Ella enjoyed doing laundry with me a few days ago.
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Mommy's Helper
Ella enjoyed doing laundry with me a few days ago.
A Visit from Grandma & Grandpa
Ella was happy to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa Olsen this past weekend. Pete’s parents met us on Saturday for an afternoon tour of Minneapolis. (Pete is really good at those. I don’t know my way around yet.) Ella liked riding in the car. It always puts her right to sleep. We also enjoyed burgers and fries at Annie’s Parlour in Dinkytown. Yum! On Sunday we headed to the Loring Pasta Bar, also in Dinkytown, for their brunch buffet. It was amazing. Really, how often do you have live music while eating waffles, omelets, sushi, steamed mussels, mini burgers, and creme brulee all in one sitting? Ella seemed a bit bored by the brunch (oh, just wait till you have teeth, little one!) so Grandma Olsen took her on a walk and spent a good amount of time sitting on a bench outside the open doors of the restaurant. It was a lovely morning and I think both grandma and granddaughter thoroughly enjoyed their time together. We’re looking forward to their next visit!
Two Little Girls
After a couple of very long delays due to road construction on Interstate 35, we made it to Duluth on Friday afternoon for a much anticipated visit to meet Ella’s new cousin Malena. Malena was born on August 4, just 5 1/2 weeks after Ella. Auntie Becky (Ang’s sister) got to meet Ella for the first time, too. The little girls were adorable together. Family gatherings will never be the same!
Ella & Malena
a pair of glow worms
Uncle Jake with the girls
Garage Sale Princess
Ella’s adventure of the day: her first garage sale. At noon I drove up to see my mom, Grandma Scott, at her sister’s house in Coon Rapids. I needed to run to the store, so Grandma took Ella for a stroll through the neighborhood. Not surprisingly, there was a garage sale down the street (a common occurrence on a Thursday morning). Although our little bug didn’t buy anything this time, we’re proud to say she’s starting out as a thrifty shopper. Way to teach her how it’s done, Grandma!
Friday we’ll be making our first trek up to Duluth. We’re looking forward to introducing Ella to one of our very favorite cities and maybe even dipping her toes in the lake. Only if it’s not too cold. We’ll be making one very special visit while in Duluth. Ella will be meeting her brand new cousin, Malena, for the first time. Malena was born last Tuesday to happy parents, Becky (my sister) and Darell. We’ll definitely take lots of pictures of the first meeting. They’re sure to be adorable!
Also, we’ll be spending time with some very special guests in Minneapolis on Saturday and Sunday. Pete’s parents, Grandma & Grandpa Olsen, will be visiting.
Tummy Time!
Ella loves her tummy time. At least for the first little while. It gives her a chance to look around at the world from a completely different perspective. While she’s been on her belly in the middle of the living room floor over the last few days, I’ve caught her stretching way up to be able to see higher places. It’s always been when I’ve had my back to her while doing something like adjusting the radio or folding clothes. I think she’s trying to see what I’m doing! I turn around and she gets a big smile. I feel like I’ve caught her in the middle of something. It’s absolutely adorable.
Meet the Godparents
Ella met her godparents weeks ago, but I’m just now getting the photos uploaded. (We added some back-up devices to our computer shortly before Ella came along, and I still get frustrated with the speed at which it takes to deal with photos. There has to be a faster method, although I haven’t figured it out yet.) Both Kristin and Anton were able to meet Ella on the same day. We spent some time at the apartment before going to dinner at the very cool new Burger Jones on Lake Calhoun, which was actually Ella’s first restaurant.
Kristin is Pete’s oldest sister and the source of Ella’s middle name (along with my mom). We look forward to Kristin teaching Ella a few dance moves in the future. She’s a very talented dancer and spends lots of time dancing with a studio in Wisconsin.
Anton and Pete have been very good friends since Pete’s days singing in the St. Olaf Choir. Ella has already sung her first duet with Anton, which probably came as a bit of a surprise to our little girl. Anton joined her as she sang out (some might say she was crying out), which quieted her momentarily. With Kristin’s dancing influence and Anton’s in the world of music, Ella’s opportunities in the artistic world will be many.
