'Tis The Season

I am soo excited about Christmas this year. The holiday seems to get better and better the older Ella gets. I must admit, Christmas has not always been my favorite holiday. In fact, for years I actually seemed to dread December 25th. You quickly learn when you choose a career in news that there is no such thing as a "holiday" and for many years that meant my Christmas was spent in a newsroom with my co-workers. It's just not the same when you are away from family! We are fortunate this year for a more flexible schedule...plus Christmas falls on a weekend (my days off!) I am embracing the season and really enjoying every special minute.

Ella and Santa 2011!

I took Ella to see Santa this weekend. I have taken her every year, but this was the first year I was actually a little nervous about how she would react. She is certainly old enough now to realize stranger danger. Plus, an old chubby man with a big beard and a bright red suit can be a little intimidating. We waited in line and surprisingly she seemed unaware of the screams and tears from some of the children ahead of us (phew). She was a little more clingy than normal though! When it was her turn, the look on her face was priceless. She was very serious and a little unsure about why this Santa guy knew her name and was asking if she was a good girl. I wish I could have captured the whole thing on video but there are strict rules about personal pics and video in Santa land!

We managed to get a pretty cute picture thanks to the efforts of Santa's elf who wasn't going to stop until Ella smiled. We made it through another year without the screaming kid on Santa's lap picture. I have added Ella's two previous pictures with Santa. It is amazing how much she has changed. My baby is looking more like a big girl these days!

Ella's 1st Christmas!

Smiling with Santa in 2010!

Icing On the Cake

I have already mentioned how much Ella LOVES to clean, and it seems that is not the end of her domestic appreciation. She also seems to be a budding baker. This girl loves to be in the kitchen. It is certainly not something she gets from me. I have a hard time following a simple recipe and if I can manage to make something without burning it, I'm cheering!

Ella helping mix the cookies!

Since I have to work on Thanksgiving, we will not be having dinner with family. Instead, we have been invited to some friends house to celebrate. I offered to help out and have been tasked with desserts. This is a good thing, since I have a few (just a few!) recipes in my repertoire that I have made often and feel confident enough to serve to others. I decided to get a head start on things this weekend since our weeks are usually packed with one activity after another.

I pulled out the mixer and all the ingredients and my little helper was by my side and ready to go. It was so fun to have Ella standing next to me on her chair, checking out each ingredient as I dumped it into the bowl. She watched in awe as the mixer whirled around and she studied me scooping out each dollop of cookie batter onto the pan. This was all so new to her and seemingly so exciting. As we waited for each batch of cookies to bake, she would run to the kitchen when the timer went off. Of course, taste testing was the icing on the cake! (Sweet tooth courtesy of her dad)

Hopefully the rest of the Thanksgiving baking will go just as smoothly. At least we'll know the cookies were made with love :-)

Happy Halloween! (A day later...)

Happy Halloween! What a fun weekend we had celebrating with family and friends. Ella dressed up as Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street this year...and I may be biased, but she was the cutest little Abby I have ever seen! My mom custom made her costume to be a nearly EXACT replica of the real thing. (I'm really hoping Ella gets her creative genes!) She was very excited to be all dressed up as her favorite character. She wore her Abby costume all day on Halloween!

Ella and The Nan at the parade!

Everyone all bundled up for the parade!

Halloween wouldn't be complete in my family without a trip to the annual Halloween parade in Woburn. We always went to the parade as kids, then we were in the parade during middle school and high school and now it's even more fun to take our kids back. This is the second year Ella has made the event. It was also the second year that we made it a family affair.

Lucy and I getting ready for her first parade.
She LOVED it!

There are lots of "little Lally's" in Woburn, so a big group of us decided to meet at my grandmothers to catch the parade together. We ended up having nine little ones running around. It was chaos...but in a good way of course! This year we had to bundle up too since it was FREEZING outside.

Our little Abby was not the happiest at the parade. The chilly weather and lack of nap made her less than impressed to be out and about at the parade. She rallied as long as she could and then sleep won out!

Sleepy Ella!

Stand Up TALL!

Look Mom, I can stand up!

Sometimes it seems like Ella is under a microscope because of all the therapy and doctors visits. So when she makes strides, it's always a celebration. Tonight we are celebrating! Ella can now get herself up to standing without having to pull up on something. It seems like such a natural thing that most kids manage to accomplish with little fanfare. However, for us, this is a goal we have had for a while. In true Ella fashion, she decided tonight was the night and she stood up and walked away like she has been doing it for years. Although I do think she may have even been just a little impressed with herself, since she practiced her new skill in front of the mirror for quite some time.

I love the excitement that I feel EVERY time Ella surprises us. It's almost like she knows when we need a little pick-me-up. While we are by no means sad or upset, there is always a worry. This morning it was the phone call telling us last week's blood work shows her growth factor is low again. Her levels dropped to 36 (normal is over 100). It's an easy fix. We just have to increase her growth hormone dose. In fact, Dr. Gleason says this just shows she is growing quickly and her body needs more of the medicine to continue her great progress. This is something we'll have to deal with and monitor for many years. The hope is that as Ella gets older, she'll be able to recognize when she's not feeling 100% and we can make adjustments accordingly.

So tonight we will boost her shot up a bit...and who knows, standing up on her own today....running tomorrow?!

And The Results Are.....

Six months....5.7 lbs....4 inches....these are Ella's stats from her Endocrinology visit today!

Weighing in October 4, 2011...22.7 lbs

Ella now tips the scales at 22.7 lbs and stands 30.5 inches tall. AMAZING! Today's visit went very well. Ella was happy to show off how much she has grown and developed. Since her last check up in July, Ella has gained 1.7 lbs and grown 1.5 inches. Her growth is still going very well and the growth hormone therapy is working. Dr. Gleason admitted she would have liked to have seen a little more of a weight gain with this visit, but attributes this to all of the activity and walking, etc that Ella is doing now. She's not too concerned about our little skinny minnie. Dr. Gleason did however change her dose a little. She bumped up the shots to keep up with Ella's growth. We also had routine blood work done to check her other hormone levels. Her thyroid medication may actually have to be adjusted as well. Of course, Ella was a trooper in the blood lab. We should have the results back in about a week.

30.5 inches!

Thank you to everyone who wished us well with today's visit. I can't say enough how much the incredible love and support from family and friends means to all of us!

The Dipping Queen

It has been a really busy month for us with Ella starting school, Jason's work and travel schedule has been hectic and we've had lots of good reasons to go back to Woburn on the weekends. We decided to lay low this weekend though and unfortunately that meant missing out on family fun (sorry we missed Keira and Lyla's party). Ella and I both had colds all week and I didn't want to risk spreading any more of our germs. It was really nice to not be running around and busy and definitely what we all needed. Of course by Sunday afternoon, the walls of the house were closing in on us and I needed to find something to do. Jason was recruiting in Ontario, so it was a girls afternoon!

The dipping queen! More bbq sauce please...

Ella loves to eat out and Panera is our usual go-to spot. I thought we'd change it up today and try Friendly's. It has been a long time since I have been to a Friendly's, but I knew it was kid friendly and I also knew if anything Ella would at least eat the ice cream. It was also a little treat since we try stick to a pretty healthy eating plan at home. Ella ate and ate and ate. She polished off nearly everything I ordered for her....chicken strips, carrots, and french fries and of course she saved room for her sundae. She really enjoyed dipping EVERYTHING in the bbq sauce that was served with her chicken. She used so much bbq sauce that I had to ask the waiter for a second order. She topped it all off with ice cream. I thought she would explode when I lifted her from the high chair. This was by far the most she has ever eaten in one sitting. She was so happy walking out of the restaurant.

Now if I could just get her to eat her meals at home that well, we'll be packing on the lbs in no time!

Hairy Situation!

Mom, I could probably get through this tunnel faster if
my hair wasn't in my face!

It's back...Ella's "mullet" hairdo is making a comeback these days. Her cute little face is framed by a mop-top of dirty blond/light brown/sometimes-with-a-tint-of-red, stick straight hair. It's creeping over her eyes, barely skimming her ears and always close to a matted mess in the back. I have had it cut once and it was very nice and neat for a little while. I was assured by Cha-cha (the wonderful and quick hairdresser) that the cut would help Ella's hair "grow in better". Here we are a few months later and Ella's 'do is looking more like a don't.

Here's a good side view of the "mullett"!

HELP! Do I cut her hair again...(and risk her forever having a "boy" haircut)? Or do I stick it out and hope that by some stroke of luck her hair makes it past this horrible stage? I can usually manage to keep her hair looking neat with pig tails, pony tails and clips, but that's not always the case. I can already hear the conversation in about 13 years...."mom, how could you let my hair look like that!"

Mom Guilt

Ella is heading off to her second day of school today...and the first day that Jason has to get her there before heading to work. Since I go to work at 3:30 am, the mornings are Daddy Daycare. Ella and Jason have breakfast together, a little playtime and usually a morning walk with Tucker before our babysitter comes for a few hours. Jason is a pro by now...managing to get it all done and get himself out the door (most days on time!)


Ella and me at the Tulip Festival Mother's Day weekend


In an effort to keep Ella out of daycare, we have both worked some crazy schedules in order to be home with Ella as much as possible. At times, this has been stressful and quite a juggling act, but in the long run WELL WORTH IT. We make a pretty good team and seem to have our routines down to a science (after two years!). I have no doubt that Jason and Ella will be just fine getting out the door to school and work on time. But...I am sitting in the live truck this morning, thinking about what THIS morning will be like. I left Ella's clothes out, her shoes are at the door and we even had a crash course on hair with daddy last night. Everything will go smoothly and it's nothing Jason can't handle. Still, I am sad that I can't be there to be the one helping get her ready. My mom was always home with us and the one to get us out the door to school. I guess it's more of that "mom guilt" that creeps in every so often. Every working mom makes sacrafices. I get up early and choose to work the am shift so that I can be home in the afternoon with Ella. I get to pick her up from school. I take her to swimming. I can play all afternoon and I can put her to bed. I am really only gone for a few hours in the morning. I can't complain considering I could be working all day or even all night. It's never enough though. It's a balance that I will never be satisfied with.

This is "guilt" I will have to live with....at least until I win the lottery or find a way to clone myself. For now, I will just wait for my phone call this morning from Jason saying all went well (secretly, I can't wait to see how he does with her hair ;-) haha!) and by 1:00 HOPEFULLY my guilt will be tucked neatly away in the back of my mind again when I see Ella's smiling face and hear all about her day at school.


Family photo...LOVE xxoo



First Day of School

September 8, 2011 - Ella's "first day of school"

Thursday was Ella's first day of school...well the closest thing a 2 year old has for school! She had a successful start to Toddler Group. It was an exciting morning in our house. Ella was in a great mood and ready to go. She even cooperated perfectly for the obligatory first day of school picture. While Ella was happy and seemingly unaware of where we were headed at 8am...Jason and I were a mixed bag of emotions. In reality, you could probably say we were nervous wrecks (though neither one of us would admit it!) This was the first time we were leaving our little Pnut with strangers, outside of our house. We knew she was going to be in good hands. I had visited Unity Sunshine, toured the classroom, met the teachers and therapists, and even spoke to her teacher on the phone this week. We had good recommendations as well. Jen (Ella's PT) worked at Unity for several years. She explained the program to us and even walked me through much of the registration process.

There was no reason for us to be nervous. Ella walked into the classroom, right to the center of the room, looked around and seemed pretty impressed. There were kids everywhere. The drop-off room was busy with kids arriving and moms and dads meeting teachers and saying their goodbyes. Jason and I put her stuff in her cubby and chatted with the staff briefly. All the while, Ella never looked back! She didn't seem  concerned at all that we just brought her to this new place. She just stood there in the middle, taking everything in. We said our quick goodbyes, she waved to us and we were off. You would think that relief would set in....haha, NOPE! I even walked back to peek in the window of the classroom to make sure she was okay. Jason was worried because she was standing alone. We hashed out every situation possible during her two and a half hours in the classroom. Of course, all our worry was for nothing. Ella was all smiles and playing with another little girl when I arrived to pick her up. Her teachers said she had a good day!

We all survived day one. There were no tears (not even from me!), positive feedback, and lots of smiles and laughing from Ella for the rest of the day. I can't wait to see how well she does with all this change. Ella ALWAYS seems to rise to the occasion and impress us. I think this experience will lead to tremendous growth for Ella...and for Jason and me :-)

Behind Bars

Ella loves to shake the gate in protest!

We are now living in a "gated community"....nope, we haven't moved to some ritzy suburban subdivision, our townhouse has been transformed into a holding tank of sorts! We have a lot of stairs (too many to count) and it was time to put up the gates to hopefully avoid a major tumble. We have a gate at the top of our stairs from the entrance way, a gate at the bottom of the stairs up to our bedrooms on the second floor...and soon a third gate will be installed at the top of that staircase. Needless to say the gates are an adjustment for everyone. Ella seems to be wondering why she can no longer freely climb the stairs. Tucker gets trapped upstairs, downstairs and in the living room. For Jason and I, it's the mechanics of the gates (they lock shut) that seem to slow us down!

Like every adjustment it will take time to get used to. Looking at the bigger picture though, we really managed to live gate free for longer than we thought. The gates are also another sign of improvement when it comes to Ella's milestones. She is a full fledged walker now and is really enjoying exploring her new territory. So as I stumble down the stairs and fumble with the gate at 3am (to get to work)...I have to remember to thank by blessings for the opportunity to even have to worry about the gates in the first place :-)

Summer Scorcher

We survived the summer scorcher! The July heat wave set records all over the country. It was 103 degrees in Boston Friday...the hottest day in 85 years, wowza! Some day it will be fun to tell Pnut how she spent these dog days of summer 2011. We always say she is a weather nerd! 

Ella "jumping" off the pool stairs with
her new bubble.


Temps in the 100's made for the perfect excuse to stay poolside for the weekend. Our little fish Ella loved every minute of it. She packed up and shipped off to Woburn on Thursday to hang out for a few days early while Jason and I finished up a busy work week (he was at Princeton for the week, I was sneezing my way through a horse allergy and opening day at the Saratoga race track!)

It was so hot outside, that it was pool or bust at the Nan's house all day Friday and Saturday. She is so comfortable in the water and would stay in there all day if we let her. We decided to try a new swim bubble this weekend. It allows her arms to be free and keeps her head out of the water. I wasn't sure how she would do with the new freedom in the water. She is used to bobbing around in her float or being held. I probably shouldn't have worried...she took to the bubble like she had been wearing it for years. She was kicking her feet and had a blast "jumping" off the stairs. I think we spent at least half the day in the pool! By the time I had her wrapped in her towel, she could barely keep her eyes open.


My tired little fish after hours in the pool.

All the pool fun was made even sweeter since it was shared with my niece Lucy. The girls are 17 months apart and are (usually) pretty cute together. It is a lot of fun to see them playing
in the water. They both looked too cute for words in there bathing suits and summer hats
(courtesy of Sophie & Me) The girls seem to motivate each other. Lucy is crawling now and the
baby-on-the-go has Ella moving more too. Both girls will do whatever it takes to get to the
Nan too. That's when things get competitive...haha! It's wonderful that they are able to spend
time together. I hope they grow into good friends :-)

Ella and Lucy July 23, 2011.

We're looking forward to more pool time, bubbles and good fun in the sun. Vacation is just around the corner. We're off to Lake Michigan in two weeks. I can't wait to see how Ella does at the beach!

Ice, Ice Baby



Ella and my mom watching me skate.

 Ella has spent her fair share of time in an ice rink over the past two years. Her first trip was when she was just two months old to watch the first practice for the first team Jason coached here in New York. Until now, all of her rink experiences have been hockey related. Last night she got a taste of my sport, figure skating. I was asked to take part in a media challenge with a local synchro team. My mom and Ella came along to watch. I figured my mom would spend most of her time chasing Ella around the lobby...boy was I wrong!



Ella "skating" with Jason when she was
about 4 months old.

 It is hard to explain the look on her face as she watched me skate around the rink. She was all smiles and I could hear her laughing and cheering. She stood at the glass for the entire hour...watching in amazement. When the learn to skate kids took the ice at the end of my session she was pointing to their skates. I think I have a future figure skater :-)

If she loves to skate, that would be great. If she decides the rink is not for her, that is just fine too. I can only hope Ella finds something that brings her as much joy as skating did for me. I sadly haven't been on the ice for a long time. Yesterday was lots of fun and was made even better since I was able to share the experience with my daughter and my mother. My mom says Ella's excitement reminded her of another little girl she knew. It was my mom who would bring me to public skating sessions when I was younger. She wanted to get us out of the house and the rink was close by. I remember the excitement I had every time she said we were going skating. I BEGGED her to skate more and take private lessons. My parents said yes and the rest was history!

Now the search is on for teeny tiny skates for this winter. Jason and I are looking forward to sharing the ice with Ella. She's still pretty young so I'm sure it will be a lot of effort for a short spin around the rink. I have no doubt it will be worth it! Hard to believe that a few months ago we were hoping she would walk and now we are thinking about skating. Time flies!