There's a Party...

Aunt Amy taught Ella this song a long time ago to encourage her to eat (have I mentioned she eats next to nothing?) and she LOVES it. Sorry it's sideways-apparently you have to pay $30 to get the "rotate" feature of quicktime :-(

Ahhh, to be two

Again I will defer to my friend's blog for a beautiful summary of a day in the life of a toddler. This time with pictures!

Yes M'am

A little while ago as we were driving home...

Ella: Mom look at the beautiful flowers!
Me: They are beautiful.
Ella: They're Pink and Yellow and Red
Me: They are!
Ella: Mom, look at the road, it's wet
Me: It is.
Ella: Mom, look at the trees, they're in my way.
Me: You're right Ella.
(this went on for a while)
Ella: Mom, look at the birdies
Me: Yeah, cool!
Ella (in a sharp scolding tone): Mom, don't say "yeah, cool." You say yes. ok?
Me: (laughing hysterically)
Ella (muttering to herself): we don't say "yeah cool"

I've never corrected her use of "yeah" or "cool" so I have no idea where she got this...cracked me up

I HATE potty training

I am venting my frustration here so I don't bring the negative energy (at least not all of it) to Ella and hinder her progress. I'm really too frustrated now to explain it all but this is not one of the parenting milestones I'm enjoying AT ALL. Is there a potty-training-sucks support group somewhere?? I know we'll get through this but right now...I'm just pissed. Pun intended.

Wild Nights with toddlers...

I mentioned our fun night a few days ago but my friend J explains more of the hilarious evening here....(and "E" is of course, my Ella)

Our Elderly Friends

I can't remember if I've written about this before but for a year now Ella and I have been delivering food every other week for Meals on Wheels. All of the people on our route are elderly and love getting to interact a little kid! Ella has progressed significantly from being a little shy and scared by their wheelchairs and oxygen tubes to being pretty affectionate and can now hand the people their food and greet them and chat a little bit. She also really likes copying me and knocking on the doors and saying in a kind of sing-songy voice, "Meals on Wheee-els!" She's even learned some of their names and when one lady wasn't there one week she kept asking "Where's Miss Shelby mommy? Where she go?"
She has a little welcoming committee of elderly folks who are always in the front lobby of one nursing home. It's really adorable-they always open the door for us and she runs over and gives them hugs and they sometimes give her a quarter or a snack which she's always thrilled about. One lady, Miss Rita, doesn't like the raisins that come in the meals and saves them and gives Ella 3 boxes every time we see her. Overall Ella enjoys the whole process and likes the days when we get to "go help people get their lunch." On an amusing note, we delivered meals a couple days ago and that night we were playing with her cousins at my sister-in-law's house. At one point 3 kids were in my nephew's room and Ella was shut out in the hall way. She looked and me sadly and asked what to do. I told her to knock on the door and see if they'd let
her in. She turned around, started knocking and then sang out loudly "Meals on Wheee-eels!!"

Ella's Poem

Ella has loved this poem from her Music Class CD for months now...we finally got it on video...there's a translation of what she's saying below :-)


Miss Lucy had a froggy
She named him Tiny Tim
She put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim
he drank up all the water, he ate up all the soap
and then he burped last night from a bubble in his throat!
Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit....

A Few Amusing Ella Anecdotes

I really didn't expect Ella to be as able to converse and as capable of original thoughts at age 2 as she is. I love wondering what she's going to say next and being amazed all the time at things she knows!

Today we were at Dunkin' Donuts and they gave Ella 2 little chocolate donut holes (I guess because she's cute?) and she was THRILLED. She looked at me and said "Wow mom! Look! I got two chocolate meatballs!!!"

Yesterday she randomly walked up to me looking kinda forlorn and said "Mom, can you hold me like a tiny baby please?" I was so excited because she's not usually too interested in snuggling so I scooped her up but she'd had her fill within about thirty seconds :-( Maybe she'll ask again :-)

A few days ago we were in the car...
Mom:Ella, when we get home it's time to go to bed ok?
Ella (looking out the window): Oh, it's night time?
Me: Yup
Ella:But mom, where's the moon?
Chris and I: (laughing our heads off)
Ella (discounting us since we were not helpful):Oh, it's just under the clouds.


A few days ago...
Ella: Mom can you get a baby in your tummy?
Me: Do I have a baby? No, Miss Jen has a baby in her tummy and Aunt Ping has a baby in her tummy
Ella:No, Mommy needs a baby in her tummy...please? And then it will grow up and be my friend.
Me (laughing): What kind of baby should it be?
Ella:a boy baby
Me: Really? What should his name be?
Ella: name is....boy
Me:But where will he sleep? Should he sleep in Ella's bed?
Ella:No, maybe on the couch?