December 25th

We had a great day! Terrie was here, Christmas morning was so fun for Sam, Ella, Terrie and I - for Anna, she preferred sleep.

Oh, and one really cool thing: Ella handed out presents. She was obviously able to do hers and Anna's - but she knows 'M' for mom and 'D' for dad and we told her 'G' for grandma and she was off - so very cool! She's such a big kid!!!!!

After stockings and breakfast and opening some presents it was time to make dinner. We had a wonderful afternoon as Janet and Lynn stopped by for a visit and Darcie and Andy and Joey came for dinner. Such Fun - family and cooking and food - all good things! Ella and Joey had an especially good time playing together, maybe I should say Ella had a good time bossing Joey around :)

It was also nice as an unexpected present to basically have Ella Finally!!! potty train herself. Candy, toys, tv, treats, new undies - no dice. Bribery, logic, begging, pleading, manipulation - what finally worked you might ask? Welllll...The Thursday before Christmas we went shopping with some friends. They have a four-year old named Grace and Grace asked if Ella wears diapers. Indignantly, Ella told her, "No - I do not wear diapers! I wear underwear!" Umm - yeah, except that she doesn't. Grace, as you would expect, pointed this out to her and then Ella flipped out. "I DONOT WEAR DIAPERS! I ONLY WEAR UNDERWEAR!" Over and over and over - she was so mad, "Stop saying that!" Well, as Grace - and the rest of us could see that indeed Ella was wearing a diaper she didn't have a whole lot of credibility. Ella then stomps over to me to tattle that Grace has actually, actually had the nerve to suggest that she would even consider wearing diapers. Then she tries to enlist me in her fight, "Mom, tell her I don't wear diapers." This continued on for about ten minutes back and forth. End result being the next morning Ella decided to wear her underwear, "so Grace won't say I wear a diaper." Since that day she's had maybe five or six "accidents" - two were totally intentional. The first she was testing us to see how we would respond, if it really was okay if she wet her pants. Here's the scene: Ella pees on entry tile. Ella runs into family room, "Mom, I peed on the floor. It's okay. It's okay. Mom, say it's okay. Say It's Okay!" I told her it's okay and then she went and changed her pants.

Now we just need to work on not pulling down your pants - wherever - whenever - she needs to go :)