Yo Ho!

In July we took Ellie and Mason to Disneyland. Grandma has given the girls a bias toward Captain Jack Sparrow so they were excited (and a little scared) to do the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. We survived the incredible ride and the rest of the morning the girls went around singing this line.

Later in the evening everyone else went on the ride a second time and Ellie and I stayed behind to keep Logan. When he was fussing or just to make him smile, Ellie would sing him her line with her action. He loved it as much as you probably will. Enjoy ateys!

These are a few of my favorite things

2
Baby Einstein
Dora
Books
Disney Princess miniatures
Playing outside on grandma's wall
Signing Times with Alex and Leah

3
Watching Dora
Disney Princesses
Movies
Polly Pockets
Dress Up

4
Polly Pockets
My Little Pony
Dolls
Barbies
Princesses and being one
Friends (esp. if they will play along as Ellie directs)
Bike/scooter
Swimming
Max and Ruby
Reading books
Playing pretend

Huffing

At the Bee's game last Tuesday Ellie and I were in the potty for her to use the restroom. She sits down to go, looks at me and says, "I huff, and my poop comes out." We had contagious laughter after that. (pictures are actually of her first huff ever - well...her first one in the toilet)

#@&!

There is always the first time your kid surprises you with a word you had no idea was in their vocabulary. As I kid I remember getting a few mouthfuls of soap for some of my more creative ones.

Last August I took Ellie to Oklahoma to visit Kevin's family. While we were there we went to a local amusement park and spent most of the day on rides Ellie was tall and brave enough to ride. There was a wild rapids ride with a big tube where 8 people sat in a circle. The ride goes through waterfalls and rapids and of course there is a huge potential of getting wet. Ellie was three and not really vocal in larger groups. We all wanted to go and she met the requirements. She was not too excited to be on the ride but hesitantly she went. Of course she was in the right place at the wrong time and got soaked under a waterfall. Ellie had the most annoyed, disgusted look on her face and out of nowhere when it was silent after the laughter (from everyone else) she threw her hands up in disgust and said, "I'm so freaking wet!" I was so surprised but couldn't keep from laughing. I had never heard her say that word before and didn't know she had ever heard it. The timing and delivery were perfect for a three year old. No soap required.

Firsts

As adults we like to know all about our firsts....first word, first step, first day on the potty, etc. Because I am terrible at the classic "baby book" here are a few firsts for Ellie before I forget!


First day - March 22, 2004 at 4:15 pm
First weight - 6 pounds, 14 ounces
First length - (not sure when we switch to height) 20 inches
First address - 218 New Century Lane, D
First pet - Gus, the cat
First laugh - 3 months
First roll over - 3.5 months
First tooth - bottom front two at 5 months
First crawl - 7 months
First stand alone - 12 months
First walk - 13 months
First word - kitty, then dada, then hi, all before one
First real haircut - December 27, 2005
Potty trained - January, 2007

Ellie's first year was spent observing, learning and growing. She was very observant and never still. She liked to look around and squirm. Her second year was full of discovery using all the motor skills she learned in her first. We never had terrible twos with Ellie. It was one of the most enjoyable years with her so far! Her third year she really advanced mentally. She started pre-school and learned to count to 20 and she learned all of the letters and sounds of the alphabet, as well as which letters are vowels. At the end of her third year, Ellie could sound out and read most three letter words and some four.

At four (which is now) Ellie learned to read full simple sentences. For example last night she read this sentence to me, "Pop, Mom and Peg had fun in the hot sun." She can count to 100 and she can also do simple math with numbers 1 through 10. At four Ellie is also starting to be an individual. She likes to make her own decisions and do things on her own. She is well behaved most of the time, but has definitely found her own voice when she's not happy about something. Two of the most incredible things about Ellie at four are her imagination and her memory. She can make believe at any point in the day. She loves to play "pretend" and assigns everyone a role. Her memory is remarkable, she will remember small details from a large event several months back. She will also remember everything I promise to do or say. :)

My twin sister

Rolling over in bed.....this is the first thing I heard this morning:

"Mom, I used to have a twin sister. Then the pirates came into our house and took her. They took her outside to the sidewalk, opened it up and then dug her in it and put the dirt over her and then put a big X on top. Now she is playing with the monkeys. She has the same clothes as me. And she has the same hair as me. I miss her. "

Great Words...by Ellie (translation by mom)

Age 2
baxet (basket)
axe (ask)
beebee (baby)
Age 3
twelve, fourteen, fourteen, fifteen (12,13,14,15)
radio (rodeo)
crunches (crutches)
a-cado (avocado)
mahoy atey (ahoy matey)
Age 4
horfed (forehead)
junk (how she describes the fat on my back)
fruit nacks (fruit snacks)
basketti (spaghetti)
hanitizer (hand sanitizer)
liveberry (library)
pocksicle (popsicle)
a lottor (a lot)

Favorite one liners:
Mom, are those pirates? 3
Never not 3
We're not gunna be late! 3,4
Because we're professionals (why we live by the mountains) 4
Because we are rock stars (why we live by the lake) 4
You....are a-sposed to...understand me! 4
La La Shu Shu 3,4
I changed mind! 3,4
All the times I do and all the times I do (always) 3,4
All the times I do and all the times I don't (sometimes) 3

Princesses and Ponies

Ellie and I live in Pleasant Grove (PG,) Utah. In June each year the city has 'Strawberry Days' which include a Miss PG pageant, a parade, a carnival, a rodeo, and of course strawberries and cream in the park. This year as we settled in at the radio (the way Ellie says it) with our strawberries and cream the typical events were taking place....the American Flag, the Mayor, the Grand Marshal, were all being presented on horseback. The ever so lovely Miss PG royalty were then paraded around for their grand appearance. Ellie looked at me with a contended smile on her face...

"Hey mom, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"I don't know baby, what are you thinking?"
"Princesses and Ponies"
"What?"
"Princesses and Ponies"

I wasn't thinking the same thing or at least not in the same way as my daughter, but I sure wish I had been.
I don't think there were ever two greater words spoken at a radio.

Taking my mother's advice

Like all mothers, mine likes to give advice. When I'm smart I take it. My mom happens to be really sly about giving it, never direct but in a side comment as if not even really in the conversation. My trained ears (as do my brothers') are well aware of when it is coming and meant to be heard. Since my daughter was born, I have heard this one piece of advice countless times..."I hope you are writing all of this down." I assume this piece of advice comes from a wise mother who knows how fast time goes and wishes she could still have the sweet years of raising little children fresh in her mind. Or maybe she would just like to look back to see that I was at one time enjoyable. Regardless, my daughter does something each day and often several times a day that I adore. Here is my attempt to "write it down."

Thanks Mom.

(Please excuse the attempt to also play catch-up for the past few years!)