Slides are Fast

This past Sunday we celebrated Zoe Brujic's 3rd birthday at Sylvania Playland (where we go for our Wednesday Help Me Grow playgroup). However, what made this visit different from other trips was that daddy got to join us. Elise loves the slides... the faster and bigger... the better. It's amazing that this little peanut of a girl went down slides (over and over!) that the 'big' kids were afraid of.

And when they say 'fast'... they aren't kidding! Daddy's only trip down the slide ended up with a rough landing!

The bouncy house was also a hit for everyone. Just look at Daddy and Elise's faces!

Birthday girl Zoe and her daddy Mile.

Party goers Anna and her mommy Julie.

Elise, Eliza and Tommy loved the pizza and cake too! Elise chowed down on two whole pieces of pizza and a slice of cake all by herself.

Zoe gave everyone little party favor bags. Garth claimed the purple necklace as his own. He looks handsome too!

Even after a huge lunch, Elise was up for a dinner out at Claddagh (an Irish restaurant). When we were leaving, there were two acoustic guitar singers. We decided to sit on bar stools and listen for a bit. Elise was moved so much that she chair danced for at least 30 minutes. Sorry for the grainy, dark video but you can see how she was enjoying herself. Luckily she doesn't know what a 'drunken sailor' really is!!

We also took a short trip to Medina to visit with Nana and Poppa (renamed 'Pops' by Elise).

Elise began composing her first Concerto... after all she needs a leg up on Mozart.

We also visited Granny at her assisted living home. Elise hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving. Granny enjoyed spending time with her only great-grandchild and could hardly take her eyes off Elise.

Friday Date Night

Funny how Friday night 'date night' has changed since having Miss Elise. It's a standing tradition to go out to eat on Friday night in our house.

A favorite venue would include noise, other kids, and plenty of things to look at if we lose interest in coloring. Of course a place with claw game to win balls for 50 cents doesn't hurt- and a daddy who has mastered it! We're talking about BW3-- which has more 2-5 year olds at 5:30 than college kids. Plus, the waitresses serve a mean glass of white milk and the chefs know how to prepare chicken tenders to boot...

Dear Weather

Dear Weather,

While we appreciate such a warm and wonderful day, we must admit that we will be depressed tomorrow when it will be 55 degrees and rainy. We thoroughly enjoy your warm and bright sun but you are just teasing us. Next time you bless us with 83 degrees and sun, please make sure you stay a bit longer...

Love, Elise and her dogs

Big Enough

Elise is big enough to help pick up sticks in the yard but young enough to think this is a fun job!

Even Brutus is happy to have some action in the back yard! Old man Garth couldn't be bothered to help with the yard work as he was inside taking another nap.

Finally Elise is starting to say two-word sentences... unprompted! After some time with the speech therapist and a lot of hard work at home, she is starting to say cute little phrases like 'Green turtle', 'More milk', and 'Purple Hippo'. Well, that's at least some of my favorites. Everyday she debuts something new... it's worth waking up in the morning!

Can you find the little Elise head?!

On a side note, Elise just went through an entire week of no afternoon napping. Aside from many frustrating temper tantrums, early bedtimes and tired parents, we realize there may of been a reason. Whenever Elise is working on a developmental milestone (rolling over, crawling, walking, etc), she has a significant sleep disturbance. So, if we had to give up a daily nap for some new words and phrases, it's definitely worth it!!! Don't worry, she's back to napping... Zzzzzzzz.

April Fools

Happy April Fools to everyone. No one is laughing that we are still wearing winter coats- at least Elise has a sense of humor with her spring butterfly pants. She's celebrating spring in her own way...

Ready for Spring

Put away your vacuum cleaners because it's time to come outside, tune up your lawn mowers, and play! We can almost feel warmer weather! The first day of spring has come and

gone and we've been spending as much time as possible

outside. The dogs are happy too...

Elise has been continuing her speech therapy appointments. We are happy to hear her little voice speaking new words all the time. She still isn't putting two words together yet aside from 'Ready, Daddy'.... a phrase that Jeff taught her.

It's amazing how big and mature Elise is looking! She's my

little helper and buddy. We can't wait to explore and play with all that spring has to offer. It's funny to think that last year at this time, she hadn't yet learned to walk... Next year I will look back and think that it was funny that Elise barely knew how to talk! I will also look back at this time of year and remember that if it was up to Elise, she'd live solely on 'white' (vanilla) yogurt....

Winding up Winter

We've been enjoying the rest of winter- even after another heavy snow. Mommy even stayed home from work. Elise has also survived another bad cold. This time we avoided a trip to the emergency room for breathing treatments since we were able to give treatments at home with our own nebulizer.

The big news is that Elise has begun private speech therapy. She's going once every other week to Rehab Dynamics (where we went for physical therapy). Her therapist, Lauren, is fabulous! Elise is such a big girl and goes back for her hour long appointment without Mommy. She has a lot of fun playing with her therapist. We continue to hear more and more things from Elise at home so hopefully this added support will continue to draw out her sounds and vocabulary!

Did you ever know that Daddy's feet are bigger than Elise's feet?

Another new passion are Elise's Clifford books. We always thought we had the biggest dog in the world, Brutus, but it turns out Clifford is bigger! Be ready to read no less than 5 of her favorites when you sit down for story time before nap and bedtimes!