Step right up, folks...

Ella is currently working on an elaborate variation on the Shell Game.

Right back atcha, babe

Oooo, Smell

Ella likes to share her experiences.

She will hold out food for you to eat, animals for you to hug, and stuff for you to smell. It's really sweet.

Susie Chapstick

Grandma Norrie helps Ella have smooth lips. Ella thinks chapstick tastes great!

Bucking Dino

Here is Ella riding a dinosaur at the local dinosaur park.




I thought she would really react to the big displays, but she was more interested in the floor.



She had a great time just crawling around.

..And a Good Time Was Had By All

From left to right: Bell, Monny, La La, Bad, Mommy, Ayla, and Nowwie

Ella had a total blast with the Usual Suspects from Tell City.

Going out to eat

Ella is seen here making her debut performance as a food critic. (She prefers restaurants where she is able to crawl around at will and break free of the bonds of the evil Mommy and Dada.) Seriously, though, a good time was had by one and all.

editor's note: the photo was taken by my lovely and talented niece, Molly!

Bathing Beauty

Today Ella went swimming with Grandma, Papa and her cousins at this really cool swimming complex.




The kiddie pool was so neat. It started out about an inch deep then gradually went to about 3 feet. She was crawling all through the water and of course making huge splashes.




Ella could have swam all day. Drat those naps!

Climb Aboard

Ella loves to get in and under things. She'll climb right into laundry baskets and her toy boxes.



And she loves going under the coffee table or other furniture. It's pretty obvious that she does NOT have claustrophobia.

Sometimes she gets stuck and needs a little help getting out. But for the most part she goes where she wants with no problem.

Editor's correction

Ella doesn't think Mommy's tummy is a pillow! That's just her way of saying "belly." The Ella version is "BY-LOW."

And boy does she love "by-lows!" If you are laying on the floor near Ella you'd better be prepared for her to lift up your shirt so she can zirbit your by-low. (just ask cousin Bronsen and Grandma Charlotte)

Kick your feet!

Today Ella had her first swim "lesson." It was great; a bunch of parents floating around with their babies saying "Kick your feet! Kick! Kick!"

After getting over some initial trepidation, Ella had a great time.



Here she is in her swimsuit showing us all how big she is.

Ella wants an apple

Today Ella let us know what she wanted VERBALLY! Not grunts or screams or moans, but WORDS! Well word.

I was holding her in the kitchen when she pointed to the bowl of apples and said "apple." Since she had just eaten we didn't think she wanted to EAT the apples. But after she took a bit out of one of them we sliced some up for her. And she kept asking for more.

Don't take my word for it. See for yourself in this Quicktime movie
Ella wants some apple