balustrades

that word has been in my head for the past 2 days. why? who the heck knows. but there it is. in my head. it becomes especially prominent when i'm working on the jigsaw puzzle that's been stumping my brother, sister-in-law and me since yesterday. clay refuses to look at the box for guidance, sarah occasionally looks, and i've got it attached to my hand.

i spent a good couple hours on it last night (ah, the craziness that ensues when my husband leaves town) and got approximately 12 pieces put together. it's a 1000 piece puzzle.

another kind of puzzle i experienced last night was Tofurkey. "what?" you might be saying. "exactly," is my answer. i won't be eating it again.

oh, and here's the cutest baby i've ever had.

and i can't fight this feeling anymore...

i know, i know. i keep thinking of things to write about, and have finally decided to sit down and just do it. it's a rare moment that i'm not napping while ella naps (see last post) but for some reason i'm awake and kicking.
i've got my BBQ chicken pizza from California Pizza Kitchen (by way of the target frozen section). i Highly recommend it.

not that i'm here, i feel it's due time for an Ella update. the babe is 14 months old, and about the most fun thing i've encountered in my entire life. she pretty much exists to laugh, make other people laugh, and laugh some more. well, she definitely belly laughs much more than she used to - but she's also got this breathy, cough-laugh going on that's hilarious and Very endearing. she shows all 8 of her teeth, throws her head back and just laughs.

today she discovered that plunging her head down onto her high chair tray full of pear and eating it without any hands made me laugh. so that's how she finished her lunch.

she thinks putting things on her head (and ours) is pretty funny.

she likes to laugh and screech at dogs (until they come too close for comfort).

she likes to put her head on the ground and look between her legs - sometimes she's waiting to be somersaulted. sometimes she's just checking out the view.

she loves to pick things up, then give them to whoever is closest. the little boy in the dr's waiting room yesterday was a bit confused by this.

one of her favorite pastimes is to point out every light fixture in a room and wave at them one by one.

she still loves her baby IPod, even though it's in desperate need of a battery change, and the kids singing now sound like sleepy baritones.

this pizza is Seriously so good.

she continues to love/hoard her pacifiers, and when i get her out of the crib, she always has 1 in her mouth, 1 in one hand, and 2-3 in the other (yes, that means we keep a lot of them in her crib).

However, i feel we are making progress because now i tell her to drop them in her crib after i pick her up out of it -
and she does. even the one in her mouth!

she Loves to alternately bang and knock on surfaces - particularly windows, doors and mirrors. i think she knows the difference between a bang and a knock. but that could just be wishful thinking on my part.

she loves to eat Everything! her newfound favie is cantaloupe. yum.

she can climb on the couches now, and in subdued moments, likes to sit next to andy or me and just "talk." really. she's definitely holding a conversation pretty much all day. we just have no idea what her side of it is.

she now has a real live cell phone compliments of her Pops. it doesn't have service, of course, but it lights up when she presses the buttons, and she thinks it's the greatest. (this doesn't mean that you may never get a phone call from ella posing as andy or alison - she still loves our phones, too).

whew. i Could keep going, but i've got to ease back into this thing. and to all my friends with blogs...Update them!

Sleep when the baby sleeps

This bit of parental advice I have clung to since the second Ella was born. Over a year has passed, and I am still a faithful follower. I love it. I need it. My house is falling apart.

Obviously if I'm sleeping I'm not cleaning. And when Ella's awake, I want to be playing with her - not filling her lungs with Pledge, Clorox and Windex. One chore, however, I think Ella actually enjoys. That is vacuuming. The first time I pulled out the vacuum when she was in the room, she was crawling. I figured if she didn't like it, she'd crawl away. Not only did she Not crawl away, she became wide-eyed, curious, and began crawling Toward the vacuum cleaner. Now the child gets practically giddy whenever I pull out the (very loud) monstrosity that is the vacuum, and chases it around the room (laughing) as we do our business.

Another loud object she fully enjoys is the hair dryer. Maybe she's just envious, but whenever I dry my hair, Ella toddles speedily into the room and gets as close to the action as possible.

Back to the matter at hand. We may be living in borderline squalor, but at least I'm rested and Ella has a playmate.

ways I know that Spring is here

1. our lilac tree is blooming (is it a tree or bush?) and i've put a couple of blooms in the kitchen
2. lawns are being mowed, and one of my All Time Favorite smells - the wild onion - is out in full-force
3. my baby is toddling around in bare feet over the cut grass and onions
4. when my baby gets tired of toddling, she plops down and picks dandelions and wild violets
5. the heat is turned Off inside, and occasionally, the air is turned On
6. but mostly the windows are Open
7. irises and tulips have cropped up in neighbors' yards (i aspire to one day have them in mine - along with daffodils and
pansies)
8. i take a walk at least once a day
9. everyone else takes walks, too
10. my baby falls asleep sometimes before the sun is completely down
11. i crave foods like chicken salad, strawberry shortcake and sweet tea
12. which leads me to think about summer foods like barbeque chicken on the grill and pig-pickins...and more sweet tea
13. FLIP-FLOPS (and consequently, fun new nail polishes)

2 months worth of pictures

take a look

Happy Birthday, Ella!!!

One year ago today, Elizabeth Claire Osenga was born. No, I can't believe it. Yes, time does fly. And yes, she is still as bald as the day she was born. This morning we had a little family time to celebrate...

the Great Guilty Pleasure Read-Off

Remember Science Fair projects? I feel kind of like I’m starting one – for two reasons. First, I’m about to read a science-fiction novel. Second, I’m going to document my journey with this novel, and see if the end result is, indeed, as I hypothesized.

Of course, I won’t be adhering to regular Science Fair rules. There won’t be judges, nor blue ribbons, and (thank goodness) nothing “sciency” about it – just the book.

You see, my dear husband and I are exchanging our “guilty pleasure books” and letting the other take a look-see into our literary utopias. For me, this is either Goudge (my always and ultimate favorite, whom I do Not feel guilty in the least about reading) or, Far less meaningful, pop-culture girly (often-times British) humor books that always involve ridiculous amounts of materialism (namely clothes, shoes and jewelry) and some sort of fluffy romance.

I have chosen for Andy to read “Confessions of a Shopaholic.” It is laugh-out-loud good, has no amount of true value in life, and apparently will be made into a movie starring Kate Hudson one day (I cringe just imagining her British accent).

I have been tasked to read “Rendezvous with Rama” by Arthur C. Clarke. I am already smirking and sneering, being that I did those two things the entire time Andy was reading it in bed next to me. Just looking at the front cover makes me laugh and I’m feeling the need to rent “Trekkies” once again.

I respect and admire Andy’s literary leanings, but I must admit skepticism. He has been quite up front with the fact that this is completely nerdy, then quickly follows with the fact that apparently Morgan Freeman is going to be in the movie adaptation. And Morgan Freeman is, unarguably, cool.

So here’s my “hypothesis.” I think I will be scared off from the science-fiction world forever. I think this has something to do with people exploring a world in space, or something – or maybe a spaceship. Andy’s explained it to me multiple times, but all I can get through my head is that “Rama” is not a person. I think I’ve blocked everything else out.

I can almost guarantee that I won’t be returning for any sequels. I’ll try to keep the smirking to a minimum, and hopefully my husband’s cool points won’t be taken away in the process. Hopefully mine won’t be taken away as he reads his assignment either.

The following is Andy's hypothesis:

"Confessions of a Shopaholic

I'm expecting pretty much the movie version of "Bridget Jones' Diary." I'm thinking there will be a lot of names like Gucci and Vera Wang thrown around. And tons of wonderful, charming, young British men who won't pay our heroine the time of day. I bet it will be funny, though, and I'm hoping for some humorous personal revelations; and a better appreciation for upscale footware."


And we're off...

happenings

I've been remiss. For the greater part of last week, little Ella had a fever. It's been her first extended fever Ever, and it was a bit unsettling. Fortunately, there really weren't any other symptoms other than being alternately tired and refusing to go to sleep. But the day it spiked up to 102.7 deg, I was a sad mommy. She really was in good spirits a majority of the time, and we even went outside to play a little bit. Here she is, becoming acquainted with the great outdoors...


In about a week's time, my baby will no longer be 0. As the landmark approaches, I've become increasingly more nostalgic and have been grasping on to all of her little nuances. Her smile is often now accompanied by a toothy biting motion. Only if you're lucky do you get to see her amazingly-gapped upper teeth.

During mealtime, she tries to grab the spoon to help the eating process along. Or so I thought. If I let her take the spoon from me to feed herself, she immediately raises it up in the air, looks at it, and starts shaking with excitement. I've been reminded of both an Olympic torch bearer, and, more timely and accurately, an enthusiastic Oscar-winner.

She loves to instigate physical play. She'll look over to whoever is in the room with her, and as a smirk crosses her face, she'll slowly lay down on her back and wait to be tickled. Then when you actually Do tickle her, she howls in laughter. This is definitely one of my current favorites.

She's learned to kiss. If we ask her (and she's in the right mood) she'll lean in and let us give her a little peck on the lips. When it actually happens, it's heart-melting. I've been asking for the last couple of days, and have gotten turned down every time. However, her daddy had been out of town for a day, and when he came home and asked for a kiss, he got two in a row. She Then leaned in a kissed him three times Unsolicited. He totally wins.

We have a ritual before naptime. She nurses, then we rock for a while. For the last 11 months, she's rested her head somewhere between my chest and the crook of my neck. Several days ago, she abandoned that for a new position. Wait for it...she lays her back down on my lap. Her head either balances on the edge of my knees or tilts slightly backwards. I have no idea why she loves this new angle so much, but i keep rocking, and she often hums along as I sing "Lullabye."

Dancing is the new craze. When Any type of music (cds, movies, cell phone rings, toys, Andy playing guitar, even me singing a capella) starts up, that little body starts bouncing up and down. Sitting, standing...no matter. Sometimes she'll throw an arm up in the air (which is disconcertingly like her mother) or start clapping (she still doesn't move her left hand when doing so).

While listening to said music, it is very important that we put a barricade up in front of the DVD player. It's one of Ella's most favorite toys, and she Loves pushing all the buttons. Especially the power button. Pre-barricade we would hear about 30 seconds of the first song on a CD. Over and over and over and over. I captured this moment a few weeks ago.


Note, also, the scrape on the bridge of her nose. Until yesterday that was her only nose injury. As she was happily cruising along our furniture, though, she took a rough tumble headfirst into the loveseat. Much screaming ensued, as did her very first nosebleed. It was very very sad. We called her pediatrician, and they said to not let her nap more than an hour right after the injury, in order to stave off concussion. Poor babes. Her nose isn't nearly as swollen today.

On a completely non-child-related note, I caved and started a MySpace page. I really, truly don't know why. I don't plan on blogging there, I have about zero information on my page, and it's just another website for me to be obsessed with. It Is kinda fun to click around and discover people that you knew way back when. But never fear, gentle readers, this is my one true love. Go Blogspot!

Hey, Mr DJ

Yesterday I realized there were 3 songs floating around that I wanted to be able to hear any time I please. I'll catch snippets on the radio, and always want to hear it again. And again. So today my sweet husband bought them for me on ITunes. They are as follows:

"Fix You" - Coldplay
"GoldDigger" - Kanye West
"God Bless the Broken Road" - Rascal Flatts

Rock on.

screen free

This weekend I challenged myself to a rather daunting task: turn off my laptop and put it out of my sight, and don't watch any TV or movies. I had grown weary of pulling myself away from both types of screens bleary-eyed and exhausted. I wouldn't classify myself as a "screen-addict" - but I felt it was time for some detox.

There were literally piles of magazines that I truly love to scour waiting for me. There are always books that are in need of reading. And I'd been longing for some old-fashioned journaling. So Friday night the computer went away. And Saturday was completely, well, I guess the word I keep coming back to is Organic.

Usually, when Ella is napping or down for the night, I click on the Internet and Go. I've got places to be, things to check, e-mails to send, people to IM, blogs to read, etc etc. While most these things are worthy causes in my mind, I've come to realize that I don't need to go to all of these sites every single time the child takes a nap. It's become a habit, and it's about time this habit gets broken.

So what did I do with these screenless hours? At first, I thought about all the things that I could be checking on the Internet. Then I realized that it was a bigger part of my life than I expected. I wanted to check the weather. Couldn't. Wanted to put a couple of books on hold at the library. Ironic, huh? Wanted to check Dictionary.com (I realize this is unavoidably nerdy, and I have an actual dictionary, but the website is so much easier. Which makes me mad at myself because whenever Andy and I try to find a phone number, I race him in finding it - him on the internet, me with the phonebook. I keep trying to prove that the "hardcopies" of information are still valid. whoa, sidetrack).

Even all the magazines I was reading referenced websites, and I had to earmark all the places I wanted to go back and look up later. But I got to read some ever-welcomed Goudge, and spent time just quiet. I wrote a long list of things that I either want to do, or wish I wanted to do, and hopefully will someday soon get done. Creative things.

So now the weekend is up, and "real life" has started again. And while it's not the norm that I have the house completely to myself, save for the nursery where aformentioned baby is sleeping, I can apply my little weekend's "retreat" to the everyday. I can keep my computer not-quite-so-accessible, so that it's a concerted effort to get to it. And when my eyes have glassed over in front of the television, for goodness sake, turn it off!

I am so looking forward to the Spring, just so we can spend some time outside. On Friday, Andy and I played with Ella in our front yard. And after spending a good portion of the time trying very hard to not put her hands in the grass, Ella finally worked up the nerve to gingerly crawl around. Soon, she was off like a crazy woman, exploring and trying to put every single leaf in her mouth.

Oh yeah, she also took her very first steps that day. What enticed her? None other than a cell phone dangled in front of her excited little face. Since then she's taking her sweet time working up to another stroll, so we're still waiting for the walking machine. And Ella-proofing Phase 4 is about to begin...

no family bed for me

When Ella was in her first few months of life, she would often find her way into our bed for a nap or for the critical post-6am window, where I would try to keep her sleeping for as long as possible. And by "finding her way" I mean that it was Always me putting her into bed with us. I just loved snuggling close with my little baby (but not too close - for fear of suffocation).

She was so small that Andy didn't even always know that she was in there with us, unless she made some sort of noise. I think she slept better because she loved being held All of the time, and there was that comfort knowing that her life source (aka: mother) was nearby.

My friends, those days are over. Last night, Andy was out of town (the first time in a Long time) and I decided to harken back to the days of Mommy and Ella sleepovers. I learned 2 things from this less than 1 hour experience. First, the concept of "the family bed" (an entire family sleeping together in one big bed) baffles me more than it ever has before. I am not venturing to argue against it as a whole, but all I know is that Alison and Ella Osenga do not share a bed well in this current stage of life. I like to spread out - so does she.

During our little together time, this child rolled on top of me, pulled my hair, hit my face and chest, kicked my stomach, and almost rolled off our (rather high) bed onto the hardwood floor. All in her sleep. I fondly remembered the days when she would snuggle up to me and Stay. I put a pillow on the other side of her merely as a precaution, not as a laughable deterrent.

Second, I think for the first time since this child was a twinkle in my blue-grey eye, I truly understood the brilliance of a crib. And a bumper pad. For all the reasons listed above, it's a good thing that crazy-sleeping baby has a trusty enclosure - and something soft to barrel against. It's also good for me to be able to have a night or two where I can thrash around, and my poor husband doesn't get nearly pushed off the (rather high) bed onto the hardwood floor.

birds and births

Friday night I went to my first-ever painting class. It was held at this cool little place on 12th south called the Art House. I went with my friends Leslie and Kristen, and after 2 hours we walked away with masterpieces. Actually, none of us were terribly thrilled with our results, but we all want to go back for more.

It was a great format, in that we couldn't make tons of choices. That was one thing I was kind of afraid of before we got there. What if I had to pick something out of the clear, blue sky to paint? There's no way I would be able to pick, much less know how to paint it. So it was a relief when we walked in and the instructor handed us palettes with 3 paint colors and told us to just fill up the canvas with color. The only rule was that we couldn't paint in straight lines. Totally manageable.

While we let the paint dry, she explained the basics. Some people in there had painted before and knew all about the color wheel and planes and things of that nature. I knew absolutely nothing. I ventured a few answers to questions she gave the group. I got them wrong. It's a good thing the class was called "painting for dummies."

We then picked one of two things to paint. It was between a bird and a vase of flowers. Although no one outside of the class has yet to guess what it is, I painted a bird. We basically copied a very avant-garde bird sketch she had for us, and then practiced our new-found knowledge in the techniques of color contrast, shading, texturing and such. My bird was by far the fattest in the class, and the colors weren't at all what I had envisioned them to be. I was hoping for a serene, yet jovial, scene filled with light blues and greens, with a splash of yellow and white. I ended up with dark reds and oranges, and varying shades of green. But it really was a good experience, and the right side of my brain is craving more.


The next night I found this Chickadee and did my best at copying it with pencil and paper. The result actually looks like a bird, so that's encouraging.

Also, today is Andy's 27th birthday. Hooray!!!

It's official

I've reached a whole new level of motherhood. This morning I found a pacifier nestled in my nursing tank top. Since I've been wearing this shirt since yesterday, I have no idea how long the pacifier had been resting there. Awesome.

hello, caffeine - goodbye, leftovers

After over 2 years of all-natural energy, I've moved back to the dark side. Or the light, depending on how you look at it. I almost can't believe I made it as long as I did without this legal drug. I went through my whole prenancy and almost the whole first year of Ella's life without so much as a sip of coke. Two years without Baja's fruit tea! No more, my friends. I have welcomed the sweet goodness back into my life.

Funny enough, I'm not getting the bursts of synthesized energy I was anticipating. I must be way more exhausted than I had expected. Granted, I'm not even drinking a full bottle of coke (note: being from the south, "coke" indicates any carbonated beverage - my preference is actually Pepsi) or cup of fruit tea at a time. I thought that after so long an absence, there would be more of an effect. I suppose the ever-present dark circles under my eyes suggest otherwise.

The healthy answer, I realize, is to sleep more, but I'm still working on being a better time manager. I also need to be a better food manager (how's that for a segue?). I either need to master the art of cooking for exactly how many people are eating that night (usually 2) or we need to start eating the leftovers. I clean out our refrigerator every Wednesday night (trash day is Thursday) - and, without fail, there are multiple meals that get thrown away.

I admit that I am slightly neurotic when it comes to tossing food. If it's been in the fridge 3 days, I begin to question it's integrity. Andy, on the other hand, eats hamburgers on buns that have literally been sitting out for three weeks. We need to come to a happy medium. I Do feel guilty about not eating the leftovers when there are starving children in Africa (although I still don't quite get the exact correlation - if I could send them the actual leftovers I would).

So last night Andy and I ate what may be leftovers. It was cooked but never even partially eaten - just refrigerated - so it seemed a bit more appetizing than a half-eaten cuisine. It wasn't. Actually, the mashed potatoes weren't bad - nor were the green beans. But no matter how much lemon juice I spritzed on the chicken, it just wouldn't produce any moisture. Chicken breasts were not made to be microwaved after being fully cooked and seasoned.

Good thing we're eating take-out tonight.

face-lift

At long last, we have a new dining room and kitchen floor. All last week we poured the required blood, sweat and tears into the project. This involved ripping up the (extremely gross) carpet and (not so bad but i'm happy to see it go) linoleum, painting above the chair rail in the dining room so that it matches it's lower half in the "red red wine" variety, painting the kitchen the perfect shade of yellow, and putting in our "hardwood" floors.

Okay, so Andy did all the flooring. He and cousin Dean rocked it, and did a mighty fine job. I commandeered the painting with the help of some very kind friends. And all day last Wednesday (and naptime on Tuesday) I imposed upon some more kind friends so that Ella wouldn't lose her hearing and I wouldn't lose my sanity. If it weren't for everyone's help I think we would still be rolling up the (so disgusting I can't even think about it) carpet.

Projects are never really ever finished, though (at least not around here), so we have some trim work to do, and some painting on the cabinetry - but the bulk of it is finished, and it looks amazing. Ella is slipping and sliding all around the floor, and seeing just how much she can make her voice reverberate in the "new" space. The rest of us are slipping and sliding on the floor, and it's become a new favorite past time (for me, anyway). If you take a running start all the way down the hall, you can slide almost the entire length of the room. Good times.

It's amazing how fast things pile up in a week's time. I've done six loads of laundry in the past twenty-four hours, and have at least three more waiting. There are almost no provisions left in the fridge, so a massive grocery trip is in the near future. There are bills to be paid, and CDs to be shipped. There are bathrooms to be cleaned, and babies to be bathed (I didn't wait a week to bathe Ella, but she's due for another one). There's our Tuesday tradition to resume. Most importantly, there are nights to spend just hanging out, enjoying our surroundings and each other.

entitlement

As my Ella becomes more aware of the world around her, it seems she feels that anything within her reach could (and should) be hers. I think this is probably a common trait among babies. Andy and I worked in the church nursery today and you can see it in how the babies take toys from each other...or when one of them is having a book read, others want in on the action - although none of them can talk.

Now, I want to make a clear distinction between this "wanting" of the babies, and "wanting" of toddlers. This is before it really seems selfish or, sometimes, even malicious. This is more of a, "I see that thing, and obviously the person in possession of it is having a really good time, so I want it, too."

In Ella's case, if I'm holding my cell phone or typing on the computer or holding a cup (her three favorite things in the world) her little eyes light up, she gives an excited laugh (which still sounds like a cough) and lunges for it. Actually, I could be holding anything, and she would be almost as excited. If a magazine is in her reach, forget about it. She has ripped out at least 3 pages, and has stuffed at least a quarter of 1 of those pages in her mouth. Yesterday I fished out Jennifer Aniston's head.

I'm not quite sure at what point this becomes a "mine" battle (Lord, give me patience when that becomes her favorite word). As it stands, I'm just enjoying watching her total abandon to social mores, because she has no idea they exist. Pretty much every baby I've ever seen will smile at anyone they feel like, either not caring at all what the reaction might be, or because they expect a smile right back. I don't know the last time I graced a perfect stranger with a smile without a second thought. I often smile at strangers if our paths cross, but if they were to glare back at me, I would most definitely feel the sting.

Babies? Not so much. Is it because they are primed? Or because those kinds of insecurities have yet to settle in. Blast those insecurities. I feel there is probably some spiritual connection that could be made to this particular abandon and entitlement our tiny persons seem to possess. We are entitled to peace. We are entitled to fearlessness. We are entitled to neverending grace and love. These aren't just things we can hope we get some day. These are Ours. These are Mine. These are Andy's and Ella's. What would our little family (or community) look like if we lived fully in what is already ours?

memoirs & a cuppa joe

today has been deliciously rainy and cold. something about a rainy sunday hits me just right. church becomes more cozy (although getting to the actual building from the car with two huge bags, a baby, and an umbrella is quite a challenge), and home becomes even cozier. after ella went down for afternoon nap #1, i curled up with my current read then promptly nodded off. not that that reflects the book in any way, i am thoroughly enjoying it. sundays, however, leave me no choice but to sleep.

the book is a memoir, one of my favorite categories if done right. this one definitely is. "a girl named zippy" by haven kimmel, who i learned from her bio, currently resides in my childhood hometown. it's interesting, funny, and well-written. i think if i ever even attempted a memoir i would have approximately 2 stories from my childhood that anyone besides my family would find interesting. she has a whole book.

the sky was still pouring when ella began her early-evening nap. perfect coffee weather. not just any coffee, mind you. i crave decaf grande mochas. which leads me to a very pressing question. can one be addicted to a non-caffeinated beverage? i guess it's just like any other craving, but i don't know how many cravings actually get me out of the house in the pouring, freezing rain to drive 7 minutes to the nearest starbucks.

it was well worth it. not just the coffee, but the entire 20 minute experience. sometimes 20 minutes is all i need to get rejuvinated. even now, sweet andy is feeding ella her dinner, and i can have a few minutes to call my own. i never dreamed how much a simple act could mean to me. so a solo coffee run is practically life-changing. lightning 100 set the mood (much to my husband's pleasure it is now a pre-set on my radio). i took off the insulated sleeve of my cup, just so i could feel the full force of the warm goodness in my palms. i reflected on how i wish i liked local shops' mochas more than "the man's" mochas, but i truly have looked and not found a more chocolatey substitute.

when i finally put my corporate america struggle on temorary hold, i then reflected on one of today's sermon points - to Be who i Am - and tried to wrap my little mind around it. upon my arrival back home, i got to talk to andy some about it. he's a wise one, that husband of mine. and awfully cute. good thing my baby looks mostly like him.

alert

andy just posted a BUNCH of new pictures on our family site. check em out...

and she's up

standing, i mean. at 10 months and 2 days, ella's whole world changed yet again. all the stages feel monumental, and i realize walking will be one of the biggest...but what i wasn't anticipating was how different life is now that she's pulling up to her feet! it's so fun to watch her pop right up and start trying to grab at anything in her line of sight.

therefore, we have entered into phase 3 of ella-proofing. today all the pictures on the endtable next to the couch went away. i suppose they'll be back someday when there's actually a point in trying to explain that they are not for grabbing, chewing, or just knocking down. we're trying to figure out those battles - i am currently in the "no, ma'am, no shoes in the mouth" phase. cause that's just plain gross. now that she's standing, she is even more fascinated with laptops, and has commenced pulling off the letter keys and (of course) putting them in her mouth. um, danger!

this curious little baby loves exploring, and has claimed a couple of spots for her own play. under the dining room table, and under her high chair. i like to think of them as her little forts, but whatever they are to her, she has a lot of fun.

and she Definitely knows how to wave now. well, wave her entire arm, but she knows she's doing it, and uses it appropriately.

Also, she experienced her first true family meal last night. again, the crock-pot was employed, and ella got some of the goods. potatoes and carrots, for the record. and one more record...ella got her first shiner. not exactly her eye, but her cheekbone. boo.

ella has just now pulled up on my leg, and i'm smelling something that Must be attended to.

resolution check-in

we're a couple of weeks into the new year. let's take a look-see at how my resolutions are holding up.

i'm feeling pretty pleased with the blogging frequency. could be putting more time-sensitive things down for the record, but maybe i'll build back up to that soon.

i am Very pleased with my little cooking self. what's nice is we've had dinner provided for us quite a few times since my resolution, but on the days where we're on our own, i've fired up the stove, turned on the oven, and brought out the crock-pot. a new hit with the family? lemon-garlic chicken in the crock-pot...mmmm.

exercising? ha. i've gone on exactly two mini-walks with ella because it was just too nice of a day to stay inside. that's it. that's all.

bedtime...much better, thank you. haven't always hit the midnite mark, sometimes earlier, sometimes a tiny bit later...
of course last night i didn't get home til 1 am because i was at the late-night showing of "tristan and isolde." good story. good actors. not so good script-writing. there was also the comical prosthetic glove, that you just kind of have to see to appreciate.