Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo marks my baby's 1/2 birthday - 4 1/2 this year.  Blows my mind.  I keep saying that from age 3 to 4 is when she turned into a kid.  She completely lost that baby face, and is full of "big kidness" now in every way - the way she looks, acts, communicates, plays, sasses...

In the morning, I started singing "Happy Birthday" to her, and she looked at me like I was crazy.  When I explained that it's her 1/2 Birthday, she just beamed and was so excited.  She immediately asked if we were gonna have cake or cupcakes.  I quickly put the kibosh on that, but told her we get to take our token birthday pics.  She was very excited to tell Gram of her special day, too.

Oh, my beautiful baby girl - it's just incredible to me...

What a difference a year makes!
May 2010.  She still had that baby face.  It's so gone now.

May 2009

 May 2008

At 4 1/2, Ellison loves playing with electronics (games on iPhone, Nintendo DS, computer), doing artwork, playing outside, riding her bike, playing with just about anybody as long as she doesn't have to play by herself, coloring, Barbies, My Little Pony, dancing...

Though she still likes princesses and playing dress-up, she's not as obsessed with it as she used to be.  She's expanded her horizons, if you will. :-)  She IS, however, still obsessed with wearing dresses.  It is very difficult to get her to wear anything else, and if I put my foot down a little, she'll eventually end up in a dress by the end of the day.  She loves to change her clothes throughout the day.

After coming out of her shell some this year, she started to go through another shy phase recently, but seems to be coming out of her shell again.  She's really gotten more social when it comes to playing with kids outside of school.

Ellison is still the pickiest of eaters, though I'm proud to say we actually got her to try a Tater Tot for the first time the other night!!!  I wanted to go out and play the lottery, I swear.  She gets very concerned about whether or not she can "have dessert", and asks several times a day for it.  She has definitely inherited her mom's sweet tooth.  Her favorite foods are usually crackers and peanut butter sammies, unless you're talking sweets, of course.  She still eats veggies and fruits great, though.  She still has yet, in her 4 1/2 years, to even try a taste of ketchup or ranch dressing or any of the other normal things kids love as dipping sauces.  Her fave TV shows are probably "The Fresh Beat Band" and "Caillou", though there are many that she likes, including "Everyday Italian" (the cooking show with Giada DeLaurentiis).  Ellison even pronounces "spaghetti", "pancetta", and "mascarpone" exactly like Giada does with a true Italian accent.

She adores her little brother, and is the best big sister ever.  She is all up in his grill, all the time!

Ellison is a very smart girl, and loves to write notes when asking me how to spell things.  She can read many simple words by sounding them out.  She often comes to me with these giant questions of the universe - the ones as a parent I don't even know how to answer.  It amazes me the things her little mind comes up with.

Ellison loves listening to the popular Christian music, and really loves it when she gets to go to the worship service with us.  It melts my heart to see her hold her hand palm-up at her side during a great song, just like her Daddy sometimes does, while she tries to sing along.  She's very inquisitive about Jesus and heaven.

Well, those are the biggies in a nutshell for our little/big 4 1/2 year old...

[May 5, 2011]