She said what?

Ellie played a game with me this morning as we prepared to leave the house. The game is "guess the animal":

Ellie: I'm pink with long legs, what am I?
Me: A flamingo! Next...
Ellie: I'm found by paleontologists....

I'm blown away by this, only to have EM remind me that one of Ellie's favorite computer games features this word/occupation significantly. But still....

-ED

P.S. The Christmas play rescheduled to January has now been rescheduled for February. Can anyone say "Christmas in July"?

Santa brought what I wanted. . .

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Coal

Pretty sure if Santa stopped by the house today, she'd get nothing but coal... and deservedly so. It's really hard to describe just how frustrated and mad she has had EM and I at different times this weekend. It's also hard to believe that for all we do to make her life better she at times seems hell bent on making ours worse. I know it can't be intentional at her age, but there are times when I can't be so sure. And for all the yelling and threatening and disciplining that goes on during a weekend like this, I'm sure when she's a head-strong, hormonal teen I'll look back on all of this as being a cakewalk. But for now, if I could get away with it, I would like to return all her gifts and cancel Christmas.

-ED

PS - As if all this weren't bad enough, EM's birthday was this weekend. Happy-freaking-birthday, baby.

Drat

I was planning on making a post today, complete with video, recapping Ellie's performance in her first school play. Sadly, a dose of winter weather changed those plans. The play will now take place in January. In the meantime, the Christmas celebrations are about to get underway... first stop: Grammy's this weekend.

-ED

Three things...

...I forgot to mention. Ellie can count to 30-something on her own. She can also do some simple addition/subtraction. Finally, she can spell/read several simple words... in/out, stop/go, on/off are some that come to mind as well as her colors. I don't have anyone to compare her to, but I think she's pretty darn smart.

-ED

Long-overdue-update

I guess this entry should begin with an apology - sorry for being slack with the updates. There's really no excuse for going this long without posting something (other than my football post last week which I hope morphs into a long, long tradition). That said, there hasn't been a whole lot going on; and, in my efforts to provide this update I'm sure I'll forget something/someone. Perhaps EM can cover for me in case I do suffer such a lapse....



Ellie is enjoying preschool. She's made several friends (Emma, Colt, Isis (her best friend) are just some of the names that come to mind), and enjoyed "trunk or treating" with them while dressed as a witch. And, as I lay in bed sick (special thanks I'm sure is owed to one of her little preschool friends), she went "trick-or-treating" with EM, Nanny and Pa.



Ellie has really been intrigued this year by the change of seasons. However, more than the change of seasons she especially enjoys the varied celebrations... Halloween... Thanksgiving... Christmas. Of course, I think this comes mostly from preschool and the different crafts they work on that are seasonally appropriate. (By the way, if you're looking for gift ideas - mind you, I'm not soliciting - anything in the arts/crafts genre will be a big hit with our little one.)


In closing, I'll note that Ellie will participate in a Christmas play at preschool next month. She has a spoken part, one that she memorized in the span of an hour. We are now working with her on speaking slowly and clearly so that everyone can understand her (the way she recites it now, she says it so fast it sounds like a jumbled mess). Hopefully, we'll have video to share following her acting debut.


-ED

The Streak

I know an update is long overdue. But before I get to that, I just wanted to point out that Ellie is 4-0 vs. the Tar Heels following today's victory. Could there be a better good luck charm?

We're the red and white from State,

and we know we are the best.

Hands behind our back,

we can take on all the rest.

GO TO HELL CAROLINA!

Devils and Deacs stand in line.

The red and white from NC STATE.

Go State!

-ED