Eleanor Swings for the First Time

Nathan has been gone on a fair number of work trips in the past few weeks but we've been coping pretty well in his absence. Here's a video I sent to him in order to make him feel sad about being away. Not that it was my purpose to do so but it certainly made him wish he was here with the adorable laughing children. Poor Nathan.

Others are suffering in his absence.

Favorite vantage point. When will Daddy return? Why is no one petting any of us?

Poor Sookie has had to go to desperate measures to get a small amount of attention around here.

Sleeping Eleanor in the baby carrier, pathetic cat purring desperately while I try to keep her from putting all her weight on the baby's head.

Fortunately things have been going pretty well overall, especially when my friend Serena came out to visit with her son, Calvin!

We had a very good time and Calvin was a champ in the face of very loud Bradley delight and obsession with anything and everything he was doing.

Target has some ridiculous shopping carts that can seat up to three children. Thank goodness. I think Serena and I were more excited about photo ops than actually running our errands once we put all the kids together in the cart.

Eleanor now hollers when I leave her in her carrier so she was very happy to be a big kid seat and with a good view of her brother and Calvin. 

Calvin had a great time but I have the feeling that he may have been a bit worn out by the time it was the end of their trip. This photo was in no way staged.

And when we haven't been visited by wonderful Seattle friends we've kept busy going to the library, going on walks to the park, MOPS (church group), a program called Parents as Teachers, etc. My basic parenting philosophy boils down to: tire the child out and all will be well. When Nathan isn't around I step up my efforts. It is important for all involved that Bradley is happy to see his crib come bedtime.

Going to the library with Bradley is an experience. We usually go to story time and then run around and play. We like puzzles, chasing children through the book stacks while Mommy tries to catch us and make us stop, and getting drinks of water from the drinking fountain which has a handy Bradley sized step stool. Did I say anything about reading books? Nope. Books are for quiet time at home, Bradley has no interest in sitting and reading when there are so many other things to do.

He actually can put pieces back in the correct spot sometimes. Genius child!

Our trips to the park continue to be my favorite kind of outing. I absolutely love that we're one house away from the path to the park.

It's worth going out just so I can bundle up Eleanor in adorable clothes.

 These almost daily walks rarely involve actually playing on a playground anymore, Bradley just likes to get a ball and run along throwing it up the path ahead of us.

Or pushing the stroller around. Please note I took Eleanor out when Bradley started pushing. You're welcome, Eleanor.

Only at one park does Bradley really like to play on the playground much. He yells "neigh" while riding the seahorse toy because a horse is a horse of course of course. It's too cute. 

We also really enjoy running through leaves. I never had any of this, fall is very different on the west coast. 

Our friend Fatima met us at the park and got to show off our Bradley wrassling skills since all he wants to do at this point is run away down any path. I no longer have any judgment for people who put their children on leashes.

Meanwhile, I got to snuggle with Eleanor who is just beyond sweetness and light at this stage. She'll be five months old in two days, she's growing up so fast!

Eleanor went on the swings for the first time the weekend before last and loved it

Family picture! At least Mommy and Daddy are happy ...

And here they are at the swings again the next day. I can't take enough photos of these two being so sweet to each other.

Eleanor has also been waging a losing battle against infant hair loss. Nathan thinks it will come back blonde because she has blue eyes so it's a lot more likely. Not sure about that, but I do think I should start putting bows on her more often.

Much better! Thank you Aunt Diana for sending us adorable clothes! 

Here's a couple sweet Eleanor stories of the week: Eleanor likes to dance with her mommy. We'll bounce around the room while I'm holding her in my arms and I'll twirl her around all to big big smiles and an occasional laugh.

She also cackles at me while I'm swaddling her at night, which leaves me completely baffled. No idea why it's such a funny process but her shrieking with laughter while I'm wrapping her up makes it a very fun end of the day for Mommy! 

Cool pony Carhartt shirt courtesy of our friend Katie!

I'm a minor celebrity whenever I go anywhere with these kids. Eleanor is just like Bradley was in that she'll happily go to anyone. And I think I take for granted what a mellow, go with the flow little girl she is. Very few tears from the sweetest of little girls!

Unless I do something ridiculous and dress her up as a giant pink marshmallow because it's 25 degrees out and we're running an errand. It may have been an overreaction on my part, Eleanor was very sweaty by the end of our errand and rightfully told me off over it.

Nathan is earnestly starting project "spoil baby girl as much as possible" and I'm not sure who is enjoying it more, him or the baby.

Another cozy nap with Daddy? Yes please!

Sometimes I even sneak in an Eleanor snuggle myself.

She's awake but it's still delightful and cuddly

It's still warm enough here for lots of baby skin here and there

 Can you blame me for being obsessed with the baby skin? I cannot express how crazy we are for this little girl.

Bradley and Eleanor are already partners in crime and it makes my day every day to see the two of them take such joy in each other.

They're watching a show WHILE HOLDING HANDS. Melt goes my heart.

If Eleanor and Daddy have a special bond right now, Bradley and Mommy are having a blast doing their thing too. Bradley still does his thing where he'll run across the room to me with his eyes shut as tight as possible so I'll grab him and give him a bear hug. And we had naked run around time after baths for a short while until the pee on the carpet incident. Being the calm influence that I am, I would holler "naked Bradley!" and we'd run into Eleanor's room while Daddy changed the baby into her pajamas. 

I have other fun games that I like to play with Bradley. Bouncy ball time is a favorite.

We went to our friend Lucy's first birthday party this past weekend and a two year old at the party may have been the one that taught Bradley to push those that displeased him. So lovely ...

Bradley with Lucy. Lucy is pure sweetness and we adore her.

So now that he knows to push he's been showing off his new skill on a fairly regular basis, to this mother's chagrin. We were at a Parents as Teachers playgroup the other week and he pushed a little girl and after I told him no no no he went over and hugged her and smooched her on the mouth. And then hugged again and wouldn't let go. She looked over at me not sure how to take it and I said "he likes you SO much" and that seemed to pacify her. Which was good because Bradley went in for another round of hugs and kisses soon after that. I may be to blame for this, we hug and kiss and good deal in our house and I've even taught him to have his stuffed toys smooch each other because I think it's cute. We're trying to teach him to focus on the hugging and less on the kisses with his friends but it's a work in progress.

Bradley has been acquiring a myriad of new skills. He brushes his own teeth like a champ now that he has a stool and can watch himself in the mirror.

He also shares, even when the individual he's sharing with is rather unappreciative. 

Reading break with Mommy.

He is the best at drinking water and sometimes we don't have enough water bottles to slake his thirst. 

And coloring! On Mommy's notes instead of in the coloring book, but hey, it's still coloring. Surely this counts as me doing crafts with my child.

 He knows the best way to jump on Daddy on the stairs.

And he can put on his own construction hat now. It's so fun seeing him become his own little self sufficient person.

And I adore all his little expressions.Where's my stinkin' water? Why on earth is this cup empty?

They really are our little bundles of joy. Both are imps. Eleanor laughs when Bradley runs around wildly, they really are two peas in a pod.

And now it's very late and I'm as sleepy as Eleanor in this picture so I'm going to go to bed.

Actually, I'm as tired as Bradley in this picture. This is his focus on going to sleep face. Gotta admire a boy with focus.