Eleanor is 2!

Oh my goodness Ella is 2!!! How is that even possible?
We celebrated Ella on her actual birthday with cupcakes at home. She was so excited and Matt got the most awesome video that truly illustrates Ella's personality!

At two, Eleanor is super talkative. She dances (with surprisingly good rhythm), sings, repeats everything she hears. Ella loves to watch tv and is very specific about which shows she wants to watch. She is learning to share, to take turns, and to help do little activities around the house. At home and at school, Eleanor tries as hard as possible to stand in the middle of any room that is being cleaned and only put one thing away. Ella still doesn't go to sleep easily. Her current favorite bedtime routine involves staying with Madi and whichever parent for books and songs, then sneaking out of the bedroom to sit on the couch until she falls asleep around 9. It sucks. Ella loves watching Matt play video games during these evenings. Ella's new favorite activity is pretending to drive the car. She and Madi can spend hours sitting in the front seat steering, moving the mirror, asking "where you wanna go?" while I sit in the backseat with a book. This has morphed into Ella yelling at me from the backseat "Mama stop, I drive the car not you" whenever we go places. If she is this impatient to drive already, the next 14 years are going to be very painful for her.

Science Museum with Dad

Dinosaurs from Aunt Wendi!

"Yep, I'm adorable!"

"where you wanna go?"

Sisters in rainboots!

When you can't drive the car, just be a car

Stretching with Dad

Sister selfie!

Eleanor has slowed way down with her growth in the past few months. Her two year old stats are: Weight 29.6 pounds (81st percentile), Height 34 3/4 inches (76th percentile and also happens to be exactly Madi's height when she was 2), Head 19 3/4 inches (98th percentile, still huge).
The Sunday after her birthday, we had friends over to celebrate Eleanor and watch football. We set up the tv outside, ate cupcakes, and grilled pollo and carne asada. The kids had a great time running wild and Matt and I ate leftovers for a week. It was a great day and put us all in a good mood before we had to get back into the work/school routine.

Christmas 2015!

We began the holiday season with our annual visit to Santa at Shadowridge's Brunch with Santa. The girls were willing to talk to Santa after a while, but neither wanted to sit on his lap. They both loved the candy canes and presents though! We also toured the holiday lights in Clairemont Mesa. Dinner with friends, looking at all of the lights, and hot chocolate made for a fabulous start to the Christmas!

The kids are almost old enough to sit at their own table!

Taking over Boudins

Howe snowbabies!

Jackson and Ella building their holiday traditions

We celebrated Christmas in Palm Springs this year with the larger Howe family. We stayed in a gorgeous house on a golf course in La Quinta. The four Howe grandkids had a great time together. Madi thinks Emery is sooo adorable (and she is) and both of my girls drove Graham crazy forcing him to share his Hot Wheels with them.

Madi, Ella, Emery

Graham trying to protect his track from the girls

On our first full day on vacation, Matt went golfing with Grandpa Dave. They had a great time and Matt tried not to beat Dave too badly. While Matt was golfing, the girls and I hit the grocery store and settled into the house for some relaxing. We met Dave and Matt for lunch at the La Quinta golf club, which Ella slept through most of in the backpack. The following day, Cat and I headed back to the La Quinta resort for a spa day. We both had lovely massages, sat in the hot tub and sauna, and enjoyed a quiet lunch with a glass of wine. What a perfect beginning to our trip!
The rest of the week was filled with Bloody Mary's, playing in and out of the house, making sugar cookies and a journey to the Living Desert (thanks Heather for coming with us). Matt and I both managed to get some work done in the mornings while our girls were devouring breakfast and cartoons. We also took the girls to Cheeky's for a fabulous breakfast, at which Madeline ordered a bowl of milk to go with the cheerios she brought with her from home! The kids loved the jacuzzi and we "swam" most afternoons.

Heather came to help with cookie decorating. The extra grown up hands were super needed!

Christmas Day we had a great brunch with the extended family. The kids opened their stockings and Santa presents when they woke up. Madi was so excited that Santa had eaten her cookies! Ella and Madi both received their own Kindles and have spent large numbers of hours since Christmas watching separate shows or playing very loud games next to each other on the couch! Present opening was a hilarious event that involved flying wrapping paper and Ella wanting to open any present she saw. Madeline did a great job helping pass out gifts, but her little face was so sad when she saw we were down to the last present. The kids spent the afternoon playing with their new toys and enjoying their cousin time.

When you get a tent for Christmas . . . . 

Stocking time!

Howe girls

The best we got with all four kiddos

When we arrived home on Saturday, the girls had presents from Auntie Wendi to open before we got down to the serious business of cleaning out the playroom to make space for their new toys. I was super impressed with how well the girls did with boxing up toys and books that they don't use anymore to bring to Baby EJ.

This is my new favorite activity!

Twinsies

After the girls and I spent a few days together running errands, meeting friends, and just hanging out, Madeline and Eleanor spent the night at Grandma T's for New Year's Eve. Matt and I went to see Star Wars and I was asleep by 10. On New Year's Day, we headed to Grandma T and GrandKarl's for Christmas in the OC. Abu came over and the girls went to town opening presents while trying to keep Bella from eating wrapping paper and ribbons all morning. I think that both Madi and Ella were most excited by the Mermaid Tail Blankets that Abu made for them. I am so jealous that I don't have one in my size!

In case anyone is curious what holiday exhaustion looks like . . . we need a bigger bed

Madi helping Dad stretch

Nighttime snacking

Overall, we had a fabulous holiday season and I know Matt and I are both amazed by how much fun Christmas is when you have kids who are so enthusiastic about every part of the holiday!

A week without Dad

Less than 36 hours after we got home from Hawaii, Matt was back out the door and on his way to DC for work. The girls and I made it through the week (barely), but the lack of sleep and jet lag were pretty painful to deal with. A week later, Ella is still on Hawaii time - she goes to bed after 9 pm and wants to sleep until 7:30 - this would be fine except work and school don't have that schedule! Madi just wants to cuddle all of the time and when she isn't cuddling she is yelling, crying, and telling us "I don't love you anymore." It hurts. Shockingly I got through the week with only two bottles of wine!
Matt got to spend a day exploring DC and I had a Mom's night with the two of my three neighborhood moms and their kiddos. I love how just having someone else's kids in the house helps the time pass for my kids so much faster! Sadly, none of the moms could share my wine as they are all pregnant (this is the second round of these women having kids together, crazy). I was very happy to have Matt home on Sunday . . and I celebrated by leaving him alone with the kids while I went to book club and then did some work! This week has been much easier with Matt and I both home and the kids finally beginning to get back on a San Diego time schedule.

Night time activities are getting calmer - iPad and coloring

Sweater from Abu

Being Elsa in red capes

Tea in Old Town

All ready

Yum! - Why is small food always so good?

Ella is beginning to speak so well! She is trying to use sentences and clearly communicate what she wants or thinks. Ella's two favorite ideas are still "naked girl" and "snack" but she is also starting to repeat other sentences, especially things Madi says to her. Madi is obsessed with Christmas right now. She was chomping at the bit to decorate the house and only wants to listen to Christmas songs in the car. I can't decide if I love how excited Madi is about the holiday or if it just adding to my stress. I am also beginning to wonder if Ella is going to hate Christmas as they get older since Madi is so obsessed with it and Ella's birthday is tied to the holiday time.