Mornings these days

I've discovered that Ella's deep love for Sadie and her obsession with her cuteness exists even when she first opens her eyes in the morning.  So, I've started bringing Sadie into her room in the mornings and laying her right next to Ella to wake her up.  Every morning Ella opens her eyes, sees Sadie inches away from her and a huge smile spreads over her face and she says in a groggy but high pitched baby-talk voice "Good morning Sister!" and is up for the day happily.  If I go in by myself to wake her up (since she's started ignoring her alarm) she burrows under the covers and requires being dragged out of bed.  I hope the Sadie trick works for a long time to come :-)  Such pleasant mornings!

This is what an almost 5 year ago difference looks like! Ella seems SO tall to me now!

Smiles!

Chatting

  

Pensive

Crazy Faces!

A few days ago, I told Ella to leave Sadie in the middle of the bed and to get dressed for school.  I came back a few minutes later and  Ella built Sadie a "fort" so she couldn't roll off the bed. A pillow on one side and stuffed animals lined up on guard on the other :-)

Back to school Night!

Ella is back at a nearby preschool for the 3rd year!  She loves it there and is now going for 2 1/2 hrs 5 days a week!  We've worked our way up from 2 days and this year is preparation for full day kindergarten next year. I was nervous about every day but we've gotten into the routine pretty easily and I love having the mornings with Sadie and to see friends and run errands.  Ella has some really good friends at school, loves all the projects and loves Ms.Amy and Ms. Terry, her new teachers. She is always excited to go to school!  Here are a few back to school night pics from the tour she gave us of her classroom.

Of all 18 caterpillars on the wall, Ella's was the only one that had any writing on it "Ella to:Sadie"  SO cute!!

we LOVE rain

First is not always best...

 Here's our first family picture since Sadie was born and the first picture of me with my little baby since the hospital.  Neither are great but they'll make me remember these sweet moments and that's what pictures are for right? :-)

Princes Sadie

Ella LOVES playing games on pbskids.org and played a series of games in order to "win" the jewels for this crown.  Then she printed it out, cut it out (perfectly-she's a cutting savant), and typed in "Sadie" with no help and brought it to me.  I wish I had a picture of Ella showing it to me-she was bursting with pride and excitement and couldn't wait for me to put it on Sadie :-)  I had no idea the sisterly love moments would start so soon but they are plentiful already!  I love both of these girls SO much!