Life With Ella

We have been going to the pool pretty regularly and today we went to Wood Park.  Ella was much more daring and had fun climbing and jumping and sliding and pulling herself through tunnels.  At one point, I was going through a tunnel ahead of her and she said, “You can’t fit – your tushy is too big!”  I am proud to say that it wasn’t too big but I couldn’t stop laughing.  OK mommy – get here already.  Your turn to pull yourself through the tunnel!  Grandma just stood and watched us and laughed and said “OY”.  On Monday night, Ella and I went into NY and had dinner with AJ, Michael, Jordin and Kevin.  Carolyn and Vaughn were also over for a little while and Ella got to meet him for the first time.  She had fun with him and really seemed to like him.  He is a cutie.  When they were leaving, Ella looked at Vaughn and said, “Don’t forget – you are my cousin”.  Ella was a trooper at a late dinner and ended the night on Kevin’s lap playing with my iTouch.

Ella trying to negotiate with this little girl to get a turn on her lobster.

Here she is pretending that she doesn’t care that she doesn’t have a big floatie but she really does.

Ella scored a lizard thinks to grandma bear.

More floating.

Ella and Vaughn getting to know each other.

Having fun with uncle Michael and Kevin.

What beautiful photos.  Milo will be here any day now!

Lots of fun in the tunnels and climbing at wood park.

A big girl reading a story to Ella at the library.

Playing ball with papa.  Notice that Ella actually left the house today wearing shorts and a tank top.  We didn’t make a big deal about it but it was pretty cool.

I just found out from Mommy that she is coming a week from today.  I can’t wait to see you.  We love you so much!

We had a great weekend.  The weather is finally beautiful…2 days without rain and a lot of sun.  We spent most of yesterday and today at the Leonia Pool – this place has a lot of meaning for me.  We spent most of our summers as kids at the Leonia Pool either at swim team practice or just hanging out with our friends.  Ella loves the kiddie pool there and she has been having a blast.  On July 4th, there were a bunch of little games at the kiddie pool and Ella participated in all of them.  As soon as I can get the movies loaded, I will entertain you with the live action movie, but for now, the pictures should do.  Come on over here mommy – the Leonia pool is calling you.  We love and miss you.

Some action shots of Ella having fun in the pool.

This was a game where you pushed a baloon around the pool and through hoops and stuff.  Ella was excellent.

This was the game where they threw about 3 dollars worth of pennies on the bottom of the pool and the kids had to find them.  Ella collected 14 pennies!

Ella waiting on line to swim through these hoops. I have a great video of it.  Stay tuned.

Ella taking a little rest on grandma.

Ella had a great time playing around in these little houses.  At one point, Ella was in a house and some kids wanted to come in.  She shut all the doors and windows and told them that they had to ring the bell.  Once they rang the bell, she let them in but they couldn’t play until they used the Purell (pretend Purell).

Ella chillin’ with Normyn.

Ella took this picture of me…not too bad.

Ella doing an arts and crafts project today at the pool.  She made a fan and a picture frame.

Beautiful Normyn.

Searching for fireflies with grandma and papa…Ella LOVES the fireflies.

Today Ella, grandma and I went into NY.  Ella had a playdate with Nikki B and grandma and I went to a party to celebrate KK’s birthday.  Ella went to Magnolia for a cupcake with Nikki B, then to the Museum of Natural History and then to a diner.  Ella had a great time and I hope Nikki B sends me pictures of their adventures!  We had a great time at the party – hung out with great friends.  Ella fell asleep in the car on the way home and when she woke up from a good nap, she went to the park with grandma and papa and then they had dinner.  I went into NY to hang out with AJ and Michael and then we came back to NJ.  Tonight we discovered that Ella has some trumpet skills.  She started out by blowing the shofar and then took a turn at uncle Michael’s trumpet!  She was fantastic and so cute.  I have a movie but need to figure out how to download it onto this blog from the computer I am working on.  For now, there are really cute pictures.

Just a cute picture of Ella from the other day.

Ella and grandma about to head into NY.

Ella and grandma in NY.

Ella finding Nikki B’s cat Mimi under the covers.

I made the rounds at my table during KK’s party.

Having fun with papa (and grandma who was the park photographer) at Fireman’s Park.

Ella and uncle Michael playing around on the trumpet and shofar.  This was so sweet to watch.

Ella kissing Milo in AJ’s belly.

Ella has a real thing for AJ.

The day and night were wonderful.  The only thing that would have made it perfect would have been if mommy were here.  WE LOVE YOU! WE MISS YOU!

Ella and I arrived on Tuesday evening.  Ella was great on the plane and we had a good flight.  The weather has been a little rainy so we haven’t gone to the pool yet but we have been running around and having a great time.  We miss mommy a whole bunch and can’t wait for her to get here.  Last night, Cheryl, Emma and James came over here for dinner and then we went to a very tacky carnival in Leonia.  Ella had so much fun with Cheryl and the kids and thought the carnival was lots of fun.  Ella fell asleep on the way to the car from the carnival and I put her in her bed at about 8:30 hoping that we escaped the time difference battle.  I lost!  Ella woke up 2 hours later thinking that she took a nap.  At around 12:00 we ate leftover Chinese food (second dinner) and Ella finally fell asleep at 2:00 am which means that I finally fell asleep then too.  Very tired right now.

Ella on the first night we arrived.  Grandma bought Ella this fancy nightgown which Ella loves of course.

Emma, Ella and James at the carnival.  Emma and James won those little prizes for Ella.

Emma and Ella on the carousel – the only ride that I would let Ella go on.

Of course Ella loved the carousel.

Emma and James on a wild ride.

Ella having fun with Cheryl.

On Monday before we left for our trip back east, Ella, Juliet, Helen and I had a little adventure together.  We all went to the aquarium at Pier 39 and then had a delicious crab lunch.  The girls were great – a lot of fun to hang out with.  When we get back at the end of June, Stella and Juliet will have a little brother!  How exciting.

Ella and Juliet in the elevator getting ready for the aquarium.

These guys have fun no matter what they’re doing.  Everything is an adventure.

Playing around in the glass bubble in the tank.

Juliet, Ella and Helen putting their hands in the ray/baby shark pool pet the little creatures.

On Sunday we marched in the Pride Parade with Becca and the Animal Care & Control people.  We had a great day and Ella marched for most of the parade.  When she wasn’t marching, she was on Mommy’s shoulders.  Ella was fantastic and loved watching the crowds as we marched by.  Sunny painted her face to look like a cat and she loved it.  At night, we met Helen, Ron and the girls at Los Jarritos for a see ya next month dinner.  It was a really fun night.

Mommy is getting to be a really talented face painter.

We bumped into Brickelle and her mom and dad and brother on the way to meeting Becca.  Ella was really happy and surprised.

Becca brought her dogs Tucker and Digby to the parade.

The three of us getting ready to make the turn onto Market street.

Three of Becca’s staff members did an incredible job looking cute in the extreme heat!

Riding on the train with the doggies on the way home.

Meeting up with Stella and Juliet in front of Los Jarritos.

At the jukebox with Juliet.

In our lobby with Juliet.  They look like such big girls.

3 buddies making shrinky dinks.

Papa came in on Friday night for the weekend.  He had a meeting and dinner on Saturday and we were lucky enough to have him stay with us.  On Friday, papa and I picked Ella up from her last day of camp.  I didn’t tell Ella that papa was coming with me to get her and when she saw us, she kind of ignored us and kept doing the dancing activity with a big smile on her face (which was face painted).  A few minutes later, Ella was in papa’s arms.  Sunny, papa, Ella and I had dinner at Nama and then we watched Cinderella for movie night.  This morning, we hung around the house, papa went to his meeting, I went to an appointment and Sunny and Ella went out for lunch in this beautiful weather we are having.  This afternoon, papa and Ella did Shrinky Dinks and then Debby, Toby and Rachel came over for a visit.  Tonight we had dinner with Becca and Melissa while my dad had his business dinner.  At night, we played around, sang songs, and papa read a lot of books to Ella.  Ella fell asleep on papa tonight as he read to her.  It was beautiful.  WE hope she sleeps through the night because last night was brutal.

Ella and papa outside of the school.

The kitty cat with clown make-up.

Big hug for papa.

Walking down the street.

Having fun at Nama.

Our litte champion in her adorable robe.

Papa and Ella doing Shrinky Dinks.

Mommy and Ella meeing me at Paragon.

The night is winding down.

Goodnight.

Ella finished her first week of camp.  She’s been having a lot of fun.  On Friday afternoon, we both picked Ella up from school and went over to Delia’s house for a baby shower.  When we were at the ballgame with Delia and Erik the other night, Delia and Ella discussed Ella coming over and helping her feed her tarantula some crickets.  Well…Ella did exactly that on Friday afternoon.  Jamie – if you are reading this, don’t look at the video at the end of this entry…this warning goes for anyone who is afraid of spiders.  Ella didn’t touch the tarantulas or anything, but I have to say, Sunny and I were doing everything we could to not put our fear on Ella.  I was really squirming on the inside – even looking at the crickets, but Ella was a true champion.  She really loved it.  On Friday night, Stella and Juliet came over for movie night while Helen and Ron had dinner and ran some errands.  Ella had a blast with her buddies.  I haven’t gotten today’s pictures together, but Sunny, Ella and I went to the SFMOMA.  Ella loved the outdoor garden.  It’s been a really fun weekend.

Ella on her way to camp the other day.

Ella busy doing a puzzle.

This is Ellen’s neice Melissa.  We had a sweet dinner with them the other night.

Blowing bubbles at camp.

When we went to pick up Ella the other day, we were able to spend some time in the classroom.  The kids made cookies after lunch and they were hot out of the oven when we got there.  They were delicious.

Put your hands on your head if you’re ready for a cookie.

Mommy wants to go to camp too.

Ella getting in there all ready to touch the crickets.

Best buddies.

Here is the movie of Ella putting crickets in the tarantula tanks and “watering” the tarantulas.

Sunny had a Giant’s board meeting and then got us all into the luxury suite at AT&T Park.  Delia and Erik came with us and Ella had a lot of fun with them.  Ella also bumped into Lou Seal and had another great photo op.

Ella and Delia entering the stadium.  Ella is super excited!

First Lou Seal saw Ella and gave her a huge hug and then they posed together for this photo.

Having a blast with mommy in the luxury suite.

Ella and Delia at the end of the night still having so much fun together.  Delia promised Ella that she could help Delia feed her pet tarantula.  Ella asked what the tarantula ate and Delia told her that it ate crickets.  Ella then asked, “They don’t chirp do they?”  Delia’s answer…”not after the tarantula eats them”.