Lately with Ella

So what's going on with Ms. Ella these days?  She's 4 months from 3 years old & it seems like everyday she's growing up on me.  She continues to follow her sister's every command & often does things that I wish she wouldn't like running through the house or jumping off of the couch....*palm to head* I always thought my kids wouldn't do these things...God has a way of humbling us with our kids, doesn't He :)  Dress up with Ella has become a lot more fun recently.  She is more interested in wearing my jewelry & in being good with it.  She is an absolute nut about reading, we read no less than 10-15 books per day, sometimes Jessica will sit with us, but most of the time it is Ella & I.  Ella continues to be a wonderful little eater & will try anything.  I am so thankful for a child that will eat no problem...her sister is not that way.  Ella has really come into her own when it comes to art.  She likes to paint with water colors & always uses many colors & then tells me she made a circus.  If you use your imagination & squint you can almost see the circus :)  She loves My Little Pony.  She tells me everyday that daddy is getting her a roller skating My Little Pony for her birthday.  Daddy has no clue about this, but at Build-a-Bear they do have a My Little Pony on roller skates that she wanted so badly, maybe, she'll get one for her special day!  Ella's days are spent as Jessica's little sidekick and as part of her sister's grand plays.  Often Ella plays the role of sleeping beauty or (wait for it) the Beast--from Beauty & the Beast.  However, Ella always tells us that she is a pretty Beast or a friendly Beast. Her costume for playing the beast is a brown blanket wrapped around her shoulders.  Jessica is, of course, Belle in her yellow dress that daddy got her for the princess ball.   Ella also plays the role of Ariel, while Jessica is Ursula.  The imaginary play between the two of them is great, it is something I look forward to seeing/hearing everyday.  Sometimes I even get in on the action & I am asked to dress in my "princess gown" & join them for a princess tea party or to play the role of the stepmother to Cinderella (Ella is usually her)....kinda mean I know, but Jessica usually plays the stepsister & of course, daddy is always the prince.  My princess gown consists of a $4 used bridesmaids dress from the thrift store.  It is perfect for this kind of thing & the girls also like to play in it....see below, Ella is wearing it.  Ella also loves gummy candy of any kind, I really have to limit her on these types of things.  She loves to sing any little kid songs, alphabet song, itsy-bitsy spider, & wheels on the bus are her favorites...we often sing these while Jessie is at school.  She likes to help unload the dishwasher, she is only allowed to unload her plastic dishes, load & unload the washer/dryer, & put away the socks.  That's about all I can think of right now.  Can't believe how big she is getting & how much fun we all have together.  Thankful for all the joy she brings to our lives.

Excuse the bruise on her right cheek, she went flying superman style into the chair at our island, I couldn't edit it out in this one!

Could have been amazing, missed focus slightly, but still liked it enough to include it