Happy Birthday Mommy to You

I had a very pleasant Mother's Day weekend. It was actually my first Mother's Day alone. Previous years, we spent the day with other extended family members, but having Ellie and Daddy all to myself for an entire weekend was just what I wanted.

This year also marked the first year that I got a real Mother's Day present. Previous years (and this year included), Daddy did a fantastic job of getting me great jewelry with a Mother theme, but this was the first year that Ellie *MADE* me something.

It's a wheel-barrow planter with a flower pot! Ellie made the planter at Home Depot. For those of you who have young children, I would highly recommend Home Depot on the first Saturday of the month. All for free, the kids get a cool orange apron (just like the professionals who work at the store) and they get to make little projects. When they're finished, they get a pin to put on their apron. Even Ellie loves to participate even though she's so much younger than the other kids. She also put on the stickers and planted the flower. Daddy did the painting because he wasn't sure about how safe the paint would be for her. Ellie was so proud to give me the present (she couldn't wait until Mother's Day).

Ellie: Here go, Mommy!
Mommy: Oh, thank you!
Ellie: I maked it!
Mommy: You made this?
Ellie: YEAH!
Daddy: Can you say "Happy Mother's Day, Mommy"?
Ellie: Happy bird-day Mommy to you!"
Mommy: Oh, thank you. I love it!
Ellie: Yeah.

Adorable. Best present EVER.

Later that day we drove down to have dinner with an old friend and his wife, who are on their way to live in Flagstaff for the summer. It was fantastic to see them (for some bizarre reason, we never hung out when I lived in MD). Even Michael commented on how great the two of them were. Ellie did a good job, too. Holly commented on how well behaved she was. Later we were talking about how that seems to happen often. It's one of those things we probably take for granted. On the way home, I asked Ellie if she liked Dan and Holly:

Mommy: Did you like Dan? Was he nice?
Ellie: Yeah.
Mommy: Did you like Holly? Was she pretty?
Ellie: YEAH!
Mommy: Ellie is pretty too. I bet Holly thought you were very pretty.
Ellie: Mommy pretty too!
Mommy: Ah, thank you!
Ellie: Tank you. You're welcome.

On Sunday we went to the bakery - always one of my favorite things to do.

Then we waited for the bus. Ellie was very excited to get to ride the same bus that Daddy takes to work.

On the bus, Ellie looks like a pro.

We rode the bus to Pearl Street Mall to see the tulips - another favorite of mine. We stopped to get some chocolate and then headed to see the pretty flowers. Ellie declared that they all smelled "Mmmmm Nummy."

Mommy couldn't be any happier.

"Mmmm weally weally nummy."

I hope all the mothers out there had as nice of a weekend as I did. I love this little girl. I'm so proud to be her Mommy!