Ella gets a pumpkin

Ella's Tricks

Here are some recent tricks Ella has learned

13 months and counting

Today is Ella's due date anniversary. I figured since I haven't updated the blog since JULY! then I should probably do it now.

Ella had a great day of developmental milestones yesterday. She now runs, says mama, dada, and I THINK she says cat, can point to Ella's, mommy's, and daddy's belly button, and generally "feed" herself with a spoon. Last night she also came up to me, took my hand, walked me over to John, took is hand, and walked us both to her bedroom where I proceeded to nurse her to sleep (yeah, we're still doing that these days). It's unbelievable how much she's turning into a child.

Today on the train I saw a mom and her 7 week old babe. Is it sad the first emotion I had was sympathy? After asking if she's sleeping yet she said her little girl slept for 6 straight hours last night. 6 HOURS?! I had no shame in telling her that although my child runs at the speed of light, shakes her head no constantly, and has thrown not only a pile of laundry but a roll of toilet paper into the shower with me that I was no where near jealous of her and her champion sleeper. I am finally happy to report that Ella sleeps from 8-6. Although I have to say the best part of our day is when Ella comes back to bed with us for a remaining 2 hours in the wee hours of the morning and we have family-bed time with even Luna sleeping at our feet. Our trip to Detroit last weekend made us realize how AWESOME a king sized bed would be. Ella's uncle Tyler let us sleep in his bed built for large royalty and we all slept so comfortably that even Ella was sprawled out in the middle of us. Maybe a future investment? We'll see.

Needless to say our baby is now a toddler. I just picked up the "What

to expect Toddler years" to gain some insight on discipline, speech, and socializing; amongst other toddler woes. I am slightly sad to be embarking on this new chapter but very excited to see our child come into her own (and of course to feel somewhat normal again).

And here are some of Ella's good side:

It's in the blood

Baby and daddy getting into trouble

After this picture was taken Ella proceeded to sit-down in the water

Baby jewelry

Monkeying around

Luna love

Bonsai kitten

Wiggle Worms

Ella and I have had a great opportunity to join Old Town School of Folk Music's 6-12 month Wiggle Worms class. Our mommy friend Brooke and her little one told us about the class they joined on Tuesday's at 12 and we decided to follow suit. Thank goodness because not only have we become great friends with Brooke and Cora but Ella has also learned to dance, clap, and play nicely with other babies since joining WW's. Julie, our teacher, is OUTSTANDING (she's in Millennium Park at 10 AM on Fridays). We usually start the class singing our hellos to each baby, then clap and bounce, then tangoing with our little ones, then singing Old McDonald had a farm with plush toys, and finally ending our class with bubbles bubbles everywhere. Every class is always an enjoyment when you get to see little babies' personalities emerge, bow ties get pulled off of little girls' heads, and little jumpers and crawlers moving all around. With only two classes left our last class was especially nostalgic when Ella, Cora, and two other babies attempted walking. Although a bit pricey - $120 for a 6 week class - it is well worth the money. I would definitely recommend enrolling your little one's for some extra socializing (for you and baby) and rhythm building. Here are some pictures and videos to give you an idea of how fun/insane/rediculous this class can get.

Ella's BFF Cora

Bubbles

Ella watching

Ella's Horoscope

Here is Ella's horoscope today from the RedEye (chicago's free newspaper) () = my own predictions

Leo

A moon apposition is making you cranky. (or teething?) Don't blame your lover if you're not having enough orgasms. (Hm, Ella is there something your not telling us? Do I need to start locking your window at night?) Don't lash out at your boss just because things are stressful at the office. (I am your boss!) The world doesn't revolve around you, you know. (The RedEye said it, not me!)

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/redeye/

Blogging in the early AM

Yes, I am up at 4 AM because my child hates sleep with a passion. So instead of getting some good Zs in I break out the camera for some baby milestone recordage (new word?).

Ella's attempt

Ella dances

Ella goes for a ride

Herb garden invites green friends

In our new apartment we have a great window with beautiful french doors. The 6 inch window sill was beckoning us for some summer flowers. Again, Lincoln Square's Farmers' Market (Tuesday mornings :) ) provided us with a flower pot and pick your own herbs. We have 5 in there, cilantro, rosemary, basil, chives, and some lovely lavendar. And let's not forget our garden creatures; snail and rabbit.

This morning as Ella and I were eating breakfast at our dining room table we noticed a new friend crawling around. This is on the same day that a baby bird found its way onto our small deck chirping for its mama and coincidentally I bought Ella a nature haiku book. I think nature is calling to us for some attention. So we obliged and spent majority of our day at Winnemac Park enjoying "tickly toe grass".

Here is a poem we leave you with from Ella's haiku book:

Flower

in tickly-toe grass,

a buttercup offers up

yellow nose kisses

Baby Market Research

I have just completed my first market research on baby products. The researchers paid us $60 to try two trial size packages of baby wipes. It really was nothing to write home about (or blog about for that matter) until I completed the two online surveys at the end of each package. Here are the the highlights.

• One question asked what percentage I used the wipes for "General rectal and perennial freshening on you/family" - I didn't even realized that they would allow us to do this. Dammit, John was even asking if he could use these to freshen his rectum and I told him no.
• Here are some other percentage questions which I got a chuckle out of: -"Remove makeup on you/family" -"Wipe pet(s)" -"General cleaning of body parts of you/family"
• I never thought I'd have to analyze how I use the wipe but this survey stumped me there. I went back through my wipe-clean-baby-bottom movements to determine if I use the center or the outer edge first, and then do I fold the wipe or scrunch it afterward. From this little experiment I discovered I am a center -> fold kind of mom. I wish this was like an astrological sign and the survey spit back my big 5 personality traits.
• Then the interesting question (Synovate- you are sneaky mother effers for saving these for last). Ten graphic images of a doll baby with a mess of shit around its privates. "What kind of BM did you clean up with these wipes?". The options ran from runny/loose -> pasty -> firm -> solid. I got a kick out of it in the first survey that I didn't even notice (until the second survey) that this baby had no other genetalia besides a butthole, which was in a weird puckering position. What kind of sick product developer designed this kind of doll - "Hah, you can only poo, never pee hahaha".

Needless to say my first market research study went well, and for $60, 2 packages of wipes, and a barrel full of laughs later... totally worth the time and effort.

Life on Ainslie Street

So as John and I FINALLY get around to getting our pictures off our digitals (I had 126 on mine alone) and onto our hard drives I realize how much our loved ones have been missing out on. Since our move a little over a month ago, a lot has been going on in our little household. Here are some snap shots of our life here on Ainslie Street.

Family

- A day at the beach calls for a naked bum bum

Ella reading to Luna

Trapped

Playing in the cabinets

After a morning at Lincoln Square's Farmer's Market we come home to make blueberry mush

It's tough being a baby

On their first date Fin takes Ella for a ride. I'm glad we were there to chaperon. These two can get crazy.

Luna finds her spot at the table

Cat, the other other white meat

Nakey nakey

Abu

"I aint done nothin" as Dallas would say

Trip to the zoo

Thanks mom and dad, your the best

Frame-worthy, I know

Gone are the days when I could leave her by herself

Post bath-time baby love

First Father's Day

(My Daughter is #1)

Just to share:

http://www.parenting.com/gallery/Mom/Ridiculous-Parenting-Products

Nothing freaks me out more than the placenta teddy and the Daddle. Ewhwhwh (that's the noise a shiver makes).

Hello and Welcome

Now after my awesome husband fixed my virus ridden computer I have vowed to start blogging. And not just any blog, but a blog devoted to women of this era. Moms, daughters, wives, caretakers, homemakers, and everything else in between. I hope to share milestones of my first little one Ella, product reviews, recipes and patterns, bitch about the crappy, and elate about the happy.

A short background on myself - as I'm sure secrets of my private life will be unveiled throughout the blog - is that I am a stay-at-home young mother (for now) of an 11 M old, been married for a year, and live in Chicago but am from below the Mason Dixen in Va.

I hope you all find my adventures just as exciting as I do (doubtful but hopeful)! And please stay tuned.