Birch Aquarium

We've had quite a busy week. Let's see...Monday, Ellie went to the pediatrician for her 3 year old well check. She was such a good girl the whole time, and it was quite a long time since we didn't leave the office for our 4pm appointment until 5:40pm. Here's Ellie's 3 year old stats:
40 1/2 inches tall
37.5 lbs
BMI = 16 (interesting that they include this)
The doctor said that if she continues the same growth pattern that she'll be 5'8"-5'9" tall. Wow - that's a lot taller than her namesake, my grandma Joanne who was a whopping 4'11" tall. Guess it pays to have a tall daddy! Ellie also got a shot - the second in her Hepatitis A series. I told her that the bandaid lady was coming to give her a bandaid, and she didn't question it. She sat on my lap, the nurse was quite fast giving it in her left arm, and it was all over before Ellie looked at me and said "Hey - Mom! That hurt!" but by that time she had a shiny silver bandaid and we were happily on our way. No tears - what a trooper!
On Wednesday's Ellie has swimming lessons. Ellie and Ada are the only kids in the class, and they adore their teacher, Mr. Russell. This week, as Mr. Russell had both Ellie and Ada in his arms, Ellie announced "I'm peeing!" Poor Mr. Russell...although I'm sure he knows this happens all the time in that pool, to be holding a kiddo and have them announce it is entirely different. He just said "I wish you hadn't told me that"... He'll get a good Christmas gift this year from the Boren family.
Friday I went to visit my grandpa in the nursing home where he is in Hemet. He is really not doing well, and apparently after I left the chaplain came and said a prayer with him. Grandpa knew I was there...I held his hand and recounted so many of the fun times we had together. There were all the times that he took me to Lucky's (grocery store) and gave me the change from the transaction so I could buy something from the machines at the front of the store, the Saturday afternoons when he and grandma would get Billy and I all dressed up and take us to KMart and let us ride on the silly rides out front, the times he took me to the donut store on Sunday mornings and when I couldn't decide on one donut he would let me get two - one for each hand! All the little league games Grandma and Grandpa came to, the countless times they trudged through wet grass carrying folding chairs out to our soccer games, the dance recitals they always were so excited to watch. All the pool parties we had at their house, the nights we spent there and got to stay up and watch TV later than Mom and Dad wanted us to, the patience Grandpa had when he helped teach me to drive. We talked for quite a while, with him fighting drifting off to sleep. He has colon cancer that has metastasized to his liver, and is progressing very quickly. At 81 years of age, Grandpa decided that he didn't want treatment, but instead wanted to be kept comfortable for the rest of the days he had on earth. I hugged him, kissed him and told him I'd see him soon. As I was walking out of his room, I turned back to look at him one more time. His eyes were open, and he lifted the fingers on his left hand to wave goodbye at me. Those are the special moments in life...the one's I'll hold onto forever.
On a more positive note, Brant's grandpa (Papaw) who has been in the hospital for over a week after a brain bleed seems to be doing better. The reports we've gotten are that he's sitting up, eating and maybe even talking a little. We'll keep praying for recovery for him, and for strength for Mamaw and the rest of the family keeping watch over him.
Saturday we went to the Birch Aquarium. One of Ellie's Christmas presents from Uncle Bill was tickets for our family to go to the Birch Aquarium, so we did yesterday. What a great place for kids and adults alike. We all had a great time - check out the pictures!






Ellie fell asleep in the car after we left the aquarium, before we could even stop for lunch. So we took her home for a nap. After nap she played out front with Eleanor...one of our favorite pasttimes. We went to Casa Guadalajara for dinner, and guess who fell asleep in the car on the way there? Yep - you guessed it...Ellie. It's only a 10-15minute drive! She must have been exhausted. There was about an hour wait for a table, but that was ok with me because she slept on me the whole time. Just like when she was a baby. I forgot how much I've missed that sweetness...