Smarty Pants

I feel like I don't keep track of Ella's little accomplishments like I should. I am amazed by the things she can do and say on a daily basis. She is such a smart little girl, and I feel like she is growing up so fast. I have intended to use our blog as a family journal and turn it into an album someday, so I should probably include these fun little facts about her because unfortunately I am sure I will forget them.

She can talk... ish. She says "Bah" a lot... usually referring to a ball, book, bird... but also sometimes when referring to anything else. Other than that, she says car, mama, dada, bye, dog, Cordell (my little brothers name. I know I thought it was a fluke, but she has said it many times now. She LOVES her uncle Cordell. She is always trying to hug and kiss him and sit on his lap. It's super cute) - the other day she said squirrel (because our back yard is infested with them). And she has put words together. She says "bye bye dad" to Craig when she takes a nap or he leaves for school.

- She likes to stack blocks... she has some rubber blocks and were donated to her by her aunt, and one day she just starting stacking them one at a time until it was 5 or 6 high! I thought that was a pretty coordinated thing to do without knocking them over!
- I feel like she understands pretty much everything that I say. The other day I was in the kitchen and she was looking out the door begging to go outside. I said to her "Go into the livingroom and get your shoes and then you can go outside." So she went into the livingroom, got her shoes, brought them into the kitchen and sat down on the floor with her feet in the air for me to put them on her! I feel like things like that just happen all the time now.
- she also "reads" (babbles) to herself outloud, waves and says "bye bye" to everyone at the grocery store, blows kisses, loves the songs "itzy bitzy spider" "Where is thumbkin" "If you're happy and you know it" (and tries to do that actions and if she hears the tune from one of those songs on a toy she will do some of the actions)

She is a funny girl. The other day she was playing in her room, and I was in the other room and no longer heard her. So I walked in to her room and she was sitting on the floor with baby wipes in her hands, cleaning her feet (and Im sure she needed it, because she has got some STINKY feet!). She will also make funny faces and do weird poses to make us laugh, tickle us while saying "tick tick tick," and she gives courtesy laughs at the parts of the books that are supposed to be funny.

Ella is just such a wonderful part of our lives. Of course she can throw massive trantrums when she wants, make us feel like we are going crazy, or get into things that she knows she is not allowed to get into (my makeup, the toilet, toilet paper, drawers, calling and texting her friends with our phones)... but then she can just turn it all around in an instant and make us laugh hysterically.

Nice form!

Pics from the park a few weeks ago. I have more recent pictures, and
even a video of her stacking her blocks, but they are on the camera.... which is all
the way downstairs and... well, you know how it goes.

I love my girl!

I should also say that I am very proud of Craig! He has been studying and working SO hard to prepare for finals and is doing a great job. As many of you know, and many of you don't know, Craig has an internship with the IRS this summer. So we will be living in Richmond with my parents again for a couple of months. It'll be great... and we are greatful that they are letting us stay with them. Anyway, good luck, Craig!