Finger Paint Fun!!!

Last week Ella and I went to Target (Yay!!! She likes the shopping cart now....she can be a Target Girl like Mama) to find some hand strengthening and "fun" activities for her to work on increasing her finger and hand dexterity.

We found lots of fun things at Target: Play-Doh (love the way a fresh container smells), finger paint, and shaving cream. The Play-Doh has been a HUGE success, she loves playing with it (primarily pulling apart pieces and making a pile, but still lots of fun). The finger painting has gone over really well also...we now are the proud owners of 3original works of art by the world renowned artist Ella that will be hanging in our gallery soon.

Ella also really likes the shaving cream (and it works great for getting the hands all soapy after fingerpainting fun) and smearing it around on her placemat or the table...she is an equal opportunity spread arounder. Oh...the life and times of a 2 year old!!!

~Owners of Ella Original Works of Art dee and David, World Renowned Finger Painter Artist Extraordinaire Ella

Happy 1 Month Family-versary!!!

WOW!!! We have been a family for 1 month already!!!



We cannot even begin to describe how in love we are with our girl. Everyday she surprises us, everyday she smiles and giggles more, and everyday we think...we cannot possibly love her more than we do today...then we wake up the next morning and realize we do love her more than we did the day before!!!

We wish you a happy day/night!!!


~happy and in love with her girl dee, happy and in love his girl David, and smiling and giggly girl Ella

Mmmm...Grape Popsicle

What a tasty treat on a hot summer night!!!

We can't figure out if Ella likes popscicles or if she is just going along with it for us. She will barely put the popsicle in her mouth, so David was trying to show her how to lick it...each time she would share with David she would also show him how to lick the popsicle.



After sharing her popsicle and the drips Ella decided to use the popsicle like a crayon on Dahdahdah's pants.

Now you want a popsicle too...right!?!?!?
~photo taker dee, Popsicle connoisseur David, and hmmm....grape was by far the best popsicle so far Ella

Oh the fun that can be had...

Toys, stuffed animals, crayons....who needs them when a bag of fabric can keep an 2 year old entertained!!!   We also think that Ella is trying out various facial expressions to find the perfect swashbuckling pirate face!!!   Happy Tuesday everyone!!! ~tired "Mamama" dee, missing Ella while he is at work David, and Sweet Pirate Faced Ella   (Oh...and in other exciting news just before the "Pirate Face Game" began as clear as a bell both David and I heard Ella say "Mama, Dada, Ella" (which was a game we played when walking back to our hotel room at The White Swan in China, and a game we haven't played in several weeks!!!! Amazing!!!)

Spaghetti Princess Monday!!!

What better way to start the week than with the one and only Spaghetti Princess!!!    It was a little different today..."Dahdahdahdah" went back to work...and boy did we miss him. Ella was looking all over the house for him. We went upstairs, downstairs, upstairs, and downstairs...there were tears and "Dahdahdahdahdah" shouts. After many hugs, kisses, discussion, and redirection she seemed alright with hanging with the "Mamamama" all day.   I am not sure who smiled more when David got home from work this afternoon Ella or him, there were miles and miles of smiles and giggles.   Oh, and I am sure you can figure out what we had for dinner this evening. ~lovin' summer dee, back to work David, and Spaghetti Princess Ella

Happy Father's Day!!!

David celebrated his first Father's Day this year!!!   There are no words needed for this photo....you know....the old saying: "A picture is worth a thousand words!!!"   Happy Father's Day David a.k.a. "Dahdahdahdahdah!!!" ~gushing dee, Dahdahdahdah David, and Smiley Girl Ella

Mmmmm....Popsicle!!!

Today was a scorcher (not Guangzhou hot, but still hot)!!!   We decided to dip our feet into the pool and splash around a bit. Then we had an icy cold grape popsicle (Ella's first popsicle).   Stay cool out there!!! ~sunburned dee, daddy David, and Popsicles are better than vegetables Ella! (Today we discovered that Ella will eat vegetables on the go...as in walking around the kitchen while waiting for a meal to be prepared...today she tried and ate tomatos and cucumbers.)