Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Pumpkin Patch
Alyson managed to get us organized enough to attend the pumpkin patch together this year. This ended up being awesome since we were able to share kid care and still get the kids out of the house on a home game Sunday. Luckily we went as soon as the pumpkin patch opened because as we were leaving (around 11:30) the line of cars to get in was miles long. I would have lost my mind sitting in a car line that long with my two crazy kids! As usual, Madi and Brennan were fabulous play partners. The kids (Olivia, Whitney, Brennan, Madi, and we even got a few minutes with Abby and Paige) did the pony ride, the petting zoo, bounce slides, hay ride (which we accidentally took without Naomi), got whistles from the Oscar Mayer Weiner Mobile, and climbed on pumpkins. We had a great morning!
The girls are currently obsessed with their new playhouse. Thank you Grandma T and your scouring of CraigsList! We play in and around our new house at least a couple of days a week. Madi loves to say that she is the Mom and has to drive the kids to school in her car, while Ella is the Dad and should hang our in the house. Hahahahaha.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Ella is 9 months old and Madi is 3 1/2
These kids are crazy. They are crazy cute, crazy funny, crazy terrible sleepers, and crazy about each other. Some moments Matt and I ask one another how we could have possibly created two totally adorable kids and other moments we plot how we can run away and get an hour's piece or an empty bed to sleep in.
Just as an illustration of how cute our kids are (I am not biased at all of course) here are the school pictures they took this August:
I had no idea they were going to put Eleanor on a horse, by herself or with Madeline! Crazy school photographers!
At 3 1/2 Madeline is very much her own person. She is stubborn, dictatorial, and very sure of what she wants. We have had a few screaming baths/showers that have included me finally having to just stick Madi fully clothed into the bathtub, turn the shower on her and call it a day. I am fully expecting our neighbors to call CPS at some point. The sound she makes when angry about bathing or bed or teeth brushing is terrifying and oh so loud. When she isn't fighting to stay dirty or stay awake, Madi is usually asking to eat. She is like an empty football team! The girl carb loads like nobody's business and has a true love for every variety of noodle. Madeline also loves fruit, fig bars, fruit snacks, apple juice (she will drink the whole juice box in about two minutes if she isn't watched), otter pops, cheese, and chips of course. We are pretty close to just serving one meal and having Madeline eat with us, but she still picks and chooses if she likes chicken tonight or not, if she likes cucumbers tonight or not, etc. Madi does love to help choose what we are eating for dinner and she especially loves to pick out breakfast for herself and Eleanor.
The most entertaining thing Madeline does right now is ask for directions (and then start giving them) when driving. She has her freeways organized based on what she sees. She knows the buses are on the 805, the firetrucks are on the 163, the castle is on the 5, and the 8 gets us between school and home. Madi constantly asks if we are going left or right, which roads etc. She is getting way too good at telling me which way to go before a turn on the way to school or home. Madeline is also an amazing helper and big sister. She is always ready to get things for me, or help me carry something. She watches her sister for a few minutes and likes to bring Eleanor food, entertain her and explain to me what Ella needs. The voice Madi uses when she is being Ella is ridiculous! I am so lucky to have my big girl be such an easy kid (which I remind myself whenever I want to lock Madi and Lani in the backyard together).
At 9 months, Eleanor is gigantic! She is in the 90th percentile for height (29 inches), weight (21 pounds 4 ounces), and head (16 inches). Ella is crawling everywhere, standing up by herself, pushing chairs to walk and walking holding onto my hands. She is eating a ton of solids. I stopped giving her purees because she prefers to feed herself. Basically, if Madeline or I am eating something, Ella tries to eat it too. She is already stealing food from the other kids at school too. Through a little bit of pain, Eleanor has made the transition to formula during the day. I am so happy not to be pumping at work anymore! While Ella is okay with bottles during the day, weaning between the hours of 6 pm and 6 am is a completely different story. I am pretty sure she is up more often now, nursing more hours of the night to make up for the missing breast milk during the day. Matt and I have both tried just rocking Ella back down, giving her formula or water at night, anything. She refuses everything except the boob. Ella makes this shrieking sound over and over when she is upset at night that is so grating, we finally give in just to make her stop! I have no idea if we are ever going to get her truly weaned at this point. Either she will figure it out when I am gone in November for work, or she will be nursing at night until elementary school.
Just as an illustration of how cute our kids are (I am not biased at all of course) here are the school pictures they took this August:
At 3 1/2 Madeline is very much her own person. She is stubborn, dictatorial, and very sure of what she wants. We have had a few screaming baths/showers that have included me finally having to just stick Madi fully clothed into the bathtub, turn the shower on her and call it a day. I am fully expecting our neighbors to call CPS at some point. The sound she makes when angry about bathing or bed or teeth brushing is terrifying and oh so loud. When she isn't fighting to stay dirty or stay awake, Madi is usually asking to eat. She is like an empty football team! The girl carb loads like nobody's business and has a true love for every variety of noodle. Madeline also loves fruit, fig bars, fruit snacks, apple juice (she will drink the whole juice box in about two minutes if she isn't watched), otter pops, cheese, and chips of course. We are pretty close to just serving one meal and having Madeline eat with us, but she still picks and chooses if she likes chicken tonight or not, if she likes cucumbers tonight or not, etc. Madi does love to help choose what we are eating for dinner and she especially loves to pick out breakfast for herself and Eleanor.
The most entertaining thing Madeline does right now is ask for directions (and then start giving them) when driving. She has her freeways organized based on what she sees. She knows the buses are on the 805, the firetrucks are on the 163, the castle is on the 5, and the 8 gets us between school and home. Madi constantly asks if we are going left or right, which roads etc. She is getting way too good at telling me which way to go before a turn on the way to school or home. Madeline is also an amazing helper and big sister. She is always ready to get things for me, or help me carry something. She watches her sister for a few minutes and likes to bring Eleanor food, entertain her and explain to me what Ella needs. The voice Madi uses when she is being Ella is ridiculous! I am so lucky to have my big girl be such an easy kid (which I remind myself whenever I want to lock Madi and Lani in the backyard together).
At 9 months, Eleanor is gigantic! She is in the 90th percentile for height (29 inches), weight (21 pounds 4 ounces), and head (16 inches). Ella is crawling everywhere, standing up by herself, pushing chairs to walk and walking holding onto my hands. She is eating a ton of solids. I stopped giving her purees because she prefers to feed herself. Basically, if Madeline or I am eating something, Ella tries to eat it too. She is already stealing food from the other kids at school too. Through a little bit of pain, Eleanor has made the transition to formula during the day. I am so happy not to be pumping at work anymore! While Ella is okay with bottles during the day, weaning between the hours of 6 pm and 6 am is a completely different story. I am pretty sure she is up more often now, nursing more hours of the night to make up for the missing breast milk during the day. Matt and I have both tried just rocking Ella back down, giving her formula or water at night, anything. She refuses everything except the boob. Ella makes this shrieking sound over and over when she is upset at night that is so grating, we finally give in just to make her stop! I have no idea if we are ever going to get her truly weaned at this point. Either she will figure it out when I am gone in November for work, or she will be nursing at night until elementary school.
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| Madi and her pan du chocolat from Auntie Melanie. Auntie Melanie baked after Madi refused to eat a very bad chocolate croissant served to her at a book club meeting |
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| Sleeping baby (it's so rare I feel the need to document that she sleeps) |
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| "What?" |
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| After swimming |
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| "it's too hot for pants" |
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| Pissed - the sound I hear at this moment is "NOOOOOOOO" |
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| Also pissed - at the exact same time as the NOOO. These are the days I consider running away. |
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| Damn cute kids. These moments make up for the scary times (mostly) :) |
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