Summer is coming!

We had a fabulous weekend getting ready for summer fun. On Saturday we relaxed around the house, did some chores (like taking Jameson to get his nails trimmed) and then went out to dinner at Station Tavern since Madeline wanted to "eat out." She has begun making this request at least once a week. Matt and I usually say yes since, if she asks to go out, Madi tends to be in a great mood for the whole meal. It has been getting easier to go to dinner, Ella is starting to be in a better mood at the table though she grabs everything her hands come into contact with!

Ready for bed

Saucer time - Ella is able to reach, pull, and chew all of the toys now!

Sunday was a full day. The girls and I went to church in the morning. Eleanor struggled a bit due to being exhausted but refusing to nap, but Madeline was awesome! She ate her snack, sat in the pew and tried to follow along with what I was doing for mass. Post-church we picked up Matt and headed to Mission Bay for a birthday party for twins in Madeline's class. It was wonderful to see Madi playing with friends she knows. She is such an introvert that in new situations or with new people, Madi becomes very shy and drops back to observe. This means that she often spends time with people being very quiet and not playing. She also tends to need warm-up time with our friends' kids since many are bigger than she is or are already playing together when we get somewhere. Matt and I worry that we model this introvert behavior ourselves (unconsciously) and have both been trying hard to jump right into conversations with people when she is with us. Seeing Madi be able to go up to a group of kids she knows and get right to playing, running, etc was something we both needed to witness!
After the party, we headed home to try to get naps out of the kids (we failed at this). Then we packed up and went to the Sullivan house for a pool party. Of course, the kids fell asleep in the car. Matt hung out in the driveway with them (Ella lasted about ten minutes, but Madi lasted half an hour). Jeremy and Soledad were there with their 5 year old daughter, Lilah. After some shy time and with help from Mom talking to Lilah, the girls eventually began playing together in an out of the pool. Madeline had no fear in regards to getting right in the pool (I am sure this was helped by the super warm temperature) and was excited to show Matt some of what she has been learning in swimming. She did ice-cream scoops using the pool noodles and lots of kicking. Madeline also learned about how great pool loungers are. She and Lilah spent quite some time on and off the floating loungers! Eleanor had a quick dip in the pool. She didn't cry and seemed to enjoy it. She then spent the remainder of the afternoon in the exersaucer or in the Bjorn. I finally got a nap out of her and that helped the evening along tremendously! It was a gorgeous night and just the fun we needed. I was so sad driving home to realize that I still have a week (and more) of work left!

Pool time

Pool play with Daddy

Noodle fun!

Ella borrowing William's saucer. She was entertained for hours.

Growing Growing

The girls are growing in leaps and bounds right now. Like every parent, I think they are growing way too quickly and (in some areas) way too slowly, all at the same time. Matt and I are waiting, very impatiently, for Eleanor to start sitting up. Not that she is behind at all! We put her in the exersaucer, strap her into the high chair, lean her on pillows and generally encourage her to work on her core! She laughs at us and tips over regularly. In other areas, Ella is already moving ahead. She has two bottom teeth (two!!!) and is eating rice cereal with her breakfast and dinner. It took Eleanor only a day or two to figure out how to get food off the spoon and scoop it with her tongue. She loves the cereal, but will show her lovely gag reflex if you try to feed her more than a tablespoon per meal. Fruit will be tried next week.

The face Ella makes when I try to take a picture of her teeth. Not helpful!

Happy Madi!

Ella using a high chair out for the first time

Madeline had her first swimming lesson this week. Though she is comfortable in the water thanks to the time we spend in the pool at home, she needs to learn how to swim without a floatie and safely. I was sure Madeline would refuse to get in the pool at her first lesson (since I don't have to get in, yay!), but she did it! Admittedly, Madi was timid about the water and a little shy of her teacher and classmates, but she got in, she paid attention, and she learned! I managed not to say something extremely rude to the mother who was so busy on her phone that she didn't even notice her rude child spit water in Madi's face or continually misbehave for the 30 minute lesson, so props to me too! I am guessing that I won't be able to contain myself through many more classes, so I have been working on polite ways to ask her to discipline her daughter when she does something rude to mine. I have also been reminding Madi to use her "no thank you" for the kids in her lessons just like she does at school. Part of me figures if I leave it alone, Madeline might solve the problem her way . . . with teeth. I don't want her to bite, but I am okay with it if the problem with this little brat gets solved. These are the times when I wonder what kind of mom I am.

Hanging out on the "pirate ship" practicing her "mermaid hands"

After a great Memorial Day at the New Children's Museum and the carousel with Brennan and Eric, we may have just had our best weekend yet as a family of four humans! On Friday, Matt and I had a grown-up night out for dinner and the Book of Mormon. Dinner was great, especially since we had some friends go with us and we have not all been out to dinner together since before we all had kids. The play was hilarious. I almost peed my pants a few times, and have been singing some of the song lines to myself all week. While we had a playdate, Madeline had her first sleepover at Jocelyn's. They ate frozen yogurt before dinner, played with the kitties, colored, and generally ran around. I am so proud of Madi for spending the whole night and being okay in the morning! Thanks to Amelia for being willing to take her on, we are ready for Jocelyn to stay here whenever you are! Eleanor also had a first, she stayed with Melanie and Axel while we went out, managed to go to sleep around 7, and stay that way until we picked her up! Thanks Schwarz family for taking our little pumpkin on! On Saturday we had a beach bbq with friends. It is so much fun to see the girls running around together, digging in the sand, eating hot dogs, and looking at the babies. (yes girls, since little William is the only boy in a sea of girls).

Madi and Joss enjoying dessert first!

Ella sleeping in Aunt Mel's arms.