back to school. sort of.

well, we aren't really going back to school.

but these girls aren't really hitting any more "baby milestones" and i have no real excuse to blog about the little details of their lives, so i thought i would do a little update on each one as the summer ends and while my girls are seeming to change and grow so fast that it makes me dizzy.

eleanor marie
age 3 and a half (exactly)

favorite toys to play with: 
anything, she can have fun with anything. she especially loves her princesses and jungle animals right now.

favorite movies/shows:
she claims lion king as "her best movie." she also loves brave, mulan, madagascar, wild kratts, magic schoolbus, and man vs wild (or "the climbing man show" with her favorite, bear grylls). she's not really picky, though. she likes being a couch potato.

favorite foods:
fries, cereal, yogurt, pizza, chocolate milk, soft pretzels, popcorn, ham, and anything sweet - especially chocolate.

favorite things to do:
she loves playing, watching movies, going to the park, swimming, running, making new friends, doing puzzles, reading books and comic books, giving big dramatic hugs, and going to target.

some of my favorite things about her right now:
 - she is great for conversations. she has a lot to say and it is usually very interesting. she also has an incredible memory and a good vocabulary. it's the best when she comes into my bed in the morning to tell me about her dreams.
- she is learning more self control and is able to do tasks without being asked, like take her plate to the sink or clean up her toys. she's getting to be more responsible and much better at listening (and obeying), especially when we're out of the house. she also goes to bed with no fuss and stays in bed all night.
- she is a good big sister. she shows poppy how to do things, like go potty and climb into the fridge (yikes). she includes poppy when they play anywhere outside of the house (at home she likes her space more often than not). ellie also reads to her and helps her fall asleep at night.
- she is really interested in relationships. she loves to talk about who my parents and my grandparents are and who daddy's brothers and sisters are and how everyone is related to each other. and, of course, how they all should come visit her and how much they love her (and vice versa).

penelope elizabeth
age 21 months (can you believe ellie was this age when poppy was born?!)

favorite toys to play with:
she also likes any toys, but she loves animals and princesses as well. she especially loves tigers, "hahsees" (horses), "bearbears," "dinodohs" (dinosaurs), "merdah" (merida) and "wella" (cinderella).

favorite movies/shows:
"nahmo" (finding nemo), "mackah mose" (mickey mouse), "ehmo" (sesame street), the tigger movie and daniel tigers neighborhood (because they both have tigers). she doesn't get to pick often, though, so she usually just watches whatever ellie wants to watch without complaint.

favorite foods:
she's my more adventurous eater. she loves strawberries, edamame, chicken nuggets, cheese, tomatoes, pancakes, couscous... and that's just some highlights from last week. she also loves sweets (but that's in her blood).

favorite things to do:
she loves to play, go potty ("potty me!"), snuggle (especially in her blanket), give kisses, read stories, jump off of things, run and hop, dance, tickle everyone, get tickled, and spend alone time with mommy.

some of my favorite things about her right now:
- she is trying so hard to be grown up. she wants to do everything as if she is as big as ellie (or bigger). she doesn't want to be held in the parking lot, she wants to hold hands and walk. she doesn't want to sit in the booster seat, she wants a regular chair. she wants to do whatever it is the big kids are doing and she doesn't want help.
- the potty stuff. it's so hilarious. when she has to go she yells "potty me!" and then after she goes potty and she chants "ah did it! ah did it! ah did it! yeah! " with this tiny southern accent. she absolutely refuses diapers, screaming "no! potty me!" and she barely accepts putting on a pullup at night. we went out of the house today (and took the potty) and she had no accidents at all, so she's making progress. 
- she gets so excited about things and makes the best faces. the other day she asked for chocolate milk and when i said yes, she put both hands in the air, jumped up and down and said "YEAH!" like it was the best day of her life. when we hear a funny noise she whispers "what dat?!" and her eyes get big and she makes a weird grimace with her mouth like she's nervous. it kills me.
- she hates going to bed at night (that i don't like) but she loves being held and having her arms and back tickled until she goes to sleep. she'll try to give more and more hugs and kisses to avoid bedtime and says "no! nuggoh! nuggoh!" (snuggle). and even though it's annoying, she has the funniest yell when we put her in bed. imagine the most traumatized voice in the world yelling "daddyAHHHHHH! mommyAHHHHHHH!" the words and screams have no breath between them and, as pitiful as she sounds, it always makes me laugh. i guess she just can't live without us.

hope you enjoyed this little update on these girls as much as i am enjoying them in person.
they're just as darling as darling can be.