Hmmm

Ella (talking to me): I worry about you sometimes.

Little Gymnast

Another rare sighting

To make a short story long...

Ella said the cutest thing earlier tonight...

After dinner, we were going to share the last cupcake—split three ways. Ella and I ate our portions and left the last part on the counter for Brady. Then we went upstairs to help him finish packing (he's flying out tonight—to Grand Cayman!). A few minutes later, I noticed that Ella was gone. I called for her and she said she was downstairs. I asked her what she was doing and she said, "nothing!".. which meant that she was definitely up to something.

So, I went downstairs and she was hiding under the table in the dining room—just sitting cross legged, waiting for someone to find her. I said hello and went into the kitchen. A few seconds later, Ella entered the room... and this is what she said:

But see, there's a problem. I snuck downstairs and took a bite of Daddy's cupcake. I'm really very sorry, Mama. (sad eyes, pouty face, big hug)

How could I ever be mad at that? :-)

Flashback

I ran across this photo today... boy, was Ella cute :-)

And yet another...

I received yet another hilarious email from Kathy, Ella's day care provider... apparently Ella told her that she has cotton candy in her nose (she's been a bit stuffed up the last few days). Then Kathy asked her what color it was... pink (of course)!

Photos!

Ella's new canopy!

Opening the advent calendar.

Reading a story with daddy...

Off the charts

So, I went in for my stress echo on Tuesday and all that it determined is that the health of my heart is quite literally off the charts. The test consisted of walking/running on a treadmill at a serious incline (that increased every three minutes) while hooked up to an EKG and blood pressure monitor. I almost finished the test—they only let you go for a total of 21 minutes (apparently most people stop before 10 minutes)... but some of the monitors started falling off (hello, I'm sweaty) and the nurse kept trying to put them back on—as I'm running up a 20% incline. So I finally said that I was done at about 17 minutes. Then they took an ultrasound of my heart at about 180 beats per minute and compared it to an ultrasound of my heart at a more normal pace. Conclusion: whatever was ailing me probably has nothing to do with my heart.

I go in for another follow-up with my actual doctor next week. But I'm guessing everything that happened to me was all just a fluke and that I can go back to normal—a little more cautious, a lot less dehydrated, and with a few hefty health care bills.

Hearsay

Ella's day care provider, Miss Kathy wrote to me yesterday about something funny Ella said... that went a little something like this:

After taking a toy from one of the babies, Miss Kathy asked Ella why she did that. And Ella said, "I just have bad manners."

Um, yes. Yes you do.

And since you've all been so patient...

here's a cute photo of Ella. Merry Christmas!