First Day of School- Update

She survived!  They said she did great.  I guess she did tear up/cry on and off in the morning, but they said she was happy as can be in the afternoon.  When I got there, she was in the diaper changing room, and she came out happy and singing!  She was definitely happy to see me, wanted to be immediately picked up and wouldn't let me put her down.  The only negative is that she slept from 12:35 to 1:25.  At home she sleeps 2 hours minimum, sometimes 3 hours.  So that part is a bummer, but at school she sleeps on a cot, and she's never slept out of a crib before.  The good news is that they said she only cried for about a minute...at home she screams for at least 5 minutes before settling down!

I'm hoping she gets attached to the teachers soon so it gets to the point where she doesn't want to leave at the end of day, which is how she is when she's at my mom's house on Wednesdays.

First Day of School

 Ok, I guess it's really daycare since she's only 20 months, but it's where she will be going to preschool.


I had to go buy her a bunch of "school clothes" since I didn't have anything that could get ruined. It was really hard for me because one of my biggest joys is dressing my little doll ;) and making sure she always looks cute. I'm not a big fan of play clothes. So I picked the best of the school clothes to wear on her first day since I knew I'd be taking pictures!

Anyway, I think drop-off went well. She walked right in and found a baby doll to play with. When I said I was leaving, she asked to be picked up, but when one of the teachers started talking to her about all the fun things they were going to do today, she asked HER to pick her up! I did hear a whine/whimper as I walked out, so I'm not sure if that turned into full blown crying...best I don't know...I probably would have stayed for the whole day!

Olivia's Birthday

We recently went up to LA for Olivia's 2nd birthday party.  Naturally, the theme was OLIVIA! My camera was dead so I once again didn't get any photos of the cute decorations, but Julie sent me some pictures...

Hannah's Birthday & Summer Fun!

This past weekend we went to Ella's good friend, Hannah's, first birthday party!  Her mama decorated in a super cute owl theme.  Ella with the birthday girl...

At the water table with Hannah and Reese...

We're so happy it's summertime!  The weather has been GORGEOUS.  Forget what I said about Ella hating the pool because she now LOVES the pool!!  She even loves the big pool and runs in between the baby pool and the big pool.  Here she is modeling her new summer do, piggy tails, and her new summer uniform- a bathing suit of course!


Summer also means the start of preschool- HURRAY (for mama at least!). She is going on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and she just had her transition day where she I went together for 2 hours and got to play, meet her new friends, and her new teachers. She did seem to want mama in site at all times, but she clearly had a great time...

There is a ton of fun stuff to do like playing in the "wet room" with shaving cream and tons of water! I think she's going to love it.

Talking and Swimming

A few updates...

Ella is talking up a storm.  Unfortunately, she's at that point where she says things, and you go, "where the heck did she learn that?"  Like yesterday, when she said "DOG POOP" as clear as day.  Nice.

You know how she supposedly hates swimming?  Well apparently she hates swimming with Gary and I because when our nanny, Lexi, took her to the pool today with our neighbor's nanny and Owen, she LOVED it.  That's right- she ran straight into the pool and even put her head under water a bunch of times.  What the what?!  I'm kind of offended but just happy that my little fishy is BACK baby!  This time, she screamed when she had to get out of the pool rather than going in! ;)

Brice's First Birthday

Today Ella went to San Diego for her cousin, Brice's, first birthday party...she went with a little 50's vibe, and how cute does Brice look in his hat?!

She played with Brice at the water table and watched Brett jump in the bounce house...


But then, the most precious thing I've ever seen in the entire world happened...one of Brice's other cousins tried to kiss and hug Ella so naturally they started dating, and spent the next 10 minutes walking around the house holding hands!

Could you just die...

Food & Friends...

Ella had a fun week and weekend!  She met her friend Reagan's new little brother, Max, who is so tiny and cute.  She went to Hannah's house and had fun in her new playroom, which I am *very* jealous of...oh what I wouldn't give for a playroom!  She had a "girl's brunch" with Hannah and Reese at Champagne Bakery...YUM!  She went out to dinner with one of her boyfriends, Ryan, who when we asked if she was going to marry him, she said yes. ;)

On Sunday morning, we went to 85c Bakery...I heard that they have strawberry cream cheese croissants, which I've been craving for MONTHS now but can't find anywhere.  Plus, the bakery gets great reviews and apparently always has a long line (think Sprinkles), which it did on Sunday morning even before it opened!  However, I was disappointed.  There were no signs on any of the pastries/breads, which are self-serve so we just randomly grabbed stuff, and except for the pizza like pastry with cheese and tomato, I was not impressed at all.  I don't think I'd go back there with no line, but I definitely would never stand in line again.  Oh, and they did NOT have strawberry cream cheese croissants.  GRRR.  Gary got the sea salt coffee, which everyone raves about online, and frankly, I thought it was gross.  I'll stick with Champagne Bakery and the best brioche french toast in the world!