Life With Ella

This morning, mommy, Ella and I went into Brooklyn to spend some time with our friend Tina.  We hung out, had a great brunch and had a great time.  Right as we were leaving, Ella got a very special treat.  Ella and Tina took Tina’s cat Moses for a walk! After our brunch we went back to NJ where we were greeted by Milo, AJ, uncle Michael and grandma. We all went to the Leonia pool where Ella achieved another milestone. Ella passed the deep water test and she went down the slide and went off the diving board.  The Leonia pool is 12 feet deep in the diving/sliding well.  Ella was very nervous about taking the test.  I decided to take her into the lane that went all the way to the 12 foot area just so she could get used to it.  While we were swimming, Barbara, the woman who runs the pool yelled for me. Barbara was my gym teacher from 5 – 8 grade and she now runs the rec and pool for the town.  She was a great teacher and she loved having me for a student.  She was watching Ella swim and she said, “Lauren, she passed the deep water test!  Get her a bracelet and let her go down the slide!”  Ella took the slide and diving board like a pro.  We were all there to witness this except papa.  Papa has been on a golf trip with his good friends since Wednesday.  He came home while we were at the pool and Ella was so proud to tell him about it.  We celebrated today by the whole family going out to Kiku.  We had a great hibachi dinner.  The kids loved watching the chef create our dinner.  It was a great day and a great night. Ella, Tina and Moses walking the streets of Park Slope. Ella and her deep water bracelet. Approaching the end of the diving board. Swimming to the ladder in 12 feet of water! The beautiful Leonhart family.Ella had so much fun jumping off the diving board!  She would run from one end to the other and leap! Sunny took these great shots of me diving off the diving board.  I have been going off this board since I was about 8 years old! Complete love and happiness. The kids were mesmerized by the chef. The adults were pretty mesmerized too!Milo was in great spirits at the end of the night even though it was way past his bedtime! Ella did some serious firefly catching with mommy tonight. 

Since we arrived, we have gone swimming in 4 different pools and 2 water playgrounds.  It has been really hot here and I love it.  It feels like a real summer.  Mommy arrived on Thursday night and we are all so happy that she is here!  Today it got up to 106º and we spent the day at papa’s pool and tonight we went over to Cheryl’s parent’s pool.  Cheryl is one of my oldest friends and I grew up at her parent’s pool.  Tonight, we hung out there with some other special childhood friends and all of our kids.  It was a great night.  Ella had so much fun.  On Thursday, we spent a good part of the day with Doris and her grandchildren.  Doris is one of my parent’s childhood friends.  Ella had a great time with her grandchildren too!  Ella has started to dive off the side of the pool.  She has never done this before and she’s becoming a natural.  Ella has taken her swimming to a new level this summer.  She is so comfortable in the pool.  We are having such a great time here.  Tomorrow we are going to see the Gazillion bubble show.  Should be very exciting. Ella and Doris’ grandchildren Hudson, Stella and Gibson. Ella and Milo love each other so much! Grandma and Ella were doing some beautiful swimming together the other day.  Guess I shouldn’t have them pose for pictures with the sun glaring in their eyes. Our under water beauty.We love you mommy…so happy you’re here. Grandma and Milo – great swimming partners. I am the coach of this swim team. Milo is so much fun to swim with. Two beauties. Chatting away in the kiddie pool. Ella doing a jack knife off the diving board. Ella and Cheryl’s daughter Emma.  Emma was so sweet with Ella – just like a little mommy. The whole gang -James, Ella, Ava, Sophia and Emma. Ella and the twins.  They had so much fun together. 

We have been having a wonderful time here.  It’s been great to get to spend some beautiful time with family and friends.  Mommy – we love you and we miss you!  Come on over already.  Mommy comes on Thursday and we can’t wait.  On Saturday, Ella, Milo, AJ, grandma, Iya and I went to papa’s club.  We had a lot of fun swimming and then at the end of the day, Ella, papa and I took a ride around the golf course in the cart.  Ella told papa that she wanted to hit some golf balls with him before the end of our trip.  On Saturday night, I went into New York to see my friend Karen,  AJ went in to do a gig, and Ella, Milo, Iya, grandma and papa hung out in NJ.  Ella and Iya watched Tangled.  On Sunday, uncle Michael came in for a quick 36 hours and we all went back to papa’s pool.  On Sunday, Ella passed the deep water test at papa’s pool.  This means that she is allowed to swim in the deep end.  At first, Ella was really scared to do the test.  She was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to do it.  I kept telling her to just try and I also told her that if she didn’t do the test that I would only swim with her in up to 5 feet of water for safety reasons.  The test was to swim 25 meters without touching the floor of the pool, any walls or lane lines.  After the 25 meters, you have to tread water for 45 seconds.  After lunch, Ella got up all her courage and said, “I want to take the test”.  She took it and passed the first time!  She was so proud of herself and we are so proud of her.  She was also so happy because the was allowed to play in the 9 foot area and is really great at diving down 9 feet to get things I throw down there.  One of the lifeguards made her a certificate and Ella recited it about 30 times already!  On Sunday evening, KK came over to grandma and papa’s and we hung out on the terrace, the kids blew lots of bubbles and then we had Chinese food.  It was great to spend time with KK.  OK – time for the pictures and video.Fun times in the pool. Sweetness on the golf course. Ella concentrating hard on creating this modern art. Trumpet fun with uncle Michael. Ella and her swimming certificate. Ella and Iya are excellent swimming partners. Michael and Milo getting ready to do some laps. Ella is a great underwater photographer. Milo decided that he wanted to wear AJ’s cover up. Ell and one of her summer buddies Sofia. 

I went into NY really early this morning to get my eyes checked and Ella and grandma spent the morning together.  First, they went and got manicures and then they went grocery shopping.  They came back with a lot of stuff!  After lunch, we went to the Leonia Pool.  Ella couldn’t wait to get in the water.  We usually sit by the kiddie pool but Ella did not go into the kiddie pool today.  Ella spent the whole time in the adult pool.  We had a nice relaxing evening at home tonight.  Tomorrow, AJ and Milo are coming for 3 nights.  We can’t wait.   Ella and her rainbow manicure. Getting into the pool –  it was a little cold. Ella decided that she was going to get out and jump in! The underwater smile.  

Today was another beautiful day…a little cooler than yesterday, but still sunny and great.  It was Buster Posey bobble head day at the ballpark.  Mommy and Ella went out for lunch at Maria’s and then I met them over by the ballpark.  We waited on line a little bit for our bobble heads and then I brought them home.  Mommy and Ella stayed at the ballpark and Ella went down the Coke slide and hit some balls in the little ballpark.  It was a great game tonight and the Giants won.  Ella and I are headed to NJ tomorrow for 3 weeks.  Mommy is joining us in about 10 days.  We love you mommy – we’ll miss you and can’t wait to see you in NJ.  Grandma and papa – Ella is so excited to be in NJ.  She is telling everyone who will listen about our trip! This is from Saturday before Ella’s class.  She was very serious about practicing her kicks. Waiting on line for the bobble head. The best place to wait on line…on mommy’s back! Family love at the ballgame.Ella ran the bases tonight.  She usually does it with an adult who “borrows” Ella because you need to be with a kid in order to run the bases, but tonight Ella did it all by herself.  Ella flew around the bases.Here is a video of Ella and her latest musical endeavor.  Ella has been drumming her little heart out.  She’s really good!