Eli the Frog

As most of you have noticed, the pictures on the site have been nonexistent or old for a while now. I apologize about that, but I'm having technical difficulties with the host, and since I am the IT department (to quote Billy Madison), "you're all in Big, Big trouble'.... I will remedy as soon as possible.

Eli only has one more week of swim lessons, but I will have to continue to bring him to the pool considering how much he's enjoying his swim time. This last week he really got into it; he's got an inch-worm motion now that is hilarious to watch. (Picture those wind up plastic frogs you put in the bath: arm and legs meet near the belly button, while the butt goes in the air, and then all limbs shoot out and his body goes flat. It creates more of a splash than anything, but he was 'zooming' all around the pool at the Y yesterday showing off his skills.

Whole Lotta New

This past week Eli spent a lot of time in new surroundings. He went to church for a pot-luck where he met a lot of new people, he went to lunch with me and a few friends, and he went to a few new playgrounds. I'm noticing more and more how observant Eli is, especially in these new surroundings. When he sees a new person or place (or at least one he hasn't seen in the last week), he becomes rather quiet and his eyes get really big, as if he's taking it all in. After about an hour he usually returns to his normal loud, talkative self.

Also, Eli has started to stay awake for much longer chunks of time. For a long time now, you could set your watch by him: exactly 90-minutes after he woke up he would rub his eyes and 'ask' to go down for a nap. Now it is closer to 2-3 hours. Also, his naps used to last for 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours, and now they are 1 1/2 at best. The odd thing is, both of these changes happened simultaneously... I would have thought longer naps would have come with longer wake-periods...

My new favorite thing that Eli does is sudden napping. A few times in the last week he has fallen asleep mid-song. Usually when we're driving, Eli entertains himself in the back seat by singing or talking non-stop. Today was no different: he was very vocal (doing his scales) and then he stopped abruptly, so I looked back to see what had caught his attention and his eyes were shut.

Company

Another few swimming lessons, another trip to the Aquarium, another few trips to the swings, and another visit from Grandma Cathie. Eli had a busy weekend with Grandma and his cousin, Treis. There is definitely a connection between the two boys: Eli can watch Treis dance and be silly, or even just read, for hours.

ele5.com Gets Recognized

BIG news for ele5.com!!! Since we started this website I've received several emails from people who stumbled across it and were happy to read about and see the positive change in Eli's feet. However, in the last few months I have been contacted twice requesting permission to add ele5.com as a link on other webpages. Both webpages featuring ele5.com are clubfeet-oriented, and we are very appreciative of their recognition! The first is a webpage for bar 'accessories' (to prevent damage and injury): Clubfoot Designs. The second is a page dedicated to helping parents of children with clubfeet: Ponseti links. (These links take you directly to the page containing a link to ele5.com.) Also, a member of our church emailed me this week to inform me that she forwarded our link to a friend whose baby was born with clubfeet. We cannot tell you how happy it makes us to know that this website, and Eli's clubfoot journey, has helped other parents as they cope with clubfeet. When we first started researching the Ponseti method, and clubfeet in general, I was amazed and comforted by the amount of success stories I found online. We are so happy to now be a part of that group!

Eli started his swim lessons this week; he and Cooper are swimming at the YMCA twice a week for the entire month. All in all, Eli seems fine with the water. Lehr and I didn't anticipate any fears considering how much Eli loves the "big" bathtub. Yesterday he went under the water for the first time, which he seemed to have mixed feelings about. Pictures to follow.....

Grandpa Jim flew through Atlanta to visit Eli on Monday night. They spent a few hours together 'catching up'. My dad tells me Eli uttered his first words: "I love you, Grandpa Jim". The imagination is a powerful thing....

Bob the Builder

We had BEAUTIFUL weather in Atlanta this weekend, so we spent most of our time outside with Eli, enjoying it. Yesterday we took him on his first mountain bike trip. He didn't get to experience the biking aspect of it, however, since he spent his time at the trail-head with whichever parent wasn't riding. As we were getting our bikes ready, we set a blanket down on the grass (which was actually just dirt with a few blades of grass trying to peak through) so Eli could entertain himself. He did just that, and ended up with dirty shoes (from kicking off the blanket) and dirt and dried leaves in his hands. I don't think he ingested anything, but it was the first time Eli played in the dirt. After church this morning, we met Cooper (who turned six-months today) and his parents at the park. We pushed the boys on the swings for the first time and they both seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Eli is accepting new foods much better these days. He's no longer refusing the carrots and bananas, and he has since tried nectarines and oatmeal, both of which he appears to really enjoy. His latest trick is staying awake almost all day. Friday he napped a total of 1 1/2 hours all day (normally he averages 5 1/2). He remained happy all day until about 5PM. This was odd for him considering he's usually a mess without adequate sleep. He went down for his naps at all of the normal times, but after about 15-20 minutes each time, he'd wake up and play in his crib. I let him play in there for a full hour one time, in the hopes he'd go back to sleep. No such luck... Then Friday night Eli decided to play all night. He went down at 8:30, but at 2:00AM we heard him in his room kicking the crib. No cries or fusses; just kicking noises (loud ones that prevented us from sleeping). This noise returned at 4:00AM, and again at 6:00AM. Lehr has nicknamed Eli, "Bob the Builder", because when he kicks his FisherPrice Aquarium with his bar on, it sounds like he's hammering and building something. Last night and tonight we wrapped Eli's bar with an old kickboxing hand-wrap in the hopes that it will protect his crib and aquarium from damage.

Adventures in Eating

Eli has become quite the picky eater. In the last week we've tried a few new foods (carrots and bananas), and Eli rejected them both! He'll make faces after each taste for about three or four bites, and after that he'll refuse to open his mouth. The rejection of food continues even if I switch to rice cereal or something else he likes. (I guess he's not willing to chance me doing the old bait and switch on him.) So I've resorted to sneaking these less desirable foods in with foods he does like. The most popular combo so far is carrots mixed into avocado (since he likes the green stuff). Tomorrow I'll attempt the same with the banana. I tried to mix the shunned foods with cereal, but that doesn't help since the cereal has no taste (which means all Eli can taste is the 'bad' food).

Eli spent some time with an older woman this week: Lindsey, who is almost three months older. For once, Eli actually interacted with another baby! They grabbed each other's hands a few times, and they took turns petting each other's hair. Then last night Eli hung out with Cooper while Lehr and I went out to dinner. We saw a little bit of video and it appears the boys had a great time. At one point Cooper was even sucking on Eli's thumb!

Happy 1/2 Birthday!

Happy 6-month Birthday, Eli!! Time sure flies....

We went to Eli's pediatrician yesterday; Eli received more shots and doled out more tears. Eli had been a little congested over the weekend, and Sunday night his usual 'fake' cough seemed to have a different sound. The doctor confirmed that Eli is experiencing his first cold. This kid just can't cut a break between the teething, the shots, and now the sickness. He's a little fussier than normal, but it doesn't seem too bad so he should be back on his feet in a few days. The doctor gave him an otherwise clean bill of health and warned that over the next 2-3 months Eli will most likely be experiencing some separation anxiety anytime we put him down or leave his sight. He's already started to voice his displeasure when certain toys are taken away from him. This kid's got attitude!

Roll Over, Roll Over...

It's been a long week. Eli had three days of pretty bad teething, including one mostly sleepless night and a mild fever. The poor little guy wasn't himself all day Wednesday; even a bath didn't make him smile. For now it's over, but considering his top two teeth are visible through the gums, but not yet 'out', I'm sure the worst is yet to come.

Eli is still rolling over all the time. Lehr has yet to see it though; just this morning he was playing with Eli (on his back) and he walked away for a minute only to come back (literally 30 seconds later) and find him on his stomach.

We're still experimenting with new solids... Eli's foods now includes sweet potatoes, rice cereal, avocado, pears, and butternut squash, though the squash and potatoes gave him a slight rash. And the pears are not a favorite at all; Eli takes about three bites before refusing to open his mouth any more.

Tomorrow is Eli's six-month check-up with the pediatrician; WOW!

A New Way To Make A Mess.

Eli is still blowing raspberries whenever he can; he will try to make eye contact with me and then attempt (which ends up just being sort of an airy whistle) in hopes that I'll make the noise back at him. The smile he rewards me with is priceless... However, I could do without the raspberry attempts while Eli is eating. I've been covered in rice cereal too many times now.

BTW - For those who didn't know, I've created a video page. This link will take you to Dropshots which is a webpage that streams my video. The page will hold ten video clips for me, so I'll be taking old ones off whenever I add new ones. Feel free to check the link out periodically as I'll try to add a new clip each week.

Go West, Young Man

What a week! Eli had a lot of firsts this week: first plane ride, first snow, first full day without Mom or Dad....

We took a trip out to Lake Tahoe last week to introduce Eli to the snow and to get some winter sports in for ourselves. Eli's first plane trip went wonderfully. We arrived at the Atlanta airport 1 1/2 hours early in the hopes that we could secure the seat between us for Eli and his car seat. We were successful and Eli slept most of the flight (in his seat). Even when he was awake, he was quiet and happy (the flight attendant even commented on that when we left the plane, and the couple in front of us said they didn't even realize there was a baby behind them until we landed and they saw him). The plane ride home was very crowded, so we had to hold Eli the whole time (no extra seat), but he was still generally happy and quiet.

The first day in Tahoe was pretty laid back; Lehr and I stayed around the house to try to get Eli acclimated to the new surroundings before leaving him to ski or snowshoe. He did great; he had Grandma Cathie wrapped around his finger! The next day, Lehr and I went skiing for the whole day. That was the first time I was away from Eli for so long, and the first time he was away from both parents for ten hours. He did great though; Grandma Cathie kept him busy! I have to admit, the first day without him was pretty tough. It didn't hit me until around noon, but when it did, it was like a ton of bricks. It was as though a part of me was missing....I know it's cheesy, but it's true. I did better the second day, but I still missed him like crazy. I was almost glad there wasn't any fresh powder on the slopes beckoning us; we only skied two days (Heavenly and Northstar) which meant that I only had to be away from Eli for the whole day twice. While we were in Tahoe the weather was warm and sunny, so we were able to travel a little up the mountain (where the old snow was more built up) to take Eli snowshoeing one day. He seemed to enjoy it!

Eli's new favorite thing to do is attempt to blow raspberries. He's pretty good at it, but only by chance. One out of every five attempts is successful, and for some reason he thinks he has to have his thumb in his mouth to execute the sound. We arrived home last night and despite his thorough enjoyment of the vacation, he seems very excited to be home. I think he missed his bouncy seat, his exersaucer, his 'big' bathtub, and his crib. If he's a creature of habit, it's my fault for sure.

So Much To Do, So Little Time

I'm convinced Eli will learn to roll from his back to his stomach before the other way around (which is normally the 'easier' way for babies to roll). He is really good at flipping his legs and arms out once he rolls to his stomach (if he falls forward from sitting, or if we prompt him to roll). Eli is showing signs of wanting to crawl and scoot also. He does this inch worm move where (when he's on his stomach) he sticks his butt up in the air and then flattens out again, in an attempt to move closer to a toy or object he wants to touch. Little does he know, he barely moves when he does this. However, he is good at turning his body around when he's lying on his back....he is still always in a different spot in his crib when I get him up in the morning.

**Two hours after I posted this blog, Eli rolled from his back to his stomach without any prompting. Had I ignored him a little more, I might have missed it myself.**

Speaking of his crib....Eli has discovered that he can interact with his Fisher Price aquarium. This week he started playing with the crab-roller (think a small version of the big wheel on Price is Right), and he started turning the lights and music on and off by hitting the seashell button.

As you know, we've stopped the sweet potatoes, but this week we did start with rice cereal. Eli seems to love the act of eating. He doesn't seem to enjoy the rice cereal as much as the sweet potatoes, but he still loves to open his mouth wide when we get anywhere near his mouth with the spoon. It's hilarious to see him get all excited, arms outstretched and mouth open wide, only to get a less-than-excited look as soon as he tastes the weird, white paste. He's even started to open his mouth wide when he seems me eating with a fork or spoon; he obviously thinks it is time for him to eat too.

Food Strike

Today was Eli's check-up with the pediatric orthopedist. Eli's feet are looking great, and there is no sign of relapse. Now if he could just learn how to roll over and start crawling, we could decrease the amount of time he's in the bar! Seriously, the doc said we can be the judge of how much to take the bar off once he begins to crawl, but I know Lehr and I are going to remain on the cautious side of things to make sure we prevent a relapse.

No new news in Eli's life right now... He's still off of solids due to the rash (I tried again this week, but the rash came right back), he still doesn't roll over (he does really well when Lehr or I prompt him, but he seems to not be motivated to roll at all on his own yet), and he's still enjoying his exersaucer nightly.

Re-Cap

Eli is taking a break from 'solid' foods for now...he seems to love them, but he's had a small rash the last two days right after he's eaten (a possible indication of an allergy). So for now, we're back on the liquid diet for now.

Today I registered Eli for swimming lessons. He and Cooper will be starting to mimic frogs and fish in March, when they are both 6-months old. Time sure flies! This last weekend Cooper came over for a visit and it was the first time we were able to get the boys to both smile for pictures. Eli actually grabbed onto Coopers hand a few times.

Eli is still loving every minute he gets to spend in his exersaucer; every night we put him in it without his shoes for abut 30 minutes. We try to 'ignore' him because we've noticed how much more animated and active he becomes when he thinks no one is watching. It's quite fun to watch him do laps around the toy and squeal in delight.

I Think I Like Green Eggs & Ham

Today was a BIG first for Eli. He tried solid (and I use that term loosely, as the consistency was that of soup) foods for the first time! We decided to start Eli out on sweet potatoes; I'm attempting to make all of his baby food and that was one of the recommended starting points. He ate a full cube and probably would have liked more, but I wanted to make sure he would still eat the liquid portion of his meal. In the last few weeks, Eli has started opening his mouth really wide when it's time to eat, so we were curious to see if he'd react to the potatoes the same way: he did! Eli made it quite easy for Lehr and I to feed him because he kept most of the food (at least half anyway) in his mouth each time and he opened up every time he saw a spoonful coming his way.

Also, right now Eli is going through a phase where he has a little 'mommy preference'. Although it is frustrating that most of the time I am the only one who can calm him, it melts my heart. It really amazes me that he 'needs' me.....

On a side note, I came across a video explaining the correction process we are following for Eli's feet. The full video is about 15minutes, but the last part (about parents) isn't as informative. (If you decide to watch, just focus on the first half; it explains the casting, tenotomy, and brace.)

Jump Around!

Eli had a very busy day yesterday; lots of errands and new surroundings! I am 90% done transforming the house back to it's normal decor (read: I'm finally getting around to putting the Christmas decorations away), and this seems to puzzle Eli, as he'd become quite fond of the big dead tree in our living room.

Yesterday we bought and assembled an exersaucer for Eli. It is a bit challenging with his bar, as I have to unscrew the bar to place him in the seat and then re-attach once he's seated. On top of that, it is difficult for Eli to balance on the bar once he's in the seat due to the slickness of the pad on which he is supposed to jump. For a while I'll put a towel underneath him, for traction, but I don't imagine it'll take him too long to figure it out. Also, while we were assembling the new toy, Eli decided to flip himself over on the couch (from a sitting position), almost throwing himself off the couch and onto the floor. This means no more unsupervised sitting anywhere there is not 3-square feet of level land. He's been wiggling around in his crib too. For the last two weeks or so, whenever I go in to wake him in the morning, he is usually in there talking to himself and he's turned sideways (90-degrees from where we put him the night before. Yesterday morning he changed his position completely: when he went to sleep, his head was at the South end of his crib, but when Lehr woke him up in the morning, his head was due North! Houdini strikes again!

Today was a day of firsts: Eli went to the church nursery during the service this morning. I stayed in with him to help with the transition, but he didn't seem to need it; he enjoyed sitting in the middle of the room and watching all of the other babies, as if it were entertaining to him.

He's BAAACCKK!

Eli's back, baby! No more crazy screaming or major meltdowns: I guess the holiday stress is over for him! I wish I could figure out how to help him deal with extra people around the house. He gets plenty of exposure to 'outsiders' on a daily basis; we're always going to someone's house or lunch with friends.... He does fine with that, but once they invade his domain, all hell breaks loose!

He's had a pretty laid back week so far..walks, errands, playing around the house, nothing too exciting. He's still sucking away at the thumb, but no developments with rolling. He is getting REALLY close, but no spontaneous flips yet.

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.