Walsh World: January 2009

A Child's Perspective

To keep Ella entertained the other day on a lovely morning at the Farmer's Market with friends (Karen, Jon and Avery and Kelly, John and Maddie) I let Ella use her favorite "toy," my camera. Here are some of the wonderful moments she captured. She really loves taking pictures and I am so pleased with how adept she is becoming at it. Nice to have an expert in the house! (Ella also washes up the table after we eat and entertains Charlotte. We are considering renting her out as she has become most helpful!)

Karen, Jon and Avery

Avery

John and Maddie

Deirdre

Beach Babes

First of all, sincere apologies to all of you who are suffering in subzero temperatures, you may want to skip this post...

After returning from the arctic land of Minnesota I have been trying to enjoy the many offerings of southern California, the beach being one of the year round pleasures. So here we are at the beach with a very happy Ella who kept going farther and farther into the ocean (note the lack of bathing suits. This is because I could not imagine anyone willingly going into the 55 degree water in January. What was I thinking.).

Ella and Francine

Charlotte, on the other hand, desired only to eat the sand. And spent most of our time there screaming to get down on the sand, would shove some hastily into her mouth, I would scoop her back up, she would wrestle me to get down again. What is up with these kids??

Thank Q

For everyone who checks in on us I just wanted to say Thank Q. I would say "Thanks," or "Thank You," but my 3 year old recently informed me that it is not as polite to sijply say thanks. She said it needs a q. I asked her to clarify. She said that Thank Q is more polite. It needs the Q. Don't you learn something new everyday? Thanks Ella!

Days of Ballet

For a few weeks Ella was taking ballet (due to many requests on her part). It is at the YMCA and we thought what a great place to learn. Ella loved it and her ballet outfit was so cute (exhibit A below). Turns out the ballet teacher at the Y was not quite what we were hoping for for our just turned three year old who loves to dance. She stands there and barks orders at the kids (I guess possible in the world of ballet but for me it was a bit over the top to have someone shouting cheater at a three year old for using her right foot not her left - she doesn't know right from left yet!). Anyhow, Ella still happily wears her ballet clothes whenever possible and will re-enter the world of ballet at a new location yet to be determined...

So long ago...

Once upon a very long time ago Charlotte, Ella, Karen, Avery and I went to Disneyland. It was Avery's very first trip to Disneyland and my first time being back there with Karen in a very long time. It was a poignant trip for me because the last time I went with Karen was in May of 2005, I had morning sickness and spent the day at Disneyland imagining how wonderful it would be to return one day with the little baby (soon to be Ella) I was carrying. It was as wonderful as I had imagined all that time ago, Avery, Charlotte and Ella definitely enjoyed the day and I am finally posting photos...

Karen and Avery

This is actually an earlier trip (with Kelly, Maddie, Steph, Lil and Melanie) and the girls got to decorate Christmas cookies. Next time I will remember that the green frosting stains lips!