Making Way for Coffee Cup!

Well, I have come to the stark realization that in less than 60 days we are due to have another little one in our home! YAY! and HOLY CRAP! all at the same time. I am so excited I can hardly stand it, and at the same time a little sad that Ella will have to share the limelight. She's just so fun! Anyhow- We are finally getting ready for baby.

I was just thinking today as I was wiping down the carseat-to-stroller adaptor, and all that stuff that has been gathering dust for two years now, that at this point in my pregnancy with Ella I was ready at any moment for baby's arrival. This time, however, we would be in a lurch! Obviously, I've got a couple things to finish up before he makes his grand entrance wink, wink.. and we are totally convinced he'll be almost as late as Ella was.

So, in order to feel fully prepared, I went online and ordered the cutest little cotton set for his "coming home from the hospital" outfit, and a matching hat (which will likely never touch his head) and I feel much better now. The carseat came a couple days ago via my old pal the UPS man - we're cool like that since he stops by about once a week. The baby has shampoo and a crib. No sheets yet, much to Ella's dismay, but the bedding should be here this weekend YAY!

And that, ladies and gents, is how we've prepared. I'm not sure if we'll need Newborns or 1's so I haven't bought diapers (Walgreens is open 24 hours, right?) and my mind cant handle any more than that.

This weekend, Ella turns three- and she is just as happy as can be that it is her birthday. All she wants are "roses and flowers." And then she's usually quick to add "and cake with pink frosting, and probably some presents." That's more like it, huh? I'm sure she'll get everything she wants, we're having a tiny "party" for her. I think it's still a party, we invited the ten or so people she sees most in her life to all show up at the same time for lunch and sweets, and that's going to be it. To her, it'll be the best party yet, I'm sure :)

Well, I know, this has been the most boring post ever. But cut me some slack. We've been ill, and I'm on spring break.

Much love!

Baby Alive - No, that IS her name!

Ella got this doll for Christmas. Ever the smart shopper, Mimi scored it half price on Amazon.com, because apparently the bilingual dolls are not in demand this year. So it is the funniest thing! It says "Hola, Mommy!" "Tengo hambre" and "(sniffing noises) Mi pueno es mal" So obviously I don't spell in spanish, but I do have a rough idea of the meaning of these phrases. I like to think that Ella is on her way to being bilingual. If only that were all you ever needed to know! "I'm hungry" and "My diaper stinks, change it!" (roughly translated, of course)

So, she loves this baby. We tried helping her come up with a neat hispanic name for the baby, we tried Rosa, Catalina, Pilar, and my favorite Lucia. Nope. The doll's name is Baby Alive, for the love. Or more true to reality "Baby A-WIVE." Ella will not hear of any other names. So there goes my whole feeble attempt at some multicultural integration in our family.

Although, it does remind me to toss in a few spanish words now and then. Poor Ella, I teach her about random words and phrases when I am bored, so now she knows things like the meaning of the word "reserve" and "spare" and what it means when someone says "adequate" and stuff like that. I know. The apple and the tree thing, huh? There's no hope for her...

Anyhow- back to the point... So, Mimi got her this fabulous doll that poos green goo into preemie Pampers, and now that they have heard all about it, her Grandma Sweetie Pie and Grandma Hearn (they constitute the Californian branch of our family) send her little outfits for Baby Alive! Not the overpriced goofy ones they sell at ToysRUs, real baby clothes. Well, preemie clothes! It is too funny. Baby alive has a great little wardrobe going, and I am often called in to assist with the "napping" of her onesies and skirts and shirts...

So anyhow- Ella is in love. Although last night I walked in on her trying desperatley to shove Baby Alive into a shoebox (which was WAY too small), I'm not really sure what that's all about. I'm sure it's just a phase...

Here she is in a more loving way:



And yes, we are working on her holding technique. I'm sure when The Baby Brother gets here, she'll be over that whole "cover the face with your hand" thing... Another phase, I'm sure...

Spitballs and Bagels

Okay, my pretties, I know it has been a long time since I hacked around on here- Sorry! What can I say? I am in demand... namely in the confines of my own home, but a girl can dream, no?

So, what's new with us. Ella has developed some new skills lately. She has also become extremely fond of bagels, which is kind of random, I know, but she asks for them all the time so I figure it's worth mentioning.

Spitballs- her new passion. She has always adored playing with straws, and in spite of the constant warnings of my own parents that she'd likely poke her eye out, I let her play. They're free! How much better of a toy can you get?! And you can grab like 20 at a time at restaurant, and nobody cares. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the perfect toy.



Anyhow- hubby introduced her to the wonderful world of rolling and thumping them, which makes a huge "pop" sounds- which of course she loves. She calls it "napping" the straw. Then, the ultimate- she learned how to blow bits of bagel/bread/danish/napkin through the straw, usually into mommy's face or in my hair... She adores this. So anytime we are out to eat, our table is a blur of crinkled straws, popping sounds, and flying of carbs. That's just how we roll...