What's for dinner?

Ella has been sleeping for about an hour, and I just found Popeye in her play oven.

Honey from the Suckle

Ella found out how delicious honeysuckle is last night. She told me that she "ate the honey from the suckle." There were lots of fireflies to chase, and we finally saw a bat at our house even though the bat house is still in the utility room. We grilled some chicken and had string beans with little red potatoes and cucumbers and onions. Ella ate a lot of chicken because I told her it was "roasted".

32 weeks, 3 days

Six more weeks until baby John makes his appearance. That seems like a very long time right now. Well, 42 days doesn't sound too long with all the projects that need to be done. We saw Dr. Roberts today--a very basic visit. I gained 1.5 pounds in two weeks and the baby is still head down. He didn't think that the baby would make an appearance until at least thirty six weeks. Mostly, he played with Ella, and they told a lot of knock knock jokes.

Grandmarie left around lunchtime after making some apple bread this morning to soothe Ella out of one of her grumpy fuss-fests. John arrives tonight after three days in Baltimore presenting a paper at a conference. It is quite muggy for the first time, and hopefully it will storm a little to clear away some of the heat. It was storming across town when we went to the Doctor's appt, but now it is just showering here.

I'm ready for a nap, but I hear that we are going to play trains next.

art supplies

Ella recently requested any number of art supplies that she saw/played with when she went to visit "the family" (the Piccorossi's). We got her a big bag of beads, pom-poms, modelling clay, elmer's glue, more pipe cleaners, and some hemp for threading beads. She is into her second day of hardcore crafting.

Ella with Daddy on Father's Day

Ella with Daddy on Father's Day, originally uploaded by sbprovo.

Road trip

First, an Ella story. At the intersection of Route 22 and 231 there is a gas station. We stopped there to switch drivers. Ella bolts up from a sound sleep and says " Granny put money in my pocket for a green Popcicle."

We went to Northern Va for the weekend. John had a meeting in Alexandria on friday, and it was near the Piccorossi's house. They had never even met Ella, and I had never met their daughter Krystyna. We then headed to Granny and Grampy's in Fredricksburg. Saturday John and I went back up to DC to see John Prine. Much better than I expected. Sometimes I think he is too silly and twangy, but I really enjoyed it. Then we went back to Fredricksburg for some rest and relaxation.

Giraffe Tongue

Ella went to the Zoo on monday with Rory and Ben. She was thrilled with the opportunity to handfeed the giraffes, four grownups and a baby giraffe. The kids are on a high walkway, and the giraffes look over and lean over the rails. The seem very gentle and curious. The giraffe's tongue is LONG and black and curling. I left my camera at my mother's house and am dying to post pictures, but I'll just have to wait.

It was hot, but Ella enjoyed all the animals and has been telling everyone about them. She also fed goats, sheep, a horse, and a camel. She has been talking about the spider monkeys and the bats. She was fascinated with the size of the giant land tortoise (and his giant poop).

Rory was very interested in my giant belly and the fact that baby John is in there. He said that the baby might look very much like him. ;)

First lightening bug

Ella saw her first lightening bug tonight. They don't have those in Oregon.

Saturday

My first goal of the day is to get Ella to bed at bedtime. She has been on a strange stay up late, early riser, late nap thing for three days. She is, however, very calm in the evenings since "play daddy " has been in Oregon. She was up at six today. URgggggggg.
We cuddled on the futon through Sesame Street, and I got another hour of sleep. Luckily, by noon she was yawning, and I made her lunch. She then slept for two hours. I'm on the road to an eight oclock bedtime.

She got a package from Granny in the mail with two nightgowns and a robe. Her first comment was, "now daddy and I can be robe buddies."

She is excited that daddy is coming home tomorrow and I have laid out a pathway to an exciting week. Monday she is going to the zoo with her friend Rory, and tuesday they have a lunch date for indian food. Wednesday is ballet day; thursday she has playdate with Owen, friday she meets Tomasso and Krystyna and spends the weekend at Granny's. There are a lot of "privileges" there, so she should be a saint.

We are going to do some chores together. Ella says she just just can't vacuum by herself.

Dad sees Brooklyn

Ella's friend Brooklyn was out and about in Portland, Oregon today and has a long running blog of his own. http://b_brooklyn.blogspot.com/ We will certainly try to keep up to date with his hip and happening goings on.

thursday morning

John left for Portland early this morning to finally get the official PdD. Ella and I are going to have some quiet days, and then we are headed to Richmond on sunday night for a few days. Three days back in Blacksburg and then we are headed to northern virginia and fredricksburg for a meeting, a visit with the Piccorossi's, the John Prine concert, and a visit with Granny and Grampy for the father's day weekend.

Ella is busy at her desk making something for James Gallo. She refers to him as "the little guy". He is three and they have exchanged mail. Very thrilling for her. I'm not sure if this is getting mailed to James or not as it has evolved into a large multimedia sculpture.

Last night she was running around like a madwoman after her shower, convinced that she could do all her "chores". She put on her own nightgown, put on some lotion, brushed her own teeth, and combed out her wet hair. She also put on her pearls. The hardest part was that she wanted to reach all the tools herself so that little stool was getting pulled all around to reach, the toothpaste, comb, lotion, etc.

My camera is in Portland, so no pictures today. Wish I could bottle some of this cool honeysuckle breeze coming in the window right now.

House hunting

It is almost cruel that this house in Floyd is on the market again.
http://www.navicamls.net/prospect/default.asp?k=105&b=237055&a=360&c=3993

We checked out one of the two houses in our price range that are for sale in the town of Blacksburg, and it was a very picturesque shack with one bathroom. The other is a seventies shack. You think I'm kidding?

We drove by a duplex that is for sale in the town on the street near the library, a perfect little neightborhood for kids. It is right on the edge of the Tech campus and is for sale by owner for 475K. If she can't sell it by monday, she is going to get a realtor and raise the price to 495K. I've just been driving around and occasionally looking up a house if it looks interesting. The house right beside the library is 780K. Sometimes I wonder where I am.

John keeps talking about waiting for the bottom to fall out of the real estate market. I'm counting on patience and a fixer upper older house in town.

Eleven Weeks to Go

I'm 29 weeks today...or today is the first day of the thirtieth week. I suppose I'm in somewhat of a home stretch. We are experiencing the first heat of the season, and John is wishing he was in Portland or some other humidity free state. It isn't too bad as it does get very cool at night, and I think that will continue. Ella and I are going to go buy some fans today. She is currently playing school with some small elephant figurines. She tried to refuse a time out last night and has had her television time revoked for the day.

Newsflash: Ella sleeps through the night alone

It only took three and a half years, but Ella slept though the night---in her own room---alone. She is very proud of herself.

June 1 2005

Rabbit, Rabbit! June 1 2005. I'm looking for a way to post pictures here, so we shall see. I'll have to email Caitlin for some personal technical support.