OH THEY'VE BEGUN! And when do they end?? Our days are filled with "Nos" and "Don'ts"....Timeouts and Tantrums...but they are also filled with giggles and tickles, pretend play and wagon rides, days at the park and in the sand box! It's great to be two (almost) - but mommy looks forward to bed time - we are asserting our independence and letting our personality shine! Oh my!

Christmas day was a magical time. We had a full house, with Awa and Papa, Nana and Bampa and Auntie Lissy! Lissy and Mommy did all the cooking (our first turkey diner - even though it was two ours late - it was yummmmmmmmmmy!) We cooked the turkey upside down (which made it extra moist!) and we played allllllllll day. Ella got a dress up station with fire hats, boas and a doctor's coat...a kitchen with all the fixins'....we pretend cooked in our kitchen with high heels, a chef hat and a stethoscope... too cute!

A day doesn't go by we don't feel blessed! Ella fills our world with joy. On this day we went to lunch at the beach...entertained a stray "beach child"...and after the "beach child" hit Ella in the head for the third time with the sand toys I brought (after two warnings) I took the toys away...the little girl began to pout...Ella looked up at me and said "uh uh" reaching for the toys....when I gave them to her (thinking SHE want to play with them) - she handed them off to the other child so they could continue to play side by side. Warmed my heart!

Leaves and pumpkins, costumes and and hats - mommy's favorite season is here and we are doing it right! We'll be at the pumpkin patch this weekend and carving pumpkins too (that should be interesting - more pics to come ;)

Ella and I started swim class and I guess she was ready for it because it's only class two and we are jumping off the end, trying to blow bubbles, reaching for toys underwater and fully submerging our face (happily!). It's such a fun pool at 88/90 degrees and with a reef for Ella to play on. Daddy even comes on Saturdays! Life is good, being a kid is grand!

Remind me never to travel with a child under the age of two - SOLO! (BTW that age might change as we grow)...Ella and I went to Arizona to visit friends and whew! It was exhausting! I need my other half...my hubby...Ella's Daddy....he just know what to do and when and we work so well together!

Ella ran through the airport lobby screaming like a Terradactyl and laughing (while I chased...Katie too) and let me just say - she is tooooooo big to sit on my lap! So no more "lap babies" everyone gets a freakin' seat!!

All in all we had a blast, even thought it was 107 (that actually helped slow her down a bit ;). But, once again, I will not be traveling SOLO (aka without daddy) anytime soon!!

Ella and I are buddies - we hang out on the couch, splash in the water, wander around Target, play at the park and more. She is definitely a mini me, in the fact that she is already a girly girl, (we'll see how long that lasts), she wears my hair ties as bracelets, tries on my necklaces, wears her blanky as a dress/cape and carries my Doonie and Burke bag around the house. I love my lil princess!

There aren't word to express the joy Ella brings me each day. I look forward to seeing what she has learned every morning. When I open her bedroom door she is sooooooo excited to see me - she giggles and squeals! I mean what other job do people squeal for you when you arrive! We pass the time in our backyard, playroom and shopping (even if it's just window shopping at Target)

Don't get me wrong, we have our moments...moments I pass her to daddy and say "here's YOUR daughter" ...but for the most part it is a blissful life full of new joys and adventures daily!