Ellery's Day of Wellness

Today, Ellery woke up without a fever.  This is of considerable significance, given our last few mornings (and, lets be honest, nights).  Because she had a fever yesterday afternoon and because we decided to be good daycare parents (and because I was off work, anyways :), this morning Ellery stayed home with Mommy. 

So in honor of today's well-being, Ellery wants to show-and-tell YOU how to live WELL.

Ellery's Steps to Wellness:

1)  You should start off the day with exercise.  Yoga is a good, because it incorporates both mind & body wellness.

Ellery does Downward Dog. 
 Her pic is blurry, but you can tell she's on the right track for form.

This is Side Plank Pose.
Her form needs some work, but it is a difficult pose.
Or she could just be throwing a fit.  It involves a similar stance.

Mommy & Ellery do Goddess.
(With slight modification, of course).

You should always look to your TV instructor in order to
gain the most knowledge and achieve the most balance and openness from your Yoga workout.

Yay!
Step One on your journey to wellness is complete!

2)  Make yourself a healthy breakfast.

This is especially beneficial if you can incorporate
"standing in your oven" into your breakfast routine.

3)  Get some fresh air.

If you can get someone to pull you in a wagon, all the better.

Sliding exhilarates your body and fills your lungs with fresh air.

See-sawing allows the blood to flow freely from head to toe.

Getting fresh air should always include running freely.
It is liberating.

At the conclusion of your Fresh Air time, you should sit and reflect
on how wonderful the outdoors really is.

4)  Drink plenty of water.

One liter + one sippy cup should be ample.

5)  Be sure to observe and learn from others.

Watching people with big tractors mow grass teaches us how to....
...umm....be in awe of machinery.

Watching big kids swing, climb on, and generally use the playground equipment
for what it is NOT intended to do gives me ideas for when I am older.

NOTE:  Ellery was ENTRHALLED with the 9-year-olds climbing on the roof and other mostly-inaccessible-except-to-crazy-9-year-olds features of the playground equipment.  Tanner will never be brave enough for such antics; I'm afraid Ellery has just enough gusto to give it a go.

6)  Be sure to stop and smell the roses.

Or Daddy's eggplants and peppers, whatever is handy.
(When I said, "see the pretty flowers, Elle?" she raced over and pointed to Daddy's plants, not my flowers).

And if there are flowers, enjoy them, too.

"Schee?  Schee?  Fow-ee."
(Translates:  "See, See?  Flower."  I think).

Mmmmm....Fow-ee.

7)  But sometimes, when things don't work out, a good cry can help you release your emotions and more effectively cope with a given situation.

What I mean to communicate is,
"Mommy, if you would do exactly what I want without me telling you, that would be perfect."

If your mother still doesn't get it, you may find the most stress-relief
by throwing yourself down in a very dramatic fashion.

8)  If you've taken all these Steps to Wellness, you might find yourself in need of a nap.

Putting your legs out of the crib slats helps improve circulation
and allows for a more restful sleep period.

As you can see, Ellery has put a lot of time and energy into constructing her Steps to Wellness.  She hopes you enjoy incorporating them into your daily routine as much as she has enjoyed doing them today.

And now she has moved on to destroying the playroom.  Awesome.