Yes, I know, I go overboard....

Just when I thought that nobody reads my blog, except for my sister and Grandma Gruber, I find out that Julia Pimsleur happened to stumble across my blog and was kind enough to leave a comment!  You may or may not recognize the Pimsleur name, but Julia Pimsleur created a line of language learning products for kids, called Little Pim.  In my last blog, I mentioned that my blogging time was up since Ella's Little Pim DVD ended, which is what drew her attention to my blog.

If you have read my previous posts, then you've probably picked up on my enthusiasm for educational stuff.  I've talked so much about the Signing Time DVDs, because Ella's been able to demonstrate how they really have helped her learn since she uses signs herself.  But, I'll now admit that we have not only the entire Signing Time collection but: about half the Little Pim DVD collection, Muzzy- Level 1 and Level 2, Your Baby Can Read, MonkiSeeMonkiDo, BabyBit- Volume 1 in English and Spanish, Preschool Prep, as well as a few others....  Sounds like a bit much, huh?  Oh, and I'm itching to finish her Little Pim collection, get Muzzy in Chinese- Level 1 and Level 2, and get volumes 2, 3, & 4 of BabyBit in English.  Then maybe I'll consider getting it in Spanish too : )  I'd already have it all, except for the fact that it all adds up!

Now, before you start wondering if I just sit Ella in front of the TV all day long, let me describe what it's like...  Every morning, Ella eats breakfast in her high chair.  As soon as she's done, I pop in a DVD (usually Signing Time or Little Pim) while I take the chance to clean up the kitchen, pop a load of laundry in the wash, etc...  Then at lunch time, same thing.  That's it.  2 DVDs a day - it's about an hour or so of "TV" and we both love the routine.

Most parents are aware of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that all children under 2 watch NO television.  So back when Ella was a couple of months old, I thought I better figure out if I would stick to that recommendation or not (who really does?).  I read a pretty thorough book Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children from Birth to Age Five, that really helped me to decide how I was going to use television in our house.  I remember even taking notes from the book, I thought it was so helpful (I take this parenting thing very seriously! lol)  Here's what I remember most from the book:

•  Evaluate the content of the program
• What's most appropriate for an 18 month old will differ from what's most appropriate for a 2 year old, and that will differ from what's most appropriate for a 3 year old, and so on
• Background television isn't beneficial 
• Constant background noise makes it harder for an infant/toddler to pick out words from a constant stream of not-yet deciphered language- and all the more difficult to associate meaning with those words, possibly delaying language development
• Children engage in a higher level of play, for longer periods of time, when they don't have a TV on in the background to distract them, even when they don't seem to be paying attention to it
• Interaction between caregiver and child is reduced when the TV is on (unless you sit down and watch with him/her, asking questions about what's going on - how many parents do that every time the TV's on?)
• There's nothing better than face to face interaction
• Children learn best through face to face interaction- there's more to that argument, but I don't think most people really question the importance of face to face interaction

Based on all the information presented from that book, I decided that I would allow Ella to watch appropriate programming, for only a limited amount of time so that we would avoid background television and make sure it didn't take away much from our own interactions with each other.  

Deciding what to show to your baby is hard, because there's lots out there!  Most common is probably Baby Einstein, but thanks to Your Baby Can Read, I had already decided it held little benefit- more likely none at all- and crossed that off my must-have list (although we do have the Baby Einstein sign language DVD which I think is great).  All the other DVDs I listed that we have, I do recommend.  Well, maybe not Preschool Prep- that one is pretty boring; it just doesn't measure up to the rest.  At least Signing Time has taught me ASL and Ella uses it daily, and Little Pim has helped me pick up some foreign words myself.  I have a Japanese friend, and every time she says a word I learned from Little Pim, I'm actually proud of myself for recognizing it!  Lol.  Ella's not speaking Spanish or Japanese (though her English is emerging quite nicely!), but I wouldn't be surprised if she also recognizes some of the words from her Little Pim DVDs.  I'm about 100% sure that Ella does NOT know how to read, but I think that she enjoyed all her learn-to-read DVDs, and I have no regrets in purchasing those.  Maybe they'll help "do the trick" later, who knows?

And as far as face to face interaction goes- she gets plenty.  That's what I credit for Ella's love of books.  She has loved her books from the beginning, and I'm sure it's because it's something we do together- although more and more she'll take one and "read" all by herself - sometimes signing what she's looking at: bird, bear, hat, etc.  

So, I've confessed to yet another thing: being a crazy first time parent who went completely overboard in certain areas, and still has no plans for stopping!  Now you can see why a comment from Julia Pimsleur on my blog got me so excited...  As a parent who dreams of her baby's future being full of so much potential, I am so thankful that there are people out there making products that at the very least, help me feel like I'm doing my job as a parent when I choose to use their products for my baby.  Thanks again, Julia!

Catching up!

Whew, I don't know where time goes!  Actually, sometimes I feel like giving up on blogging, facebook, etc - all things that I really don't keep up too well with anyway, and then just feel bad about it.  I may just drop off the face of the online world one of these days....  well, I'm not sure if I would go as far as giving up online shopping : )  By the way, I wouldn't say I've been shopping like a mad woman for baby clothes in a long time.  My shopping habits have shifted to the educational department- books, books, and more books would be a pretty good summary.  Kids can't have too many books, right?  : )

Today's big accomplishment was getting Ella into the doctor for her 15 month check up, although she's really 15 1/2 months at this point.  Anyway, all is well.  Ella is now 33 inches and 20 pounds, 6 ounces.  She has surpassed the 95th percentile for length; unfortunately, her weight has gone from the 50th percentile to the 10th!  Weight-for-length she doesn't even come close to the 3rd percentile when you look at the growth chart...  You wouldn't guess it by looking at her, especially if you watched her eat - she can really eat!  I'm feeling quite puzzled by it really, but I guess I'll just need to make sure to offer her snacks more often.  I'm about to give her a cookie right now, just thinking about it....  Being a dietitian doesn't mean I don't give her treats!  

What else is going on?  I'm very excited to start Ella in preschool at a local church next month!  Mommy gets a 5 hour break, twice a week!  Yay : )  I'm expecting Ella to throw a fit at first, but I think (or really, really hoping) that she'll adjust well to it.  She definitely enjoys being around other people, especially other little kids.     Anyway, I'm at a point where I really want to give it shot, for both our sakes!  : )

This picture was taken around Halloween actually - at the Brookfield Zoo in IL, when we last made a trip to see my parents, Sam & Donovan.  That was a really nice trip, I have more pictures to share, but I'm short on time and energy! : )

Well, my free time is just about up- Ella's Little Pim DVD already ended.  Back to mommy duty.  : )

Sixty signs and counting!!!

Wow, I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I lost blogged!  A couple of weeks ago I drafted a blog with graphs and everything to illustrate her signing progress- but I couldn't get the graphs to post!  Urgh- that made me soooo frustrated!  Anyway, so now I am back from my blogging break : )

Ella knows over 60 signs now!!!  She's constantly learning new signs.  The signs she uses on a regular (almost daily) basis and without our prodding, include : daddy, mommy, milk, more, eat, hot, done, wash hands, potty, airplane, bird, flower, dog, bug, bath, napkin, no, shoes, hat, apple, banana, telephone, baby, bear.... I might be missing a few!  Sometimes she'll sign please, thank you and sorry if we prod her : )  She's also now getting better and better at saying "shoes" and "keys" two of her favorite things!  Oh, and she now says "Daddy" instead of "Dada."  She's also starting to put words together - "my daddy!"  The first time she did it was when Ryan swooped up Donovan (her cousin) right when he got home from work- she also signed my daddy madly!  It's funny how babies can throw their emotions into their signs : )  She also just said "my daddy" a bit earlier - although not madly!  She's also trying to say "I want down" instead of just "down" - Ryan and Johnny (Uncle Johnny to Ella) also think that's what she's saying- so it's not just me!

Signing has been so much fun for all of us!  I really recommend it for all babies/toddlers!  Especially if you're going to show your baby shows on TV - then you might as well pop in something like Signing Time!  Ella loves it, and we both have learned tons from it.  If they had a home based business where you sold their DVDs at house parties, I would do it!  I just think there's so many benefits in babies learning to sign, that I wish everyone knew about it.

Well, I would write more but we are at Jitter's Coffee right now, and Ella is demanding more attention than I can give her while typing!  I would add pics/video if I could make up my mind on any- next time!  Hopefully it won't be so long til the next blog!

Aaa is for Apple!

I realized that in the last few blogs, I didn't really give an update on what Ella's doing now, so let me keep this post short and sweet and sum it up! Ella's regular vocabulary now includes:

1. Mommy (with that "eee" ending- she used to say Mama)
2. Dada
3. No
4. Uh-oh
5. Nana for Banana
6. Aaa for Apple (I know, not a word and neither is Nana as a short word for Banana... but she signs banana or apple at the same time that she says the word, so it's clear what she's asking for...)
7. Bye
8. Knock (as she knocks on the door, it's so cute!)
9. BB (the dog's name)
10. Stop
11. Up
12. Down
13. More
14. Milk (usually the "k" is left off)
15. Done
16. Dog (usually the "g" is left off)
17. Ball
18. Baby (sounds a lot like BB, but you can tell the difference, especially when she's signing Baby or Dog while she says it)

Of all the above words, she can and does sign all of them except for BB (we haven't made a sign-name for BB) and uh-oh (although her accompanying facial expression is appropriately matched!) I guess I can't say Ella is actually signing "knock" but she knocks on the door when she says it, which would be a loose interpretation of signing - but it is appropriate gesturing.

If you count animal noises, then "baaaa" and "ooo-ooo-ahhh-ahhhh" count! When she's playing with her monkey or sheep, she'll make the noise.... Today at Target, she started making all those monkey sounds when we went past some stuffed monkeys. And whenever we walk by bananas, she'll say and sign banana. Then when she woke up from her second nap, she walked over to the fruit bowl and said and signed apple. Today when she noticed a bug flying around, she signed bug (well, her own version anyway!) and said "buh." She also signed bread and juice today, for the first time- I was excited! She's getting close to 50 signs now! : ) Or is she already there? Could be... We're having fun watching Ella learn and discover new things! Here's a few pictures from the past week...

The playground at Memorial Park was awesome,

although you can't really tell here...

Playground at King's River,

walking distance from home

At the airport, watching the planes land...

Ella mesmerized by the fish at the zoo's aquarium

Life After Baby...

We were at Jitter's Coffee earlier today. It's got a little kiddie corner, so we love to come with Ella since she can occupy herself while we relax, or get stuff done on the computer. You can see the progression of Ella from playing to.... pooped!!!

It's quite an adjustment when you go from being able to do whatever you feel like in your pre-baby life, to having to consider whether or not the places you want to go to are baby-friendly, whether or not it'll fit in with their nap/feeding schedule, whether not you'll even have fun going, etc... So.... you end up with a whole new list of activities you wind of doing with your baby : )

Although there might not be anyone reading this blog that needs ideas for stuff to do outsideyour home with your baby (especially since there are very few people reading this!), I'm going to share what I've found anyway! I love to share tips/ideas - even when unsolicited (right Dad? hehe...)

PLAYGROUNDS, POOLS & PLAY DATES

In the past few weeks, I just started taking Ella to playgrounds. I wasn't sure at first if she could really "play" at one, but I guess I underestimated her! If she's not interested in the equipment itself, she's either into the wood chips, the bugs, or any other kids around - so yes, she loves a trip to the playground - indoor or outdoor! And oh my goodness, there are so many options for playgrounds!!! And of course, they're free!

I like to relax at the pool, so a day at the pool better include more than just me and Ella! When we have Ryan with us, it's so much better - I think I only did the pool as a duo once... Anyway, Ella loves the pool too, but this activity requires more work and planning...

I don't usually use the term "playdate", I mean we've gotten together with other mommies & their babies before, usually to do some activity and we don't call it a playdate... But hanging out in someone else's house is always fun for Ella: new place, new toys = excitement!!!

STORY TIME

Story times seem to be abundant for us, and usually they are free! We live close to a library that offers 3 storytimes a week, for just her age category alone and we don't even have to register beforehand. *Drop-in activities are the best!* There are 2 other libraries in the area that have similar programming, although we haven't tried theirs yet... We just tried the Barnes & Noble weekly storytime a week and a half ago- it was great (the storyteller was so animated- he even danced and sang!) There is a small local bookstore that recently opened, and we will be checking out their storytime as well : ) We have a community center nearby that has a monthly story time and craft (lots of places have story time PLUS a craft). Been there, done that one! I must say, the library is the best option for us considering that it is the most age appropriate for Ella.

So that would seem like plenty of options, right? Well, there are also storytimes at our zoo, the Teddy Bear Stuffin' Shack (like Build-A-Bear), Jumpin' Joey's (a bouncy place for kids) and The Mud Pie Company (paint-your-own-pottery studio). We just got a zoo membership, so I'm sure we'll go to that one, but I'll probably wait til Ella's a little older for the other three which are meant for about 3 year-olds and up... which by the way, do charge...

MOMMY & ME CLASSES (or Daddy & Me!)

For starters there's yoga and StrollerFit which are great for fairly young infants. We didn't have a Mommy & Me yoga class in the area, and while I was up for the free trial of StrollerFit - I was too lazy to make it a commitment! I wish I had though! Actually there's also Infant Massage workshops you can do, but I didn't find out about that til Ella was past the age recommendation.

Kindermusik classes start from infancy, but we only began a couple of weeks ago. There are actually 3 different Kindermusik options in our area - after sampling each (lots of places will let you do a free trial class), I chose to go with Miss Sandy because she's closest to home and seemed to be the friendliest with the most affordable tuition. Actually I won her 1/2 off tuition raffle : ) Anyway, I'm really happy we're doing this one - mostly because I like the other participants in the class.

Around 4 - 6 months, you can start doing swimming classes with your baby. I'm glad we did, and will probably pick it back up again soon (we're on a break!) There's a huge difference between the regular classes and survival classes, the best choice would just depend on your goals... socialization opportunity or life saving swimming skills, weekly or daily lessons, affordable or break the bank tuition.... Moving on!

There are Baby Signing classes, which I was dying to do with Ella a couple of months ago but I couldn't find any classes around us. As it turns out, Ella has learned so much from the Signing Time DVD series that has taught her so much in the comfort of our own home. I still think Baby Signing classes are a great activity that would be worthwhile for most babies. In my opinion, the optimal age for this kind of class would be 10 - 12 months. The earlier you start, the longer it takes for your baby to sign back and I imagine you'd want to see results if you brought your baby to classes- they are kind of expensive!

The Little Gym, Gymboree, My Gym - these are all about the same, I think. (We haven't been to My Gym, but we have their DVD.) These places all have neat age-appropriate equipment and instructors that demonstrate how to do skills right for their developmental stage. Ella goes to The Little Gym every week and because of this class is willing to do forward rolls with help. It's very cute how she bends over and tucks her head a little- although she doesn't seem to think she needs to use her arms since we are there helping her! It'll come : ) Ryan and I both enjoy taking her to the Little Gym, but it is expensive... There's another place nearby called Kids in Action, which has similar equipment; they have an open gym time for only $5. I've been meaning to try out their open gym, but we've been kind of busy! Oh I almost forgot- even Lifetime Fitness has a class for toddlers which we are enrolled in- it's okay, looks like it might get cancelled though... As soon as that's cancelled (or just over with), we're going to try the Tiny Tots class offered at the gymnastics academy- can't wait!

There's actually also Mommy & Me Spanish classes... I had to pass on this one, since it just didn't fit our schedule very well : ) We're busy people, as you can see!

MORE OUTINGS

There's the zoo, Old MacDonald's Farm, the Children's Museum (downtown and at the Woodlands Mall), the Health Museum, the Downtown Aquarium, the Space Center, events at Outdoor Miller Theater and Discovery Green Park. Lots to do! There's also just the simple stroll through the neighborhood, which Ella always enjoys... and we can walk the dog at the same time! Or we could walk to the park, the nearby Target, Petco, or other stores/eateries in walking distance. Even a drive through the car wash is cool for a baby- after we got out of the car wash, Ella signed for "more." We want to take Ella to the airport to watch the airplanes take-off and land- there's a perfect spot meant just for that- we just haven't found the time to do that yet. So much to do, so little time...

LIFE AFTER BABY?

Well, I hope that I've illustrated that you still have plenty to do once you have a little one... You don't have to stay holed up in your house going batty : ) It just takes a little searching to see what's going on in your area! Luckily there are lots of free things to do, and free trial classes so you can decide if it's worth the money before you dish it out.

There's other stuff like MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers, usually organized through churches) but it's not really something you do with your baby which is why I didn't list it above. While they're little you can keep them with you, but at some point (like by 1 years old) they go into childcare.I did MOPS in the Spring but have since crossed it off my to-do list for multiple reasons (Ella doesn't like to go into childcare, conflicts with nap time, just to name a few.) Along the same line, lots of gyms also offer childcare so you can get in a workout- although we tried that today and I got exactly 15 minutes in since Ella SCREAMED the whole time we were apart : ( so they paged me to come pick her up... I can't wait til Ella likes going to the gym- they really do have a great play area!!!

Oh, and did I mention that you can always go shopping???? : )

Creating a Shop-ster

Now when we are in a clothing store, Ella wants to get out from her stroller and "shop." Just the way a lot of us will look through the rack, so does Ella! I guess she's had plenty of time to observe. She is definitely learning through imitation....

How do I not create a "shop-ster" when I am one myself? I have been reflecting deeply on this- though you may be chuckling as you read because it seems like such a shallow subject to begin with.... Let me start from the beginning of my shopping madness...

While I was only a few months pregnant, I began buying baby clothes- always on sale, which seemed to justify my large purchases at first. Then at some point, she just had way more than she actually needed, at which point, who cares if it's a bargain? Enough is enough. But still I shopped and shopped. I used to try to put it all away very inconspicuously, so Ryan wouldn't notice how full her closet became... Well, he's not an idiot! Luckily though he never minded so much that it caused arguments. Now that Ella has a closet FULL of clothes for 12-18 months, and plenty in 18 - 24 months, and then 2 years just waiting to be worn you would think that I'm done. But no, I am still frequently browsing my favorite stores online for any "must-haves"... I also considered a couple of times, loaning or giving some away- each time I just couldn't do it! I'd end up buying more clothes to give as a gift out of guilt of not being able to part with anything from my "collection."

What is wrong with me? Do other mothers go this crazy or is it just me? From the mommy friends that I have, I seem to be on the far end of the scale... So, I'm thinking something probably is wrong.... And thus in my self- psychoanalysis I have decided that I have always felt insecure in what I am wearing and am trying to prevent Ella from feeling the same. If that just sounds like an excuse, trust me, my analysis doesn't make me feel any better...

I remember once a Spanish teacher telling me in junior high that I looked like Barney (yeah, Barney). In front of the whole class. It's because I was wearing a purple shirt and green pants. And you know what? I really liked that outfit! Well, I don't think I ever wore that again... I remember once going to a church event and not taking my jacket off the entire time because I thought my shirt was too tight, and I didn't want to be judged. And there were plenty of times I was reluctant to even go to church because I just didn't know what to wear. Even now when Ryan and I are like, "maybe we should go to church?" I'll be thinking "wait, what would I wear?" It's not just church events either. For instance, I love going to nice dinners with Ryan, but even then, it's like "WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?" Not to mention what shoes to wear!

While Ella rotates from adorable outfit to adorable outfit, I am rotating between 2 pairs of pants and about 5 shirts. I had more clothing choices, before I had a baby! You'd think I'd just go get more clothes for myself, but that's easier said than done. I am still up 10 pounds and not feeling up to buying clothes in a bigger size : ( I bought one pair of pants in a size so big I won't even say- I felt so sad trying all the pants on, I was crying in the dressing room. You'd think I'd cut back on the sweets, head to the gym... What can I say? I love to eat (I am a dietitian!) and I hate leaving Ella screaming in the childcare center at the gym. And the cycle of feeling less than beautiful goes on and on...

Which brings me to the next realization. I took all the compliments that my sister received while we were younger, as an implication that I wasn't pretty. Growing up, it felt like everyone always told my sister how pretty she was- but not me. What some family would remark on, was that they thought I was skinny. Not such a good thing to tell a young girl. I just felt even more worried about gaining weight- which I eventually did. So what's left to feel good about?

So there you have it. I didn't feel like I was pretty. I think I'm buying a ridiculous amount of clothes because I want the girl that Ella becomes, to always feels beautiful. So what's so wrong with my shopping then? Does that make it okay? I'm still not sure.... I do know one thing for sure. No matter what Ella wears, it doesn't make me feel pretty! So, while I do love buying her cute stuff, maybe what I should really do is work on beautifying myself... because as it turns out, that may be the real problem.

Well, this blog was more serious than intended, but this is what happens when I stay up late and blog, I guess. Typing while sleepy has its dangers: loss of inhibition. Hey, why would I ever pay for therapy when I'd rather use the money for buying baby clothes? : ) Might as well just blog my feelings : ) Then go shopping- or not : )

Birthdays!!!

Ella is 1 year old now!!!!!! Actually 1 year and 1 week old now! We had Ella's birthday party at a local petting zoo which was great, although it was HOT! It seemed like all the little kiddos didn't mind the heat. In fact, Ella was happy the whole time. She managed to make it to just about the very end of the party (which stretched out to 4 1/2 hours) when she wanted to nurse, and then of course fell right asleep! We had a good time, I think it turnd out well, but I did learn a few things like: don't wait til the day of your party to do the bulk of your shopping and make sure that you leave time to set-up for your party!!! We had our guests helping put out our decorations, yikes! I have always been pushing it on time... go figure. The funny thing is that I love planning things- just can't seem to plan to be on time! I'm already thinking about what we should do next year : ) Karaoke? It'd be inside with AC.... I'm going to have to convince Ryan that karaoke would be fun : ) At 2 years old, the party is still just as much for the adults as it is for her, right?

Ella sitting on a pony with Grandma Goldie at her side. In the picture below, Ella is with my mom, "Nana." She came in for a few days to help out with the party- BIG help!

And.... drumroll.............

We got a puppy! Actually, it's Ryan's puppy for his birthday, to be technical : ) Anyway, she's a lemon beagle, about 11 weeks old and super sweet. She was pretty shy at first, but she's warming up to us really nicely. She definitely likes to be around us : ) I'm saying "she" because we still haven't given her a name! We keep tossing names out like Bella, Betty, Beth, Daisy, etc but so far nothing feels right... Any ideas? I love our little puppy : ) I was really reluctant about getting one, since I know puppies typically mean accidents involving poop, pee, slober, fleas, yuck! And yes, there has already been poop and pee accidents in the house : ( And her nails made little tears on the ottoman (sign), but I think we picked up the perfect little pup for us : ) She's sweet. Ella and her seem to get along great so far- of course as a puppy she playfully nips, and Ella doesn't mind (!) I know, that sounds alarming, but it's quite innocent- but we will keep a close eye on those two to be safe. In this picture below, Ella is sneaking off with the pup's little snuggle toy!!! Scoundrel! : )

Today I sat down and filled out a baby signing memory book with Ryan. Guess how many signs our little smartie pants knows? 38!!! And that's the ones that we've observed! Not included in that number are a few "iffy" ones. I'm pretty sure she knows more (from watching her Baby Signing Time dvds), but we just haven't been able to put them all into context yet. Anyway, I'm so happy we started using sign language for her- it's such a great feeling when I know she really wants- for example- more milk, more food, or if she's all done. And whether or not it's from signing, I can really tell that her comprehension of language is building tremendously.

Ella is still going on the potty routinely- yesterday morning when I sat her on the toilet she immediately peed, then pooped, then signed and said "done!" We just need to work on her telling us she has go - we're still just following a regular routine which works, but ultimately she needs to be the one to determine when to go. Also, Ella is walking more and more- I would say that she's a toddler at this point! Toddling around and occasionally landing on her tush since she's still perfecting this new skill : )

Now, while I just said how WONDERFUL everything is, I'll admit- I'm seeing how your baby can test your patience! Ella is pinching and scratching right now- even biting somtimes- not out of malice, but excitement I think, or just not knowing any better. (Can a 1 year old even be naughty? I'm pretty sure the studies say no, although I'm not so sure myself....) So, I'm trying to teach her how to touch nice, and that teeth aren't used when giving kisses! This new part of parenthood- discipline, is definitely a stressful one since you just want to do what's right... Anyway, the one good thing is that Ryan and I are pretty much on the same page.... I swear Ella loves to use the word "no" now since she's hearing it a lot, and I even heard her like sing it once, lol... Pinch, scratch, bite- she's still the cutest little thing ever : )

While doing laundry, Ella climbed in the laundry basket, and I thought it was so cute, I raced to get the camera, and of course when I was finally ready, she had climbed out! So I asked her if she'd go back in so I could take her picture, and she did! She's posing for me here! : ) Like I said, cutest thing ever! : )

Nice hat!!!!

Here's my little cutie pie, with her bloomers on her head! That's how Daddy does it : ) Ella seems to be slowly turning into a Daddy's girl - you should hear her say "Da-da" Well, as always I feel like there's lots to say, but I'm just too lazy to blog all that much! I should mention though, that Ella is taking mutliple steps now- like twelve steps at a time! Smiling the whole time, it's so cute : )

Here's a picture of Ryan and Ella taking a nap earlier today....

Monday's highlights

I'd really like to "catch up" but it's nearly midnight and as productive as today felt, there's still so much on my "to-do" list that this post has to be short! So, here are the highlights of today - August 3rd....

• Ella signed hat, warm and cold today for the first time! Other recent signs include: love, baby, drink, eat, more -Older ones include: lights on/off, milk, dog, bird, wash hands, dirty, cheese, all done...
• We went to a sample Kindermusik class today and when the teacher dimmed the lights, Ella immediately signed lights once she noticed the change in lighting- very exciting for me to see!
• Ella has lots of books around that she'll pull out and leaf through. She loves, loves, loves to look at her books. Well today, I noticed her signing along with one of her signing books! She had the book open to a page that said something like, "Where is Sookie's hat" with a picture of a baby patting her head (which is the sign for hat in ASL). Ella was patting her head as she looked at the book, and when she caught me looking over at her she smiled really big - it was her "showing-off" smile....
• Ella stood up from sitting without even using her hands (she was holding a ball) and then took a few steps! Of course, that's when I wasn't in the room! Just like when Ryan got to see her very first steps a few days ago while I was upstairs : ( I'm at home all day long and she saves those special moments for Daddy! Totally unfair!
• Ella has gotten so good at climbing on/off furniture that today she climbed down from the arm of the sectional, which is quite a height for her- she almost scared me half to death! I jolted over to her, but it turned out she didn't even need my help.
• Ella has mastered the child-locks on the kitchen cabinets.... quite a pain really, but I have to say I'm proud to see her develop problem-solving skills! She figured it out maybe 2 weeks ago actually, but boy today she really showed me what an expert she is at it now...

Well, that should paint a pretty good picture of how things have been lately! I love being with her and watching her figure things out, seeing her take such pride and joy in all her little feats : ) I just LOVE her so much : ) So does Ryan- today he was holding his breath every time that she came close to a corner on the TV stand... She's precious to us : ) We did try to put something on those corners - but Ella took them off, of course!!! Hehe....

Why is it that babies always learn "no" so easily?

Okay, so I finally added pics to facebook, and now I am all tired out from being on the computer...   But I hate to take sooooo long to blog, so here is a video that I've been wanting to share...  It's at least 6 weeks old, but so cute, I think it's still worth sharing!  More to come later!

Happy Father's Day!

Well, as I'm typing it's actually after midnight and so I guess it's not Father's Day anymore... Anyway, I thought since it's been a couple of weeks since I last blogged (did I mention my laptop I just got at Christmas is DEAD!?! That's just one of the reasons why I haven't been keeping this up well) and now I'm not even posting pictures since I don't know where the camera cords are... oh well... I used to just put the SD card into the laptop, that was pretty convenient... Hopefully I will get my laptop fixed soon, but to be honest it's not high on my priority list...

So, what's the latest with Ella Bella? Today Ella made the sign for "potty" which is pretty exciting for us! She actually has been doing the sign for "lights on/off" for awhile now- and that one she picked up because we would say lights on/off as we entered or exited the bathroom when we put her on the potty. Repetition, repetition, repetition! I think if we were more consistent with other signs she'd pick them up too, but it's hard to remember to use signs all the time.

And while we're on the potty subject- drumroll... Ella pooped on the potty today! Actually she's done it seven or eight times since my last post, all within the past two weeks. Usually it's in the morning, but today it was in the afternoon after a long nap. Yesterday was actually a big deal, because I really felt like she was trying to tell me to put her on the potty- and when I did, boy did she poop a big one! I would say that typically we decide when to try putting her on, but this time she was in charge! Now I understand why people who do "potty-train" early call it Elimination Communication- it really is about communication! Anyway, I was so excited that I took pictures and a video, sent a picture over the phone to my mom, my sister and my mother-in-law... Ryan said that I'm totally weird and should definitely not put a video or pictures of it on the blog, hehe... I guess.... : )

Other mentionable things: Ella can clap, wave hello/good-bye, give kisses (with her mouth wide open!), shake her head no, and stick out her tongue- it's very cute! What's really adorable is that she understands when you ask her to do it, and she does! Of course, she doesn't do it much for company!!! Today she shook her head up and down (versus side to side for no) but I'm not sure if she understands that it is a gesture for "yes", and she doesn't do that one when asked to do so. The other really sweet thing she just started doing this past week, is to "share" her food or toy. Usually I have to ask for a bite and then she'll put whatever food she's holding up to my mouth- but if there's no food in her hand at the moment, she just puts her empty hand up to mouth. So there might not be a full understanding behind it, but who knows? She's surprising us every single day now with something.... Two days ago she climbed up on to the couch by holding onto a blanket that I was sitting on, and using it to pull herself up. Oh and she's also started to sway to music, very cute! : )

Ella's still taking swim lessons- at Lifetime Fitness right now. It's hard to say if it's really helping her at all, but it's something that we can do together and she seems to like it a lot. She also just started taking classes at The Little Gym. Now that, she LOVES, and it's definitely worth the time and money. Part of why she likes it is probably seeing all the other little kids right around her age- when her cousin Donovan was visiting just this past week, she had SOOOO much fun playing with him. He just turned one, so they make for cute little buddies crawling around together... Donovan would give Ella kisses spontaneously : )

Well, I wish I were better at blogging to make this whole thing more organized and interesting, but I've decided it's okay if this isn't a really great blog.... My goal right now is being a good parent, and that's pretty consuming. Not everyone agrees with the right "method" for that, but for me it means giving Ella a lot of attention, which means less time for other stuff... like this! : )

One more thing- since it's Father's Day... I just have to add that Ryan is a very attentive, loving daddy who will feed, change, and bathe Ella routinely and without complaint. He really does a lot, and not because I nag for him to do things. He loves his little baby, and she loves him : )

All time and eternity...

Wow it's been so long since I last posted!!!  Same old story- internet trouble (I actually already started blogging, had some kind of problem, lost the post and then had to start over!!!) along with the problem of having no really good time to blog...  actually right now Ryan is with Ella for her swim class, and someone else is cleaning our house!!!  As part of celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary, which was yesterday, Ryan decided to hire someone to clean our house- and he wants to keep it as a regular thing...  You know what I'm thinking?  I'm sooooo glad I married Ryan! : )  Hehe...  There are, of course, many more reasons but if you read the post from Valentine's Day, you already know I married my prince charming : )  Looking back over the three years we've been married, I feel very happy...  And I'm so glad that we have our little Ella Bella!

So what's new with Ella?  Her swim class that she's in now is a group class with kids up to 4 years old (I think).  At first she was a little apprehensive- probably because of her previous "intense" swim instruction by Glendy, but now she really loves being in the water.  By the way, having tried out both kinds of classes I would definitely recommend Glendy's private classes.  Ella doesn't get much attention from the instructor with the class that she's in right now- there's just too many kids and with such an age range- I almost might as well just play with her a pool by myself.  The truth is though, that I also enjoy some kind of structure and routine, so we're going to keep taking swim classes over the summer- we're just going to try out Lifetime Fitness' classes.  Ella only has one more class left at the place we're going to now...

Actually just last night we joined Lifetime Fitness, and I'm pretty excited to get back into a fitness routine!  : )  I haven't really make any effort to lose weight and I feel pretty confident that with some effort, I'll slowly see some results...  Ten pounds and I would be happy, twenty pounds and I would be ecstatic!  I actually already had a gym membership at 24 Hour Fitness, but I have used it once in the past year- how pathetic, huh?  Anyway, since Lifetime Fitness has GREAT childcare for members (up to 2 hours everyday, for free), a huge rockclimbing wall Ryan can use, a beautiful indoor and outdoor pool, and lots of children's activities- I feel a little more motivated to use their facilities...  Another reason is that I joined that hula group I was talking about earlier, and a few of the girls practice there...  Anyway, I'm glad to finally have some motivation to get back into shape! 

Back to Ella!!!  She is totally a momma's girl right now : )  Apparently she is mostly putting on a show- when I leave and when I return she turns on the water works!  In between she'll be pretty happy though...  (Well, not always!)  She normally says "ma-ma-ma-ma" but when she's upset she'll get out "mom-meeee"  Hehehe...  She's still using the potty every day- we try to do it whenever she gets a diaper change (as long as we're at home), and she'll normally go "pee-pee in the potty" at least 3 times every day.  Her record is 5 times in one day!  And once, she even pooped on cue! 

Unfortunately, Ella has been having trouble sleeping lately : (  I think it's the combination of the start of separation anxiety, teething pain, and her increased activity.  I was reading on BabyCenter.com that once babies hit new milestones they sometimes practice in their sleep and it wakes them up...  I guess I'd have to watch her sleeping to see if she suddenly started "sleep-crawling"!!!  She is crawling really well now, and she loves to pull herself to a standing position anywhere she can get a good grip.  Once she got crawling, she really started getting better and better...

Hmmm, I'm trying to think of what else is new....  Ella makes the funniest faces lately, I'll have to try to get a video of it sometime so I can post it....  : )  I have more pictures and videos to post but I'm just too lazy to do it right now....  Hopefully I won't take so long to post again!

I couldn't be prouder...

Before her lesson; after the lesson...

This is hard for a baby!!!

This past week has been very, very exciting for me... Ella has had a lot of success using the toilet (with help, obviously!), and she did so well during her swim lessons... She is floating and kicking but we'll have to help her to use her arms more. Glendy said to focus more on that- and specifically, don't do a lot of underwater stuff with the baby! Well , just once every month or two in order to maintain those skills? I better confirm with her- anyway it's not necessary to do that with her often. And as she gets stronger she should get better at holding on to the edge of the pool. We'll have to go over to Ryan's parents house sometimes to practice : ) Ryan and his mom both came to the last lesson to watch, and I was able to get in the pool to practice working with Ella myself. I was a little nervous doing it but we did alright. Ryan was so impressed with it all that he's already agreed we should have Ella spend another week with Glendy next year, to help her reinforce old skills and learn some new skills. I hadn't anticipated doing it another time (mostly because it was a little pricey for me) but we liked it so much that we are planning on doing it next year too. It was worth it, definitely.

Thursday (Day 4 of lessons)

Friday (Day 5 of lessons)

Back to why this week has been so exciting! In addition to learning to swim and using the toilet a bunch, I think that I might be able to officially say that Ella crawled! She really wanted to get to those things she can't play with (the remote control, a tray for drinks) so she did some forward lunges utilizing all her limbs and made her way to those "fun" adult things! And then I put them farther away, how frustrating! So I think she just needs motivation to really get moving... She also has her first tooth coming through her bottom gums! You can hardly see it, but you can definitely feel it! Ryan just discovered it this morning. Everyday it seems to be something new now! I know teeth are inevitable and nothing to be proud of, but somehow I am!!!

Ella's comprehension of things is starting to amaze me too... Like today I asked her, "do you want to read a book?" And she immediately looked over at the books on the shelf next to the bed, where I keep some of her books. This actually happened twice today, so I don't think it was a mere coincidence or that I was mistaken (Ryan was there one of the times, and he agreed she clearly understood what I was talking about.) I'll try to incorporate some signs for things we use/say a lot: book, duck, milk, potty, lights on/off, etc - I don't know if that's helping but she does look intently at my hands when I do- and when I'm signing duck she smiles with amusement : ) I think it's because she likes to play with her rubber duckies in the bath tub, and there's also a cute stuffed duck from Ryan's parents that makes a quacking noise- she likes that. Anyway, I can't say that she's signed anything back yet- sometimes it looks like she might be signing milk but I think she's just wiggling her fingers... Still, I think that it's helping her to develop language comprehension skills... and eventually it may lead to some preverbal communication!

Here's another, AMAZING thing I don't even expect you to believe it but I'm going to tell you anyway.... Ella watches a DVD everyday (once or twice daily) that is ultimately supposed to help her learn to read. The written word comes on the screen, it's spoken, there's some image to associate meaning to the word, and there are parts to make it interactive also- the multisensory approach. Anyway, so Ryan was watching the DVD with her Thursday evening and the word "kick" came on. Ryan encouraged Ella by saying the word himself and demonstrating the motion. In response, Ella said "kick"! Clearly. This isn't the only instance either. About three weeks ago she clearly said "cat" after seeing and hearing it- and later in the week she attempted to say "dog" after seeing and hearing it (she didn't get the "g" but her attempt was right on cue). It's so exciting to see that she's really tuning in to what she's learning- and yes, she does enjoy it!

Well, I can't wait to share more of Ella's accomplishments- but I think that blogging 3 times in one week means I probably won't blog at all for the next week. It takes me longer than I'd like to spend doing it!

Amazing Baby!!!

So here's another video to freak you out. I do feel a little bad watching Ella do this, but I know that her having developed some survival skills is a worthwhile thing. I wish that the video didn't show a freeze frame of Ella the way it has it set though- face down in the water! I did not do that on purpose! Anyway, her lesson went okay today. She seems to be picking things up pretty well. I guess I might sound a little less than enthusiastic just because I know that it's stressing her out- however temporary it is. Just as soon as I handed Ella over to Glendy to get started, she cried in protest. But then afterward, she calmed down pretty quickly and smiled at Glendy a couple of times. And the rest of the day she was a pretty happy camper. So I know she's okay. I thought I was totally okay watching her swim lessons, but it does still make me hold my own breath a little!!!

If you're reading this and thinking I must be a crazy nut, then you might as well stop reading now because here's some more craziness... Ella used the toilet 4 times today! I know I said earlier that we're not potty training but now it's seeming like it's just naturally happening, honestly! When I changed Ella's diaper this morning I held her on the toilet, and without much urging at all, she peed! Then while I was feeding her breakfast, it seemed like she had to go number 2, so I took her out of the highchair and took her to the toilet. No luck. We went back to eating breakfast. Just a little bit later she farted (big time), so I took her out of the highchair and took her to the toilet again. It was just the right time- I don't think I needed to do anything- she immediately pooped in the potty! It may sound weird, but it was soooo exciting when it happened! Then later on in the day, after she'd had lunch, nursed, and napped for 2 1/2 hours, I thought we better do a diaper change/go to the potty. Her diaper was dry! After lunch, nursing, and a long nap? I think she must have held it. Once I put her on the potty, she peed liked she'd been saving some up! The last time she went, was with Ryan while he was getting her ready for bed. This has just been so amazing... She still does have dirty diapers, but I think if we just keep up with watching for her cues, I don't know, maybe she'll be out of diapers sooner than we'd anticipated. Anyway, I'm thinking of taking a video of Ella on the toilet- would that be weird? I don't know if I'm a good judge of what's weird anymore (or ever.)

Okay, well I am awake at 2am. Too much to do.....

Hold your breath!!!

Ella started her waterbabies class this week. It's a little non-traditional: private lessons 5 days in a row with Glendy Herron. You can look her up on facebook or myspace to find out more about her; her business is called Glendy's Waterbabies. Anyway, at the end of the week, Ella should have enough skills to roll onto her back and float, swim to the edge of a pool and hang on! So obviously, it's not a "fun" swim class- it's all about survival. Hopefully Ella will never be in water without an adult right there with her, but the reality is that drownings are a leading cause of death for young children, so better safe than sorry, right? Plus won't that be great when she can swim! Starting in May we'll be taking a "normal" waterbabies group class at the Kingwood Athletic Club. We'll probably continue taking classes throughout the summer, but we'll see how that goes in May first.

Yesterday was Ella's first lesson with Glendy and she did well, although she definitely cried a LOT! Afterward she held on to me sooo tight, poor thing. But later on she was as smiley as ever. Today's lesson went okay- I think it would have gone better but she didn't get a good nap in (more like a 5 minute snooze in the car!) I felt pretty guilty about that, since it was due to our going to watch a hula show right before. Anyway, tomorrow it is back to our usual routine so she'll get in a really good nap and have more energy for her lesson. And then I won't cringe as I watch...

Here is Ella with Bernie, who also has a baby girl right around Ella's age, Malia. I had a baby and I haven't really done anything with myself yet- Bernie, she's performing hula! So is Eri who's baby, Kai, is only a few weeks older than Ella. I think I should join their group, huh? I danced with Eri back in college (forever ago, hehe). Anyway, here's their website if you want to check it out...

http://www.alohapele.com

How time flies!

My cousin, Lisa, with Ella

Where has the time gone? Well, let's see... I took a short trip to Chicago - on fairly short notice. My cousin, Lisa, was going to be visiting my folks for a few days, and we hadn't seen each other since my wedding so I decided- heck, you can manage flying just you and the baby! And you know what? I really did! I'll admit it took me almost all morning to get myself together for the trip, and I almost missed the flight since I did not get there early enough- especially considering the check-in line was both super long and stagnant. In desperation I checked in at the "carry-on" kiosk even though I definitely intended to check my bag if not there then at the gate- so I just whizzed through security hoping that no one would give me a hard time about my hefty luggage- and no one did. But I did have a baby strapped to my chest; I'm thinking that may have had something to do with it. Ella slept for most of the flight, and upon waking cooed like the little cutie she is! Coming home I thought I would definitely have a hard time, since the flight ended up getting delayed, but I got lucky again - she nursed and slept while we waited to board, and this time we had the whole row to just us so I could really spread out. And sitting right behind us was an elderly couple that really engaged Ella every time she could peek through the space between the seats. Anytime she got a little fussy I'd just lift her up a little and point her at them, and they'd get her smiling : ) Oh, and the other thing I was worried about was having to use the toilet (I wasn't sure what to do with Ella if I had to go!), but for once I didn't even have the urge- it may sound funny, but that right there felt like divine intervention because I've been on the plane before and had to pee so bad, there was no waiting for that "fasten your seat belt" sign to go off... TMI? Sometimes I just don't know where to draw the line...

Hmm, anyway... the trip was good, short and sweet : ) Mostly a family visit but I got to see a few good friends which is always nice! One day I felt so nauseous in the car, I rolled down the window as far as it could go to see if I could fit my head out in case I needed to throw up suddenly... It reminded me of how I felt when I was pregnant with Ella... Well I did end up throwing up, but it was nothing to do with being pregnant - I checked, hehe...

Well, this seems to be a long post already so I think it's time to wrap it up. We're been busy, but you know it's mostly our daily routine (eat/sleep/eat/sleep/eat/sleep, hehe), not a whole lot to blog about... although at the risk of being judged, I will just go ahead and say that one of the most exciting things for me today was Ella going pee in the toilet! I'm not potty training Ella, but when I'm pretty sure she's got to pee, why not put her on the potty? She seems amused to be on the potty (you should see her smile), plus it seems more hygienic that her waste goes down the toilet versus her sitting in it... And I wouldn't say that I'm all that "green", but this would count as being environmentally friendly (okay now you can see I'm just throwing out all kinds of justifications for this.) Some people are really against early potty training (which like I said I'm not even really potty training), but the norm used to be to potty train your kids by 1 year, and doing some online research, it seems that a good portion of the world potty trains as infants... so as long as she's smiling about it, I'll keep doing it... And whether or not she pees, her smiles are always returned : )

I took this picture last week...

Ella was all excited about her little chair from Aunt Chris!!!

Soooo cute!!!

Just a quickie!!!

I am pretty much a blogging idiot. I never seem to be able to get the formatting to look right, and I have no idea how to add all that pizazz that so many other blogs have, but I think I've come to terms with my remedial blogging. At least I can add pictures!!! : ) And so here are a bunch from this past Saturday (the 21st). She can stand with support, but needs to be put into standing position. So if it looks like she's standing, it's because I was trying to snap the pictures quick before she lost her balance!!!

Yes, she has a raincoat...

My little Ella Bella is sleeping nice and sound in her crib : ) I love how every time I put her down in the crib she just rolls over to her side. I think it's because every time we nap together she's on her side since we face each other. I guess the side position just feels natural to her.

I am just loving this age.... Ella's showing more and more personality, laughing and babbling, sitting up well now, still perfecting rolling over and just starting to crawl.... I feel so excited just thinking about all her potential... And I definitely am just enjoying the moment, our day to day routine... I just love this age! I don't know what else to say for now, all that I think about is how much I love, love, love my little Ella Bella!!!!!!!!

Well I am hearing little whimpers coming from her room.... I'll admit we usually take the morning nap together : ) I love making my own little interpretations for everything - "she must miss me right now" Hehe...

Back to baby!!!!

***please excuse this HORRIBLE formatting, but I give up on trying to make it look right!!!****

So I have been meaning to write sooner, as always! I got back from Florida last Sunday night and have really enjoyed being at home with Ella since then. I definitely felt like she missed me and LOVES me : ) That first night I let her sleep in bed with me, since I missed her so much and plus Ryan still wasn't home. But would you believe it, three times this past week we put Ella in her crib drowsy- but with her eyes wide open- and she actually went to bed without a fuss? No crying at all!

I start to feel a little anxious when other people describe how they have sleep problems with their kids, so it is really nice transitioning Ella to a fuss-free bedtime routine! She would usually sleep in her crib, but I would have to nurse her to a deep sleep first in order to avoid a LOT of crying. If she woke up when I put her down, it was like, "okay, start over!" Now that I'm putting her down awake, I just can't believe she's not putting up a fight!

Ella is aso eating very well right now. She's had rice cereal, oatmeal, barley; turkey, beef, chicken; lots of fruits and veggies! I am so happy she's been eating everything so well. Just this past week, I have been feeding her breakfast, lunch and dinner in her highchair and what a difference it has made! Before, it was like I was nursing her all the time and still she wanted more! I think she was definitely ready to eat more....

Well this posting will have to be short- we are going to Ryan's parents' house for dinner- I think Ella will be very happy to see them. They watched her while we were out of town and hasn't seen them since. She's a lucky girl - having lots of family around who love her lots : )

Separation anxiety!!!!!!!!!!

This weekend I'm going with Ryan on a business trip, and Ella isn't coming : ( I would normally work on Thursdays but I took today off to spend more time with her... and she's been so fussy!!! : ( Oh well, I'm still happy we've had extra time together. Even though our days are not exactly full of excitement, there is quite a bit of amusement.... like today I thought I smelled turkey out of the blue, which was weird... but then I remembered we fed her pureed turkey the night before... yes, her poop totally retained the smell of turkey, which actually beats regular poop stink! Think about it, has that kind of thing ever happened to you? Okay don't think about it- that's pretty gross... But you know what else is weird? After she ate the turkey, she fell asleep as if the turkey made her so sleepy!!! Funny coincidence... her portion was so tiny I can't imagine that it contained an amount of tryptophan high enough to have a "sleepy" effect, but I wonder... : )

Jessica took this picture of Ella 2 weeks ago and I had meant to post it sooner. Cute, huh? Her eyes look so blue, I think there may have been a little bit of photo editing. But yes, her eyes are definitely still blue- although I would describe them as a blue-grey... I noticed a couple of days ago that she's losing hair (there was a bunch in her crib) and I think more is coming in. Her head has been looking really fuzzy lately : ) It looks kind of blond in sunlight but it seems to be too dark to be blondish... We'll see - her looks are still a toss-up. Now that it's warming up outside, I think there's a chance that Ella will pick up some more color. But who knows? I think she's the cutest baby ever and I'm sure I'll think that no matter how certain features might change. I really did think she'd look a little more like me in the beginning - honestly, as soon as Ella came out I was like, "that's my baby?" "she's so blue - now she's sooo white, she doesn't look anything like me!" Here is the very first picture we took of her... She's changed sooo much, huh?

And here was what I was picturing would come out.... a baby that looked just like me!!! LOL

The funny thing is, my mom showed me the first picture that they took of me and I looked kind of scary, I have to say... I won't even post it! I'm not sure how old I am in the picture above, but I think I'm a couple of months old here... And these pictures are from 2 days ago - boy was she wiggly!!!! Well, she is presently wiggling all around in her monkey gym, looking up at me with this look like "are you done yet?" Time to play with baby!!!!