Update on Ellis

I have been derelict in my duties. Nearly 2 weeks went by without a post. AND Mike's good friend, Jason, came to town for a visit from Swaziland and we snapped not one picture. Not ONE. What is wrong with us?

So let's see. Latest developments include Ellis changing the way she answers in the affirmative. She went through a week or so always using only the term "sure" for "yes." And she said it with the confidence of a 35-year old, like she was trying to comfort me.

"Ellis, would you like an apple?" -Mom
"Sure." -Ellis (implied: "If that would make you happy.")

Then out of nowhere, it switched to "yes," with great emphasis on the "s." Never "yeah" or "uh-huh." Always "yes" with a nod.

In other developments, Ellis started getting out of bed on her own. I was laying on the couch trying to sneak in a short nap when all of the sudden I hear a thump upstairs. I thought maybe Ellis had knocked into the wall or dresser while she was napping. But it didn't sound like she had woken up, so I ignore it. Then I hear someone moving around upstairs. So I run up the steps, and there is Ellis standing at the top of the staircase. She smiles and says, "I wake up!"

Of course, she also got out of bed when she was supposed to be going to sleep for the night. I hear the familiar thump, so I run up the steps and there is Ellis standing at the top of the steps with a pout and holding her "Tiny" doll (named for Tiny, the Pteranodon, on Dinosaur Train), "Horton" (as in the elephant), some chapstick and an ice pack that she likes. I had to be stern in spite of the fact that I was bowled over by the cuteness of the scene.

Ellis often calls us "you guys," which is cute but offends my southern side. "Hey, you guys, do you see the bird?" Sometimes, I get a: "Mommy, mommy, mommy, can I have some milk?" The "mommy" always comes in threes.

One other little story about Ellis. We just bought some new tennis shoes for her, and she loves them. That night, Mike and I went to see a movie ("Salt," which was lots of fun, btw) and left Ellis with a sitter. Ellis insisted on going to bed with the shoes on. When I got home, I tried to take them off, and Ellis screamed "I don't have to take off my shoes" and started crying in a half-sleep.

She is super excited about our trip to Redfish Lake in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. But not as excited as I am. As a result, we will head into radio silence until Labor Day weekend. Before we go, I will add another video of Ellis dancing to the daspletosaurus song about how stomping can be used to make a fun dance, rather than a temper tantrum.