Cup -- Not Quite Running Over

While sorting laundry this morning -- Ella had a hard time deciding between my sports bra and my pretty bra.

Yesterday she was trying on my shoes. We're in trouble.

Grams Love

It's a rare occasion when Ella allows anyone to snuggle with her, unless she's really sleepy or sick. But she gave Grams a short-lived loving moment and I was able to capture it, because the camera just happened to be sitting right next to me. How sweet!

Side note -- my mother wants to be called Grams by her grandchildren and no one knows why. Ella has taken it upon herself to call her NaNa instead. Little Miss Independent.

Alexandria's First Holy Communion

For some reason I couldn't post a picture of Alex receiving her first Holy Communion in the previous blog, so here it is. She was just beautiful. And the reception following the service at Uncle Wayne and Aunt Durene's was lovely.

Alexandria with Uncle Matt, who is also her Godfather

Congratulations Alex!

Hair Up -- Winding Down

Ella enjoyed a nice long weekend with Babci and Granddad while Matt and I ran around between churches (see previous blogs).

When we picked her up Sunday she seemed happy as a clam. B and G were happy to report she had slept pretty well and had eaten like a horse, something she doesn't do for me. She also had a wonderful time playing with cousins and friends after Alex's First Communion reception on Saturday. Granddad said she tried her hardest to keep up with the other kids, but she is the youngest so as soon as she caught up they had gone in another direction. Sad but cute.

With the exception of a minor catastrophe which involved Ella dunking one of Alex's purses into the toilet, everything seemed to have gone pretty smoothly. Sorry, Alex. Guess I know what you're getting for Christmas from Ella.

Before we left B and G's house, Ella enjoyed a nice swing with Babci and a walk through the backyard with Granddad.

A Whole Lotta Church

The weekend of the 19th marked cousin Alexandria's First Holy Communion and the wedding of Daddy's college friend, Kyle. Needless to say we were busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest.

Friday night was rehearsal and rehearsal dinner downtown Atlanta. Mommy had too much champaign. That's what happens when Babci and Granddad offer to take the little one and Mommy actually gets to shower and put on make-up.

Saturday morning came early, and with a big pounding headache. But we put on our happy faces and headed to another church for Miss Alex's special day. Here's a shot of Ella during the first ten minutes or so before she became squirmy and had to be released into the gathering area and then the big field behind the church.

The service was lovely but took forever. There were 66 kids receiving first Communion. At that was one of several masses to take place at that particular church. I never knew there were so many Catholics down south. Yankee transplants I guess.

We left early because Ella was approaching an hour past nap-time. She only got about 45 minutes in before folks started showing up for the reception. That was quick also because Daddy and I had to leave early to get to the wedding. Once my hair was put up with five thousand bobby pins I dropped Matt off at the church for pictures. I then headed down the street to check into our hotel. A quick change into my gown and then back downstairs to wait 20 minutes for the valet guys to find my car which they had just parked.

Ella's parents all gussied up!

The wedding was beautiful and everything appeared to go smoothly. Weddings are a lot of fun when your only responsibilities are to eat, drink and be pleasant to your spouses old friends. Not a bad gig if you can get it. Plus it's always nice to hear those vows again. It seems to renew things a bit. Serves as a little reminder of things that get so lost in the everyday concerns of life and diaper changes.

Good Luck, Kyle and Erica!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was busy and began very early in the morning. Daddy woke with Ella and once diaper duty was over they came to visit me in bed before heading down for breakfast. Hearing her say "Mama" on my special day -- made the day for me.

But it wasn't really my day. The grandmothers had to be honored first and foremost. So we leapt into action cooking dishes and tossing fruit salads for a brunch at Aunt Durene's for Babci. Of course, of all mornings this was the morning the lighter on the gas stove top wouldn't quit clicking well after it was used. Daddy ended up turning off something in the basement but after about 20 minutes of rushed preparation and non-stop clicking -- nerves were already shot.

Brunch was nice and relaxing. The kids played and we all enjoyed what turned out to be a very nice meal.

Granddad "eating" Ella's feet while Babci, Zach and Alex look on

Then we headed home for a few hours before going over to Grams's house for a picnic at the park. Daddy and Ella surprised me with some nice and funny cards and a big ole gift certificate to a spa.

CAN'T WAIT!!


Uncle David swings Trey and Ella together

Around 4:00 we met the rest of the family at Grams's house and went over to Shorty Howell Park for a picnic. Trey and Ella enjoyed swinging and climbing on eveything. Aunt Leshia andUncle David attempted to make homemade ice cream which turned out to be more like a milkshake but it was yummy. As you can see, Ella and I thoroughly enjoyed it.


It was a very nice Mother's Day #2.

Lessons Learned

These days it seems I'm almost always saying no to Ella. Some days I have to say it so much I hear Ella walking around singing a little song that goes, "No, no, no, Ella."

But while teaching her not to pull on the iron cord, not to pull my hair and not to throw food are arduous parenting necessities, there are a few teaching moments that are special and poignant.

For instance, Ella has recently started getting up on her rocky horse all by herself. When I was ironing this morning she quietly went into the playroom and got up on him and started rocking away for a good five to ten minutes. I imagine she's been encouraged by seeing her cousins Emma and Trey hop right on their respective ponies and trot away.

All was quiet and good until I heard a thud! I knew before I even rounded the corner she had fallen off her horse. After the "delay cry" (face red, mouth agape, no sound) I gave her a kiss and told her it was okay. She started trying to explain to me in her own little language what had happened. I simply said, "You have to get back on and go again." Yes, that old "when a horse throws you off..." lesson. She didn't hesitate, she got right back on and started riding again. I was so proud of her.

I am also happy to report Ella is now saying Mommy

Just in time for my big weekend. And last Sunday she brought me a flower for the first time. My heart melted. She had plucked the blossom from my freshly planted flowers, and although I probably should have, I didn't tell her no, no, Ella.

I'm pressing it for her keepsake box.

Because I probably won't post again until next week -- Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies who come across this blog. God Bless You!

Cinco de Mayo - E Gang Style

Saturday night we met Granddad and Babci over at Uncle Rob and Aunt Stephanie's for some margaritas and Mexican food. Ella and cousin Emma (E-Gang -- 8 weeks apart) had a great time playing together. The older they get the more they interact with one another.

However, they're also very quick and busy. Babci had a hard time keeping up with them as they went running here and there.

They slowed down a bit for bath time but it's probably fairly easy to tell their energy levels haven't quite petered out yet.

Dinner was great and the girls went down to bed pretty easily.

The adults played an I love the 80's trivia game. It was a total riot. Who knew such random things associated with one of the weirdest decades in history would come in so handy. Tons of fun!!

Sticker Fun!

I was working on greeting cards for the month of May the other day (hey, a rhyme) and after several desperate attempts to find something that would entertain the little one, I turned to the little gold Hallmark stickers. She loved them. The books say she's old enough for crayons, which she tries to eat, but I never assumed she would be interested in stickers.

First we put stuck them on her ears like earrings and she thought her reflection in the mirror was pretty puh-teee. But by the time I got the camera out she had moved this sticker to her nose. You can see she was really having fun.

We've entered the parenting chapter entitled: Your Child Loves Stickers: Cover the Antique Furniture.

Long Distance Dedication

Happy Birthday, Greta!!

Love~

Your Blogging Buddy,

Ella

Daddy's Turn

It's strange, swim lessons at the YMCA are largely "parented" by Dads. Matt missed the first one but he's been right there with her the last two weeks along with all the othere dads. He's teaching her to kick her legs and she's doing quite well. Miss Kelly continues to give Ella lots of special attention and Ella continues to splash and laugh and learn. She's getting so comfortable in the water that she's started dumping cup fulls over her head during bath time. The teacher says that's a good thing. She also got brave enough at this morning's lesson to put her face in the water. That did not elicit happy cheers and laughter, rather great big balls of crying. But there's no other way to learn humans are not equipped to breathe water is there?

They look quite serious in these pictures but they really are having a great time. We allowed Ella to play in the pool after swim lessons this morning while we waited for the family locker room to clear out. When we had to leave she cried and cried. She LOVES the water.

The Sand Trap

Aunt Leshia had to go out of town and Uncle David was working so I took Ella up to their house to play. Grams welcomed the company and the kids had a great time playing in the sand. Uncle David dumped it in a low area of the yard to help fill it in but the kids had other plans.

Play Date with Maddie and Steele

We weren't able to make it to Maddie's fouth birthday party so we scheduled a play date instead. Ella had lots of fun playing with Steele's feet and looking at his cool hair. And Maddie showed Ella how much fun it is to play dress-up. Now she attempts to put on any pair of shoes I have laying around.

The Hot Seat

Mommy couldn't resist this hot pink little plastic chair. Now Miss Ella has a place to sit on the deck while everyone else sits in the "big people" chairs. She still climbs up on them anyway but her little chair is starting to grow on her.

And she's found many new uses for it. For instance, it's small enough to carry inside allowing her access to lots of things that are higher than she.

No Cameras Please

In her best effort to mimic all the Hollywood brats -- Ella pulled Daddy's AU hat over her head and pushed the camera away. Does Mommy take too many pictures? Never!

Ella said Auburn for the first time this week. Daddy was grinning ear to ear. She's also started carrying around Carnell "the Cadillac". He's a big (much bigger than she) stuffed tiger. It's quite adorble to see her pull him behind her, throw him down, then lie down on him and take a rest. I'll have to try and capture this to share with all of you. That is if Miss Priss will let me take a picture of her.

Finally -- A Getaway

Now that Ella's 16 months old we decided to get away for our sixth anniversary.

We dumped her off on Aunt Durene and Uncle Wayne and headed to Florida for a little R&R. (hope to post some pictures soon)

We had a wonderful time!!

Ella had a blast playing with her cousins and spending time with family. We missed her tremendously -- well me moreso than Daddy because I had never been away from her for more than a few hours. She didn't seem to notice we were gone. When we went to pick her up she looked at us and then looked away like we were complete strangers. That hurts.

Things are back to normal again -- way too soon. Matt's back on the road and I'm running around doing mundane Mommy/Housework stuff. And wouldn't you know it -- now that Daddy has his monstrosity of a huge television and a new entertainment center the Sears guy tells me we need a new washer. If only life could me more like vacation. Every day could be greeted with a forecast of sunshine and the promise of a mid-morning margarita.

Okay back to what this blog is really about -- Ella said strawberry this morning during breakfast. And when the furniture guys (big entertainment center) were done -- and I mean the last screw had just been drilled in place -- she yelled -- Bye Bye!! I think that's her way of saying, "Now get the frank out of my house!"

Ella's First Swim Lesson

Ella had her first swim lesson on Saturday morning at the YMCA. She's in a class of about ten kids aging from about nine months to two years. Since Daddy was a champion swimmer as a kid and Mommy also loves the water we figured she'd enjoy the classes. She does! While other kids were shivering or whining, Ella was taking it all in. We splashed, sang songs, glided on our tummyies from the side and bounced in a circle!

I think she's already one of Miss Kelly's favorite pupils. Or that could just be the proud Mama in me oozing out.
We had a blast! Five more weeks of fun, fun, fun!!

Mystery Fever and a Broken Toe

It's been an eventful and difficult 24 hours.

Late yesterday I noticed Ella seemed warm. After an uncomfortable (for both of us) poke in the fanny -- the thermometer revealed she had a fever of nearly 103.

I quickly squirted Tylenol down her and started phoning the doctor. Shortly thereafter Ella took a nap. The nurse advised I let her sleep, watch her, take her temp when she woke up and then call back. After her nap her fever had dropped to 99.4. We were headed for the doctor just to make Mommy feel better.

Of course once at the pediatrician's office Ella played happily and showed no sign of fever or lethargy at all. So we were given the catch-all diagnosis -- VIRUS. Which means they're not sure what's going on and they can't fix it. Time is the best remedy.

Once home she started acting clingy and irritable again. I gave her a warm bath, Motrin and we read some stories before bedtime. She was restless. I knew what was coming.

About 11 she woke up screaming and sweating and crying uncontrollably. I tried to calm her. I even called Daddy in Vegas (Bachelor party) to see if his voice would help. Not happening.

After about 40 minutes of meltdown I put her back in her crib. She was exhausted but fighting it. After about 10 minutes she finally nodded off. She then slept sound until Elmo woke her at 8 a.m. The say my name Elmo from Papa and Nana is programmable for a wake up call. "He says, Ella it's time to wake up!" She loves it -- I of course wanted to throw him out the window.

She has seemed quite fine so far today. She tried to help me hang a few pictures but in her effort she dropped a frame on mommy's big toe -- I'm fairly certain it's broken. No sense in going to the doctor -- they can't do anything for that either. The story of Mommy's life. It can't be fixed -- but it will get better with time.

Easter Weekend

It was a bitterly cold Easter weekend here in Georgia. But we still had loads of fun.

Saturday we got the weekend started with an Easter egg hunt at the Atlanta Athletic Club with Babci, Granddad and that whole gang. The petting zoo was a big hit for Ella. She loved the bunny and thought it was really cool to see a real life baa baa (sheep). She has a sheep book that makes that sound so that's what she thinks they're called.

She also squeeled with delight during a pony ride. Mommy had a hard time keeping up with the brisk walking pony handler but it was hysterical listening to Ella have such fun.

Fortunately, Aunt Steph suggested we bring a wagon for Ella and Emma because the event was held in a big field and little ones get tired -- and cold quickly. They had a big time "talking" while someone pulled them around.

The egg hunt itself was brutal. Rich kids start being rich kids from the beginning. There were ample cheaters and over-the-top competitors. We were more than happy with Ella's two eggs.

Coloring eggs for the first time

Afterwards we went to Babci and Granddad's for more egg hunting and a nice dinner.

Sunday morning Ella awoke to find the Easter Bunny had left her a cool car just like cousin Trey's! She wanted to ride right away but the church bells were ringing for 9 o-clock mass. Babci and Granddad met us for mass and then came back to our house for brunch.

Later that afternoon after Ella's nap we headed over to Grams's house for a late lunch (still full from breakfast) and more egg hunting. Uncle Richard's girlfriend, Nassim's brother, sister-in-law and nephew (10 month old Lyric) also joined us. The kids had a great time, despite the cold.

It was a beautiful weekend -- maybe not weather-wise -- but definitely by all other accounts.

"Chocolate" Covered Cherry to End My Day

After a long couple of days helping Grams get her house ready for Easter Sunday, Ella and I returned home exhausted and ready for bah-ems (bath-time).

I quickly ran the tub for her, threw her in, washed her off and let her play for an abbreviated amount of time.

As I reached for the drain to signal the end of bath-time, my hand ran across some disintegrating bar soap. Wait -- Ella doesn't use bar soap!!

The poopy-tub bandit had struck again.

P.S. Greta's Dad, e-mail me directly. For some reason I can't comment on Greta Grows.