My helper

A couple of weeks ago I was about to start cooking dinner, my mom was on her way over to join us. Well, Miss Ella was cranky for whatever reason so I put her apron on her, sat her up on the counter, gave her a plastic spatula and a mixing bowl. Of course she was so stinking cute up there I just had to take a few pics, well actually a LOT of pics.

But first the story behind the apron. My mom, Ella and I went to a craft fair at a local high school close to the house. We passed these cute little aprons, so I decided to try one on Ella. It was cute! Ella proceeded to take off running with the apron on, me chasing her down.... We then headed back to the both to return the stolen apron : ) I told the lady that I would think about it, we had just bought a house and my husband would kill me if I spent money, but I would think about it. As I was putting Ella in the stroller (and she was fussing about it) the lady started talking to her, asked me her name etc. I told Ella to say "hi" which I'm pretty sure she did not do, but I think she finally blew her a kiss as we were walking away. Mom and I continued to look around the gym. We were about to leave when the apron lady came up to us. She handed an apron (the design she had just tried on) to Ella, it was in a bag with a little card on the top. It said To Ella With Love. I was a bit confused..... I looked at my mom, whose eyes were watering up and realized that she was giving the apron to Ella for free. I said "thank you so much!" She said "your welcome, Ella made me smile." and walked away. That was it. After I gained my composure I walked over to her booth to thank her again, and got her name and email address (plotting in my head to send her some pics of Ella in the apron.) This happened about 3 days after the lady cutting my hair essentially asked me if I put Ella in an institution. The apron lady quickly reminded me that there are SO many sweet, generous, caring people out there. What's funny or interesting however you want to see it is that nothing was ever mentioned about Ella having Down syndrome, she didn't hear any of our story, Ella simply made her happy by being her cute, feisty, rotten, 2 year old self!!! ( I have no doubt that the lady realized Ella had Ds, it's just people usually talk to me or ask me about it.)

Now, the pics...

The lovely model

this is a "happy"

face, really.

modeling the back side

this is what she does

when she has something

she thinks she's not

supposed to have

sneaking a little

taste of whatever

it is she is mixing

Bubba, try this..

"I'm really cute"

Forget the spatula

I'll just drink straight

from the bowl

no one should be

able to fold in half

like this.

the face I get when

I told her we were

all done.

the fight over the

spatula

defeated : (