Ellee

Coordinating dresses from Lollee!

Ellee is turning three and a half tomorrow.  I loved baby Ellee.  I loved toddler Ellee.  I even loved two-year-old-stubborn-as-a-mule Ellee.  But goodness knows I love three-year-old Ellee.  She's still feisty, that's for sure.  But she's my friend now, too.

Last year

This year

Whenever I am in the kitchen, she's sitting on the counter waiting to help.  I try to let her help with whatever she can.  She loves to stir and butter and flip things.  She grabs necessary ingredients from the fridge and cabinets.  And she loves to set the table.  I'm guessing it won't be long before I can just turn the kitchen duty over to her.  She even does the dishes!

The girl loves pink.  When given a choice, she will pick pink every single time.  Pink shirt.  Pink socks.  Pink cup.  Pink crayon.  Pink candy.  Pink everything.  She also loves books.  If I would sit still long enough to read her ten books in a row, she'd gladly listen.  I do read her books, but not as many as I should.  She loves to help me clean.  If I hand her a rag, she will wipe down anything in sight.  Sometimes she helps with the laundry and the other day she even told me she'd cleaned the toilet so I didn't have to.  I wasn't terribly thrilled about that one (gross), but I appreciated her thoughtfulness.

Every week we have Sunday Night Sleepover at our house.  It's something Jonathan started years ago with Kyle, before Ellee was even born.  Now that Ellee is old enough, she's joining in the fun.  After I put Sadie to sleep in her crib, we all enjoy a movie and a snack in a tent Jonathan builds in the living room.  Then at some point, Ellee remembers how much she loves to take foot baths and reminds me that it's time for ours.  We pull out my foot spa and read books while we soak our feet.  She loves to paint her toe nails, pink of course.  She used to sleep in the tent with Jonathan and Kyle, but now she sleeps with me.  She loves to snuggle up close in my bed and stroke my face.  She tells me she loves me and that I am her friend.  I sing her lullabies and we pray and within a minute, she's fast asleep.

Certainly my favorite part about three and a half year old Ellee is her love for her baby doll.  She takes such gentle care of her little dolly, who has been named a whole string of names.  I'm not clear on her current name.  Oh well, I just call her Dolly anyway.  Ellee dresses her every morning and changes her cloth diaper.  Sometimes she breastfeeds her and other times she bottle feeds her.  I like her no-nonsense, relaxed style.  Baby is hungry - just get the job done.  Wherever Ellee goes, Dolly goes along with her.  Occasionally Ellee will forget to take her along and come back to get her before continuing to play at the neighbors'.  She tucks Dolly in for her naps; she teaches her school while I teach Kyle; she has even been known to set her a place at the table.  Before bed every night, Ellee changes her doll into the one outfit she's dubbed the pajamas.  While Daddy or I fix her silky blonde locks, she carefully dresses Dolly for bed and then slips her into the tiny sleep sack my mom made for her.  More doll clothes are on order from Lollee for Christmas.  Ellee is going to be so excited!

The very night I found out Ellee was a girl, I began dreaming of what kind of little friend I would have in her.  She's far exceeded my dreams.  I look forward to growing with her and being a friend to her like my mom has been to me.  Sure, sometimes I have to assert my mom status and keep her in line.  But a lot of the time, we just get to get along and have fun together.  For that I am so thankful.  It's obvious that she is beautiful on the outside.  I am blessed to be able to witness her inner beauty as well.  My prayers for her cover a wide range of things, but mostly I pray that she grows up to be a strong woman who loves the Lord.  I adore this girl!

New bed!

I hope she never loses her spunk!

~Abby