These are all things Gabriella has done this week...

Ways to explore: by Gabriella
1) after your Mommy has swiffered the floor and its still wet (wait until she leaves the room for a second to answer the phone) slide across it on your tummy. Pretend you are sliding into home plate.
2) after your Mommy has asked you not to talk fresh, point to yourself and say "me fresh".
3) sneak into the kitchen and get the 6 pack of cinnamon rolls use a spoon and eat them all. Wait until Mommy is unloading the groceries (especially if she has a lot of melting ones waiting in the car) you have to do this quickly Mommy will be right back.
4) while Mommy is in the bathroom take all of the wipes out of your pack and throw them all around the room.
5) on the road home from the store, take all of the dirt out of the potted plant and throw it around the car. Mom will be too busy driving to do anything about it.
6) hide your animal cookies, crackers, and cheese under the living room rug and in your crib mattress for later. Make sure Mommy isn't looking when you this, first shove it down your dress, then take it out and hide it.

Afer you have done the previous things, use crocodile tears and ask for Daddy.
love,
Gabriella

The need to be clean continues a generation..

Playtime fun!

Gabriella has been going crazy playing hard with all of her new toys. Her favorite are her talking twin dolls. She loves her kitchen set too. She also likes the train set in the kitchen. We didn't go crazy with the buying. But she has plenty of new toys to play with. She has been playing so hard she has taken an early nap every day since Christmas morning!

Christmas Morning Fun

Oh brother....

Ellie loves Gram. Ellie misses Gram. Ellie is rebelling until Gram comes, no sleeping night or day. Just crying Gram, Grammaaamaa, Gram. She has been throwing massive fits everytime the phone rings, thinking it must be Gram. We actually had to unplug our phone yesterday. In between the 31 min long distance call she made (trying to call Gram) and the fits I said forget it. If people want to talk to me they can email. UGH. Thank goodness Gram is coming in two weeks. This girl knows what she wants and she wants it NOW.

Tiny Tappers

The moon

Ellie and I took a "dark" walk down to see Ceal late this afternoon. I bundled her up and put on her new boots. She keep pointing to the sky and saying wow. It took me awhile to figure out what she was seeing. The moon! She was so happy to be out at night. On the way back we tossed some snowballs on the street. She was having a ball. It was one of those moments where I remembered how fast time will go and how glad I am to be at home savoring it with her!

Finally pants that work...

How did I do it? They are velvety with a huge bow in the back, very fancy. She thinks that it is a dress. LOL.

All that glitters

After the snowstorm fisaco, I decided to buy Gabriella boots she would actually wear. I.E. "pretty". I bought these pink sparkly, light up, flowery boots that pass her "pretty" test. The problem? She didn't want to take them off when we got in the house. It was "pretty" "no, pretty on". At least they were only $13. Kohls has good sales!

It's me Ellie

Dear Friends,
Would one of you tell my Mother that just because its snowing doesn't mean I need that many clothes? It snowed all day today and my Mom insisted on taking me outside. It took her forever to bundle me up, I'm busy I don't have time for that. She made me wear snowpants, boots, mittens, a hat, a coat, and a hood. Then after all of that she put me a a snowbank. I ask you, it that supposed to be fun?

Love,
Ellie

And the night goes on...

Ella Feeding Ella

Ella's friend Ella came over to play today. Her friend is the sweetest little girl. She wanted to continually kiss Gabriella. Gabriella wasn't too interested in the kisses, but was happy to feed Ella.

have you ever wanted to punch a 4 foot tall red guy?

I have. The teletubbies have offically made me insane.

Family updates...

Ella has grown very tall. She is almost as tall as most 2 year olds. She's running everywhere. Her favorite game is peek a boo, which she would play with me all day if I could stand it. She would also watch Teletubbies all day if I would let her. I've seen the animal episode 1057 times. UGH.
I've started tutoring two afternoons a week. It's nice to use my teaching skills again. Ella spends Monday late afternoons while I tutor with Daddy and Thursday she spends with the neighborhood babysitter Sami. Thank goodness I finally I have a break from grad school for the next month. I feel like I'm running all day and too busy. Ella and the housework are a full time job. You throw in full time grad school and tutoring in there and its becomes over-time.

She did WHAT?

Ellie had her 15 month appointment at the doctors this morning. The doctor said she "LOST weight!!!!!?!" What? She has never lost weight! She was always weighing in the 90% percentile. She actually lost .5 lbs since her 12 month appointment. I'm not worried. My child will eat anything under the sun. Yesterday she ate 15 (yes 15) chicken steamed potstickers for dinner. Then she had a banana before bed. A whole one. Her favorite word is bapple (apple!) and she can constantly be seen eating one, peel and all. notice the picture below. (you can see it in her mouth, eww.) She is still in the 90% percentile for height, she's headed towards giantdom like her uncles.

Ready for Santa

sigh: target portrait studio

So I got the whole family ready for the portrait dragged them unwillingly to Target, (picture dragging a 15 month old and a football loving guy during the middle of the game). I fixed Ella's hair three times, changed her diaper on the way, fought the change of outfit, only to get there and wait 30 minutes past my scheduled time. The waiting room was filled with unruly and whiny toddlers (including my own! all in keeping with the holiday spirit. These better be the best pictures ever. At least the Target lady felt sorry for me and gave me 3 free sheets of pictures.