Elf Help

I do not know who enjoyed decorating the Chrismtas tree more this year, David and myself having Ella help us, or Ella decorating her first Christmas Tree.

~decorating for the holidays is my thing dee, decorating helper David, and our little Elf Ella

Ooooo.....Wow!!!!

We lit the Christmas tree for the first time last night.

There were many Oooooo's....and Oh Wow's to be heard by Ella.

~getting in the holiday spirit Mommy dee, Fa la la la la Daddy David, and Ooooo and Wow Ella

6 Month Family-versary!!!

Yesterday (November 25th....Thanksgiving Day) was our 6 month Family-versary!!!!

It is amazing how quickly the time has gone by and yet it seems like we have always been together.

May 25th, 2010 - Waiting to have our "Well Baby Check" at the Guangdong International Travel Healthcare Center.

November 25th, 2010 - Thanksgiving at Auntie Jo Jo's home.

~Mommy dee, Daddy David, and Sweet Little Girl Ella

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

~Thankful and Grateful dee and David, and our little Turkey Ella

Whello Umarine!!!!

David has always loved The Beatles...in fact I am not sure there are many who do not enjoy their music. So, when iTunes made available all eleventy thousand of their songs recently, David bought them right away and Ella has discovered her new favorite song....."whello umarine" (Yellow Submarine).

There is a video of her singing it with David, but apparently it will not load (I am thinking there is probably some sort of copyright law or something barring the video to upload to YouTube with Beatle music, but who knows).

Just imagine this adorable 2.5 year old

 singing "whello umarine, whello umarine...."
~learning that I kind of like The Beatles dee, Loves singing with Ella David, and our little songbird Ella

Ella and Pop Pop

Last Friday Mom Mom and Pop Pop (David's Mom and Dad) came by for a visit while I was at school getting my classroom ready for my return today.

Ella let Pop Pop pick her up and hold her...ususally she just plays with him and acts like she will let him pick her up and then run away with squeals of delight, but last Friday she sat in his lap.

~back to work educating the littles of the world Mommy dee, made a yummy dinner tonight for his girls Daddy David, and Ella the Princess and Light of our World.

Happiness and Joy!!!

Our happiness and joy!!!

~Mommy dee, Daddy David, and Ella Bean

Park Fun continued....

When we visited the park last Friday we were able to take many photos and videos of Ella. Here are a few videos from that day.

Daddy and Ella swinging on the swings...and getting strata-spherical.

Ella pushing Daddy...and trying to get him strata-spherical!

~movie producer Mama dee, swinging strata-spherical Daddy David, and our Swinging Superstar Ella

Baking Cookies

Tis' the season...well not yet, but we baked Ella's first batch of cookies last weekend. We had a tube of Snickerdoodle goodness that we needed to get started on. Ella really liked scooping the dough out and putting it on the cookie sheet.

After dinner Ella had her first whole snickerdoodle...the girl loves her sweets and kept asking for "moure" (more).

~the baking season has begun dee, making dinner in the background of the video David, and the cutest little baker Ella

Happy Birthday Madison!!!!

Today is Ella's friend Madison's 3rd Birthday!!!

Ella and Madison are from the same S.W.I. in China. Madison's family went to China in April and we went to China in May so Ella and Madison "grew up together" while waiting for their Forever Families.

(Madison is in the pink striped shirt/jacket and Ella is at the end of the row!!!Kathy (Madison's mom) has provided us with these amazing photos...I believe this was last year at Madison's 2nd Birthday..all of the children are looking up at a blanket animal that Madison's family sent to her for her birthday.)

We also met up with Madison's family (Kathy, Jim, and big sister Mackenzie) in Chicago this past August.

(Madison, Mackenzie, and Ella at The Navy Pier in August.)

Now a little diddy for Madison from her friend Ella.....

~Mommy dee, Daddy David, and Madion's friend Ella

Fall Park Fun!!!

We had beautiful weather here on Friday and Saturday so we decided to take advantage of it and walk to the park (who knows how many nice, warm...November days are left in Michigan!?!?!).

~love warm November weather dee, Ella's slide partner David, and "swide" (slide) and "inging" (swinging) Ella

Home for 5 months today!!!

We have been home for 5 months today!!!

My goodness how quickly time has gone by.

Since we have been home Ella has grown 3.5 inches and has gained 5 pounds (we just had a doctor's appointment yesterday). We we came home Ella was only 30 inches tall and weighed 19 pounds...now she is a strapping 33.5 inches tall and weighing 24 pounds (I thought the 20 lb. weights at the gym felt lighter to me..time to move on to the 25 lb. weights).

June 11, 2010
Deboarding the plane and meeting Ne Ne and Mom Mom at the gate!

Novemer 10, 2010

Relaxing with Daddy on the couch.

~"Wow!!! 5 months home...really?!?"!dee, "Thank goodness Ella likes to relax on the couch David", and our growing little baby...girl Ella.

5 Little Pumpkins!!!

A little bit of Halloween has carried over this week.

Ella just learned the song/rhyme 5 Little Pumpkins two weeks ago, so every once in a while she wants to sing it still.

Ella is probably going to have a holiday identity crisis soon. The house is in a flux of decoration...some Thanksgiving decorations are up and I am slowly putting out the holiday decorations, and she still is singing 5 Little Pumpkins.
~loves decorating for the holidays dee, "Do we really need another snowman decoration?" David, and Ooooo...Ahhhhh...and Wow!!!! (heard looking at the decorations) Ella

Smiling

Sometimes technology can be so frustrating.

Ella has this new thing where she likes to go through the laundry basket with all the freshly laundered warm from the dryer clothes. She likes to take various articles of clothing out and try to put them on herself. Her favorite things to try on are mine and David's unders and my shirts.

I had taken video this evening of Ella sorting through the clothes and the outfit she created over her clothing. Unfortunately, something happened during the downloading process and the photos and video are gone. So...just try to picture in your head Ella, sorting through the laundry basket and finding a pair of David's boxers, a pair of my unders, and a pink shirt. Once she had all of that out...she put it all on...it was quite a sight.

I will try again on the next laundry day, but for now here is a photo of our girl from last week...smiling (sorry they are so blurry).

~frustrated with techonology dee, counting all of his boxer shorts David, and the Laundry Fairy Ella

Ella and Daddy Jam Session!!!

Ella and David had a jam session this morning.

If you look at where Ella is looking she realizes that the camera is recording her and she is watching herself at the same time....such a little diva.

~Mama to a little diva dee, Jammin' with his girl David, and the next Ukelele "You are My Sunshine" star Ella

Chit, Chat, Chit, Chat

Ella LOVES to talk on the phone. It can be any phone...a real one, a pretend one, a cell phone...I think we are going to start saving now for future phone and text bills.

~Mommy, Mommy, Mommy dee, lookin' for the best phone plan David, and Gabby, gabby, gabby Ella

Silly, Silly Girl!!

Ella just being her silly self.



Mommy with her silly girl.

~Lovin' her silly girl dee, loving both his silly girls David, and one silly girl Ella

Pumpkin Fun!!!

When we went to the Cider Mill at the end of September Ella came home with a little pie pumpkin.

The punk-tin has been sitting on the kitchen table ever since then, and yesterday we cleaned it out and carved a cute little face on it.

Ella cleaning out the punk-tin.

~punk-tin cleaner-outer and carver dee, Daddy David, and I think I am gonna like this Halloween stuff Ella