Catching up with pictures!!!

Wow, I can't believe I let almost 3 months go by without blogging at all!  Well, I'll admit I'm still not in a blogging mood, so I just thought I'd share a bunch of pictures for now!  The above picture is from a fundraiser I took Ella to in April.  It was a really cute event: "Pink Parlor" a spa for little girls- they could get their makeup done, nails and hair and then finish up with a professional photo.  Ella's still a little sparse on the hair (and wriggly!), so we skipped that part but I think she liked getting her (very light) makeup application and nails done.  The following pictures are favorites of mine from February up through May....

Ella loves puppies!  This is at Jumpin' Joey's near our home.

At Wonder Wild, in the Heights.

Ella being silly!  That's her diaper cover on her head! : )

Sometimes it's hard to take her picture, can you see why?  : )

Ella's first haircut!  This is at Snip-its, in the Woodlands.

They use everything to keep the kiddos happy:

bubbles, toys, a personal TV with a cartoon playing, a lollipop...

And still, it didn't go so well....  

Eventually I just had to hold her while she got her trim!

We just started getting into doing more artsy stuff together; 

this picture was from April... 

My dad, "Papa," to Ella, makes a good buddy!

We just made a trip to visit my family back in late April/early May.

If you ask Ella if she wants to go shopping, she nods and says "shopping"

It's so cute! : )

She can be quite expressive! : )

She loves the sprinkler, and her little kiddie pool too : )

Ella and Daddy at the Butterfly Exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science

What's more fun than making whipped topping by hand?  

Eating it, of course!

Ella at her Sibling Class through the Woman's Hospital of Texas,

 which is where I'm going to deliver Baby Kate..  

I'm not sure how much she absorbed from this, but it was cute! 

Sunday right before Memorial Day.  

Grandma Gay invited us to her church's Jazz Sunday event.

Our little tree hugger!!!

I love all her expressions! : )

She's my little beauty! : )

No more nursing!

Ella is watching her mind-numbing colors DVD by Preschool Prep Company right now.  As boring as it is (for me and every other adult, at least), I think that Ella is learning from it...  It's funny to me how she's moved from one DVD to the next- I mean, she'll insist on a certain DVD and be very emphatic about it if I try to slip another one in.  She knows what she wants!  When the DVD ends, she says/signs "all done" and then turns the TV off, pops the DVD out and bring it over to me to put away.  She's usually pretty helpful at home, putting things away when I ask her to.  Okay, it might take a minute or two for her to fulfill my request- but I could say the same for Ryan!  : )

Ryan and I went out of town last Thursday through Monday for a cruise out of Galveston to Cozumel....  There's nothing like a vacation : )  I think we're both pretty set to go on another cruise the next chance we get!  I had a really good time, and luckily my days of nausea and vommitting are behind me so I made good on the all-you-can-eat aspect of the cruise : )  I think I gained 5 pounds in 4 days! 

Since Ella and I would be separated for a couple of days, Ryan thought I should take the opportunity to wean her.  I knew it was a good time to wean, but she's so cuddly and cute when she nurses now, stroking my belly as her way of being nice to baby Kate, that I kind of wanted to keep going....  So we got back Monday, and it wasn't until Wednesday that I gave in and nursed her once, and I think after that she decided my milk wasn't good anymore!  Or she wasn't getting anything anymore?  I couldn't even tell...  Anyway, she's done asking for it.  The funny thing is the next day (Thursday), when I picked Ella up from preschool I got the report that she kept trying to get at her teachers's "milk supply"!  I guess Ella thought maybe her teacher had better milk to offer?  Well, I would say we've reached quite a milestone!  18 months of nursing is long enough for me!

Okay, well I will have to keep this post short- Ella is wanting my attention now.  I'll post pictures later!

It's a girl!!!

At my 20 week ultrasound (this past Friday), we found out that we're having another girl!  I am soooo excited to be having a girl, again!  : )  I had wanted a girl so badly, and truly thought it was a girl, yet every time somebody told me they thought it was a boy or hoped it was a boy, I was afraid all their wishing would make it true!  All these weeks, it seemed like I was the only one who was hoping for a girl.  Fortunately things usually go my way : )

We've already decided on a name: Kate Elise.  If you recall, we named Ella after my maternal grandmother - Eleanor, actually.  We had debated between Eleanor, Ella, Ellie, and Elle.  I know, using a short version isn't quite the same- I don't think my grandma felt like we'd named our baby after her....  To me though, the meaning is still there.  My grandmother passed away last year, but it will be nice to tell Ella about her as she gets older.  We also gave Ella my mom's middle name, Ilima.  It's Hawaiian for "beautiful flower."

So for baby girl number 2, we decided a long time ago that she would be named after Ryan's maternal grandmother, Katherine, and Elise is Ryan's mom's middle name.  As for the rest of our kiddos that are yet to be, I don't know what we'll name them!  Actually Ryan has a boy's name picked out: Christian McAllister....  To be honest, I might have objected if he hadn't pretty much let me make the decision for the girls' names.  And McAllister is Ryan's middle name : )

I'm getting more and more excited!  I started to feel the baby's movements about a week ago.  It's both good and bad because once you start feeling the movements, you're always anxious to feel the movements!  This being my second time being pregnant though, I am less anxious overall.  I'm still throwing up here and there, but it's not a big deal.  When Ryan and I went out for dinner Sunday (Valentine's Day!), shortly after having soup and salad, I threw up the entirety of my stomach's contents - then came back to the table and finished my meal!  Hey, at least I can still enjoy my food afterwards!  Maybe each pregnancy will be easier and easier...  I like to think on the bright side : )

Ella has been giving my belly hugs and kisses - I'm not sure if she really understands that there's a baby in there or if I just have her trained well!  What's funny though, is she held her sippy cup to my belly button the other day, like she was trying to feed the baby!  Okay well, she has also tried to feed her sippy cup before...  hehe...  She's a funny girl : )

We've decided that we will put Ella into Montessori, at age 3.  So next year, she'll stay where she's at right now.  We'll save money, and the 2 day/week routine will leave plenty of time for the other activities I want to do together: Mommy & Me gymnastics, dance, Spanish, and music classes.  I just registered Ella for that dance class we tried out last week; I think we'll really enjoy it.  Since today was a holiday and there was no preschool, I took Ella to a trial class at a gymnastics place nearby, called Rowland/Ballard.  Compared to The Little Gym, it was definitely more gymnastics oriented - the other kids knew how to pike, tuck, straddle, etc - but they were also 3 and up, so maybe that's why it didn't feel like the right level for her.  Anyway, it seems great but all Ella wanted to do was jump on the trampoline half the time!  She threw a huge tantrum when I tried to get her to do other stuff, so eventually I said, "whatever!"  : )  She did eventually play in the pit, and swing on the rings- she was really great at that actually!  Anyway, I always enjoy trial classes - especially if they're free!  That one wasn't free, although I think shelling out the money does make for a better overall evaluation of the experience.

I think I'm beginning to hear Ella stir; she went down for a nap 3 hours ago so it's about time : )  I am so, so grateful that she's napping on her own now, and for a long time!  These pictures are from about a week ago.  Ella likes that onesie - she likes to point at the bee and say "bee!"  You'll notice she also likes to play piano with her butt and feet...  : )

No more tears!

This is why it's so hard to take a picture of Ella lately - she wants to hold the camera herself!  Or she's zooming across the room!  I have so many pictures of her side/back...  Anyway....  The thing on Ella's back in this picture, is her butterfly nap mat for preschool - she loves it...

I have very good news!!!  This past Monday, Ella didn't cry at preschool!  She didn't even cry when I dropped her off- she just blew me kisses and said bye-bye!  I think that was her fifth time there, so everyone's reassurance that they all need 2 weeks to adjust was pretty right on, if you consider that class is held twice a week.  Tomorrow her class has a Valentine's Day party, so she has little lenticular Hello Kitty Valentine's to give to her classmates.  I wouldn't have thought that they'd exchange Valentine's so young but we just went to a trial dance class and they also had a little Valentine's Day party, complete with Valentines.

Now that Ella is almost 18 months, she'll soon be able to start taking dance classes at a studio about 15 minutes away or gymnastics classes at a gym less than 5 minutes away.  I have to pick between the two since they're offered at the same time.  Ella seemed to like the dance class today (probably because 1/3 of the time was devoted to the Valentine's party which meant cookies & lollipops!) and the moms were really nice...  But living vicariously through my daughter, I am leaning toward gymnastics : )  But she's already taking classes at The Little Gym...  Oh, decisions, decisions : )  Don't even get me started on whether or not to go ahead with Montessori - we're still thinking that one over : )

Ryan and I finally popped in a few Signing Time DVDs just to do the sign review section, and yes, Ella was using the sign for backpack (see previous post).  Back in October, we wrote out a list of all the signs she's used; the count was over 60 signs back then.  Now, Ella knows over 100 signs!  Some of my favorites are: cold, please, sad, cry, scared - I guess because she really acts those out.  I need to get some of it on video, it's so adorable!

Here is Ella, on Skype with my dad! 

She's dressed in a little dance leotard, just to try it on : )

While my mom was visiting last week, Ryan and I got to go on a date two nights in a row!  It was so nice...  And Ella loved spending time with Grandma Banana - our new nickname that grew out of "Nana" - Ella would sign banana whenever we said Nana....  hehe...

Well, this Friday is the big day for us - we'll find out if we're having a boy or a girl!  I can't wait to know for sure, although I already think it's a girl : )  I'll make sure to post sometime with the announcement! : )

Bye, Bye BB

Wednesday morning I pretty much flipped out at Ryan and told him either things needed to change with the dog (obedience school, regular walks, poop picked up in the backyard, etc) or I could no longer tolerate her presence in our house.  I know, I don't sound very nice.  The truth is, having BB around, I didn't feel very nice.  I think I'm a nice person, but BB drove me sooooo crazy that I would silently curse her in my head daily.  And I felt bad about it too, because BB actually does like me (who knows why?)  Anyway, Ryan decided it was best to get her out of the house for awhile if not permanently.  She's at his parents for now until we decide what to do (find her a new permanent home, probably.)  To be totally honest, I am SOOOO glad she's out of the house.  My stress level is down already.  I do feel bad that it didn't work out, for Ryan's sake and for Ella, who loves her : (  But the funny thing is, Ella would constantly say "no, no, BB" and "down, BB, down!" since she constantly heard us saying that to her....  As much as BB drove me crazy, I also think she deserves to be somewhere where she's wanted- when I say that, I can only speak for myself because I'm the only one who really wanted her gone, but being a stay-at-home-mom, my vote really matters- I'm home a lot!  Well, hopefully we'll find her a place where she's happy and someone is happy to have her around.

Ella is in preschool as I am typing, and although she cries when I drop her off, her teachers tell me she drops the act once I leave : )  I think she's adjusted pretty well, but she now has a constant runny nose which I'm sure is related to preschool!  Ryan and I are trying to decide if we should invest in Montessori school starting in the fall, or just keep her in the program she's in now - the difference is about $400 more a month, so we'll really have to weigh the benefits with the cost.  I think what I'm starting to grasp, is that we'll have two kiddos before you know it, which eventually means twice the bill for activities.  So once this next baby reaches preschool age, will we be willing & able to pay $800 more a month to do Montessori school versus a more affordable church-run preschool program?  I don't know....  If only money were no object! : )

Ella's language skills are emerging more every day.  For example, last night  Ella was playing with my damp hair and after I said "it's all wet," she kept saying "all wet, it's all wet."  Last week, we were playing on a playground and she would stick her face between some bars and say "I see you!" and then pick another spot to stick her face through and say "I see you!"  She's still signing- lately she's been signing cold a lot, since it's been cold lately.  Yesterday, she found a toy caterpillar while we were at the library's storytime hour; she brought it over to me and signed caterpillar - it's such a cute sign!  I'm realizing I need to review some of the signs on her Signing Time DVDs, since she occasionally does something and I'm like "is that a sign?"  I think she was signing backpack yesterday but I'm not sure, since I don't know the sign for backpack myself!  Whether or not she was signing it, I do know that's what she wanted - she loves her Hello Kitty backpack!

Thankfully, we've cut back on nursing - just 2 to 3 times a day.  Ella has adjusted pretty well to it.  It was funny though, just yesterday she bonked her head (on purpose I think) and when I opened my arms for her to come to me, she smiled and ran over and fell into my lap like I was about to give her some "medicine" to make her better.  That's how it used to be- nursing is a quick fix for an owie!  Anyway, I have to admit I come close to caving in sometimes to the extra nursing sessions, but I've managed to direct her to her sippy cup of milk instead.

I think come March, I'll start potty training - we'll see though.  If she's really resistant, I can wait.  I think she's ready though- I noticed her diaper was dry after her nap yesterday so I set her on the toilet, and she peed.  Normally though, she doesn't want to sit on the toilet for me.  But she also hates getting her diaper changed.

  

I've been a slacker with taking pictures lately, so there's not much to post.  But I thought this was a good one to show how Ella has discovered her climbing skills can get her quite far!  In no time at all, she's on the chairs, then the tables!  How do you baby-proof that?  I suppose I just better teach her how to get down safely!

Well, my mom is coming to visit this afternoon and our guest bedroom is a disaster.  It's the one room where I can just throw things into it and shut the door.  It looks like Ella went in there and threw everything all around, but no, that room's mess is entirely my fault.  I better get to it...

Big news : )

Ella started preschool last week!!!  She loves her Hello Kitty backpack, Hello Kitty lunch box, and her butterfly napmat.  Preschool itself?  Well, everyone tells me it'll take about 2 weeks before she's adjusted.  She cried when I left, she cried while I was gone - although I was assured she didn't cry the entire time!  Anyway, the people there all seem really nice and I do think she'll get into the grove and start enjoying her time there.  I am definitely enjoying the free time myself!!!!  It's amazing having a couple of hours that I can spend HOWEVER I want!  : )  Yesterday, I had lunch with Ryan before going to pick Ella up - that was really nice.  I thought maybe I'd use the time (it's twice a week) to be really productive at home...  So far, I've gotten some stuff done but I'm mostly just relaxing.  I figure I might as well take advantage of this time while I can!

I keep meaning to do a separate post to talk about being pregnant again, but I never get around to it.  So anyway, I'm now almost 16 weeks along and realizing that I might as well relax while I can!  The due date is July 2nd, and we should find out this Friday if it's a boy or a girl.  I'm hoping for another girl : )  We're excited, although it is a bit overwhelming to realize that in the coming months I'll go through labor, getting nursing right with the next baby- hopefully it will be a breeze this time around, the craziness of post-partum hormones, sleep deprivation, etc.  And doing it all while taking care of a 2 year old.  Well, at least I know what I'm getting into!  (I think.)  Oh and did I mention having thrown up daily for the past several weeks?  Yes, I am excited (in case you were wondering!) but I'm already thinking I might like to have Ella start going to school 5 times a week next fall, so that I can hopefully not go berserk.  Of course, I wouldn't do it if I didn't see benefit in it for her too- that's what we have to figure out- whether or not the school we have in mind would be a good fit for her.  What she's attending right now is really a Mother's Day Out kind of thing at a local church that lasts 5 hours long, 2 days a week.  What I'm thinking of for the fall is a Montessori school that lasts 4 hours long, 5 days a week.  Once we have that all sorted out (it'll probably be awhile), I'll have to blog about what we decide to do.  Wish us luck!

Other than that - Ella has finally started taking naps on her own!!!  She's napping right now actually.  I guess the key was to wait til noon or later to put her down.  If I put her down during her normal nap time in the morning, she would just scream and scream and scream nonstop.  It's funny that I didn't just try that sooner.  Oh well, hopefully I will be a pro by the time the next baby comes along!  The other thing I need to work on is WEANING!!!  Ella is still nursing.  It's not that I don't want to, but it's knowing that there's another baby on the way and knowing that she really doesn't need to anymore anyway that makes me anxious to put an end to it.  I'd also like it if I could wear a shirt without considering whether or not I could nurse Ella easily with it.  To go anywhere and not have to bring a nursing cover along....  A little bit of a break before I start nursing this next baby would just be nice.

Okay, well my little Ella Bella just woke up.  She'll probably demand milk as soon as I get her.  : )

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....