Sweet Ellie

 

Well, this is her blog namesake, so I we should update with fun Ellie-isms now! She is currently napping because she didn't sleep very well last night. Doctor appointment today confirmed croup, a brewing ear infection, and some bigger than normal reactions to bug bites. Poor thing! And so now, once again, we play man to man defense (my dad and I switching periodically with each kid)...but also keeping them on separate courts! Croup isn't contagious, but obviously the virus that makes Ellie's airway respond with croup is. And I'm just going to guess that the little preemie brother probably has a floppy airway as well. So again, we do the best we can...hard thing when Big Sister loves her brother so much.

So Ellie...such a joy. She talks very clearly, and uses big words like Occupational and Physical Therapist, and has an amazing memory of people. She loves the game memory, and will often associate things our and about that are a "match." She loves playing with play dough, and still is an avid cook. She loves playing Dora Candyland, and still loves to read and loves be read to.

She LOVES to sing. Singing songs she knows, but now she has added made up songs to her album like, (as we were getting groceries quick this noon, waiting for the pharmacy) "There are a lot of people, lot of people at the grocery store....to buy some cereal, cereal, cereal." I've noticed the past couple phone calls that she has had with daddy and relatives almost always include her walking around talking on the phone (like mommy) using her shoulder to hold it up to her ear, and she also likes to describe all the things she sees in front of her. "Here's a book, a pencil, a marker"...and add on a little singing jingle...yep, that's it! Frequent songs we sing are: Little Einstein theme song, You are my Sunshine, ABCs, Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves the Little Children, ABC song from Superwhy, and I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy.

So ... funny story.
Apparently I used to sing like this when I was little. We have been watching American Idol and The Voice lately, and so Ellie likes to get up and perform for us. I will share a little of our latest episode. (See the next post for the video!)

She LOVES to write and color. She writes "Ellie", "Mommy" and "Daddy" quite well. And now she has mastered the question "what comes after the insert letter here? She also practices her sounds, and we play a lot of guess what starts with insert letter here? Oh, and she cuts with scissors now too! The tiniest pieces you ever did see, but hey, she is practicing those fine motor skills, so I'm good with that.

She likes to give Baby Strawberry infant massage while I'm doing it with Beckett. She has been known to nurse Baby Strawberry too. Oh the things you learn as big sister! She is quite the helper though, I couldn't ask for a better one! She loves to roll up the wet diapers and throw them in the trash, although she usually doesn't get as excited to roll the poopy ones. :)

I think she has done the best she could for being with us in RSV lockdown. I know she is so social, and misses all her playmates, but she knows that we don't want Beckett to go back to the hospital. I'm sure she will be excited to get to get out more, and more. Last week, her cousins, Garett, Wyatt and Maizee were here along with Aunt Wendy, and Grandma and Grandpa Weber (SO THANKUFL no one was sick!) and she LOVED it!

She has started some sassyness though. She does tell me "no" and we have to review that "We don't talk to mama like that." She kind of is a bit of drama with things like: "Don't do that! I WANTED to do that!" And we're talking small things. She is only three, but I couldn't promise Ben that she will grow out of it, as most of you know...I'm a tad on the emotional side. :)