February Catch-Up

I can't believe we're almost done with February already! Time is flying, my friends. E.J. is almost eight months old and Ellie will turn three years old in just over a month. Eric only has about three months left of this school year. It will be summer before we know it!

But anyway, let's catch up on what else has been happening in February!

We had some really rainy days, which made for one stir-crazy mama and lots of puddles to jump in.

Jump!

Enjoying a non-rainy evening by the river

I love this picture of happy Ellie!

My mom came to visit, which was very helpful because I was sick with a bit of a cold. We didn't do much, aside from a little playground run just to get out of the house (this was after the aforementioned rainy days and I was itching for some fresh air).

Ellie sliding with Grammy

He's turning into such a little BOY! What happened to my BABY?

I found a ring sling that E.J. just had to have, and used some Christmas money to make it ours:

It suits him.

Ellie cooked up some fine banana swirl in her kitchen.

What a chef!

E.J. went upward, learning to both sit himself up...

Big boy!

...and pull himself to standing.

He'll just help himself to a toy, thanks.

His ever-increasing mobility also led to the expansion of "baby jail."

He's not amused.

E.J. also rocked some sleep training, and is now sleeping through the night and napping in his crib!

Look at that sleeping, would you!!!

Ellie discovered Siri on my iPhone and decided that we should regularly invite her to play with us.

Siri is kind of a buzzkill.

Achilles continued to reluctantly tolerate the children.

One of them is far more excited about their close proximity than the other.

Eric ran a half marathon out at the beach with his Marathon High kids.

We tried out a new storytime at the Mandarin library, where Ellie particularly enjoyed the craft.

She made a bear, and was quite pleased with herself.

Speaking of Ellie and storytime, she also went ahead and grew up and left me in the dust. One day at storytime she asked me, "Mama, can I go sit with my friends?" and I said, "Sure, Ellie." She very seriously looked at me and said, "Bye, Mama," then went and sat with the other kids. And my heart shattered into a million pieces.

How can I be so proud and so sad all at once?

Speaking of Ellie growing up, I registered her for preschool, to start in the fall. On the way home we stopped at the playground and she up and climbed this "rock wall" all by herself. ENOUGH GROWING UP ALREADY.

Then she came home and wrote her college essays.

E.J. continued to prefer eating inanimate objects to actual food.

I call this "expressive eating."

We did, however, find a food that he will willingly put in his mouth: wheat toast!

Progress!

Princess Anna did a little babywearing at Publix.

What a sweet little mommy princess.

Speaking of Anna, I got crafty and painted up some Anna and Elsa t-shirts for Ellie.

This way, she can still be in Frozen costume even when I make her take her Anna dress off.

Phew! That was close. She almost had to be a non-costumed child for a moment there.

Earlier this week we had a pocket of lovely weather (following up a few days of frigid-for-Florida temps), and we celebrated by playing in our backyard for the first time in 2015.

"It's fun to play baseball!"

We also had some fun with a box on our front porch.

Coloring her "rocketship"

"We're going to get a moon rock!"

On one particularly beautiful evening earlier this month, we had a great time at the playground. Ellie once again broke my heart by excitedly going over to "play with [her] friends"—she ran over to a group of older kids playing with a ball and started calling out, "Throw it over here! Throw it to me!" When they didn't, I absolutely died inside. But never fear! Her daddy found an abandoned ball and they had their own fun.

Nope. I don't have the stomach for this sort of thing.

Eric is a great dad!

That evening also included a sweet baby...

I can't.

...and a beautiful sunset.

February in Florida!

Not a bad little February, eh? There are still a few days left, which will likely also bring more storytime fun, another visit from my mom and a quick visit with my aunt and uncle, and some more jury work for me. A great way to end the month!