Edwards Look-alike Meter

I HAD to post this! Obviously we've heard that Ella looks just like Russ a time or two. Okay, maybe hundreds of times at this point. I'll have you know that this handy little tool used face-scanning technology and determined that she looks more like me!!!

(Okay, the dark skin and hair color are still working in his favor, but still! Give a Mom her due!)

Bebe.

Ella's 3rd favorite thing behind piggy and bunny is her Bitty Baby-- affectionately known as Bebe. This was a Christmas present from me. I got it on my trip to New York at the American Girl store. We were there on 5th Avnue in the three floors of glorious girldom and I just couldn't resist.

Recently a brand spanking new Barnes and Noble opened in town and they have an American Girl Club. Ella's Gramma Laura signed her up posthaste and off they went to the 1st meeting on Saturday.

It sounds awfully cute-- 50 some odd girls with their dolls (and moms) showed up to hear the latest about the dolls and a story. I didn't get to witness what my child did, but will retell it based on what I gathered.

Ella and her bff Mollie took their matching Bitty Babies and were, of course, the youngest girls there. There was a stage for the presenter, who sat atop it along with four small chairs. Guess who likes small chairs?

Ella climbed onstage, dragging Bebe behind her, and sat in the little chair next to the presenter to listen to the story. She also helped out by handing her books-- in a timely fashion I'm sure. Yep, that's my kid in front of a crowd of about 100 people, and no one even tried to stop her.

It's funny because Ella is really not a ham. When she does things like this, she doesn't pose or preen like many girls would. No, she just keeps her super serious look on her face that seemingly asks, "What? It's a small chair. I'm a small person. And I'm sitting in it."

Easter on the Plateau.

We spent Easter Sunday with my parents, Ella's Mimi and Poppi. It is so special to me that Ella gets to hunt eggs with her cousins just like I did as a child at my family's church, where Mimi and Poppi were married.

You may notice that we hunt eggs in the graveyard and think that's weird. I'm with you-- it is. That's just how we roll.

Here's a shot of Ella's cousin Kalynn helping her find eggs. If there had been an award for the least number of eggs found, Ella surely would have won it! She ended up with 6 while big cousin Kalynn had 55!

Ella is wearing a special coat today. It's the one that I wore for my first egg-hunting Easter too, about 28 years ago! Mimi saved it for this very reason.

Here's one of Russ holding Ella while we're waiting for the final egg tally. Luckily she didn't know there was a game going on so she wasn't disappointed that she lost!


If any two people love each other as much as Ella and Mimi I would be very surprised!




All the cousins were wrangled together for a group shot. We never did get one with all the kids in it, so we just had to settle for one with our own kid and some of the others!

All in all, I would call her first egg-hunting Easter a roaring success!

An Edwards Easter.

This is the first year that Ella hunted eggs. (Last year it was 19 degrees for the hunt, so she and I stayed inside!) This year it was beautiful and plenty warm to declare open season on the elusive plastic egg.

We went to brunch at the club with G and Gramma (Mike and Laura). My first mistake was to give her a chocolate covered banana from the chocolate fountain. Know what happens when you give a baby something really good? You have to give her an entire plate of it!

We then proceeded to the egg hunt where she did quite well at picking them up and putting them in her basket.

There was also a photo op with the Easter Bunny, but she wasn't thrilled about that part of the deal so it's not really worth scanning the picture!

I've got 'em, mom! Are we going to make a really big omelet?

My Goodnight.

Do you have a bedtime routine? They say that a bedtime routine is good for babies to help them know that it's time to sleep. I find that mine is growing longer as I struggle to hold on to the last vestiges of the day with Ella.

Good night, baby darling. (Kiss on the left cheek.) Sleep tight. (Kiss between the eyes.) I'll see you in the morning. (Eskimo kisses, and she giggles.) I love you. (Two more kisses on the cheek.) Sleep well, beautiful. (Brushing her hair away from her face and cupping those chubby cheeks in my hands.)

Mama loves you as I finally close the door and back away.

Will she ever remember the thousands of soft words spoken faintly into the darkness with my whole heart? I hope they will somehow be kept in a quiet corner of her subconscious mind so that she will, on some level, know how much I love her.

The Puppy Book.

The latest local lifestyles circular features people and their pets. Namely, dogs. /pah-PEE!!!!/ is how you say puppy in Ella. Note that the second syllable is pronounced several octaves and decibels higher than the first.

She absolutely loves turning each page of this book, finding said puppies, pointing them out, and discussing her thoughts on them. On another note, Russ has enjoyed the book almost as much-- pointing out how much people really do look like their dogs.

Barrettes.

I have to post this pic because... get this... Ella is actually wearing barrettes in her hair!

Now, for those of you without girl children, let me explain. It is a rarity that barrettes stay in for more than three seconds, let alone long enough for a picture to be taken.

Commit this one to memory. This is a feat not likely to be repeated.

Piggy and Bunny.

Ella is enamoured with her two little friends, piggy and bunny. Or "pi" and "bubby" as she calls them. There are four bubbies, but this one with the one loose ear is her favorite.

She gave up a pacifier at four months and went to this little "habit." She snuggles her favorite little friends right up to her face and sucks her thumb. I'd try to make her stop, but it's cute. So instead I call it self-soothing and feel good about my parenting skills.

Mama's Baby Helper.

Ella is such a fine helper these days. No matter what I'm doing she's constantly underfoot! Sometimes we have to go to the video to keep her out of the kitchen when there's a lot of hot food cooking. Baby Einstein to the rescue, right?

Baby Blue.

A couple of pics in Ella's sweet cream and blue dress. I love her in blue-- it shows off her pretty blue peepers. (Hey, those eyes are the only thing she inherited from me. I have to work it!)



We were headed to church that cold morning!

The Parlor.

When I built our house, I wondered what to do with the front room-- the dreaded parlor. I don't like formal living areas in homes that are never used other than for a storage space for furniture that's been banished from the living room.

So, I thought, I'll just make this room for me. I'll paint it crazy, buy girly furniture, and keep all of my shiny things there. It will be my girl room.

Guess what. It is. For some reason unbeknownst to me, Ella loves to play in the parlor. No toys? No problem. She makes due. (She does have her baby grand which counts I suppose!) When I'm cooking in the kitchen, she is sure to be found hanging out in the parlor.

I love your funny face!

My Prerogative.

It was around this time that Ella not only walked, but really found her feet and started strutting and sashaying about the house. Here are pics of her newfound 'tude!

She also learned to carry a purse! This is her favorite-- a Beijo that our friend Cindy gave her. She thinks she is SO special when she strolls around with it, and I happen to agree.

Baby Red Riding Hood.

Here's a shot of Ella in her red winter coat and hat. A bit puritanical, but seriously cute.

First Playdate of the Year.

Ella and I belong to a group of stay at home moms. The gang meets several times a week at fun places around town and even offers moms' nights out. Here is a shot from the first one Ella and I attended this year. She loved this red car. She loved getting in and out. And in and out... and in and out...

Backpedaling.

To kick off our family blog, let's take a few posts to start back at the beginning of '08. The year started with a trip for Russ and Sara to Tampa for the Outback Bowl with friends, followed shortly thereafter by a trip to The Canyons resort in Park City, Utah. That trip was COLD. Now, I like skiing, don't get me wrong. But skiing when it's 7 degrees out? Umm, have we met?