Sidewalk Chalk

 These are just a couple cute pictures of Grandma Rae and Elena coloring on the driveway with Elena's Egg Chalk.  Notice Cooper?  This picture is from his perspective.

 Between colorings, Elena ran circles around Grandma

Thought I would throw in another picture of Papa playing with Elena and her new discovery toy.  Grandma and Papa had a wonderful visit and remarked at how well Elena is talking and how good she is doing potty training.  Grandma was able to let Elena feel safe on a big public potty--way to go Grandma!!

More Birthday!

Opening presents always seems to be overwhelming, so this year we spread out Elena's gifts over a week.  She seemed to like this method and for a couple weeks thought everything that came in the mail was for her :)  So here are a few pictures of her opening/checking out gifts:

For those of you who think Elena is too sweet to throw a tantrum...

 

 She can be easily frustrated when toys are still connected and need to be cut apart before she can play with them.  She's two but really the tantrums are far and few between (so far).

A yummy vanilla cake with strawberries AND frosting.

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday, Dear Elena, Happy Birthday to you!"

Just being silly!

So happy to open her Dora helmet.  She had no idea a trike was coming next!

She loves her trike and with our hilly neighborhood, I'm glad we got her a trike with a removable parent push bar.  It keeps her on the sidewalk and moving :)

Out for her first joy ride :)

Out for a spin!

Elena still loves her books!!

And the Beach with Grandma and Papa

 It was a cool day at the beach but everyone had a great time!  

Elena ran up and down the beach, dug herself a hole, played catch, and chase me, found a sand dollar, broke the sand dollar and touched the cold ocean water.

Off to the Zoo

 Oh the excitement at the zoo!  I know the picture above is blurry but Elena was so excited to at the zoo, I had to share.

 

 It's hard to believe but Elena is 4 months older than the panda.  She observed him very quietly.

 Here are a couple more pictures of the panda.  

I learned today that the San Diego Zoo has the only naturally mating Giant Panda in the US.

 Another excitement were the flamingos.  She loved them and didn't want to leave.  Lucky for her there are two areas in the zoo with flamingos.  She is so cute when excited--she liked to point out all the different birds and ducks.

 Here she is being bashful with the Koala.

 Elena preferred climbing on and sliding down the hippo statue, she didn't want to watch the real baby hippo.  Although big, he really is cute.  It was a busy day at the zoo and everyone had a nice time.

Update on potty training:  Elena does not like to wear diapers anymore--she wants to wear her panties.  However, the zoo doesn't have restrooms at every corner, so it could be difficult to take a little girl learning how to potty train in panties so we talked her into diapers.  I am happy to report that Elena kept her diaper dry.  With a little hesitancy, she used a big toilet when we stopped for lunch and then again when we came home.  Yay for big girls!!

2nd Birthday

Happy 2nd Birthday, Elena!

 Elena was so excited to have "cake"--that we've spread out her birthday.  At school she brought mini-blueberry muffins (aka blueberry cake).  With the leftovers, we had one after dinner--just happen to have a couple of candles.  It was so cute to see her blow the candles.  Her aim was a little low and Daddy ended up helping.

Toys??

First Egg Hunt

 Today we joined our friends for an Easter egg hunt, Elena's first egg hunt.

 Most of the kids were much faster but Elena took pride in finding her couple of eggs.  In the end, the older, faster kids shared some eggs with her.

 

She was proud of herself, showing off her find....then she learned the eggs opened and had treats inside!

Off to the Beach

 Out of nowhere, Elena asked to go the beach Thursday and Friday she told us the "ocean's coming".  So this morning, we headed out to the beach.  We went to La Jolla Shores--this is the same beach we hung out at with our guests before our wedding.

 Daddy dug Elena a hole.  She loved playing in it--burying her feet, rubbing sand into her arms and legs and jumping into the hole.

 Elena is in sand castle school--Daddy is trying to teach this little girl how to make all the sand castles.

 Castle making pauses while she checks out the lifeguard truck.

 After many attempts to destroy all of Daddy's castles, Elena attempted to build on top of a current castle.

 Elena was so happy to be at the beach, I'm sure she'll be asking to go back soon.

Favorite Phrases

Elena's language skills seem to improve daily.  I still can't get over how fast she picks up on things and how long she can retain information.  So I thought I should write down a few of the phrases we hear often:

"go that way" complete with pointing
"help please, help please" when she wants to receive help
and "helpie, helpie, helpie" when she wants to help or do it herself

"money" not actual currency, translates to "funny"

"'mon, 'mon" translates to "common, common" and interject a name and more gesturing

and also 'mon guys or 'mon Momma or 'mon Daddy

"ride the back, Momma" while she tries to spin me around by the shoulders
"rock 'n roll"
"lellow" translates as "yellow"
"I want that"
"goT iT" (T emphasized)
she also says "peas," "dank you," and "I welcome"
"watch out" or "watch out, Momma, spider/fly" and usually there is no spider or fly
"chase me, chase me"
"I know, I know, I know" -- she'll say this when she's about to make a decision like picking out a shirt

Then yesterday morning, she was chanting "school" (yes she chants sometimes) but we weren't off to school, we were off to see the doctor.  Here is our conversation:
Me: We are not going to school but for a drive. 
Elena: Beach?
Me: You want to go to the beach?
Elena: (excited) Yes, Yes!
Me: What do you like to do at the beach?
Elena: Dig
Well the conversation went on a little longer and did include going to the beach this weekend.  In this conversation I learned that Elena could remember what we did 2 months ago!  Then tonight we were playing in the back yard and cutting roses and Elena exclaims "ocean coming!"

The teachers at school can not believe how much of a chatter box she has become in the past few weeks.  I must admit it is so cute to see her singing songs and talking in conversations.

Sunday Brunch

 Pop-Pop and 'Raine came over for a yummy Sunday brunch.  After brunch, Mr. Potato Head came out to play.  And Elena "chomped".  She was cute that both Pop-Pop and Daddy joined in the fun.  As you might image, Elena has picked up a few sound effects and chomp sounds like she is taking a big bite out of a crisp apple.

Cuddle time with Cooper.  They love each other infinitely.

Potty Chair Update

 So I've been working hard (but not forceful) to get Elena to sit on her potty chair.  She has given me quite the resistance.  Elena is showing all the physical signs of being ready for potty training.  Over the weekend we did "pantie time"--this is a big deal.  She picks out panties to wear and then we try to make it to the potty chair when she needs to go pee.  The trick to getting her used to sitting on the potty chair is to have cartoons on TV.  TV is a miraculous object.

 Of course we have had some accidents but this morning after breakfast Elena said "potty chair".  I asked if she needed to go potty and she said yes.  I zipped her out of her jammies, removed her diaper and sat her on the potty chair.  Ten minutes later I asked her if she made any noise in the potty chair and she said "yes".  I couldn't believe my ears.  I had her stand up and there it was the first full tinkle in the potty chair.  We were so excited.

  Elena thought it was so interesting she squatted next to her chair to check it out.  She pointed and wanted to touch it.  She insisted on carrying the bowl back to the bathroom and of course she wanted to pour the pee into the big toilet and flush.

 After she flushed we watched the water whisk away and said "bye-bye".

It was a great moment and definitely a moment I wanted to extend by taking the week off work to finish training her up.  She is now enrolled in potty class at school.  She and another little girl are training together, so they go to the potties together (there are 2 potties).  With any luck she'll be 80% trained by 2.  Whew, I can't believe she'll be 2 so soon!  Where did all the time go???