Budgies and other goings on.

"I want to be a red dragon with a big, fat belly".

"I am going to miss you too much."

 

Spend any kind of time with our little Ella these days and you will hear either of these sentences flying out of her mouth at least a dozen times...an hour.

 

Thomas the Train has taken a back seat on the train tracks and dragons are the front-runners. How this happened, well, the book "Room on the Broom" started the fascination a while back. (Great book, by the way, and out on video as well!) Of course the recent blockbuster dragon movies are stoking the curiosity as well. She is such a contradiction - running around in her Glinda dress, high heels with dragons clutched in both hands.

 

In addition to all this is a new phase of "missing mama". She misses me at sleeps, when I go to work, when I go to the store. There are often tears and gnashing of teeth about said separation from me. I am basking in it, truly I am. But by the time I get her lanky body into bed at night, I am ready for a break. Ella? Not so much. She has requested a Family Bed because "wouldn't it be good for all of us to be together all the time?" I mean no disrespect to those who have a co-sleeping arrangement but it is not for us and she's doing her solid best to change our minds. So, we work through it and know that this too shall pass.

 

In the meantime, we've been ON THE GO enjoying the heck out of this summer break. We hooked up with our neighborhood buds at our zoo. Two new exhibits stole our hearts - the new penguin home and the parakeet house. You may recall how horribly the Butterfly House visit went last year? I thought for sure the parakeet (aka budgie) exhibit would go much the same way.

 

It did not. She absolutely shocked me with no fear and complete curiosity and gentleness. She's double-fisting it, people!!!

 

Ben was double fisted as well.

 

 

 

 

Ella was delighted to learn that I was a bird owner as a young girl. She watched me act a fool with all of them. We can hardly wait to go back.

Our traveling musician friends made their way to our parts, too. I was brimming with excitement for weeks upon their arrival. I love JT and Allison but since we've seen them last, they have become parents. Ida Maeve is on the road with them always and this gig was no exception. They spent the night with us. We stayed up until 3:45am (Ida included who is completely tuned into their late night schedule and sleeps in until 11:00am like the best musician.), I got up four hours later to get breakfast ready and deal with Ella. Then we enjoyed a fantastic late morning together out in the garden.

Not before JT held a little coffee talk session with the girls...

Ida is a stunning child at five months old. For the first time ever, Ella expressed mild interest in a baby, too. She even (kinda) held her for this photo as long as we would promise that Ida wouldn't drool on her.

 

 

 

I love this photo so, so much. It shows Ella in the thick of things with the band much like she always is, much like how we have tried to raise her. I hope she gets how cool this is some day. It makes my heart swell.

Cutting the grass with Mama.

My slumbering girl. Put her in the car and she's out like a light. Look at that little freckle :)

Our neighborhood mom's group kicked off the Kids N' Cocktail season. It was a great night.

Co-presidents, Mama Heather and Mama Mo.

End of night Sophie and Ella meltdowns.

Baby Ava with Lar.

Mo and Brady - the hosts.

We went on an adventure to one of our metroparks too. It is the first time Ella has been there. They were fascinated with the "allergy" (as they called it) or the algae forming on the water.

 

Ella got to hang with some big girls at a recent party, my little Bohemian hippy chick.

 

Thomas is thrilled it is sandal season. You will find both of them nestled in my big size 10's often.

Have I mentioned how awesome these cats are? They put up with so much...

 What else? The annual Old West End Fest in one of our city's incredible neighborhoods. We met up with Roz, Piper, Oliver and Sophie for a most-excellent day.

Waiting for a parade is hard. Really hard.

I am the Mama teaching the girls how to dance in the streets. Guilty.

Asleep on me. Again.

Someone else is happy it is summer.

Micah came down for a visit after a visit to the salon!

We spent some time with little Oliver walking in our neighborhood. These two took a break for cuteness.

Someone is fascinated by my makeup.

Father's Day came and went with homemade gifts, breakfast with her two best guys (and Panda) and a trip to our favorite Mexican Restaurant.

The last week has been a rough one for my mom. She had her right knee replaced with a bionic one. After surgery and a few days at the hospital, Ella and Panda busted her out of that place. She is at home now getting stronger every day. Ella's work-week routine (and ours) is a bit whopper-jawed until mom can get back on her feet with a little more speed. We are making trips down there to give hugs and help out.

 

The latest 'game' is cat carriers. Only our cats would think it is fun to get into these things. Ella carries them around in them and THEY LET HER.

I think this last picture sums it up nicely. Someone is falling into bed exhausted every night (once she finally stops yelling how much she is going to miss me if she doesn't sleep in my bed). We aren't far behind her!