Life With Ella

I am going to keep my comments short – I took my ambien already and want to make sense.  I stared the day up with Ella’s pre school class.  The Leaping Lizards took their first field trip to a pumpkin patch.  The kids went through a hay maze, picked out pumpkins and went on a hay ride.  It was a really successful trip and the kids had a blast.  Later on in the afternoon we got together with Alicia, Ginny (a third grade CDS teacher), & Mary (our friend who works at CDS) and we all got ready to go to the ballgame.  THe game was fantastic and the Giants won-right down to the last out in the 9th inning.  This baseball season has been so exciting.  Here are the pics. Ella and Brickelle this morning having their moring hug. Here are a few great shots from the Pumpkin Patch trip.  These kids are so cute! Here we are at the ballgame. And the Giants win! Oy vey – I can’t believe the Giants did it!  Hopefully we will clinch tomorrow.  Good night.

What an incredibly exciting day.  We were all excited to go to the game.  Ella went to school from 8:30 – 11:00 and she was very excited too.  So excited that she was a little rude to some of the kids and was speaking in a snotty way.  Ms. Alicia took care of this all while at the same time realizing how excited Ella was to leave school and go to a playoff game.  Ella brought the Leaping Lizards Love the Giants sign and she proudly waved it during the game.  The Giants won the game and it was amazing.  Ella did a great job.  She made it all the way to the 5th inning before using the iTouch.  I think that’s pretty good.  After the game Stella and Juliet came over for a while and then we ate dinner, Ella took a shower and then we helped her get to sleep.  Tomorrow is the first field trip for Ella’s class.  We are going to a Pumpkin Patch.  Ella is very excited about this too.  Hope she’s not a jerk tomorrow. Ella playing with cinnamon smelling playdough this morning at school. Holding up the Leaping Lizard sign that Alicia and the kids made. New angler fish that Ella and I drew for this series.  As long as the angler fish stays, the team will win. A beautiful day at the ballpark. Rob Nen, JT Snow and Barry Bonds coming to throw out the first pitch.  It was exciting to have Barry back on the field.Ella waving her sign representing the Leaping Lizards. I think this is a great family shot.  We were all so happy.Ella and my iTouch. Sunny, Becca and Carl.  Three happy people. Sunny and Delia who joined us this afternoon. Ella wearing her rally rag at the end of the game. Ella and mommy at the end of a great game.

We had an early wake up from the girls…Brickelle woke up at 6:00 but rested for about another hour and 1/2 and then once Ella woke up, they were chatting away.  Brickelle stayed until around 11:00.  Ella and Brickelle had a fantastic time and it was a really successful first sleepover.  Right as Brickelle was leaving, Stella, Juliet and KJ came over.  Ella hated to see Brickelle go but LOVED seeing the Kim/Arena kids come!  They hung out for a few hours which was fun and great as usual and then we had to take off because Ella had a birthday party to go to in Marin.  It was a princess birthday party and Ella had a lot of fun until the end when she was so exhausted and ready to go.  After the party, we came back into the city, came home, Ella put on her Giants hoodie and we headed over to Mijita to have dinner and watch the game.  The Giants lost tonight but that’s ok.  Right now we are even in the series.  We are taking Ella to the game on Tuesday.  What a full and beautiful weekend. Brickelle and Ella just finishing up breakfast this morning. One of the many outfit combinations that the girls had on.  THey were dancing to the Nutcracker (video will be posted tomorrow – I’m too tired now). Stella, Ella and Juliet – the 3 musketeers. The princess birthday party this afternoon. One happy little princess. QUick change and we’re ready to cheer on the Giants. Let’s go Giants! Sunny and John at Mijita.nnJohn is getting ready for a crazy week at the restaurants. Ella and Hannah and Max who joined us at Mijita.

Ella is really growing up.  She’s becoming more and more curious, fun, emotional, and for the most part, a pleasure to be around.  I say for the most part because she has developed this annoying habit where when she doesn’t get her way she says, “You’re the worstest mama (or mommy) in the world”.  On one hand, she’s trying to express her feelings, but on the other hand, what she is saying has nothing to do with feelings.  We are trying to help her find emotion words like, “I am angry” or “I feel sad” or anything but the worstest.   Anyway, that’s pretty much the most annoying thing at the moment.  It’s just part of getting control and stuff.  Now the beautiful stuff, Ella loves life, loves school, loves hanging out with other kids, loves hanging out with us.  She is so enthusiastic about everything and she is becoming her own beautiful person. Ella yesterday when I gave her a high bun. On the way to school this moring. On the way to the soccer practice with a beautiful Ms. Alicia hairdo. Chillin’ at practice. Action shot. Playing in the park after practice. Beautiful leap.

Today we went to the SF Zoo with  Stella, Juliet & KJ.  The girls had a great time together.  They were also totally into using the map.  They were actually “reading” the maps – the zoo does it in a really cool way where they show a silhouette of the animal on the map so they were figuring out their next moves by looking at the animals on the map.  After about 4 hours at the zoo, we came home to watch the Giants win!!!!  Stella, Juliet and Ella stayed in our room and watched Monsters Inc while we watched the game with our friends and their 3 dogs.  It was hard to breathe during most of the game but that 9th inning was so exciting and we went crazy.   Ella is indulging us and was shaking around her pom poms and having a great time with us. Just a few wildlife shots…notice the egg in the flamingo pics.  We watched this flamingo fight with someone to keep it away from her egg, she inspected the egg and then she rubbed herself all over the egg and finally sat on it.  I just love the giraffe shot because it looks so sweet. Ella scratcing her ear. Riding on the mother lion statue. Walking with their maps. The peacock…Ella’s favorite.I took this in November of 2007…3 years later… Ella and the girls and then KJ and his sisters.   Ella loves these goats. KJ making a new friend. Ella was really loving this sweet young goat. Stella meditating with the ducks. The girls chillin. Having fun with Juliet’s dress. Juliet and Ella hanging like bats. This was taken in November of 2007… Here they are 3 years later! Going down a funny slide. One last time trying to get a peacock. Ella after the big Giants win!