Ella's Bed

Ella's bed frame arrived late last week and Rob picked it up and put it together on Sunday for her (thanks, Granddad and Nana). She was a little confused as she asked where her "little bed" went when she climbed into the mattresses that were on top of the new bed frame. But, she did great it in and seems to really like it. She is sleeping better through the night, maybe because she has more room to move around without bumping into the sides.

Her room was really bright, though, during the day (which is why we had a penguin blanket attached to the window), so we found some insulating drapes (thanks for the tip, Madge) at Boscov's to keep the light and temperatures out. So far, they, too, are working out well.

Ella has been staying in her bed for naps and bedtime and not climbing out at all (knock on wood), so we are very grateful for that. She has her moments when she gets overtired and/or stuck on doing the sleeping routine a specific way, and that's really the only time that she gets herself worked up. She tends to actually sleep for her naps about every other day, but she always stays in her bed until I come up to get her, regardless of if she slept. One day last week, Rob and I were working on the lawn and she had pulled up the blinds and was waving happily to us from her bed as we edged and cut the grass! Those kinds of days lead to earlier bedtimes, for sure.

the new bed frame with headboard and footboard
(have to move the wall flowers and penguin blanket)


another view of the bed


new purple drapes
(just one for each window, slid to opposite sides)


new drapes by bed


all set for someone to climb into

Math and Gram

On Friday evening, Math came home to go to the Blue and White game with Dad on Saturday and Gram came over to visit, too. We all had dinner together on the deck (yum, Madge!) and then hung out together. The only thing that would have made the evening better---if Rob and Linda were there, too.

Math checking out his new camera

Ella putting Gram's necklace on her eyes
(I guess I should have been helping Gram instead of taking a picture!)


I love this picture of the two of them!!

Wildwood Lake

Last Friday, Ella and I went to Harrisburg for the day and went to Wildwood Lake with Pappy and Baba for a visit to their nature center and a hike. Ella got to take along her new water pack, a gift from Pappy.

sucking on the water tube

wearing the water pack


ready to hike


flower along the trail


pointing to a picture in the nature center


looking into the microscope, like Buck!


walking into a cave


buddies on a bridge


Ella loves blowing "puff balls"
(maybe this is how we ended up with so many dandelions in our yard this year!)


view of the bridge


looking at a bumblebee with Pappy


happy dance


pretty white flower along the trail


balancing


view of Wildwood Lake marshes from the bird house


water plants


the bird watching hut

looking through binoculars with Baba's help


standing on a bench (gymnastics' style)


another bench photo

Rob's Birthday

Last Tuesday, Rob turned 30, so we made him a special dinner (beef stroganoff) and had cake for dessert. Ella gave him a homemade card and a wooden race car that they can paint and assemble together.

On Thursday, he took the day off for us to spend together as a family and to come to Ella's gymnastics' class. After class, we went to visit Granny at her apartment (or as Ella calls it, her "bee-partment").

singing "Happy Birthday"

helping to blow out the candles


a big birthday kiss for Daddy


yum---"I love cake!"--especially the icing and sprinkles

showing her card to Rob


reading her card to Rob

She said, "Dear Daddy, Happy Birthday. Wish you can come to my gymnastics class on Thursday. Love, Ella and Pinkie"


Ella showing Rob his present and Rob in the middle of a huge sneeze!
I couldn't resist posting this picture--too funny!


our best attempt at a family photo


Ella at gymnastics


Ella playing checkers at Granny's apartment


laughing at Granny being silly


using pretend binoculars to look around the room

Briar Bush Nature Center Hike

Last week, we went on a hike with the MOMS Club at the Briar Bush Nature Center. We spent a lot of time there (about once a week) over the winter looking at the animals inside, but it was great to be able to walk on the trail and visit the pond outside finally.

One of the educators took us on a guided tour of the trail and then showed the kids a few animals inside before we were free to explore on our own. Ella brought along her own hiking stick and chose to wear her "purple dragonfly shirt...that one that Pappy got me [her] from his trip." She loved being outside, as usual.

thinking

touching the ferns


among the flowers


pretty purple blooms (can't remember their name)


poking her hiking stick into the pond to touch the Duck Weed


looking through binoculars
(She loves binoculars....pronounces them "bee-nock-lee-ers")


searching for birds


view of the woods


neat birdhouse at the exit

Activites

Here are some activities that we've been doing with Ella lately (or at least the one ones I took pictures of):

identifying letters on her computer

She picked out puzzles as her reward for staying in her bed for her nap for the first time---this one was a "Potato Man" puzzle with three mini books attached

a huge Elmo puzzle


gluing on a specific number of outdoor items for her Nature Scavenger Hunt


the finished hunt sheet


We used her leftover Easter eggs to make a number matching game
(match the written numeral with the correct number of dots, and fill the egg with the same amount of noodles)


working on the matching game

We also have been making a project each month to put on our front door. We haven't done one this month---we still have painted Easter eggs on there. I think we are going to make accordian butterflies soon, though.