First week of May

Finally the weather is nice! The buds are starting to come out on the trees and bushes. I have been doing lots of gardening for the first time in my life...and enjoying it. Maybe it is age! hahaha. But around the house, Eloisa is, of course, growing like a week and learning all kinds of new stuff every day. I noticed a while ago that we had two large hooks in our covered patio roof. I took it upon myself to assume that they were for a swing (and they are the right distance apart) so I figured out how to make it work since it has a vaulted ceiling...and now we have two interchangeable swings. So everyone is happy!

Finally figuring out her "touchy feely" books

They sure are shaggy!

Someone got stuck under her swimming pool...did it to herself though 

guess who found a pen?

Eloisa's own puppet show

we bought swings for both girls

swings being enjoyed

Bella's first track and field club

one track and field training thoroughly enjoyed!

Morning smiles

April 30th

Every morning I go to the bathroom to brush my teeth and this is what follows me! Always with the tongue out and always with that BIG smile. It actually gets bigger when I start actually brushing...she loves the actual brushing! hahahaha What a cutie!!

Outside the door

following me in

waiting while I brush

Our first sleepover!

April 27-28th

We had our first sleepover here for Bella. Her cousins came to visit and Bella was sooooo excited. If you notice the cloudy spot on the photos, please ignore them. It seems that someone small (I won't name names) was putting my camera on my camera and got the lens wet (it took me a while to figure out why I was getting these foggy spots on the photos...I thought it was from the sun streaming through the windows).

So everyone had a lot of fun. They all went to bed fine...there was just a short time where Lilli was crying a little after bedtime wanting her mom but Taneli talked her down and soon everyone was asleep. In fact Taneli did a fantastic job of looking after everyone. My job was just to look after Eloisa and make the food. He did  almost all of the entertaining. The next morning I made everyone pancakes and set up a rock painting "event".

breakfast time...pancakes for everyone

they included Eloisa in their play

sometimes Eloisa was the play :-)

getting ready for some serious painting

Karen and Bella painting their rocks

...and....Ellen and Lilli painting their rocks!

Bella's painted rocks!

A few of Eloisa

April 26th

I just had to add in these random photos of Eloisa. Look at all her curls! Isabella's hair was always a straight as a board but not this little one!

snack fun!

Grandparents' Day!

April 24th

Every year Bella's daycare hosts a Grandparents' day event. I think that this is the first that we have made it to and that makes me feel bad. But hopefully we made up for it by both of us being there. There were many grandparents and parents there. We live in an age where people don't live close to their grandchildren...so we definitely were not the only parents there. They also seem to use this event as a way to earn a little money for the PTA (although I never knew they had one before) by selling home made buns.

Getting bolder

April 19th

Getting bolder in her exploration

I've fallen and I can't get up...

April 19th

Sometimes Eloisa will tip over or roll over and she will fall a little bit...she will end up on her back as stiff as a board. She isn't hurt and she doesn't cry...or even whimper. But she will just stay there a while looking around. It is quite funny...glad I got this series of photos.

I wanted to add in this photo as I just think that it is sooo funny. Now that spring has arrived and the doors and windows are open a little it means that the dust settles that much faster. Here you can see someone who likes to be on her knees trying to touch the tv or chew on the tv stand...I wonder who it is...can you see a clue in the dust? It could also mean that I need to dust more often...or just dust.

Sister love

April 17th

When Eloisa and I go to pick up Bella from daycare Bella loves to hold Eloisa's hand. Sometimes Eloisa lets her and sometimes not...this time she did! They did it all the way home. Awwwwww....

But there is a lot of guttural screams when she doesn't want to hold hands. I think it hurts Bella's feelings a little.

Laundry Demon

April 14th and 16th

If this little girl sees a bag of clean laundry (or dirty to be honest) she will tackle it with gusto. She will search through it like she is looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and then she will toss it from side to side until the clothes just cannot take it anymore...she will repeatedly move the same items of clothes from one side of her to the other over and over and over...and always with a huge smile. She loves her "job"! I made a video of her and I was able to film her for 5 minutes without her stopping once. I won't add it here though.

laundry joy!

this just a shot to see how fast she can go

more laundry joy