Week after Christmas

We had a really nice week after Christmas. We had been away six weekends out of the past seven, and between all of the trips, getting ready for Christmas, and everything else we've been up to, it seems like we haven't had a free moment in months. But this past week was a really nice, and very welcomed, change of pace.

I worked Wednesday through Friday, which was the first time I've worked this week since before Ella was born, but just having her off from school and Steve home with her made it so much more relaxed and an easy routine that even the few days I worked seemed pretty leisurely.

At Mom and Glenn's, Cameron looking very adorable in his handsome sweater


Me reading to Ella and Cameron


Grampy and Ella playing outside with bubbles








Riding her scooter



In her new dress up clothes. Ella told me she was not dressed as a princess, but a queen instead!




We went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks movie and she took her new camera from Grammy. She held it on her lap the whole time and even took pictures of the screen. The movie was really cute and she loved it and has already asked several times if we can go see it again.


Proud of our building project - lego farm stand from Uncle Craig, Aunt Jackie, Cayla, Cammi and Gavin


Showing off her new manicure - Erin gave her a set of rainbow colored nail polishes and Ella wanted a different color on each nail!


Driving a bumper car for the first time at Avni's birthday party. She was definitely NOT tall enough to be doing this but it was just a few of the girls from the party so seemed okay, and she definitely had a lot of fun trying!


Coming down the slide at the playground in our neighborhood. There are usually just a few kids there, all doing their own thing, but this time there were about 5 or 6 other kids there, all older (probably between 6 and 10) and they all knew each other and were playing games together. It took her awhile to get her courage up but she went up to the biggest girl and asked if she could play with them and ended up playing with them for over an hour. I was really proud of her!


On New Years Eve we went out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant and she was just so funny. There was a waiter who brought us chips and salsa and Ella seemed pretty interested in him and said "hi, I really like your hair!" Then, every time he passed by us she'd say "Happy New Year!" and went out of her way to talk to him. When we were leaving the restaurant he said "adios senorita", and she said to him "adios amigo" - we couldn't stop laughing.

Steve and I watched a movie after she went to bed and had planned to have champagne at midnight. At 11:45 we had the channel with the NYC ball drop on and just then Ella woke up - so I raced upstairs and tried to get her to go back to sleep as quickly as possible...by that time it was 11:55 and then Cory woke up and we had to let her out. Fortunately we were both on the couch by 11:59:52 and managed to watch the last 8 seconds of the ball drop to welcome 2012!