Life With Ella

This morning, very early, Sunny and I got an e-mail from Alicia – Ella’s preschool teacher.  The e-mail said…”Read the blog. That rash sounds like Fifth’s disease. It’s not a disease it’s just what it’s called. It’s one of the childhood viruses. Did she have cold like symptoms a week or two ago? Usually the rash comes out after the fact…that’s when they start getting better. So, it is contagious and in adults it causes serious fatigue and achiness all over your body especially your joints! Fun!”Well Alicia, not only are you an incredible teacher and person, you are a skilled diagnostician.  We called the doctor, described what was going on, and they said it is “slap cheek virus” also known as “Fifth’s disease”.  They said that she could go about her regular day since the rash is out, but we let her stay home from school today.  I  Ella watched “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs” and then played, did some artwork and made a card for Ella’s swimming instructor.  Thursday will be their last lesson.  Here are some pictures from the first part of the day.It looks a lot worse than it feels.  It hasn’t been bothering Ella at all.Here is the card that Ella made for Megan, her swimming teacher. When I came home from work, Ella looked so much better than when I left her.  She was in a great mood.  We listened to the soundtrack of the original Broadway Annie and built a Lego village.  Sunny had to go to an event tonight and since she’s the cook in the family, Ella and I went across the street to Amici’s (Ella’s second time this week).  Ella had pizza instead of pasta so at least she mixed it up a little.  We had a great dinner and Ella was doing some great writing on the iTouch.  Check out the video at the end.Huge smile on Ella’s face while she was listening to Annie.Playing tag on the way to Amici’s.

Ella had a great day today.  She woke up ready to go to school and have some fun.  She developed some kind of rash over the weekend…started on her upper arms and moved down a little on her lower arms.  She also gets a little rash on her cheeks.  She has no fever and it doesn’t itch but I will try to get her to the doctor tomorrow after school.  Ella was very excited for ballet and when we got there, all the lights were out.  There was a black out on Bay Street where the school is.  The teacher improvised and had them playing games and running and dancing around to either no music or music being played on her iPhone.  The kids weren’t trippin’.  They all had a blast.  Tonight, I had a squash lesson and Sunny had a meeting so Debby and Toby came over and took Ella out to dinner.  Ella had so much fun with her sweet friends.  Thank you Debby and Toby for helping us out.  Ella loved it!  So do we!  OK – now for some pictures and a short non-musical ballet video..Ella on her way to school this morning.                                Beautiful Ella dancing down the hallway.

It was a beautiful weekend here…a tiny bit cold but the rain was gone for the most part and the sun was shining.  On Saturday, I took Ella to a make-up ballet class.  She was making it up from the past Monday when she had a minor knee injury.  She was fantastic in the class.  There were some new kids – first time ballet school kids and some other kids who were a little younger.  The teacher asked Ella if she would be the helper in the class.  Ella loved taking on that role.  On Saturday night, Sunny and I went to a “Leaping Lizard” cocktail party that 2 of the class parents hosted.  It was really a great party – there are some great parents in our class and great teachers and it was really nice to be able to take a load off, leave the kids behind, and have an adult evening.  We got home close to midnight – almost a record for us since Ella.

Here’s Ella before we left for the party.  She was all ready in her Annie pajamas.

This morning, before we went out, Mommy was at the gym and Ella and I were downstairs drawing.  She loves her dry erase easel.

After doing some art, Ella hopped on her bike and we were on our way to the Crossroads Cafe.  We stopped to put air in Ella’s tires on the way there.

Ella playing in the wildlife at the Crossroads Cafe.

Our friends Simon, Tonya and Lola met us at Crossroads.  Here is a great shot of Lola sitting in Ella’s bicycle basket.

 Here are some shots from our afternoon at the Bay Area Discovery Museum.  What a beautiful day.  It was Lola’s first time there.

It was a really fun day – especially for Ella.

Now here is a pretty long but very sweet ballet video.

Ella has had another great week.  Her cold is pretty much gone and she’s been sleeping great.  The other day, Ella told Sunny that she wanted vampire teeth – I think she got the idea from a cartoon Max and Ruby.  Like the great mommy that she is, Sunny found vampire teeth for Ella.  Ella just loves them.Ella told us that she is a friendly vampire – not a mean one. Beautiful Ella without her vampire teeth.Today Ella had swimming.  She did a great job.  Sunny contacted the swimming people at the gym and they do allow people to photograph their kids in the pool.  Good thing…I can’t wait to go swimming with Ella this weekend. Ella behind the gym.Here’s a little swimming video.

After a great weekend, it was time to go back to work and school.  Ella seemed like she had a good day at school today although she wouldn’t tell me anything about it which is rare these days.  Ella was, however, very excited to go to ballet.  We arrived a little early and she was dancing and running and twirling all over the place.  Here are a few pictures and of course the video.

Ella having a blast before class.

Here is a video of Ella’s ballet class today.  She was happy to be back at ballet.  I put a little baseball from yesterday at the end of the ballet video.  Check out Ella’s swing!

Ella wore this skirt to school today and loved it so much that she wore it to ballet.

Today, Juliet gave Ella her old bicycle – one that was too small for her.  Ella was so thrilled.  The 3 girls took a fun bike ride today around the ballpark and into the little park behind the ballpark.  It was the first time that Ella rode a 2 wheeler with training wheels all by herself.  She seemed like a natural.  I think it helps that at school they ride around on these tricycles.  The girls had a blast and it was fun to all hang out.  There is a video at the end of this entry.

Here are some great shots from today.

Ella on the go!

Juliet pushing Ella on the merry go round.

Big girls on top of the world.

Great jumping Ella!

Check out Stella’s move.

GO Juliet go!!!!!

S0 much fun had by all.

Ella had ballet this afternoon.  There are 2 videos here…one from bike riding and the other from Ella’s ballet class.

I am much too tired to make any sense so here are the videos.

Ella is learning side breathing in the pool.  She had a great lesson the other day and Sunny stopped by the pool on her way to working out and was just amazed at how well Ella was doing.  Ella loves Fridays – the day starts with their 7th grade buddies in their classroom and then they hang out at assembly and then in the classroom for a little more time.  Ella really loves her buddy Casi.  Tonight the 3 of us watched Annie (for the 6th time).  Ella acted out the entire movie.  On Sunday, 2 of her classmates are coming over to watch Annie…Ella is hooked.  It’s coming back on Broadway and hopefully we will be able to take her when we go back East for Passover.Here are some pictures from Thursday and Friday.Here’s are little swimmer.  Ella is loving her swimming lessons and we love it that she is gaining confidence. Ella playing with Dottie – one of the resident dogs in our building.Casi, Ella and Brickelle at assembly. At papa’s request, uncle Jesse found this poster for Ella in LA.  Sunny got it mounted and now Ella has her own beautiful Princess and the Frog poster.  We hung it in her room tonight.  Thank you papa – thanks uncle Jesse.Ella during one of her Annie dance routines.Here is a video of Ella singing “It’s A Hard Knock Life” from Annie, while Sunny was popping popcorn.  If you have any other Annie requests, shoot me an e-mail and I’ll have Ella do the song.

Ella had 2 weeks vacation from ballet class too and she was very excited to get back there.  She told the teacher that she saw the Nutcracker about 4 times.  The ballet they are currently “dancing” to and learning about in the class is Cinderella. I think Ella almost fainted when the teacher told them.  Ella had a great first day back at CDS and a great first day back at ballet school.  Life is beautiful.

Twirling down the block to ballet class.

“Come on!  Let’s get into the school so I can change into my tutu”.

Ella in class.

Now for the video…notice at one point that a little girl in the class hurt herself and all the other kids crowd around and Ella continues dancing.  I don’t know if she was minding her own business, in her own world, or … who knows.