Life With Ella

This has been a wonderful weekend.  We have been spending a lot of amazing time with grandma and papa – reading books, painting, walking, going to the Academy of Arts and Sciences, eating, laughing.   It’s been great.  Yesterday, Sunny and I went to see Milk at the Castro theater with a bunch of friends and that was a moving and beautiful movie.  Today Sunny, Ella and I went over to Phyllis’ to see Phyllis’ mom Alice.  It was really sweet.  After seeing Phyllis’ family, we did some shopping, had lunch at Nordstrom Bistro, came back here and rested and then had dinner with Aunt Abigail and Uncle Ray.  Ella was amazing at dinner and we all had a lot of fun.  We will miss grandma and papa who are leaving tomorrow but they are coming back in 3 weeks for the holidays.  We love you guys.

Reading a book before Thanksgiving dinner.

We did lots of puzzles on Thanksgiving day.

Getting ready to say what we are thankful for.  Ella was thankful for water and penne.

Huge smiles!

In the elevator on our way to the Academy of Arts and Sciences.

At the Academy with Mommy.

Checking out the fishies.

Leaving a very crowded place!

About to hold hands with papa.

Ella with her new penguin stuffed animal.

Something must be very funny.

This is what happens when mommy and mama go out and leave Ella alone with grandma and papa!

Big kiss for Alice.

Reading with grandma.

With grandma and papa before dinner.

Grandma and papa came in on Tuesday night while Ella was sleeping.  Ella woke up to a beautiful surprise!  On Wednesday, it was grandparent and special friends day at Children’s Day School.    Grandma, papa and Becca joined Ella in the classroom for a little while.  Ella was happy to show everyone around and read some books with grandma and papa.  Becca talked to Ms. Alicia about possibly having a class pet.  After school, we came back here, had lunch and played Zingo.  Everyone was getting a little sleepy so Ella, grandma and papa when upstairs, layed down and watched Kung Fu Panda.  Grandma was the only one who made it through the whole movie (with a few minutes of napping here and there).  Mommy also napped for about 2 hours.  After the nap, we all played some more and then we had a great dinner at Nama.

Becca shared her umbrella with papa on their way into Ella’s school.

Reading with grandma and papa.

At first Ella tried to get grandma to read her a book in Spanish and then she settled on the Gruffalo.

A little puddle jumping after school.

Ella and papa couldn’t stay up to watch Kung Fu Panda.

Mommy and Ella reading a new Ella the elephant book.

Running down the hallway after dinner.

Everyone working very hard to construct the best Dora playground and city.

Ella woke up super happy this morning and ran into the classroom with a huge smile on her face.  We are so happy that she is so happy at school.

Running to the elevator this morning.

Tender moment with mommy this morning on the way to school.

Beginning of morning circle time.

On the swings after school.

We had a great trip to Tucson.  Ella fell in love with the desert and had a blast with her cousin Clara.  We had a sweet early Thanksgiving dinner with Cindy, Bob, Danny and Clara over at Cindy’s house and it was great to be together.  Ella was a champion traveler and was such a pleasure to be with.  Here are a bunch of pictures from the trip.

Mommy and Ella at the Oakland airport.  The beginning of an incredible weekend.

Ella wearing her headphones (not plugged into anything).  We weren’t even on the plane yet – she just really wanted to wear them.

On the planes still wearing her headphones (still not plugged into anything).

Reunited with cousin Clara.  They picked up right where they left off last November.

Dessert!

Delicious breakfast in the hotel room.

Ella and Clara taking a little rest before we all headed out to the Desert Museum.

Ella riding on a javelina “piggy bank” in front of the Desert Museum.

Clara joined Ella on the javelina ride.  It was a windy day in the desert!

Ella loved all the different cactus.  She is able to name a few different types of cactus now – her favorites are the saguaro cactus and the prickly pear cactus.

Clara getting a cool shoulder ride from aunt Sunny.

There’s nothing quite like driving on a desert road.

Dan and Clara chillin’ in the pool.

Someone must have said a funny joke!

Here we all are playing in the pool.

The 3 of us!

A little poolside cuddling.

Ella loved this chair in the hotel lobby.  What’s a throne without a crown?

Here we are outside the hotel waiting for our friends Fran and Judy to meet us for dinner.

Ella had a lot of fun with Fran and Judy.  It was a great dinner.

We brought a kid’s aero bed with us and Ella slept like a rock in it.

Ella and Clara after we had breakfast in this place that was like an enchanted desert garden.

Ella watching her little wooden “boat” flow down the water current.

Having a nice fun swim with mommy.

Here is Clara painting Ella’s nails right before dinner at aunt Cindy’s.

Our beautiful hippie child.

Making music.

Doing art with Clara.  Ella made a tire swing and Clara made a happy face.

Another peaceful night of sleep.

Here we all are – Ella was not in the mood for a group picture, but we wanted one altogether.

Saying goodbye to the desert.

Fast asleep on the plane.

I have been recovering from the flu of some sort so I haven’t been able to keep up with each day.  Ella is doing really well.  She has had an accident free week so far.  Ms. Alicia is back at school and Ella had a huge smile when she saw her on Monday.  Yesterday and today after school, Ella has asked for her Belle dress or her Sleeping Beauty dress.  At least she knows that she can’t wear them to school.  We are headed out to Tucson on Thursday to spend an early Thanksgiving with Sunny’s sister, nephew and great niece.  It should be a lot of fun.  Here are some pictures from the past 2 days.

Here is the happiest kid on the way to school yesterday.

Playing in the classroom before school started.

Here is the church across the street from the school.  I think it’s beautiful.

Dancing the night away in her new tutu from Phyllis.

This morning by the elevator.

The leaping lizard gratitude list.

Today we went to Miguel’s 4th birthday party.  Miguel is in Ella’s class  – there were lots of Leaping Lizards at the party.  The party was at the Bay Area Discovery Museum and it was a gorgeous day out.  We all had a blast.  Ella got totally into the pirate theme and wore a pirate hat and an eye patch.  She also made a jeweled hook.  It’s so much fun to watch Ella become more of a participant in everything that is going on around her.  She just loves life.

This is from yesterday (Saturday).  Sunny, Becca and I went to a rally for equality in marriage.  We were hanging out and listening to people speak and all of a sudden, Sunny said, “Hey, that’s us!” We looked up and there was Phyllis holding up a sign that said, “Why do you care?  This is why I care”…and there was a picture of Sunny, Ella and me and then some pictures of other people who she loves.  It was really sweet.

Ella running to the elevator to get to Miguel’s party.

Mommy and Ella walking into the Discovery Museum.

Walking through a tunnel.

Playing around with a bee costume on.

Ella asked the painter to paint a peacock on her arm.  Another kid from her class overheard Ella asking for a peacock and he said to his mom, “Ella always paints peacocks!”

Arg!

Ella and Kaliko -Pirates in training.

Pirate coming back from the potty.

Ella took part in her first sack race.  She got a lot of help from mommy during the race, but right here, she held her own.

Ella and Tate waiting to get their happy birthday cupcakes.

After the party, Ella wanted to climb the hill and ring the bell.

Today, we celebrated Ella’s birthday in her classroom.  Sunny and I went in at around 1:45, read a few stories to the class, ate cupcakes, and watched the class of totally adorable kids sing happy birthday to Ella in Spanish, English and Chinese.  We got to see some of the kids’ dynamics and it was pretty hysterical.  Ella was so happy that we could stay and then all leave together.  Tonight, we had dinner with Diana and Kenny -friends of grandma and papa who were in town for a wedding.  It was a great dinner and Ella had a blast.  She was terrific.

GOOD MORNING!

I think this will be the last of the cupcakes for a while.

Ella in the middle of the circle.

Our soccer star with a chocolate mustache and beard.

Playing around in the restaurant with Diana and Kenny.

Ella is having a great week as a 3 year old.  She hasn’t had an accident at school in way over a week and she’s just having a great time.

Fooling around with the magnifying glass.

This is circle time  – the first thing they do in the morning.  Ms. Gladys turns on the Buenas Dias song and all the kids get into the circle.

Here is Ella at the end of school today.  I think she has such a huge smile on her face because she’s going home to put on her Belle dress.