Thanks 3 million!

Estelle got the best birthday gift from Uncle Eddie, Aunt Angie and Heath the other day -- we thought we'd post a picture so they could see how much she enjoys it!

Three's a charm!

Estelle turned 3 today! We celebrated yesterday with a fun party on a gorgeous summer night. Birthdays are so much more exciting when you actually get what they're all about. Estelle has been telling everyone for weeks that she's going to be "free" on "August on 18th." For some time now, I've been asking her what she'd like on her birthday cake. To my chagrin, she said, "Clifford!" (again!). Knowing that I couldn't go down that road again, I persisted in asking the question, hoping she'd change her mind. Finally, I got a different answer, "Clifford and George and Mickey and all of my friends!" Not exactly less challenging than last year's task. So we compromised...

Patrick was in fine form once again, explaining to Estelle that he'd swallowed her present.

Mommy and daddy gave Estelle a fun tricycle and a new bike helmet, which great aunt Pegs had to try out.

But grandma stole the night with her rockin' gift (the t-shirt was just foreshadowing)...

Then today, grandpa called to sing Estelle "happy birthday!" and we had a nice chat with Frank and JC on the phone too. What a fun couple of days for the big three-year old!

Never enough swimming!

We have practically lived at the pool this summer. Estelle gets more brave each time and doesn't hesitate to launch herself off the side of the pool -- I have to watch her pretty carefully since she also doesn't pay much attention to whether or not she has a flotation device on.



Every time she comes to the surface, she is giggling and has a huge smile on her face. I tell her to close her mouth so she won't swallow so much water, but she can't stop smiling. Then I laugh...then she laughs some more. Summer is fun.

Good thing Grandma lives on a quiet street

Because I looked out the front window of her house to find this...umm, display...in the front yard.

July 4th -- Fun, Family, Fireworks!

What a gorgeous Independence Day -- the weather couldn't have been better! We went to the local parade again this year and Estelle had a blast. I'm grateful that she stills ignores the candy that's thrown out. She's most interested in the horses, dogs, clowns and bands that march by, and waves to all of them. Well...she does more than wave at the bands...

After the parade (and a short nap) we went out to my Uncle Mike's house at the lake. Estelle loved the boat ride to see the fireworks over the water. Her most memorable comment about the fireworks: after I said, "Oooh, that one looks like confetti!" my little mimic thought to copy me and said, "That one looks like Uncle Eddie!" What a fun day!

Hiking, swimming and hanging out with Frank and JC

We went to my friend Maia's wedding in Lake Tahoe last weekend and had so much fun. Frank and JC met us there to spend some time together and watch Estelle while we attended the wedding. The weather was glorious and the scenery was breathtaking. Here are some shots of the weekend activities:










Strangely, Estelle started running a fever while we were at the wedding and wasn't feeling great for the last day of our trip, but it was short-lived. I'll post a shot or two of Estelle with Frank and JC when they send me some. JC might even post some herself on their blog.


The wedding was so beautiful, but no more so than the bride herself. Maia's parents were phenomenal hosts. You can check out additional photos at the link on the right.

First Time Fishing

Daddy and Uncle Patrick took Estelle fishing for the first time today, and what did she catch with her bobber? A little bass, of course! Bryan said she was a little afraid to get on the boat, but once it took off, she loved it. She's been fascinated by worms this spring -- on the sidewalk after the rain, tangled in the roots of the weeds I pull up in the backyard. She finally got up the courage to touch them after Bryan told her that the fish like to eat the worms because they think they're noodles. Quite creative of him, I thought.

She touched the fish too, but daddy took care of putting it back in the water. This is definitely one for the photo album.

Zoo-topia

Estelle and I met our friends, Annika and her mom, Lindsey, at the zoo last week. The girls were particularly excited to see the baby farm animal exhibit, and were tickled with petting the baby goats, sheep and pigs. They greatly amused themselves by exclaiming how "stinky" the cow barn was. I think Estelle was most impressed by the monkeys though. She told me the next day that her baby doll went to the zoo and monkeys were swinging on her.

Sweetly Sings the Donkey

Estelle and the other toddlers at daycare have a new favorite song. We discovered it the other night when she was jumping on the bed (I know, we're bad parents) and singing it over and over again...the most recognizable line was, "Hee-haw, Hee-haw..." The face she makes when she says that line is hilarious. We knew it had something to do with a donkey.

Yesterday, I asked what it could be. Her teacher told me the words, and they go something like this:

(Tune the tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider)
Sweetly sings the donkey
At the break of day
If you don't feed them, this is what they say:
"Hee-haw, Hee-haw, hee-haw-hee-haw-hee-haw."

For your viewing pleasure, take a look at the video. Priceless.

My friends

Estelle has just started getting into make-believe in a big way. She pretends her "friends" are tired and need to be tucked in...or sick and need to have their temperature taken...or naughty and need a time-out. Here she is snuggling with them.

Painting Sunday

Estelle got busy painting on two canvases today...the first was her face. She found an old Bonne Bell lip smacker of mine and went to town. She ran into the living room telling us to, "Look!" I had to grab the camera since I have almost the exact same photo of myself when I was her age, after I'd gotten into my mom's purse and found her lipstick.

Later in the day, we got out the finger paints and made an abstract, if not artistic, mess. She was very proud of her masterpiece.

What you say?!

Just had to share that the music craze continues. Estelle constantly asks for "drums!" in the car, which is her nickname for "Wipe Out"...yes, the oldies tune that repeats the same annoying drum line and melody over and over again. She pretends she's playing the drums by beating on her legs and the back of the car seat.

Her other favorite is "Hit the Road, Jack." Seriously. She sings the whole chorus, including finger wagging on "no more, no more, no more, no more." Funny. That's just what I want to say when she asks for the same songs again and again.

Hide and Seek

One of the her favorite games lately...she and Darien had quite the ingenious hiding spot on Saturday. I never would have guessed where they were...

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

What a wonderful couple of days! It's been full of family and laughter...not to mention late nights for Estelle, but she's eaten it up. Santa's big delivery was a baby doll and stroller, but Estelle was far more taken with one of her stocking stuffers -- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse underpants. (Speaking of being a big girl, the last week has brought a couple of big changes. The crib has been replaced by a "big girl" toddler bed, which she totally digs and sleeps all night in! And today we started with underwear.)





We were at my Uncle Mike's house on Christmas Day, and he has a drum set. The kids love it, but Estelle was especially digging it. Here she is with my Uncle Dwaine, who was assisting on the base drum. Check out the video --she seriously rocked out and also listened intently to others who played. Bryan and I try not to read too much into a 2-year-old's behavior (since one day's obsession is often forgotten the next), but it's hard not to see the contrast between the the lack of interest in the baby doll, and the attentiveness showed toward the drums. We may have a rocker chic on our hands.

Stage Fright

Last weekend, the daycare held its annual holiday program. Estelle had a minor meltdown when the curtain opened. This recording of it is a gem -- sure to reappear at her high school graduation and other life events. (I apologize in advance for the quality of the video -- after she started to cry, I forgot I was recording for a moment.) She was a trooper though and kept the formation...I was just thankful she didn't launch herself off the stage. I had to fight back a distressing urge to run up and rescue her. If that instinct only deepens over time, I'm in trouble.

O Christmas Tree

We decorated the tree tonight and Estelle was in awe. She loved hanging ornaments, though she hung them all on the string of lights rather than the tree branches. She especially loved the snowman ornament in the photo, calling it "Frosty." Once it was on the tree, she kept giving it kisses. I'm loving Christmas this year!

Can't we swim now?

I swear that was the look that Estelle gave me when she walked out of her room this evening with her swimsuit "on." I had to share.

Enter to win

Here's a shot of the fam at the daycare's Halloween party. Estelle was a very cute giraffe, but didn't last long in her costume that was really more appropriate for outdoor temperatures.

When asked about his "costume," Bryan said he came as Will Smith, but needed to find a way to make his ears stick out.

A tantalizing prize (my leftover Halloween candy) goes out to the first blog reader who can guess what I was dressed as. Yes, it was a little obtuse, but I'm obsessed with developing "costumes" out of what's available in my home, and all this required was a little chimney soot, my oldest wornout and torn sweatshirt and a few twigs to stick in my hair.

(And, btw, is anyone else disturbed by the inappropriate mermaid costumes out there for 4 year olds? Sheesh.)

Morning at the Museum

Today we went to the Children's Museum with Kim and Thomas. They're featuring some fun exhibits right now -- both Curious George and Sesame Street are there. But Estelle and Thomas seemed to enjoy the aptly named "Habitat" gallery the most, where they had slides, caves and ramps to run around on.

Waterpark mania

We went up north for a friend's wedding this weekend...I convinced Grandma, Darien and Regina to come along and they watched Estelle while her dad and I attended the festivities. We stayed at a hotel with a waterpark and the kids had a blast. Estelle was pooped by the end of the weekend...actually, we all were.