So busy...

It's been a bit crazy here and I haven't taken photos in over a week. I'll try to snap some picts tomorrow. Last Saturday Rob headed to Virginia and then Monday Ella started daycare and my mother left. It was a bit strange being a single working mother for a week. Ella LOVED daycare. She's actually staying with a woman with two children, Bryson, who just turned three and Nia, who is 21 months. Bryson got a bit angry this weekend because Ella didn't come to play. Ella seems to really enjoy herself. Today she actually KICKED as I carried her out the front door. I'm not sure if it's because she's having so much fun or if it's because she knows that when we get home it will be nap time.

Rob got back on Friday night and Ella was MOST unhappy with him. She would cry when I left the room. She didn't want him to hold her for any extended period of time. When Rob got up with her on Saturday she ran to the garage and tried to get in the car. We think she was headed to daycare. Last night she actually spontaneously curled up in the crook of his arm for a cuddle while he was dozing on the couch. That took THREE days. I have no idea how she's going to handle things when he's gone SIX months.

Everyday she comes home with something new.

She now...
jumps
draws on the sidewalk with chalk
gives kisses (lots of spit with an opened mouth and occasional teeth)
throws a ball
gets angry when you don't hold her hand so she can walk up and down the stairs
climbs ladders
goes down slides
picks up flowers to smell and hurls them to the ground if they have no scent
throws dramatic fits
honks the horn of my car
opens and closes the garage with the opener
waves at pretty much anyone she sees
grabs my hand as she walks down the sidewalk and gets angry if it isn't offered
leans back in the toddler swing and looks at the sky
loves fresh fruit
is very picky about what songs I sing to her at night
sing her own songs at bedtime (consists of a mumbling humming sound)
roars like a lion
moos like a cow
kisses like a fish (it's lots of puckering and smacking sounds)
cheeps like a monkey
rumbles like a motorcycle

She says...
'ey and 'ye 'ye Dada (into the phone)
basket ball (rather unclearly and not to be confused with a regular ball)
'uck (duck or truck depending on where she's pointing)
'ock (rock, sock or Crocs)
'ook (look or book)
up
'our (flower)
'at (hat, that or cat)
dog
doggy
kitty
baby
'o 'an (Nolan)
'ilk (milk)
dada (pretty much any male)
'oose (shoes)
'ey (hey)
'ye (bye)
'ess (dress)
'ish (fish)
ticka, ticka (tickle, tickle said while lightly scratching someone/something)
Gigi
Gidget
Jakey
Ba'ee (Bailey)
'ookie (cookie)
'acka (cracker)
uh, oh
and finally...
Meme (mama)

I'm sure there are more and I'll post them as I remember them.

1st Pigtails

Reading to the animals

Over the last few weeks I've found Ella "reading" to the dogs. This consists of turning pages while babbling.

Reading and cuddling...


















A captive audience right outside the screen door...

The Zoo...

Ella and I spent last Sunday at the zoo with Ella's new friend, Sasha, her mother, and sister. We found them during our search for childcare. They have a GREAT nanny that they want to share but live too far away for an early morning commute.

We're still on the hunt for childcare. I'm willing to up the stakes a bit. Erika, I'll give you your own room and you will NOT have to sleep with Bailey and/or Jake.