Eleanor is 8-months-old!

She looks like a baby model!

Such a pretty smile, but I didn't use this one because it's out of focus.

This is the look I got after she fell out of the chair - for the second time. Oops! I caught her both times, though. She just wasn't very happy with me.

Then she started trying to climb out of the chair to see what her brother was doing. The official 8-month picture was the best I could do with a baby girl who doesn't sit still for very long these days!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Austin Aquarium

Cohen kept saying, "I don't like pirates." That was as close as he'd get to this guy!

Working up some courage to feed the rays!

He did it!

It's hard to tell from this picture (because it was super dark in there), but this ray is eating a shrimp right out of Cohen's hand! I couldn't believe he was brave enough to do it!

Cohen was fascinated by this shark - who happened to be named Jack.

I thought this was neat - these are shark eggs and you can see the babies inside there! (I can't remember what kind of shark it was).

A newborn shark pup.

Cohen watching Jack the shark some more!

Eleanor was there, too - it's just hard to take pictures of her when I'm wearing her!

Will won a family membership to the Austin Aquarium at a silent auction a few weeks ago, so after Eleanor's appointment on Tuesday, we went over for our first visit. There's not much to it, but it was neat to see. The best part (aside from being able to feed the rays), was a big indoor jungle gym that Cohen could play on! It'll definitely be worth returning to on those hot summer days that are coming up quick!

The end of our DOC Band journey!

This is the *official* picture that we're going to submit to the DOC Band Babies 2015 calendar! It's not my favorite, but that girl does NOT particularly like having her picture taken, especially when we want to pose her. This one will have to do!

Waiting to see our results!

Pretty girl with crazy hair!

Hanging out with brother while we wait!

All done!! Yay, Eleanor!

Tuesday, May 20, 2014 was our *DOC Band Graduation* day! I am so pleased at the difference the helmet made in Eleanor's head shape. I will admit, her head is not 100% perfectly round - she still has a little bit of a flat spot on the back right, but Will and I agreed that our goal in this journey was never to make her head perfect, it was simply to make her head better - and we achieved that. As we got to see the before and after pictures, I was amazed at the difference it made in the symmetry of her face and facial features. Her eyes and cheeks look SO different. Her ears are still a little asymmetric, but that has more to do with the torticollis than the plagiocephaly, which we will continue to work out in physical therapy. All in all, I'm glad that we did the helmet. It wasn't my favorite thing (nor was it Eleanor's favorite thing), but we did our best to make the most of it, and seeing the results, I'm happy we persevered and got through the past 10+ weeks. It was well worth it!

Fun at the Kiddie Park

Eleanor riding the "carriages" with Cohen! He's an incredible big brother!

Teething. What else can I say? Her fingers are constantly in her mouth these days!

Cohen driving the boats!

Driving the cars is serious business!

But it's also pretty fun! Pretty girl! (I sent this picture to Will and his response was, "Eleanor is riding rides, too?!?!")

My attempt to get a picture of all three of us. Not as easy as I thought!

Cohen on the carousel!

Eleanor keeping an eye on her brother!

Cohen getting his face painted. He said, "I need a baseball because I play baseball and I love the Texas Rangers."

Riding the space ships!

Snack break - popcorn is the best snack!

I took the kids to the Kiddie Park last week to a special Invite-Only event. It was a TON of fun and Cohen probably thanked me six times on our way home for taking him there. We've been there three or four times before, but this was the first time Cohen was really old enough/big enough to thoroughly enjoy it (and remember it). Eleanor had a good time, too, and ended up falling asleep in the carrier as we were walking around the park!

Mother's Day 2014

Muffins with Mom at Cohen's preschool. It lasted about 3.5 minutes before he politely informed me that he'd rather be outside playing with his friends!

Silly faces before school!

Her hair is so curly at night, so in the morning it's just sticking up everywhere! Love it!

Mother's Day morning! Pretty girl!

 

The two reasons I get to celebrate Mother's Day! I am SO lucky!

This is my first Mother's Day with Cohen and my first with Eleanor side-by-side. Must be something about that day that gives my babies crazy hair!

A beautiful bouquet of yellow and orange tulips, original artwork and a funny questionnaire from Cohen, a great card and a shopping trip for some new summer clothes all added up to a WONDERFUL Mother's Day! I love those two (and their daddy) with all my heart!

Our trip to Seattle

Cohen "being brave" on the first flight to Seattle!

Little sister taking a turn in big brother's seat on the airplane!

Early bird!

Cohen checking out the view from our hotel of downtown Seattle on Saturday morning!

Not a bad view!

On Saturday morning, we had breakfast at the cutest little cafe in Seattle - Luna Park Cafe!

Those eyes!

 

Walking along the pier heading to the Seattle Aquarium!

Just breathtaking!

Warm and cozy in the stroller on the way to the aquarium!

Getting an Orca whale painted on his cheek!

 

LOVE this picture of our little family!

The fur seals were out of the water sunning themselves - and who could blame them?! It was kind of chilly!

Cohen's a GIANT octopus!!

A real-life Pacific giant octopus! I had never seen one so big!

Cohen doesn't quite measure up to a Sixgill shark!

Eleanor had a great time at the aquarium!

Listening to whale calls that were actually recorded just outside of Seattle!

Cohen pretending to be a sea lion scientist!

Giving his sea lion some medicine!

All tangled up in the octopus tentacles!

Scuba Cohen!

Watching the seals swimming!

 

Our view from the Ferris wheel!

Cohen and Mimmy going around the Ferris wheel!

The view from the other side of the Ferris wheel!

Lunch on the pier!

This girl loves straws! In fact, on the flight out to Seattle, she figured out how to drink some apple juice out of a straw! I was impressed! Ha!

Just one of the MANY street "performers" in downtown Seattle!

Poor things - I'm sure they hated every minute of this...

Cohen by the bronze pig statue at the entrance of Pike's Place Market!

The tulips were AMAZING and so cheap! If I could have figured out how to bring back some fresh tulips, I would have! I could have spent all day just looking at all the different varieties of tulips they had at the market.

Playing (when they should have been napping)!

This one finally conked out!

The next morning! Sleepy eyes, but dressed and ready to go!

Our view from the top of the Space Needle!

Daddy holding Cohen up so I could get a picture of him under the Space Needle!

 

This picture cracks me up! It looks like that salmon is going to eat Eleanor up, and she is obviously not amused!

Inside an Orca whale at the Seattle Children's Museum!

Cohen and his daddy leaving their mark on the wall of the SCM!

 

Climbing the wall!

Exploring the giant tree they have inside the SCM!

Sad baby!! She didn't want to sit in that chair for one second! "Pick me up now or I'll scream!"

Firemen!

Sharing some popcorn outside of the museum beside the coolest fountain! It was freezing cold, but Cohen was so fascinated by this fountain. He spent a long time running around and climbing up and down the hills of this fountain! Thank goodness he never got sprayed!

We actually got to see Mount Rainier before we left! This is the peak high above the clouds!

Mount Rainier from inside our airplane! Goodbye, Seattle!

Will went to Seattle for the Specialty Coffee Association of America's annual conference. He spent several days there learning all sorts of neat things about coffee (and chocolate, yum!), and then we went out to meet him on Friday to spend a long weekend with him! We had a lovely time, and although we were under the impression that it rains all the time in Seattle, it didn't really rain on us one time the entire time we were there! We had a lovely time visiting and seeing lots of the sights and sounds of Seattle. I would definitely want to go again and spend a day or two more - I wish we could have gone to the zoo and perhaps done a whale-watching tour - but now we have reason to go back!

I learned a lot about myself and both of my children during this trip. Well, actually my husband, too.
1. I am NOT a good traveler. I hate to fly. It makes me nervous and nauseous and that's not a good combination.
2. I am also NOT good at handling plans going awry. If it wouldn't completely drive Will bonkers, I'd make an itinerary for every trip we ever went on. That way we'd know what to do, where to do it, and what time it was happening - for EVERYTHING!
3. Cohen and Eleanor are surprisingly good travelers. They must get that from their daddy. Eleanor is much better at "going with the flow" than Cohen is, though. But, when she's tired, she doesn't waste any time letting you know it.
4. Will is a patient man. I will not go into detail, I'll just leave it as it is. The patience of Job, that man.
5. Sometimes I'm a little hard to deal with. I promised Will I'd work on that! ;)

All of that being said, I can't wait for our next family vacation! I'm so grateful that Will works so hard to allow us to do these kinds of things with (and for) our children! I hope one day they'll look back on trips like this and remember all the great times we had!