Kelsey Creek Farm

A few weeks ago, we got to enjoy spending some time with David and Emily as they were up here from Eugene for a wedding.  We went to Kelsey Creek Farm (a charming little farm tucked in the middle of Bellevue) and Ella loved getting to see all the animals, as well as getting so much attention from her Uncle David, {soon-to-be} Auntie Emily, and her Grandma Howell.  Ella is certainly one loved little girl! 

Spring has arrived!

We have been blessed this year with warm, sunny weekends almost the entire month of April.  I can't say the same for the weekdays, but it's been so refreshing to be able to get outside and get to enjoy the beautiful Pacific Northwest on these sunny weekends. Although I know it's just a tease and the rain and clouds will stick around before summer is actually here, I'll take what I can get for now.  This post is a random assortment of some of our weekend activities over the last month or so.  Here's a little of what we've been up to...

Stopping to smell the flowers in our yard (while cross-eyed!)...

We spent a beautiful evening at Greenlake for dinner and frozen yogurt with the Magnussons. 

Ella and Sophie hugging it out...

I'm finally feeling motivated to get back into running with my little cheerleader yelling, "Goooo fast!" from inside the stroller...

 ...and after a run one day returning home to find my running buddy completely asleep.  It must have been the warm air that did it for her because I can't remember the last time she fell asleep in the stroller...shades on and all!

We took a trip to the Woodland Park Zoo and got to see pretty much all the animals out and playing - I had never seen (or heard of?) the sloth bear, and Ella was obsessed with the hippo, which I've never seen out of the water in all my trips to the zoo.  I'm pretty sure all the animals were trying to soak up the sun like the rest of us.  Ella is now old enough to really enjoy seeing the animals and she serenaded us with monkey, elephant, and lion sounds the entire time.

 Had to include a picture of the "ippo" - Ella cried when we left the hippo exhibit and has had a meltdown or two at home when she can't find her "ippo ticker" (hippo sticker). 

 This orangutang was pretty cute making a sunhat out of paper for himself ;)

We got to enjoy a trip to the beach park near the Ehrilchman's new house - nothing beats being on the water in Seattle on a sunny day!  I love how Ella is all girl in her pink and Nate is all boy in his blue! 

 Sophie, Ella, and Nathan digging away in the sand

Getting some much needed Vitamin D

 Enjoying the flowers Cody so lovingly planted for me this winter

We got a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Lamens and enjoyed spending the day with them, as always! 

Happy Spring!

Singing

Ella has recently taken an interest in "singing" and I am loving her little sing song voice these days!  Our car rides now often consist of me singing while Ella chimes in with the words she knows and then as soon as the song is over, she says, "more, more!" until I start singing again.  It makes for some long car rides ;).  Her favorite songs these days are the Clean Up song, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (requests the book we have to go with it pretty much every night), the Itsy Bitsy Spider (a favorite with hand motions that she does in a very cute way), the Snuggle Puppy song, Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, Rock-a-Bye Baby, The Wheels on the Bus, and Patty Cake.  Here's a little video of her version of "singing".  Although the singing is pretty cute, I think my favorite parts are her "kissy lips", her "closing her eyes", and the growl (?) at the end ;).

Potty!

Sorry if this is a gross blog post to some people, but I know all the other mamas reading will understand this new phase of dealing with the "potty" :).  I bought Ella an Elmo potty having no intention to potty train her yet, but just to get her used to sitting on a potty as she has been verbalizing when she goes in her diaper for awhile now.  She was pretty much obsessed with it the first day and we spent a good portion of the day "playing" with the potty.  I've done no reading or research on potty training yet, so I could be messing her up by introducing it to her now, but I was pleasantly surprised when she actually went tinkle in the potty the first day!  It's definitely not been a consistent thing since then, but here's to hoping that maybe her strong-willed nature and determination will work in our favor when we actually start potty training!

Trying to figure out how to sit on the potty!

 Evidence!

Aquarium

After a wonderful day spent with my mom having lunch downtown and shopping, we met up with Cody and Ella for a visit to the Seattle Aquarium.  We lucked out and got one of those beautiful, rare, spring Seattle days and enjoyed the sunshine and being near the water.  It was a fun visit that Ella loved even more because her Grandma (who she happens to adore!) was with us.

 She wasn't too sure about the octopus, but has since been very fascinated by pictures of any octopus she sees in her books at home :).

 Ella loved telling us how all the fish say "bubble-bubble"

 Baby, mama, and grandma otter family - very cute!