First Day of School: 2015

Gabriella was over the moon to start Pre-K today. On the way home she did inform me that she didn't learn to read today... maybe that's only in kindergarten. Still, she was not disappointed. Sweet friends, building blocks, and the Spanish alphabet made for a good day.

Isaac has told me nothing about the 2yo class, but his teacher told me he ate his entire lunch in under five minutes. Sounds like he was right at home!

I wanted to do some of the Annual Questions for Gabriella. I'll put her responses here, and we'll see if I can remember for next year!

Gabriella, 2015, 4 years old

Favorite color: Purple
Favorite food: Fish
Favorite book: Lola at the Library (It was sitting closest when asked.)
Favorite movie: Frozen
Favorite TV show: Doc McStuffins
Favorite song: Shake It Off (Taylor Swift)
Favorite activity: Coloring
Favorite thing to do outside: Slides
Favorite thing about school: Building blocks
What she wants to be when she grows up: Ballerina

God and "That Shirt"

Ella: "Mom, what happens when we die."

I meandered a bit before landing on "We meet God."

Ella: "Ah. Probably he'll be wearing that shirt with that necklace with the blue cross?"

Me: "Um..."

Ella: "C'mom mom. You KNOW what I'm talking about."

Me: "I'm actually not all that familiar with God's closet."

We laugh hysterically together. Then she's like, "Seriously, Mom. THAT SHIRT."

I finally gather that she's talking about Jesus' long white dress/robe. Hopefully he has that washed when we go to meet him... Ella's counting on it.

Summer 2015

I just love this pic of the kiddos. This was one of our first Fridays together after I started working for myself. And we went to Michael's to buy colored chocolate for our Barcelona pretzels. So of course... Smashburger.

Also my favorite moment this month? Ella and I started reading chapter books. Sarah, Plain, and Tall, to be specific. Best quote: "Mom, even though the book has no pictures, I see them in my mind." I think I cried a little. :)

Halloween 2014

We executed an "eat everything you want on Halloween and then it all disappears overnight" strategy. My favorite Ella quotes on the experience:

Someone offered her more candy, and she held up her hand, saying: "I just had a doughnut."

On the way home: "Papi, I'm tired of eating candy."

Booty Dance

This is how I was greeted this morning:

"Mom, watch this booty dance!"

Naked, she proceeded to shake her hips back and forth singing, "Booooty, booooooty, boooty!"

God love her.

Guitars and Amps and Capos... Oh My!

Ella at Earth Shakin' Music in Atlanta.

Fall 2013

This fall has really had some of those moments I originally imagined when I learned I was pregnant. It's taken us a minute to get here, but Ella is at such a fun age where we can enjoy family fun activities.

Family Movie Nights has been a big hit. We spread out a sheet and eat dinner. In recent months we've watched High School Musical, Fiddler on the Roof, Mary Poppins and tonight was Hilary Duff's Raise Your Voice. Clearly, we have a music theme happening.

We got to make use of our bike trailer last weekend, riding on the Beltline Bike Path to Piedmont Park. A little playground time and a semi-frantic ride back to avoid double meltdowns!
 

We also visited a farm in North Georgia for a little fall festival action. Ella had such a blast! So many special experiences.

Her first "face painting." Although in actuality, she chose three black bats to be airbrushed onto her forearm. Strange.

She fed goats.

She hugged pumpkins. And hugged Papa in the pumpkin patch.

We went on a hayride through the corn.

She also rode a pony, but they charged for pictures. Naturally, then, we have none. But Billy and I were so impressed with her bravery and the ease with which she hopped up on the pony and rode it around the miniature ring.

She also added another impression to her repertoire, reenacting her pony riding experience for us. It can only be described as akin to Christian Bale's choreography in Sante Fe on Newsies. Needless to say, it was incredible. :)

We're loving fall in Atlanta with an almost-three year old!

My Future SNL Cast Member

Ella has really taken to impersonations lately. It is pretty much hilarious and one of my favorite things the has come up with to date.

I previously mentioned her characterization of Isaac's hair. That. was. awesome.

On Friday evening, she imitated the candles for us. It was a lot of head shaking, then bobbing, then shaking some more.

Halloween lawn decor? Ella has her mouth open and ghost hands up in the air. "Mama, he doing this!"

She even noticed a poster of a camel wearing a hat and looking sideways at Willy's and quickly pursed her lips together and turned her head.

She is one observant little kiddo with a knack for impersonations. Future Tina Fey...

Ella Tidbits

Today, Ella did an impersonation of Isaac's hair (don't ask me why...). It involved arching her back and windmilling her arms. "This is Isaac hair!"

On our walk, she looked up and said, "I am a person." Good to know! When we arrived at the Ciho's house, she walked in and said to Jess, "I am Ella." It was a hilarious little introduction.

Weekly Tidbits

Yes, I took this photo while Isaac was screaming. It just had to happen that way. However, after I snapped it, Ella turned to rub his belly and sing to him. That was pretty stinkin' cute.

Other tidbits for this week:

*** Jay was asked about his friend Ella and who her parents were. He responded, "Her mommy is Sarah, and her daddy is... Papi!"

*** In an effort to entertain Ella while Billy finished hanging shelves in her new closet but continue the cool down to bedtime, we did Mommy & Ella yoga. She was great at the child's pose (go figure!), cobra, happy baby and the corpse pose. We also tried out the warrior pose. But Ella's all-time favorite was the tree pose. I see more yoga in our future!

However, as she was mimiking all my positions, she finally said, "Mama... do this!" and proceeded to contort her body into the supple position only a toddler can contrive. Um... not going to happen, chica!

*** And, of course, the real news from this week was the potty training successes. Here's to many more!

September 12, 2013

Let this forever be noted as the day that Ella had no accidents (first time ever). AND she pooped in the potty on her own during nap time.

Billy would also like to make a note that when she turns 15, he wants to give her a tic tac on her exit of the restroom. They have been huge motivators for Ella and now we're having to set the stage that she won't always get "a mint" after she pees.

But we have definitely entered a whole new life stage. Ella, more or less, seems to have gotten on board with this potty training thing. Yeah!

BFFs

It's an Ella and Jay play day! 

Potty Training Update

Potty training has had its ups and downs, but things are looking better. So many fewer accidents. More times of telling me you need to go. And actually using restrooms around town: Lowe's, Chick-fil-A, etc. Good progress!

I'm still a little unsure about rest time. Almost two hours, playing alone in your room... never actually resting. Yet mysteriously, always peeing.

The first day you insisted on wearing panties, I left your training potty in the bathroom and basically said, "Don't get me involved." I had no idea what would happen.

You actually used it, which was kinda amazing at that stage. But then... you took it upon yourself to dump it out in the sink. "I spilled it!" you told me. Yes. Yes, you did. But hey, you stayed dry, so I was pretty impressed. (Also, there was toilet paper unrolled everywhere. I suspect you couldn't tear it off.)

The next day you wanted to wear a diaper. I figured this solved the problem. It did not.

I found you dancing naked on your bed. Apparently, the diaper became wet. So you took it off. You found panties and put them on. They became wet. So you took them off and laid them next to the discarded diaper. No more panties could be found.

Day 3 I left the little potty. I left the toilet seat up, though I asked you not to dump it out. (yeah, right!) I left torn off pieces of tissue. Best. Day. Ever. You did pee. You did dump it out. But you did not spill it and the TP roll was safe.

So who knows what I'll find today. You're "resting" as I type. I forgot to put up the toilet lid or leave paper for you. So who knows.... We're getting there.

The First Bike

I'm sorry. When did Ella become a kid? 

Ready To Go

Toddler Theology

Ella asked Billy to read the Bible with her tonight.

They read Genesis 1:1 together. He began to tell her how God created everything, including Mami, Papi, Isaac, Daisy and the sky and the earth and her. She was surprised, "Me?"

Then she asked, "Is God going to take me to heaven?" We're not sure where she learned about heaven. Probably at church, I suppose.

Billy told her no... that God is good and gave her to us to take care of her. That seemed to relieve her a bit.

She asked Billy to close the door to the bathroom because "the monster" was there. We've been trying to figure out how to handle this monster deal. Billy told her they are not real, but if she felt scared to call on Adonai. That was a big tricky for her to say, but Yaweh was easier... and Jesus.

Billy talked to her about how there's one God and he has one Son, Jesus. He asked Ella, "How many gods are there?"

She replied, "Two." Personally, I think she's a big young to try to tackle the theology of the Trinity. 

The Weekend of the Potty

It's Labor Day weekend, and our labor has been potty training.

Ella woke up Saturday morning and said, "I want to use the potty."

I hadn't planned on that being the focus this weekend, but she's nearly three for crying out loud, so I figured I should respond to her cues. Everyone kept telling me that when she was ready, she'd do it. It seemed she was ready.

Saturday was trying. Five potty successes. I think it was 6 or 7 accidents. That's a lot of pee to clean up... especially when you're home by yourself and also caring for an infant. I felt tired, but encouraged. She'd never done so well.

Sunday we were headed to the lake, and I really wanted to throw on a diaper. (On her... just for clarity.) But I figured that would make Saturday's work vanity.

She had an accident in the car on the ride up... not minutes after I'd had her sit on a potty at the Rite Aid.

But on the trip home, Isaac got hungry while we were ordering Frosty's at Wendy's. In a bizarre turn of events, we found ourselves in the middle of a giant, deserted parking lot sitting next to an empty big rig.

Partly to avoid an accident and partly to keep Ella busy, we pulled her training potty out of the trunk and set it next to the car. She sat on it while Isaac ate and lo and behold, she did it! Weirdly, I dumped the pee in the parking lot and we headed home. Through traffic and drinking in the car, she made it home.

Monday began rough when she'd had three, I believe, accidents before 9:30 am. I wanted to throw in the towel. She began throwing bizarre fits, and I realized she was embarrassed.

But we headed to run some errands, and she did great! Went before we left and not one, single accident. She even used the men's restroom at the Mellow Mushroom.

Actually, during our lunch experience, I counted that Billy and I went to the restroom seven times. SEVEN TIMES! Basically, we paid them to use their restroom and occasionally stop by the table to grab a bite of pizza.

It wasn't all Ella's fault. She was responsible for three of the seven. That kept her busy with Papa while I was feeding Isaac (again... seems like he likes to eat). Isaac took another three with dirty diapers. (And one visit to discover there was no changing table in the men's room... C'mon people!) And one was just me... because, ya know, I hadn't been in there enough already.

But back to this excruciatingly detailed account of our potty weekend.

Ella made it through Kroger just fine, came home and used the potty several times on her own accord. I think we're getting there, folks.

It's so bizarre. There's no going back now! I even made the clear decision not to buy more "daytime" pull-ups and just grabbed a pack for the night.

Tomorrow we're wearing training panties to school. Here goes nothing!

We're Getting Older...

Just Call Me Bob Carlisle

Today I taught Ella how to give butterfly kisses. She pretty much thought it was amazing... and ticklishly hilarious.

Tonight is also her third night in a row with no pepe. She's still asking for it occasionally in the mornings or in the car, but it's been days since she's seen a passy.

For some reason, this tiny rite of passage has made me extremely emotional. Looking at her sweet face, sleeping unplugged... she looks so old. I mean, not old, old, but so much like the "big girl" we keep calling her.

All the sudden, I want to put the brakes on.

Sure, I could deal with any given question being asked only once instead of thirty times. And a little more emotional control. But Billy probably wishes the same from me, so it's not guaranteed that age will curb these habits.

But as much as I long for her to start kindergarden, I'm also realizing that we don't get these days back. Dancing with "shakers" to Pandora. Turning somersaults with proud glee. Learning to put her face in the water. And talking constantly about the potty.

Watching her play with Daisy in the backyard alone the other day, she just kept making herself laugh. Throwing back her head and cackling with unencumbered joy.

Last week Maya came over early in the morning to catch a ride to school. I offered both girls banana, and Ella threw both hands in the air: "Yay! Nana!" Maya politely declined, but Ella didn't hear her.

As I handed Ella her banana, she asked, "Where Maya 'nana?"

"She said, 'No, thank you,'" I explained. Ella immediately retracted her hand.

"Do you want your banana?" I prodded.

"No, thank you."

All the sudden, she wasn't my baby. She was a kid, influenced by friends and reining in her enthusiasm.

Sometimes I want to put the brakes on.

Not when she's going limp on the sidewalk because I said she has to hold my hand to cross the street. Or when she's bawling and wailing because her shoe fell off in the car. And I can do without someone throwing folded laundry in the air.

Maybe that's why we're taking so long to potty train. We've moved out of the crib. She's riding in a booster seat. Pepe is gathering dust at the back of a drawer. It's her last piece of babyhood. (Not to mention, now that she takes it off herself, throws it in the trash, puts in the second leg and pulls it up, I'm finding myself less motivated to tackle panties.)

I am truly loving the kid that Ella is becoming. And toddlerhood is not necessarily my forte. But as much as I joke about my rush for her to grow up, I also stay up at night, writing blog posts and crying about how my baby is a big girl. And there's no going back...

3 Tidbits

Isaac has started smiling just a bit when he hears/sees us. That's fun!

Goggles have revolutionized Ella's pool experience. She was thrilled. No water in my eyes!!!

Also, Isaac went out in public today wearing a bracelet. I suppose this is the life of a little brother with a big sister...