"Isn't it something how your face is unlike any other in the entire human race?"

HAPPY 100 WEEKS BABY!

In one month I will have a two year old! Where did the time go? I swear I only blinked for a half a second!

Cheese!

I must be rubbing off on Ella. My camera is always in her face. Several times recently Ive caught her walking around with her fake dora video camera yelling cheese!

Museum Center Madness

Ella and I were tired of being cooped up in the house due to her illness last week and the rain we have had lately. We decided to head down to the museum center for a few hours and apparently everyone in Cincinnati had the same idea. There were tons of nasty parents and kids running crazy but Ella and I had fun none the less.

First she had to check out the fountain outside..

Inside she had to do some grocery shopping..

Climb through tunnels..

Play with the water table...

Pick up rocks...

Pay for her groceries...

Scoop sand into the dump truck...

wore a bag to pick up balls..

Delivered some mail...

She found this stuffed dog that a little girl stole from her. We had to search and search for the dog until she was once again reunited. She literally had to do everything with the dog until we left. I thought it was going to be very difficult for her to part with him until we found the vet section and she put him in the kennel til next time.
Here she is getting in the dog house with him...

Ella ate all her lunch in the cafe of the museum, one more stop at the foutain outside, then home for a nap.

Worms

Ella loves worms. The other day Tom told her he found worms in the yard and she went running across the yard yelling "Worms, Worms, Worms!" Of course she had to play with them til they were pretty much limp. Poor worms dont stand a chance against Ella.

Poor Girl

I stayed home with Ella on Tuesday and today. Her chest congestion has gotten worse. Last night she was up for a couple hours hacking, gagging, and crying so I decided it was time to take her to the doctor. She has croup. They gave her a dose of oral steroid. Hopefully she will start feeling better. She is such a riot though. On the way to the doctor, out of nowhere, she tells me she's going to the doctors to feel better and that the doctor will check her ears. At the doctors as soon as the PNP sits down in front of her she simultaneously opens her mouth and lifts her shirt (guess she remembers her heart being listened to and looking in the throat). Then five minutes after we leave the doctors she yells out in the car "I feel better"!

At doctors office after getting dose of medicine...

Ella's Strawberries

Grandma Joyce brought Ella a strawberry plant.

It's Ella's responsibility to water it...

It has two strawberries on it!

She picked her own strawberry...

And ate it...

She ate the stem and all. You shouldve seen the look on her face. She was trying to smile as she had this awful look on her face. Must have been bitter.

Happy Father's Day!

(I know this is late, time got away from me yesterday)

Dear Tom,
While I was pregnant you worried about the kind of father you would be. You said several times you had never been around kids and that you knew nothing about babies. I told you it would come natural, that we would learn together, that I would teach you what you did not know.
And then Ella came. The morning after she was born, while you were downstairs getting breakfast you text me that you had already almost cried several times that morning. Tears of happiness. I knew already that it was coming naturally.

Im amazed each day at how natural it is for you. You make it seem effortless.

You work so hard for Ella and I and you always hold her above anything else.
There have been many sleepless nights, nasty diapers, sickness, days of watching the same cartoon over and over. You bear it all with a smile on your face. I am not exaggerating when I say you have never complained about her nor have you ever become cross with her.

You are an amazing father Tom. And a blessing for the two of us. I could not have dreamed of a better father for Ella.

Thank you for all your hard work and sacrifice as a father and know that nothing goes unnoticed.

And while you worried that you may not be a good enough father, I couldn't be more proud of the father you have become. And while I thought that there were things I would need to teach you about being a parent, it's you that I've learned so much about being a parent from.
We love you!

Plans doing nothing

We had a full weekend of plans that included a birthday party, boat parade at the lake by our house, and a trip to zoo with a friend from grad school.

Unfortunately instead we will be doing this all weekend...

Ella started to lose her voice yesterday. She woke up today with hardly any voice at all and has chest congestion.

Rant

Picture sent from the sitter of Ella playing dress up..

Ive been thinking a lot lately about motherhood, Ella growing up right before my eyes, and comments people make about toddlers and motherhood.

I have always been very rigid with Ella's schedule and since she has been born my life has revolved around her and her schedule. People always made comments to me of why would I want to tie myself down to a child who only naps in her own bed or be on a breastfeeding schedule, etc etc. Now that Ella is older, her schedule is a little more flexible and she is more independent. I still find Tom and I spend all of our time interacting with her and running after her. At the picnic we were at last week Tom and I spent all of our time there running with Ella in the yard and playing. EVERY single family that was there (their kids are all 5 and older) commented to me that they were "sorry I had to spend my time running around after her, that it gets better, that one day I will be able to sit down and enjoy life". In one sense I wanted to laugh in their face and in another I was offended by their comments. Some mothers/parents are passionate about not letting motherhood/parenthood swallow them whole, I am not one of them. I consciously made a choice to become a parent. I planned Ella in a time in my life where I was/am able to throw my heart, soul, body, mind into parenthood and allow it to be part of what defines me. I EXPECTED my life to revolve around Ella. Why would I expect it to be any other way? Many parents who expect the child's life to revolve around their lives frustrate me. Ella did not ask to be born. Tom and I are the ones that chose for her to be here. Why would I do anything but make her feel like the most special, beautiful person on the face of this earth. Why would I want anything other than to take time out of my life to nurture and teach her so she can be the best she can be to face this world?

There's another piece to the comments made at the picnic. I hear so many people complain about the toddler years and toddlers in general. Now grant it I realize Tom and I are so blessed to have such a gentle, happy, funny child, but Ill still admit it can be tiring, frustrating, and demanding. Yet it is more special than any of those things combined will ever be. If Ella has taught me one thing it is do not wish time away. Live in the moment. Cherish it. There is always something to cherish about every moment, even if all you can see is the bad. Before I know it, Ella won't need/want me to carry her, hold her, rock her at night, sit on my lap to read a book, laugh at the silliest things, or think running in the yard with bubbles is the most amazing experience. So for now, I cherish it all.

When the neighbors said "one day it'll get better and I can live my life", I wanted to laugh. I wanted to laugh and say live my life? Living does not get any better than not only watching my child run in the yard with a smile on her face but actually holding her hand while I run by her side.

Parenthood is not about having the "energy" to parent. Energy has nothing to do with my ability and desire to give Ella the best of me that I can possibly give her. I may not be the best mom but I am the best mom for Ella. If you wait for the day to feel energetic again, life will just pass you by

Trips to Target

Ella and I have not been to Target for quite awhile but each time we go she has to 1. sit on the red ball outside 2. get a milk from Starbucks
(pics taken with cell)

*WARNING huge blog post ahead*

Ella and I spent Sunday and part of Monday in Botkins. We had a very eventful day and half.

Ella got to see her first parade.
Waiting for the parade to start...





She waved at each thing that went by. She loved the parade, especially them throwing her candy...




We headed out to the park for Tonia and Emma's church picnic. Ella was in a great mood but extremely sleepy as it was past her nap.








I remember as a little girl going to Hussey's with my mom and dad to eat and feed the ducks. I knew it was something I had to share with Ella so after nap we all headed to Hussey's for dinner.
Checking out the ducks while waiting for dinner...

She patiently made it through dinner and finally it was time to feed the ducks...




You're still taking pics??







Ever since I took her to Parky's Farm last week, she has asked me twice a day to go to the farm. After dinner we stopped by my aunt Darla's farm to check out the cows.
The cows let you feed and pet them and liked to lick your clothes. She seemed a bit overwhelmed by the number and size of them and had enough once they started licking her.







Uncle Mark even took the girls a ride in his tractor which she loved...





She loves kitties and was disappointed that they were hiding in the barn...







Today we went to the Wapak Waterpark with grandma, Emma, and Tonia. To my disappoint my camera died so I didn't get any pictures. Probably a good thing though considering I took 200 pics on Sunday