Pappy's Birthday

My dad's birthday was on Sunday, so Ella and I went up for a few days to help celebrate his day.

We started by making him a special cake with lots of sprinkles and candles and eating pizza. We gave him his presents. There was also plenty of playing and having fun!

Thank you to my parents who also surprised me with early birthday presents, too--you guys are the best!

Ella couldn't waste any leftover frosting!


She worked on this for about 10 minutes---getting out every last speck of chocolate!


a special picture for Pappy


Ella's card for Pappy


our cake


no Pappys were hurt in the taking of this photo
(well...not too much!)


balancing girl


best buddies!

34 Weeks and 1 Day (8 1/2 months)

December 31, 2010

34 Weeks and 1 Day (8 1/2 months)

Happy Birthday, Liam!

Happy birthday to Ella's friend, Liam, who turns 3 today! The kids are so cute together and look forward to playing and seeing each other. Here are a few pictures from New Year's Eve (they are very goofy for the camera lately)!

Daddy and Daughter

Rob and Ella have really been enjoying his time off from work this past week and all of the things they have been able to do together during the day. They have been playing cars, coloring, painting airplanes, making play-doh shapes, and being silly. It is great to see them together as Rob is such a good dad.

best buddies after eating pizza

a funny picture that Ella took of Rob


the cool track that Rob and Ella built together out of tracks, pillows, and Legos


tickles!

Crayola Factory

Crayola Factory

Easton, PA

This week, Rob took off to spend time with "his girls." We got in lots of relaxing time and play time, and on Wednesday drove to Easton to visit the Crayola Factory. We took Ella last year and she liked it, so we were sure that she would like it this year since she is especially interested in coloring, painting, and other crafty projects. It was crowded, but we had a great time together.

standing by the snowman display

with Mr. Crayon


beach scene


coloring Model Magic


daddy and daughter


sidewalk chalk


rolling paint onto a wooden stamp


J and Ella cutting out a surfboard for her project


Ella is getting really good at staying in the lines when she colors


displaying her ornament


concentrating on building with blocks at the canal museum

Snow Day!

Last Sunday, after our Christmas traveling, we came home to impending snow. The snow started falling around 11:30 in the morning and snowed through the day and night. The weather kept us inside, unpacking, "un-decorating," and gave us time to look through our presents. In the end, we got about 10 inches of snow and Ella had a great time playing in it this year. (Last year she didn't like being outside in the snow--this time, we couldn't get her back in the house)!

posing before her snowy adventure
(thanks to Gram for the cozy snow pants)


throwing a snowball at Rob


making a snow angel
("This is like the one that told Mary she was going to have a baby.")


aiming a snowball


snowy poinsettias on the porch


Haluski's first snow with big sister, Ella
(We couldn't keep our eyes open because the snow was blowing in our faces)


digging out the next morning

great helper


the snow removal crew


love that look of concentration


taking care of shoveling the porch of her 'little house'


building a snow castle

Christmas "Day"

Christmas "morning" for us was on the 23rd. Ella woke up at 7:00 and told us, "Good morning, guys! I didn't hear Santa on our rooftop last night. I don't think he came to our house." She was very excited to discover that he must have just been very quiet!

She loved her presents this year (lots of puzzles, books, movies, and crafty-projecty type things). She wasn't even through opening half of them when she just wanted to start playing with the ones she had opened already. We took a little break to have breakfast and then I headed to the gym for spinning class before we finished our presents mid-day.

We visited Rob's grandmother (Granny) in the afternoon and finished our day with a nice dinner (ham--for Rob, mashed potatoes--made my Ella, and brussel sprouts). We were blessed to have such a nice day together and to have the ability to buy each other gifts that we would enjoy.

waiting at the top of the steps to see if Santa came
(Pinkie has a baby hat on)


checking out all of the presents and seeing which ones say "Ella"


reading what Santa wrote back to Ella


starting in on her presents


opening a sequencing puzzle


Rob looking at his Flyers' fan book
(a present from Ella...along with a flashlight that she picked out)


"Ooo...what's this?"


playing with her cupcake making set
(coincidently Baba and Nana picked out the exact same thing for Ella!)


showing me her 'inky' hands while trying out her new stamps with Rob


playing checkers at Granny's apartment


Granny reading the card that Ella made her

Christmas "Eve"

This year we, again, celebrated our little Gould family Christmas before December 25th since we've always been traveling and have wanted Ella to be able to wake up on "Christmas" morning in her own house. This year we celebrated on the 23rd, so our Christmas "Eve" was the 22nd.

We scribed Ella's note to Santa and she drew a picture for him and his reindeer so they would know how to get to our house. She left him cookies and milk and carrot chips for the reindeer, and later before bedtime she sprinkled 'reindeer food' in the yard so they would come to our house (it was glitter and oatmeal).

coloring a map for Santa


lining up the crayons

Ella's Santa note


the map


the treats for Santa and his reindeer


sprinkling the reindeer food in the front lawn