Ella Gets Chatty

So, our family restaurant-going days are over for a little while.  We made it exactly 24 weeks!

Let me say:  Ella has always been such a well-behaved little restaurant goer.  We’ve never had a public outburst.  Not a single one.  She’s been really great.  And then there was Sunday night.

With such a great track record we decided to attempt a nice dinner at Park Ave.  This place is pretty fabulous-- A retro steak house channeling the 50’s and the Rat Pack.   The food is yum and the overall atmosphere is so amazing.  I mean they play Dean Martin, a lot.  Enough said.

Back to Ella.  So we attempt this nice dinner with Nenie and Uncle Garrett.  I may or may not have startled her in the car at some point and that may or may not have upset her.  Off to a great start, right?  She calms down just as we’re arriving.  Phew, so I think.  We’re there for about, um, two minutes when Ella decides to let out this scream-- A scream letting everyone know that she has arrived, she has found her voice and she’s not afraid to use it.  From there she decided to carry on a very loud and enthusiastic conversation with the restaurant.  Not screaming, not crying, just chatting.  Loudly and enthusiastically.

Now let me say this:  I do not like being those people at a restaurant.  I apologize to my fellow restaurant goers that were there Sunday evening.

So there we were, moving tables.  We found ourselves in the corner of a private room.  Sigh.  Not only were we able to let Ella finish her conversation, but we could devour our steaks like nobody was watching.  Because nobody was.

The lesson-- Mommy and Daddy’s steak dinners are now reserved for special date nights only.  But the real lesson is-- I need to be willing to leave Ella with someone other than Ryan.  It’s not for lack of volunteers, but I have been unwilling to let anyone babysit.  For (almost) six months I have been major Mamma-Bear.  I think it might be time for Mom and Dad to have a date night, just the two of us.  Maybe that’s what Ella was trying to tell of us at the restaurant?

My Hubby, Ella's Daddy

My Hubby.  My Best Friend.  ·  Ella’s Daddy.  Her Biggest Fan.

With Father’s Day recently passing I thought it appropriate time to do some bragging about my husband-- He's pretty awesome.  He’s everything that a Husband and a Father should be, and then some.  Yup, he’s a pretty special guy!

He’s the kind of Husband that I ‘m lucky to call my best friend, and the Daddy that any girl would want to call her own.  He’s all about his family, and we’re all about him. 

Together Ryan and I are finding out what it means to be parents, to have our own family, and I couldn’t have asked for a better Husband/Baby Daddy to share my life with-- To learn with, to create memories with, to grow old with.  To “everything” with, you feel in the __________.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he’s my best friend.  And there’s something pretty darn special about sharing your life with your best friend.

As for Ella and Daddy, well I’ll let the pictures do the talking… [A picture says a thousand words]

Happy Summer!

This week marks the start of Summer 2012, Ella's first Summer!  WooHoo.  Fun-in-the-sun time begins now.  Ready, set, bathing suit-pool time. [She's pretty cute in a bathing suit]

Ella's First Road Trip

1,096.9 Miles.  20 Hours, 5 Minutes Driving.  Five Days.  Ella’s First Road Trip.

Destination:  Chico, California.

Not only was this Ella’s first road trip, but it was also the first trip that we have taken with the whole herd of in-laws.  My in-laws are actually a group of some of my favorite people in the world.  We’re a tight knit group and traveling together was a complete success, in my book.

First stop, Harris Ranch in Coalinga, California.  Our overnight stay consisted of some pool time, an a-mazing dinner, and a de-licous breakfast (Oh my, the waffle with homemade whip cream and fresh strawberries.  Drool!)  The food was great, and the service was top notch.  A great start to our trip.

It was on the road again and off to Aunt Lori and Uncle Martin’s for a couple days, our final destination.  This was a special visit because wedding bells were ringing, cousin Ethan was getting married.  The wedding was at Centerville Estates.  Picture this:  A canyon backdrop, a running creek, a private beach, absolutely perfect weather, and a beautiful couple.  Yup, totally worth the trip!

Congratulations Ethan and Alie!  We are so happy for the both of you and wish you nothing but the best.  Thank you for letting our family share in your celebration.

XoXo, The Dailys- Ryan, Ashley and Ella

The next day we made a stop at the Honey Run Covered Bridge and dipped our feet in the creek below.  Ella loved the creek (almost as much as I was loving her creek outfit).  Her cuteness was on overload at the creek, and Daddy was totally loving it too.

The rest of the day was full of family, fun and tons of cousin love!  They're kind of best friends.

Too soon we were on the road again, after a 3:45 am wake-up call on Monday morning.  We booked it straight home (abiding by the speed limit and all other traffic laws, of course).  Ella was such a trooper-- She slept, she giggled, she slept, she chatted, she slept, and she slept.  During the straight 8-ish hour car ride home there was about zero fussiness.

An overall success!  Ready for the next one…