School shirt day??

Ellie told me last night that today was school short day. Well, school shirt day is supposed to be the last Friday of the month... So I wasn't convinced that today was supposed to me a school shirt day. But last thing I wanted to do is argue with her this morning.





It was confirmed when we got to school. Friday is a school shirt day, not today.



Ahhh yes...February, the month where nobody has school on Mondays.

She took her baby stethescope (spelling?) to school for sharing day. I didn't get a photo of her with it because she stashed it in her cubby pretty fast.



I'm off to Boston!

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No sticker for Ellie

She seems to have slacked a little with her sticker receipts. She only got one this weekend and that was for a nap.

Last night around 4:00am she came into my room and woke me up. She said she wanted to cuddle. I told her she wasn't going to get a sticker...she said she didn't want a sticker or a castle, just a cuddle and to sleep in my bed. Something was up either she had a nightmare or wasn't feeling well...and to be honest, at 4:00am I don't want to get out of bed and battle with her to get back in her bed. So no sticker...

We returned the no hitting book, "hands are not for hitting" to school. But Ellie "read" it on the way to school. She keeps saying she understands not to hit...but when she is wound up and angry she isn't thinking and she does hit...usually me at home.







Just for fun...static electricity and Ellie's hair...



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Not good

Well this morning was not good. I guess I have to document the bad with all the cute and fun too right? The morning started with a defiant Ellie telling me she hated mornings, hated getting dressed, and hated breakfast...off to a good start you think?. It ended with two time outs and Ellie hitting me before we left for school, in a time span of about 45 minutes.

When we got to school I told Ellie's teacher that she had a rough morning and had already had a time out. She informed me that Ellie has been misbehaving at school, telling teachers she hated them and even hitting two teachers. We knew she had hit one because she wouldn't go on a time out and had already discussed this with her. However, it appears we have a bigger issue to deal with. Her teacher told me that her fuse is so short right now she is acting out after simple requests like to put her lunch box away.

Her teacher let me borrow the book, "Hands are Not for Hitting" for the weekend.

I think Nick and I will have to have a long discussion with her this weekend. I did tell her she has lost all TV, iPhone, and computer priviledges (that was part of the second time out after she hit me, which she did appologize for, kinda).

Thank goodness its Friday...this week has been a long and difficult one.

A defiant Ellie before she started yelling and hitting this morning...

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Lice free... Now

I spent time going through Ellie's hair last night and did not find any lice. But we will keep an eye on it. Ellie thought it was funny that..."friends have bugs in their hair".

This morning it was raining. Ellie was happy to use her umbrella and wear her boots.



But given the rain and work chaos we forgot to bring shoes other than her rain boots and a sharing item. Oh well, she was okay.

She asked for a banana at school, so she got my breakfast (she also had breakfast at home). Oh well...


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Sleeping in...

But not really on purpose. Apparently I turned off my alarm this morning and woke up after 7 with Ellie tapping me on the shoulder. Thankfully I didn't have to be anywhere early, so we had a relaxing morning at home.

At school she decided to join Lauren in hearing a story from her dad.



When I was signing Ellie in on my way out the door I saw this:




Ugh...something's about CA I don't like...like lice. Ellie hasn't complained about an itchy scalp...yet...

Case of the Monday's...

Ellis and my weekend up in Santa Barbara was a full schedule and it was nice to visit with everyone.

We had a playdate in Pasadena on Saturday at our house prior to driving up to Santa Barbara. Ellie shared her toys and swing nicely...



There was pizza dinner at Petrinis in SB (photos by Ellie)





And a party on Sunday where Ellie got to wear her pretty dress. We even picked up some new fancy shoes to o with her dress.



Apparently Ellie was not ready to go to school this morning. She threw the mother of drama queen tantrums at school. I stayed till she was somewhat reasonable, but still not happy.





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Movie day

So it is Friday which means swimming lessons and a movie after lunch for kids that don't nap. Well, Ellie is still a napper at school, but this morning she convinced me it was her turn to bring a movie to school for Movie Day. So she grabbed Toy Story.



However, at school I asked if it was her day and the tea hers told me she thought another kid had brought in a movie earlier in the week. Ellie was a little bummed because she was convinced it was her turn, even if she would only see 10 min of the movie before nap.

She was pretty silly this morning, I think she is now old enough to be annoyed at all the photos...or at least express frustration in the mornings. I ask for a pretty smile and get a tongue stuck out at me...joys of parenthood.

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Big Concepts

First and very importantly...



Ellie with her completed sticker chart. The chart is her sharing item today. She immediately ran in and showed her teacher and explained her accomplishment.

She also explained that she didn't want a toy now, that she was going to earn lots and lots of more stickers so she could get a really really big toy, the castle! Yes, in the car she told me she wanted to do more sticker charts to get a big toy...not just a toy now. So we will see how that goes.

The other big concept from today:






Ellie explained to me that not all friends were allowed to go to school together, but MLK jr. fixed that so now all kids can be friends and go to the same school. She seemed very upset and bothered by the fact that there was a time when people wouldn't let friends all go to the same school. I don't think she understands why kids were segregated, but that they were and that it wasn't nice. She told me it was wrong, but now she gets to go to school with all her friends and that makes her happy. See, big concepts.

And for fun, some art work...



From left to right: Ellie, her little sister (that she said was pretend, but that she wanted one), mommy, aunt Susie.


Ellie, in a sleeping bag, under a Christmas tree waiting for Santa.




So not art, but her school work. I asked her what these words were, and by sounding out the letters (not memorization), she correctly identified the words. She also said that the big kids can read books at school and she wants to learn her letters do she can read books like a big kid too.

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Sticker Chart Success!!

Too bad it happened on a Wednesday. Ellie's second words to me today were, "I got my last sticker! Do we go to the toy store now??" I explained that she had to go to school and she asked if nick was going to take her when he picked her up. I had to explain that the store may be closed and it would be best to wait till Saturday. She was not impressed. I can't blame her, I'd want instant gratification too.

She did declare she was going to take her sticker chart to school tomorrow for sharing day.

She was a goofy kid again today, not wanting to smile for the camera...



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Scary Pirate Princess

This is from Tuesday 1-15-13, but for some reason it never posted. Sorry.

Today is sharing day. After multiple iterations and a little bit of arguing about what was okay to take (Angry birds game with 50 small parts...not okay; recordable Christmas book with Ellie and Susie singing...not okay; princess snow globe...not okay) she settled on a pirate eye patch. Apparently she wanted to be a scary pirate princess.




I'm not sure that is scary...funny yes.

She was a bit of a goofball this morning...








Very pretty honey. At least she wasn't Ms. Cranky pants like yesterday.

She did earn a sticker last night...she has only one more to go!

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But it takes too long!

That was her excuse for EVERYTHING this morning. I can't get dressed because it'll take too long, I can't eat yogurt because it'll take too long, I won't put my jacket on because it'll take too long...

I don't know what she was in a hurry for... It wasn't school, she was NOT happy to be there today.

She never told me either.

Sorry, no photo. She was cranky and unhappy. And I left her throwing a tantrum on the floor.

Jumping Back In

Outdoor swimming lessons.. in January?! What will California think of next?

It actually is pretty cold out right now.. by our standards.. 49 degrees.. but Ellie was excited to get back into the pool. And the heated water must feel pretty nice.

She has a new teacher.. one that seems to be a bit more strict than the last, which could be a good thing. Ellie has always done very well when presented with new swimming challenges.





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Swimming lessons are back!!

So swimming lessons start back up today after a break for the holidays. Ellie is definitely excited about going back. Maybe we were in Boston for too long, but outdoor pool swimming lessons in January? Crazy. Hence I made her wear her winter coat to school so she would have it tonight after swimming when it'll be a little chilly.
She pointed to the violets in the garden beds outside school and said, " Mommy! Look at all the talking flowers!" Obviously a reference to Alice in Wonderland. I see the same thing when I look at violets.

Also, Ellie was a little intruded by a chunk of concrete I had in my car. I sometimes take souvenirs from cool buildings or projects and display them in my office...this was a piece from my most recent big project. Our convo went like this:
E: mommy, is this from the building you have to fix.
A: yes honey, that was a broken part but its being fixed now.
E: do you fix the roof and the windows and the doors too?
A: sometimes.
E: do you wear you hat and vest so you don't get hurt when you fix the building?
A: I wear those so I don't get hurt.
E: oh. Are you the leader?
A: yes, I am the leader. I tell everyone how to fix the building and design the fixes, but I don't actually use the equipment and place the concrete.
E: so they do what you say?
A: umm...yes (I figured it would be too much to discuss contractors at this point)
E: Daddy works at the TV station right?
A: yes
E: he makes the TV! (Nick, your turn...)
But I thought that was a very intense conversation we had in the car.
Also saw this yesterday on the freeway... Zoom in to see the sticker on the back of the van.

I sure hope that driver moves before a train comes through!
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Half way there

Well, Ellie put her 5th sticker on her chart this morning. She is half way there with this chart and she is proud.



This morning it was overcast at our house, but raining cats and dogs at school. Because it was cloudy Ellie asked to wear her rain jacket to school, which was good for our run into the classroom.

But, Ellie did ask me, "mommy, can you please call daddy and remind him to bring my umbrella if it is raining when he picks me up. I don't need if its not raining, only if it is."

Okay then.

She also told me, "mommy, I know why I don't like your car as much as daddy's car...it's dirty. You need to clean it up. Also, it smells because I vomited a lot in it."

Alrighty then.

She had a buddy for breakfast at school today.



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Sleeping Beauty

Well, she now has 4 stickers on her chart! She is pretty excited about getting 10 stickers and I'm pretty happy about her sleeping in her own bed and not fussing at bedtime.

This morning she again had a muffin at school...






I figure we have all seen way too many cute photos of Ellie, so the photos above are the "b roll" just to break it up a little.

Last night Ellie was pretty excite to build a special "castle crib" for Baby Sister with nick.










Of course Baby Sister didn't sleep in that crib last night, no she slept with Ellie in her bed as usual, do the crib didn't last too long.

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Sleepy head

Well, we started a sticker chart to help my new years resolution of getting Ellie to sleep in her own bed and not crawl into bed with me at 3:00am. So far, three nights in a row she has stayed all night in her own bed. Which is great!

But also means she is kinda groggy in the morning and makes me the bad guy when I have to wake her up at 6:30am. When she slept with me she would hear my alarm and get up with me, but now I have to get her.

This morning she was NOT happy to wake up. But she was happy to add a sticker to her chart.

She was also happy to take Sleeping Beauty and Prince Philip to school for sharing day.

She was also happy to have a banana chocolate chip muffin for breakfast (at school).



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Happy 2013!

This morning Ellie was super excited to see her friends. She helped me make her lunch and told me all about what she was going to tell her friends about her winter break.

She was excited to tell them about the parade, and her presents, her playhouse, spending time with Gma and Gpa...all sorts of fun stuff.

But when we got to school, she became shy, quiet, and kinda his in a corner. Two friends came over and wanted to give hugs and asked how her break was, and Ellie just hid behind my legs.



Anyway, Happy first day of school in 2013!!

Thanks to Gma and Gpa for letting Ellie hang out and sleep at their house over winter break!



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