Howe's Life: Where did July go?

I cannot believe that half of the summer is already gone! I think I have forgotten that the summer is for relaxing . . . hopefully I can make up for it in August. I spent the first full week of July helping with an Elementary Science Academy for the County Office. I had an amazingly fun week helping elementary teachers to see what science should look like in their classrooms and getting a look into what fun my kids are going to have when they start real school (we are two years away for Madeline, why does it seem so soon). I didn't like the reminder that pumping anywhere other than my usual places pretty much sucks, since I ended up spending twenty minutes three times a day pumping in my car with the air conditioner blasting so I wouldn't melt. The things I do for my baby! After the ESA week, I spent a week at SDSU for my Noyce fellowship. There, I had three pumping buddies and a breastfeeding mom and her adorable son to spend my pumping time with. It is a little ridiculous how many of us have already had babies and how many of the girls are pregnant currently considering that we have only been together for a year as a group. We may add scary numbers to the population of San Diego if this keeps up for the next four years!

Beating the heat

"I want it"

We have continued on our quest to sell the condo and buy a house. Sadly, nobody had put an offer in on the condo yet, but plenty of people have looked! Matt is hoping that if we drop the price a bit and have another open house, we may get a bite. If not, we may be renting the condo in the fall (not ideal, but doable). The upside is . . . we are in escrow on a super awesome perfect little house in Talmadge! It is a gorgeous little 1948 home. Updated, but still with its original floors, windows, kitchen cabinets, and charm. We are so excited to have a one-story house with a yard for the dogs and kids! I keep finding myself day-dreaming about decorating rooms and what I want to buy, but Matt is keeping me on a very short purchasing leash (at least while we have the condo still). The home inspection went well, the seller has been very nice, and all in all the process of purchasing a home has been way less painful than I expected. While I am so excited to be living in the new house, I am not at all excited about the process of moving. Part of me wants to pack everything in the house right now so that it is done, but I know I can't pack a lot while we are still showing the condo to potential buyers and living/eating in it! I am terrible at waiting and really think we should have gone with a short escrow!

I am so hanging this in the bathroom. Needless to say, Ella has begun pulling up to a stand!

In between all of this, we have been enjoying family time. We have spent as much time in the pool as possible. Due to Madeline's love of swimming as she continues with her lessons and to the knowledge that we won't so easily have a pool to swim in come the end of August. Madi is realling improving in the pool. She can climb out by herself now (elbow, elbow, pull up the belly, knee, knee). She likes to jump in and even get "rocketed" under to get her face wet. Madi's kicks, bubbles, and arm movements are getting stronger, but still have a way to go before they are coordinated. Eleanor has been enjoying the floatie. She loves being outside and the pool time is a natural extension of that, especially with warm water.

"Watch me Mom"

We had a small rain (with some awesome thunder). Madeline felt the need to dress for the weather!

Madi comes home from school now with very definite ideas about eating in or eating out. We have been hearing a lot of "I want to go to Miguel's for dinner." Since Ella is a thousand times easier to go out with now that she sits in a high chair and eats solids, we have been honoring Madi's request more often. Eleanor loves finger foods! She is eating pieces of french fries, anything steamed and small, small slices of melons, pizza crust, cheese, etc. It seems like she would much rather feed herself than eat off a spoon, so I am doing the best I can to accommodate her. I am not feeling as easy at the solid transition as I was with Madeline though. I am sure this has to do with the amount of time I have, but I also think the fact that Madeline was pretty much done nursing during the day by 7 months has something to do with it too. While Ella loves solids, she is very attached to the boob. I am just not sure how weaning is going to happen, but I know that we need to start soon! With how lovely the girls have been at restaurants, we decided it would be fine to bring them with us to Melanie's 40th birthday party at Tower 23 (they were invited). With the help of a few bouncy balls from Michael for Madi and Colden to play with and some french fries for Eleanor, the kids survived the couple hours at the restaurant very well! I am so glad we got the chance to celebrate with Mel!

Meaty Bloody Mary

Mel made Rose Macarons

Madi eating her Macaron

Look at my treat

"more fries"

Last week I wasn't technically working anywhere! Yay! This means that I worked at home for a day, ran a workshop one day, went to the County Office one day, went by school to see what I would be teaching for the last week of summer school, and tried to work in some pool/gym/reading time! It was the perfect balance of busy and relaxing. Madeline also requested a day with me since I wasn't working. She had earned a visit to Sea World with her bedtime stamps, so we decided that on our day together we would go to Sea World as soon as it opened, meet Daddy for lunch and then hang out at home together until swimming class. Sea World was perfect. We missed the majority of the crowds by arriving at 9 and leaving by 11:30. Madi loved the penguins, Belugas, and turtles. She actually touched the sting rays too! Madeline wanted to see the Orca show, but after ten minutes of sitting in the sun, she decided she was melting and we had to go. I can't decide if her feelings about the sun "agh, the sun, the sun is hitting me" are hilarious for a kid that lives in San Diego or just irritating. If she continues to feel this way, she may have to move in with Cat and Jeff in Portland. Madeline got to choose her favorite lunch of Mac and Cheese at Panera (so rich and yummy) and then we played with bubbles, painted on the patio, and tried for a little quiet time at home in the afternoon. It was such a nice day, I forgot how easy it is to just have my big girl with me! I am really looking forward to my individual days with the girls in August.