Cold Spring Break!

We decided to go to Chicago for Spring Break. Most people go to warm weather - we decided visiting old friends was more important! We had a great time and were able to catch up with a lot of people. Ella got to enjoy Roy's (our favorite restaurant that we really miss from the city), Brookfield Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, as well as meeting the new addition babies to the Joy, Pomeroy, and Labiak family! (Lot's of little friends!!!) Ella had a great time playing with Caden and Avery, too.
We returned to KY just in time to enjoy a couple of 70 degree weather days!

Easter!

We had a great weekend with family. It has been an interesting weekend because not only have we had Easter, we have had March Madness with the NCAA tournament. Ella proudly sported her UK attire much to her daddy's dismay (yes, we are a divided household).

Snow!

Ella says, "I love the view from my bedroom window, but not the actual experience of having to be in it."

Our outdoor snow experience lasted approximately 3 minutes - long enough for one picture, one slight tip over, then back indoors! We are definitely not raising a little snow baby here!!:)

Special Daddy Time

Ronnie and Ella have a new nightly ritual. Every night, he puts her to bed. Before the nightly stories and prayer, they now have a "Daddy and Ella" dance. Steven Curtis Chapman has a new song called "Cinderella". Let me tell you, it's an emotional sight!:) The first night, I was in our bedroom on the other side of the house. I heard the song come on in her room. Of course, my nosy self had to go check it out! I walked into her room and saw the two of them dancing in the dark to the song. I really think I would have found the image emotional, even if I didn't have all these pregnancy hormones!:) I remember thinking, this will be a sight I will remember forever and probably think about on her wedding day (If you are familiar with the song, you know what I mean). Anyway, if you know a daddy with a little girl, pass along the song title. We have another friend who is planning on using the song for the Father/Daughter Dance at their wedding this summer.

The ever dreaded potty!

I feel blessed daily that we have a wonderful daughter who truly is an easy child. She listens well, follows directions, interacts well with others, and is the light of our lives. Not that we would feel any different about her if she was a difficult child, of course! (But those of you that know my somewhat hyper husband - our child's demeanor was up in the air.) Just about everything with her has been fairly easy (or at least it seems like it now in hindsight!)

So, about 8 months ago, Ella started going to the potty - easiest thing ever. She did this consistently for about 3 weeks. I felt pretty impressed with our wonder child and thought - "Why does everyone talk about this being a major undertaking? Why does the SuperNanny earn big bucks training parents how to do this? They just need a child like ours that trains themselves."

Then reality hit for me and the novelty of the new task wore off for Ella. So I am still buying diapers and have an almost 2 1/2 year old that thinks diapers are great and her little potty can just be reserved for her cousins when they visit.

I know not to rush, but then I also know I would love to have this undertaking out of the way before the new baby arrives. What worked for the other moms that read this blog? Any tricks or ideas to pass along?

New Addition!

So I know I posted a similar title awhile back when we got our new pet Elmo kitty (who, by the way, has been on a "little trip" as we like to tell Ella, since mid-October!!!). However, this time - all joking aside, I am 8 weeks pregnant! We are excited, but it is still very early. Since I miscarried with my first pregnancy, I feel I try to protect my emotions a little during the first trimester at least. I'm pretty positive Ella has no idea what we are talking about when we tell her there is a baby in mommy's belly. Yesterday she insisted that I take the baby out of my jeans pocket and show it to her!:)

What an amazing display of faith. . .

I don't even know who checks this blog, but I know we have some friends from the North who periodically check. Here in KY, we have a morning show on the radio station called Rick and Bubba. For the very brief story, on Jan 19, Rick's 2 1/2 year old son fell in their pool and drowned. I can't imagine the heartbreak and turmoil that their family has endured through the process. However, I have been amazed and challenged by their faith, their willingness to share their emotions during this tragedy, and ultimately their trust in God and in His word. They truly believe that God blessed them with their son for the short time the had him and that so much good will come from his death. With Ella being so close to the same age, their testimony has really impacted me. If something happened to her, I can't imagine being able to react with the same strength. You can access the father's words at his little boy's funeral through their website, Rickandbubba.com
This event has been a constant reminder to me to be thankful for each moment, each laugh, each funny face, each kiss, etc. . . with Ella. It has been a reminder to me of all the blessings around me.