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.

I should not have gone back to work

Somehow my second week back to work, didn't end up being much of a work week.  After a lovely Saturday where Matt took his dad golfing at Pelican Hill to celebrate Jim's 70th birthday (wow!) while I hung out with the girls running errands and visiting Amelia and Joss (Madi was so excited to meet the new kitties) and a Sunday together celebrating Mother's Day, we all headed back out for a

Matt and Jim at Pelican Hill

Matt and the caddy

Gorgeous!

Madi plowing through french fries, waffles, corndogs, fruit

Ella with Grandma Sue (new hat that Grandma made too!)

Monday of school and work. I was spending the day with my Noyce Fellowship, which is always a great day. Matt picked up Madeline early from school for her three-year checkup. She didn't have to get any shots (yay!) and has stayed right on her same percentages from last year. She is now 32 pounds and 37 inches tall! Madi's head is 16.1 inches around . . . . the same as Eleanor's! Luckily Matt was home because daycare called at 1:30 saying Eleanor was vomiting and running a fever. I hoped it was just a side-effect of her teething, especially since she had been a little cranky all Sunday too. Ella's fever didn't go down and she threw up all over me and the bed around 10 pm (the joys of motherhood), so I took Tuesday off to spend the day with her. Baby Tylenol, cold washcloths and lots of snuggling filled our day. With Santa Ana's happening, it was very hot and as soon as Matt and Madeline came home, we headed out to the pool to cool down.
Matt stayed home on Wednesday with Eleanor since her fever was still coming back on and off. We felt very positive that she had fought off whatever was bothering her after she didn't run a fever all of Wednesday and seemed to be in a good mood. As we went to bed her fever spiked up to 102. Ugh! Luckily for us (not so lucky for the rest of San Diego) there were fires that cancelled school allowing me to stay home for another day with sick Ella. Matt and Madi only did half days at school/work and I took Eleanor to the doctor in the evening. Eleanor was diagnosed with her first ear infection, antibiotics were prescribed, and we spent another sleepless night.

PJ cuddles

Madi reading to Ella before bed

Lani watching over the sick baby

 Matt took Friday off while Madeline and I returned to our schools. Somehow with only two days of actual work, I was much more exhausted than I had been at then end of the previous week!
Saturday was filled with gymnastics, errands, and time spent trying to get the girls to rest (picture me in the rocking chair with a swaddled Ella and a cranky Madi in my lap for an hour . . . I didn't win the nap battle with one of them). Grandma T drove down to babysit so that Matt and I could go to an engagement party. First night out since Eleanor was born (thanks Grandma T)!
The engagement party was at a super-swanky house on Mt. Soledad in La Jolla. Spanish style, all Spanish tile floors, hot tub in the back overlooking the canyon and ocean, outdoor fireplace, just a ridiculously gorgeous home! Then, the party itself had a dj, two bars, a photo-booth, sushi, lambchops, ahi poke, and countless other trays of yummy food! I enjoyed some champagne interspersed with water so I could still feed Eleanor when we got home and ate as much as I could get my hands on. We had a great time seeing some of Matt's friends from his golfing days at UCSD and just enjoying the time together.
Since writing the beginning of this and trying to get the pictures organized, both Matt and Madeline have gotten sick! Matt started feeling icky on Tuesday, so he decided to work from home on Wednesday in the hopes of getting some rest at the same time. Madeline felt hot and looked bad Wednesday morning, but she desperately wanted to go to school, so I dropped her off and let her know to have her teacher call me as soon as she wanted to come home. She lasted until 11. Matt picked Madi up and they spent the day at home sick together. Matt and Madeline also spent Thursday at home together. Madeline drove him crazy as she became bored and would not let him rest. We have never been so sad that our kid doesn't really like to sit and watch tv for long periods of time! I am home today since the girls' school is closed, trying to keep Madi from re-infecting Ella, doing some work, and trying to let Matt get some sleep so he recovers. Mostly I am just praying that I don't get sick too!

Sick Madi sleeping in my lap while I was on a conference call

Happy Eleanor trying out the high chair now that she feels better. She has tried some very milky rice cereal, and really likes watching Mickey Mouse with her sister in the mornings!

Eleanor's Baptism

We had Ella baptized this Sunday! We asked Father Matt to fit her into an already full baptismal service because we were afraid if we waited much longer Ella would not fit into the baptismal gown that Madi and I both used! So, after a yummy breakfast at Great Maple and a visit to the 11 am mass, Eleanor was one of 9 babies baptized on Sunday. She was right in the middle of the age range, but Eleanor was definitely the loudest baby present! She was NOT HAPPY to be woken up after mass and forced into the baptismal gown. Ella was NOT HAPPY to sit through more church and not be fed immediately when she decided she was hungry. But she was very happy to look at the flowers on the altar, suck on mommy's chin, and have daddy stand up while Father Matt gave the homily. Madi was a little crazy during mass, which I blame completely on the presence of Grandma T and GrandKarl . . . but truly she was still better than some of the kids that regularly go to church with us. Auntie Nee drove down and took beautiful pictures of the Immaculata, the service, and the family. As usual I feel like she needs to start her own photography business! Thank you to Auntie G for acting as Godmother to both of our little Howe girls! I plan to send them to you for some overnight time as soon as possible :)

The Immaculata

The Dome

Front doors

This one should be in USD's brochure!

Getting undressed

Snuggling with Abu!

Oil blessing

Baptismal water from the font (the shortest person probably should not have been holding the baby!)

Madeline watching the baptisms (she was very worried about how much water would be poured on Ella's head)

Godmama Gisella lighting the baptismal candle

Lots of families

The Howes

Four generations of Starr women!

Mama, Godmama, and the girls

Proud Godmama

Madi adding some dance moves

Sister hugs

With the Grandmas!

The men and the girls

With Auntie Nee

Abu and Madeline snuggles

Getting out of the dress

Happy baby! Free of sin and a very long gown!

Back to Work

I have finished my first week back to work since having Eleanor. It has been an interesting lesson in how little time 24 hours each day truly is! While I am missing the girls, our Wednesdays of fun, snuggling with Ella, and having plenty of time to run errands or do laundry . . . I am LOVING getting to go to the bathroom by myself for 8 hours a day! Pumping sucks just as much as it did with Madeline, but I am making the time and managing to just about equal what Ella eats at school each day. Due to this, I am staying up each night until about 10pm so I can get a final pump session in. This means that if I slept all of the way through the night until my alarm I would get 8 hours of sleep. Since Eleanor seems to be teething, she has stopped sleeping well and needless to say, I am tired. Our routine in the morning has been very smooth. I get up and get ready, Madi usually gets up during this time while Matt, Ella, and the dogs snuggle. Matt and Ella get up around 6:30, I take the girls downstairs and do breakfasts while he showers and puts Jameson in the tub for a foot soak (yep the bulldog is getting a daily footsoak). When Matt comes downstairs we feed the dogs, he walks them, one or both of us gets the girls dressed, teeth brushed for Madi, sunscreen, and out the door we go.

Madi wants the girls to match recently!

Work has been good. I love my classes, the kids are easy, and I am already down to only 5 weeks left until summer break! I did work for my fellowship this week, but I am way behind on work for CREEC and need to get going on it next week. I spent my last few weeks the girls trying to just focus on them and not work, so CREEC suffered a bit. This week, there was no after work me-time, however I am hoping that as I get more organized, I can spend a couple days a week at the gym. The stairs in my building say I need to work-out!

To help with the morning rush, I make lunches for the girls and myself each night, after cleaning the kitchen up from dinner. This means Madeline and I spend about 45 minutes in the kitchen where she "helps" and asks a billion questions. Generally she makes me crazy since she is always trying to hurry me (I wonder who she learned that one from . . . Matt??) and I try not to show her how little patience I have by that time of night and how badly I just want to sit down with my feet up and a glass of wine in my hand.

Another matching outfit!

How Madi sleeps when it's hot

The week before I went back to work was gorgeous and we really took advantage of it! We took dinner down to the beach Wednesday night and let Madeline have some sand time, we bbq-ed at the bay with the Johnson's another night, we took the girls to Silver Strand on Saturday, and we spent plenty of time outside on the patio as a family. It was very nice and I am already looking forward to more outdoor time this summer!

The Howe girls enjoying sum sun!

Ella and Julia enjoying the BBQ. Julia looks just like a doll!!

At the beach

Digging with Dad

Testing the water