Beck & Ellery: Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a very mellow and relaxing Thanksgiving this year. I was prepared to make the feast on my own... until it was time to stuff the cornish game hen. For those of you who know me, you know that dead animals are not my thing and it was giving me the heebeegeebees just looking at the bird. I tasked Zach with it and stood by with the disinfectant spray. Ellery has been a picky eater lately and filled up on rice, apples and pumpkin pie and Mr Beck had a pureed blend of turkey and vegetables, yum.

Ellery starts preschool next Tuesday!! We were on a wait list and got the call 2 weeks ago that a spot had opened up. Elle and I went for an hour last week to meet her classmates and teachers and she loved it. Of course it may be a different story when I leave next week. I am thrilled about this school and all that it has to offer.

Ellery's favorite thing to play right now is "Hi. Nice to meet you." This is where she gets two cars or dolls, gives one to me and says "Hi-ya-meet-chew. What you doing today? Go-a-park?" And then we go all over the house pretending that they're playing at the park, each others houses and so on. Fun at first but after a solid two months of it, we need a new pastime. She has had a bit of an ornery streak, testing her boundaries, typical 2 1/2 year old stuff. She is still the sweetest girl I know but we've had to remind her who's boss lately. However, when it comes to being a big sister, she's the best. Always concerned about Beck. For example, she knows he dislikes being buckled in his seat so she makes silly faces and they start cracking up together. If he gets fussy, she will stop what she's doing and run to find him a toy. When I drop them off in the child watch at the Y she stands by his side for the entire 60+ minutes. She used to get frustrated when she had to wait until I was done with the baby but now she says "Elrey waiting patient" and that's exactly what she does.

Beck is crawling all over this place and standing up like nobody's business! His world is opening up big time and it's keeping me on my toes. He's pulling leaves off plants, eating the soil, crawling into the fireplace and I'm sure he's found more to get into as I write this. My boy has endless smiles and loves to curl up on mommas shoulder for a cuddle. I can't believe 7 months have gone by. Time flies...

Ellery also loves to "get chew" which is tag but she always wants to be it. I can only go up and down the slides so many times with a 20 pound baby in tow. I needed a break and put them in the swings...

Story time at the library!...

Zoo with the deMerliers +1...

SeaWorld didn't waist a minute on getting their decorations up. It got me excited about the holidays and Ellery and I put up our tree and decorated the house the day before Thanksgiving. And my Xmas shopping is done. On top of it this year!...

Dave and Kathy came to town and while the boys went to the Packers/Chargers game, us girls (and baby Beck) went to the Science Center. The next day we went to SeaWorld and had a blast. Ellery thought it was so cool that Grandma and Grandpa joined us. They got a Fun Card so we're looking forward to going again around Christmas...