Backyard Fun

We've been having such busy weekends lately that we decided to keep things low-key this past Saturday and Sunday.  We hosted some friends for lunch and had a very nice family dinner with our parents on Saturday.  Sunday we decided to heat up our pool in preparation for summer and took our first dip.  Ella loves to swim and it just amazed us (yet again) how much she has grown from her pool days last year.  We look forward to swim lessons and lots of time playing in our backyard as the weather continues to warm up.

Fishing in the backyard.  Ella spent most of the time just throwing the fish around.

G and I watching Adam and Ella "fish" in the backyard.


Three little bodies.

Ella wanted to take a picture with her "Bubba" (brother).  This melted a

Ever the ham, Ella posed for her pictures.

I showed her the correct way to put her hands on her hips.  Can't have her grabbing her bum in every posing picture.

New year, new swimsuit.

She can now stand on the bench in the spa.

Hanging poolside watching everyone swim.

We stayed dry but enjoyed the afternoon anyway.

After swimming snack compliments of Po-Po.  Ella loved eating the watermelon straight from the rind.

While swimming in the spa, Adam turned his back for a second and Ella, who was walking along the bench seating, slipped and went under the water.  It was for a few seconds, but it scared us, nonetheless.  But a natural swimmer, Ella held her breath and when Adam lifted her out of the water, she was fine.  She cried from the shock, but I was surprised she wasn't choking and gasping for air.  She then proceeded to retell the events for the rest of the day.  I'm just thankful that it didn't traumatize her and that she still wanted to swim.  I definitely can't wait for her to learn to really swim, and it was yet another reminder not to take things for granted.

Backyard Fun

Warm, spring-like weather plus longer days has meant more time playing outdoors.  Ella has been one busy bee.

Drawing with chalk and watering the bunny statue... So much to do, so little time for this busy toddler.

She loves to paint with water. After a quick intro to Jackson Pollock and the art of splattering, she throw the brushes into the pool, 

She literally grabbed Remy, posed and asked for her picture to be taken.

The G-man prefers to just lounge and look at shapes.

Give a Dog a Bone

It's been a futile attempt at keeping Ella away from Remy's things.  So far, his water bowl is definitely off-limites.  His stuffed monkey with the dirty tail?  Mostly off-limits.  His plethora of Nyla bones that he leaves strewn everywhere?  A losing battle.  So I just gave in (figured germs can be good for a kid, right?) and now Ella spends most of her mornings (and afternoons and evenings) taking the bones from Remy mid-chew and trying to give him a different one.  He's a trooper and puts up with it, but you can tell he just wants to be left alone.

This is probably one of my favorite videos of her.  It's just so fun watching her play independently and be so intentional with Remy.  (And, yes, we have totally talked about just buying her bones to play with since they are currently her toy of choice, with the exception of her cylinder-shaped blocks.)

playful

I know I shouldn't be encouraging this behavior, but I think it's super cute when Ella sticks her tongue out.  We had some mommy-daughter fun with the camera to capture her silliness.

Play time has also become much more active, with toys strewn everywhere and Ella all over the place.  Even Remy realizes how differently she plays now and how he, too, is a victim of "Hurrican Ella."

She now claps after she throws things behind her.

Remy the Victim.

Beasties

I knew it was coming.

All the signs pointed in this direction.

Ella & Remy... the new Bonnie & Clyde.

These two have been a handful all week.  From Ella plucking Remy's fur and trying to eat it to Remy constantly leaving his bone in Ella's arms' reach, it's been non-stop little-body craziness in this household.  Oh, and she loves offering her toys to him, and he loves licking them in return.

Then IT happened.  I turned my back for a second, and before I knew it, Ella was feeding Remy her cheese doodle.  He was standing up on his hind legs, front paws on the bottom of her high chair, just munching away at the snack offered to him by her extended hand.  Slobber all over her fingers and crumbs all over his face, these two though it was hiiii-larious.  A scolding and an anti-bacterial wipe later, they both didn't understand what the problem was.  She's learning to share.  He's learning to capitalize on the situation.  *sigh*

pals

Mia threw her back out a few weeks ago and has been staying with Grandma Donna to recuperate, leaving Remy all by his lonesome self.  To fill the void that Mia left in his life, he's been making more attempts to befriend Ella.  He'll bring her his toys, try to snuggle with her on the couch, and sit on her blankets.  Ella loves the attention and will often try to talk to him.  She has even started to reach out to him and pull at pet his fur.  Here are some pictures I snapped over the past few weeks.  I just love their blossoming friendship!  (And am just waiting for all the trouble these two will inevitably get into.)