Let them eat cake!

Today I helped Momma bake a cake. It is lots of fun. I get to turn on and off the mixer and dump in ingredients. It is a big job. My favorite part is TASTING! In fact, as soon as we start to bake, I say, "taste it?" Momma makes me wait until most (but not necessarily all) of the ingredients are mixed in before she lets me taste. But whenever we are done, I get to lick the beaters! Oh, glory be! (this is my new favorite thing to say. It often makes Momma giggle.)





See, this is Momma's fancy mixer. She loves her mixer.














Here is the beater. Beaters are very important because they mix up your cake batter and get all gooey, so afterwards you can LICK THEM!








I am a gooey mess!





























































Looks like fun, doesn't it? Momma said we can't eat the actual cake until tomorrow, as we have a friend coming for dinner. It will be hard to wait!





You might notice in these pictures that I am wearing pink panties! We are trying out panties today. We'll see how it goes! Momma and I talked about it this morning and decided we'd give it a try! Momma says there is no rush. I use the potty most of the time already, so we'll see if I am ready for panties.... Wish me luck!

Pictures with Aunt Laura

Aunt Laura took my picture! She told Momma there were some pretty flowers blooming at church and suggested that Momma bring be by to take pictures! It was a HOT sauna-like day, but we made the most of it, don't you think?

Thank you, Aunt Laura! It was fun!!

BUBBLES!

By the title of this post you are probably thinking that I am talking about the bubbles that you BLOW, right? Well, don't get me wrong, I do LOVE those bubbles, but this is something different. Momma got a package in the mail and the item inside was wrapped in BUBBLE-WRAP! Oh, my goodness, bubble wrap provides a majorly good time! Momma was so enthralled she took a bunch of videos of me playing with the bubbles. So, I would play on the bubbles then run to her to see what video she took, and then I would play again! What a fun day we had!



"Silly!"







"Fun! Do again!"



"Up and down! Again!"

Note from Momma: "Up and down" is Elyse's version of jumping. To do across the bubbles, she walks at the same time, thus the funny movements!

Hermann Park

Last weekend, we went to Hermann Park to play on the playground and splash pad. Ooowhee, was it fun!

First, Momma and I rode the see-saw!




















Then, as it was getting hot already, we enjoyed the splash pad! See Lucy? We brought her to the park, too!






































Wow!

























Spash pads are a fun and essential way to survive summer in Houston!!

Playing catch with Carmen

Carmen is our housekeeper. She has been helping us since before Momma was pregnant with me, so I have known her my whole life! She comes to see me every other week, and while she is here we like to play catch! I'll ask her, "Tarmen, play ball?" and then we will play!




















We are so lucky to have Carmen!

Lovin' from the oven

I love to help Momma bake. So, Momma decided we should make some yummy Oatmeal Pecan Raisin cookies! I got to help put the ingredients into the big mixer bowl and turn on the mixer for Momma. I am also the designated taster. I do LOTS of tasting before we can scoop out the cookies and put them into the oven. It is important to make sure your cookies are JUST RIGHT.















Lucy likes to be wherever we are, so she hung out in the kitchen while we baked. While the cookies were were in the oven, I gave Lucy some loving. She has been very sad since Logan is no longer here and I like to cheer her up. When the cookies were ready, Momma and I had one, and we gave Lucy a doggie cookie, too!















My thoughts on Logan: Since I have been reading the "Dog Heaven" book, I have a pretty good idea as to what Logan is doing now. So I tell Momma all about it. "Momma", I say, "Logan sleeping in clouds!" I often say this when we are driving somewhere and I look out the window and see big puffy clouds. I like to look for Logan in the clouds. "Logan in heaven!" "Logan running, no more boo-boos." "Momma sad. Elyse sad. Need hug?"

Fun with my friend

The other day, my friend Owen came over to play with me! Boy, oh, boy did we have fun!


First, we shared a snack of pretzel sticks.










Owen did some puzzles while I read a book.







We made some beautiful pictures!






We also had a fun dance party and took turns riding on my new bike! Momma was very proud of us because we did such a good job sharing. Owen would ride the bike in a circle around the house and then say, "Elyse's turn!". And then I would ride the bike in a circle around the house and say, "Owen's turn!" Owen and I are good friends and it is important to share with your friends. We also had dinner together! It was a fun time. I like playing with my friend, Owen.

What a Mess!

That is one of my favorite things to say - "What a mess!" Then, I like to clean up the mess, which Momma and Daddy say is a really nice thing to do. Sometimes I enjoy my food so much that I make a big mess. Momma tends to keep a damp cloth nearby during meals so I can wipe my hands off, as I don't like to be TOO messy. With some foods, though, it is impossible NOT to get messy. And really, why even try?

Take, for example, watermelon...
















Is it even WORTH IT to even attempt to eat watermelon without making a mess?

















I think NOT!




























Let's talk about pasta.

I LOVE pasta. The more sauce, the better, I say.






























Don't get between me and my pasta!




























After making such a mess, into the bath I go!





















Yippee!

Island girl

We went to an island in Maine for the July 4th holiday! We do this pretty much every year. It is a SERIOUSLY long trip to get there (involving 3 buses, 2 airplanes, 2 cars, a boat, and about 12 hours) but so worth it once we are there! Here are some photos of my island vacation:



Now that I am a BIG GIRL, I get my OWN seat on the airplane! Momma brought muffins and fruit for breakfast on the plane. It was way better than regular airplane food!










Chillin' on the Adirondack chairs...

For some perspective, here I was on the island last year!

Here is one thing about the island: You will NEVER go hungry. There are so many good things to eat! Check out this yummy watermelon! You know how I love watermelon!


































I had lots of fun playing with Nano! One day we had a "wheels on the bus" parade around the house! FUN!







I am showing Papa the Big Mouth Billy Bass. I love this thing. You press a button and the fish SINGS and moves his head and tail. I like to play it AGAIN and AGAIN!

















This is baby Spencer. I thought I'd show him the tick-tock clock!

Isn't Spencer a cutie-pie?

The girls! Here I am with Hazel (in diaper and long sleeve pink shirt), Aunt Amy, baby Camille (Hazel's baby sister), and Molly (pink shirt and shorts).














This is baby Ella. She is almost exactly the same age as I was when I was at the island last year. Was I really that little?





Reading with Aunt Amy and Hazel.











Though we don't have photos, we also went to the beach. I found that I am not fond of rocks and seaweed getting in my shoes and around my legs when in the ocean, but I DO enjoy collecting seashells and blowing bubbles in the water!

As always, we had a great time on the island. I sure wish it was closer but it is a special treat to go there every summer!

For clarification purposes, Daddy went to college in Maine and lived with 2 roommates: Brooke and Steve Uncle Brooke married Aunt Amy and now they have Hazel (age 2 1/2) and baby Camille (age 10 months). Uncle Steve married Aunt Jacqueline and now they have baby Spencer (age 9 months). Nano and Papa are Brooke's parents. Molly (age 4) and Ella (age 1) belong to another couple who were also visiting the island. Jake (Brooke's brother) and Michelle, and their son, Benjamin (age 4 1/2) were there as well! There were LOTS of kiddos!