This afternoon, the girls and I went over to the Lawley Community Centre to see animals from the Exotic Zoo. I wasn't sure how Ellen would respond to seeing "exotic" animals, but I couldn't believe my eyes! She held and touched every animal that was shown around, which included:
Two cute, fluffy baby skunks... to my Ohio family and friends, can you believe skunks are considered to be exotic?!
A baby crocodile... her favorite animal she held today. The look on her face says it all.
A millipede... I squirmed in my seat the whole time "Millie" was out
A massive snake
A chameleon
A very cute and fluffy meerkat
...And a tortoise (but I didn't take a picture of that)
Meanwhile I got to hold an exotic, but cute little monkey goober
And yes, I washed her hands very thoroughly after this!
I'd like to post more blogs more often of everyday happenings. There are so many precious moments I'd like to remember and share with our family and friends.
Last Thursday (July 24th) Ellen and I were having lunch when she asked to look at the ketchup bottle. She started "reading" the letters on the front. By the time I grabbed my mobile to take a video she had stopped, but I thought it'd still be nice to post the video.
This was a very precious moment - Ellen and Brenna playing together in Brenna's room, and it's a great example of Ellen's funny personality.
This summer has been the nicest summer I've had while living in England - meaning, it's been warm, even hot, sun all day long and very few rainy or even overcast days. We got out the paddling pool last week. This was Brenna's first time in a swimsuit and paddling pool.
The girls are patiently waiting for me to get the water warm enough by pouring 3 kettles full of water into the paddling pool, despite having filled the pool in the morning.
Ellen said,"It's like a bath... outside!"
Me: "Ellen. Say cheese!" Oh, the reluctance to look at the camera. The straps kept falling off her shoulders, so I finally convinced her just to take them off.
Our rhubarb plant has grown this much from being just a root a month ago. Jeff's aunt gave us the root while we were in NI last month.
We thought it'd be fun to go to Chirk Castle in Wales on Saturday, since Ellen is becoming increasingly interested in princesses. Ellen was only 5 months old the last time she visited this castle, so another visit was due.
Daddy and Ellen played a little croquet in the castle gardens before lunch.
We found a shaded place for our picnic. Brenna was napping in the pushchair/stroller.
Brenna loved rolling around and stretching out on the picnic blanket after her nap.
I was wowed by this giant, beautiful hydrangea.
In the garden
A very bright and colorful flower
We never actually made it into the castle, but we spent some time in the courtyard catching up with friends of ours from Shrewsbury.
Brenna Boo can now sit up in a Bumbo seat! She only lasts 5 minutes or so, but she loves being part of the action during our meals and I love having two hands to eat!
On Tuesday, a few of us from my "mum's group" got together and the girls made pizzas, even the pizza dough!
Ellen's love for trampolines and bouncy castles has really taken off the past few months... a good way to burn off her 2-year-old energy! Here she is bouncing away at our friends house.
Brenna turned 4 months old today! Our sweetie pie is getting cuter by the day. Two weeks ago she laughed for the first time as I gave her kissies around her neck and belly. Ellen loves to hear Brenna giggling and will say, "Brenna's laughing!". She rolls onto her right side when she's on the play mat and somehow moves around in a circle around it. I predict that she'll crawl rather than bum-shuffle like Ellen and walk earlier than Ellen, too. She is now able to reach for things and even take a light hold of the toy, but her grasp isn't strong enough yet to control a toy easily. Brenna also begun cooing at the tv when we're watching cartoons and loves to "chat" with me when I'm changing her nappy/diaper or getting her dressed. Brenna loves to watch her big sister playing and has to sit with us at most meals at the dinner table; she just wants to be part of the action! She is also such a drooly baby! For weeks now, she drools most of the day and has her fingers or fist in her mouth, but no sign of teeth yet (this would be slightly early, but not unheard of). Her naps are starting to take shape and her bedtime is about 7:30, waking once or twice for a feed during the night (what a dream this would have been with Ellen!). We look forward to the developments that the next month has in store!
This photo was taken mid-May, but I keep forgetting to post it. Brenna sleeps with her thumbs under her index fingers. It's just such a cute, unique thing I just had to point out and remember.
I took a couple videos of the girls this morning in Granny and Grandad's kitchen. Brenna was happy talking to the little green birdy hanging from her play mat while I unloaded the dishwasher. I love how happy she is in the mornings after a good night's sleep.
Later on we were trying to persuade Ellen to sit down for breakfast, but she was too busy dancing and jumping around the kitchen to the same song over and over. Such a happy girl... for now, at least.
Our baby girl is 3 months old today! We are currently in Northern Ireland visiting Granny and Grandad - Brenna's first visit! Brenna is becoming more alert and curious about her surroundings. She loves to watch her big sister and coos at bright pictures in books and the hanging animals from her play mat. I love the smiles that greet me bright and early in the morning and they way she looks into my eyes and is simply glad to see her mommy. Brenna's colic is slowly improving, but now has developed eczema, thanks to her mommy. Jeff and I are relieved that we've made it through the first 3 months, a definite hurdle with a newborn.
Our Brenna Boo is two months old! She's past that newborn stage and is a proper chubby baby. At her 6-week appointment, she weighed 10lbs, 6oz, which means that she gained 3lbs as of two weeks ago. She's just beginning to smile at us; last night, all four of us were sitting on our bed reading a bedtime story, and Brenna just gave us the biggest grin. Ellen loved seeing her smile, too. What a special family moment! She has also begun to coo, usually after a good feed and while laying on the floor "reading" a book. Although Brenna still sleeps a lot, she also can be quite colicky, crying for hours almost inconsolable. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) she tends to cry the most in the evenings as we're putting Ellen to bed, which leaves very little time to do anything in the evenings before it's time for bed. However, the biggest blessing is that she usually only wakes once (during our 6, maybe 7, hours of sleep a night) for a feed, which is soooo much better than waking every hour or two with Ellen for over a year. Speaking of which, Brenna has been sleeping in her crib/cot bed since Sunday evening and doing very well at sleeping in a big room, in a big bed without Mommy and Daddy.
So, how is it going taking care of a two-year-old with her Jekyll and Hyde personality and a two-month-old? Sometimes fun, sometimes very, very difficult. There are the wonderful moments when Ellen is cuddling her baby sister, saying, "Brenna is so coot". Or when Brenna is crying and I'm taking a minute to get to her, Ellen will say, "It's okay, Brenna, it's okay", while gently bouncing Brenna in her bouncer. Then there are other times that aren't so wonderful when I have both crying at the same time with too many hours until Daddy comes home. Jeff and I realize that the colic will pass in the next month or so, so things should settle and be a bit more predictable.
