we have a toddler now.

elenora is walking across the room! a few days ago she started walking about five feet at a time between pieces of furniture. today she went clear across the living room. she seems to be enjoying this new way of mobility. i'm pretty excited about it too.

ella is doing this adorable thing where she takes something in her hand, hides her hand behind her back or under a pillow, and then looks at me with these wide eyes and shakes her head to say "I don't know where it is." and i'll say "elenora, where is the [block]?" and she looks down to where her arm is tucked behind her and then she gets this glint of mischief and delight in her eye and she shakes her head again to say "I don't know." she came up with this game on her own, and it is so lovely to see her being a little bit tricky. sometimes she'll even drop the item behind her and then pull her hand around and point to it with her other hand as if to say "see, it's not in my hand."

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elenora is also stacking blocks now. she spends a lot of time entertaining herself with tasks such as standing all of the cylindrical blocks up on their ends and placing all her fairy dolls on their feet. she likes to take things out of containers and then put them back in. and she likes to play with her little jewelry box from e.--pulling out the compact mirror and the "nail polish" and a string of gold beads we put in there, and looking at her self or trying to use the various pretend cosmetics and jewelry. it's very cute to see.

she had actually stacked three of the cylinders on a long block just before i took the photo...of course the toppled just as i pushed the button.

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i'm almost done christmas shopping. i went to newburyport yesterday afternoon to go out with m. and nathan, and i just found the things i needed. i just have j. left to buy for, so it feels good.

last night we had thanksgiving dinner at momby's to celebrate h.'s birthday. i'd helped momby to bake the pies and roast the garlic for the mashed potatoes and pull the stuffing together. i'm so glad we were able to cook thanksgiving dinner together because j. and i are heading to PA in a couple of days and we'll be guests in his aunt's house and won't be able to make the dinner. i love making thanksgiving dinner.

elenora liked eating it. and the turkey helped her sleep really well.

we just booked a night away! i'm so excited to get away with j. for a night and a full day. we're going to take a road trip to Newport while ella will be here with her gramby. we're actually only spending the night a town away, and i got sort of sad inside thinking about not seeing elenora at all for a full day, so we're going to swing by home after sleeping in and going out for breakfast. we'll play for a half hour and then head to RI for the afternoon. i think that is probably the best way to try this "night away" thing so that it's easiest on everybody. it will be so fun to sort of selfishly think about just ourselves for a day.

that's the one thing about having kids... you spend your entire day having to think about someone else and their needs. everyone needs a break from that every once in awhile.

it's bitter cold outside. it's been tough trying to get ella out. i just got her a bunting to bundle her up in, so hopefully we can get out a little more now. i miss the slightly warmer weather. fall was so fun.