OH, THE INJUSTICE!

I let Ellery stay up a little later than usual because she was so full of high spirits and fun.  When I said it was time for bed, she travelled the distance from the living room to her bedroom on her knees, pleading, "Mercy!  Mercy!  Please, mercy!"

PRESCHOOL WAS GREAT BUT...

An excerpt from Ellery's goodbye/thank you card to her preschool teacher, Mrs. VandenBosch:

"...and I wish we could have done unicorn for U instead of umbrella because I like unicorns."

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

We were headed out to the grocery store when Ellery dawdled in the alley.  "Let's go, honey!"  I urged.  

"Oh!  Sorry Mom!" she replied.  "I was just practicing my pink flower Spring power moves."

FASHION EXPERT

Ellery and Mom were getting ready to go to a yard sale with Dane and Liz.

"Do you need a jacket?" I asked her?

"Yes, I think so," she replied.  Then in an instructive tone she added, "Because the coat always completes the outfit."

MOTHER'S DAY

Ellery's Mother's Day card as dictated to Emily:

Ellery: I love Mommy.  Jackson has a balloon and I'm getting an orange smoothie.

Emily: What do you want to tell Mom about how much you love her?

Ellery:   Tons.  All the way up to my love line.

Emily:   Thank you Mom for...

Ellery:   ...the food that you cook for me for dinner. 

Thanks for playing with me when Dane comes here.

Thanks for being my mommy forever and ever.

And write a picture of me and her hugging each other, will ya?

BE KIND TO YOURSELF

Ellery was speaking softly and tenderly to her freshly scraped knee:

"I'm sorry I falled and hurt you.

A BUDDING SONGWRITER

Ellery was humming quietly to herself and then she brightened and said, "Mom I made up a song that has two parts.  Do you want to sing it with me?"

"Of course!" I replied.  "What's my part?"

With a little shimmy of her shoulders, she instructed, "Possible...Possible...Possible..." giving it a jazzy rhythm with a questioning emphasis on the last syllable.

I imitated as well as I could, including the sassy shake of the shoulders as Ellery joined in with her part, alternating with mine.

"Cracker!  Cracker!  Cracker!"