December 2015

Stardate -307008.73725266365
December 28 2015

You had a Florida Christmas Ella!!!  The weather was unusual this year - they were suffering an 80+ heatwave during your Tampa holiday while here in sunny CA we had intermittent rain and 50 degree weather!  In fact - I'm on the way to the airport to pick you up as you travel back and I'm stopping at your house to get all of you coats!  Its going to be a shockingly cold  return home!

But you had a lovely Christmas in Florida - here's your Mom's descriptions and some pictures:

Notes on Christmas 2015: Ella refuses to nap in the state of FL. She slept at the dinner table for 2 mins tonight as a result of this the 5th day without a nap. The plus is Bedtime has never been easier. Tampa is having a ridiculous heat wave. Julia does not have pregnant summer clothes. Ella only opens presents while sitting in someone's lap. Making for an adorable Christmas morning. Matt and Doug like Ella's presents as much as she does. You can go to sleep with three baby dolls, if you try hard aenough. Ella went sailing for the first time today. She was awesome and only baby doll went swimming while sitting on the dock.

You've also evidently named your new baby 'Santa' which might be a continuing family genetic trend - from a note to the wider family about your Christmas:

a holiday chuckle - Ella named her new doll 'Santa' which is better then the year Betsy named her new doll 'Jesus' - she was probably a year older then Ella is now because Betsy could be heard throughout the house 'Jesus shut up and go to sleep' etc

You baked and loved the wonders of Play Doh!  You are a percussionist anytime Jingle Plays - and although you like the 'concept of Santa - you find him best observed from 10+ feet away

You say everyone's names and know can name them when you see their pictures - you  shout  NNNOOOOO  Your Mom says you have a vocabulary of over 200 words - and as I thought through it - it might be more  You speak one word at a time mostly - but you have so many nouns and just enough verbs to make it clear what you want!  And you regularly pack up your dolls and a bag of 'important things' and go to the front door and announce that your are going to usually one of two places:  the beach or the store  You love to bake - particularly cracking the eggs/licking the beaters and you have developed a someone strained smile when we say 'cheese' - it might be awhile before get good pictures of you

Your Mom and Dad went to Seattle for the weekend and you had a Girl's Weekend Out with Gigi and Friends - attending a concert and a Hanukkah celebration with the Rosens - as Craig reminds us about his kids - light a candle/wear a hat - kids can party anywhere!

You are all about your Baby Tribe - you carry 2+ with you and feed them/wrap them/bath them/read to them - you create your own Ella World with your friends all around you!  One day when you are older we will share the stories of the dogs who keep eating your dolls and the heroic shopping trips people made to get you a new doll just like your old one so you won't suffer the shock of puppy brutality - 

Its a custom at Transfiguration that the church bring in bags and bags of snow so the California kids can pretend to play in the snow!  You were much more interested in throwing it then in riding in it - you spend most of your time hanging out with your dear friends the brothers Liam and Henry - the 3 of you are a wonderous trio of terror at the church - running up the aisles when the Archbishop is there - giggling during the sermon and solemnly giving everyone 'peace' during the greeting - 

It was a very very merry and bright month my darling!!!!