Ella-isms

Here are some of my favorite Ella-isms from the last few weeks:

Hi, how are you?

See you next time!

See you tomorrow!

Nice to meet you

Cory, you can NOT play in my sandbox. You have no hands!

I LOVE this apple!

Wait a second!

Don't tell me no! (usually announced with a finger in the air and warning tone - I hear this one several times a day)

I love peanut butter. And jelly. On a sandwich!

One night in bed I asked her to read to me. Her reply: "I can't. I don't know the words to know. When I grown up, I will read this book to you." (She said all this while stroking my face, it was heart meltingly sweet).

"Nopey, nopey!" - this was a phase where she would happily reply 'nopey nopey' to anything I'd ask her to do that she didn't want to.

Sure! (I love this one, she says it all the time when she agrees with something)

I don't think so!

Alright, alright, I all set!

Some new words that have surprised me: Cinnamon, dis-gus-ting (said with this exact inflection), tortellini, delicious

"I REALLY love my house. All the time. Going to sleep, reading books..."(gets distracted) - "Mommy, are you making breakfast?"

In bed snuggling, "you're the prettiest girl in the world" (she is incredibly sweet when she's wanting us to stick around awhile longer in bed :))

Picking up Cory at the vet, Ella says to the lady: "Where's my Cory?" The lady's reply: "She's in the back. ___ is getting her." E: "I hear somebody's dog woofing!" Vet lady: Does Cory woof? Ella: "Not like that!"

I said to Ella after she came down from a bath with Steve, "Mmm, you smell yummy!" Ella's reply to me: "Mmmm, you smell yummy too - like pizza!"

"I told Payton, it's time to clean up your toys!" (wow, lucky Payton!)

We were walking in the neighborhood and she picked up a pinecone and said "I want to take this pinecone home." Me: "Ok, what are you going to do with it?" E: "I will love it!" Then, after quietly thinking for a minute, "I will put it in a bucket and feed butterflies with it!"

"I am a good singer, and I love Cory!"

Yelling like a dictator from the backseat of the car, "I want ABCs, I want ABCs." (Meaning she wanted me to put on the ABC song on her CD) Me: "Ella, let's try asking with some manners." Ella, in the sweetest tone she could muster: "Excuse me, Mommy, please have some ABCs?"

"You're my best friend. Best buddies!"

"I love you in the world. More than anything."

One day I asked her in the morning if she could remind me after school that we had to drop library books off on the way home. Really I was hoping that by asking her, I'd remember that I needed to drop them off. When I came to pick her up, the first thing she said was "Mommy, we going to the library to drop off books?" I was shocked!

She knows that 'yesterday', 'last weekend', and 'last night' are all used for past tense and uses them all interchangeably to start sentences where she's talking about something that has already happened.

It's getting so hard to keep track of the funny and sweet things she says because she talks all the time and so much of it is so entertaining. She is so dramatic and so animated, uses big hand gestures and makes so many funny faces while she's talking, I just love it!!

Erin and Josh's Baby Shower

Last Saturday was Erin and Josh's baby shower, so we went to Charlotte on Friday morning to stay for the weekend. GeeGee, who has never met Ella before, came in from Ocean City, and Kelly flew in from Boston.

GeeGee, Ella and Erin


We had the shower at 300 East, one of Erin and Josh's favorite restaurants, and we had the whole upstairs. Mom, Kelly and I had a debacle of a time getting everything squared away on Saturday morning but it all worked out great and we got the room decorated and ready to go!







Mom and GeeGee


Aunt Kelly and Ella


The Mom and Dad-to-be


Erin and Ella


Mom, Glenn, Erin and GeeGee


Ella, Steve and I


Dad and Donna


Erin and her friend Sara


We enjoyed a delicious lunch and played a few games












And then enjoyed the cake


Baby Boy Edwards got many, many presents to welcome him into the world!




Unfortunately, Ella did not understand the concept that it was possible for there to be gifts that were not meant for her, so she graciously donated her services to help open gifts!


Erin and her nieces




These monkey cookies were the favors


GeeGee letting Ella "smell" the orchids (which have no scent!)




Ella had been dying to get her hands on the balloons the entire time, so once everyone had left she was finally able to go for it


That night Erin and Josh were at the Omni hotel bar with their friends; and Mom, GeeGee, Kelly and I went out to join them - wild and crazy ladies on the town!!







The weekend was a great success and I'm so glad we were able to have such a wonderful party to celebrate the upcoming arrival of my new nephew!! In about 7 more weeks he'll be here!

Girls at Play

We took a break from Little Gym this fall, so we have our Saturday mornings free for the first time in almost 2 years. It is really nice, and we've been able to spend the last few Saturday mornings at the playground with friends

Little chums holding hands - Ella, Avni and Ryanne







In the tunnel with Kati - two peas in a pod!




BIG hug!




It's been great to have the chance for some playtime for the girls and some catch-up time for us Mommies!

Army-Duke Football Game

On Saturday we went to the Army - Duke football game at Duke. There was a West Point tailgate through the local WP Society and there were so many alumni and Army fans at the game, it was really fun. It was HOT day, in the 90s, and we had to walk so far, carrying Ella, from where we had parked. Thankfully our seats were in a section with our backs to the sun, so got a break once we sat down for the game.

The only sporting events that Ella has been to are Steve's softball games, so she's never been to a game where he hasn't played. When she first saw the field, the first thing she said was "Daddy's going to throw down there?" Then, later on in the game she asked again when daddy was going to have a turn - ha!

Even though West Point was the visiting team, there was a bunch of Army stuff during the game, which was neat, and fun to show Ella.

Golden Knight parachuting on to the field


Fly Over




Army scored right away and actually scored twice in the first quarter - very fun to watch!


During halftime there was an enlistment ceremony for 50 new soldiers


Ella did great during the game, I thought we'd probably only make it through the first half but we stayed until just a few minutes left in the last quarter when Army caught an interception and we knew the game was over. I think her excellent demeanor had something to do with the mass quantities of lemonade and popcorn she ate and drank, but I'll take it!









It was really a fun day, excellent first football game for Ella and even better that Army won!

Picture Post

I haven't had very much blogging time lately, but I've still been taking as many pictures as usual! Here are some cute ones from the last few weeks -

Putting on her jewels


Ready for school


Pretty girl


Helping me fold laundry :)


With Cory


Reading in the car


Poor little girl on her sick day


Reading in her room



Making a wish at a fountain


One of her chores - loading up the coffee dispenser when we get new coffee


Cory and Nomar snuggling in bed


Climbing at the playground