Summer Catch-up

August? What? This summer really escaped me. Our much-anticipated summer break has not been nearly as relaxing as hoped.
It's been a while since I have had time to update everyone (not like I have time now either).
Eli is still enjoys cooking and wants to be a chef when he grows up. He is one heck of a corn shucker, and a pretty good batter-stirrer. He has been having lots of fun with the laid-back summer schedule at preschool. They have water play day in the sprinkler every week, Mr. B's music class, playground picnic, wacky hair day, pajama day, field trips to the Natural History Museum and zoo, library story time, and lots of other fun activities.
Lena has 5 teeth now (3 coming in the past week or two) and is eating table food. She hasn't been too thrilled with baby food, but she has eaten any smooshable table foods like mac& cheese, soup, chicken salad sandwich, ravioli, banana, etc. Her daycare teacher gives her the same lunch as the toddlers (in little bits). She is pulling up on everything and cruising wherever she can hang on to something. Lena had her slightly belated 9 month checkup yesterday and is still a little peanut. She was 25% in weight (16lbs 12oz) and 10% in height (26in), although taking after her brother her head circumference is 75%. She has also started talking, although the only recognizable word so far is "mama" but she sure has a lot to say!
Eli and Lena are really interacting more, which is fun to watch. Lena dances whenever Eli sings a song. She pulls herself up to the toy kitchen to help Eli cook. In the mornings when they are both awake Eli will give her toys to play with in her crib and talk to her and make up stories about the toys. Of course she tries to take his toys, but he is quick to take them away, either for her safety or his reluctance to share.