Celebrating our 3 year old!

Mom and Dad, Auntie, Grandma, Grandpa and many friends came to celebrate our Ella on Saturday the 6th. We ate bbq'd hotdogs & had strawberry cake with vanilla frosting, and strawberries on top, oh and strawberry lemonade (can you seem the theme here?!). Ella didn't really want a theme, all she cared about was her cake, and that it had frosting for her to lick off. The highlight of the day was definately gift opening time, as Ella remained very stoic and quiet, while all the other curtain climbers gathered at her feet and ooohed and aaaahed at every gift and card. This was serious business to Ella...no need for laughing or smiling. Then of course when her sweet little friend, Charlotte, had decided to come sit by Ella on her seat, Ella very quietly shoved her off....sending sweet Charlotte onto the floor and into tears, which then proceeded to make Ella feel bad, and she pretty quickly had a change of heart, and stopped the gift opening to make a spot for Charlotte right next to her, and the gift opening resumed, with happy girls and boys. Ella's gift highlight was definately her play baby stroller and crib, along with baby doll # 473....or so it feels! Babies are Ella's current passion, as she cares for the pretend ones gently, and pokes and prods the real ones harshly. I look forward to a year of growing up, potty training and having more one on one time with Ella as sister goes to Kindergarten. Here' s to year #3!

Soaking up her moment during the birthday song

blowing out the candles with all her might!

Ella's classically stoic gift opening expression

Ella's favorite gift, which she started playing with immediately!

Me and my birthday princess at the end of a pretty wonderful party!

Three!

Ella is now 3! It was inevitable I suppose. She is truly a delight, and a terror every day. She relished in her birthday glory on her birthday....June 5th. We give the birthday girl the choice of each meal for the day, and Ella chose, oatmeal for breakfast, a nap for lunch, and 1.5 bowls of mac and cheese for dinner at Red Robin. Of course topped off with a free ice cream with whip cream and sprinkles accompanied by the Red Robin birthday song. Ella was a little frightened as she was serenaded, but the ice cream made it worth it all. Then we got to go to the airport and pick up grandma (Amber's mom) who had flown in for her party! A delightful day for the birthday girl...her choice of food, a long nap, and grandma!

Ella, using the tongue to concentrate hard on holding those three fingers up!

Red Robin employees, faithfully singing the birthday song to Ella

mmmmm.....whip cream and sprinkles.

Ella is guarding her free birthday dessert with her life

The whole fam

A memorable Memorial Day

We had beautiful weather Monday for our Memorial Day, so the Curry's went on a family adventure and had a picnic and then hiked up Beacon Rock here in Vancouver. Ella's little legs only carried her for about half, but I enjoyed the workout of carrying her for part of the way...it was about a mile one way. A great way to end a really great weekend with some great family time!

Japenese Gardens

We got to enjoy the beauty of the Portland Japanese Gardens for the first time on Saturday, and they were amazing! The girls even stopped to "sketch" some of the things they saw. Here are a few pics of the million we took!

My little protege

I have officially signed up to run my first half marathon in October. So the training has begun! Here I am stretching after a run, and my Ella loves to stick her little legs up on the stairs and stretch with me. But I think mostly she is trying to keep herself from falling over :-)

Summer goodness

It's beginning to feel a lot like summer :-)

Sick

So my ella had a fever last night and as I gave her tylenol and put her to bed, we prayed together for Jesus to take her sickness away. So this morning we had this conversation:

ella: mommy, when is Jesus coming?
me: what do you mean ella?
ella: I thought he was going to come and make me feel better.
me: well, we can't see Jesus, but he is real and when we pray he listens. Do you feel better?
ella: no, I'm still sick.
me: well we can pray again...(prayer)
ella: okay, I feel better!