On one hand, I am delighted that Ella is so advanced in her speech. She amazes me with the things that come out of her mouth and they are also a constant (like from the moment her eyes open until the moment she drifts into dreamland constant) source of laughter and joy.
On the other hand... I really wish she would JUST STOP TALKING...for like one second...of any of her waking hours. There I said it. If you're the parent of a talkative toddler, you totally understand. If not, don't judge me!
Being that I am a first time mom and a type A personality through and through, I did not let Ella have one drop of sugar before her first birthday. And I did not let her have a lollipop until yesterday. The reasons were numerous for my lollipop ban, rotten teeth and choking nightmares topped my list. But let me tell, you folks, it's all over.
The teller at the drive through window whispered through her microphone and aked me if my little one wanted a lollipop. Eagle ears in the back doesn't miss a darned thing. So then the voice in the back seat went from saying, "We're at da piggy bank. We're at da piggy pank aren't we mom? Mom, we're at da piggy bank. Can I go in da piggy bank and play wit da bead tings? Oh, look mom! A twuck! Look mom, look at dat! It's a big twuck. Look mom, an umwella! Look mom, peoples! Look mom, fwowers! Look mom, a sign!" to "Mom! Mom! What's a wowipop mom? Hey mom! Mom! What's a wowipop? Can I have a wowipop mom?" (Are you getting the picture her?) So in a moment of sheer weakness I broke down and told the teller to hand over the blessed lollipop. And after having my sweet little motor mouth ask nicely in a proper and full sentence, I handed it over to her.
And what. do. you. know. SILENCE. The whole. drive. home. And there you have it...A miracle on a stick.
I went home and purchased stock in sugar-free, dye-free, chemical-free, organic lollipops and then proceeded to purchase a life supply of them.
I never hinted, I never asked, nothin'! And this wasn't just some half-hearted job either. He had moved every object into another room, swept and was currently steam mopping my kitchen and dining room.
Not sure where I left the sidewalk chalk that I used to sketch out the murals on her wall, but she found it! And that cute little thing set right to work emulating her mama. I just had to smile (and give her a little chat about not drawing on the walls until she's much older and mama says it's okay.) and thank my lucky stars it wasn't something like
Glorious! Simply Glorious!
It's like my crack. I know...like I said...Ill.
Into THIS: The new office. Complete with entire side devoted to Jason's fly -tying and two walls devoted to his dead, stuffed or fishy things.
It's a continuation of his father's day present. I got him three new plastic containers in which to organize his fly tying supplies. But then I got him this desk off of freecycle (SCORE!), painted the room, painted a great quote and a few basic pictures, (The quote reads, "To go fishing is the chance to wash one's soul with pure air, with the rush of the brook, or with thimmer of sun on blue water. It brings meekness and inspiration from the decency of nature.") 
and hung his dead things on the wall. I call this one the "Jackalope". It weirds me out to no end. But hey, love is sacraficial right?
Before this, he was tying flies on a tiny desk crammed in the back of our storage room. And he certainly did not have his dead things around to keep him company :) I CANNOT wait to unveil it when he comes home tomorrow.