Happy Birthday Ellie!

Ellie turned four on December 28th. It is really hard to believe! She is very happy to have reached this milestone. She is still singing several times a day "I am sooo happy that I'm four...!" The morning after her birthday, Eric found her asleep on the floor in the loft instead of her room. When he asked her what she was doing out there, she told him "Because four-year-olds can sleep where-ever they feel like it..." Being four is pretty big stuff to her!

Here Ellie is the morning of her birthday. She is so excited!


She made her own chocolate raspberry cake (with the help of Daddy and Nana).




We then did a little treasure hunt for her. She searched for several little princess figurines throughout the house which then led her to her new...


princess castle!


She was very, very happy which you can see in this adorable song.


Happy birthday Ellie! We love you so much!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The whole family has been hit with some bug so we have all been either sick or taking care of someone who was sick (or both!) the last couple of weeks. That's why there have not been any updates recently. Everyone seems to finally be on the mend so thank goodness for that.
Because of all the sickness going on, we ended up just staying home for Thanksgiving. It was actually nice because Eric and Ellie were able to make a super yummy vegan feast. We had all the traditional Thanksgiving fixings- just veganized. Make fun of our Tofurkey all you want, but it is delicious!! :)


making pumpkin pie


Grandma and Grandpa braved the sickness to stop for a quick visit and took this. We actually have very few family pictures so I am thankful for this.


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An Awwwww... Moment

You want to hear just how sweet Ellie is? When I asked her what she was thankful for, all she named were family members and friends! She just started naming everyone, starting with Josie and Charlie. :) I was expecting her to name things and instead she just named people!
And so then, I asked if there was anything else she was thankful for besides a person and you know what she said?

Love.

And when I asked if there was anything else, she said

All of our hearts.

And as if she hadn't melted my heart enough yet, she then said

And you know what else makes me smile? A great big hug and kiss!

And she threw her little arms around my neck in a big hug. It just doesn't get any sweeter...


I am so thankful for my family!!!




Here we all are...including Charlie this time :)

Serenade

After Ellie and I made pancakes this morning, I told her was time to help me clean up. I said "You can help by..." when she quickly interrupted and said

I know how I can help Mommy! I can play sweet songs for you on my guitar while you clean!

...and so she did get out of the cleaning and I got to clean to some (very) "sweet" music!

Three going on Thirteen

Ellie and Josie were both playing at the Lego table but Ellie wasn't in so much of a sharing mood. Several times, when Josie was happily playing with a Lego, Ellie would reach across the table and just rip it right of her hands yelling "NO Josie!". After a couple of times of telling her to "be nice" I finally said "Ellie, it makes me very sad that you are not sharing with Josie. You are not making a good choice and I'm very disappointed in you." To which she immediately and very matter-of-factly replied (in her sweet little three-year-old voice)...

Well...
I'm very disappointed in Josie,
so were BOTH disappointed!

Even though this made me laugh (so much that I had tears), this soon led to a time out for hitting... I'm trying to encourage only a loving sisterly bond here!

Telling Stories

Once upon a time there was a little kid baby Ellie...who was doing a walk...then they had a bubble that got them...and then she got stepped in a water puddle and she got all dirty...and that's how it ends, the end.

An Awwwww.... Moment

So I was busy paying bills online when Ellie starting trying to climb up on my lap. I told to get down because I was trying to finish the bills but she kept insisting "hold me Mommy, just hold me". I kept saying "not now" while trying to explain to deaf ears that if I stop now the session will time out and I'll have to start over and I'll be done in just one more minute blah blah blah...when she all of the sudden got real quiet, looked down at the floor, and said with the most pathetic sweet little voice I've ever heard...

But Mommy...

I can't hold myself...

Of course, the bills didn't get finished.