Ellis Update

Since we have done very little to put together a baby book, this blog has become the baby book. Therefore, we don't just write all the little vignettes and milestones because we think you, our gentle readers, will enjoy them. We also are logging them for posterity.

So, Ellis has taken a major leap forward in language. She said her first full sentence last week (either Tuesday or Wednesday), which was: "Daddy, read the book." She is starting to actually say "again" instead of "adoon." We have mixed emotions about this because "adoon" is very cute.

She has also started to say "sorry," but not always meaning it. Sometimes, she just says it or repeats it. On Saturday, on the way back from the park, Ellis said "sorry" several times, and I asked her why. She said something I didn't understand but thought she might have meant that I should be sorry. So I said, "Mommy is sorry?" And she said: "No, Ellis sorry." Still have no idea why.

We got the next set of "Signing Time" DVDs, which are animal-themed. Ellis adores them. She is really into animals of all kinds. We have a book called "100 First Animals" that was a gift from our friend Leslie, and Ellis reads it over and over and over. She particularly likes the pictures of the emu, kangaroo, octopus and ostrich. She also likes to tell you that a kangaroo hops. The DVDs are about animals you find at the zoo, on a farm or in the great outdoors, and it is amazing how many of them she can sign now. Clearly, we need to go back to the zoo.

Ellis has also gone back to sleeping in her crib. One random night, she just asked to sleep in her crib and has never gone back. Interestingly, she is sleeping really well. There were several nights after we got back from vacation where she woke up but didn't want water or milk and had to be comforted back to sleep. But now she is sleeping like a hibernating bear. In fact, I have go wake her up so that we can get to daycare and work -- 11 hours is a good night's sleep, especially for a kid that takes 2-3 hour naps. She also has taken to wrapping herself in a blanket that has monkey on it. I dubbed the monkey "Magnus" and she asks for him by name -- and she sleeps better wrapped in that blanket (thanks to Amy for this trick).

One of the more remarkable things about Ellis is that she sings already. I mean, she tries to match pitch and sings. And she knows a lot of words to songs. She particularly likes to sing along with me to "Maybe" (from Annie) and a bunch of "Singing Time" songs ("Strollin' Down the Sidewalk," is particular a favorite).

Another very interesting thing is that she is really uncomfortable with water on her face and inhales deeply when her face gets sprayed in the bath or by a fountain as if the water was shockingly cold. But she has started to face her fear, takes a deep breath, walks up to the water and puts her face in. It is so purposeful and sweet that I can hardly stand it.

Other random things:

• drinks through a straw.
• identifies circles, squares, triangles, stars, hearts, and plus signs.
• if asked what color something is, always answers "blue."
• enjoys pushing the stroller.
• loves when Mike throws her on the bed.
• gives the cats hugs and kisses when they will sit still for it.