The three pumpkins

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Happy Halloween!

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Addictive!

Candy corn + black licorice. I dare you to try it!

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Precious gift

What a thoughtful gift for Ella and me!  Mine has red with an L and Ella's is yellow with an E. Our favorite colors and just precious!  Thanks Barb!

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Scary!

Ella loves to play with my Neutrogena shower gel.  It's in the Costco size pump and she thinks it's fun to rub into her hands and say, "I'm getting all the germs off!".  Tonight she starting crying and Joe watched her hands turn red and SWELL before his eyes.  I came in and instantly ran for the Benadryl while Joe rinsed them on cool water!

Poor kid!  She has very sensitive skin and I promised her I would get her a special bottle of her own pump soap!

Breakfast Solution

I've been buying these breakfast sandwhiches.  They are super good.  I've had some coupons and they've been on sale as a new item, so I've found them for around $1/box of 2 sandwhiches.  I toss it in my lunch bag and microwave at work in the morning.  So easy and tasty with ZERO effort!  My favorite are the ham/veggie.

Toddler Survival Guide

I've learned a few things to make my life easier.  Readers who have many kids and have more experience may laugh....but this post is for those of us parents who are new at this game!  She turned 3 and my life got harder!

1.  No must mean NO and enforce it.  Use the word carefully
2.  Threats have to be real.  Only threaten what you are REALLY willing to do and DO IT!  Ella had a mylar (one of several) cut open and thrown in the garbage and it WORKED!  Instant behavior modification!  The next day I saw her counting all of her balloons and you could tell she was sad that one was missing!  I felt HORRIBLE....but it was much easier than throwing out a toy, etc. 
3.  Give her some control.  I always offer 2 options: 1. You can watch Dora 2.  You can play quietly in the living room.....BUT I HAVE TO TAKE  A SHOWER RIGHT NOW!  I find Option A and B for almost EVERYTHING!  When she chooses Option X, Y, or Z.....I choose! 
4.  Reward with candy --- Halloween treats have been great!  Bedtime has been brutal for a LONG time, but the last few nights it goes like this.
Ella: Mommy, I need you to stay in here
Me: Do you want an eyeball?  (foil wrapped chocolate that looks like an eye which I had gotten from someone at work as a left over party favor)
Ella: YES!
Me:  I will stay for one minute and then you have to tell me to leave  (if I leave before she wants me to....it's DISASTER and takes even longer to get her to sleep)
Ella:  OK
Me:  One minute is over, if you want that eye ball you have to tell me to go (this may take a few warnings and reminding of the magical treat)
Ella: GO
Me:  I love you!  Good night!
I have sanity, she has sleep and it's a small piece of really crappy chocolate in the morning!
5.  Save those late arriving birthday gifts.  We showed her the gifts and told her we had to have a good report from her teacher before she could open them!  I felt so MEAN....but it worked.  She had 3 gifts and she got one 3 days in a row.  The behavior has continued to be great and she proudly announces every day at daycare pickup that she didn't hit!  Her teachers have been stressing using her words and said she is doing awesome!
6.  I count.  I give her a clear, definitive warning after struggling with a certain behavior.  I say, Stop XYZ or DO XYZ now or I will count to 3 and if you haven't done it....you will lose X, I will do it for you....etc.  Most of the time she pushes to 2 almost 3, but sometimes I get instant action as she says, "NO COUNTING"! 

Being firm and consistent SUCKS.....but life is sure more fun when she isn't screaming, crying, demanding and throwing a major fit every 2 minutes!

I am a person who will comply with strict rules when I know WHY!  I've learned that Ella needs a lot of explanation of things and we do much more talking about things now. 

I have these few things working for now.......tomorrow will bring some new challenging adventure!  I'm not proud to say that I have said, "I'm NOT putting up with your crap right now" more than once.  She gets that I mean business...but I'm not sure those are not the BEST words to use when I'm exhausted and had enough!

Grounded!

Poor Joe is still sick!  He has pneumonia!  He's on his 3rd antibiotic and 2nd round of steroids!  The poor guy is just MISERABLE....but he goes to work every day!  He had planned on joining Ella and I in Iowa for the weekend.  He has been grounded!  Joe will be home resting for the weekend!

It's just plain been a challenging year for travel.  I'm not sure anything has worked out as the original plan at all!

Get better Joe! 

I am jealous of a quiet weekend at home....but when Joe offered to take Ella somewhere fun for a weekend so I could stay home and relax and catch up, I quickly said, NOPE, I want to go too!  I think I know where Miss Ella gets it!  I NEVER want to miss anything either!

Hi, Ho!

Ella has made leaps and bounds at school when it comes to getting along with other kids.  She's found a way to use her words instead of just hitting!  I'm so proud of her!  She has a very strong personality and she isn't afraid to demand what she wants!  Add in high energy and it can be a challenging combination!

Monday night we came home and she kindly asked me to play a game with her.  We played 3 rounds of Hi, Ho, Cherry O!  It was so fun!  She won all 3 games, but then told me...."Mom, I'll take these last 2 cherries off your tree and you can win too". 

LOVE this game and LOVE my little girl!  I can't even describe how grown up and sweet she was.  She offered to fill my tree with cherries and then said, "I'm helping you, so now you should tell me thank you!".  Hilarious!

Not gonna happen...

I have been very motivated to get a HUGE photo project done before leaving for Iowa.  I have been a grump all day attempting the project.  I work 45 hours this week and we leave for Iowa right after work on Friday.

Tonight.....I realized my goal is impossible and I will offer myself and my family some sanity!

Picaboo deal....you weren't meant for me this time!

Shellac - have you tried it?

I had a Groupon for a Shellac Mani/Pedi and it expired TODAY....so I went!  I am now a member of the Spa Club.  My nails are short and I went with a natural color, but they feel so good.  It's kind of a gel polish and should strengthen my nails.  If it's still in two weeks, I may be convinced.

I'm going to regret the shellac on my toes when I have to soak them in acetone to take it off....but for now I have flashy pink toes and I love them!  If only I could wear sandals to work tomorrow....

The Crock Pot Girls

I saw a bunch of my friends "liked" Crock Pot Girls, so I gave into social networking pressure and liked them as well!

We're having their chicken and dumplings for dinner.  I LOVE crock pot meals in the winter....but if I make them for work I need a 12 hour recipe!  I leave home at 6:30 and we don't eat until 6!  I have to reserve the crock pot days for my days off!

Ride to a Witch

We met Dorothy for dinner and then headed to Gardner Village for a night out with the witches.  We walked around the village and then did Ride to a Witch!

They had pony rides and she just HAD to ride a pony!  Dorothy said, "we know what will be on Ella's Christmas list now!.  Uh oh!

We took a hay ride out to an area where the witches lived.  It was fun!

She was thrilled!

So proud!

That's happiness!

Smile....please!

Can you PLEASE smile?

Add a SWAT team guy....she's ALL smiles!

The witches were great!  She was a Jersey Witch
who taught us to dance at the Disco!

Making some Witches Brew!

She was so excited to pet the spider!

The helped bury the cockroaches (which were
our "tickets")

The village shopping area is FULL of witches!
Ella informed this witch, "I can pedal too, just
like you!". 

Finally......a NAP!

Miss Energy played in her room quietly for almost 2 hours while we were hoping she would give in and nap!  Joe is sick and he finally crashed and Ella FINALLY gave in and slept a little!

I had to snap this photo!  I love these guys!

Costume Party

Ella's best bud's birthday is also in October.  I think we will have years of coordinating parties so we don't schedule on the same day!  I heard Abby demanded a Dora Party after recieving Ella's invite.  Ella knew we were going to the party and she informed me it was a "costume party".  Rather sophisticated!  I guess her and Abby do really chat about things!  They are growing up!
The two girls are adorable together!  They've been in the same class since they were 9 months old (minus the time Ella was out of daycare).  Even when they weren't together they described eachother as their best friend!

Attempt at a photo shoot before the party....FAIL!

Everyone look....

Pumpkins filled with beans and face parts -
AWESOME GAME!

So serious!

Ella's creation

Bowling! One brave Mom.....3 year olds throwing
balls at the patio doors!

Owl Pinata

Such well-behaved, kind children!  I was impressed AGAIN!

Best buds ready for cupcakes!
It was adorable to watch the two of them together,
I rarely get to see Ella interact with her friends

Happy Birthday Abby!

Cheese!

Such joy!

Sharing the excitment for her friend - this makes
my day!

Cupcakes!  They were from Nothing Bundt Cakes and
TO DIE FOR!

3 year appointment

Ella had her 3 year appointment a few weeks ago.

She's doing awesome!

Stats:

Length 36.25 inches 33%

Weight 27.6 pounds 19%

They tested her vision and blood pressure and both were great! Now she gets to change into a gown and it was super cute. She doesn't know Looney Toones, but she thought it was fun!

Flu shot done and we did her MMR early to assure more immunity with the recent measles outbreak.

The bummer is that both of her tubes have worked their way out! He tested the movement and there was none. Serously....plugged ears already! We're headed back in a few weeks to follow up. I'm torn, I don't want another surgery for ear tubes, but I really don't want another winter of ear infections! I also want her to be able to hear. We'll just wait and see.

The Fly and the Apple

Ella wanted a snack on the way home from school.  I knew we had to run an errand so I had her grab some graham crackers from the snack basket at daycare.  That wasn't good enough!  I realized I had an apple in my lunch bag and gave it to her.  She refused an apple every other day this week, but today it was like she'd never had one before!  Thrilled to eat an apple!

There was a fly in the car.  I had noticed it and couldn't get it out.  She HATES flies!  As we're driving she starts SCREAMING frantically!  I look in the rear view mirror and she's FROZEN.  Finally I figure out the fly is on her apple.  I reach back to swat it away.  This happens 3 more times!  She is bawling and I just start laughing.

Eventually we got the fly out of the car.  Oh, the drama!

The Patio Trick!

I offered to make pumpkin bars for work tomorrow.  It's pharmacy week and we are celebrating!  As I have Ella in the bath, I remember!  CRAP!  It's 8PM.  I have to mix, bake and frost them and get to bed at a decent time!  Joe says, "why do you offer to do these things?"!

They are baked, the dishwasher is running (don't want to have to hand wash the beaters) and the bars are cooling on the patio.  It's a perfect cool evening and hopefully they will be ready to frost soon enough for me to get to bed by 10!

It bit me...

Ella had it, Joe had it and finally yesterday I got the stomach bug.  I tried to be strong and go to work hoping it was a one-time incident.  I had important things to do and felt I had to at least make it a few hours.  It only got worse and I was home by 11.  It was a miserable day home alone!

Joe had a work commitment, so I went to get Ella eventually and we diverted on the way home to find drive thru slushies.  She had Mac n Cheese -- the kind you add water to already in the bowl that she practically made herself....

We watched Toy Story and went to bed early!  She negotiated herself out of a bath early on and little did she know I didn't have enough energy to give her a bath anyway!

I was all smiles this morning.  I haven't been that sick in a while and today I felt so good!

It's been a crazy week at our house and Ella said to Joe this morning, "will you have dinner with me tonight?".  Poor kid!

Spiders!

Ella made these at school today.  Not my photo....she ate it in the car!  Super easy and so fun!  She was so proud to show me her cookie.  The teachers said they purposely saved them to take home so parents could decide whether or not they could eat them!  Are you kidding me?  She MADE it....she was dying to eat it!  She was on the playground when I arrived and I've never seen her move so fast to get to her room to get it!

Buenos Suerte

Ella has been saying this for days.  She likes to make up things and be silly....but sometimes she is REALLY saying something.  Between Dora and some Spanish at school, I'm going to have to learn some Spanish!

She exclaimed "buenos suerte" as Dorothy and her friend left on Saturday afternoon.  Today she told one of her doctors this as we left the appointment.

I went to work and finally asked a colleague....Good Luck it is!  I need some buenos suerte if I'm going to pick up any Spanish!

Ellaisms

During Ella's bath, "Mommy, you are great".  I made the mistake of asking "why" and I'll just go with the above comment!
I also often hear, "you look pretty" and "what a beautiful day" and I LOVE it!  She used the word "wonderful" the other day very appropriately and it made me smile.

Ella and I went to Dim Sum with friends today and she was challenging.  On the way home out of nowhere she said, "Mommy, I'm done scratching.  I will only scratch an itch".  This is awesome and I pray it is true!  Go Ella!  Scratching others has been a big issue with her on and off for a long time.

If you ask her how old she is, she says, "I'm still 3".  So cute!

She can count to 10 in Spanish.  I have to ask her to start with Uno and she goes to town.  She also starting yelling, "Buenos....something" yesterday afternoon that none of us understood and I'll have to ask her teacher about!

I love my little 3 year old, but I would have to agree....after the Terrible 2's, there just isn't quite a word worse than terrible to describe the 3's and we're only 2 days in!  At least the terrible 2's are over!

Family Pictures

My co-worker's husband is a great photographer.  He's a pharmacist, but enjoys the hobby.  I recently bought a picture of his of the Salt Lake Valley (I bought the 5th one - Downtown with the mountains.  Kayta is very professional, detail-oriented and did a great job considering he is used to photographing nature, buildings or his own baby who isn't quite 1 year.  It was a true adventure to photograph Miss Energy!  She was super moody, but we captured some cute ones. 

Count them in order of # 1 thru 11 and tell me which ones I should buy!  I already chose one to make into a canvas 16x20 (Groupon I had bought) and Kayta did a 16x20 for me thru his printing company.  I often regret my printing decisions, so please help!  Family, email me which ones and sizes you would like and I'll either email, upload or print for you. We ran into another friend as we were leaving with Ella and I in our Hawkeye shirts, he thought we were crazy.....you have to be a Hawkeye to understand! 

Also....vote which photo should be our Christmas card!

Miss Ella is LOVED!

Some would say spoiled.  Thank you, Thank you to the many of you who sent awesome gifts to Ella.  She woke up this morning and said, "So my party is all over, right?".  She is one special girl with a huge group of family and friends who love her!  Thanks everyone!  I post these to so you can see her opening your gift.  I didn't capture them all....sorry!  She can move fast.  I promise she does get excited for cards and she does love clothes!