Time flies!

Seeing as it has been well over a year since I last posted on the blog, I suppose a little updating is long over-due!! Today we FINALLY stopped denying our little girl is growing and converted the crib to a toddler bed. After talking to many friends, I realized I had the only 2 1/2 year old that was still sleeping in a crib. Since she never tried to climb out, we didn't really have a need to make any changes. I'm proud to say that I was more willing than Daddy for this new change! He just didn't want to have to worry about any escapees during the night.

So as we were taking down the old crib and going through some of Ella's baby things, it was sad to realize my sweet baby is no longer a baby. She is talking more than ever, including on her play phone. The other night, I was trying to get her to settle down for bed when she was pretending to talk to a friend on her cell phone. She said into the phone, "Did you hear that? I have to go. Yeah, my mommy said I have to go to bed." WHAT??? I wasn't expecting any of that until at least 12 or 13 years! I know realize I am going to be in big trouble by then.

Now a days, we no longer need diapers (except at night) or sippy cups or anything else remotely baby-ish. Ella constantly reminds me that she is not a baby anymore and that she is a big girl. I recently discovered that we now have our first pet: an invisible dog named "Puppy." Other than occassionly biting or getting into Ella's things, he's great! I'm sure this is only the first of imaginary friends to come.

Ella is quite the motherly caregiver to her many babies. She carefully lays all of them on the floor and covers each one with its own blanket. Then she must go around to each one and pat it on the back to sleep. She tells them, "Close your eyes. Go to sleep. Don't get up." If any of them cries, she quickly picks it up and assures them it's ok. She is also quite the disciplinarian if any of them get out of line. If you find a baby sitting in a corner or against the wall, it is because Ella has put them in time-out. Usually she tells me they are in time-out either for biting another baby or for not listening to her. Hmmmm.... I wonder where she gets that from???

I don't know how Daddy deals with all of the female hormone changes around here!! God bless that man for putting up with two crazy girls! I thank God every day for blessing with such a sweet and loving family.