. . . Ella is doing really well at her new school. I miss her like crazy and kiss her approximately 2 hundred times when she gets home, but I know all the missing her is worth it and am so thankful for the opportunities she has there.
She is getting better at crawling all the time. Sometimes, her legs get going a little faster than her arms, and so she gets a little crooked as she crawls. It is incredibly endearing to watch. She loves to pull up on things all the time now, especially the TV so she can press that big power button--she gets so proud of herself you'd think she was about to burst. Or maybe that's me. Often, she gets stuck in that standing position and doesn't know how to get herself down. She cries for a few sad moments, and I go rescue her, only to have her pulling herself right back up within moments. Jackson is fairly patient with her, even when she turns off his favorite show, but after a few times, he finally says, "Mom, can you come get Ellie please?"
Cooper is not patient with her at all, and we are constantly having to ask him to be gentle with her even if she is doing something he doesn't like (read: touching "his" stuff). He has his moments of sweetness toward her as well, though, so I am trying to cultivate those.
In big people news, Chris got laid off last week. We knew it was likely coming, but it's still kinda stinky to have it happen no matter how much forewarning you get. He is working really hard at finding something else right away, and in the mean time I am working extra hours at the hospital and have also started working at the Northwest Arkansas Naturals ballpark in the first aid stand as well. I like the job and love watching baseball, so it's a good fit for me. I only wish I could have my kids near, but they're too young to understand that mommy is working and needs them to go sit back down. Maybe in a few years. . .
Finally, in case you are a visual person, I offer the following as evidence of Ellie's pulling-up-on-the-TV hijinks (baby mullet included at no extra cost) --
