Life lately

Dear Ella,

I've finally gotten around to uploading all the 2000+ pics on my phone and want to share a few with you now and a few throughout a couple of posts in the week.
Life lately has consisted of simplifying, spring cleaning and uncovering rusty kitchen skills. Despite our busy schedule and balancing act between poppa and I, we've carved in some time to re-discover my passion for cooking. Make no mistake, between the two of us, poppa is the natural in the kitchen. But that doesn't deter me from wanting to shape myself into an ok cook, just in time for you to join me (give or take 2 years). I imagine you and I having great times in the kitchen, you helping me prep and making great memories, saving recipes of our favorite yummy treats and creating our own inventions!
This coming week is one i'm not looking forward to. I'll be working overnight the greater part of this week and one day next week. I hate when our schedules are finally starting to make sense, and then something always gets in the way. No matter though, we'll try and make the most of it. Poppa says I stress and worry too much, but I told him i've been this way since as far back as I can remember. Although, I gotta say, its been on high alert lately. Mostly because I have a baby, a precious little gem in the world. I don't worry about you when your with poppa, I know he takes the best care of you and you love him to pieces. So whatever time you spend with him, is precious and memorable. I just worry about the tiny things, is the house clean enough? Where did I leave the keys? Are we going to figure our schedules out this week? Where did I leave the keys, seriously!? I need a little chirp machine on those things. I can only imagine how much "fun" its going to be when you start hiding them! hee hee.
Yesterday we went to a birthday party poppa's friend, Laura had. You met this little boy Adrien who was so curious about you, maybe it was because he was going to be a big brother soon and he was going to have a little sister, a girl just like you! You weren't too fond of his skull hat at first, but then he took it off and said, "I'm not scary, i'm a boy!" Haha, it was quite cute to see how he gently touched your hand and patted your head, but then he stuck his fingers in your mouth and said "Open baby!" It didn't hurt you and it made us laugh. Then you met a little girl named Ava, she went in to give you a kiss and then a smack. But you didn't cry, I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt you. Little kids don't realize that not so long ago they too were little babies and unlike them, little babies need gentle touches. We had a great time, and you had a blast meeting new people, everyone adoring you.