Ella is three months!

Eleanor just keeps growing and growing. I can't believe how giant she is, much bigger than Madeline was at this age! She is starting to grab toys (or try really hard to grab toys), she has rolled over (many times off a pillow that she is propped on from belly to back and once in extreme anger from back to belly), she "talks" all of the time and is definitely the loudest baby I have ever heard under age one! I worried when I was pregnant that I wouldn't love a second baby as much as I love Madi (especially since, if I am being honest, I don't have quite as much love for Jameson as I do for Lani . . .my first baby), but I really do love them both equally. Not always the same amount at the same time (haha) but I am amazed at the pure joy I feel with each girl at least once a day. I am so proud of their accomplishments and wish that time would slow down just a little so that I can relish the good moments a little more. At three months old, Eleanor no longer wants to be in the wrap but is willing to be in the Bjorn if she faces forward. Ella loves to be swaddled, enjoys her pacifier, has a great daily routine which includes naps in the crib but not for longer than 45 minutes, and she had her very first day of school.  Dropping her off is insanely hard for me (I am thankful again that Matt took Madi to school for the first few months) and picking her up is wonderful. Apparntly on her first day of school, Ella shared the strength of her lungs with her new friends and her teachers easily got her to stop by taking her outside to look at the tree. Poor Matt has another arborist on his hands! Madeline was so excited to have her sister at school that she went to the infant fence and requested that her sister be brought out so Madi could see her, haha! I feel so bad for how often Ella's teachers will likely be given directions by my little dictator. I spent Eleanor's first day of school going to the gym (ouch), going to work where I found out that my brain has turned off somewhere in the last two weeks, and running some errands. It was relaxing and nice and a little sad too.

More tummy time

Sleeping with Jameson

I will hit that rattle!

Morning cuddles

Ella sleeping on Grandma Sue

What Daddy and Ella do while Mama and Madi go to gymnastics

Hanging out while Mama showers with Lani guarding the rear

"I hit the bird!"

Madeline has decided that she wants a cat. She talks about kitties all of the time, she asks about kitties of our friends, and she loves her hello kitty doll (thanks Shea family)! Matt keeps telling her she never gets to have a cat, but I am going with the "let's talk about it after the dogs die" plan. I want a kitty too, so I figure we have five years or so for me to change Matt's mind and get him ready to live with allergies for a while! Madeline's also starting to learn that she has a full name. She used to tell us that her name is "Madi" but now she tells us her name is "Madi Twinkle-Howe." I am guessing that this has to do with the fact that her middle name is Starr, but she doesn't quite understand the idea of middle names. She tells us that "I am a Twinkle-Howe and Ella is a Twinkle-Howe and Mama is a Twinkle-Howe but Daddy isn't." It's so cute! Though I am not allowed to tell Madeline that she is cute to her face anymore. She told me that she wasn't cute, she was pretty. So cute (haha)! The girls and I have had so much fun the last few weeks. Ella and I spend our days together relaxing at home, trying to nap in the crib, hanging with the dogs, going on walks, meeting friends for lunch and running errands. On Wednesdays, all three of us go somewhere to play. The Zoo, Sea World, the Children's Museum. We have a surprising amount of fun, I get a workout carrying and pushing the kids, and if I get lucky there is a nap in the car afterwards and some mommy quiet time.

Playing at the zoo

Napping post-zoo

Napping post-zoo

Rainy day cupcake making (Madi wanted to do Pinkalicious after her favorite book)

Arts and crafts - I hate this damn bucket of fun but Madi loves it so much that we play with it every Wednesday. Thanks Cat . . . I'll be sending you one!

We had a cupcake daily after making them

Golfing practice with Daddy

Building at the museum

Sister time

 Matt and I got a new stove this month. It is so amazing! After a year of having only have my burners working, I am so happy to have a stove where everything works. The flat top is gorgeous and the giant glass front oven is perfect for the kids to see what is cooking. New appliances make me so happy!

Yay!