Random Ella and Kyle Moments

Ella and Kyle: July 2

Kyle: July 4

Watching Spongebob: July 4

Getting an Ear-full: July 2

Ella's first time fishing: June 22

Ella at the Dairy Queen: June 18

Stars and Shooting Stars and Nemo

I love to get catologues in the mail. I never buy anything out of them, but I pour over them and pick all the things I'd like to order, and then "tsk" at the outrageous prices. So Ella is quickly learning from me. She gets the Toys R Us circulars every now and then, and has taken to picking out what she'd like and then showing me... 

This time around she came and pointed this out to me: 

So I asked her what it is, and she twisted her lip and cocked her little red-head to the side. So I asked her "Well, what do you do with it?" not thinking she really knew what it was, and her reply was : 

"You put your eye on one side and the sky on the other side, and you can see stars, and shooting stars, and more shooting stars . . pause here . . and Nemo!" 

I thought it was a pretty cute explanation, myself. 

Is this a bad sign?

Lately Ella is learning the fine art of cleaning her room. Art, you say? Yes, in our house it has become a very creative and crafty endeavor. As in, "where can I hide this 2x3 ft. book so nobody can see it, but it is not where it belongs?" or... "How can I parlay this 30 minute stretch mom has locked me in my room to put toys away into a watercolor extravaganza?" and even "What areas of my room have I yet to color with crayon?" 

You know, the usual. 

So, a week or so ago, I went in to check on her "progress" -and I use the term loosely, and I happened to see this out of the corner of my eye: 

 

So we had another talk about how we can be silly and goofy with baby dolls, but not baby brother. 

She is so doll obsessed right now it is amazing! Her favorites are named : Plastic, Rhymie, Pootie, and of coure, good ole Baby Alive. My personal favorites are Plastic and Pootie. As I am typing this and asking her to tell me again the names, she told me that "One of them is for sale" hahaha... So much like her daddy...

A Conversation with Kyle

He "talks"  with us sometimes... 

He is six weeks old today! He is as good and as easy as Ella was as a baby (barring that one horrible hospital stay). He's sleeping 8 hour nights, eating well, and generally happy! Well, I mean, he cries, obviously. Ella likes to explain "That's how babies talk- they cry." 

Well, I plan to get back into the blog-o-sphere soon, so I'll be back! 

I'm Baaaaack...

Hello my Loves. Has it really been two months? I'm so sorry. I know you have all been missing me...

Well, big changes around here! We have lots going on, what with my transitioning from one "career" to another, we'll be having a baby, God willing, in the next couple days, and then we're moving in the next couple months! Wahoo! Aren't we just the most sane people you've ever heard of?

At any rate, we are really excited. I am so looking forward to this summer, I have secured our pool passes, and gotten the perfect beach bag (thanks, Lori!)- I mean, really, what more is there!?

I am loving the prospect of just being mommy this summer. I can't tell you all how excited I am! (Cheese, I know, but it's true!)

I had SO SO much fun this weekend seeing so much of my family, actual and honorary, and some friends we don't see too often. Ella was divine all weekend, she really did well considering her life has been in turmoil for months now!

Here she is playing the part of mommy (me) the other night...

Cute, no?

SO Baby Brother is on his way. Well, not RIGHT NOW or anything, but hopefully soon. We finally DID decide on a name, and just decided to go public with it so people would stop asking, really... Drumroll please...

Joshua Kyle

Ella digs it more than we expected, and it's the cutest thing to hear her little voice saying "Kyle." I've taken in a couple things to be monogrammed already, so that means it's final :)

So, I don't really know what else I can tell you about right now. Life has been a nit overwhelming to say the least lately, but all in a good way; We've got so much going on right now that is just really awesome, I can't help but feel like a lucky duck! (I know, cheese again, blame it on my being 27 months pregnant)

Well, I'll be back soon... And most definitely when Kyle makes his arrival, we'll get some pics up for everyone to enjoy

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...