Say Cheese!

This is what happens, most of the time, when we ask Elle to smile for the camera. She has quite the personality.

Zoo Fun!

Yesterday, we took Elle on another expidition to the Oakland Zoo. We saw all of the favorite animals, as well as the beloved toys at the children’s zoo. Elle's favorite part was the carousel, where she insisted upon riding a panda bear. All in all, it was quite a successful and fun day at the zoo.

Happy Birthday!

One of Elle's favorite things to do in the sand box at the park, is make birthday cakes. She is becoming quite the little cake decorator. She uses sand for the cake batter, and sticks for the candles. She can sit for a fairly long time, making cake after cake after cake. It really is very charming to see her use and develop her imagination.

Tree Hugger!

Elle loves to climb trees; and at the park, we found the perfect tree for her. It grows at angle, which allows Elle to climb it with perfect ease. And as you can see from the pictures, Elle is very proud of her tree climbing skills.

Chocolate Pudding!

Elle loves chocolate; it is one of her favorite things. But usually, she only gets a little bit of things that contain chocolate. So, when I gave her an entire bowl of chocolate pudding, she couldn't believe her eyes. She ate, and ate, and ate; enjoying every single bite.

Frisbee!

When Elle and I were at the park the other day, a lady gave Elle a frisbee. Elle was overjoyed at the prospects of having a new toy, and I was reminded of how nice people can be. It really was a kind gesture; one Elle and I both enjoyed.

Bookworm!

Elle has become fascinated with books as of late. They have become her obsession. She has to have a stack of books with her in her crib every night, or she refuses to go to sleep. And once she attains her requested books, she reads and reads and reads, until she finally falls into an exhausted slumber. Every night when I go in to check on her, I usually always find her asleep with an open book on her lap. It really is quite endearing.

First Kiss!

Elle and I went to the park on Friday, and we were both excited to see that Steve, Chris, and their grandparents, were already there, and ready to play. Elle and Steve played to their hearts content, and were both equally sad when it came time to say goodbye. However, Steve gave Elle a parting present consisting of: a dandelion and a kiss on the arm. To this, Steve’s grandfather replied, “Steve is looking for a relationship.” I couldn’t help laughing. It was all very cute. And needless to say, Elle got her very first kiss.

Goal!

Elle has started a summer soccer program, and today was her first day. She had a lot of fun, and really enjoyed the experience as a whole. We got her a pink soccer ball, which, of course, made soccer even more enjoyable. Elle's favorite part was running laps. She wanted to do it again and again. I guess maybe she will be a runner like her mother. Who knows? But, all in all, Elle had a very fun day on the field.

Happy Father's Day Papa!

Funny Faces!

This is Elle's classic funny face. This is the face she makes anytime she wants to hear someone laugh.

Part Of Your World!

Elle has become quite enraptured by The Little Mermaid. She loves Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian, and anything else that has to do with the movie (everything that is, except Ursula. She is one thing Elle doesn’t like).

One of Elle’s favorite parts of the movie is when Ariel sings the song, “Part of Your World.” She cannot seem to get enough of it. She requests that I play it over and over again, so that she can sing along with Ariel. It really is quite cute.

Stop!

I wanted to get a video of Elle saying the word stop. She says it with sort of a raspy growl. Johnny and I find it quite funny. I thought others might enjoy it as well. Of course, it is a lot more humorous, when she is saying it at home in the right context. Oh, well, it is still here for you to enjoy.

Elle's First Boyfriend...He's Greek!

Elle and I have been spending a lot of time at the park as of late. It seems to make the day more enjoyable, and more fulfilling for both of us. At a couple of our early morning excursions, we have met the nicest Greek family. They, too, go to the park on a daily basis. The family consists of a grandpa and grandma and two little boys. One boy is five, and named Steve. The other boy is two, and named Chris. Elle likes them both, but she especially likes Steve. He holds her hand, pushes her on the swings, helps her build castles in the sand, and takes her down the slides. Steve has become one of Elle's dear friends. It is very cute to see them play together. I quite enjoy it. The grandparents are also a joy to spend time with. They are both from Greece, and are very charitable. They have the nicest accents, and they tell very neat stories. I have come to really enjoy speaking with them, and getting to know them. They really are very kind people. Elle and I are both equally glad that we have made friends with this family.


Steve and Elle holding hands!


Steve pushing Elle in the swing!


Steve and Elle going down the slide together!


Steve and Elle having fun at the park!

Steve pushing Elle!

Elle Olivia Bankhead

Big Spider Mommy!

When Elle, Johnny, and I arrived in Monterey this weekend, the first thing we did was go down to the beach. It was night, and it was cold, so we mostly walked around on the sand, watched the water, and looked for treasures. Elle ran over to look at something, and I thought nothing of it. She soon ran over to me exclaiming, "Oooh, Mommy, look big Spider!" I looked in her hand, and she was holding a crab. At first I thought it was dead, but upon closer examination, I found that it was still alive. I screamed, "It's alive!" I then proceeded to beat it out of her hands with a shoe. The crab landed on the sand, pinching its claws at us. I have no idea how Elle did not get pinched, but she didn't. Thank goodness. And luckily, that was the only "Big Spider," of the trip.

Monterey, California!

Johnny's boss asked us if we would like to use his beach house this weekend, and of course we said, "Yes!" It was so much fun! We had the entire house to ourselves, and the beach was only a block away. The weather was beautiful, and we spent the entire weekend being beach bums. Elle loves the water, and cannot get enough of it. The second she woke up each morning, the first thing she said was, "Mommy, Elle ready to go to the beach now!" It was so cute. Needless to say, we had a very fun filled weekend at the beach! Elle had a lot of fun burying-or at least what she thought was burying-Daddy at the beach! It was one of her favorite games; and because it was one of her favorite games, it became one of Daddy's favorite games, too. Basically, Daddy was a good sport.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star!

Elle loves to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." It is one of her favorite songs-after "She'll be Coming 'Round the Mountain." Hearing her sing this song is one of the sweetest things. It makes me remember how fun and lovable she is.

New Blogger!

I have finally done it! I have finally created a blog! I still have no idea what I am doing, but I think it will be fun. We'll see. The jury is still out.