I can't believe it!

I actually got some pictures of Caroline smiling! Usually she runs away or turns her back on the camera the minute she sees it. I was so excited to get these shots!

Eleanor is Crawling!

First time crawling 
Eleanor crawling towards toy car
Eleanor's proud "scrunchy" face!

Eleanor really got the knack of crawling today at 8 months and 8 days old. She had a couple times before when she moved her knees and hands maybe two times in a row, but today she just took off across the living room floor. She knows where she wants to go and it's usually right over to Caroline, Mommy or Daddy. After she finishes crawling to where she wants to go, she turns and looks at you and gives you a huge grin and scrunches up her nose! She is very proud of herself and we are proud of her! Yay Eleanor! Now I just have to go home and do some babyproofing when we get back from the beach.

2 TEETH!

Today, all the sudden, Eleanor's first two teeth appeared! We thought it was just one tooth trying to break through and then there were two! It only took about a month! Two down, many more to go! 

Daddy and the Crowleys Arrive at the Beach

"Auntie Molly' and Eleanor
Sara and Eleanor
Emily and Eleanor
This same picture was taken of us 10 years on the same steps. We don't look a bit different! : )
Caroline and Emily being silly before bedtime

The girls at the aquarium
Caroline and her "pals"
Touching starfish at the SC Aquarium
Outside the aquarium
Playing at the pool with Daddy
Caroline practices her jumping with Daddy
Baby B with her Daddy

Brett arrived at the beach today to a very, very excited Caroline. SHe hadn't seen her Daddy in 10 days and she was really missing him! He got a huge hug and kiss by Caroline and a equally huge smile from Eleanor. Brett met up with our friends Molly, Josh, Sara and Emily Crowley at the airport and bring them back to the house with them. Molly and I went to college together freshman year and have kept in touch ever since. It was fun to watch Sara and Emily, her three year old twins, play so well with Caroline. THey immediately became great "pals" (as Caroline says!). While visiting us, we all took a trip to the SC aquarium, played on the beach and at the pool and shared several meals out together. Although it was interesting trying to get 3 three year olds and an 8 month old to bed each naptime and nighttime, we still had a great time (even though we were all a bit tired!).

Fun at the Beach

South Caroline with Grandpa

Grandpa arrived at the beach today to play with us! We definitely were happy to have the extra set of hands around. Grandpa took all the girls out for lunch and played in the pool with Caroline and Eleanor. Eleanor loved sitting in the pool with Grandpa and splashing in the water. Caroline got to show him how she had been practicing jumping into the pool from the side! It was great to have both Grandma and Grandpa at the beach with the girls again! Thank you for sharing your beach house with us! We had a great time!

8 months

Playing with Mommy in our living room
Little Beach Baby
Looking very serious in her stroller
Happy Eleanor Gracie playing with Grandpa
Practicing her downward dog!

Eleanor is now 8 months old! She is still her happy, smiling self who is still not the perfect sleeper, but we have made MUCH progress! She now wakes up at about 5am, wants a bottle and then will fall back to sleep for about another hour/hour and a half. She has been rocking back and forth on her hands and knees trying to crawl for a little over 2 weeks. She is really determined and has has been getting pretty frustrated that she has not taken off yet.  She especially wants to try to get to where Caroline is playing. She has also started babbling more, too. Instead of just say, "ahhhh" she now says, "dadadada", "babababa", and dehdehdehdeh". Her favorite foods are pureed peas and butternut squash. She is not a big fan of many of the fruits, but does like the oatmeal cereal, a lot better than the rice cereal. Our little sunshine is also continuing to teeth. It has been a long road waiting for this tooth to break through! Hopefully, it will pass soon!

South Carolina with Grandma

Caroline, Eleanor and Lesley are all enjoying some relaxation time at the beach with Grandma while Brett is on a trip.  Grandpa will be joining us later in the week. Brett will also be joining us the second week along with our good friends, Molly, Josh, Sara and Emily Crowley.

We are staying busy with Grandma going to the beach and pool every day. Caroline is a little fish in the pool and LOVES splashing in the ocean waves and building sandcastles. Eleanor, too, loves the water (both beach and pool), but best of all enjoys shoveling sand in her mouth faster than Grandma and Lesley can get it out!