Dancing in the rain

Ellie already recognizes that you have to take advantage of any break in the Texas heat!

Twinkle toes

Ellie had her second ballet class today and she had just as much fun as she did the first time. The teacher kicked out all of the parents so the kiddos would (hopefully) listen better, so I don't have any video, but Daddy got a picture of the preparations. She was so excited to put on her leotard and to see Ella again!
On the way home from class, we stopped at the grocery store and I took a mental snapshot that I hope I will save forever (unfortunately, I didn't have a camera, so I couldn't take a real one). I normally use a huge shopping cart that has a little car on the front that Ellie can sit in and "drive," but I was feeling adventurous today and I only needed a few things, so I let Ellie push a little miniature cart that was just her size. She had SO much fun and she actually did quite well! She just absolutely loved pushing it around and putting things (mostly things that I selected) in it and, more than anything, she loved saying 'hi' to everyone she passed. There were a couple stuffy shoppers who really wanted to be irritated, but she won them over with her cute little leotard, ponytail, big flower, and even bigger smile. I know that I may regret setting this precedent for shopping trips, but I hope I always remember how adorable she was in her dancing gear, pushing that cart around!

bluck

I've been trying to Charlie to eat more finger foods, but he's not a huge fan. If he doesn't like something, he just sticks his tongue out and waits for the piece of food to fall out of his mouth. It's pretty hard not to laugh when he does it.

Here's a video of him (sort of) eating freeze-dried peas:

Going green

Several months ago, Hillary sparked my interest in green smoothies after she attended a class on making them. Then I saw a product demonstration for this amazing blender (it blends pretty much anything -- raw carrots and apples, seeds and nuts, iPads and iPhones, etc.) and I've been coveting it ever since. My super-sweet hubby got it for me for our anniversary and I am loving it! And Ellie, who doesn't normally get juice, thinks she's hit the jackpot -- she loves everything that comes out of the blender.

Yesterday, we had grape, strawberry, and spinach juice (the color left a lot to be desired, but it was really tasty). Ellie kept asking for more!

Then, in the afternoon, I made some peanut butter and banana "ice cream" (just p.b., banana, milk, and ice) and Ellie LOVED it! She was so funny -- she couldn't stop giggling because she was so excited.

This morning, we had grape, strawberry, blueberry, kale, and carrot juice. And, again, Miss Ellie wanted "mo', mo'"!

It's pretty cool to be able to get green leafy veggies in Ellie (and myself!)....and to have Ellie even enjoy it! Thanks, Hillary, for introducing me to green smoothies, and thanks, Damian, for the awesome blender!

Yep, he's up

Well, it wasn't a fluke. Charlie can pull up in his crib. He can't get down, but that's just a small detail...a small detail that is becoming a very big detail at bedtime, nap time, and first thing in the morning! After getting this video of him standing, I laid him back down and a few minutes later, he was back on his knees. I tried really hard to let him figure it out, but the sounds of pure panic became too much so I ran upstairs to see him clinging to the side of the crib with one arm while he slowly sank to one side. Poor little guy! At least he was happy about his accomplishment in this video:

Family fun on wheels

For our third anniversary, I gave Damian a bike trailer so he can get out with the kids (and if I get confident enough on the bike, I can too...or we can get a tandem bike so Damian can drag me around too). Charlie is still a bit young for it, I think, but Ellie loves it.

Tiny Dancer

Miss Ellie is taking her first dance class...and she loves it! It's a ballet and floor tumbling class and I just can't get enough of Ellie in her cute little leotard and ballet shoes. I'm so glad that some friends gave me the heads up that the girls get all decked out in their dance gear because I had intended on sending her in shorts and a t-shirt. And she's still under dressed since she doesn't have a skirt or tutu. ;-) Her sweet little friend, Ella, is in the class too, which makes it even more exciting for Ellie -- she talks about going to "dance class with Ella." I pity the poor teacher though -- she can't get their names straight and the two together are serious trouble...but cute trouble!