Life With Ella

Today, Ella started her day off at My Gym. She did a great job in class. After My Gym, we went over to the Women’s Re-entry Center where there was a big celebration. Sunny and her staff have worked so hard over the past 2 years to get the center up and running. A lot of our good friends were there so Ella got to see a lot of people who love her. Ella was pretty hungry and tired by the time we left the celebration. She fell asleep in the car on the way home, so I just put her in her stroller and walked down town. Ella woke up after about an hour and said that she wanted to eat mac and cheese. We were right near Nordstrom, so we went there to the Bistro and had lunch together. After lunch, Ella went shoe shopping and we bought 2 pair of shoes. During lunch, Ella told me that she wanted to go to the carousel. We called Sunny and she joined us at the carousel. After a few rides around we went home and met up with Helen, Stella and Juliet. We all went out to dinner at Pasta Pomodoro. It was a great day and night – very full and I’m very tired.

Ella waiting on the steps for mommy.

Girl’s night out

Here is the big girl button pusher Stella!

I think Monday is Sunny’s favorite day of the week. Monday is the day that Ella and Sunny get to spend the day together. Here is a recap of the day as told by Sunny. In the morning, Sunny and Ella went to pick Stella and Juliet up to go to Acrosport. Juliet was not feeling well, so it was Ella and Stella.  Stella came running out and Ella and Stella went flying down the hallway. Sunny was following them – slowly to give them privacy. There is a spot by the elevator that the girls love to sit down and hang out at. We usually give them alone time there. Just as Sunny was calling out to the girls, seeing how they were doing, she heard the “ding” of the elevator. Sunny went tearing around the corner to see what was up, and she found Stella and Ella standing in the elevator against the wall, with huge smiles on their faces, waiting for the doors to close. I guess Stella is tall enough to push the button (we know Ella can’t) and they just went in. Sunny pulled them out and explained that they have to wait for an adult before they get into the elevator.Ella, Sunny and Stella took the train to the class. The girls were giddy on the train. Ella had a great time in the class. She ran around, jumped on the trampoline, danced, climbed. Ella had a Giants tattoo on her arm and the teacher noticed it. She asked Ella if she liked the Giants and Ella started clapping. Then she said “Bye bye Barry”. We broke the news to her that Barry wouldn’t be back next year and she has been saying bye bye to him. After class, they took the train home. Ella and Sunny had lunch and then Ella took a nap. After the nap, they watched one of Ella’s favorite TV shows “Yo Gabba Gabba” and then they went to Safeway. Ella knows the balloon lady there and she always gets a red balloon from her. Angela, the balloon lady said, “I don’t have a red balloon today, I have a purple balloon, ok?” and Ella said, “OK”. Then Ella looked at Sunny and said, “Don’t let go or it will fly away and don’t bite the balloon, it will go pop!” On the way home, it was really windy out and the balloon was blowing and hitting Ella and Ella was hysterically laughing.I came home from work and we got ready to go to the game with Ellen. Ella was excited to go to the game and had a great time there until the 5th inning (around 9:00) when she said that she wanted to go home. It was past her bedtime so we left. It’s our last game of the season. We’re looking forward to next season already. Here are some pictures from the day and night and a special “Bye Bye Barry song” on the video.Jumping on the trampoline at AcrosportPlaying with ringsDancing around – look at those eyelashes!Friends forever. Look at these beauties holding hands!Waiting for the train to comeGetting ready to go to the game with EllenThe three of us at the gameElla’s last picture with Lou Seal for the 2007 season!

We have all been a little under the weather – a little tired – the weather has not been so great. Yesterday, Sunny and I fasted and happily watched our little one eat her little heart out. We went to temple in the afternoon and had some friends over at night to break the fast. It was a really nice night. We were all up pretty late. Ella has been sleeping through the night. That’s a beautiful thing. Right before she goes to bed we ask her if she will sleep through the night and she looks at us and says, “I will sleep through the night” with a big smile on her face.

Sunny went to the gym this morning and Ella and I slept in. When Sunny came home, we all pretty much just hung around the house. Our energy level was pretty low and it was cloudy out. At around 4:30 we decided to take a walk to the carousel. All of a sudden it was beautiful outside. The sun came out and the sky was blue and we were all coming out of our fatigue. Sunny and Ella went around the carousel once and then Sunny and I were switching and all of a sudden we heard, “Sunny, Lauren…” it was Helen, Ron, Stella and Juliet. I guess they had the same idea that we had. We all rode the carousel together and then went to the park where they have all the slides. We all had a lot of fun. Ella and Juliet have pretty bad colds, but they just played and played. Ella fell asleep pretty early tonight – she was exhausted.

Sunny and Ella on the carousel

The three of us!

Ella going down the slide all by herself

Sunny and Ella coming out of the big tube slide

Here we are looking very serious…we’re about to go down the big slide

Here’s Sunny going down the slide with Stella and Juliet

There’s nothing like Ella’s laughter

Here are Ella and Juliet hanging out together. Juliet is really strong and can actually hang there by herself for about 10 seconds. Ella hung for about 5 seconds.

Today we had another Friday outing with Stella and Juliet. Helen and Ron put a third car seat in their mini-van, so we all went to the exploratorium together. I think Ella got a kick out of driving in the car with the girls. They really did a lot of exploring – they played with magnets, looked at fish, played musical instruments, checked out prisms and rainbows, danced around, played with huge bubbles, and Ella had a blast in front of a mirror. It was a fun adventure and they all did a great job.

Together in the mini-van

The rainbow connection

Here are four photos of Ella dancing in the mirror

Holding hands on the way home

Ella and I are both feeling better – Ella still has a runny nose, and I’m a little slow, but we’re on the mend. Ella went to her My Gym class this morning and had a blast. She’s really outgoing and does great in a group. Ella is now in a group with kids who are 22 mos – 30 months. She’s on the younger side, but she does so well. In the beginning of the group, the leaders ask us to go around the circle and have the kids introduce themselves. Most of the kids just sit there and don’t say anything and the parents have to introduce them. Today and the week before, when it’s Ella’s turn, she looks out into the group and quietly says, “Ella”. Ella and another little girl Ava were the only ones to introduce themselves today. It was pretty cool.

After My Gym, we came home, had lunch and then Ella took a nap. I took a walk downtown while Ella was sleeping. When she woke up, she said, “are we going to the carousel?” So off to the carousel we went. After the carousel, we went into the Yeurba Buena park. We went down a big tube slide and then Ella went on another tall slide all by herself. After that, we walked through another part of the park and Ella found this Martin Luther King Jr. monument/waterfall. Ella loves the water and played around there for a while. We came home and then Sunny, Ella and I met Ellen for dinner at Acme. If we say “Acme” to Ella, she says, “Mac and cheese and french fries”. That’s what Ella had for dinner and she loved it.

Ella brushing her teeth before My Gym

What a big beautiful smile! Ella was really proud of herself because she climbed up on the chair all by herself.

This is a meaningful quote, and we’re looking at one beautiful part of the future – little Ella

Ella wants to jump in the water so badly!

Ella and I took a long walk to the Ferry Building today and had some lunch at Taylors. It was a gorgeous day and walking with Ella is incredible. She notices every little thing – the flowers, the wind, the bumps on the sidewalk… When we came home, we spent some time in the Zen garden with the dogs. Each dog has a different “song” when we want them to go to the bathroom. Bug’s song is “Good girl, make a doody” and Towby’s is “Hurry up Towby, go potty”. Ella has learned both songs and they are on the video below – very cute.

Sunny and I took Ella swimming tonight and then Phyllis met us at the pub for dinner. We all had a great time.

Here is Ella dancing. She loves to dance. Check out the new shoes that Helen got for Ella.

One very happy child with the wind blowing in her hair.

Ella feeling the soft flower on her hand.

Kissing Bug

Kissing Towby

Ella is 22 months old today. What a beautiful thing.After work, Ella and I took a little walk to a store nearby and when we came home we heard the sweet sound of Stella and Juliet in the hallway. Ella had been talking about Stella since I came home so she was so happy to see her. They greeted each other with a big kiss and then Juliet rounded the corner. She is so sweet. Helen and I took the girls and the dogs into the Zen garden and when we were coming back inside, Juliet and Stella were holding hands and walking. Ella kind of looked over at them and we sensed that she wanted to hold hands too. They all held hands walking down the hallway, I ran inside to get my camera while Helen and Ron watched the sweetness and then I caught it on video. Here it is!

Today was the 10th annual Strike Out Violence Day at AT&T Park. Sunny came up with the idea 10 years ago to bring awareness to domestic violence through a major league baseball team and the Giants agreed. There was a great pre-game ceremony where survivors are recognized along with “Founding Fathers” – men who take an oath to teach boys to be non-violent boys and men. It was a meaningful day and Ella was on the field with Sunny to take it all in. I made a video of Ella’s day. We hung out with our friends in the bleachers to watch the game and the Giants beat the Dodgers! It was a great way to celebrate a beautiful day.