Where Are The Children?

Eleanor is starting to include Winston a bit more in her play, which thrills me to no end. I really hope they always like each other. Here are a few bits of them playing and a few other odds and ends that I want to remember.

Hmm, it's a bit quiet... That's never good... I wonder where Eleanor and Winston are?
Little feet. I love her feet.

I guess it was a walk in closet. P.S. They are both in this shot.

Winston?

Yes, mom?

Another time, while playing in our closet, little girl found my thigh-high red boots and actually got them on herself. Only they aren't actually thigh highs, they only come to below the knee on me.

Here she is in action.

So this doesn't fit in anywhere, but it's one of Eleanor's sculpture/creatures. This is a empty formula can, two chopsticks jammed in the top, robed in a washcloth and topped off with a nursing pad. Classy.

I just had to include this one of her wearing her headphones. Some days mom doesn't want to hear DJ Lance Rock ask her if "she's ready" one more time.

And come on! Look how cute she is in them!In our attempt to save boxes for packing, the kids are having a hay-day with them all around.

Where's Eleanor?

Oh. Right there.

My cute men.

And of course our cute girl. I'll never get tired of dressing her up.

This was right before she turned three.

Oh! Her birthday! I can't wait to blog that and her Easter and about a dozen other things, of course. When am a I ever caught up on the blog?

Winter Walk

Almost two months ago it was a pleasant enough day to go for a walk. A very bundled up walk that is. Something about February and March in Michigan just make you feel like prisoners in your own home. I don't remember feeling this way in Utah, but it must be because Eleanor wasn't old enough yet. Cabin fever is a real thing when you are trying to keep kids occupied and happy indoors for weeks on end. Especially when you are trying to limit their tv hours so you don't have to lie when the pediatrician asks how many hours a week they watch tv.
(Note- I sometimes lie to the pediatrician.)

I loaded them in the wagon and went around the block.

That's our duplex, by the way. We live on the right side there and the Johnson's live on the left. It's been a wonderful place to live. Some of you might remember my stories from our first year in the house down the street. (Shudders.)

They looked so funny all bundled up in their winter gear. I thought they were having a good time, but they look hilariously "attitude" in this picture.

Upon closer inspection, they seem happier.

We went into the back yard for a bit and Winston got to crawl outside for the first time. This was back in his army-crawl phase. It lasted quite a while, he learned to crawl in December but didn't switch until sometime in early March. Either way- he's a speed demon.

I forgot his gloves as it was quite warm outside, but on the ground his fingers were getting cold- so I gave him mine. He looks like such a little elf in this picture!

Chocolate Milk

After visiting Utah, we were missing pre-made chocolate milk, my parents always have it in their fridge because my grandmother loves it. It's so ubiquitous with their house that when Allie was just 2 and Jenni said they were going to grandma and grandpa's house, she shouted out "Grandpachocolatemilk?" The name has since stuck. Well, when we returned to Michigan I bought a half gallon on a whim. But, ohhhhh dear. Little E wanted it anytime anyone opened the fridge. One day she was being such a drama queen about it that I took a few pictures.

After being told "After dinner".

Trying her best sad-eyed expression. My parents would have sooo caved by now. Note she got the container out of the fridge to help me.

Working on tear production and spit bubbles. I realize in pictures she looks downright tragic, like she could be a little Cossette on stage, but if you saw the work behind the tantrum, you would've laughed and grabbed your camera too.

"Oh Moooooommmmmm!"

Here is where she starts talking really fast, only you can't understand her because she has worked up real tears by now over her heartache. "...butmomIreallyreallywantsomeandIjustwantsomeandyouneedtogivemeitbecauseIreally- reallywantsome..."

Fine.

Worth it for this shot.

Lesson of the story- I don't like drama, I am the weakest link in family discipline and tears and manipulation will totally work to get what you want from me. Please don't manipulate me now that you know my weakness.

Little Mother Eleanor

Um, so it is pretty obvious what is happening in these pictures. You all know the story, you are on Pinterest donating blood for typhoid-stricken-orphan-nuns in your living room when the world suddenly seems a bit too quiet.

You go to investigate and find this- your nearly three year old has woken her brother from his nap by making him a bottle. Only without the bottle and without the water (Thankfully!).

And yes, she is rocking a size 6-month mermaid costume that keeps finding it's way out of the too-small bin. It has made the blog before. It's suppose to reach all the way to the feet of a baby, or the hips of a toddler. Obviously I was being a stellar parent in every aspect that day.

Can you see it?

Luckily formula isn't the least bit expensive.

And luckily Winston seemed to be thrilled with the whole endeavor.

All Winston

Once again, so behind! My computer keeps telling me my start up disc is full despite my deleting all kinds of gigs or ram or whatever. (Gee, can you see why I have computer problems?) So it wont let me download my pictures until I clear up more space. BUT I DID CLEAR UP MORE SPACE! Arggghhhh! Sorry, anyhow, I did get a few pictures off and need to catch up. So let's get started.

Did you know sweet Winston is 9 months old? Yeah, I didn't either. Kidding, but seriously, this boy's first year is screaming by and I REALLY need it to slow down. Winston is hilarious. His first two bottom teeth came in on Christmas and two fangs came in a bit after. It's such a funny vampire look. His middle top teeth are making their entrance now and the poor guy is really feeling it. He's been crawling army/zombie style since early December as well, but finally switched to the traditional way a few weeks ago. And he is fast. Egads, he can make a run for it. Soon after we returned to Michigan I found him by our front door when he had been downstairs. That meant that he climbed half the stairs by himself. Oh thank you Heavenly angels for that one. We now have a fabric "barrier" gate at the bottom and the real gate installed at the top. If anyone is slow to shut them, they usually have to pick him up as he will be RIGHT THERE trying to get through. He is still tall for his age, his weight is about average and his head still threatens to take over the world. Yeah, hats don't fit so well. His hair is decidedly blond (Yay! Go team Mom!) and his eyes are a olive-grey kind of color that changes in the light. He's still cute. Here, see for yourself!

Trying to get a shot of his "fangs".

A typical face when faced with mashed peas. He will kind of eat them, whereas they were Eleanor's favorite. He must take after his uncle Tom. He also dislikes bananas. Weird.

More fangs.

Early in learning to stand-up he would climb up all kinds of things and get stuck. Like his swing here. This is before he got reeeeallly panicked and upset.

Winston's official chore is to unload each and every bookshelf in the house. He also likes to find any storage boxes and empty them, too. Here he got high centered on one. Ha!

I heard a cranky baby in his crib and went in to find this. He could not get unwrapped for the life of him and was ticked. For the record, Eleanor put that blanket in there for him when she woke up. She likes to give him things in the morning, toys, binkies etc... to try and make him be quiet. The girl likes her sleep. Wonder where she gets that?

Another time I heard him crying after his nap. I came in to find this. This is before he could get down from standing up. That was a laaaaaame week or two as anytime he would wake up, he would immediately climb up and get angry. Several times a night. As you can see here, in the dark he climbed up the wrong side of the crib and was stuck there.

Yes I took several pictures as we laughed at him. He has since learned to get up AND down and life is so much easier for all of us.

He loves the bath!

Can you believe he has already outgrown his swing, the bumbo and his little exercise saucer too? Stop growing!

Back when he enjoyed rice cereal. Honestly! This boy moves on from milestone to milestone faster than I can keep up. Obviously faster than I can blog. He hates being spoon fed now and it can take up to and hour to finish some pears or squash. It's all about finger foods now, but I've yet to find the time to steam and cut up squash or the other 70 fruits and vegetables I should be feeding him, which is why I am still trying the purees. He gets a lot of frozen peas, cheerios, puffs and pancakes.

Crawling over and under everything.

With his neighbor friend, Zach.

Showing Eleanor how to work it in a photo. She still wants to hold him like a baby, even though he is only about 6-7 inches shorter and maybe 7-8 pounds lighter.

A happier crib experience, lest you think it's all awful in there. This is usually what we see when he wakes up. He takes 2 good naps a day or 3 crummy ones and mostly sleeps through the night! He's only been sleeping through the night for less than a month, so we are still a little unsure if we can celebrate yet.

This boy looooooves the dishwasher. Anytime I am loading or unloading he will scurry over to start unloading the plates for me or try to climb in.

Maybe he has an illustrious career ahead of him as a professional dishwasher. We will train him well in the craft, just in case. I'll hang this picture over the dishwasher to remind him in his teenage years.

Oh, their bookshelf. Here he is, hard at work. I usually try to wedge the books on the bottom three rows so tight that he can't get them out. It only kind of worked.

I generally would leave the shelves like this, because what was the point? He would unload them several times a day, but is now down to maybe once a week. I think the novelty has worn off. Hopefully!

Well, that's a Winston update. Eleanor just had her third birthday and there are hundreds of pictures that I want to share, just because. Fingers crossed I can figure out where all of the storage issues are on my computer and catch up!

My Sweet-Tart

Early in January I dressed the kids up for a Valentine's photo shoot to make their cards. I took about 100 pictures in an effort to get a few good ones. I'll post some of those in another post, but the funniest part was that towards the end Winston got the lid off the jar with the gummy Sweet-Tarts and put one in his mouth. Here is the hilarious progression. (And the total end of the photo-shoot for Winston. Poor guy.)

Whattha?Oh man!

Ohmanohmanohmanohmanohman....

After I fished it out he tried to be brave.A kiss from sister makes it all better.Well, sort of.