Glamour Shots

Grace went to a birthday party last weekend that promised "glamour shots" for each little girl. Oddly enough, they didn't follow through with it but Grace (and Ella) are still fascinated by the idea of glamour shots.

"Mom, what are glamour shots?", they asked.

"They're when you get dressed up really fancy and take pictures.", I answered.

How else do you explain that gaudy 90's phenomenon?

The girls decided to do glamour shots of their own.

Ella asked me yesterday, "Mom, did you blog those pictures of me and Grace yet?"
I answered, "No, do you not want me to put them on the blog?"

"No, we want you to hurry up.",

Ella replied.

So here are our girls dressed up "fancy".

They completely did this themselves.

I wasn't even home when all this fabulousness was going on.

Do you love their "glamour shots"?

Aren't they fancy?

Our girls are completely hilarious and oh so glamorous.

Do-It-Yourselfer

Ella lost a tooth yesterday. Its only her third loss but its a big one, a front one!

AND

She did it herself!

"I was kind of like twisting it and then I heard a pop noise and then it came out really easy."

She is so proud to be missing that tooth and can't wait to show her friends at school.

(And its kind of sad for me and Adam. Our little girl, who is seven going on 17, now looks older too. She's all snaggley like the other second graders. Where did our baby go? )

Genius

Isn't it funny how kids pick up on things we, as parents, do and say? For example,

We were in the car today on our way home. We were waiting behind another car waiting to take a left. We been waiting about 30 seconds when Ella says, "Let's go genius." Despite my best efforts I laughed out loud.

Then to amaze and amuse me further, she starts singing along with Taylor Swift and knows every word to "Our Song" . Is that child sitting back there in her booster six or 16?


p.s. After school Ella informed that I didn't look old or young, just medium. "Like, ummmm, 39."

It All Started One Day When . . .

It all started one day about three weeks ago when Ella broke out in hives. For the first few days I thought I'd figured out what was giving her the hives: new laundry soap, petting kittens at the pet store, etc. But when the hives came back day after day at different times and in different environments I was baffled and called her pediatrician. The hives looked like this but covered her whole body including her face. She was a pitiful, weepy site.

A quick trip to the pediatrician revealed that Ella had a viral infection (the kind that just has to run its course) that was manifesting itself on her skin. Very common apparently. Who knew?
That quick trip also revealed HUGE tonsils. Alarmingly huge tonsils, though no infection there. Thank heavens!
We were referred to an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) doctor who got us in within a few days. We met with him on Tuesday and . . .
Friday morning we were in an outpatient surgery center getting Ella's tonsils and adenoids out.
Ella was nervous the morning of but after Adam gave her a blessing she calmed right down and we had a pleasant morning, just the two of us. (Thank you Angie and Randy for having Grace and Joseph spend the night so I could focus on Ella that morning.)

Waiting in this first little room Ella got a "new cool bracelet", a grown up hospital gown, very fun no slip socks she got to take home, crayons, coloring book, a new doll and bright pink medicine that made her sleepy and very silly.

The anesthesiologist then wheeled her off in the special surgery wagon and I was escorted to a different little room to wait. Less than an hour later I was escorted to yet another little room where Ella was waking up. She looked so pitiful. Pitiful and strange. I didn't get a picture of it but she had a dollar bill taped to her forehead. Apparently she won a bet with the anesthesiologist.

Upon waking up a little more she asked for her new doll and said "Now I have ten dollars."

What a funny girl!

It took about an hour before Ella was ready to go home. The nurse put her in a wheelchair and wheeled her to the door while I went to get the car. And would you believe that I'd left the lights on that morning and the battery was dead? Believe it!

After more waiting and waiting, security came, gave us a jump and we were FINALLY on our way home. Ella slept nearly the whole rest of the day and that night.

She did awesome the first week until yesterday. See yesterday's post for details.

Miss Ella is doing wonderfully today. She even went to her best friend's house for some calm play time (yeah right). The whole experience hasn't been too bad (knock on wood). Once Ella learned that taking her pain medication wasn't optional (because it really hurts) its been smooth sailing. I am thankful we were able to get this done while she's off track and could take plenty of time to relax and recover.

Disco Night

We went to Disco Night at school last week. The girls picked out their own "outfits" and they did an . . . interesting, I mean excellent job. Ella was double excited since her best-est friend in the world was going too.

This was the beginning of many awesome moves.

Which, of course, inspired Grace to do some moves of her own.

The night was filled with 70's classics and some not so 70's classics.
The night was also filled with all the cool 1st grade dance moves a mama can handle.
And all the preschool dance moves a mama can handle too.
(I haven't a clue why she was on the floor but she was happy.)


I twisted Adam's arm to stay home with Joseph and let me enjoy Disco Night with the girls. The girls love, love, loved it. How often can they dance around like maniacs, in a huge room, with a disco ball, loud music, tons of friends, in the coolest outfits in their dress-up boxes and get their very own snow cones?
Apparently, I'm the coolest mom ever! Just ask my girls.

p.s. I must admit I was disappointed that we didn't get to "Do the Hustle" a single time. What's a Disco Night with the Hustle? Come DJ, get with it!

Another Big First

Ella had a big FIRST yesterday. She lost her first tooth. That thing had been loose for nearly a month but yesterday she finally played with it enough that she knocked it out with her tongue. Yes, Ella is six and a half years old and just now loosing her first tooth but what I can I say, she's mine. I only pray she won't be the orthodontic nightmare I was. Oh I pray!

( I took eleventy thousand pictures of Ella yesterday trying to get a good one of her missing tooth hole but Ella doesn't show her bottom teeth in her regular smile. So I got eleventy thousand weird face pictures with excellent views of her nasal passages. )
This is a Hutchinson Tooth Fairy pillow. Adam had one as a kid that his mom made for him. Ella was so excited when Grandma made one for her too. The tooth pillow is hanging on her bedpost right now just waiting for the tooth fairy. Hopefully the tooth fairy won't be so tired and forgetful tonight and he/she was last night.

Sa-tur-day is a spe-cial day . . .

Quick! Name that song. If you got it you were obviously a regular in Primary circa 1985.

I seems like we don't sing that song anymore in Primary. Why not, I wonder?

Anyway, not the point of this post. The real point is that Saturday really was a special day for me. I spent most of Saturday with Angie at the "Successful Mothering Convention." I had so much fun with Angie and I learned/was reminded of a lot. We spent a good seven hours soaking up insights, advice and information about how to enjoy this journey called motherhood. As I get around to re-reading my notes I'll post interesting things I learned and cool facts I gleaned from the day.

Adam had worked a late shift the night before. As I left the house at about 9:45 am, I put a movie in for the kids, snuggled them in with blankets and told them that when the movie was over daddy would be ready to wake up so go jump on him.

Well, when the movie ended Ella decided to "let daddy sleep." Ella proceeded to be the mommy for the day. She "made" lunch for everyone, including me and Adam.

The kids played games and went peacefully about their day. Mind you that Adam was here the whole time, just asleep, much to his surprise. Adam was shocked to wake up to happily playing children and already made lunch, a bit later that day.

How sweet is our Ella is be so thoughtful of Adam and so responsible for her siblings. She continutes to amaze me with new grown up things she says and does.

Thank you, Angie, for inviting me to the convention.

After the convention Adam and I got to go out on a real live date. Vickie watched the kids so we could go to dinner (for Adam's birthday). Thank you.

It was so strange being away from the kids pretty much all day. I got an awfully warm reception when we picked them up at grandma's after our date. I got more hugs and kisses for the next 24 hours than I could count. You'd have thought they hadn't seem me in a year instead of just 12 hours. It was cute, funny and heart warming all once.

Trauma, trauma, head trauma

Tuesday afternoon Ella went to play at her bestest friend's house. In case you didn't know, first grade girls like to dance and twirl. Lots of dancing and twirling! Apparently Ella and her friend got to doing some serious twirling and Ella fell and hit her head. HARD. Lindey's mom brought Ella home sobbing. She was a pitiful site. I snuggled her in on the couch with her Christmas blanket and finally got some Tylenol into her. I was a little alarmed at the amount of sobbing so since Adam wasn't home I called around and found a few "brethern" to give her a blessing. Soon after that, Ella threw up and that was it for me. I packed everyone up and took Ella to KidsCare. We spent the next two hours or so there where Ella got looked at and x-rayed. She couldn't keep anything in her stomach long enough for any medicine to start working so the poor little thing had a killer headache. Thankfully she was able to sleep after a while.

Adam joined us at the KidsCare. After throwing up two more times they sent us up to Primary Children's Hospital. The doctor at KidsCare told us that two adults had to be in the car on the way to the hospital or we'd have to take an ambulance. No thank you! Randy and Angie were sweet enough to let Grace and Joseph come sleep over (despite their own kids' barfing issues) so Adam and I could drive Ella to Primary Children's. Good thing we were both there since Ella threw up twice more in the car on the way.

We told the new doctors and nurses the story a million more time while Ella threw up again. They decided to do a CT of her head since she was throwing up so much. The x-ray from the KidsCare and the CT came back fine and Ella threw up AGAIN.
(Do you love my emergency room chic outfit? I was in my workout clothes when all this began and when I finally decided to take Ella to the KidsCare I didn't think to change. I just stepped into my snow boots, b/c it was snowing, and was out the door. Cute eh?)

After being there four hours and doing lots of "watching her" we decided to take the pitiful child home and let her sleep. We took her home, put her in bed with us (where she threw up one last time) and let her sleep. She woke up the next morning with a headache (duh!) and a little dizzy. She had some water (which made her nausous) and I got her to take some Tylenol. She slept most of the morning then woke up . . . ready to play.
Ella begged me to let her go to school yesterday (as if!). I did let her go to school today but only with a long note to her teacher and a solemn promise from Ella that she would call me if she felt even a tiny bit funny.

And so the moral of the story is . . . kids will be kids. Little girls like to dance and twirl and into every childhood a little emergency room will fall.

Thank you to the Elders' Quorum presidency for giving Ella a blessing and Randy & Angie for letting the kids spend the night.

Family Picture

Adam isn't a picture person and I obviously haven't perfected my nagging skills since we've NEVER had a family picture taken. When the kids are grown and wonder why we don't have family pics, I'm so blaming Adam.

This will have to do for now. Thank you, Ella, for this lovely family picture. Its the best we can do for now, I suppose.

p.s. Any nagging suggestions ladies?

4th picture from 4th file . . . TAG

Marcie passed on a fun tag thus the random pic of Ella at Bryce Canyon from March 2005.

The Hutchinson clan was tripping down to St. George for Stephanie to dance at Dixie in some big dance show thing. We all stayed in a "Homer" house in Toquerville. We made stops at Bryce Canyon (this pic) and later Zion.

Let's see: Ella was two, Grace was 7 months, Angie announced she was preggo with Abby, it was cold but gorgeous, my first trip to Bryce and I've been dying to return ever since.

Love this tag and I just know you will too. So lets see the 4th picture from the 4th file in your "pictures". Don't make me have to call names!

My Blue eyed Beauty

That is what my mom and dad call Ella sometimes.

Yes, she certainly is.

p.s. Yes, my mom and dad call Grace their brown eyed beauty.

ABJ - Another Brenda Junior

I've been working on some holiday sewing lately. Both my girls think it is terribly exciting and want to sew too. So Sunday afternoon they brought me some fabric scraps from a play set and wanted to sew them. I got each of them needle and thread and showed them a simple whip stitch. Grace sewed a ball (ie. wad of fabric all bunched up). Ella was sewing a pocket.

Notice her look of concentration. She's wasn't pleased with how it was looking. She said it "doesn't look right" so we had a chat (for the gazillionth time in her life) about how things take practice to get extra good at.
Next thing I know she had fished the seam ripper out of the sewing box and has pulled everything out. That is so my mom. My dear mother is a sewing perfectionist. She'll rip a seam at the drop of a hat. Ella must get this seam ripping perfectionist stuff from my mom 'cause she sure doesn't get it from me.
You know how people say, "What goes around, comes around." and "You end up raising yourself." when you have kids. None of my kids are like me as a kid. I'm not raising myself, I'm raising my mom (and possibly my husband).

Love those Locks!

The girls have been begging for haircuts. Today was finally the day! A friend of mine does hair in her home and does an awesome job. If you live in the area and are looking for a hair person, let me know. She's great! Thanks Jenny.

And there they are!
Ella has been admiring herself most of the evening. I think she likes the new do. The pic looks uneven but its not.
Miss Grace and I talked about it and she thinks its a good idea to give her hair to little girls who don't have any hair. Locks for Love will be receiving this 12 inch pony of my baby girl's hair.
Grace looks beyond adorable in her new bob. I'm excited to get my hands on both the new haircuts and fix them all cutsy. Check back for more pics in days to come.


Side note for my mom - My mom loves to fix the girls' hair when we visit and she always asks them to share their hair with her. Of course they think that is terribly silly and giggle hysterically. So, last week Grace and I were chatting and I asked her what she wanted to do with her hair. She said she wanted to give it to mammaw for Christmas. There you go mom! I'm sorry to report mom that I then suggested that maybe since mammaw already had hair that Grace could give her hair to someone that didn't have any hair at all. Grace agreed that was probably best. What a sweet girl that Grace is. I sure love her beautiful little smile and her big, funny personality.

p.s. I must admit that I will miss my girls' long hair, especially Grace's. But I will not miss the washing, conditioning, combing, brushing, fixing, refixing, combing brushing, fixing, refixing, combing, brushing, fixing, refixing . . . you get the idea.

Hoedown

There was a "Hoedown" at Ella's school yesterday. Yes, a hoedown! Ella was DYING to go. So half an hour before Joe's bedtime, the kids and I backed up and were off to the hoedown. My six year old has now learned the hokey pokey, the chicken dance, the Virginia Reel and Cotton-Eyed Joe. Ella had a ball!

Above: the Virginia Reel
Above: Grace and Joe had a little less fun, at first. Joseph soaked himself in the water fountain. He got to wear Ella's jacket the rest of the evening.

Grace's evening improved when I let her put on some lipstick, all by herself.

Overall, the evening was a success. The kids got to run amok with friends while listening to "hoedown" music and wearing a lovely shade a lipstick.

First-Aid at its finest!

Yet another of Ella's birthday presents that Grace loves.Ella really wanted, and got, a first aid kit for her birthday. I know, kind of a strange request for a six year old, but who am I to squash her little imagation. Ella has been fixing booboos non-stop. This is Grace's largest booboo that she got at the pool. There was no blood on this booboo but it was red so Ella doctored it for her. First, apply the "cream" then carefully place FOUR Barbie bandages. Grace was in little girl heaven and kept these bandages on for four whole days. Not shown in the picture are the three other bandages scattered on Grace's legs. She was quite a site! And what an excellent big sister Ella is to take such good care of her little sister.

We love Memphis!

We are so excited to be going to Memphis next week. My sister is getting married over the Labor Day weekend and we get to go. Yeah!

While we are in town, so are the Tigers. They will be playing Rice at Liberty Bowl Stadium and we get to go. My girls LOVE going to U of M football games with pappaw. Really I think they like the Pronto Pups and cotton candy but its all part of the experience.
My girls love, love,love Tom the Tiger and all things Memphis Tigers. The day this pic was taken was the first time it had occurred to Ella to put on all their Tiger paraphernalia at once. Ella says she wants to wear this outfit to the game in a couple of weeks. Go for it, babe!

Oh, our baby Ella!

This is Ella at four to six weeks old. She was born with crazy big eyes. Ella was a very alert and STRONG baby. I'm not kidding, she rolled over in the hospital. We have it on video. I'll bug Adam to put it on the computer so I can share it. Ella slept through the night at two weeks and was a good napper. She was the ideal first child. Heck, she was the ideal baby, period! Ella has always been a happy girl. She is nine months old in this picture. Ella sported this hairdo for quite some time. The hair on the crown of her head grew much faster than the rest. Go figure. Ella crawled shortly after this, at 10 months. Then stubbornly didn't walk until 15 months. But she was so cute, who cared!
Jump to Ella at two years old(I can't get the pictures in between to scan right now). Ella loved this pink tutu from Aunt Audra and love, love, LOVED this knit hat from great grandma Brents (Ella calls her GG). The hat didn't belong to Ella but she loved it. Stylish!

At this age, Ella was a new big sister that never got jealous of baby Grace. How could we not be totally in love with that sweet face and happy personality.
Ella at 3 1/2 years old. This was taken at Emily and Sean's wedding. Ella's hair got so long, so fast. Notice the little bit of DIY bangs we were trying to grow out. At this age, Ella was surprisingly independent. She was wanting to sleep over at friends' houses and do everything herself.
I love my big ole six year old, but I miss my baby and little girl Ella. She was with us on so many of our adventures and handled them like a pro. Those stories are a whole other series of posts that I have pictures to go with but I want to figure out the scanner first.

Ella turns SIX

Ella Christine turned six this week. She has been trying so hard to be patient while waiting for her birthday. She had big birthday expectations and I think we did pretty well in meeting them. Ella, literally, got every gift on her wish list (which, admittedly, wasn't too long).

Ella requested a chocolate, pink flower. I baked, cut and iced the cake. Adam assembled and decorated this masterpiece. This is our first joint effort cake and I think it turned out well.
Ella has been BEGGING for Barbies but I've been hesitant b/c of all the little pieces. I hate little pieces! But when Ella had such a short wish list I gave in. Those dolls hadn't been out of the package 20 minutes when this picture was taken. Nice!
Ella's biggest wish for her birthday was a digital camera. Kid digital cameras are kind of dumb and big and pricey. We decided to kill two birds with one stone and give Ella our digital camera then put the $60 we would have spent on a kiddie camera and put it toward a new grown up camera. Ella LOVES it. She already knew how to use it and started clicking away.
Thank you Ella for the loverly picture of mom.

Happy Birthday my sweet girl!

Back To School

Ella's first day of first grade was yesterday. What a big girl we have! It was RED day at school which is, apparently, terribly exciting. Ella was excited about two things in the first grade. 1) they get TWO recesses on the big playground, not the kindergarten playground 2) getting to eat lunch at school in the cafeteria. Notice her cool pink lunch box/bag with hearts on it. Her backpack was empty going to school but the lunch box could not possibly go into the backpack. Then no one could see it. What was I thinking? Duh!

This is the first ever "getting on the school bus" picture I have. There are four little boys at the bus stop with us who mostly just stare. Ella loves to play "Simon Says" at the bus stop. I am always Simon and if the command doesn't involve running, skipping or hopping somewhere Ella says, "Mom, you're not playing right." I love, love, love taking her to the bus stop.
In kindergarten Ella only rode the bus in the morning so two bus rides in a day is a new thing for us. Everyone wanted to come and meet the bus yesterday. Ella was super excited that we ALL came.
Ella had a wonderful first day of first grade. She likes her teacher, loves the two recesses, only ate half her lunch and wasn't the lease bit tired after seven hours of school. In fact, she was up (in her bed) until 10:30 last night. I hope she doesn't crash at school today.

Cinder-Ella

Ella and Grace helped me clean up the house before and after our Pioneer Day guest visited. Ella, especially, is loving having music on in the house. The girls have their own playlist with their fav songs. They rock out to Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, REM, Sara Evans, Blake Lewis, Laurie Berkner (very cool children's music) and SheDaisy.

Ella was wiping the walls (since her footprints were on them from practicing head stands) when I sneaked this video. She was really into the cleaning and dancing. Enjoy the moves and the music.