Visit

Yeah!!!!! Uncle Joey's coming to visit! See you in a few weeks, Uncle Joey!

Reward Doll

A month or so ago I found this adorable doll. She's one in a series of 4 that were clearanced and I got the one that looked most like Ella. We put it up in her dresser and promised her she could have it once she was finished with diapers. It's been over a week and we've been shopping, out to dinner, to Chuck E Cheese, playgoup, gymnastics, over at friends' houses, on long walks and hiking, and are still successful with the "big girl" underwear.

I gave her the doll today after she woke up from her nap. Of course I couldn't resist dressing her up like her doll...disregard the bad braiding attempt - I'm working on it:)

Back to Ella

Now that the election is over it's time I started posting about Ella again. On Sunday, we went hiking to Manoa Falls again, this time we took Daddy.
A few days ago Ella fell off the slide at the playground. I'm not sure exactly how it happened but I have a hunch she went down it face first. She came over to me crying, her face scratched up and covered in spongy playground gravel. Within minutes she was back to her usual self and running full speed to the playground again.

And the biggest news of all... Ella is potty trained (knock on wood). Last Thursday was the first day of no diapers and no accidents. Almost a full week and only a few accidents. We haven't used any diapers (except at night and a lot of the mornings she's still dry) and even went to gymnastics class and Toys R' Us today. All it took was a simple "Ella, go to the potty." Up until now, I have been taking her but Thursday morning, I just told her to go while I cleaned up breakfast, thinking it would take her a few minutes to get undressed and situated. In the minute it took me to dry my hands and go down the hall, she had gone and was flushing the toilet. The rest of the day I just reminded her to go and she went every time. Now it's a matter of reminding her and we either get an "Okay" or "No Mommy, I good". Maybe it was an issue of privacy with her.
Today at Toys R' Us, she used the restroom and I put a towel under her in the shopping cart, just in case. I also rewarded her with new Tinkerbell furniture (bookcase, table and chairs, and a toy box) for being such a big girl. We've already started "tea parties" with the pots and pans Aunt Sarah brought her from Holland. Note the barbie, doll and puppy "eating dinner." She's spent hours playing with the pots and pans and the table and chair set is going to be the perfect completion of Santa's Christmas present (the play kitchen). I foresee hours and hours of quiet time in this house!

Yes We Did!

"It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America."

"What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night...This victory alone is not the change we seek -- it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you."

"This is our moment. This is our time -- to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth -- that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can,"

I Believe

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treating with Lukas...

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Carving

We carved our pumpkin yesterday. Ella was totally grossed out with the seeds and mush inside the pumpkin. She loves dirt, mud puddles, rocks and gravel, but she won't put her hand inside a pumpkin. Go figure!

Halloween Party

We took the kids to a Halloween party at Ford Island. It was pouring rain for the most part, overly crowded and completely unorganized - sounds like a typical Halloween to me. Ella and Emmi loved each other in costume and had more fun playing amongst themselves. Ella had her first taste of cotton candy and I painted her face but it didn't last very long in the rain and on a 2 year old. We're going to try the playgroup Halloween party on Wednesday and hopefully it's more organized and less wet.

Manoa Falls Hike

We picked up Christina and Emmi and headed to Manoa Falls in Paradise Park just north of Honolulu. Lush rain forest made for a beautiful hike but it was a bit muddy and slippery for the kids. Christina and I ended up getting pretty muddy from the kids shoes when we picked them up to keep them from slipping on their butts. The hike was great and Ella did it on her own, holding my hand most of the way. I had to help her up and down some pretty steep parts and over mossy rocks but she loved it and had no fear of the trail. Emmi...not so much the hiker and a bit to "dirty" for him.

Erin & Christin - this is why you have to come back. I've found at least 5 new things to do in the past couple of weeks!