Summer Update

Prepare for a lot of pictures and very few words.

*Wearing Grandma's glasses.*

*Sexy man working on a shed.*

 *The shed. The "Castle" as Aslynn calls it.*

*Blue eyed girl eating ice cream.*

*This guy showed up on the back patio at Arvel and Goodie's house.  He hung out in our backyard for a couple of weeks until I found him a home. I didn't name him because if I did I would have gotten more attached.  He was a super sweet puppy that would have grown up to be ginormous.  Aslynn didn't like him because he would bite her hair and try and pull her around the yard.*

 *Luke grew some beets.*

*Found in our kitchen.*

*Testing out the air mattresses with her daddy and making an angry face.*

More wordy and less random updates coming soon.

Luke's Garden

It's big.  It's growing.  The squirrels are still finding a way in - rumor has it that it is through the roof - but that isn't stopping Luke from collecting a bountiful harvest. Here's what it looks like.

*When you run out of room inside the garden, you just help the squash out of the garden and reach the fence. When the birds start to eat the green stuff, you help the plant back through the fence and into the garden.*

*Ruhbarb and basil.  There used to be "lettuce" in there too; it turned out the lettuce was just a very convincing weed.* 

*Squash.  Many different kinds.* 

*Strawberries.*

*Tomatoes. Luke got this plant as a gift when it was much smaller.* 

*Baby pomegranate plants.* 

*Baby kiwi plant.*

 *Tomato forest.*

 *Jalapenos.  These plants are the only thing in the garden that Luke bought as a plant.  Everything else (except that one tomato plant) he planted as a seed/root, even the marigolds (which help keep bugs out of the garden because they smell/taste so bad).*

 *Green bells peppers.*

More Eleanor

To the members of the Eleanor Fan Club:

I am happy to bring you just a few more Ella Vella pictures and a couple of updates that I forgot to add to her two month post.  I am also posting a video that was taken two days before Eleanor turned two months old; it is pretty much the bomb-diggity of videos.

*Aslynn is such a great big sister!*

Eleanor kicks and kicks and kicks all the time.  She looks like she is peddling an invisible bike.  "Ride that bicycle, baby girl!" 

 *Paca loves Eleanor.*

The nest two paragraphs might be TMI - fair warning.

Eleanor has learned that whenever I fiddle with my shirt she is going to get fed; she can be screaming bloody murder but if she sees me getting ready, she gets really quiet and smiles like crazy because she knows what's coming.  I call this amazing trick "Quiet Boob." 

 

When Aslynn was a baby I had a really hard time producing enough milk and we had to supplement with formula often. I am pleased to announce that my boobs are no longer broken. I have never had to supplement and I have already pumped more milk in two months than I did in Alsynn's entire life. Can I get a "WOOT! WOOT!"?

 *This is an example of the forbidden thumb sucking.  Notice the fingers.  She hasn't become a full-fledged thumb sucker because she likes to try to poke her eyes out.*

 *I accidentally lied about Eleanor's two month picture. This is actually the real two month picture.  The other one was her nine week picture.*

*This is what happens when I leave Eleanor alone with her daddy and sister. Earrings.*

*You're welcome.*

2 Months Old

Eleanor,
    Hello, my super-smiley baby!  On Sunday you turned two months old!

Your stats:
10 lb. 5 oz. - 50th percentile, 23 inches long - 90th percentile and your head size is also in the 50th percentile.

*5 Weeks*

We figured out how to make you happier in the car!  First, we took off your car seat cover thingy because for some reason you don't like it. Then we moved your seat to the middle, right by Aslynn so you can see her, she can hold your hand and put your bink back in your mouth when you spit it out. Last, we installed the singing, lighted mirror so we can see you and you can be entertained.  Car trips have gotten much easier. 

*6 weeks*

You don't wake up at 5:30 A.M. anymore. You wake up around 7 A.M.  Take a nap around 9 A.M., another one around 11 A.M. and one more around 1 P.M.  Your morning naps last about a half hour and your afternoon nap lasts about two hours. 

Nights aren't horrible, but they aren't always the best.  Last night, for example, you woke up every hour.  Each time you were WIDE awake and it took a half an hour to put you back to sleep.  I actually had to wake up your dad and ask for his help because I was very...done.  I love you so much, even when you won't sleep.

You sleep in your swing. Daddy bounces you to sleep on the ball and then puts you in the swing. You get rocked until Dad and I go to bed and then I turn off the swing. Some nights you are okay with the swing being off, and some nights you're not and I turn it back on. You're so spoiled! 

*7 weeks*

Remember how I said you rip out your bink?  Well, you still do that but now you don't scream for very long because you have found your thumb.  You are a very noisy thumb-sucker.  I wish you ONLY liked your bink though.  Eventually I can take a bink away; a thumb, you have forever.  Sorry, but I will continue to yank that thumb out of your mouth. 

*8 Weeks*

Your legs are getting so strong!  You love to stand up!  You like to stretch and be SO BIG!  Your neck is getting strong.  When you stand up you make your neck as accessible as possible; you like it when we kiss and blow raspberries on it.

You are very needy! Sometimes you want to be held all day!  It is very hard to get things done on these days.  Silly, baby!

My new favorite thing about you right now is when you you are eating and you unlatch for just a moment to smile and coo at me and then dive back in again. It just melts my hart to see that you love me too!

Daddy, Aslynn and I call you Eleanor or Ella Vella.  Just "Ella" isn't really working for us.  We'll see how the nickname thing progresses. 

We love you more and more each day!  You are amazing! 

*2 months old!*

Love, Mom

I Love to See the Temple

Aslynn loves the Primary song, "I Love to See the Temple"; she knows all the words and sings it very well.  She had been asking to go see the temple for quite some time.  We decided to make a trip to Redlands and visit aunt Stefanie and go see the temple. 

Aslynn loved it.  Her eyes lit up and she got so excited when she first saw the beautiful building. 

Luke and Stefanie had fun with Z (Eleanor and I sat in the car for most of the time so Ella Vella could eat) by having a photo shoot.

 *Little Miss Bossy/Independent is obviously stating her opinion about something in this one.  Random piece of information:  I (mom) am NOT allowed to pick out Z's clothes, shoes or hairstyles.  I can make suggestions but that doesn't not mean they will be heard.  Aslynn knows what she wants and how she wants it.  I have a feeling that is going to bite me in the butt one day...hard.*

*Happy Eleanor.*

Aslynn has been asking on an almost daily basis to go see the temple again.  I am so glad that she already has an idea of the importance and sacredness of the temple.  We will be going again very soon.

Matchie-Matchie

Great Grandma Shirley made the girls these super cute outfits. 
Aslynn found hers in the living room today and promptly took off what she was already wearing in order to put her new "dress from GiGi" on. 

We took some pictures.  Here they ALL are.

I really like these dresses/outfits because they are simple and cute.

I also like that they are covered in hearts; it makes me think of Valentine's Day which is in February which is my birthday month which makes me think that I should be celebrating and being pampered.  Christmas in July's got nothing on Bre's Birthday in August!  Woot!