On Sunday, we went to a Chanukah party at a temple here in SF. One of Ella’s classmates invited us to the party. Ella walked into the place just had fun! She just loves life so much and pretty much has a good time wherever she goes. Everything was great until about 10 minutes before we were leaving. Ella’s friend had a rice krispie treat and Ella asked her if she would share it with Ella. The kid looked at her and said, “No, I don’t want to give you my germs”. Ella got very upset and began to cry. On the way home, we talked about what happened and Ella said, “She said that she didn’t want to give me her germs but she didn’t even bite it. She had a piece that she broke off, it didn’t have germs on it…that was the worst answer that I ever heard.” We thought that was pretty funny. Anyway, today was Ella’s big day – school, Tree Frog Trecks and then ballet. To top it off, we had a whole bunch of people over for Chanukah tonight. Ella was great – so good natured. Of course she had a blast because Stella and Juliet were over. Chanukah has kept us super busy this year!
This picture was taken of Ella exactly 4 years ago today. I can’t believe how much Ella has grown up!
Beautiful ballerina.
Ella, Juliet and Stella at their own table.
Great shot of Hannah, Ella and Naomi.
Ella has become an expert at lighting the menorah.
Ella let Naomi light the last candle. Stella and Juliet and KJ were looking on with such curiosity. Ella offered to let the girls light a candle but they just wanted to watch.
Phyllis and her girls!
Archive for December, 2010
I don’t know how Ella does it
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010Fun filled Saturday
Sunday, December 5th, 2010We met the Kim/Arenas this morning for breakfast at the Crossroads Cafe. We’ve all been so busy lately that we had to actually schedule a date. It was great to hang out. The kids loved being around the book section of Crossroads. I think they all miss living across the street from a book store! After breakfast, we came back home and Sunny and I got busy doing things around the house. Ella got busy herself doing art projects and playing games on the iPad. At around 2, the girls rang the doorbell and the Kim/Arena Chanukah fairy paid a visit. The 3 girls opened their Chanukah presents at the same time. Helen and Ron gave the girls fantastic gifts! Each of them now has a toy dog that they can walk and hang out with. Check out the video. It’s really funny. After playing in the hallway for a while (Ella got really frustrated at one point and had a nervous breakdown because her puppy wouldn’t walk straight when she pushed the straight arrow – but she recovered quickly), Ella had to get ready for TaeKwonDo. The class was pretty hard for Ella today. They were learning all these moves because they are having testing next week. When something doesn’t come easily to Ella, she gets frustrated really quickly – something she needs to work on. Ella did a great job in the class but had her moments of fooling around and wanting to give up. She’s really little compared to the other kids but keeps up so well. After class we came home and Ella was super tired and super hyper. We were going to try to go to a Chanukah party hosted by one of Ella’s classmates but we thought that it was better to stay at home – Ella was way too tired.
Stella dn Ella at Crossroads.
The girls opening up and getting to know their new pets. The video really shows these little guys coming to life. The girls named their “friends” the following names…Stella’s is “Harriet Rose Petal”, Juliet’s is “Bo” and Ella’s is “Izzie”.
I’m getting pretty good at capturing the kicks.
Ella haing fun with her classmates before class.
Steven’s mom helped out with the class today.
Ella has fun with everyone in the class – even the 11 year olds!
More action shots.
Happy Chanukah!
Ella’s first haircut ever!
Saturday, December 4th, 2010Ella had her first haircut today. We took Ella to the same guy who cuts my hair. Ella knows him and she was cool with him cutting her hair. First he cut off the end of her braid (see video below). After the initial cutting of the braid, she had her hair washed and then Ash gave her a hair cut. Ella still has really long hair, but it’s shorter and healthier than it was before. Ella really likes her haircut.
Ella and her buddy Casi at the assembly this morning.
The braid before the haircut.
Ella seemed to like getting her hair washed. She was sitting on 2 piles of towels.
Walking to the haircut. Her hair was already a lot shorter because Ash cut off the end of her braid.
Pretty exciting stuff!
The haircut!
The family after the haircut.
Ella and Ash.
Lighting the Chanukah candles.
We gave Ella her first dictionary tonight.
Ella and I took this together.
Some of Ella’s latest and greatest dry erase board artwork. Cool bugs, cactus, angler fish and bees.
Family Share Day
Thursday, December 2nd, 2010Today was our last Chanukah family share day as a Leaping Lizard family. This is sad for us because we love Alicia so much and never want to leave her class, but we must just be in the here and now, one day at a time and enjoy each day that Ella has in preschool. The family share was a lot of fun. We shared about Chanukah. Sunny told the Chanukah story, I read a book that I worked so the kids could say the same line at the end of each page. The interactive reading got them excited about the dreidels. After the story, Ella went to the front of the class to explain the Hebrew letters on the dreidels. The class was then each given their own dreidel. Ella did a great job teaching – check out the video. And the class did a great job listening and playing dreidel together in 3 groups. We all had a lot of fun. Tonight, Sunny had to go to a board meeting and I had to volunteer at Ella’s school so we didn’t have our first night of Chanukah together. Instead, I lit the candles with Ella and then Sunny and Ella opened their gifts together. Mom – it was great talking to you today – you sound great. Hang in there. Relax as much as you can. Love you.
The dry erase board.
Ella at circle time.
Ella and me lighting the candles.
Ella had her 5 year old doctor appointment today
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010We kept hearing all of these terrible stories about the 5 year appointment with 5 shots and all this stuff. We did tell Ella that she had an appointment with the doctor, but we didn’t tell her about all the shots. I picked her up from school early so that we could go out to lunch and just be normal. Going to the doctor stresses her out. Sunny met us for lunch and then we did a little shopping before heading to the office. Ella did a great job at the doctor. She did her vision test, hearing test, let them look in her eyes and ears with that flashlight thing and they took her blood pressure. The doctor asked her if she knew her ABC’s and she looked him straight in the eyes and said, “Definitely”. He laughed. Once the nurse came back, Ella got panicky. She was on Sunny’s lap and I was holding her arm down and the nurse gave her 2 shots. I think for her 4 year appt. we did some shots that she could have gotten at either appointment. Ella cried when she got the shot and then she was fine. She told me that her arm was sore later on during the day. For anyone wondering…I got messages from my mom and dad and my mom’s surgery went really well. Now she just has to recover. Love you mom – happy the surgery is over!
This is a look that Ella gets when she is overwhelmed.
This is a look that Ella gets when she’s waiting for someting good.
This is a very happy Ella walking down the street with Brickelle.
I can just imagine these two as teenagers. Oy vey.
ELla took this shot. Ann was helping me drive to the doctor.
Happiness and jumping once the appointment was over.
Watching Word Girl and being Word Girl. One of the words of the day was “trembling”…