I Hate This Time of Year...Wanna Know Why?

It's "friends and family" discount time, and since I have some sort of disorder that produces a chemical in my brain which triggers a Pavlovian-type response to sales, I am unable to prevent myself from making purchases online at each and every retailer that offers such a discount. 

Therefore, Ella now has a full summer wardrobe, which would outfit approximately six children from Old Navy, Gap, Target (yes, even Target did a 20% off your entire clothing purchase deal online...Target never does additional off so obviously that one doesn't even count), Crazy 8 (theirs is going on until 3/27 if anyone wants to get it on it, and if you have a girl, you will definitely want to pick up a pair of the geometric damask cuffed shorts- adorable in person), Macy's and my newest discovery, Next Direct, a British company who got a hold of my address and sent me a catalog stocked full of their very adorable yet very reasonably priced children's clothing.  Damn them.

In Ella news, we have reached the height of the BALLOON OBSESSION phase.  All you parents know what I'm talking about because I'm fairly certain every child goes through it.  The kid can point out the balloon in a 3x5" picture 100 feet away..."balloon!" "balloon!" "balloon!"  I think she's crazy until I put on my glasses and realize she's pointing to a picture that I can't even see.  We almost had balloon crisis 2011 when the balloon she got at Red Robin got loose from the string in the car so I had to retrieve the awol balloon and quickly re-tie it before we reached meltdown.  But at least I know where she gets it...like father like daughter...