Regression

aka: two steps forward, one step back. It happens all the time around here. I don't get it, but as I have been complaining about it lately I at least know it happens to the best of us. Thank you Robbie for giving me the "low down" on baby Wes and his path to the potty. It helps me laugh as I am cleaning up various accidents lately. That's right Wes, I now have some good dirt on you.

So here is how it went this morning:

Me: Ella, let's go to the potty!
Ella: No thanks Mom, I've already peed in my pants.

If nothing else she is polite. What happened to running to me with, "Mommy, I had an accident"? So lackadaisical are we now that Ella had had an accident sometime in the night, long enough ago that her clothes were dry by the morning. I really just have to laugh. You too?

You Could Sleep Here...

... because no one else in our house is, especially Ella. I'm sure everyone is well aware of our potty training issues (if not, consider yourself lucky) so I'll skip to the most recent update. Last week Wes said to Ella (he says I was the one but I don't think so), "If you poop in the potty you can sleep in our room". And I distinctly remember looking at him with a few obscenities running though my mind (sorry Wes) but also thinking that was a pretty good idea. And I'll be damned if she didn't walk her little self into the bathroom and poop on the potty. Now, again, I can't even believe this is what I have to write about, but it is what it is- and I think what it is is desperation. So Ella has been sleeping in our room on a blow-up mattress. Yes ladies and gentleman, pass over the Mom of the Year Award because I clearly deserve it. Or maybe you could pass it my way because we have somehow gotten ourselves into a hostage situation with those little Cadbery eggs. As in Ella holds me hostage with not getting dressed, not listening, not eating, not (fill in the blank with any activity of daily life that most kids do on their own) without one of those little eggs. Ugh! I wish I could say everyone said this parenting thing would be easy but no one told me that so I'll stop the whining and share some pictures from Ella's ballet class:

República Dominicana

What a trip! I think these pictures can tell the story pretty well, so here it goes:

The night before our flight, we had dinner with Barry, Robbie, and Karen. Thank you all for Ella's sweet treats! Ella was immediately smitten with Karen and went for many walks, or should I say shopping excursions, with her while we ate.





We then headed to our hotel to get some rest before our six am flight.



This is Ella at 3:30 am waiting for us to get ourselves in gear and head to the airport. We had an easy flight (as easy as it gets with a three year old) and finally, .....

Uncle Matt!!!!!


We went to Ocean World our first day and had fun with the dolphins, sea lions, birds, lions, ....

The next few days we went to our beach, Playa Cofresi:

If we weren't at the beach, we were napping, reading in the hammock, catching the world at the local coffee house/network cafe, playing Polly Pockets, or marveling at the cuisine Paulina prepared for us. What a luxury to have all your meals planned and prepared for you.

It was so nice to see Matt and while I don't think he got much of a vacation with Ella always wanting to be with him, we had a great time. Thank you Matt for arranging this entire trip!