Keeping up with the Sones': It's been a while...

Elliott's Self Portrait

Elliott keeps me busy! She has been such a happy (although still very high maintenance) toddler. We are a little stir crazy from being cooped up indoors, and Elliott is ADDICTED to Caillou. (I used to not even turn the TV on during the day, but this winter broke me of that habit. I plan on trying to reduce her TV watching as the weather improves, and get her outside and out with people.) Our friends Tina and Hutch's oldest turned 3, her party was a good way to burn off some of the crazies after all the snow.

I'm also currently working on creating a letter of the week curriculum to begin with her when she turns 2, I'll enroll her in pre-school at 3, so this is my way of getting a head start on all of that. Chad, of course, thinks I'm a nerd. Elliott is almost 17 months now. She loves books and puzzles. She is still a vegetarian (90% organic, we do our best)...I may join her soon. I hate the idea of not letting her eat off my plate and having to fix multiple meals, and maybe it'll make me healthier. She is a talker, is constantly making noise...it's even getting to where I understand most of it. She has a large vocabulary, but struggles with words 3 syllables and up. She counts to 2, and says "A B C" for anything with letters. Yesterday she held up the letter M puzzle piece and said "M," I got really excited and held up a letter B to which she said "B," but the next four letters I held up (D, F, H, and X) were also "B"...we'll get there! She is not into wearing her bows right now, which breaks my heart, but loves Daddy's hat.

Chad turned 30 at the beginning of this month, the same week as the superbowl. He was so excited when they announced it 4 years ago, but then it was so crazy icey that it wasn't as party-like around here as we had hoped. My best friend Mel and her husband watched Elliott so we could go out with family and friends to a nice dinner (Reata's)...and I could not be more proud of my baby girl. This was only the second time someone watched her other then Mar Mar or Auntie, so I was really concerned it was going to get ugly. But, she loves her BFSB (best friend since birth), Briley and had such a good time.