Ellie - 3 1/2

Last week we had a big half birthday in our house!

On Monday morning, I had every intention of celebrating Ellie's half birthday... until I was up most of the night with her as she was sick, Will woke up with a fever, and I had a stomach bug.

So... I just waited an extra day to tell her she was officially 3.5.

On Tuesday morning she was a very excited girl and has since told everyone she comes in contact with that she is a big 3 1/2 year old.

We celebrated with singing half of the birthday song and cupcakes (of which she only ate half the icing.)

Ellie at 3.5:

eats just about anything although her favorite foods are dips

She loves to drink ice water but also enjoys whole milk (or ice water milk - gross!)

She doesn't love beef but does love fish, chicken, and pork

She told me her favorite vegetables are "peppers" (bell), cucumbers, carrots, and olives.

Her favorite fruits are grapes, apples (no peel please!), pears and pomegranates.

She loves to cook and begs daily to help me make dinner.  When she is not helping me cook, she can often be found in her kitchen cooking for her babies.

Playing babies is her favorite activity on planet earth.

She frequently begs to go to the beach - her favorite place on earth.

She loves to read and prefers the same book over and over until I beg for a new book.

She sleeps great all night and still naps a few hours a day.

Ellie talks all day long and sometimes I catch her talking in her sleep.  She sings and talks to her babies - constantly reassuring them when she steps away from them, loving on them, kissing and rocking  - she is a busy mama.

Bathtime with babies

I don't know how she fits in her bed with all those babies

She and her baby have matching duck towels

Poor Batman - when Will's away he loses all dignity

Her favorite color is pink.  (Except this week it is apparently purple.)

She has begun to love playing dress up and prefers to wear her crown all day long.

She does not love having her hair brushed although she does love having her fingers and toes painted (& recently had her first professional manicure as a potty training reward)

Her favorite cartoon is either Tom & Jerry (like her brother) or Dora the Explorer

She says she will be a "mommy" when she grows up.  She also says that before she is a mommy with babies, she will "take care of babies" for her job.  Her PT recently predicted she will become a neonatologist.  I wouldn't be surprised at all - she loves babies and seems to be very curious about doctors and medical processes.

She has been dismissed from OT and only does PT once a month!!!

She can wield a sword in one arm and a baby in the other as she plays with her big brother.

He adores her too and recently colored her some pictures to decorate her kitchen with.

Ellie's best friends:  Will but she says her best friends who are girls are Sophie, Other Ellie, & Elin

Some recent Ellieisms:

"I'm going to marry Will because I love him and he's my best friend."

Will countered with some awesome logic:  "Ellie, you can't marry me because the law says brothers and sisters can't marry."

I told him it was fine and to let it go and reminded him that he used to want to marry me...

to which he replied,

"Mommy!  Sons can marry their moms because we love our moms more than we love our sisters."

You can't argue with that logic.

Also, she recently started saying this nightly,

"Mommy, I love you more!"

I argued, "No, Ellie, I love you more!"

"Mommy!  We each love each other more together."

And one of my favorites,

"You are the best dinner making mommy ever!"

Ellie is becoming a daddy's girl - recently I walked in her room and caught her and her Daddy playing family.  They were poising for a pretend family picture with a pretend photographer apparently stationed across her room.  I cracked up.

Don't they make a cute family?

Ellie received a pink car last fall but finally convinced her Daddy to build it a few weeks ago.  We've determined her love language may be quality time - she spent 2 hours focused and working with her daddy to build the car!

Ellie begs Will to play with her after school every day.  He usually needs some down time but will often play with her after nap time.  She adores him and loves playing with him.  I love listening to them play together.

At 3.5, she is also starting to play more with the neighbors (with me supervising nearby.)  She daily begs the kids on our street to play "family" and can usually talk them into it (at least the girls.)

My sweet girl - so many things I love about her at this age.  She is my little buddy - goes everywhere with me and is so interested in every aspect of being a mommy.  Every morning, after she eats breakfast, she tells me she is coming to watch me get ready.  My heart about melts as she walks into my bathroom and watches me do my hair and makeup and get dressed.  She sits on her little stool with her baby and I adore having a daughter to teach about being a girl.

As girly as she is, she also has been trying to climb trees recently and last week, I caught her playing with a dead dried worm.  Nasty!

She gives lots of hugs and kisses and is Will's number one cheerleader.  In fact, she often sets up her babies in a line to watch him play  - he loves the audience.

I love her nurturing spirit and encouraging heart.

I love watching her think and figure out life.  She is naturally curious and asks great questions.  She is a thinker and is discerning of people - she often holds back when meeting a stranger.

She has the most hilarious facial expressions and entertains us nightly with the "Ellie Show."

I love 3.5 Ellie!