Happy Holidays!

What a week! We started off the holidays with Mom-Mom driving into town for Christmas; we went to Christmas Eve service at the church and had a wonderful day at the house. Then Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Justin, and Treis (cousin) drove in the day after Christmas for a few days. We had a Christmas celebration on Tuesday complete with a hike down by the Sope Creek paper mill ruins. The highlight of the week was probably the new Georgia Aquarium. (Grandpa gave everyone a ticket in their stocking.) Eli loved seeing all of the fish and sea animals; he had a hard time closing his eyes for a nap! We finished up the week with a visit from Cooper.

Eli is still not rolling over unassisted, but he's close. However the big news in Eli's life is his thumb: he finally discovered it! He's been eating/chewing on toys, blankets, cloths, fingers,(everything BUT his thumb) for a few weeks now. (We're pretty certain he's been teething.) Now that he's found it, he takes quite care to place it and ONLY it (no other fingers) in his mouth.

Tongue Twisters

Eli's newest form of self-amusement is his tongue. He's found that when he makes different noises, it moves. On top of that, if he puts his fingers in his mouth while he's making those noises, he can feel his tongue move. When he thinks I'm not watching he gets really into it, adding several pitches and squeaks.

Other than that, we're just preparing for the onslaught of company due to arrive starting tomorrow. I'm expecting Eli's routine to take a hit; added people in the house always throw him off. I don't mind so much, but it always takes a good three days after people leave to get him back in his groove.

Stick 'em Up!

Eli had a pretty low-key weekend. Saturday we went hiking with Dave and Carolyn, and then the three of us went to dinner and to look at Christmas lights. (Eli slept through most of the last part.) Sunday was church and hanging around the house.

Today, however, was his four-month pediatrician check-up. In the waiting room we met a woman (and her two sons) who went through the bar process with her younger son. He looked to be about 18-24 months, and only wears the bar at night. She goes to the same doctor we do and her son's feet are doing great, which was music to my ears. Eli's appointment was uneventful; he was weighed, measured, and inspected routinely. He only weighed in at 13lb 14oz, but Lehr and I are convinced the scale was a little off because he is getting SO heavy! He started to get tired (and fussy) right before the doctor came in, and he actually fell asleep before the nurse came in to give him his shots. I can assure you the four shots woke him right up! Poor guy; all he wanted to do was sleep and as soon as he nodded off someone stuck him with a needle...

Naptime!

Naps, naps, naps. I used to dread that time of the day, but not anymore!! Eli used to require quite a few walks around the upstairs before he would be drowsy enough to go to sleep. Lehr and I only rocked/walked him to sleep in the very beginning, but since then we've tried to help him sleep by walking and rocking to a state of heavy-lids. About three weeks ago I decided it was time to start something new. Eli no longer had something new to contend with each week on his feet, and he was sleeping through the night, so I figured there was no reason he couldn't be trained to get to sleep completely on his own. I watch for his tired signs, take him into his room and shut the blinds, read him a story and then put him in his crib. It's week three, and with a rare exception (overtiredness, company in the house, etc.) it works like a charm! He sometimes fusses or cries while I read him his before-sleep-story, but as soon as I have him in the crib he throws his arms over his head (his favorite sleeping position) and gives in. I love it!!

Oh Happy Day

What a day! I think that up until about 9pm (when it was time to go to bed and Eli had a big gas bubble in his stomach), today was officially Eli's happiest day ever! After his morning nap, we headed to Centennial Olympic Park with Cooper and his parents to get some pictures. We then grabbed some lunch and headed home to play. After his last nap, Lehr and I took Eli to our favorite local sushi joint where the waitresses kept coming over to play with Eli (one even took him on a quick tour around the restaurant). The whole day he was in a super mood; no crying!

Last night we baby-sat Cooper and the two boys had a great time together. It was really interesting to be able to compare the development of both boys since they're only two weeks apart. They seem to have the same skills, but they use them so differently. They're finally starting to notice each other; it's really fun to see them checking each other out...
I came across an article about the method of clubfoot correction we're following. For those of you who might not want to read the whole Ponseti website, this is a quick synopsis.

Movie Time

Eli had another first today: Eli and I met Cooper and his mom at the movie theater this afternoon. I'm here to report success because both boys did great. Cooper watched some of the movie and 'oohed' and 'ahhed' quietly, and Eli snoozed through the entire thing. I had to get up to walk Eli a few times because it was hard for him to get comfortable with me holding him (a combination of the theater seat/armrests and his bar), but we never had to leave the theater.

Also, Eli is laughing a lot more now. Today I actually got a few giggles, which Eli refused to duplicate on the phone for his father (of course!).

Bad Mommy!

It's been a busy few days, so please excuse the lack of new pictures. Eli and I ran some errands yesterday morning; he's trying to finish his Christmas shopping early. After we finished shopping for his list we stopped by my office to drop off some gifts for the holidays. It was not intended to be a long stop, so I didn't bring any of Eli's supplies in with me. As luck would have it, Eli had a blow out about ten minutes into our visit. I'm officially a bad mother because not only did I not bring any diapers up to the office with me, but I felt the blowout and still stayed in the office for fifteen more minutes. On top of that, I didn't change him as soon as I got to the car (I knew it would be too much of a mess, and it would be easier to clean at home). Since the drive home would only take ten minutes, I figured I'd be safe. However Eli tried to sleep once he got into the car, but because I know how much he hates to be woken up when he just starts to nap (which I was going to have to do as soon as we walked in the door since his diaper so obviously needed to be changed...I wasn't going to make him sleep in it: I'm not THAT bad), I blared the music in the car really loud to keep him awake. He won out and slept for about five minutes before we got home, and then continued to sleep through my clean-up attempt. So not only did he have to sit in his own filth longer than necessary, but I also made sure he was awake to experience every moment of it. That kid hasn't got a chance with me as a parent...

Today we ran more errands. This time we finished Mom & Dad's shopping list. We then met Cooper and his parents for dinner. The two boys are almost exactly the same size now; they are both growing so fast!

Random Thoughts

Eli has had a few low-key days; no new skills to report. We have been struggling a little more with the shoes though. He's at an in-between stage with the buckle on the left side. One setting is too loose and one is too tight, but there isn't enough room between the two to make a new hole. So for the time being, we're double-socking...hopefully that will work.

If I didn't know Eli's true age, I would think he's closer to 12-months given the amount of effort he is putting into vocalizing his thoughts. This little guy is all about trying to talk these days. Lehr said he wouldn't be surprised if he came home one day and Eli looked at him and said, "I've been waiting SO long to say a few things..."

My 'new favorite thing' about Eli is his interest in toys. Now that he doesn't hate being in the car as much, Eli usually prefers to gaze out the window as we drive, taking in the scenery. However, every once in a while I'll hear him talking, cooing, and laughing only to turn around and find him 'flirting' with the grasshopper hanging on his car seat (a present from Cooper). He really enjoys talking to his bug!

Turkey Lurkey

Happy Thanksgiving! Lehr and Eli went off on their own for about an hour yesterday while I was cooking to create pictures wishing a happy holiday to email to family members. The three of us spent Thanksgiving at David and Carolyn's house. Eli's fairy godmother was finally able to give him a bottle, and the rest of the time was spent with Dave and Carolyn jockeying for the position of "Eli Holder".

Today we got our Christmas tree and did half of the decorating. Eli really seemed to be into it; every time I opened a new box or unwrapped a decoration he would paint a huge grin on his face and crack up.

Busy Bee

What a little man; Eli is displaying so much more personality every day! Yesterday Eli and I attended a Mom & Me meeting, followed by a trip to my office for a Thanksgiving luncheon. Eli was well behaved; he even let other people hold him for most of the visit (Mom got a chance to eat and socialize, if you can imagine). He ran out of smiles just as we arrived, but at least he didn't replace them with tears......

Eli spent most of the day today in the kitchen with me. I've been trying to prepare food for the big day tomorrow, which means Eli had to amuse himself, or view Mom's attempts to cook as entertainment. This was not a hard task for Eli, as he's becoming more and more independent in his play. He loves when Lehr or I get down on the ground and play with him, but he's also completely content to thoroughly inspect his toys, his hands, the wall, or whatever else he has in sight. And he's always up for a conversation with himself or the toy he happens to be holding. Speaking of which, Lehr was finally able to hear Eli's laugh last night. He elicited a few hearty chuckles from Eli before bathtime - what a wonderful sound!

Surprise, Surprise

Happy 3-month Birthday! I can't believe it's already been 3-months. This would be the time when I'd have to start dropping the little guy off with someone else all day if I were returning to work. Fortunately, we are in the position for me to stay home with Eli for a bit longer, so for now I guess my new job is "stay-at-home-mom". It's not a job I ever thought I would have (or want), but I can honestly say I couldn't be happier with that title...

Eli stayed with Cooper and his parents last night while Lehr and I went to dinner with some friends. It was nice, but weird. The only other time we've left him was for a date, so it was just the two of us and there was conversation about him. This time there were four other couples in attendance, so the conversation was about things other than Eli, and I actually found myself forgetting for a few moments here and there. As much as I missed him, I know it's good for us (and Eli) to be separate from time to time, so we will try to continue this practice. I think we've worked out an arrangement to alternate weeks so Cooper's parents can also enjoy a kid free night.

This morning Eli went for a three-week check-up with Dr. Morrissy, and everything went well. Dr. M said his feet still look great; the correction is holding very well. We are on track to keep Eli in the bar 23/7 until he starts to crawl (around six months), and at that time we'll re-assess, but most likely his wear will move to sleeping time only (naps and bedtime).

It's a Concentration Thing..

Eli is growing like a weed. Since Wednesday night, he's been eating a lot more frequently; big time growth spurt. He's burning all sorts of energy during the day too. Almost every time I put him on his back, he moves his legs and arms like he's running in place (picture making a snow-angel REALLY fast), and he gets this crazy look on his face. Last night Eli intentionally worked himself out of a shoe for the first time; I put him down at 2am after feeding him and when Lehr got him up at 6:30, his left foot (the smaller one) was free. We just hope that he became shoeless closer to 6:30 than to 2:00....

Cross Your Fingers..

So far we've had three nights in a row of good sleep (10 hours, 10.5 hours, 9.5 hours). If I have learned anything from Eli, it's to expect the unexpected, so I'm not holding my breath that this is a permanent sleep schedule. As you can see from the pictures, Eli is loving his bathtime more and more everyday. He accidentally ingested some water a few days ago, which he did not like, but it hasn't slowed his stride at all: bathtime is still his favorite.

And the Pendulum Swings Back....

Eli did not nap well at all yesterday; not that I was surprised considering what a rough night he had Saturday (he tends to run on no sleep for days on end). And when I put him down last night at 9pm, he was very restless and noisy. He cried out three or four times before 10pm, but he was sleeping each time, and he only required our reassurance once. I decided to skip the last feeding in the hopes that he would get a longer chunk of quality sleep. I got up about three times before 1am to check on him and rub his belly (due to crying out in his sleep), but then nothing until 5:30 when I woke myself up. Nothing from Eli until 7am. So from 15 minutes Saturday night to ten hours Sunday night....

On another note, over the weekend Eli started loosing his hair: male pattern baldness already. Also, he's loosing it rather haphazardly; patches show up looking clean shaven in random spots all over his head.

You Owe Me A Coke

Wow..talk about jinxing yourself. As I was typing yesterday's blog (9pm), Eli woke up. He did not sleep again until 6am. He was not awake and wanting to play; he just wanted to cry. It's not even that he slept a lot during the day yesterday either. Quite the opposite: he was awake for 90% of the hiking trip, car ride and all.

Finally We Have A Laugh

Another couple of busy days. Eli is doing MUCH better with his sleeping. Although he's still sleeping no more than four hours in a stretch, he is no longer up every 15-minutes within those four hours. This is very welcomed progress; both Lehr and I had been missing out on sleep this last week. Eli is still doing really well with the bar, though he's not lifting his feet up in the air as much. However, he is absolutely loving bath time. I think he prefers when Lehr or I get in the bath with him so that he can have more water in the tub (as opposed to the tiny baby tub he has when it's just Eli).

I believe Eli had his first real laugh yesterday. He's been squealing a little the last couple of weeks, but I didn't want to jump the gun and label those possibly accidental exclamations as official laughs. However, yesterday he and I were playing in his baby gym and he had a three or four syllable distinctive laugh. It was amazing. Unfortunately, we've been unsuccessful in duplicating it so far.

Today we went to Panther Creek (North Georgia) with David and Carolyn for a longer hike (about seven miles). Eli did pretty well considering he was in and out of the Baby Bjorn a few times (there are a few parts on the trail where we had to climb using 'all fours', so he was passed from person to person to minimize risk).

Getting used to the bar

Well, the carseat-sleeping-solution is no longer working; Eli would only give us three consecutive hours again last night. But the trade off (which I'm more than willing to accept) is his obvious happiness during the day. The new shoes and bar don't seem to bother him at all. Quite the opposite, actually. He seems very happy to 'dance' by shimmying his newfound legs back and forth in the bar. And today he figured out how to lift both feet (bar in tow) in the air while he's on his back. He used to keep his casts in the air for long periods of time, but since the bar was installed, he hadn't been able to duplicate that movement. All of this dancing and abdominal work wears Eli out. He now prefers to crash for 15-20 minute power naps throughout the day.

Hooray!

Is it possible? Could my happy-go-lucky frog really be back? Dare I say he is! Yesterday morning I camped out at the orthotist's office for 1 1/2 hours; I had to get smaller shoes for Eli before one of us lost our mind. The orthotist was very helpful in fitting Eli in a much smaller pair. Now he is hanging ten over the edges of the shoes, but at least we know they are in correctly! Eli was much happier all day yesterday; he even started to kick me with the bar (atta boy!). And when I changed his socks this morning (the first time I'd taken off the new shoes), there were no longer red marks on his heels, or anywhere on his feet (YIPPEE!). Last night was the real test (of course), and he passed. Not with flying colors, but I keep telling myself: "baby steps". That being said, I did sort of cheat; I discovered on Saturday that Eli is actually sleeping longer when he's in his dreaded car seat. So at 2am when he woke us up the first time, I fed him and put him in his car seat, in his crib. (Hey, it works!) Low and behold, he didn't make a sound for a full five hours. Needless to say, both of us are doing a LOT better this morning.

Serenity Now

It has been a L-O-N-G five days...Eli is not adjusting well to the shoes/bar at all. The first day wasn't too bad because he didn't seem to realize that he could move his legs at all. Although that frustrated him, he at least kept the shoes on. Now he moves his legs back and forth and his feet slip out of the shoes. My hands are constantly pulling laces and straps on the shoes tighter, and we have tried every pair of socks in Eli's sock drawer to find a good match. So far I have not found any rhyme or reason as to when the shoes will stay on or come off; thin socks, thick socks, two pair, one pair, morning, night: it's very random. Unfortunately for me, Eli's sleeping through the night has stopped. Last night was the best night I've had since the bar, and it was still a far cry from the 7-8 continuous hours we were getting. The first three nights Eli was up every 30 minutes (no lie)...needless to say, I'm typing in my sleep... I will be going back to the orthotist tomorrow to try to get smaller shoes; we think the shoes are too big for Eli and that's why he's slipping out so easily.

On a positive note, Eli loves his bathtime. He had his first one Thursday night; he didn't appear to be afraid at all, but yet he wasn't totally into it. However, last night he started waving his arms around in an effort to splash. Of course he gets a scared look on his face when he makes contact with the water and sends it flying, but it's great fun all the same. That fun ends as soon as the bath is over and I have to torture him by putting the shoes back on. I'll say it again: "Eli's Therapy Fund"...we accept paypal.

Eli's Therapy Fund

Today was a big day for Eli the frog; his 7th (hopefully his last) set of casts were removed and replaced with cool new shoes and a nifty new bar. Or at least those are the descriptions I use when talking to Eli, in the hopes that he will not hate the new contraption too much. So far he's just plain fussy; the shoes are a new feel for him, as he's never worn shoes before, and his heels are still tender from the surgery, so the socks/shoes rubbing against the incision site it a bit much to handle. I have to imagine sooner or later Eli will need serious counseling for all of these curveballs we keep throwing his way. As soon as he gets used to a cast, we take him to the doc to change it. Then he gets used to changing casts and we take him to the hospital for surgery. Now he's confident he's been through it all and we impose this aluminum bar on him. Please send your checks to "Eli's Therapy Fund"...

Dr. Morrissy inspected Eli's feet once the casts were off and found them to be healing as expected. Eli will wear the bar for 23 hours/day for at least the next month. Dr. Morrissy expects that we'll stick with that schedule until Eli starts to crawl, at which time he'll only wear it during naps and bedtime.

The biggest change for me has been the rebirth of my baby. All of the sudden I have little baby legs to tickle and dote over. You'll have to excuse me for making a big deal out of this as I have not seen Eli's legs since he was eight days old. The poor things are very dry and cracked, and very skinny (surprising, considering the heft of the rest of his body). I am having to re-learn how to pick Eli up, how to hold him, change his diaper, etc. to accommodate the not-stiff legs and new bar. I'm used to throwing the little guy over my shoulder and holding on to his heels as they essentially controlled the rest of Eli's lower body. Now he's all 'soft' in the leg area - it's like holding a newborn again.

It's the Great Pumpkin!

Eli got his first jack-o-lantern this week. It took me a whole day to carve it in-between feeding/entertaining/changing Eli. Not that I was surprised; that's the way every day goes now. The pain from Eli's booster shots was very short lived, and he did not run a fever (something I was VERY worried about). Tuesday, Eli and I met Cooper and his mom at another Mom & Me meeting; Eli decided to show off for everyone by being very agreeable and happy the whole time except when he was sleeping. We even went out to lunch with some of the moms/babies afterwards!

The rest of the week was spent taking walks at the river. Now that it's a little cooler, I bought a few warmer clothing items including a fleece hat (that Lehr thinks is goofy) and an Old Navy fleece jacket (his first of many, I'm sure). Picking out clothing for Eli is difficult because we're having to avoid any pants that have attached feet (like sleepers); he won't be able to wear those with his shoes and bar. Speaking of which, this coming Wednesday is the big day: Eli's casts will come off and the shoes and bar will be the replacement. I'm dreading this transition only because Eli is 100% used to the casts now, and not being able to move his legs independently will probably frustrate him to no end. Unlike when he received his first casts, he is now much more vocal and will make his displeasure heard 'round the world. However, this change means Eli will finally be able to take a 'normal' bath, which I'm sure he will love.

Pumpkin Patch

Another busy weekend for Eli! Saturday he went on his first pumpkin-patch-outing to Burt's Farm (an annual event for Mom & Dad). Grandma Cathie, Carolyn, and David came along for the festivities. The main purpose of the trip was to get pictures of 'the bay-bee' in the pumpkins, of course. We got a few good ones, but Eli let us know we were testing our limits a few times. After the long drive home, we all met Cooper and his parents for sushi (another first for Eli). It's so odd to make reservations for adults and children...this is going to take some getting used to! Sunday morning the three of us attended Cooper's baptism. Thankfully Eli slept through most of the church service (as did Cooper, until they put water on his head).

Unfortunately, today was not as fun as the weekend. Grandma Cathie had to go home, and Eli went to his 2-month doctor appointment. Not a huge deal normally, but today he received booster shots. Although they made him sleepy, they also made him cranky. As of today, Eli weighs 12 lb. 7oz, and is 23" long.

Eli the Frog

Eli has had a busy week with Grandma Cathie in town; he's been hiking, walking, to the mall for the first time (he had to get his new 'bling' sized: he got a baby ring from Grandma & Grandpa, and a St. Christopher medal from his Uncle Jay), and to the Botanical Gardens. He is back to his happy self (as evident in the frog-costume picture), and has been enjoying all of the extra attention showered on him,courtesy of Grandma Cathie, for the last few days. Tonight Mom & Dad went out to dinner, leaving Eli in someone else's care for the first time (a pretty big step for Mom!). Dinner was great, but (of course) I was in a hurry to get home and see my little frog.

Church Dedication

Today Eli participated in the Parent-Child Dedication service at our church. We had quite a cheering section of family and friends attend to support Eli on this special day. All in all, it went pretty well. Eli has had a few rough days (most likely due to the surgery); he's been extra fussy and not getting much sleep. To help him settle down we invited all of the friends and family back to our house for a small party after church. We all had a great time, but of course, for Eli it was just another stressful day full of new people.

Surgery

Eli had his first (and hopefully only) surgery on his feet this morning. We were at Scottish Rite for five hours, but the surgery itself only took 35 minutes. Dr. Morrissy said Eli did beautifully, and he'll see us in three weeks when he removes this last set of casts. We did not bring the camera to the hospital, but I wish we had because Eli had to wear a hospital gown, just like a child or adult! (That thing was exactly what you'd imagine: a white gown that closed and tied in the back, though it looked as if it had been borrowed from a teddy bear's wardrobe.) Once we got home, both Eli and I crashed for about two hours (needless to say, I didn't sleep much last night), but since then Eli has been a little more alert and fussy. He's on a strict diet of milk and Tylenol for a few days, so hopefully the pain/fussiness will pass in that time. The hardest thing was watching him try to wake up from the anesthesia; he had the saddest little cry! Thank God the surgery is over!!

Epiphany

Another busy few days: Eli went to the Scottish Rite/Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Day Surgery center on Thursday for a pre-op meeting with a nurse from anesthesiology. It didn't take long; they just wanted to get some of his stats in their records before the surgery. Friday afternoon we met Carissa and Cooper for lunch; Eli and Cooper hung out, but I still think they are completely unaware the other is present. We did get some cute pictures nonetheless.

Today was a pretty low-key day, but Eli went down for all of his naps almost completely on his own (and he didn't even have his usual I'm-going-to-throw-a-fit-and-there-is-nothing-you-can-do-about-it period from 5-7). He gave his Dad lots of smiles, much to Lehr's delight, and he is still 'talking' up a storm.

On a related note, I am deliriously happy. Why didn't anyone tell me that having a baby would be so neat?!?! Sure, everyone told me how much it would change my life, but they seemed to focus more on the sleep deprivation and lack of personal time. I thought when they said nothing would be the same that I would no longer to be able to hike, or to listen to my music loudly, or to live my life in general. With a few small exceptions, I'm still able to do all of the things I did before Eli; there is no longer any downtime, but in a really good way. (A few times I have actually been tempted to wake him from his nap just so I could spend more time with him!) I totally understand now why some people opt to have their babies sleep in bed with them each night, and I can see how you could get into the habit of rocking them to sleep before naps and bedtime, too. Most of the time I have force myself to put him down because I know he needs unassisted sleep (even though I don't want to stop holding him). This has honestly been the most surprising, amazing experience ever. Knowing my structured, by-the-book self, I expected there would be a huge transition period, possibly overlapped by some baby blues. But from day one I've been unexpectedly not overwhelmed or freaked out. Eli has made it really easy for me to enjoy this new 'job'. When we get up in the morning, Lehr often asks me what time Eli woke me up to eat (he's *usually* only up once during the night). After I answer him with 3am or 4am, he typically shakes his head (in appreciation) and says that he doesn't know how I do it. My only response is that I don't even think twice about it; I wouldn't have it any other way. And even though Lehr doesn't get up with me in the middle of the night (my choice, not his), he is totally committed to caring for Eli as much as he can. I was also 'warned' about husbands not pitching in enough. That couldn't be further from the truth where Lehr is concerned; he wants to be involved in every way possible. I can't even say he 'helps out', because it's so much more than that. Seeing him spend time with Eli makes me appreciate what a wonderful husband he is again and again.

I know people tell you that you'll love your children more than you ever thought possible, but again, I didn't fully understand that until Eli was born. This revelation didn't hit me right away though. Sure, from the beginning I thought he was cute. I was even excited (and astonished) that the hospital staff let me take him home. However, it wasn't until about a week later when I was feeding him that it really hit me: I would do anything for this little guy! Long story short: I have an amazing son and a phenomenal husband and I couldn't be happier. Alright...enough sappy rambling....

Cast Day #6

Cast day again! Eli went for his sixth set of casts this morning, and he must have known it was close to the end because he fussed quite a bit while the doctor was manipulating his feet. We have his tenotomy scheduled for next Tuesday; this is a small procedure during which the doctor will use a cataract knife to cut the tendon and release the heel cord. This 'surgery' is out-patient, and will only take a minute, but Eli will go under (so mom is a little nervous). Immediately after the surgery the doctor will apply one last set of casts that will stay on for three weeks. At that point we'll most likely start with the special shoes and bar. So far, so good!!

Weekend Re-Cap

Eli is smiling more than ever these days. It's mostly right around his feeding time, which leads me to believe eating makes him happy (can you guess from the pictures that he likes to eat??). From time to time he'll stick out his tongue at me in response to me doing the same; quite a game. He's also talking up a storm. Lots of "Ahhs" and "Ehhhhs", but still a long ways away from reciting Pulp Fiction quotes....

Friday night Lehr and I took Eli to the river (the "Hooch") for his first walk there. He actually came away without any bug bites, if you can believe it! We then came home and tried on Eli's frog costume. It is intended for Halloween, but I doubt he'll be big enough to fit into it by then. Plus he hates the costume.

Saturday Lehr let me sleep in and then run some errands (my version of a coffee break). After much anticipation, Eli finally got to meet his Uncle Tom and Aunt Megan on Sunday. Monday morning Eli and I went to my 6-week check-up with the midwife who delivered him. He was fine until she walked into the room, and then he started to wail (this doesn't even surprise me anymore). She was very impressed with how well he could hold up his head already. After the appointment Eli and I had lunch with a few former co-workers, and then a meeting with one of the pastors at our church. We followed that 'day-o-errands' up with a hike this morning, and a dinner-delivery to a friend who just had a baby. Although he does great considering all of the places I drag him, I think Eli is starting to think his life is going to be spent in the car seat...poor kid.

Busy Week

What a busy week! Two doctor appointments, one Mom & Me meeting, and lots of walks and hikes! Last week Eli gave me a 'real' smile for the first time. I've elicited a few since then, but he does not perform on demand, so I don't have any pictures yet.

Sunday morning Eli went to his first church service. Lehr and I sat in the last row, just in case, but Eli was pretty good; Lehr only had to take him out a few times, and he quieted down really quickly when he did.

Monday afternoon I took Eli to his 1-month check up with the pediatrician. He weighed in at 10lb, 9oz, but that includes the casts, so it's not totally accurate. (However, the casts don't weigh much, so this kid IS rapidly gaining weight.) I think they measured his length at 21", but again, with the casts it's hard to be precise.

Tuesday Eli and I went to a Mom & Me meeting (support group sponsored by the hospital). It was an excuse to get out of the house and be around people who won't look at me funny when my kid starts to wail.. Then today was the 5th casting. Eli did pretty well again. Only one more week before we schedule the tenotomy; this process has gone by so fast! (Eli's feet are starting to turn out a bit; you might be able to see the 'over-correction' in the pictures from this week. This is intentional.)

Future Hiker

Eli went for his first Kennesaw Mountain hike this morning. As most of you know, I prefer to frequent that trail once a week, but Lehr requested that I obey my midwife for the last four months of pregnancy and back off from any workouts over an hour. (Bottom line: it's been months since I've hiked the trail and I have missed it!) We took Eli there for a sunrise hike this morning and he did great. Granted, he slept most of the hike, but the part he was awake for, he enjoyed. We followed that outing up with another trip to Piedmont Park. This time we met Dave, Carissa, and Cooper. Both boys snoozed the entire time.

Cast Day #5

It was cast-day yet again. Dr. Morrissy continues to be encouraged by the progress Eli's feet have made (considering their starting point). We will do two more sets of casts, and then make the decision regarding the tenotomy. Dr. M is confident the procedure will be necessary, so it's just a question of timing. When he applies the 6th set of casts, he should be able to give us a more firm timeframe. Eli weathered the casting fairly well again today; he fussed, but no major meltdowns.

Yesterday was another big day out for Eli; I took him to a La Leche meeting in the morning (during which he was very calm) and to my office to meet my co-workers in the afternoon (he started out sleeping, but woke up screaming). The mini-meltdown was my fault; I'd kept him out all day and he needed a nap (in his crib) VERY badly. I guess what they say is true: babies (and kids) thrive on routine!

First "Bath"

Eli moved up on the food chain today; instead of his normal 'wipe down' of a sponge bath, I put him on a towel in the bathtub and poured water over him, providing more of a 'shower' atmosphere. Due to his casts, we can't give him a real bath yet, so I improvised by putting plastic bags over his casts first (this is how my parents bathed me when I had a cast as an infant). He didn't fuss at all, so I assume he enjoyed it.

HIP HIP HORRAY!!! Eli finally fell asleep completely on his own today! After his 'bath', we went through our usual calm-down period before his nap. As usual, Eli was fighting sleep. I finally had him in the crib, crying of course, and was standing over top of him trying to soothe him. Nothing was working, so I stepped out of the room for a few minutes, in an effort to make him calm down as soon as I returned... After 3 or 4 minutes, he was silent. Of course I ran into the room to make sure he was ok, and he was sleeping!! He must have figured out that he has to calm himself down sometimes: CHECK OUT THE BIG BRAINS ON ELI! (I had the same result at a later nap time today also, so I don't think it was just a fluke.)

Last but not least, Eli had his first bottle tonight. It won't be an every day occurrence, but I did want to give Lehr the opportunity to share in the nourishment of our child from time to time. Eli didn't miss a beat; he took the bottle like a champ.

Big Day Out

Mom went to the gym for a full hour after Eli's first after-sunrise feeding this morning, leaving Dad in charge for an extended period of time (a first). Lehr took Eli out for his first spin around the block in his BOB Ironman (the off-road version of a stroller). Lehr said he loved every minute of it, and even went right down for his nap afterwards.

Today was Eli's Big Day Out. After his morning nap we went out to run a few errands; Eli happily rode in his Baby Bjorn with Mom. After that we went to Piedmont Park (Eli's first time) and took a spin in the BOB again; Eli thoroughly enjoyed himself. Lehr and I decided to push our luck and go to dinner at Fellini's Pizza (outdoor - low key), and Eli slept the whole time. Although he was a bit fussy going down for the night, the day was a big success!