She wanted to go ice skating...

She's been talking about this for a while now... and ever since she spotted the outdoor skating rink downtown, she has really been asking to try it. Repeatedly. She told Santa she wanted "To go skate" when he asked what she wanted for Christmas, and she even "practiced" by gliding around as if she were skating (here at home, at the mall, next to the rink, anywhere). So, when we couldn't think of anything super special to do on her actual birthday, we thought this would be it. 

We got to the rink and spent quite a while (probably forty minutes) getting our stuff and getting all geared up and ready to hit the ice. Jake skated around the rink to be sure he was steady on his feet and then we decided it was time to go. 

Well... there is a reason you only see pictures of her getting her skates on and getting ready to step out onto the ice. She decided as soon as her first skate hit the ice that she didn't want to do it. She kept repeating "I don't like this. I don't like this. I DON'T LIKE THIS," while we kept coaxing and gliding her along between the two of us (both Jake and I held onto her hands). She then started to cry, poor thing. So... even though I would have liked to have made it some sort of teaching moment about overcoming fears, I caved and we left. I didn't want to make her birthday miserable, after all. So, she did technically go ice skating for her birthday, but it probably lasted two whole minutes. Haha!

The skate rental guy gave her a giant chocolate chip cookie for her birthday and that cheered her up pretty darn quick. She told us she wanted to visit Santa for her birthday, so off to the mall we went to get the annual cheesy Santa picture. 

Guess what she told Santa she wanted for Christmas. To go skate!! I reminded her about that morning but she says she wants to try again. That is good news, but we may hold off for a while... ;)

Someone is THREE!!!

Three amazing years have gone by since the day Elayna came into our world. The time has gone a little too quickly for my taste, but it has been the sweetest three years I could ever imagine. I hope that she is always as loving a girl as she is now. :)

Some of her new developments (in this past year) are that she can:

* Read!! This has been a really fun development. She can read a lot of words now... and she likes to sound things out when we are out and about. The other day she asked me "Mommy. What's a truck ro-uh-t"? She was reading the "Truck Route" sign while we were parked at the light. Made me smile. She often does this now. She likes that there are some books in her library that she can read all by herself. They are full of simple words and she enjoys reading me books sometimes now. It  makes me so happy to see how proud she is of this accomplishment. 

* Rhyme (She will often say things like "ball rhymes with wall, Mommy. Ball. Wall. Call. Doll. Mall. Fall. Those rhyme!")

* Make up stories. Oh boy. This is a fun one. She does it when we are out sometimes and the stories always make me laugh. If she and I are at the mall the stories start something like "Princess Elayna and Queen Mommy were at the mall one day and THEN........." and it goes off on some non-sense adventure. It usually ends with hot chocolate and a nap, which I love. 

*Write most of her letters... and some words. She has made some cute cards for friends and family with their names written on them. Sometimes she will ask me how to spell a name, other times she knows and writes them  without any help (like Papa, Mom, Dad, or Elayna). Some letters are still hard for her, but she likes to write I love you. She does an I, a cute heart, and a U.

* We are still working on adding. So far we just do addition on her fingers. We can ask her what 2 plus 4 is and she will put up the right number of fingers on each hand and count for the total. 

Other random things from birthday week:


She just had her fingernails painted for the first time and likes it quite a bit (she has had her toes done a couple times before).

She woke me up the other day by laying her head next to me on the pillow and saying "I am toast and you are my peanut butter." We both liked it and now those are our nicknames for each other. If I say "I love you, Toast!" she responds, "I love you too, Peanut Butter!" Oh, the fun we have. ;)

As I always say, she is a smart and joyful girl. We couldn't be more blessed and we are looking forward to the next year of this adventure with our big girl.

I am thankful...

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

This year I am so thankful for my life.

I am thankful for my beautiful, amazing daughter... and the sweet moments (like these) that she shares with me. I am thankful that someone so special and wonderful calls me 'Mommy.' I am thankful that she is smart and healthy and strong and loving and kind. I am thankful for the times she still lets me rock with her, and the times that she says things like "I love you, Mommy. You are the bestest Mommy in the world!" Who wouldn't melt in those moments?

I am also thankful for my husband, Jake. I am thankful to have found my best friend and also my partner in him. I am thankful that he is a loving, kind, strong, funny, amazing man and he chose to spend this life with me. I am thankful that he is an equal partner in parenting and that he enjoys being that way.

I am also thankful for all of you.... for my friends and family who have been there for me during an adventurous year.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. Love you!