Hear ye! Hear ye!

January 5th was Ear Day... at least on Ellie's calendar! We went in to have her remaining tube removed, new tubes inserted in both ears, and her adenoids removed. Hopefully this will be the end of all of our ear woes! Surgery was at 9:15 so we had to be at the surgical center at 7:45, nothing like hurrying up to wait!
In the waiting room Ell had fun playing with the wall puzzles. We weren't there long at all, once the paperwork was all done one of the nurses took us back to another waiting room.
I brought plenty of books to keep us entertained. We also met with our doctor, Dr. Diehn, and our anesthesiologist, and our nurse. Ell was in good hands, she had a great team working on her!
Our anesthesiologist even lent Ell her his electronic reader to read/ play The Cat in the Hat.
Time to dress in our hospital nightgown. It had dogs in spacesuits, very silly!
Ell also thought it was pretty funny that the boys had to wear nightgowns too. "Boys don't wear nightgowns!"
Ell, the queen of modesty wasn't a huge fan of this part of the nightgown but I have to admit... I thought it was adorable!!
We played in the waiting area's play corner... There were toys and a movies!
Soon, it was our turn. I put over clothes on and Ell and I walked back to the operating room. She was so brave and I was so proud of her. She (and I) got nervous when we walked in, people were wearing face masks and the room looked so different. I sat her up on the table and she hugged my waist. The nurse gave her 'silly gas' and she drifted off. I laid her down, whispered in her ear, and the nurse took me to the waiting room.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, scared, or even cry. I did, all of it! It was a really scary sight, seeing your baby laying on a hospital bed with her eyes half rolled back in her head and then to be lead out of the room. I knew it was for the best, but it just made the next 45 minutes excruciating long.
To pass the time I got a snack, hummus and pretzels to be exact, because the only other strong feeling I had was hunger and 9:30 in the morning was a perfect time for hummus! I read and every time the door opened I looked up, so I guess maybe I didn't get that much reading done anyway!
Finally, the recovery door opened for me, and not soon enough! Ell was waking up! I went back, kissed her, and pulled out Birdy and Bah-bah. For the next 10 min or so she was in and out.
The first thing she said to me was, "Mama, I have to go potty, bad."
With some creativity, one of the nurses and I got her to the bathroom with her IV in tact. After a successful bathroom trip we snuggled up in the bed and watched some movies.
Then enjoyed a popsicle... FOR BREAKFAST!!
After about 2 hours in recovery with movies, minimal tears, and a breakfast popsicle we were given the go-ahead to go home. Wouldn't you know it, once we pulled into the driveway she declared, "I want to go in first" and with that she skipped from the car and into the house!

She had a great afternoon, a nap, lunch, cartoons, and playing... I think she is going to school tomorrow! She got a get well card, flowers (below), a bear with balloons (above), 2 get well care packages, and LOTS of inquiries as to how you were doing. Ell, you sure are a lucky girl to have so many people love and care about you!
I love you, Ell!

Aquarium Day 2011!

The Sunday after New Year's day we went to the aquarium... It was cool, not cold, but wet outside so it was a perfect day to be inside. Lucky for us not too many people were thinking the same way we were so it wasn't very crowded either... YAY!
First stop... Jellies. Actually, the first stop was snack time, then jellies!
Then off to the dolphin show!
Up close and personal!
Racing down the hall.
Ooohh... 4-D movies. We are seeing the Polar express!
Check out these shades!
Yea, we're cool and we know it!
Let the adventure begin...
The movie was cool but maybe they should have picked a better, or should I say, appropriate, preview then Extreme Outback. Even I got freaked out!
Ell and the penguin.
Oh look, more snacks!
PUFFINS!!!
"I've got my eye on you!"
Passed out on the ride home. Yes her hair is stuck in the drool on her chin!

I love... asthma?

Big Daddy and bubble wrap

Now first off, please stick with me until the end... I will probably end up throwing myself under the bus more than once but I promise I will tie it all together. Big Daddy, the movie, came to mind after this incident because of the scene where Sonny (Adam Sandler) gets hurt and the reaction of 7 year old, Julian (Dylan Sprouse). Sonny's great line was, "You think me hurting myself is funny, don't you?" Julian responds with a laughter filled, "YES!" Well, no one was hurt in this one but here is my (latest) Big Daddy moment put out there for your laughter filled, "YES!"

During our before bed story tonight Ell and I got into a conversation, I will refrain from telling you how it started (I passed gas), and this is how it went...
E: Eeeww! Mama, you are a dirty pig.
Me: Hey! It isn't nice to call people barnyard animals. Would you like it if I called you a dirty... muskrat?
E: No, what's a muskrat?
Me: A mix between a mouse and a beaver. You know what they are, right?
E: No.
Me: Or a raccoon, you know about them.
E: No.
Me: They look like a big ferret and a fox.
E: A what?
Me: Hold on.... (pulling out the computer, go to Google, search ferret, then see images) See, that is a ferret, some people have them as pets.
E: Do another one.
Me: (search raccoon) And that is a raccoon.
E: Oh, do the muskrat.
Me: (searching) See, that is a muskrat. Wait (searching mouse) you have seen these before.
E: Yes, in the closet. What about fox?
Me: Ok. (searching, S*#T!!, um...) Uh, hold on Ell. Let me fix this. (use your imagination... I searched 'fox' and not just the furry 4-legged ones came up... there were some rather scantily clad women on there and many of them! Yes, they were clothed... thankfully! Now typing 'RED fox'.) Ok, here we go!
E: Why did you change it, Mama?
Me: Er, um... There are better pictures here. No people.
E: Is fox another word for a person?
Me: Yes sweetheart, sometimes it is.

We both came out relatively unscathed but I have to say it made me think about a few thing, bear with my Jerry Springer 'Final Thoughts' here...
1- Discomfort, joy, pain, love, laughter, awkwardness, happiness, elation, and devastation all make up life, that is a fact. With out bad, how can you have good? And taken from Priscilla and the Pink Planet (a must read)... How can you see just how great pink can be if there are no other colors to compare. What is thin without fat, or big without small?
2- I definitely need to pre-screen any further Google image searches!
3- And most importantly, you can't wrap the most delicate and special things in bubble wrap. I would love to shield Ell from the world outside and all of the bad, scary things out there but I can't. But as easily as a Google image search for fox can reveal a barely covered woman (whom, may I add, was NOT sitting in a very lady-like fashion) is as easy as she can hear the scary and sometimes gruesome stories on the news, or foul and filthy language at the store. The best thing I can do is adapt, use all of these as learning and teaching tools, then move forward while taking a deep breath and saying a little prayer.

Santa Claus is coming to town...

On Christmas Eve Meme and Ell constructed an awesome gingerbread house!
Ell really takes her work seriously but don't worry... a decent amount of candy did not make it on the house. It happened to take a detour into her mouth and into her tummy!!
Ell and I before Christmas Eve mass.
After mass we drove around and looked at Christmas lights for a bit then we headed home to say good bye to the house Elf on the Shelf, Max Rhonacher. We'll see you again next year!
Feeding the reindeer... water and dry oatmeal.
Chocolate milk and an assortment of cookies for Santa. Next we check the Official NORAD Santa Tracker and see that the big man is already in South America, Chile to be exact... Time to let sugar plum fairies dance in her head.
Good night Ell, don't forget the rule though... When you wake up and it is dark outside you need to stay in bed. But, if when you wake up the sun is up then you can start waking everyone up!
OH MY!!!
Proof... Santa came!!
OH MY! OH MY!!
More proof that Santa came!! Holy cow! Someone must have been a good girl this year!
Christmas morning tearing into the gifts!
So, Ell woke up at 6am and the sun wasn't out yet so she went back to sleep (great listening, kiddo) until after 8am... Everyone was up and waiting for her!
Checking out her gifts.
Ell and I reading the thank you card that Santa left for her for the cookies, milk, and for being such a good listener this year!
Look, its a 'walkin' dog'!! YAY!! Oh, and her name is Pups.
Santa even brought some things for Schatzie!
Ell and her horse, Lysse.
A NEW KEYBOARD!!
Strawberry Shortcake and all of her berry, berry bitty pieces!
At Aunt Angela and Uncle Jay's house for Christmas dinner... It was the best lasagna EVER!! Did I mention that we had flurries on Christmas Day, I don't know if that qualifies as a White Christmas but it was still awesome!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

An Ace Up My Sleeve

This morning while we were getting ready to leave Ell ran into the bathroom to do, what I thought was to brush her teeth. Then I heard, "GRROOWLLL! GROWL!!! GGGGRROOWWLL!! GGGRRRRRRROWL!!!" and I realized she was sitting on the toilet. I grabbed the camera, switched it to video, and proceeded to sneak up on her. Once I hit the record button she changed her tune...

And I realized I hit a gold mine. I could never get her to do that again if I tried!!! Oh, and guess what... in about 10-13 years this video will resurface. Lets just call it my insurance or reassurance in keeping the boys away!!

One week till Christmas!

Cookies with Meme... YUM!!!
Ell and the tree.
Decorating.
Checking out one of the angels I made when I was her age.
Merry Christmas! Thank you Aunt Donna and Uncle Larry!!
The first snow and it was just days before the first day of winter! Luckily, it was enough to get out of school early! YAY!!!
Schatzie in her rainbow sweater in the snow... Don't worry, she had fun too!!
Relaxing after the snow!
And now it is time for naps!
Thumbs up for cookies!!
OH YEA!! I LOVE COOKIES AND I AM FLYING HIGH ON CHRISTMAS MAGIC!!! WOO-HOO!!
I was attacked o Friday night by the paints... luckily, they were washable!
I hope Ell doesn't quit her day job!
She is lucky I let her get away with these things!! :)
Pink friends party #2
I came out the other evening to find this... When I asked her shy she was wearing her helmet she replied, "in case I hit my head with my toy." Oh, silly Mommy!!!
On our way to caroling... a wonderful neighborhood tradition I did when I was her age!
Even Juliette came to sing.
Pretty Ell posing after carols on Sunday.