discovered a little trail of brown dots on her carpet. A quick whiff assured me of its source. I went into the bathroom where I found evidence of a poop -- clearly tended to by a three year old. Of course she doesn't do the best job of "getting clean" so when she sat down in the floor to put on her panties...apparently scooting a bit in her effort... the pooh left a little trail on the carpet!! Thank goodness for wipes...those things clean up everything.

Then...after nap time we went over to play with Ava. Kelly and I sat outside enjoying the nice sunshine while the girls played in the side yard. At one point Ava said Ella was pulling her pants down. We didn't think much of it.

A bit later...and I can't remember what brought this to my attention...I found Ella struggling to pull up her pants. She was covered in pee. She and Ava have gone on "pee in the yard" adventures before and usually they just end up watering the lawn...not their clothing. As I pulled up her pants I caught a scent that created a wave of nausea...poop. I checked and sure enough she had pooped...but where? There...in the yard. But why was it mushed flat. Oh Gosh! Her shoes. She had stepped in it. So with pee pee soaked jeans and poop caked shoes we said thanks for playing and went home...to strip down and start yet another load of wash.