Wednesday fun

Every Wednesday morning, Ellie and Jennifer go to music class. Music class is really a playgroup where the parents sit on the periphery singing songs while the kids dance and play with (or chew on, depending on age) instruments. Ellie LIVES for music class. She talks about it from the moment we leave until the moment we go again. We listen to the CD ad nauseum in the car. She is a baby obsessed.
Lately, music class has gotten a little too popular for us, and the crowded room has resigned Ellie to my lap for a few weeks. Don't you know she was thrilled when it was closer to the norm this week and she could party her booties off! Ever since she learned to jump unsupported, bouncing has become a huge part of Ellie's day...and her dancing! The ultimate excuse for bouncing comes in the "Sleepy Cows" song, which starts with all the cows (kids) sleeping on the floor and continues with the scarecrow jumping up and dancing around. Well, you must see it for yourself...(you will get a chance to meet Mieka, who proves Ellie isn't the only one interested in seeing the camera in use).



Also on Wednesday mornings, we have been fortunate enough over the past month to have had help with housekeeping. A woman named Kathia has been coming to help clean, and Ellie really likes her. She also, of course, likes to help. Ellie is a big fan of housekeeping.



Her vocabulary has exploded recently, and Ellie talk talk talks all the time! She is such a chatterbox, and it is delightful! I will try my best to capture some of it on video and post it for those of you who are interested. Again, it's tricky taping her, because as soon as she sees the camera, she stops whatever adorable thing she is doing and demands I turn it around so she can see the baby or watch the movie I made.

As you may or may not know, we adopted two kittens (Smokey and Bandit), and life with cats is going swimmingly. They are from the same litter, and they play hard together all day. They are inseparable most of the time, which is great. They have the best temperaments we could have hoped for: they play, they aren't destructive, they wear each other out and then they come to us for snuggles, purring and happy as clams. They are very patient with Ellie and have yet to retaliate when she pulls their tails or whacks them overenthusiastically. Despite this, we know their favorite part of the day is after Ellie goes to bed, and they join us in the living room for what we've dubbed "Kitty Love Fest." They lounge all over us, purring away.


Bandit didn't want Markus to get lonely or cold laying on the floor all by himself.

Last but not least, Oma arrived today for a week-long visit!


Tante Ulla will be arriving on Saturday, and she will stay for a week as well. Everyone will be here to celebrate Oma's birthday next Tuesday! This also marks the start of completely claimed days for the dipe squad. From today until the end of October, there is not one day we don't have out of town plans or houseguests. Amazing. Wish us strength!