Ellie's 5th birthday party.

Ellie turned 5 on February 13, and we celebrated with a Strawberry Shortcake party on Saturday, February 11. We had ice cream sundae making, Strawberry Shortcake coloring pages and lacing cards, Strawberry Shortcake episodes playing on Netflix, a reading tent with strawberry-themed books, and, of course, presents and lots of conversation with friends and family. My baby officially seems like a big girl now.

Joy School Rodeo :: videos.

mary, elizabeth & ellie: good gifts.

for some reason, ellie has got it into her head that she doesn't want to have a baby. she tells me regularly that she wants to be a wife, but she doesn't want to be a mommy. the idea scares her. it doesn't matter how many times i tell her that anything scary related to mommy-hood is worth it. she is adamant. no baby.

just now, she came from her bed crying. we've been working through our advent activity and reading plenty of christmas books so the motherhood stories of both mary and elizabeth are fresh in our minds. with tears streaming down her face, ellie told me again tonight, "i don't want a baby, mama!" i told her, as i always do, that i hope she changes her mind someday, and she doesn't need to worry about it right now. then she said, "but i'm afraid Jesus will ignore me and give me one anyway!"

smiling at the way her mind works, i told her that she could trust Jesus. that He wouldn't give her anything she can't handle, that He only gives good gifts.

and again, on repeat, He speaks through them.

the first of at least 60 baby teeth: lost.

this is about how ellie felt when her first tooth fell out yesterday. we had blood and tears and...yeah. it was an event. luckily, the tooth fairy left her four quarters, and she's just about moved on with her life now.

whether or not i have is another matter altogether.

i is for insect.

ellie's class is reviewing the letter "i" this week. they have a box in the classroom where they've been putting things that start with the letter, and ellie told me monday that she wanted to make an insect to put in the box. "because insect starts with "i," mom. so does intelligent. intelligent starts with "i," and i'm intelligent."

the eyes are my favorite.

laughter.

everything ellie does today is cracking me up. seriously. i've been laughing for hours.

"little miss muffin sat on her sheep."

4 years.

ellie had her 4-year checkup on the 17th. only six months late. ahem.

she weighs 42 pounds (75th percentile) and is 3'6.5" (95th percentile).

the doctor said that if she follows her current curve, she will be 5-foot-9.

love those (long) legs.

art camp 2011.

last week, ellie went to art camp. she went last year, too, and loved it. a repeat this year was non-negotiable. the theme was "pop art." the teacher -- miss becca -- was the same as last year, and she remembered ellie. of course she did. it worked out great because my sister was in town, and she watched the other two kids while just ellie and i went to camp. it was a great time alone with my eldest babe. she was truly in her element.

day 1.

day 2.

day 3.

day 4.

day 5.
(on day 5, daddy took her. i sent him with the camera. he forgot it in the car. silly daddy. these are from when she came home.)