Ella the Scholar

At the beginning of the school year I was shooting best mom award. Every night Andrew would take Livie to go read and I'd sit down with Ella and have her read to me. That last a month or so. Then I just started reading to them both. So, it was a bit of surprise when I sat down with Ella recently and had her read to me again. She has gotten SO GOOD! I am so freaking proud I can hardly stand it! She is cruising along on her easy reader books and I am itching to have her sit down with a Boxcar Children (that's what finally convinced me that reading was awesome around 1st grade.) Thankfully, Ella doesn't have the same issue I had. She is loving every second of learning to read and I am loving watching her. She stays up past bedtime to read her books "in her head" and even though she gets super emotional/tired (she is so her mother) the next day, I have a hard time shutting that practice down because a) that would be hypocritical to the max and b) proud, proud mama here!
Ella really is thriving in school. I have given her chances to play hookie (to go visit family and such) and she refuses. She wants school. When she was forced to stay home for an ear infection she could've murdered someone (mom, since mom was the one who made her stay home.) She just loves learning.
Unfortunately, we're getting to the age and season where I see less of my girl. Playing with friends, outside, and in her room. It's a little heartbreaking. I love seeing her independence grow, but at the same time I miss my little girl. She even makes her own breakfast when mom doesn't get out of bed fast enough! Sure, it's toast, but still! Ella does her own chores (folds her own laundry, cleans her bathroom, cleans her room) She is so grown up lately! Still, she hasn't grown up too much. She will still give me snuggles while we watch cartoons on saturday morning. She lets me tickle her and love her when life is rough. The biggest downside, I don't have a ton to write about her in this post. But, I have some pictures of her beautiful face.
Quick side story to that. We stopped by a doughnut shop one morning after a dr's appointment and a mailman made sure to tell me Ella was so pretty. He then proceeded to tell me that she doesn't have my nose, he's a nose man, and my nose is romanesque. I'm not sure if that was a compliment, insult, or just plain statement. Either way, I love weird people.

I should add, Ella has taken her independence to a whole new level. We had a FHE lesson one night about serving others and Ella took it to heart. The next day she made my bed, folded my laundry, and folded some large blankets that had been on the floor. Daddy was so proud he brought her home a rose and took her on a date. Since then, she hasn't stopped. Even though she doesn't always get a date out of it, she has been helping me a ton. She will sweep the kitchen for me, clean off the table, help Livie clean up her messes, and more. This girl is such a blessing to a mommy who hates cleaning but loves a clean house.

She has also reached the age where a straight face in pictures is hard to do. She prefers funny faces or bunny ears.

Seriously loves reading. She'll read to anyone who will listen. It comes in handy to have a little sister.