Well, I’ve done it again...this time the blogging sabbatical was way TOO long! A lot of changes are in store for Team Gramkow in 2011. So here’s to 11 updates representing the new year!
1. We moved again. We’re still in Far Far Away Fort Worth, but just moved about 15 minutes away. It’s a bit closer to Ben’s work, and it’s even closer to my work.
2. Yep, you read it right. I’m starting a job in January at Texas Christian University (TCU) as a hall director for the apartments there. Go Horned Frogs! It’s a live-on position, so yes, Ellie is the only 2-year-old now living amongst college students. I’m really excited to start this new journey for my professional career. It will be a challenge, but rewarding as well. Ben’s super excited that we’ll get to go to all the TCU home football games. We’re all very excited to keep purple in the wardrobe!
3. Since my office hours are flexible 10 am-4 pm, we were able to find care for Ellie through a 5-day/week Mom’s Day Out program, and then are having a sweet gal watch Ellie for a few hours until I get off work. I think it’ll be a great adjustment going from being a Stay-at-home mom. The place we found is WONDERFUL and I just love the staff. She’ll be in a small class (only 5 kiddos) and I just think she’ll love being in “school.” She’s been going to a MDO once a week this past semester, and has just loved it. I love all the crafts she brings home for me to see! So thankful we found a great place that Ellie can play while we’re at work.
4. We did step down as a CARES Team at the apartment complex, and are really going to miss the staff and residents there. It was a hard decision, but I’m excited that I’ll get to do similar things...just with college students instead. They already have a new CARES Team in place, and we get to be their mentor team. They are going to do great!
5. Ben is still doing well at his job! He really enjoys it and works with a great group of people. He’s looking forward to spending every other Friday with Ellie...a little daddy/daughter time.
6. Enough about us, now about Ellie. She is SO smart! I’m sure every parent says that, but I am just so proud...and extra proud with her being a preemie and all. She knows her alphabet! Letter recognition! She’s such a sponge about learning right now, and I love it. We have a puzzle with the alphabet that she loves, and now she will just point out letter that we see in signs out and about. We’re working on numbers, and she’s starting to count too. Most of the time for counting she just says “three, four, three, four.”
7. Ellie knows her colors! Everything isn’t just yellow anymore. Ben made flashcards with colors and numbers for our long car ride to Kansas. She knows “white,” but then said “white” even for the flashcards that were actually a number! Hard to teach when technically that flashcard is indeed white. Ben’s starting to teach her to recognize words: dog, cat, Ellie, mama, daddy, pig. I told him he needs to start teaching her equations!
8. Ellie is talking SO much more lately. The other night she told Ben, “Daddy, sit on couch.” Other frequent phrases are “all done eating” and “open it”
9. Ellie loves Baby Signing Time DVDs. She knows quite a few signs, and actually more than I do! She has to remind me what the correct signs are. My favorite is “bird.” I’ll try to get a video posted soon.
10. We spent Thanksgiving in Kansas City with Ben’s family and had a great time. Ellie became best friends quickly with all her relatives because they read books to her! She’s really into books these days.
11. We are spending a White Christmas in Iowa with Mandy’s family. Ellie so far has LOVED playing with her cousins Kahle and Bodee. They played out in the snow today! And then tonight, Uncle Micah (who is a football coach) taught her the three-point stance, which looks pretty good. However, she does need to work on a more aggressive tackle. LOL!
To be continued...
Well, I’ve done it again...this time the blogging sabbatical was way TOO long! A lot of changes are in store for Team Gramkow in 2011. So here’s to 11 updates representing the new year!
1. We moved again. We’re still in Far Far Away Fort Worth, but just moved about 15 minutes away. It’s a bit closer to Ben’s work, and it’s even closer to my work.
2. Yep, you read it right. I’m starting a job in January at Texas Christian University (TCU) as a hall director for the apartments there. Go Horned Frogs! It’s a live-on position, so yes, Ellie is the only 2-year-old now living amongst college students. I’m really excited to start this new journey for my professional career. It will be a challenge, but rewarding as well. Ben’s super excited that we’ll get to go to all the TCU home football games. We’re all very excited to keep purple in the wardrobe!
3. Since my office hours are flexible 10 am-4 pm, we were able to find care for Ellie through a 5-day/week Mom’s Day Out program, and then are having a sweet gal watch Ellie for a few hours until I get off work. I think it’ll be a great adjustment going from being a Stay-at-home mom. The place we found is WONDERFUL and I just love the staff. She’ll be in a small class (only 5 kiddos) and I just think she’ll love being in “school.” She’s been going to a MDO once a week this past semester, and has just loved it. I love all the crafts she brings home for me to see! So thankful we found a great place that Ellie can play while we’re at work.
4. We did step down as a CARES Team at the apartment complex, and are really going to miss the staff and residents there. It was a hard decision, but I’m excited that I’ll get to do similar things...just with college students instead. They already have a new CARES Team in place, and we get to be their mentor team. They are going to do great!
5. Ben is still doing well at his job! He really enjoys it and works with a great group of people. He’s looking forward to spending every other Friday with Ellie...a little daddy/daughter time.
6. Enough about us, now about Ellie. She is SO smart! I’m sure every parent says that, but I am just so proud...and extra proud with her being a preemie and all. She knows her alphabet! Letter recognition! She’s such a sponge about learning right now, and I love it. We have a puzzle with the alphabet that she loves, and now she will just point out letter that we see in signs out and about. We’re working on numbers, and she’s starting to count too. Most of the time for counting she just says “three, four, three, four.”
7. Ellie knows her colors! Everything isn’t just yellow anymore. Ben made flashcards with colors and numbers for our long car ride to Kansas. She knows “white,” but then said “white” even for the flashcards that were actually a number! Hard to teach when technically that flashcard is indeed white. Ben’s starting to teach her to recognize words: dog, cat, Ellie, mama, daddy, pig. I told him he needs to start teaching her equations!
8. Ellie is talking SO much more lately. The other night she told Ben, “Daddy, sit on couch.” Other frequent phrases are “all done eating” and “open it”
9. Ellie loves Baby Signing Time DVDs. She knows quite a few signs, and actually more than I do! She has to remind me what the correct signs are. My favorite is “bird.” I’ll try to get a video posted soon.
10. We spent Thanksgiving in Kansas City with Ben’s family and had a great time. Ellie became best friends quickly with all her relatives because they read books to her! She’s really into books these days.
11. We are spending a White Christmas in Iowa with Mandy’s family. Ellie so far has LOVED playing with her cousins Kahle and Bodee. They played out in the snow today! And then tonight, Uncle Micah (who is a football coach) taught her the three-point stance, which looks pretty good. However, she does need to work on a more aggressive tackle. LOL!
To be continued...
