Let's hear it for the girls!

I've always been blessed with truly wonderful friends, the kind that you want to keep in your life through thick and thin, and no matter how long it's been since you've talked, picking up the phone can feel just like old times again. Today I dedicate this blog entry to those girls.

For some reason friends have just been on my mind today. I have a wonderful husband and baby, but sometimes you just need a girlfriend to talk to... or sing with:)
I'm excited my friend, Veeda, is coming out for the summer. This picture (below) was taken three years ago at her wedding. It will be nice to have her around for the summer!
And speaking of weddings, this photo below was taken last year at Grace's wedding. She was gorgeous!
I can't even begin to mention girlfriends without including my sisters. The photo below was taken in New York City when we got together to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday. As time passes on, it's sometimes the sisters and moms (and sister and mother in laws too) that become the best girlfriends of all. I love being with my little girl, and look forward to developing a friendship with her over the years. The older I get, the more I appreciate the girlfriends in my life!

Ella goes boating

We took Ella on her first road trip. We went to Smith Mountain Lake for my birthday, and we had a great time! Ella was an angel all weekend. She had her first boating experience which completely wore her out. She slept for six hours straight after her water adventure, and still managed to sleep her normal routine throughout the night. The best part of the weekend was her trying out her new sunglasses. What can I say? My girl's got style!

A Mother's Day Request

Ella and I had a lovely discussion today. I thought with it being Mother's Day, it would be an ideal time for Ella and I to have a little chat about her sleeping through the night. Ella loves talking with us and if you ask her questions she will respond with all sorts of cute babble. In fact, if you talk back to her and she's not done she will raise her volume as if to say, "I was not finished now let me continue." Apparently she does not like to be interrupted. So here's a rundown of our discussion.

Mommy: Ella, I was thinking that for Mother's Day you might want to try sleeping through the night. You're becoming such a big girl I think it's time for that.

Ella: Nooooo (it actually did sound like no too, said with a big smile)

Mommy: Well, can I hear your argument as to why not then?

Ella: Uggh aarr ugg -this lasted for several seconds and I have taken the liberty of translating: But mommy, if I don't wake up in the middle of the night then I dont get to spend more time with you and daddy.

Mommy: Ah, good argument, but let me just say that if you sleep through the night then the time you spend with mommy and daddy during the day will be more QUALITY time because we wont be so tired.

Ella: Nooooo

The end result of our discussion, Ella wins! She always wins, no matter how reasonable my argument is! I guess it's a good thing she's so cute. She also has a wonderful dad. He took all the night shifts last night so I could sleep through the night. I think it was the first time in over three months since that's happened! That's the best gift I've ever gotten.

Morning time is the playful time

My o' so wonderful husband loves to take video clips of Ella with his phone. He says it doesn't count as an actual blog post though unless there is written word along with the video. Really, he just wants people to comment. So PPPPPLLLEEAASSSSE comment on this for Shaun's sake. It will make him feel good inside! The second one is really long but you have to watch the last ten seconds at least... super cute.

My new babysitter

Ella swinging on the back deck today

Ella in her monogrammed shirt

Ella this morning... her happiest times are at 7am

Well, the day has finally come! Sad as it is, I have returned to work. As I've said, my job is pretty good, but it's still a job all said and done. Today in the middle of a long meeting I found my thoughts drifting to my little girl and wondering what we'd be doing if I were home... going for a walk on this gorgeous day? taking a nappee noo together? changing a poopee? Aaaahh... I miss her (maybe not the poopees). So I called her babysitter to see how she was doing, and he informed me they were sitting out on the deck together. She was swinging happily in her broken swing that he had moved outside just to have such a moment, and he was studying dutifully for his finals with his laptop in hand. I was relieved to hear he was not holding her above his head with one hand doing the superman move as I'd seen him do before. I was happy to hear they were having a good time together. Yes, my babysitter is doing a pretty good job so far, and the best part is I dont have to pay him:)



He even got a smile out of her this morning. I guess if I have to leave her, leaving her with her daddy isn't such a bad back up plan!

Contra Dancing

This weekend, Shaun and I had our first real date since having Ella. I say "real" because the first time we went out without her we just went to buy things for her so Shaun says that doesn't count. But this Friday, this Friday was official. Shaun and I were invited by our good friends to join them for a night of CONTRADANCING! Never heard of it? Neither had we, so let me just try to explain it by giving this analogy...

Imagine Jane Austin type choreographed dancing where partners face each other and do a series of moves, but instead of people in froofy dresses and knickers, most regular contradancers look like they came right out of the 1960's. So yes, hippies meets Jane Austen! Do you have the visual yet?

Beyond being quite the cultural experience, it was an amazingly fun evening! First of all, our friends are wonderful. Second of all, we actually got to dance together for the first time since getting married. Shaun and I love dancing, so this is something we've missed since our single days. Shaun even got asked to dance by one of the pro contradancers (she looked sort of like a woodland fairy and seemed very nice). They made a lovely couple, and I was happy to sit out and watch since contradancing is quite tiring. Also, the room it was held in had no AC. Let me just say, I have a new perspective of those balls held in the Jane Austen novels and it involves the concept of body odor. Even with today's modern amenities and beautiful inventions such as deodorant, the smell was less than appealing. Of course, some of the hippies don't do the whole deodorant thing, but still. So poor Jane Austen never wrote of smelling of sweet flowers for a reason. Okay, back to my point... I was happy to take a break and allow Shaun to dance a turn with his new admirer.

After a great evening of dancing with the hippies, we gladly joined our friends at the Silver Diner for dessert. It made me think back to all of those single days and the frequent visits we made to all night diners after dances. I really enjoyed those days, but I think things are even better now because instead of wondering what the boys are thinking, I get to go home with one. I guess the whole night had me reflecting on where life has taken me in the last four years since getting married, and I'm happy to report I felt good about the journey so far. As for the contradancing, who knows? Maybe we'll try it again some time:)