Bradley Dances and Eleanor Wears a Tiara

Hello fall! We had a fun time at the pumpkin patch!

Bradley helps select the best pumpkin of them all

Bradley and Daddy are both in flannel. Hurray!

And Eleanor is a little love. Can't give this girl enough snuggles!

And Grandma Colleen and Kerry came to visit. Bradley loves the oversized Disney books that Colleen brought last time and demanded that she read one to him. He's lucky his grandma would happily cater to his every whim.

We're settling in and doing well at the new house but there have been a few hiccups along the way. Bradley still isn't taking great naps and is generally a sad, needy mess come bedtime. So the other night when he was flipping out while I was holding him I decided to put him down so I could help Nathan deal with Eleanor poopy diaper that had soaked through her little pants. I put him down ... and he flung himself backward in despair. Directly into the side of Eleanor's crib. Almost instantly I could see a bruise forming and we had to hold down the crying child to ice his forehead. He's fine and the bruise is healing but it was all rather horrible. 

He had just started putting puzzle pieces back in puzzles and I'm happy to report that he still is able to do so. So no permanent damage!

And here's a video of him being ridiculously happy bouncing on Nathan. All is not sorrow at the Scott house!

Eleanor has been having a far easier time of it than Bradley lately. She sleeps like a champ and is generally a pretty happy girl throughout the day. Although sometimes she gets bored with me when she's awake during Bradley's nap time. She is fascinated by Bradley.

It's mutual.

She is going to be four months old in just four days and already she is trying to push with her legs when she's on her tummy.

We have to get her a new bathtub for her because of this. Eleanor doesn't understand why you would want to sit still and not push out of your tub, bath time is so much fun!

And she wants to chat with us quite a bit, once she gets going there is a LOT that needs to be said.

We have conversations. I ask her, "Do you need more kisses?" and I'm quite sure she always says, "Yes please, Mommy! Nothing would please me more!"

She loves her daddy so much and also appreciates his kisses

Sitting in the bumbo chair for the first time! Fun fact: by the time I tried to put Bradley in this chair, his chunky little legs were too fat to fit in it. True story.

Eleanor really likes it when I sing to her and bounce her on my legs but it's difficult at times because I am unable to do this around Bradley without him running over excited to be included in whatever fun thing we must be doing. So we've started singing "The Grand Old Duke of York" while bouncing Eleanor up and down on Bradley's tummy while he's lying down. He thinks this is all rather hilarious.

Then he thought it would be fun to try sitting on Eleanor. After this picture was taken we instituted a "no sitting on the baby" policy. This policy does not go unchallenged.

I've been going to more church functions which means more time away from Mommy and in the church nursery for Bradley. It's always interesting to hear reports back on his behavior when I pick him up. "He was SO sweet and gentle with the baby ... and the complete opposite with all the other children. He just sees what he wants and takes it!" I tried to get him moved up with the older kids so he's not in the position of being the bully of the nursery but apparently that's not allowed.We're working on our sharing. He still will howl when I won't let him take a toy away from Eleanor but then when it's his turn with the toy all he wants to do is shove it back in Eleanor's face so she can play with it again. Cute boy.

As much as I can I try to take Bradley and Eleanor to parks. Partly because it's so convenient at our new wonderful house!! And partly because Bradley can bash and run and throw things to his heart's delight.

Giant sticks to play with!

Hauling himself up the play tower. Sheer force of will gets him up.

And because I get to dress up Eleanor like this when it's even a little chilly. Yay!!

Here we are walking back from an evening park trip the other day. I wanted to get a video of Bradley running but instead I got a video of Bradley really wanting to be held by Mommy. Love!

I love these little munchkins, and the more I meet other moms and hear about how it went with them when they had their second child the more I realize how fortunate we are to have a snuggle wuggle Bradley who wants to cuddle his sister more than anything.

Super sleepy Bradley cuddles

Bradley has been fairly fussy when he wakes up these days and both Nathan and I independently started using Eleanor to cheer him up at these times. 

Eleanor has literally been awake for about thirty seconds here

 His main thing seems to be grabbing onto Eleanor's hands. It's a really good thing she doesn't mind.

In fact, generally she loves the attention!

But it can get to be just a bit too much for one little girl to handle sometimes.

But all in all, Eleanor eats up the loves. Who wouldn't love the sweet Bradley boy?

We also put Eleanor in a grocery cart for the first time! We're a bit early on this and she requires a little help staying up but it's super cute and Bradley loves it (of course).

 

Bradley checking on Eleanor's head. Yep, it's good.

And then at Target the other day Eleanor let me know in no uncertain terms that the baby carrier was stupid and she didn't wish to be in it anymore. So I tried this out. Note Bradley helping hold onto Eleanor. Yes, stuff like this makes me melt inside.

Nathan and I were having a conversation about love languages today and it seems like physical touch is the love language that reigns triumphant around the Scott household. We all kind of pile up into cuddly messes together.

 This is Nathan's idea of heaven.

One sad thing about it being fall now is that I get a lot less baby skin. As much as I love girl clothes I love naked baby even more.

But Eleanor is cute no matter what, even if she doesn't get to be a little nudist.

And she got to wear her first tiara the other day! She was not impressed but I'm firmly convinced that's only because she hasn't had enough opportunities to learn to love it!

 

And finally: Bradley likes to dance now. To Will Smith. You're welcome world.

Highlight of video in addition to the dancing: Bradley kissing Eleanor and managing to kick her in the face immediately afterward. And she barely flinches.