Memories

This past month brought long term memory.  Ellie is now keeping track of events that happened days ago and events that are yet to happen. She tells me on a regular basis what part of her body has been injured, whether accidental or not, and who the culprit was.  And she'll hold onto these battle stories for weeks.

And it's been interesting to test her future event capabilities.   I intentionally tell her who we plan to see the next day before she goes to bed.  In the morning, I ask her if she remembers who we're seeing today.  And her recall is almost 100%.  Although not rocket science, it falls under the brain switch stuff I find so fascinating.  The stuff that wasn't there one day and is there the next.

She's also starting to get much more descriptive in her conversations.  A couple weeks ago, I was walking out of the bedroom putting some new earrings in.  She asked what I was doing.  I told her and then asked her what she thought of the new earrings.  She replied "It's so beautiful Momma".  Like seriously, where and how do they learn these subtle things.  She even emphasized the word beautiful like we all do.  I know there's a lot of mimicking but to see her human-ness develop is still neat to me.

And there have also been some not so great moments.  An all too common phrase recently has been "No, Mamma" with the hand extended into the STOP motion.  When I tell Ellie that it hurts my feelings and that I find it disrespectful, she'll make the same motion with her hand...only this time she silently mouths "No, Mamma".  As if there's a difference since she's not actually saying the words.  Sigh.  I guess there's some bad that comes with all the smart-y goodness.

Here's a clip of normal life stuff.  My Mom is playing with Ellie.

November Thoughts

The month has been filled with ups and downs.  Honestly there are days where we seem at odds all day long.  But then there are others where we seem so in sync and have lots of fun.  The last couple have been good, happy days :-). Some Friday night fun attached in the video!

Reptile Zoo

What to do on a snowy Sunday?  We headed to the new Ann Arbor reptile zoo.  Snakes, Turtles and Frogs OH MY!

Ellie's first party

I was talking to B on the phone and turned around to see "friends" in the chairs and the table "set" with table cloth and all.  More preschool play coming on line :-)


Sent from my Samsung Epic™ 4G

Ellie Speak

I have to say...I'm totally digging on the third year of life so far.  Being able to fully communicate is really wonderful and makes parenting so much easier.   Not that parenting is easy but it's nice knowing that your little person is fully aware of what you are directing to do (or not to do).  I can hold her more accountable because I "know" she knows what we are saying.

But on the more light hearted side, it's also fun to see how her brain is processing grammar at this stage.  Ellie definitely has "Ellie Speak".  I've been jotting down some of the funny/interesting/cute phrasing she's used in the last month.

• Big "Sleep" = Big Bed
• "Happy Birthday" = Ice Cream and/or Cake
• "Walking man hiding in the hand" =  Our Pedestrian Signals are a combined Hand/Walking Man.  So she observed that the walking man was hiding behind the orange hand when looking at the lit hand.
•  
• I'll be righhhht back.
• Just one minute
• Momma says "Where are you Ellie?" She replys "Here am me"

She's loosing the heavy accent and I find people are starting to understand her better.  Although she seems to be lispy or has a way of pushing her tongue forward making "thhh" sounds instead of the correct sound.  Ahhhh...the joys of learning a language.  Something that's not very easy at all....coming from the person who's been trying to learn Spanish my entire adult life :)

Ellie's Frog

There's a statue of a frog at Ellie's school and she loves seeing it at the end of most days.  She used to just touch it but now she climbs it.  Oh to be a toddler :-)

Saturday Morning Pancakes!!!

Saturday Morning Pancakes!!!

24 Months! 2 Whole Years!! 730 Days!!!

 


Oh Elle Bell... I am more grateful now then ever that we've been writing monthly.  I couldn't possibly recap this past year in one blog post.  There has been huge growth for you as a person and for us as parents (and as people) too.  I see Aunt Amber's picture above and I am so in love and struggle to remember all the days I'm soooo frustrated.  And there have been many...especially when Daddy's traveling.

You have maintained your super sized self.  You are still off the charts in height at 37ins (we're moving into 4T shirts and 3T pants).  Weight is up in the percentiles too, coming in at 32lbs.  Ever since the ear tubes went in earlier this year, you have been a generally happy, healthly human.  Don't get me wrong, we have had numerous colds, viral pink eye, fevers that lasted 5 days and fevers that reached 104.5 degrees.  But all run-of-the-mill, toddler touches everything and gets sick kind of bugs.  Nothing that's required special medicines.  So we are very, very blessed and grateful.

Your personality has grown into that larger than normal size.  You are much bolder and determined than we expected.  Given your layed back first year, I don't know if we were expecting your obstinance and determination to be as strong as it's been this second year.  It's not easy to move you off something once you're set on it.  Things have a certain order and you are very vocal and almost pushy if someone doesn't follow this order.  You give me a much harder time about things as compared to Daddy.  He says I'm too soft and you know it.  I would have to agree.  There's a certain crying pitch that you can hit and it makes my insides so uncomfortable.  I just want it to stop because it makes me feel so uneasy.  But I'm working on building up my resistance knowing it's important.  You can't always win.

I don't know if we just have a huge bias given our engineering degrees but you seem to be very mechanically minded.  Others have noticed too.  You are drawn towards puzzles, shape sorting and maze like games.  You love your books and reading favorites over and over.  We still haven't ventured past Seseame Street and Blues Clues but you are perfectly happy watching Elmo and crew over and over.

You enjoy being outside, being active.  You practice jumping over and over although your feet barely leave the ground.  You've just started pedaling your tricycle without assistance.  You love being chased and tickled.  Swimming was a big hit this summer.  You can dress yourself, getting pants, shoes and shirts .  You walk up and down stairs needing little assistance.  You could probably get out of the crib if you wanted but you wait for us to come and get you.

You hate having your long, beautiful hair touched.  I find it ironic that God would give you such unusual length and you hate having anything done to it. 

Leaving your second year though I would have to say that singing has been one your major accomplishments/differentiators.  It started with ABC's and continued with Twinkle, Twinkle, Patty Cake, Happy Birthday, Old McDonald, and what ever other song might come up.  You even like making up your own songs which makes people smile.

People continue to comment on your natural joy and excitement.  You readily smile and love to have fun.  And get crabby if we don't do something that involves playing and laughing.  You discovered social graces this year.  You like holding hands before a meal and saying a meal prayer.  You also love to clink your sippy cup and "cheers" others.  Please and Thank You's are coming.  Sometimes they are natural to you and sometimes, we have to strongly suggest using them.

Not much good to say on the food front.  We went from a baby that cried tortuously if a meal was late, to a typical toddler that's too distracted to be bothered with food.  You have your favorites and would rather not eat than try something you're not interested in.  We have to sneak veggies in via crusher pouches.  You like fruits.  Love breads.  Will eat chicken.  And LOVE milk.  I think milk has sustained you at times.

Sleep has been good.  Not great.  You still wake once a night here and there.  But I am definitely appreciative for the fact that you happily go to sleep at 7-8 and sleep for 12 hrs.  And appreciative that you still take 2 hr naps.

Your words have arrived and are talking more and more in sentences.  You have a very heavy "accent" which makes it hard for others to understand you.  But as you learn and add more words to your statements, it makes it easier to figure out what you're saying.

We are very grateful in so many ways to have you in our family.  Love you always, Mommie

PS.  It's perfect that Aunt Amber took pictures of you in this dress.  You loved it the first time we put it on.  You squealed "sparkles" and love to look at the bejeweled neckline.

Playgrounds of the nation

I have been spending the last two weeks touring the playgrounds of Salt Lake, Portland and Seattle.  I have to say that Washington might be the best - but i am willing to take up a world tour if i can find a sponsor.

23 Months - Ode to my second year

I'm glad I'm writing this post this week and not last week.  It was a tough week with insights of what the terrible two's look like.  Ellie fought everything I asked of her.  There was a lot of crying and whining.  She showed little affection in way of kisses or hugs even when I asked for them.  I panicked.  Was this the way it was going to be for the next year.  But I breathed a sign of relief yesterday.  Ellie was her peppy, fun, happy self yesterday.  Gives me hope, or is it perspective, on this upcoming third year.

To be completely honest, I wasn't ready for Ellie to leave toddlerhood so soon and progress towards preschooler as fast as she has.  She used to toddle.  Now she runs, practices jumping and can walk down a couple stairs without aid.

We used to communicate in one and two words.  Now they can be surprisingly long sentences and grammatically interesting.  (Although they are still heavily accented words that only Mom understands some times)  She listens intently to new words and how they are used in context.  And is starting to share her perspective on what she sees or experiences.

She asks "why" about things she doesn't understand.  Arrggghhh...wasn't ready for the why's yet.  So I feel like I stumble on the answers a lot.

We are running out of travel options for sleep.  Ellie now reaches the entire the length of the pack n play from head to toe.  We're going to have to work on mat sleeping in the near future.

Fortunately she's finally starting to recognize a dirty diaper.  So I know it means I need to get my act together and come up with the parental discipline to start making potty time part of the day's routine/plan.

She loves playing with her cousins.  She holds hands.  Wants to join in their activities.  When encouraged, she'll happily take turns with them.  She's showing more empathy and awareness of other's needs as well.  Just in the last couple of days she's starting to use "thank you" on her own.  Like so many of these "Ah-ha" moments, it seems like we've prompted the use of these two magic words a million times before with no apparent connection from her.  But low and behold, she had been listening and is now putting them to good use.  I guess I find it so fascinating because it's like something or someone turned a switch on...something that wasn't there yesterday is all of a sudden here today.

We can't keep her out of the water at the beach.  She loves walking up right up to her chin.  (I do not love this.)  If she could be outside all the time, she would be.  I'm grateful that the "school/daycare" she goes to 2 days a week believes in lots of outdoor time.  And when Braden is home, he spends a lot of time playing with our "lion cub" as I call her.  (Watching the way she likes to play reminds me of how lion cubs roll and chase each other)  With the little rain we've gotten this year, my allergies have been horrid.  So I struggle of finding a balance when it's just her and I. 

She sings and sings and sings.  She sings songs.  Hums melodies.  Makes up her own songs.  She changes her voice and sings in monster sounding tones.  I guess the music classes we've been taking are something she enjoys :)

Next week we leave for a two week tour of the West Coast.  First stop is Utah to visit Uncle Cortny and Aunt Amber.  Then onto Portland for a visit with close family friends.  Then we wind up in Seattle for the last few days catching us with various friends living all the way up there.  I'll let you know how things go in the next post....the big 24 Months/2 years!

Here's a video of Ellie and Maddy playing Ring Around the Rosie:

Gi-gi's birthday

Today was Gi-gi's birthday.  We celebrated by spending the day playing at the lake.  I got tubes in my ears this winter so I have to wear ear plugs (which I don't like) but it is a small price to pay for all the fun I have.

I had swim lessons this winter, and it got me very comfortable in the water.  Today I put my face in, I can kick or move my arms (but both at the same time remain elusive).  I'll even float a little if someone will help me.

Daddy says I am a water baby (and sometimes a fish).  It sounds gross to me (who wants to be a fish), but he seems happy about it so I will let him have his moment. . . 

22 Months - Sentences

Wow!  It was a big month for words.  They are a flowin'.  I'm so jealous at the ease of language acquisition babies have.  I sometimes say something once and she remembers.  The words are starting to sound less "accented" and more understandable.  Well maybe to me :)

Ellie loves TV.  I wish she didn't love it quite so much.  It's the only thing that will keep her in place for more than a couple of minutes.  She's still on a strict Sesame Street and Blues Clues viewing diet.  Although Elmo has taken center stage in her little world.  She could watch him and Elmo's world over and over and over.

We definitely have entered a new phase with schedules.  As summer progresses and we pack it full of parties, festivals and vacations, it's been really wonderful to flex Ellie's days.  Food and sleep can be on a "as needed" basis.  So it meant we got to enjoy her first concert a few weeks back at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival (Theo Katzman rocks!).

Speaking of food.  She's still pretty picky about what she intakes.  We just keep putting it in front of her waiting for the day when our "eat anything" kid comes back.

Here's a silly Mom thing.  I've recently noticed that Ellie's feet are starting to toughen up.  It makes me sad, sad, sad.  I've always loved her little baby soft feet and toes.  They have always been a bench mark of growth.  Something I intently keep track of.  And this month was different then all the rest.  Her skin is starting to feel a little more taunt, not so supple.  I knew it was bound to happen as our body adjusts to walking but just wasn't sure when.  Well that "when" is starting "now".

As words flow, so does the ability to sing whole songs.  The song of the month was ABC's.   Like all the time!  As you might remember, I have a tough time getting her to do anything on camera so I snuck this video in on our trip up north with the Weitzel cousins (PS.  It's a long video and I was having a hard time editing it down so only watch the first part.  PSS.  It was super, super hot hence the baby in diapers):

PhotoGrid

Some recent activity. . .

21 Months - Almost to 2!

I'm ready.  I'm ready to convert from counting months to counting years.  I've already started to round up to 2 years when people ask how old Ellie is.  I think it's because she seems more like a 2 year old than a 1 year old.  Just another 3 months!

Sentences are now the norm.  Not fully conversational but 2-4 words at a time.  I find that she's trying to use more words to communicate versus sounds and gestures.  She no longer whines or cries when she's ready to get out of the crib.  She calls for one of us.  When she wants something she'll ask "More milk please".  Her words are still very accented (meaning that she struggles with certain sounds like T's)

Her love of food has seems to have dimmed.  She no longer seems as passionate about her meals.  Veggies are a struggle.  We've resorted to kid crusher packs filled with pureed veggies to sneak them in.  We also look for other foods she likes that hide veggies such as pasta.  Interestingly, she has no interest in sweets....like none!  She refuses chocolate milk, ice cream, pastries, etc.  Like won't try them and if she does by chance, she spits it out.  I have no idea where it comes from but am currently grateful that we don't have to fight the fight over healthy food versus junk food.

I met with her teacher for her yearly "review".  He describes Ellie as soft and sweet.  When I asked him what Ellie's most favorite thing to do is, he replied "Art".  Hands down, no thought needed.  She love's to draw and color.  We spend a lot of time at home with crayons, markers and paints so it wasn't too much of a surprise.  She likes to use lots of colors.  In the second picture, I noticed that her zig-zags were pretty small and close together and then figured out that she was trying to mimic the movement of "coloring".

Singing and counting are coming along too.  She can count to 3 and can get to 10 with help.  She still loves Baa, Baa Black Sheep but in general loves all the kids songs.  Wheels on the Bus, If you're Happy and Know It, Itsy Bitsy Spider, etc.

But her doing anything on camera is totally elusive.  We were trying to get her to sing...which totally didn't happen.  But the video is funny and captures Ellie at 21 months:

ABC's

Ellie Belly shocked the heck out of us today by singing the ABC song all the way up to G.  And could get through the rest of the song if we helped her along.  And what was even more crazy to us is that we weren't singing the song to begin with.  She was just playing and started to sing.... a, b, c, d, e, f, g....like she's always been able to sing the song.

It really is amazing to see what's coming of that little brain.  I really had no idea how smart little people were until having one to personally observe day in and day out.  Pretty cool stuff.

20 Months - Sentences

This month marks my year anniversary of leaving Oracle to be home with Ellie.  Quite honestly, it wasn't an easy transition.  The career path from senior management in a very large corporation to child development of one are hardly similar.  I'm ever so grateful for all the crash course training and guidance I've received.  And lots of patience from those all around.  I definitely had my crabby moments as I struggled to acclimate to the new environment.  But every struggle on a journey adds to the richness of life, no? :)

As for Ellie, I'd say the last month has been most marked by the formation of little sentences.  "Grandma does it", "Mommy sit", "Piece goes here", "Open Please", etc.  But the sentences are not consistent.  It seems to me there are a lot more words processing in her head and they can't or don't always make it out.  It kinda reminds me of what I've heard about Alzheimer patients.  That in their foggy states, they will suddenly have moments of clarity and great recall.  The same seems to be true for Ellie.  There are some moments when words or sentences are flowing.  But then hours later they seem to be gone. 

Her love for puzzles continues.  She's mastered her alphabet puzzle. 

So we're moving on to actual picture puzzles.  She doesn't know how to start these 12 piece picture puzzle.  But if I put together most of the puzzle she enjoys finding and putting in the last one or two pieces.

Another accomplishment for Ellie has been nearly mastering putting her pants on.  She can get her legs into each pant leg and begin to pull the pants up.  She knows to stand next.  The last part will be pulling them over her bottom (which seems elusive just now).  No interest in shirts yet.

Here's a couple pictures Braden took over the weekend.