Slacking

I know I've been slacking lately on writing my blog. I don't really know why, just haven't been that motivated to update it. Plus, we had to send our computer in for repairs, so I don't have any of my pictures on a computer right now. There hasn't been much going on. Ella and I are trying to start getting out more. We visited the Lincoln Park zoo last week (when it was warm out), we also went to the Nature Museum last week and the Garfield Park Conservatory yesterday. She really likes to get out and see things, and it's nice to change up the routine every once in awhile.
Besides that, we had a good Valentine's Day weekend. Marc and I were able to get out by ourselves for awhile on Saturday. Marc's brother, Adam, came over and babysat for us for the afternoon and we went to an early movie and early dinner. We had a really good time and it was nice to be out by ourselves. Ella was a very good girl for Uncle Adam, took a nap and everything! But then Monday morning Marc woke up not feeling well. I thought I felt fine until I was out at the conservatory with Ella. While we were out I started to not feel well at all. So, Marc spent the whole day in bed and I managed through the day with Ella. I got a little bit of sleep while she was napping, but it was a rough day. We are both feeling better today. I'm not sure what we have or if we even have the same thing?!? As long as we feel better instead of worse. That's all I have for now, hopefully I'll have some pictures to post soon.

Bye bye to diapers!!!!!

Yes it's true, we are saying bye bye to diapers (at least during the day). We started potty training with Ella this past weekend and she took to it very well. I put panties on her Friday after her nap and we haven't gone back to diapers since. She is only wearing diapers for naptime and over night. She only had five accidents all weekend!!! She still won't tell us that she has to go, but if we ask she will. I even ventured out with her today, I was very nervous about having accidents. She did pretty well. We went to the gym and she went to the daycare for about an hour. She had a poopy accident in her pants, but that was it, not too bad. She is all about her underwear now, we got her some Dora, Elmo and Minnie mouse ones.

Friday when I first put her panties on

Playing dress up

Using her potty with her bib on

So, I guess so far so good with the potty training. I'm sure it will just get better. I'm sure with time she'll be telling us when she needs to go. As of now I'm fine with just asking her when she needs to go.

Here are just a couple of other cute pictures from the last couple of weeks. Even though she has been a brat the last couple of weeks she is still very snugly and likes to give mommy hugs and kisses.

Ella and Mona chasing a laser light

Mr. Potato Head

A big girl ponytail

Here she is singing some of her songs!!!

A very hard week

So this week has really been testing my patience as a mom. Ella has been throwing bad tantrums and yelling and screaming at her free will. Anytime I say no or she isn't getting what she wants she starts to scream. So, if she doesn't stop I've been giving her a time out which sets her off all over again! Needless to say it's not fun and doesn't bring out the best in either of us. It's hard to rationalize with a two year old and they just don't understand things yet. Although I do usually get an "I'm sorry mommy" from her sometime during the timeout. I do make sure that I ask her what she is sorry for and usually she does know what she should be apologizing for, which is good. I have just been feeling like a bad mom though. It's hard not to lose my patience with her, which I have a few times. I know that yelling back at her isn't going to make things better, but sometimes I just do before I can even think about it. Keeping my cool is not easy. I guess all I can hope for is this latest phase of tantrums doesn't last too long!!

On another note, we are going to try and do potty training this weekend! Wish us luck. I'll post something on Monday and let you know how it's going.

Christmas in MO

From MN, Ella and I heading down to my grandparents house in MO with my family. Marc had a concert to go to on Sunday so he headed home instead of coming to MO. We didn't want to have to drive back to back days to make it home in time for his concert so we thought it would be best if he just came home and Ella and I flew home on Monday.
See, normally we would be at my grandparents for Christmas and do Santa and all the presents there, but this year my dad put his foot down. He was tired of driving all the presents to MO to open them there, so that's why we spent actual Christmas at their house. We still had a great time in MO with the rest of the family. My grandparents house is small and we shove as many people as possible in it. The kids were getting restless and wanted to play outside, but it was a mud swamp out! We had to wait until the temp dropped on Sat afternoon and everything froze then we took them outside. They all got to take a turn "driving" the tractor.

Putting bread bags on Ella's feet, there was a lot of mud!

Happy to be outside

Sara and her kidsAlicia and Kaia

Ella driving the tractor with Papa

I always enjoy spending time at my grandparents house, we don't get to see them that often. Although it's difficult to get the kids to sleep at their house. See, we all sleep upstairs which is just one big room with four beds. So, I'd usually put Ella to bed first and get her to sleep, then Sara would bring up her kids one by one to go to sleep. Then finally we would try and get Kaia to sleep and then bring her up. Needless to say we had very tired kids for the trip, but they had fun. Here is a picture of some of them napping, or should I say passed out!
Before we left we got a picture of four generations. My grandparent, my mom, my sisters and I and our kids.

Then a picture of just our family

I feel blessed to have such a great family and for everyone to be healthy. I loved every minute of spending time with everyone, but I am glad to be home and getting back to normal.

Christmas

Ok, so I know it's been a long time since I've updated! So, I thought the beginning of the New Year was a good time to write again.
We had a great Christmas in MN this year. Although we did drive up there the Saturday before during the very large snowstorm. What would normally take up about 7 hours took us 10 hours! We were so relieved to get there. Ella's Christmas celebration started the night before we left, she had to open her art easel since it was too big to bring with.

Ella opening her art easel

Once we got to MN the craziness began. When all the grandkids come over it gets quite crazy at my parents house. There are five grandkids, all under 5!! Ella loves spending time at grandma and grandpa's house though and with Kaia (her cousin and best friend). Her are just some pictures of the girls having fun.

Ella and Kaia reading Dr. Suess

Clinking their cups

Reading with Papa
Best FriendsSuper Kaia, Super Ella!!!

Of course Christmas was fun too. Sara took her kids home for the night to return in the morning to open more presents. So, we had Ella and Kaia to get to bed and ready for Santa to come. They even left cookies and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer.
In the morning Ella was excited to go see what Santa left. When she saw her stocking she pulled out the little bear and candy cane that were hanging out and she was ready to go. She was so funny and didn't care that there was more stuff in it or the fact that there was a large present sitting right behind her stocking. We finally got here to open all the stocking presents and her new kitchen that Santa brought.

Ella trying on her new big girl underwear

Her new kitchen (notice the underwear!)

Showing off her new jewelryAfter the rest of the family came over to mom and dad's the real present opening began! It gets quite crazy, a sort of free for all. We had to take a break and clean up paper in the middle of opening presents so we didn't loose anything or anyone! We got all the kids to sit in front of the tree for just a minute.
All the grandkids, Harley, Ella, Amelia, Kaia and Joseph

Helping daddy with some presents

Playing her new guitar

We finally got all the presents open and the kids were playing and having a good time. Mom made a great meal and we really enjoyed just spending time together. We also had a special blessing that day. My brother, Jason, was supposed to leave for Israel on Christmas morning, but we got a call about 10am and he needed my dad to come pick him up from the airport. His passport was expiring within six months so they wouldn't let him travel. He was really bummed and frustrated, but we got to spend Christmas with him and he was able to reschedule his trip. Then a few days later we heard the news about the air strikes on the Gaza strip and were very relieved that he is home and not there right now.
Ella and Marc even got some time to play out in the snow.

Pigtails and Tricycles

Ella is growing up so fast! The last couple of weeks I was able to put her hair in pigtails a couple of times and it makes her look so much older! Like a little girl now, not a baby. Here are a couple of pictures with her pigtails!

Pigtails!

Sitting with all her toys in the toy box

Sitting in the toys, and wearing the princess skirt!

As much as I love the pigtails, we had to get her hair cut this past weekend. Her bangs were starting to hang in her eyes again and she just needed a trim. I think I can still do the pigtails, but she won't let me try. I'll have to give it a couple of weeks and try again.

Then last week, Ella got her first tricycle! This was actually a b-day present from Grandma and Grandpa Keyes that got delayed a little bit. She didn't care at all and loved it all the same. Here are a couple of pictures with her new trike and a little "Thank You" video for Grandma and Grandpa.

Packing up the "trunk"

Trying it out

Taking along some friends

My Parents Visit

So, I'm a little behind with this post, but who cares. My parents were in town visiting a couple of weekends ago, along with my Aunt Sandy, Uncle Mark and my cousin Sydney (who's 10). We had a really good time and squeezed in a ton of stuff in just a few days. I wish the weather would have cooperated better though, it wasn't the nicest weekend. They all took the train into town and Marc picked them up from Union Station. They stayed at a hotel downtown this time instead of at our house. We just didn't think we could fit everyone into our condo. We ate a lot of food, good food and walked a lot over the weekend. We went to the observatory deck in the Hancock tower on Friday, which was nice. I had never been up there before, the views were great. It was fun to see everything in the city and be able to point out places.

One of the views

Sydney, Ella and Me up in the Hancock

Sydney and Ella pretending to watch the windows

Sydney and Uncle Mark washing the windows

We also went to the American Girl Store and many other stores on State Street. Then on Saturday we went to the Shed Aquarium, which was a lot of fun. Ella had a great time and I think that everyone else enjoyed it as well. Unfortuntely, Marc didn't come with us, he wasn't feeling well at all on Saturday, so he opted to stay home for the day.

Ella's cute outfit that day!

Ella sitting on the big pumpkin out front of the Shed

Ella and Sydney on the big pumpkins

It was a great weekend and I'm looking forward to spending more time with all of them at Thanksgiving. I love when my parents come to visit, it refreshes me. I truly enjoy spending time with them and seeing Ella with them. Plus, Sydney was great with Ella and it was nice to not have to be the only one keeping an eye on her!