Things Ella loves

A list that's sure to grow:

Cats: She gets happy and excited when she sees the cats, especially when they're actually doing something. (Not often.) Yesterday Barb called me at work and just said, "Listen to this." Then I heard Ella cackle and laugh for a half-minute like she'd just heard the best joke in the world, just from watching La Choy was playing with a popsicle stick. It was the cutest thing I ever heard. When she sees them just walking by she'll hold her arms out and punch her tummy, all with her mouth open (a sure sign she's happy).

Singing: I have an awful singing voice, but to Ella I might as well be Justin Timberlake. It doesn't matter what I'm singing, although she's partial to doo-doo-doo ditties. For instance, she absolutely loves the Mission: Impossible theme.

People: When Ella sees new people, especially smiling people, she usually opens her mouth and spreads her arms out, which lead people to immediately think she's the most wonderful baby ever. (Neat trick.)

Elmo: She doesn't watch a lot of TV, but she loves Sesame Street. In particular the live-action stuff (puppets and people), not so much the animations. It's weird how quickly she latched on to Elmo and, to a lesser extent, Big Bird. It might be the colors combined with the high-pitched voice, I dunno.

Her hands: she's constantly jamming them in her mouth, which means they're constantly covered in drool and thus perfect attractors for all the cat hair in the house. (Yuck, but at least she won't be allergic.)

Walking around outside: If she's getting fussy a sure way to get her to calm down is to walk outside of the house with her over my shoulder. She gets fascinated by cars going down the street, by birds flying around, by the shrubs and grass and weeds. Thursday we had some fierce thunderstorms, and I was surprised that she not only liked the hard rain and the water gushing down the street, but wasn't scared at all by the thunder. Hopefully that's not something she'll learn.