Last night we went to a fun social with our bible study group at Pump-it-Up – a large warehouse with bouncy-houses for kids.
I was initially worried that Elayna would be too young to hang with the big kids. However, she soon was out-pacing us; the girl has no fear and didn’t hesitate to get in there an play! We needed to help her climb on some of the bigger toys but she loved the big slides and got a LOT of exercise.
Here are a few photos
We’re in the midst of a hellacious winter storm. Its been raining for 2 days already with a forecasted total of 5 inches. Considering Phoenix’s annual rainfall is around 7, this is a big news! The washes are flooded, I-17 is closed due to too much snow, and we’re snuggled in warm and dry at home … but not before teaching Elayna to play in the puddles!
High water in our yard! Elayna was not shy about getting her feet wet – in fact, we had a hard time convincing her to come inside.
We had our friends Dave and Allison over for dinner on Saturday. Aaron was anxious to cook ribs again and the Cardinal / Saints playoff game was a great excuse to entertain. And it proved to be a fun afternoon and great meal!
Elayna has the best time of all. Jackson is almost 5 but he is extremely patient with her and loved to make her laugh. They played play-dough, chased each other in the yard, and made funny faces. It was very sweet and I love to watch Elayna interact with other kids.
Yep, fingers are in the nose….
Play in it of course!!
We had some long-overdue maintenance done on the pool this week so it sat drained for several days. And of course we had to run around in it….
Helping Aaron fix the light.
Elayna had one of her first play-dates today with a little girl named Kira. Kira has a brand-new baby sister, so we entertained her and her mom, Jane, for a few hours to give them a breather.
Elayna is just starting to interact some with other kids. She still is a hitter and we had some rough times learning to share with Kira. Stuffed animals in particular were a struggle, and Elayna carried 3 of them around at one time to halt Kira from having one.
However, they soon warmed up to the bouncy-house (we blew it up in the living room for the occasion). Both girls laughed together and played in the bouncy VERY well.
Elayna had such a fun time that she even tried to give Kira a hug and kiss when they were leaving. So SWEET!
Hopefully, Jane and Kira can come play again soon.
It’s a new year, new decade, new opportunities. We’re still recovering from our holiday craziness and Aaron is off work this entire week. I’ve also taken the day off work to spend some time together – life is good!!
Normal life begins for me tomorrow. I’ve decided to increase my hours at work and will now go into the office on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Elayna and I will still have the same time together and the extra income will be great.
Elayna is doing great and has grown so much in the last few weeks. Her vocabulary increased exponentially in Montana – probably due to the audience hanging on her every move. She now repeats almost any word, loves ‘horsey’, and says short sentences like ‘Let’s go’ or ‘more juice please’. Most importantly she has added a wonderful new word: ‘YES’.
Here’s a picture of another fun new game: putting everyone to sleep. Everyone is eligible for a nap at anytime including Dad, Mom, monkey, bear, or Clancy. Elayna will lay Aaron down, cover with a blanket, rub his back, and give kisses. Its very sweet. She’s a very caring little girl.
