Our Wee Welch Boys

Independence

2011-06-07T05:50:00.000-07:00

First off- I must say a big thank you to Eyris Photography for the wonderful job they did on our family pictures! They were awesome to work with and the pictures turned out better than I could have imagined- who knew we were that cute?! If you live in the C-U area and need photos done then please check them out at eyrisphoto.com, I highly recommend them!

I just wanted to put a few words on 'paper' about my boys' individual struggles for independence. Each in their own way, they are moving to new stages and leaving mommy behind a little more!

Eli is the epitome of an independent 3-yr-old. The list of things he does by himself is growing longer and is usually only limited by his size! He gets dressed by himself, he gets undressed by himself, he gets in and out of the car by himself, he wants to make his own PB sandwiches, he can play Wii, he can start his own movies on his DVD player, he'll fetch his own mimis, he'll even help mommy do his laundry!

Things I don't want to forget about this time in his life include wearing his underwear backwards so he can see the picture of Batman on his frontside....his demands for "privacy" in the bathroom about 75% of the time.... he repeats everything his mommy says with perfect timing.... and that kid can bargain like the best car salesman you've ever met!

Henry is moving from the sedentary baby stage with all of it's delicious thigh and wrist rolls to the moving baby stage. He is desperately trying to figure out how to crawl and will pull up to his knees on anything available. He continues to be a smiley, contented baby- a true testament to his mommy's argument for more kids! We recently rescinded his paci use, much to his dismay! In true Henry-style, he doesn't really cry in a heartbreaking way. It's more of an angry, growling babble. His grandma thinks he might be using some choice words that his mommy just can't understand!

Things I don't want to forget about this time of my little HK's life include his super juicy and still gummy smile (no teeth yet!).... his happy babbling that usually consists of a lot of Dadadada.... his occasional angry outbursts where he kicks his chubby little feet in anger.... and his utterly kissable cheeks!

Finally, I have to say that I have had to stop no less than 5 times in the writing of this short post to tend to one small child (changing, feeding, passing the remote/cellphone for entertainment) and that's with just one awake so far this morning.... it really reinforces why I haven't blogged in so long! Yeesh!

Our Family

2011-06-07T05:43:00.001-07:00

Brotherly Love

2011-06-07T05:02:00.001-07:00

Elias James

2011-06-07T04:52:00.000-07:00

Henry Keith

2011-06-07T04:44:00.000-07:00

Updates coming!

2011-06-04T07:53:00.000-07:00

So sorry to everyone who still occasionally checks in and finds NOTHING! Apparently 2 little boys make for little-to-no blogging time. We just had some awesome family pictures done and I'm excited to be posting them soon, so check back in next week!

Master Artist

2011-03-07T05:45:00.000-08:00

All great artists paint in the buff, right?

My Disney Souvenir!

2011-03-07T05:43:00.000-08:00

Cousinly Love

2011-03-07T05:41:00.000-08:00

Birthday Morning

2011-03-07T05:38:00.000-08:00

Eli's Photo Gallery #2

2011-01-17T18:38:00.000-08:00

Eli's Photo Gallery #1

2011-01-17T18:33:00.000-08:00

Eli has become quite the photographer with my old digital camera. He catches our family in some of the best candid shots I've seen! I thought I'd honor his budding talent by including some of them on our blog :)

Best Buddies

2011-01-17T05:40:00.000-08:00

It may not look like it now, but these two yahoos will be going to school at the same time- Cammie and I think they will be best buddies!

My Henry

2011-01-11T19:12:00.000-08:00

This is my baby just after rolling over for the first time!!

Crazy Bathtub Boy

2011-01-11T19:11:00.001-08:00

Just when I thought Henry couldn't get cuter....

2010-10-22T19:20:00.000-07:00

....he started smiling all the time!!!

Nap Time Posting

2010-10-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy the major picture posting I did while the boys napped today- I'm trying to catch up on all the cute pictures I have taken but never posted!

My Bears Boys

2010-10-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

Heading to the Bear's game on Sunday- maybe E will let daddy borrow his jersey!

Congrats to our favorite Newlyweds!

2010-10-12T11:53:00.001-07:00

Aunt Lacey doing some light reading with E- our favorite book was Xena :)

Aunt Andrea with her buddy- besides Venna, she's the only dance partner Eli would take at the wedding!

Aunt Lacey with her godson, Hank.

Good Friends!

2010-10-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

This is Eli's new crush, Venna. Too bad she lives all the way out in Omaha- we can't wait to visit again!

Our buddy CJ! I'm not sure who took this picture, but I suspect it was Eli....

Best Big Brother

2010-10-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

Eli still loves his new little brother- he's a great help to his mom (most of the time!).

Henry hearts his bathtime!

2010-10-12T11:47:00.001-07:00

2 Months Old!

2010-10-12T11:44:00.001-07:00

Our little Henry is a big smiling boy now! He will grace you with his grins as long as his belly is full and his diaper is empty :) We love it!!!

One Month Old!

2010-09-13T05:40:00.000-07:00

Check out those curly locks! Henry is still a sweet laid-back baby. We weighed him at my mom's and think he is about 10 lbs now! He's been sleeping pretty well at night, and even stretched out a feeding for 7 hours the other day. Eli still likes to love on him and hasn't been too jealous of his mom's time being split! Love my boys!

More Pictures of Our Henry!

2010-08-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

Hanging out on the couch.

One week old when this picture was taken with a proud big brother!

Getting some love from his favorite girl cousin!

The happy family in the hospital.

Oh Henry!!!

2010-08-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

Home Alone

2010-07-27T18:34:00.000-07:00

Dylan and I made the long trek back from our wonderful MN vacation alone this year. We left Eli in the very capable and fun hands of his aunt, Meemaw, and Poppa. He is having a blast- just visit my sister's blog www.webedinks.blogspot.com to check out his letters home. It's like he's at camp!

I have to say that Dylan and I have been at loose-ends without him. We watched TV last night for about 2 hours, nothing was on but we had nothing to do without our little boy keeping us busy! However, that has all changed today. We closed on our new house and NOW I can begin the work of cleaning, unpacking, and organizing! I am more than relieved to finally have something to keep me busy and keep my mind off missing my boy.

In honor of our next project, i.e. project Henry, I have changed both my background to be a little more baby boyish and the title of our blog to reflect our upcoming addition. I have had stern discussions with him regarding his arrival day (no earlier then next Wednesday) as well as his advanced growth (my personal midwife thinks he is slowing down and I measured right on track today). He is a good little listener! We are getting very excited to meet him, right after I get my new house all settled :)

Top 10 Ways You Know You Are "BP"

2010-07-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

What is "BP"? That is known as big pregnant, and here are some ways you know you've gotten there.....

10. You have begun to despise rolling over in bed. Most don't take notice of it, usually not even waking up. Not only do you wake up, you work up a sweat while repositioning and get your heart rate into the 150s.

9. You have also begun to hate going to the bathroom. It takes quadruple the time to readjust your clothing as it did to pee that teaspoon, and you know you'll be back in less than 10 minutes anyway.

8. People have begun to give you the "look" when you tell them you have 6 more weeks. A combination of sympathy and sheer awe at your size already, the "look" is a common response when someone hears your due date.

7. You have adopted the pregnancy waddle. You swore you never would, and if you catch your reflection in a window you try to stop, but darnit, the belly makes it hard to walk like a normal person!

6. The veins/stretch marks on you body have grown a mind of their own. Remember when you first noticed that little mark on your belly in a dressing room and convinced yourself it was a mark from your pants? It wasn't. There's really no question now.

5. You are down to 3 pairs of capris and maybe 7 T-shirts that fit you. Also, that T-shirt from your first pregnancy that made you laugh because it was so tent-like and you never wore it is now one of your favorite shirts.

4. Similarly, you have worn the same black flip-flops every day for the last month and see no reason to change that. Who says brown capris and black flip-flops don't match?

3. You must get on all fours to remove yourself from the bathtub because you do not have the use of a large crane in your bathroom. Your toddler will caution "Be careful mommy" because the task looks so ungainly and dangerous.

2. You have adopted a very US Open-like grunt when getting up from couches, chairs, the bed, out of cars, etc. Again, as much as you swore you'd never do it, it really does give you that umph you need to move....must be why those tennis players use it too.

And finally, the #1 reason you know you are "BP"....

Your husband has finally noticed that you are growing a ginormous child within your body. Wow, you must be getting big for him to get clued in to that!

But seriously, not many complaints from this "BP" lady here- Henry is growing well (more than well if you believe the recent sono we had...) and I am still counting on a good 6 weeks to get packed, moved, unpacked, etc. And to all my MN readers- we are MORE than ready to see you all in a week!!!!!

New Home for our New Addition :)

2010-06-08T06:22:00.001-07:00

We bought a house! Yikes! Here is a picture of the front and a picture of the boy who will be super excited to have his own room when little Henry arrives!

New Addition

2010-05-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

Since I haven't said much about our upcoming family addition, I thought I would dedicate this post to him (we wouldn't want him already feeling left out and 'second child' like!)

So far this little guy has been very easy on his mom. With minimal early pregnancy yuck or maybe just minimal time to address it, I feel like this first 25 weeks has just flown by! In the past 2 months he has been moving up a storm. He just graced his daddy with the first big kick he could feel- his daddy has limited patience with sitting and waiting for a peanut to move though! They tell me that if the baby is really active inside you can only guess how he will be on the outside- I'm hoping he'll use up all that frenetic energy in the first 40 weeks and come out all mellow and low-key :)

We have decided on Henry for his name- Dylan may not feel locked-in yet, but that's all I ever call him, and Eva and Eli have also learned it so I think it will stick! We'll be moving the boys (my gosh, I'm going to have boys!) into the big bedroom so there is ample room for all the toys/clothes/books, and mom and dad will take the small room for the remainder of the time we spend in our little house. Ah, the sacrifices of a parent :)

We are expecting Henry to arrive by August 22nd. Mommy has a wedding about a month later and is hoping this baby cooperates and gives me at least 4 weeks to become semi-female shaped again! I know that the summer will fly by with projects, vacations, and running after Eli too!

And finally, we are so excited to meet this second son- we spend lots of time wondering what he'll look like, how Eli will react, and how he'll fit into our little family. We can't wait to see him!

Hanging with Meemaw & Papa

2010-04-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

Here is Eli trying out Uncle Eric's hat. If anyone has any ideas on how to get him to do a 'nice smile' as opposed to the totally cheesy one I usually get when the camera comes out, I'm all ears! ( And why is my text underlined? So many questions....)

Feels like summer!

2010-04-22T19:16:00.001-07:00

Eli spending time on the back deck- we love that our yard is fenced and all we have to do is open the back door and release the chaos outside!

Doesn't she look like a little Cinderella? She was doing some sweeping for her Aunt Annie.

The 3 musketeers at the cookout we had a last week. They were being bribed with candy to stay out of the way while the big people played bean bags!

Easter Pictures!

2010-04-12T19:58:00.000-07:00

Computer Crash!

2010-01-13T07:09:00.000-08:00

So, we got a virus. Actually, we had lots of viruses according to the lovely gentleman who came to our house and attempted to fix our computer, which had begun to run at an alarmingly slow rate.

The solution? Reboot to factory settings.....

What was lost? EVERYTHING!

I woke up in a panic this morning (we had this done a few days ago) and realized that I had a bunch of fun Eli videos that are all gone. Then I remembered my blog and was a little relieved that at least some of them made it on here and were saved!

The lesson? Back up your pictures and videos!

OR

Post more on your blog :)

Count Down (up) to Take 2

2009-11-13T12:53:00.000-08:00

Inadvertently added the wrong video- so here is some counting before the next itsty bitsy!

Itsy Bitsy Spider Take 1

2009-11-13T08:22:00.000-08:00

Stay tuned for take 2- it went a little better!

Ravioli Girl

2009-10-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

Mint Chip Deliciousness

2009-10-22T05:14:00.000-07:00

Pants-free morning activities

2009-10-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

Looking pensive and wondering what "don't pee" means.

Up and off down the hall.
(mommy edited out the bottom of the picture for teenage Eli's sake)

Heading into his room to look for mischief. Do you love those cheeks?

Heading into the closet for further mischief.

Asking nicely to play with his potty.

Pretty sure he has no idea what to do with it.

Big Belly Boy

2009-10-05T19:18:00.001-07:00

Scary Video- In honor of Halloween

2009-09-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

So, you were probably expecting an Eli video! But, here is a touch of nature as seen through my eyes. I found it horrifying.

My Foodie

2009-07-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Long ago, Dylan and I decided we wanted to raise a little 'foodie'. Weren't we silly to think we could have any impact at all on what our child would eat and what he would view as subtle attempts to poison him? Since he was around 9 months old, most of what we presented to him as edible he questioned mightily. He'd occasionally take the minutest taste which was usually followed with him throwing his arms in front of his mouth as if he was totally offended that we would even THINK to offer him such a thing. So, I'd given up. His diet since then revolved around a small number of things I knew he'd eat. The list included grilled cheese, macaroni & cheese, green beans, baby food fruit (he found real fruit to be especially toxic), anything sweet, and milk. He'd occasionally venture into a little chef boyardee, maybe some cheeseburger, and an occasional pea. That was it, really. My husband has been inwardly devastated (I think).....

But, I'm happy to report the tide has turned! I was initially hesitant to blog about it, as if drawing any attention to it (albeit attention Eli would be unaware of as he is not a frequent reader of my blog) would bring us right back to the bland food strike he's been on for a greater part of his life. It's been a few weeks now and he's venturing into undiscovered food territory on a regular basis. Just yesterday he delighted in a chicken quesadilla (with big chunks of pepper) and guacamole. That's right, my little buddy loves guacamole! A child after my own heart! He's also delving into the world of real fruit, instead of the goo he's been eating for months. Blueberries, raspberries, maybe a little melon have all been added to his list of 'will eat' foods. Amazing!

You may wonder why this matters to me. After all, he's obviously a healthy child, on track with the growth chart, hair and nails that get girlishly long seemingly overnight. Well, we moms have a built in guilt-o-meter and this has been one of the things that I occasionally stress about. If you've ever hung out with me during a meal when Eli is chowing on something that isn't beige I'm sure you've heard me say how happy it makes me when he eats fruits/veggies. I feel like I've accomplished something great when he has ingested a healthy, well-balanced meal. Seems silly, but isn't life all about the little accomplishments?

So, we are going to be on a mission to bring in more things for him to try during this food exploration phase, and I call it a phase because I'm well aware the tomorrow he may turn up his nose at anything except potato chips (kids are fickle like that). But do be on alert for a distraught post if that happens because this mom has been riding high on that 'good mom' feeling and coming down from that can be brutal!

Wordless Wednesday Take 2

2009-07-08T21:04:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-08T20:46:00.001-07:00

Motherhood is.......

2009-07-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

.....blowing bubbles until you hyperventilate because it makes your baby laugh and say "pop!"

.....finding a spot on your pants to wipe snot that you know your shirt will cover- thanks goodness long t-shirts are 'in'!

.....being okay with your little one eating old cheerios off the floor because if you weren't you'd be constantly sweeping and who has time for that?

.....squeezing your hips down park slides, water slides, into swings because your baby isn't quite old enough to do it alone but he loves it all!

.....putting buckets on your head and 'sneezing' them off 92 times because he thinks it's hilarious.

.....still checking for breathing well past the stated SIDS risk age during long naps.

.....counting ketchup on fries as a vegetable for at least one meal a week.

.....kissing your baby on the lips whenever he offers them up for one despite the ever-present snot that inevitably strings between you as you pull away.

.....being delighted when your little love learns how to pull his own shirt up to wipe off aforementioned snot.

.....packing no less than 25 different snack options for long road trips and emptying no less than 24 of them out of his car seat at our destination.

.....loving every day and stage more than the last one!

A day in the life....

2009-06-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

So, I'm stealing another quick blog post idea from my dearest friend Pam and am going to let you all in on one of my typical-ish Tuesdays. Yes, I know Tuesday was yesterday, but today was rather un-typical and not as exciting so just hush up and read on if you're interested :)

6am- Up with Eli, give him milk to drink so that I can doze on the couch instead of mustering up the energy to actually feed him. Tell myself he probably doesn't really want to eat that early in the morning anyway...
Between 6:30 & 7:30- Put Eli in highchair, feed him cereal/fruit/more milk. Clean him up. Change diaper/clothes. Do hair(mine)/face/teeth(both). Get myself dressed. Load car with stuff/baby. On the road to Pam's by 8am to allow time for a mocha and yes, a mocha was a must that day....
Mornings with CJ/Eli/Eva- These involve feedings the boys, greeting Eva at 9am when she arrives, playing amongst the children, changing 2 diapers, laying down Eli, laying down Eva, laying down CJ, taking deep breath, and giving thanks that all three are down at the same time! Can just feel the crowd's amazement....
Lunch- Sister and brother-in-law came for lunch and brought delicious DQ. Must have forgotten to let the kids know so they all woke up 20 minutes before she got there and appeared to be starving- thus the scene when Cammie arrived was Eli and CJ in their seats and Eva on a hip with a large bowl of Chef Boyardee, one spoon, and three orange faces. Lunch is a success and then on to the next big endeavor- the pool!
12:45 to 2:30- Babies are sun screened, undressed, redressed, and wrestled to the pool. Once there, everyone is a fan of the water despite 2-year-old bullies, manic 3-year-olds, and 30-year-olds who clearly could care less what their manic bullying children are up to. After playing, snacking, and playing more, the undressing, redressing, and wrestling 3 greasy kids back home commences.
3pm- Two boys go down for an awesome nap. Eva decided against the nap and headed to the store with her mama- then on to her own bed.
4:45- Boys are up, still greasy, and seem ready for the next adventure. filled diapers are changed and unfilled cups are replenished then on the road to Mahomet.
5:15- Dinner with Dylan and the boys. The pork tenderloin was a hit, the green beans were not. Eli flipped his chair backwards and this necessitated holding him for the next 30-87 minutes as well as doing dishes with him in tow. Hence the back pain....
7:15- Bath time, play time, diaper time, pajama time, milk time to the second power.
7:45- Pam arrives for her little guy, chatting around whining (mine) and crying (still mine). She heads out with hers and mine gets into bed about 8:15pm.
8:30 to 10:30- Work on school, doze off repeatedly during my editing, decide this might mean that there isn't really any learning occurring....
10:30- Clean up house, pack back for tomorrow.
11:00- Read my book, hate myself for staying up so late, lights off at 11:30 anyway......

So there is my fun-filled day with my boys! You needn't tell me if you dozed off during this post, I have re-read it, and in my sleep-deprived state think it is utterly interesting so let's go with that! :)

My Friend Eva

2009-05-18T19:32:00.001-07:00

Eli wants to tell everyone what he loves about his girl. Here are some of his favorite things....

My friend Eva can fit in small spaces!

My friend Eva really gets into her chocolate!

My friend Eva rocks the sunglasses!

My friend Eva always has awesome hair!

My friend Eva can ride a pony with the best of 'em!

My friend Eva plays in the rocks with me!

And best of all, my friend Eva loves to snuggle! (Eli's mommy likes this one best too!)

My Friend CJ

2009-05-18T19:20:00.001-07:00

Eli wanted me to post some pictures of his good friend CJ. He says to tell you all that he has had a great time hanging out with his buddy so much lately, they get to swing and play with the busy ball popper and eat snacks and crawl/scoot/walk around and take walks and eat out and all sorts of fun stuff!

A Post for Cammie

2009-05-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

So, my sister's computer is on the fritz and has been for about 2 weeks! In it's absence, I thought I would download some of the hilarious photos she took this weekend at her house. Eli and I practically lived there while Dylan was away in WI fishing with his dad. As I reflect back, I realize that out of the 12 meals I had while he was gone, I ate not a single one alone! I would like to put down in writing that we will never NEVER move! Being this close to my sister is too much of a gift to both me and my son. Thanks for everything this weekend Cammie!

Playing nicely together.

Playing and chowing on some snacks!

Eli in his homemade cape (a rag). He obviously loved it!

Miss Eva at her very silliest and very cutest!

The Walkers!

2009-05-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

As a follow-up to the dancing video, we have a super exciting walking video! We can both finally say "Yes, my child IS walking"! They are getting braver by the day- what a change to see them both toddling around :) Thanks so much Cammie for downloading these fun videos on my computer!

The Dancers!

2009-05-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

Our babies decided to do some dancin' in Cammie's new baby's crib- just testing it out for the mommies who put it together with their extremely helpful little hands!

Wordless Wednesday: 5/2008

2009-05-06T20:31:00.001-07:00

As Promised

2009-05-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the 'before' picture.....

And here are the 'after' shots. We were just hanging on the deck, brushing off all the hair. Tell me how much you are loving the low-ride shorts. Cute, right? That's our boy, always rockin' the current style!

One Good Walk

2009-04-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

So, I've just started training for the MS Walk in September. It's rather involved- you walk 50 miles over the course of 3 days. I'm doing it with my mom and dad and (hopefully) with our cousin Susie :) This past week, which was week 1 of my training, I managed to get 8.2 miles in. This was squeezed around Eli's surgery, being on call and working, getting stuff for school done, and just keeping the family homestead together. I got an awesome treadmill from my friend Vanessa which will be a big help as I can walk when Eli is sleeping in the morning. But this morning, after my dear child got up at 5:15 and decided it was time to start the day, we had plenty of time for a morning walk before his nap.

The first reason I named this 'One Good Walk' is because not only does it give me a sense of accomplishment to wrangle my slightly sick (cold/cough) toddler into socks, jacket, blanket, and finally stroller accompanied by milk, goldfish, and minkie, but I walked my long town walk today- that's about 2.6 miles. Not bad! The second reason this blog is so named is that while we were walking, it started to rain. Not a deluge but definitely wet. With my fleece draped over the stroller front, Eli remained warm, dry, and happy for the duration of the rain. I, on the other hand, must have looked like a drowned rat because not one but TWO people stopped in their cars to ask if I needed a ride! Isn't that amazing? One nice lady even turned onto my street, going out of her way to see if I needed help. It's things like this that really revive your faith in humanity!

So, that's why Eli and I really did have a good walk, no, make that a great walk this morning. Now, he's down for a nap and I better get showered and get rid of the soaked clothes!

PS- My next blog is going to be pictures of Dylan and I's first attempt at cutting Eli's hair. Funny, right?

My Little Photographer

2009-04-24T20:48:00.001-07:00

Eli coming to get my camera while I take pictures of him from the floor...

Eli getting up close and personal with my lens. Thanks for the finger prints buddy...

Eli playing with my flash (it flips up and down in a fascinating way)...

Eli playing with his own camera- it's an old one that takes film- probably never going to use it again anyway...

With a look at that hair you can understand why the pre-op tech called him a girl...

Looking angelic for the camera!

One Day Post-Op....

2009-04-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

.....and feeling fine!

Wordless Wednesday- My Babies!

2009-04-22T15:18:00.001-07:00

Belated Weekend Video Pick

2009-04-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

Eli's new favorite place to play is our deck- he loves hanging out and eating any naturey things he can get his fingers on!

Flashback Friday

2009-03-27T07:06:00.001-07:00

This morning, Dylan said, "Isn't Eli crying more than ever these days?" So I decided for Flashback Fridays to post some pictures of his very first cries. So cute!

Weekend Video Picks

2009-03-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

This is a little taste of what scooted into my room this afternoon to wake me up after a much needed second nap! We had a wonderful Saturday with my parents and company- we had breakfast at my sister's house and got to bring Eva over to play all day and then had an awesome grilled turkey spring dinner (compliments of my marvelous husband)! However, all this visiting and playing added up to no nap for me before I worked last night. Needless to say I was ready to be in bed a lot today!

It is so nice to sleep soundly, knowing that Dylan has Eli and more then keeping things under control (aside from my living room furniture which always gets re-arranged on the days he watches E) he is doing fun 'dad' things with him. One project included a massive box we had being transformed into a house with a window and a door (including knob). Today the project also involved a box (miller light if you noticed in the video). But today the box became a car for Eli and C. George. You can see the Eli is having a ball with his hair flying all over the place!

So that is motored in today to wake me up- so cute! Thank goodness we finally got new batteries for our camera!

Monday with Mommy

2009-03-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

Now that Eli is on the move and takes most opportunities that we are apart to find me I find myself taking advantage of the times he is strapped into his high chair and unable to pull up and push any and all reachable buttons. We sometimes welcome the new day with him in munching on cereal, drinking milk and me catching up on my blog reading and emails. I took a few snapshots of just such a morning (minus me because no one wants to see what that looks like early in the morning!) Eli is becoming quite a cheeseball when the camera comes out which makes for some funny pictures! Please disregard his shiny face- we've been fighting a cold for about a week. Having kids is very rarely a dry endeavor.....

Take 2

2009-03-15T05:56:00.000-07:00

Here is an impromptu video of Eli's words (sort of) and his favorite new discovery- his hair! When I asked him where his hair was I really didn't think he knew because usually he stares blankly at you while you show him. But apparently he picks up on some things :)

Weekend Video Picks

2009-03-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

Roz and I have decided to institute Weekend Video Picks as a third designated blog day- catchy, dontcha think? I can't take credit though, it was all her creative genius! So here is my first video pick. We tried to get Eli to walk for the camera, the first attempt was by far the most successful. After that he decided to lean back into his dad and fall on his butt when we let go! But aren't you all impressed by the first steps?! We are!

Flashback Friday

2009-03-13T18:20:00.001-07:00

In the spirit of blogging more while not stressing myself out I've decided to follow in Roz's (http://benandlucien.blogspot.com/) footsteps and do Flashback Fridays and Wordless Wednesdays. Fridays will be easy, I can just pull pictures off my computer and pop em' up! So here is what Eli was doing one year ago yesterday....

What a doll baby! And look how tiny! This was back when he was just starting to be a little more lively- although this isn't really evident in the pictures! Dylan and I used to wish he would open his eyes more and make more of his cute sounds! Now, there is rarely a time when some noise isn't coming out of his mouth (accompanied by copious amounts of drool) and his eyes are open more then enough for me!

New Movie Idea

2009-02-28T20:46:00.001-08:00

Cammie and I are visiting Galesburg and it is GLORIOUS! I told my mom tonight that we love coming here because it is so relaxing and we have so much fun sharing all the cute things our babies do with them. We can also share all of our crazy mom thoughts and get a good laugh :) Earlier this evening we came up with a new movie idea- kind of a mom-take on a classic.

We were sitting and visiting before the kids went to bed and, as usual, I begin sniffing something in the air. My mom had made cookies earlier but that was not the odor I was detecting. Eli as sitting next to me and I was instantly suspicious of him and his ornery behind. I checked it out up close but the 'nose pressed into diaper' test was negative. My mom looked over and asked if he was dirty. I said, "No, sometimes I just smell poop." So we decided that instead of the classic line, "I see dead people", the line from our movie would be "I smell poop." After this we all proceeded to catch the giggles....

......soooo, ever have a story that was really funny when it happened and then you tried to tell it to someone who wasn't there and it wasn't as funny? Yeah, me neither..... :)

A Note for Jen

2009-02-28T20:36:00.001-08:00

I have a good friend, and cousin actually, named Jen. Jen is ready for a baby. We are ready for a baby for Jen. My note for Jen is to tell her that we have been thinking of her all day and will think of her until we here the good word that she's done.....

.....that she has my permission to kick anyone who says "No one stays pregnant forever" and "This too shall pass" and "It will all be worth it" and "You look like you're about to pop". She may kick them directly in the shins and smile while doing it.

.... that we are praying for her to go into labor spontaneously or to have her water break and then go into labor.....

..... and that after our first prayer is answered we are praying for a quick and relatively comfortable delivery....

.....and that after this prayer is answered we are requesting some pictures of an adorable, much-awaited baby girl be sent our way from the proud Grandma Susie.

We (Jackie, Dan, Cammie, Annie, Eva, Eli) love you Jen! We can't wait to meet little miss Bloomquist!

T

Here He Scoots!

2009-02-18T16:45:00.000-08:00

As promised, a video of Eli scooting down the hall to find either Dada or the kitty. Isn't he just too funny?

Four shots later

2009-02-17T19:42:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that? Four shots? They wanted it to be five, but I had to draw the line. He's so little still, and his legs are skinny- I don't think they could have taken five pokes. Or maybe I couldn't have taken five pokes to my sweet little man. Either way, we held it down to four.

He did great at his one year appointment. He's doing well developmentally. Even though he doesn't crawl (he still just scoots around on his bottom) the pediatrician didn't seem concerned. We also asked about his picky eating, which started around nine months. She offered a few tips. Unfortunately, Eli was there to hear them and they haven't been super effective as he must have already caught on! :)

His one year stats are as follows: Height: 30.5 inches

Weight: 20# 15oz

I want to note some of my favorite things about Eli right now, so a year from now I can look back and remember who he was. Like I mentioned, he scoots everywhere on his bottom (I must post a video, it's pretty funny to watch), and he especially likes to scoot after the kitties. That was, incidentally, his first 'word'. He can say kitty and he knows what it means. He also says dada, nigh-nigh, and moo. He can say mama but he still doesn't know it's me! I can just as easily be dada or kitty. He loved getting into our cabinets right up until we put locks on (he was pulling out some of our sharper instruments). Note the christmas jammies and withold judgement- you go with what's warm and fits!

He loves to stand and cruise around furniture and walls. He also likes standing up in front of the dryer and 'helping' me by taking out all the clothes, which is truly helpful when they are dry, not as helpful when they are wet. He brushes his teeth everyday, usually twice. He'll sit at my feet while I try to brush and whine until I had him my rinsed tooth brush to chew on and then we brush with his own little one in the bath. He can also comb his hair- it usually looks fabulous when he's done! He has eight teeth that continue to make him look mischevious when he smiles. But, all those teeth and not much of an eater! If you refer to an earlier blog of mine this was one of Dylan and I's goals for him.....I guess kids have mind's of their own?! He does, however, love the new giant rice krispies- and eats them with gusto (see picture)!

And finally, his most favorite thing of all, besides his minky, is playing with our Eva! They sit and play, scoot/crawl and play, cruise and play, eat and play... pretty much any activity can be done together. When they've been apart and then see each other again they giggle and literally vibrate with excitement! I think Cammie would agree that it is the most fun to watch them interact and play together. Plus, Eva shows Eli fun things like how to work all the noises in her dollhouse and how to pull our cable cord out from the wall. Isn't that what cousins are all about? Our first year with Eli wouldn't have been the same without our beautiful girl!

Dylan and I have loved every minute of our first year with Eli. Typing it is weird, I still can't believe he's a year old! Fastest year of my life! We are looking forward to walking, talking, even sassing! He is so much fun and even after of year of constant companionship he's still one of my favorite people to hang out with!

Eli's First Haircut

2009-02-04T07:04:00.000-08:00

I debated for weeks.... Is it too soon? Am I going to cry? Will he look really different, and all grown-up? But it got to the point that he was looking like a little rag-a-muffin on a daily basis, regardless of combing, using gel, spraying, using spit, etc.

So I made the call....and scheduled his very first haircut!

Luckily for me I have an awesome hair stylist that I love and I knew that she would be just as excited to be cutting it as I was to be photographing it. And she was. Dylan got to tag along and be the 'lap' so that I could focus on getting some snapshots. Eli was an absolute doll- he didn't mind at all!

Here are my boys getting all ready for the scissors. Notice the dorky center part in Eli's hair- not sure why it looked like that but it only reinforced my decision to trim it!

Here he is after getting it all wet down. He was checking himself out in the big mirror.

The introduction of the dum-dum sucker was a huge hit and made the haircut much easier if not a little sticky :)

Almost done....

....and finally, enjoying lunch with his best bud Eva in a smashing new hair-do!

Up and Coming

2009-02-03T09:53:00.001-08:00

To hold myself accountable I am going to give my up and coming blog titles- hopefully that will motivate me to get back to it! My next two posts will be:

-Eli gets his first haircut

-One year updates

After these I am anticipating a birthday post with pictures from the babies' birthday party this Saturday.... Wish me luck on getting some things done on here!

Blog Catch-Up

2009-01-05T19:34:00.000-08:00

Since I've been so lax in my blogging this month I wanted to add another short story. Dylan and I were sitting at dinner tonight and Eli, who has become quite fast on his bottom, was scooting in our general direction from our living room. He was either headed for us or his favorite floor lamp (remember the post about liking lamps? He's still carrying the flame). Personally my vote was for the lamp. Who can pass that up? Plus, he'd tried to get it earlier in the day and had been stopped by his Grandma Bev. I can just imagine the thoughts that went through his cute, round, little head. "Well, since they don't want me to get it, then it must be something REALLY GREAT!" So I told Dylan that he had to go intercept the little scooter before he broke his face on the lamp. He was elected by me to get up from the dinner table because he's the one who has been wanting Eli to be on the move since before Thanksgiving. And now he got his wish. And I told him to be careful with that particular one. Needless to say he barely made it in time, the lamp was probably inches from Eli's forehead when Dylan snatched it out of mid-air with a verbal reprimand to the baby. (the 11 month old baby for whom most words hold little meaning) This near miss was my first clue that movement could mean that I will need to be a lot more vigilant with this little guy now. The second clue came about 10 minutes later when he held up a bloody hand after opening the drawer under the oven. Who knew that it had such a sharp edge? Luckily the cut was small and Eli was more annoyed with the band aid process then anything else. The third, fourth, fifth, etc. clues came during the rest of the night when he bumped his head on the coffee table (while I was holding him), tried to drown himself in the tub with a cup of water (while I was watching him), and tried to eat the band aid off his thumb (that I had taken off and was letting him look at). Notice a pattern here? Now Grandma Jackie, before you get in your car to come down and protect the poor child from his own mother, know that I have vowed that tomorrow will be better with less bumps, bruises, cuts and attempted drownings! Or maybe this is just what having a boy is all about? Nah, I'm pretty sure this is mostly a new mom learning curve ;) Oh well, didn't people used to let their kids play with balloons or sharp sticks or something like that?

Christmas Summary

2009-01-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

I have been putting this post off because I knew it was going to be long- there are so many things I want to remember about Eli's first Christmas! But you have to start somewhere and the best way to start is to just type away. Here are the moments in December that I want to be able to read about and remember how they made us laugh!

- At his first go-round of unwrapping at Grandma Bev's and Grandpa Gary's Eli tore off one small piece of paper....and then proceeded to play with it for an untold number of minutes. That's when we realized that the business of presents was going to be lengthy one unless Eli received some parental help!

- As soon as Eli unwrapped virtually any toy he wanted it out of the box for playing with INSTANTLY! I hadn't realized that this started so young, but I was okay with it because I also wanted to play with all of his toys right away!

- Starting with that first Christmas celebration with the Welch's and on to the last at my parents' house Eli received a large number of "My first Christmas Ornaments" and I love every one! When he is older and starting to deck out his own tree I will give him most of his first ornaments, but now that there are so many I can keep some for myself too!

- Eli loved the Christmas trees in each house he visited. In fact, I credit the tree with encouraging him to start scooting on his butt in a forward direction (finally!). I would sit him about a foot or so from a particularly delectable looking ornament and he would shimmy and bounce until he made it over for a bite! I'm counting on him forgetting next year that I actually encouraged him to 'get' the tree this year.

-Eli enjoyed three separate baking days over the Christmas season. He got to try fresh-out-of-the-oven sugar cookies, molasses cookies and pb kiss cookies and his love of sweets has been permanently cemented! We also got some cute shots of him and his darling cousin in mini aprons- short of smearing flour on their faces we had them looking very involved!

- We tried to take Eli to the Galesburg mall to see Santa but unfortunately Santa was a no-show that day. The good lady at the desk tried to tell us that he was tending his reindeer but I suspect he was instead tending a hangover.... just me being cynical! Eli probably wouldn't have really enjoyed it anyway, so we'll try again next year.

-Eli attended his first Christmas Eve bash at my grandma's house this year. He has gotten over his period of shyness for the most part which was good considering the house was full of people he didn't really know. Bless my cousin Maggie and my brothers for carting him around all the time throughout the holidays, he always goes right to Maggie and the boys!

-Eli got some extra presents on Christmas Eve from my aunts and uncles- must be because he is so stinking cute! A favorite is the soft truck from Aunt Shelia and Uncle Jerry and his giraffe scooter from Aunt Janet and Uncle Stan- he'll be cruising around on that before too long!

-Eli got to hang out with some of my silly uncles and experience some Christmas Eve traditions (Uncle Brian with bows all over his shirt and a delicious array of appetizers). He also played with my cousins who were great with him and if they lived closer I'd hire them to come babysit for me all the time! (Thanks Jake, Sam and Nathan!)

-Dylan and I got to have our first Christmas Eve toy assembly extravaganza this year and I have to say that it was all I had hoped for! I think Dylan had fun too....despite a little grumbling about pieces/stickers/etc. I know Santa appreciated our help because he's a busy guy this time of year :)

-My mom and dad helped me finish Eli's stocking that I made for him the morning of Christmas Eve- just under the wire! I think I'll start the next one pre-conception. That way I'll for sure finish is when the time rolls around! But now the tradition to have home-made stockings is continued in our family!

-Christmas morning with Eli was great fun. I won't say there were shrieks of joy or anything like that, but he clearly thought all the paper and excitement was great fun. Some days now he looks around as if to say "when are we going to do that again?". Don't worry Eli, you've got a birthday coming up!

-All through Christmas day Eli had a great time playing with all his toys. His Grandma Jackie got his a neat little push car and he surprised me by standing and walking behind it! He and Eva are getting very close to setting off on their own!

Many more Christmas memories were recorded on video and in pictures! I know we'll have fun looking back when they are older and remembering their first Christmas for them. The holidays can only get more fun as the babies get more aware of the joy of the season!

What's so funny?

2008-12-17T06:46:00.000-08:00

Here is an awesome video I took of Eli while he giggled with near hysteria at me. I would make you all guess what I was doing while he laughed his head off, but I'm almost sure know one would get it right, it's just to weird!

Eli derived more joy out of me licking envelopes then anyone probably ever has! So contrary to what I told my friend Lacey, I did not use a sponge to wet down the flaps on every single one of my Christmas cards. I did the old-fashioned way, just so I could listen to those giggles for as long as possible! (wooziness from the glue passed quickly)

Off to the Christams Tree Farm!

2008-12-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

Oh, we're off to get our Christmas Tree,
Everyone is so excited.
Except for the little boy Eli,
He seems less then delighted.
Here he is a-snoozin'
Before the chilly trip.
He had to be awakened,
Mom and Dad wouldn't let him skip.

Right after the rude interruption
Of his daily morning nap,
He is stuffed into a snowsuit and thinks
"How did I fall into this trap!"

But his parents think he is the cutest
And off he is dragged to the farm.
He perks up among all the trees and snow
And begins to turn on his charm.

Here he is with his dear cousin Eva,
With cheeks oh so rosy and red.
Each wishing their arms could be mobile,
Instead of feeling like lead.

But the day ends on a happy note,
With a trip for some Mexican food.
And each baby was a perfect angel,
Mommy's couldn't ask for a baby so good!

The End!

Picture Day Continued...

2008-12-05T00:54:00.000-08:00

Let's see, where did I leave off. I believe I was about to fetch the chattering child and make my way to mall to see if we could pull off these photos on a short nap.

First things first, Eli needed his hair combed in a desperate way. I suspect he sleeps standing on his head but have yet to catch him in the act. Yet another reason I covet the new video mo niter my friend Pam has. But whatever the reason, his head looks like a hay stack when he wakes up so we headed to the bathroom where a combination of water, hairspray, and spit held down most of the fly-aways. Then I hastily gathered up our stuff and we headed out the door.

I hit the next bump in the picture taking day as a result of hastily gathering our things. I realized when I was about halfway to the mall that I had forgotten Dylan's sweater! You know, the sweater for our sweater and jeans family look! I ruled out turning around- then I wouldn't have had time to eat lunch at the mall foodcourt before our appt. and I NEEDED sarku. Plus, I had already killed some time by running through McDonalds to get Eli the least messy lunch item I could think of that he could also eat by himself- a plain cheeseburger. This way I wouldn't be feeding him when I should be focusing on my sarku. That's priorities people! So I quickly decided that Dylan could either A) buy a new sweater because we were at the mall already or B) just wear the shirt he had on (luckily a dashing green collared shirt some cute girl got him). So we made it to the mall and Eli began munching on his burger while I waited for Dylan. Lunch proceeded uneventfully.

We arrived early at Portrait Innovations and it was a zoo!! Why did I think it would be any different? It is the holiday season and I'm sure everyone was doing the same thing we were. So we were resigned to waiting. I wanted to stand up on the couch and make sure the employees knew that we had a very small window in which Eli would remain happy but I'm sure that would have been unappreciated and perhaps lead to a longer wait. Luckily there was a lego table that was interesting for awhile, even though Dylan wouldn't let him put the blocks in his mouth. We made it into the portrait room soon enough and began our pictures. Here's a little tip to any mom who is going out to do family and individual shots with their kids. Do the family first! Because in the individual kid shots you are working up a sweat doing cheers, cartwheels, backflips, etc. to get your darling to smile. By the end of our picture session my hair had fallen, my forehead was shiny, and my lipgloss nonexistent. This was okay because we did our family shots first- if only by happy accident.

Eli did beautifully through the whole session! That's through three different outfits, different props, some lady making funny noises at him- all things that have the potential for scaring and upsetting he found simply delightful today. The flashing umbrellas? Fascinating. There was one small incident when you could tell he earped a little (remember the bottle I fed him in hopes it would put him back to sleep?) and there was a disturbing flash of white in his mouth but he was a trooper and sucked it back in and down. After a little eye-watering (must have been sour!) he was back to his cheesy grin and his touchdown trick.

Things went a little south through the picture choosing session. Who can blame him? I think Dylan was just as antsy but he cried less then Eli. Let's just say by the end of the picture choosing/ordering/paying they were both sitting on the floor by the diaper bag eating fruity cheerios and drinking out of the sippy cup. Or maybe just Eli had the cup!

All in all, picture day was a huge success, much more so then I thought it would be. We have awesome pictures of Eli, our Christmas cards are ready to be put in envelopes and mailed and we have our first official family picture done. What a day! Dylan put it best when he said it was relatively painless, which I'm taking to be a compliment!

Get Ready to say "Awww....."

2008-12-04T15:08:00.001-08:00

Picture day was a total success! I'll post more later but I wanted to get up some of the pictures, they turned out simply fabulously!!!

I'll save the family picture for a surprise in my Christmas cards- but they also look great. I just love Portrait Innovations!

Picture Day

2008-12-04T08:58:00.000-08:00

Today is picture day. We are going to attempt to take our family picture for our Christmas cards (yes, I'm going to be lazy and send out a pre-made card!) as well as get Eli's 9 month/10 month pictures. I say attempt because the last time we tried to get some cute pictures of Eli, Mason, and Eva it was disastrous. I'm hoping it was the oncoming ear infection and not the large, flashing umbrella lights that made Eli so unruly and uncooperative.

Being an organized person I had today all planned out and made the appointment to reflect the best time of day for Eli, after we had eaten lunch and had a nap but not too far after when he'd be wanting to lay down again. We are supposed to meet Dylan at the food court at 12:00 and eat lunch then off to Portrait Innovations for a 12:40 appt. Since Eli usually gets up at 8:00, lays down again by 10:00 and is up by 11:30 I thought this would be perfect. Yeah, right! I can here all you more experienced mothers laughing at my imagined control over Eli's schedule. I'm sure I'll laugh about it too....later....

So this morning started off as usual. Except for the fact that Eli woke up at 6:30! What the heck was up with that!? So we got up, me vowing to keep him up until 9:00 so that he would be really tired and sleep until at least 11:00. Well, that went well, we played and he sort of ate and by 9 he was really ready to lay down. Again, I thought, perfect! Well, I apparently forgot to let his colon in on the plan and at 10:30 he woke up screaming with extremely dirty pants. Totally off schedule and super cranky! So I figured I'd change him quickly, lull him back to drowsiness with a bottle and lay him down again in hopes he'd sleep another 45 minutes and be happy for picture time....

Currently he is in his bed, full belly, and initially he was quiet and I again thought, perfect! (why do I keep jinxing it in my head!) He is now babbling happily and saying all his words and noises.....Oh well, guess we'll get him up and get ready to head out to the mall. Hopefully this goes smoothly, they should let you do a dry run before charging you! If this goes well I might have some cute pictures to post and if not, I'll post what we get and have a great story to tell!

Trained Monkey

2008-12-01T16:29:00.000-08:00

My good friend Vanessa has us over every Sunday for our "Football Sunday" celebrations. We get together, eat, watch the Bears, play with the baby, eat more, etc..... it's great! In the beginning of the season she decided we should teach Eli how to make the touchdown sign and to do it on command. We have been working tirelessly, and I mean that, to get him properly trained. I thought that maybe by the Super Bowl we would have it down. But surprise- he figured it out today! What a cutie! So what if he still can't crawl...or scoot... or really move forward at all :) At least he can make the touchdown signal on command. Let's focus on what really matters, shall we? So here he is!

Home again, home again....

2008-11-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

Eli and I just got back from a wonderful visit with Grandma and Grandpa Piper. We also got to stop twice and visit with the great-grandparents which was so fun! We are gearing up for a busy traveling holiday season! Luckily, Eli is doing just fabulously on his sleeping away from home. While we were with Grandma Jackie we traveled overnight to Iowa to visit with our friends Mason, Diane and Micah. We had a great little trip in a trip! We shopped and ate at restaurants then Eli and I got to spend the night at Mason's house. Eli was a star! He slept nearly all night (except for a dirty diaper at 11:00) and even went down for a nap the next morning. Can I say that I'm in love with Dr. Ferber again? Best book I ever bought!
In just two short days we will be off again to visit Grandma and Grandpa Welch in Wisconsin for Thanksgiving. While sleeping is getting better the car rides are a little tougher. Seems like both the babies (Eli and Eva) are getting a shortened tolerance for the car. Not good! But we'll make it eventually. We're going to try driving overnight coming home- we'll get Eli all bathed and bottled then pop him in the car and pray for a sleepy ride home. I'll let you know how it goes! After that I'm sure we'll head to Galesburg one more time before Christmas and we're also going back to WI for another family Christmas- whew!
As I write my post I am listening to an awesome Pandora radio station that I created with nothing but Christmas music! Check out Pandora.com if you've never heard of it, I love setting it and listening to music all day. Cammie is coming over today for present wrapping and I think after the Bears play we'll watch Polar Express and really get in the Christmas mood! Happy Thanksgiving week to everyone!

A smooth transition...

2008-11-17T06:59:00.001-08:00

Dylan and I played with Eli for a long time last night in his room. We practiced his butt to belly transition and he did it 5 times! Isn't it funny how proud and excited you can be for a little boy who is figuring things out? And if this is how I feel when he does something inadvertently (by reaching as far as he can in front of him and bouncing on his butt a little) then how much more proud and excited am I going to feel when he is a big boy and trying to do things.... and then succeeding? I'm worried I may just be crying tears of happiness all the time because he's accomplishing things! Tying your shoe, hopping on one foot, putting on a sock? I may just be one big ball of tears and snot (happy tears and snot) until he graduates from college! I guess I really just hope I can still get that excited about my baby boy as he gets bigger and no doubt sassier. I want to always feel like whatever he is doing is the most important thing in my day because I think our babies and big kids need to feel that from their moms. What? I'm a mom? Oh yeah, there's that realization again :) And finally- video proof that my baby is getting a little more mobile....

(Please excuse the sideways view! Now I know not to hold the camera like that!)

Waiting for Carpet

2008-11-16T13:55:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow we get our new carpet (hooray!) but in anticipation I moved much of our furniture/belongings into the garage and kitchen. Here are a few pictures of Eli and the kitties enjoying the empty rooms!

Bathtime Song

2008-11-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling too lazy to write much, so I thought I'd post a cute video of Eli singing in the tub...

My First Cookie

2008-11-11T07:47:00.000-08:00

Here is a little lesson from Eli on enjoying your first chocolate chip cookie with picture tutorials...

#1) It is a must to use two hands when placing the cookie in you mouth. Also known as 'double-fisting' it is a clever technique that is helpful when you are trying to get as much food in your mouth at one time as possible.

#2) While eating, smear as much chocolate on your mouth as you can. This helps release the essence of the chips so you not only enjoy the taste but also the delicious aroma of chocolate for a well-rounded cookie eating experience.

#3) Smiling, cooing, babbling and flapping of arms are all acceptable while eating your cookie. This lets the baker (daddy) know that you think they are fabulous and may actually lead to you getting to eat more cookie. Play your parents as much as possible before they start catching on to your devious ways.

#4) Pausing for a milk break is an important part of cookie eating. An experienced diner will hold pieces of cookie in his mouth and then drink the milk, essentially 'dipping' his cookie in milk even though his mom won't take the lid off his cup so he can do it the fun (messy) way.

#5) And finally, place cookie on your shoulder and in your hair and ear to save for later. If you're lucky, mom won't notice the chunk you hid just under your bib (she noticed) as well as the whole chocolate chip that you melted with your fingers before smearing it into your ear (she noticed but decided to tackle it in the bath later).

Eli thinks that this is the BEST way to eat a cookie and everyone should try it like this at least once!

Cute Stuff

2008-11-07T10:42:00.001-08:00

Our little goofball.....doesn't he just look so innocent?

Eli is getting cuter and cuter by the minute- is that possible? Dylan and I are constantly laughing at his goofy shenigans so I thought I would record some of the funnier things on our blog.

-- He has started sniffing his food. At first I thought he was just missing his mouth and aiming too high, but then today at lunch I saw his little nostrils flare in and out and I swear he was sniffing a kix! Probably not much smell but when I laughed he smiled back like he knew he was funny!

-- And I think he is figuring out that he can make people laugh and smile. He's been doing this goofy head bob/shake while he eats and if you laugh or do it back he keeps on going! I love his look when he sees you watching him and grins at you- it's priceless!

-- He is obsessed with a lamp in our living room. This is kind of a weird one- but anytime you walk by it he lunges at it and tries to grab it. He likes to scrape his fingernails on the shade/chew on the shade/ stare directly into the light. Luckily he remains immobile and can't seek it out on his own or I'm sure we'd have to put it somewhere besides the living room!

-- He also has a deep love of ceiling fans. As soon as you get him up from naps or for the morning he leans back to stare at his fan in his room and it always makes him smile. Moving or not matters little, the knowledge that it does spin is enough to make his day :)

-- He is emphatically done with his cup after a drink! He usually wings it on the ground and then quickly looks over the edge to see where it is. Today he did this and as I was saying something like "No Eli, we don't throw our cups" he looked up at me and smiled this mischievous little smile. We may have a trouble maker on our hands here but we are loving it and laughing every minute!

Stop the SCREAMING!

2008-11-04T08:24:00.001-08:00

So, needless to say you may have guessed from the title that E and I had a rough night last night... There are a couple things that played into this, I think. Although to be honest I usually have no idea what is going on in Eli's head and am frequently asking him to "use his words". But I digress. What I think was going on last night was raging hunger and the excessive use of the new scream he is developing just for his parents' pleasure. Let's explore the hunger...
I recently started to notice a definite decline in my milk supply. Not only did E seem less satisfied and crankier when I was trying to feed him but the other day I caught a glimpse of my naked chest before I got in the shower and I'm pretty sure I'm down to an 'A' cup. And it's not a cute, perky 'A' cup (don't worry, I won't post pictures). So, while visiting my parents in Galesburg we tried a number of different things. First I tried pushing fluids and eating oatmeal to up the milk supply. This was marginally successful. But feedings with E continued to be a trial for both of us, him angry and crying when the milk just wasn't there and me frustrated (and sometimes tearful) that I couldn't just feed him like I used to be able to. So I came to a place where I felt ready to let go of breastfeeding (becoming tearful again just thinking about it) and decided we would probably both be happier in the long run if he got a bottle of formula a couple times a day. Here's the kicker- the kid was now refusing both the bottle and formula! I realize I'm bigger then he is and should be able to overcome his refusals but you try and force a bottle into clenched lips attached to a twisting head. It isn't easy! So since we got home we've been doing regular vitamin D milk (pediatric gods strike me down) and I also try (with my meager supply) to breastfeed him at bedtime and in the morning. Which brings us to the next problem- I work once a week at night and I usually take my boobs with me. I've been stressing all week looking forward to Friday when my husband and I both work and my poor poor sister, who did nothing to deserve this, will spend the night with my screaming child. So to prepare for this I've been trying to just let E drink out of his cup before bed. At 2am this morning I decided that this wasn't working. Or maybe E was 'using his words' ie screaming uncontrollably and that's what tipped me off. So I broke down and made him a bottle spiked with juice. Did I mention this kid is a juice junkie? Finally, FINALLY he drank about 3-4oz and laid back down. So I do have hope for you, Cammie, on Friday night that you won't be calling me at 3am and asking how I feel about putting E in the garage for the night! So this brings us to the screaming...
There is just nothing I can say to even describe the anger Eli puts behind these screams. I really contemplated getting my camera out last night and taping the unearthly sounds coming from my baby but in the end was too tired/distraught. I'm hoping it is just a phase and he realizes that A) his throat gets really sore when he does it and B) mommy doesn't respond to it well. If not, I'll definitely work on getting it taped so you can all suffer along with me in a small way.
When I finally got back to bed last night- and thank god Will and Grace was on for me to watch during the whole hungry screaming debacle- Dylan asked me what was going on with E. I told him I thought the baby was probably crazy. I also decided that while everyone tells me, my mom included, that 'if a baby is hungry enough he will eat what is offered', I think it should be changed to 'if a baby is hungry enough he will scream for hours until you offer him what he wants to eat'. What do you guys think?

Little Vampire

2008-11-03T07:34:00.000-08:00

You may think that this post pertains to what Eli was for halloween. However, it really doesn't (he was a skunk). I say little vampire because my son has decided, for unknown reasons, to not teeth like a normal child but to get both of his canine teeth in prior to the two front teeth, thus looking like a little vampire. Once they really come in I'll work on getting some pictures, they are just little nubs at this point. But I have been despairing about how funny he is going to look! On the positive side, all of his friends are his age and non-verbal so they won't be able to make fun of him :)

I've been tagged....

2008-10-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

First, here are the rules of the game:
1. Link to the person that tagged you. http://themurphsters.blogspot.com/ (Thanks for thinking of me Sarah!)
2. Mention the rules. (check)
3. Tell six (6) quirky, yet boring and unspectacular details about yourself.
4. Tag other bloggers by linking to them. (May or may not do this one...)
5. Go to each person's blog and leave them a comment so they know they've been tagged.

Sarah tagged me a LONG time ago, and I've been thinking and thinking about something quirky about myself. Am I quirky? Hmmm, I'm sure my husband and sister could think of quirky things about me but I just think I'm normal :) But, I will give this a shot and let you into my questionable mind for a minute....

Quirk #1: I frequently lose things and then refuse to look for them because (try to stay with the crazy thought process) if I don't look for whatever I lost and I have a vague idea of where it is but never attempt to confirm where it really is then it isn't really lost because it could be where I think it might be.

Quirk #2: People mistake me for a clean-freak. My husband will tell you that this is way off-base. I am actually a neat-freak. These are two different things. I feel perfectly content in my house that was last cleaned (dusted, vacuumed, wiped down) more then a month ago as long as everything is organized and put away. Now, I do really appreciate a clean house, it just isn't really as much of a priority as a NEAT one. I like to think I'm exposing Eli to all sorts of allergens thus decreasing his risk for asthma!

Quirk #3: I recently established a morning routine that I am in love with. I get Eli up, change pants, feed small face, set him down to with his toys and then I make coffee, catch up on facebook/blog/mahjong and listen to him sing to his toys and play contentedly. If I never had to go anywhere before noon I would be a happy camper! Plus, he is learning to entertain himself which I feel is instrumental to his development.

Quirk #4: I used to talk extensively to myself in the grocery store/target/anywhere in public. Why? I have no idea. But I used to catch myself talking out loud and quickly look around to make sure no one was close enough to hear the crazy! On the upside, this quirk has been resolved because now I just talk to Eli. And since my sister read that baby needs to be spoken to frequently to aid in language development I feel like all my chatting is fulfilling my motherly duty!

Quirk #5: If I pee while Eli is sleeping (naps or overnight) I NEVER flush the toilet. Gross, eh? However, and I'm sure I'll get an amen from all the moms out there, keeping your baby sleeping comes before everything else including cleanliness and when you live in a tiny house a flushing toilet can be the straw that breaks the camels back... or wakes the baby. I'm also wasting less water and thus being more environmentally friendly. Just trying to do my part to conserve the planet for my son and any future children.

Quirk #6: I try to rationalize all my actions by twisting them into something that is not weird or unhealthy but actually is good for my baby. Please see Quirks #2-5 for examples of this.....

So there you have it, try not to judge me too harshly! I'm going to tag my sister Cammie since it's been months since she blogged- and we want to hear more Eva stories!

The Pumpkin Patch!

2008-10-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

Trying to pull on the pumpkin plant.
Am I the cutest pumpkin in the picture?
Hanging out with my Uncle Eric.
"I want to take ALL these home!"

2008-10-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

Eli is excited to go to the pumpkin patch with Eva!
But first, some leaves for munching.
Isn't he an adorable bee?
Mommy feeding goats, Eli though they were funny little creatures!
Sittin' on a hay bail- Eva thought it was too prickly!

The Realizations Hits

2008-10-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

What realization you might ask? Well, the realization that I am a mom. Weird, since I've been doing this for over eight months, you are probably thinking. And I've definitely had these moments before, where you're doing or saying something and all of a sudden you think "Huh, I really AM a mom..." But it hasn't happened to me in awhile. I think you just get caught up in the day to day- taking care of your baby, working, keeping in touch with loved ones, keeping your house clean (sort of)- and stop taking the time to think about what you are doing because it doesn't seem as new and exciting as it used to. And then it hits you again- and you say to yourself, "Huh, I really AM a mom!" So tonight, long after Eli went to bed, I decided to straighten up the house so that in the morning it looks nice to walk out to. Funny that the baby doesn't even have to be awake and present for a moment to occur! I was picking up his toys, and trying to remember which ones need to be handled carefully and turned off before chucking them in his toy bin. I was failing miserably and set off not one but two toys- one of which has a volume switch that you can hit to turn it UP and not OFF and of course I turned it on louder before finally getting it off. And I was praying that Eli didn't wake up and trying to gently set the rest of the toys in the bin and all of a sudden, BAM! It hits me again- I'm someone's mom! How strange... I have to know, do you ever get used to it? Having that be your role? I used to be a daughter and sister, then friend, then girlfriend and nurse, then wife, and now mom. This seems to be the hardest transition to get used to, but not in negative way. Just that I still marvel that Dylan and I are parents. And maybe I don't want to get too used to it, maybe that means you start taking it for granted because in the same moment that I realize I'm a mom I also thank God that I have Eli and am so grateful to be doing this. So here's hoping that the realization continues to hit at the odd moments in child rearing and to always remembering how precious it is to be a MOM!

I wanted to share a little Eli movie with you all- He is loud, busy, constantly moist and way too much fun!!!

Fighting the yeast battle...

2008-09-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

Can any of you moms out there sympathize with me, and Eli of course, that a yeast diaper rash is the WORST thing to try to get rid of? We have been battling this thing for almost a month! We think it may have started with my dear little Eva who was on antibiotics and therefore got her yeast diaper rash. These two babies truly do share everything! I finally broke down and called the doctor yesterday. On a side note, I hate hate hate going to the doctor and also, apparently, taking my son to the doctor and will therefore do everything I can to avoid it. But I digress. I called the doctor yesterday and the nurse I spoke with reinforced the clotrimazole cream we are using and asked us to add baking powder baths to the regime. So now on top of getting his butt creamed three times a day he gets to play in a fizzy bath twice a day. I am just desperately trying to nix this thing before we head to Disney World at the end of the week- who wants a red itchy butt in 90 degree heat! Prior to calling the doctor I asked every mom I talked to if they had any suggestions and then tried whatever they told me, sometimes with humorous results! Two nice nurses I work with told me that leaving him open to air would help to which I replied that at least I didn't have my new carpet down yet. Turns out, I should be REALLY glad I don't have new carpet yet because this morning, while I was leaving him open to air following his baking powder soak and a peeing episode during breastfeeding, Eli decided that he simply had to go in the 5 seconds I had him sitting naked on the floor to reach for a diaper. All I can say is, thank goodness for starting solid foods and therefore solid poop! Other helpful suggestions included alternating the clotrimazole and desitin (started doing that today) and also using a combo of desitin, neosporin, and clotrimazole (haven't tried that yet). Things are beginning to look better, but I am not going to get hopeful yet, we've had this rash basically gone a few times and it always flares back up! So any suggestions my mom friends have would be MUCH appreciated. No matter how goofy, I'm willing to try anything!

The 'I should blog' entry

2008-09-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

I really don't have a topic, or anything of importance to talk about, but since it has been awhile since I posted I thought while Eli was sleeping I should hop on here and write a little. So, here are the things that are going on in our mundane lives:

-Dylan is working nights now which means I get three nights a week with the bed ALL TO MYSELF! (How many years do you have to be married to be so excited about that?)

-Eli recently decided to boycott all of the 'meal' type baby food (turkey and dumpling dinner, spaghetti with meat sauce, etc) and would only eat fruit. Now, one can hardly blame him, they smell AWFUL. But Dylan was a little dismayed. After all, you will remember that our one goal for Eli is that he is a little foodie like his dad. So, it's back to plain vegetables this week to get him back on track. Maybe he just didn't want any of his food to touch and by touch I mean all pureed into one gooey gross mess. I think he'll be fine- he always gives me this look like "Hey, how come you get to eat all that delicious seasoned food?" when I feed him tidbits off my plate!

-I am still working on my new healthy eating plan. Things are going okay, thanks for all the well-wishes!

Uh oh, the little one is screaming, and as Dylan is trying to sleep today I should probably run right in there and get him. A short post is better then none, right?

Mommy Post

2008-09-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've posted the last few times about Eli and I figure it's time for a post on me :) And it's even more appropriate because today is my birthday... 27 whole years old-yikes! My husband asked me how it felt to be 27- I said "fat and unattractive". Now, this may be a little bit of an over-exaggeration! But we do all have days like that, right? I told my sister that I'm heading back to weight watchers this week, so this is truly my last 'free' day. I have been thinking of getting back on track for quite a while, I've even had a few attempts/false starts. My day usually progresses like this:

Morning=motivated and eating a healthy breakfast
Afternoon= "well, this isn't that healthy but I had a healthy breakfast so it's okay"
Dinner = totally motivated....for starting tomorrow and will therefore finish tonight off with a blizzard from DQ!

But with an upcoming wedding where we'll see friends from college I'm really feeling the pressure (all self-applied) to start treating my body better! In the past few weeks there have been a number of occasions coming up that have prompted me to want to wait to really get back on the wagon - going on vacation for two weeks in MN, my birthday, going to Omaha, going to Disney World, Thanksgiving, Christmas.... and then- time to have another baby? But then I realize- OH CRAP- if I weigh 250# before I get pregnant for a second time I'll have to invest an ungodly amount of money in new maternity clothes! What a kick in the pants :) And so, it is with some trepidation I start up again tomorrow- mostly because I loathe giving up things I want to eat. Any other moms out there reward themselves during naptimes with a snack on the couch? But, I know it needs to be done, and I really do want to set a good example for Eli. So, wish me luck! My goal is to lose 15# by February- seems doable, eh?

Reasons we love our Minky....

2008-08-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

Eli has adopted a "minky" as his security blanket (thanks Uncle Timmy for the letting us use your childhood word!). His minky is wonderful in many ways to both his mommy and him and he wanted to share them with you!

*A minky is always available and easy for mommy to wash because there are actually about 25 minkies as they are simply a cloth diaper. So replaceable! Any mommy knows that the key to a good security item is that you can replace it in a pinch.

*A minky is multifunctional in terms of bodily fluids and has a number of purposes: vomit wiper, drool catcher, tear dabber, etc.

*A minky can be used for entertainment when certain mommies forget to bring any baby toys. Peek-a-boo is a popular game with minky but tug-of-war is also fun.

*A minky can be the envy of all your friends. Eva, in particular, loves to grab Eli's minky and chew on it just like he does! Weird, since she doesn't really chew on any other blankets. She must be learning by watching him!

*And finally, the best use for a minky is to stuff as much of it as you can in your mouth as you fall asleep for naps and bedtime. Eli can tell you, it's the only way to put yourself to sleep! Mommy hasn't tried it yet though!

Here is a little video of Eli playing with his minky!

Hotel Sleeping

2008-08-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

Or rather, hotel NOT sleeping! We just spent two fun-filled days in Chicago visiting my youngest brother and meeting his new girl and we had a great time. We went out to eat and went to IKEA and went swimming in the hotel pool and on and on and on. I was exhausted at the end of each of the two nights we spent there. Being on the go with Eli is so much fun but it's a little work as well! However, being on the go with me must not be quite as much work for Eli, as he decided against sleeping for most of the second night in the hotel....

......well, that might be a slight exaggeration! But after getting solid, uninterrupted sleep with your baby going back to the getting up every 2-3 hours is brutal. And so, looking ahead to our trip to NE to visit friends and then to Disney world I'm beginning to get a little (understandably) worried. What if he decides then that sleep is overrated and is up at all hours of the night? How will I function? And so, as I lay awake last night listening to him trying to settle himself, unsuccessfully, I devised my plan for the week....

We are now entering sleep training: Phase II. Sounds impressive, right? Well, hopefully Eli will be impressed as well! Over the next couple weeks my goal will be to gradually move is night-time feeding (which used to be between 4-6am but last night was 12:30, 3:30, 5:30...) until it is at 8 or 9am. That is when he usually sleeps till and I know in my head that he really doesn't need to eat in the middle of the night, although convincing him of this may be more difficult. I'll let you know how the training goes! Pray for us!

Eli's video debut

2008-08-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

Here is it! My first video posting of Eli! I can tell that this is going to be addicting, mostly because it is so darn easy. Plus, being able to look back not only at the words I wrote but of cute little snippets of video? I mean, c'mon, what could be better! So here is what Eli has been doing lately...

~He figured out how to roll from back to front and then back again! What a huge milestone! He refrains from doing it in the presence of his mother, but I'll take what I can get.

~Using his newly acquired skill he slept on his belly last night which is how he has always loved to sleep. Here's hoping this makes him sleep even better and by better I mean LONGER!

~He is eating everything in sight. This morning he almost finished 6oz of applesauce! For those of you how can't put that in perspective it's probably like you putting down a pound and a half of food at a sitting! So now I might have to delve into the world of homemade baby food to save a little money, the little monster is already through his weekly supply.

~He continues to love his exersaucer and is getting pretty tall in it- guess it's time to pull out the directions and figure out how to make it higher. Hmmm, I know I put them some place safe....

That's all from Eli's world right now. Later in the week we will hopefully be traveling up to Chicago to visit with Uncle Tim. Our Eva has been under the weather but I'm hoping she is feeling better now that she is on some medicine!

Video trial...

2008-08-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

So this is a test video of Dylan on the couch watching the Olympics tonight. My cousin Roz, of benandlucien.blogspot.com, told me how to do it and I just had to try it tonight even though the main star of our show is sleeping. If this works I will battle with the urge to wake Eli up and make him do something cute for the camera.....but I will hold back because that would be ridiculous! However, I may post 5-10 times tomorrow depending on how adorable Eli is being. Well, here goes nothing!

PS- Disregard the lighting and non-entertaining conversation. Remember, this was a test, and I assured Dylan I would erase it. But I lied a little :)

You can tell you have pms when....

2008-08-16T14:39:00.000-07:00

.... the beer commercial makes you tear up because the horse doesn't get picked in the beginning to pull the wagon. And then you tear up at the end when, after hard-core training with the dalmatian, the horse gets to be on the team...

Expectations

2008-08-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

I was reading an article in Parenting magazine last night (always a great way to make yourself feel incompetent as a parent) and I ran across an article about mother's dirty little secrets. One of the 'secrets' was that your child might not turn out the way you want him to. The example was a mom who was very athletic and slender as well as good in school (basically the perfect child) and her daughter was none of the above, she was chubby and hated school and sports. My first thought was how could the poor child have ever lived up to those expectations- I mean, the mother was obviously perfect, right? But then I turned to Dylan and asked him what our expectations of Eli were. I thought maybe we would have a deep conversation about all of our hopes and dreams for him.....

Guess what we came up with.....

The one and only hope we have for Eli is that he likes all types of FOOD! How hilarious! I got the giggles and realized that our lives truly do revolve around eating :) And on that note, Eli had turkey and vegetables tonight and thought they were fabulous. We are well on our way to raising a little foodie!

Budgeting

2008-08-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

Now that I am working one day a week and staying home with Eli the other six, I have needed to find some innovative ways to budget our money. I thought I could share them and you can pick and choose any that fit into your life- Read on!

1) Discuss and create budget with husband. Potential opening conversation:
Dylan: You know you are going to be home six days a week.
Me: Yeah, I know.
*Silence for a few minutes while Dylan stares at me*
Me: Are you trying to tell me I can't go to the mall and spend money every day?
Dylan: Yeah.
Me (defensively): I know! (But I was totally planning to spend my days like that, darn!)

2) Discover free ways to entertain yourself. Some suggestions that I have found plausible:
-Open facebook page and spend hours 'stalking' people
-Bug your friends frequently with phone calls and/or text messages
-Minutely organize baby photos
-Update your blog frequently (check!)

3) Find alternatives for things you used to frivolously spend money on.
Example: Instead of getting a french manicure (which costs upwards of $35 at the cheap place) simply apply desitin under each nail- looks just the same and comes with the added benefit of being easily at hand during diaper changes!

4) Shop at Deals for a Dollar. (I used to shop there all the time, then Dylan had a break down when some of the tortillas I purchased wouldn't just pull apart without ripping- what a food snob :) So now I'm going to buy non-edibles like garbage bags that break when you pull them out of the can, etc.)

5) Live vicariously through others. I love shopping with Cammie, I feel almost the same shopping rush when she buys something as when I do- but we have been slowly morphing into the same person....

6) Discover innovative toys for Eli to play with, and by innovative I actually mean free. See my previous post about motrin bottles and magazines (thanks for the offer of sending more Laura- I'll let you know!).

7) Accelerate Eli's diet to the Gerber stage 3 foods. These come in 6oz jars and are way cheaper then those plastic containers. (You may have to disregard Gerber's advice on this one, but don't you think they want you to buy those expensive plastic containers for as long as possible? I think babies can chew chunks with their gums, don't you?)

8) Begin watching my diet again (for the umpteenth time since delivering Eli). Hopefully I will be eating less, losing weight so as not to have to buy bigger clothes and therefore saving money. Also, there is the added benefit of good health and looking better. But mostly I'm doing for the money....

9) Decide to grow your hair out. Not only will this save money on haircuts, but most husbands secretly (or openly) want long hair anyway and then I'll look more like my picture on my work badge- double bonus!

That's all I can think of now but I'm sure there will be more. While my hair, nails, baby's diet, baby's brain development (non-educational toys? *gasp*) and sanity (re: hours on facebook) may all suffer, there is a greater good to be had here. Staying home with Eli is worth all the sacrifice (except maybe his brain.... eh, I'm sure he'll be fine!)