Six WHOLE Years!

Maddux, Maddux, Maddux....Your dad and I have told you over and over that you're not allowed to have any more birthdays! Six years old is OLD....where did my baby girl go?

Last night I asked you what your favorite moment of being five was and you told me, "I don't know....there were too many!" I feel the same. This year you started Kindergarten - 'real' school, played soccer, started playing the keyboard, proved to be a vital member of your swim team and became a big sister. "Too many" is right!

Last year at this time you had just finished your first season as a Somerset Shark. Even though you went to all of the 6U practices, you weren't allowed to compete because you wouldn't be of age until after the season finished. The pool was your playground all summer, and you proved to be an excellent swimmer. Just over a month later, you joined your brother and many friends on the big yellow school bus. Off to Kindergarten you went, and you made 24+ new friends. Your dad and I joke that you don't know any strangers, and between school and the neighborhood pool, I'd say that's about right! When we leave the pool each day, I hear so many kids saying "Bye, Maddux!", that I can't keep up. And as we walked through the halls at your school, either picking your brother up from an activity, or visiting for a school function, I'd hear more greetings to you and I would almost never recognize the child (often older) who was calling to you.

Last fall you played soccer for the first time and loved it. LOVED it. You were on an all-girls team and you really had a focus and edge to your playing. Each Saturday morning you were a force to be reckoned with, and you'd have a blast with your teammates, all the while. Unfortunately we had to play in a different league in the spring (co-ed) and we didn't have the same result. You seemed to have lost your love for the game, but your dad and I are confident you'll find your passion for it again.

For Christmas, Mommy and Daddy bought you a keyboard, upon your previous insistence that you wanted to learn to play. You've been taking lessons with Miss Brooklyn for about five months now and she maintains that you are progressing well. You have such a love for music, as evidenced by your singing in the bathroom minutes after you wake up each day....I have no doubt you'll add much color to a band one day soon!

And just last month, you became what I know God destined you to be: a big sister. I always tell people that you were already a big sister to Eli before Ruby was born, but now you are officially "Big". You love Ruby so much that I have to protect her from you sometimes :) She always turns her head towards you when you start talking to her, and seeing you kiss her little head melts my heart.

You are an amazing girl, Maddux. From your chipped-nail-polish toes up to your poorly self-cut bangs. We love you with all of our hearts!

First Bath

Ruby had her first bath last night. Of course the kids wanted to get in there with her, so we had them put on bathing suits while we filled up the big tub. Ruby's little bath 'bed' fit in between them, which meant she was not short on smothering. Ruby tolerated the water really well, even doing her very concentrated observing 'look-around' as soon as she entered the water. As excited as the kids were to play in the water with her, Eli and Maddux really did a good job of keeping calm and not splashing too much water on her.

Chunky Monkey!

Well, I can't quite call her that, but Ruby DID gain a whole lotta weight in the last 5 days! 10oz, to be exact, which works out to 2oz per day...the pediatrician's office joined me in a celebratory 'YES!' when we set her on the scale today. That puts her at 6 1/2lbs, and, per the Nurse Practitioner/Lactation Consultant, I can relax a little now! It's been a long two and a half weeks of making every single feeding count (which means I'm feeding her almost 12 hours of every 24...yikes!), but it's all worth it because she's less of a 'peanut' and more of 'peanut butter' now. (To keep things in perspective, she is still SMALLER than Maddux was at birth, and she was small too!)

Released!

If you've been following the saga of Eli's feet for the last year-ish, we have been working to fight off a relapse. Over the summer last year we saw some lack of dorsiflexion (i.e. his heels weren't always touching the ground when he walked) and followed up with the Orthopaedist twice and then ended up in PT with a strong possibility of recasting. Despite the therapist's desire to cast, we fought through with diligent home PT, weekly visits to her, night boots (similar to plantar faciitis treatment splints), chiropractic visits and managed to get a great response from his feet. At the beginning of the summer, we went back to our Ortho and he sided with us (non-casts) given the progress Eli was making, and after all of Eli's hard work, the therapist officially 'released' us today! She asked that we come back in 6-months to check in and make sure we are still seeing progress, but she commented that Eli has made more progress and gotten more flexibility in the shortest amount of time of all of the patients she's treated with feet like his. Woohoo!! Definitely a day of celebration!

Peanut Vs. Peanut Butter

This girl is giving me a run for my money already. Eli was born at a respectable weight and gained from there. Maddux was born small and had to go for one weight check, but they basically laughed at me when I went in the day after I left the hospital because she jumped up immediately to the 75%. Ruby, on the other hand, is determined to be a peanut.

She's eating great - she requires coaxing to eat some times, but in general, she does really well. And her diaper output (if you're a parent, you get it) is indicative that she is getting plenty at each feeding. Her weight, however, will not budge. She was born at 5lb 15oz. She was down to 5lb 10oz the day we left the hospital (very normal). Her first weight check found her still at her hospital exit weight, and her second weight check only found her up to 5lb 12oz.

I've been checked out by two lactation consultants a total of three times and they agree that everything is going fine, except for the scale. Tomorrow we go for yet another weight check and hopefully my little peanut has chunked up to more of a buttery stature.

Adjustment

So when you bring a new family member into the mix, adjustments are necessary and expected. Ruby's impact is very different than we anticipated however. Eli is adjusting well...VERY well. He is very, very protective of her, and he is amazingly loving towards her. In fact, he can't seem to go more than a few minutes without asking about her: Is Ruby eating ok? How did Ruby sleep? Does she need a clean diaper? It's really really cool to watch. Also, she seems to have had a calming affect on him. Since she's been home, he's not had any of outbursts we've come to expect from him, even when he's obviously frustrated.

Maddux, on the other hand, has demonstrated a heightened sense of 'crazy'. More impulsive, more 'bull in a china shop', more active. She loves her sister so much, but sometimes it's a little too rough and jumpy. And while she's getting some one-on-one with Grandma and some with Mommy and Daddy, she's definitely acting out a bit. It's less on days when I really plan out a chunk of time to pour into her, so that helps.

Both kids absolutely adore Ruby. They constantly ask to hold her and I can't put her down in a seat or on the play mat without them immediately swarming around her to smoother kisses and hugs. Life is good.

Big Brother

Wow. Eli is amazing. He keeps saying, "She's so cute!" "She smells so good." "She's so precious." anytime he interacts with Ruby. And he is beyond gentle and loving with her...I have yet to worry when he's holding her or leaning down to kiss her head. It's like he was born to be a big brother...which he already was, but this time is so different. He is a huge help with diapers and everything else.....he never refuses help I ask for, and he often volunteers to help. On an Eli-only note, he has been incredibly 'in control' since her arrival. Things have obviously been different, a little more stressed at times, probably a little more frustrating for the older kids. But Eli has yet to lose it, in the way he does, and he has definitely been tired/overwhelmed/etc. Long story short: he's had circumstances that would normally send him over the edge and he's stayed remarkably calm. Amazing.

More Maddux Funnies

With Grandma Cathie in town, the kids are 'treated' to more surprises than usual. One of those surprises was a stop at Target to pick out a toy while we were in the hospital. Maddux chose a Barbie Doll (oh, the horror) that came with a little dog. When she opened the dog, after we returned home, she was inspecting her new toys. I was nursing Ruby across the room, so she asked Grandma for help.

"The dog's name is written on the bottom...what does it say, Grandma?" My mom checked it out but the print was too small for her to read. She told Maddux that if she could spell it out loud, Grandma could tell her its name.

Maddux reads out, "C-H-I-N-A."

Grandma and I laugh out loud and then tell her it says "China". Maddux loves that and immediately starts calling the dog 'China', unfazed by the two of us cracking up.

Meeting Ruby

Eli and Maddux were so anxious to meet Ruby yesterday.....they missed her by minutes last night and were chomping at the bit to see her this morning. Even though they got to peek at her through the nursery glass before they left yesterday, it wasn't enough, understandably. This morning they showed up while she was still back with the doctors, but less than an hour of waiting later, in came Ruby and changed their lives forever. They were in awe and both so lovestruck. We let each of them hold her on the couch and they could not wipe the grin off of their faces. Eli said no less than a dozen times, "She's so CUTE!" and Maddux said "Awww" many times as well. These two are totally smitten and Ruby is one lucky little sister!

Ruby

Wow....what a crazy 24 hours! Last night I was admitted to the hospital and given Cervadil at 6PM. It did nothing in the way of contractions, but they wanted to 'prep' my body for 12 hours before they formally induced me. At 8AM, the midwife broke my water and contractions started, about every 3 minutes, but still very manageable. (Sidenote: my midwife was AMAZING and let my preferences override the 'order' for pitocin...she let me try it naturally first and in the end we didn't need the dreaded "P".)

At my appointment yesterday, I was 2cm, and at 8AM this morning I was 3-4cm. Once she broke my water I started doing laps around the hospital, walking, lunging (ish), squatting....you name it. I had to stay hooked up to antibiotics at noon for about an hour....I used that time to rest between contractions because I was worn out from the day's activities already. They were coming stronger, but slowing down between because I chose to lie down and rest a little. I was determined to keep things moving, partly because the awesome midwife and delivery nurse working with me were scheduled to leave at 3PM. We brought the contractions on again strong with some movement and at 1PM they were very intense and close together. That's when the real insane workout began. I was sweating, eyes closed the whole time, and things never really let up. Around 2-2:15PM, I was about out of energy and the midwife offered to check my progress, even though I was already feeling the urge to push, to confirm that it was time. Sure enough, I was at a 9 - go time. Many painful pushes later, Ruby came out and was bigger than we expected.

Baby girl weighed 5lb 15oz (they estimated 5lb 10oz), and was 18 1/4" long. She nursed almost right away - what a champ! We got to keep her with us for about an hour before they took her to the other side of the room to do a little more cleaning and measuring. That lasted about another 30 minutes and then it was time to take her to the nursery for more thorough everything. Unfortunately, Grandma Cathie and the kids missed her by about five minutes. She remained with the nurses for several hours, so the 'big' introduction will have to wait until tomorrow.

All mothers know this, but what an amazing experience and journey....nine months leading up to one of the most intensely emotional introductions possible. She's perfect and amazing and even though she's only been here a few hours, I feel like she's been part of our family forever.

Baby number three - another 'quick' labor, no pain meds, tremendous joy....

Here We Go Again

So I had my 35 week Midwife appointment two weeks ago. My belly was measuring small, so they did a quick ultrasound. Baby girl was fine and weighing 5lb 5oz, but they scheduled another ultrasound for two weeks later (today), to monitor her growth. This morning my belly was still measuring small and the ultrasound showed that she had only gained about 5oz. Sooooo they want me to come in tonight to be induced! This is very reminiscent of what happened when I was pregnant with Maddux, as I had to be induced for being 'small' then too. Grandma Cathie is flying in and will be here at midnight; Aunt Megan came over to stay with Eli and Maddux. Hold on, folks!!!

Bucket List

Just as we did last year, the first thing we did when school let out was make our Summer Bucket List. The kids loved it last summer, even though we barely made it through half of the list. This year we had many repeats and a few unfinished items from last year, along with some new ones (i.e. "Have Baby").

So far, in just over a week's time, we've checked off four items. Two of those got checked off today: 'Breakfast at West Egg' and 'Biking at the River'. The kids love the breakfast spot on the west side of town, so after swim team this morning, we drove over for brunch. Since it was the same time Lehr usually gets lunch, he even joined us - the kids LOVED that.

I already had the bikes packed in the car, so on the way home, we stopped at the river and rode about two miles. (I did not ride; I walked.) Eli and Maddux were awesome. Usually when we visit the 5K-ish loop, I let them ride ahead and check back with me from time to time as I run. This time, there would be no running, and given how close we are to my due date (and the heat!) I asked them to check back more frequently since I may have to turn back to the car at any time. They were awesome. They stuck together, got along, and checked back so often that I never went more than two minutes without seeing them or talking to them. Bucket List is getting shorter...

Swim Team

We LOVE Swim Team in our house. This is Eli's third year and Maddux's second, though this is the girl's first year really competing (last year she just got to practice with the team). We started practices the last two weeks of school, after school, and have since moved to mornings. Both kids love the pool, love the coaches, love their team (their friends) and love to swim. Last night was our third meet and both are doing very well again this year.

Eli is swimming in an older age group this year and that means he swims in 5 or 6 events each meet, as opposed to the 2 or 3 he swam in the past. He has really come to love the 100 Individual Medley, which is the one event he actually talked about in a dreading way all year. His butterfly, while not the fastest, has become an area where he seems to be growing quickly; it's really cool to see him find his niche out there. And he and his 3 other 7-8 year old boy teammates are becoming a great little close-knit group.

Maddux is doing really well also. Even though she will still be in the 6U group next summer too, she's already swimming at the top of her team in freestyle and backstroke. One of her friends on the team is definitely faster most of the time, but Maddux is right on her heels and they are leading the 6U girls, for sure. As far as social interactions go, it should come as no surprise that Maddux is getting along very well with her 6U team and the coaches (high school and college age), of course.

Swim Meet nights are very late, as Eli has to compete in one of the very last events, but so far we are loving them. Eli even sought out one of Maddux's events at our first official meet so he could cheer her on. When she came from behind in a relay to get her team ahead (and eventually finish first), he was crazy excited for her: "Maddux, you just BLEW by the other girl!" Of course, Maddux cheers Eli on too, when she's not too busy socializing, that is. We're already halfway through the season...it goes so quick!

Maddux Sayings

They never stop for her! In the last week, here are a few gems:

• For our first meet, I overheard the coaches telling Maddux's group what time to be back at the pool. Later, when I asked her to tell me arrival time(s) Maddux just said, "Mommy, I don't know! (in a panicked voice) You shoulda listened cuz I'm a forgetter." 
• While driving we saw a nice (old) car. I told the kids that it was in mint condition. Maddux asked what that meant and I told her "shiny and with no scratches or dents". She said, "Yeah it is..they must not have any kids."
• Maddux and I were trying to fill a small hole in the front yard...it seemed like the hole was never ending because of the amount of dirt we put in it. I asked her, "Where in the world do you think this hole goes to, because it's so deep?" She said very seriously, "Savannah".

Camping With Daddy

Lehr and the kids have been trying to find time to camp for a while now, but with school and sports' schedules, anytime during the school year is pretty off-limits. Fortunately, this last weekend had great weather and a 24-hours unscheduled window!


After church on Sunday, the three of them packed up, weighed their bags (Eli loved this part and remembered the weights of his and Maddux's bags through their whole trip), and set off for an overnight hike/camp on the Appalachian Trail. This spring, Lehr and a few friends hiked and camped along the same section for a few nights and Lehr discovered a great spot next to a waterfall that he wanted to bring the kids to. Since it was only about a mile away from the parking area, it was perfect for the kids.

Lehr said they had a blast the whole time. No swimming in the waterfall because the water was too cold, but they stayed busy with hiking, cooking, creating clean water, etc. They all slept great in one tent, and Lehr claims they even slept in until 8AM....wow!!

Angerrrr

Most people choose not to believe it, given Eli's near-permanent grin and happy personality, but when that boy gets frustrated, he has a bit of a hot temper. His anger has been an issue mostly since Kindergarten, but we have had at least a year where it's been in check. His first year of school brought about very frustrating days for him, so he often came home and lost it. We worked through that year and had a great first and most of second grade. However, over the last month or two, we've seen some of this anger come back out. We've seen most and more outbursts from him lately that we're pretty sure is related to some 'playground' stuff Eli has been working through. These fits always include him yelling, stomping, talking back (he seriously cannot NOT talk back and respond to what we say when he gets mad), and often throwing something or hitting a wall or table. It's very stereotypical 'out of control' stuff.

As expected, we do not have any answers as to how to 'fix' Eli. Not that I think we're expected to. We stay extremely calm (like crazy calm) when he gets out of sorts, and we've been sticking with the same consequence for some time. He's not getting better, but at least he's learning that we are not backing down and (hopefully) that we are here to support him with CALM love. (Sidenote about his consequence: he's told me on more than one occasion, "This isn't working, Mom....we should use another consequence." Sounds like a ringing endorsement to me!) His consequence always ends with him calming down and talking to us in a normal way with his usual sweetness. It's almost as if his body is taken over by the anger when he gets going, only to have "Eli" return when it's done.

I'm hoping that we'll see this behavior dissipate over the next few weeks. The change of environment and removal of what I suspect is bringing about his frustration has to help. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Summer's Here!!!

As great of a year as it's been, it was nice to enter 'summer mode' this morning. The kids got up around 7:30, which meant we had time to have pancakes before Swim Team practice. If that doesn't start your day off right, I don't know what does!

I had already prepped the kids that we had a few errands to run after practice, and they were in great spirits the whole morning. We got Maddux's hair cut, totally cleaned out my car, stopped at Publix and then wound up at home. The kids and I painted the last of the alphabet for the baby's room and then played outside a little before Lehr got home (early because of Memorial Day weekend). We decided to continue on with being outside by working on the garden and backyard. Each of the kids helped Lehr finish up some things on the garden boxes while I planted some various things around the yard. Then we all went to the pool for some family time. The weather was amazing today, but a little breezy for the pool, so we actually ended up only staying about an hour. Kids were tuckered out after dinner, which means our first day of summer was a success :)

Maddux's School Writing Assignments

Maddux brought home backpack-fulls of school work this week. Many art and writing projects she's worked on all year are now residing on our kitchen island. The ones I'm most excited about are her writing...journals, letters, etc. have obviously been a staple in her everyday school life. I like these 'books' most I think because I had no idea they were being compiled, and the content of Maddux's writing in these compilations is brand new to me.

One particular journal contained what appeared to be weekly writing about the weekend. Six of eight entries were about her brother. Not that I should be surprised because she idolizes him so, but even the ones that weren't directly about him contained mention of him. For example, she wrote about losing her first tooth and how she got $1 from the tooth fairy. Her next sentence indicated that she was saving up to buy a bracelet maker because she was going to make a bracelet for Eli. Classic Maddux. Another was completely about him and not in anyway about her. What happened over the weekend, Maddux? "My brother kept his shoes on for five nights and he earned a new book. The book is called....." Also typical of that girl.

One of the two entries that was not about Eli was about a friend, which is really cool. Maddux wrote, "My friend, Olivia, got new glasses for her eyes. She looks really prity with them on."

End of Another Baseball Season

What a spring we've had! This season rivals any others we've had in regards to game change-ups and reschedules due to weather. While we did not have the coldest winter, we've definitely had the coldest spring! This meant that at least three games were rescheduled due to temperatures being below 40, which is the league 'threshhold'. Add to that an insane amount of rain and thunderstorms, and the only original, unrescheduled games we played could be counted on one hand!

The boys started out rough, but really found their rhythm after a few losses, ending the regular season by winning 7 of 8 games. However, the double-elimination tournament knocked them out right away. Another couple of reschedules found them without baseball for over a week and then lost the first two games, ending our season abruptly. (With swim team starting this week, I can't say I'm totally disappointed, though!)

On a side note, at the end of their last game, the boys had to go to the pavilion, without any coaches or parents, and vote for a few 'All-Stars' on their team. Eli was chosen by his teammates! He got a special hat and the recognition of being known as an 'All-Star; the coach was very excited about this, saying he was "glad t
he boys got it right" with their voting. So proud of him!

Jazz Fest 2013

Another great year at fest! This year is was just the four of us making the trip and we stayed in a hotel we've stayed at in the past. Eli and Maddux were very excited about this because they remembered that the hotel has an indoor pool. Perfect for post-fest relaxation.

We arrived in time for a late dinner with Uncle Catfish and his family on Thursday night. The kids had a great time playing with Caleb and Emory (who just turned 3) while we ate. That night was the only rough bedtime we had - the kids were exhausted from school, the long drive, and the late dinner, and that mixed with big excitement over Fest the next three days was a bad combo for 'happy hearts'.

The next morning the kids woke up early early....a real struggle for us since it'd been such a late night. We ate breakfast at the hotel and then went for a drive. Unfortunately this was the one day we knew we'd be getting rain. It poured all morning but started to let up just in time for fest to open at noon. However, the temperatures did not let up...it was so cold! I'd warned the kids, so Maddux and I had sweatshirts, but Eli left his in the car. Guess who had to borrow Daddy's shirt! We walked around to a few tents and stages (through some pretty intense mud and muck) until about 4PM when we called it quits and left to get an early dinner. We even had time to visit the pool before bed!

Saturday morning was the complete opposite of Friday. The kids slept in a little longer and kept themselves very quietly occupied (together!) in their room while Lehr and I took our time waking up. (We had a two-room suite...thanks, D!) The sun was shining, but the kids still took their sweatshirts into fest; I guess they learned from the day before. We planned to be at the gates when they opened because The Revivalists were opening on the Gentilly Stage. We got there early enough to snag a front row area and also plant a chair back where they were allowed. It was our loose plan to stay at that stage for several bands. Maddux made a friend right away: a chef who lived in NOLA. He was so nice and totally helped entertain the kids for a few hours with hula hoops, face paint, flags, and more. An added bonus: he had pink stickers promoting his new popsicle line.

After about four hours, we left to find another stage. (Gentilly is one that leaves you in the sun the whole time, so we were pretty beat by this point.) The kids got their first mango freeze of 2013 and we stopped at a few tents while they ate. After we finished our last show, it was too late to try for any mainstream restaurant, so we went a little off of the beaten path to the burrito place where Chef Neal worked. We ate and then tried some of the famous popsicles - the kids were very excited about that!

Sunday was windy, but sunny again. We met Uncle Catfish's family for beignets before fest. The restaurant was located in a park, so we ran around with all four kids for a while before we ate. And after we ate. We arrived at fest just after noon and went to the Economy Hall tent right away so Maddux and Eli could use their umbrellas in a Second Line. After that we made our way to the big stage (Acura) to try and grab a spot for Trombone Shorty. Of course we were all of the way in the back, but given the muck still on the field, a spot on the track behind the field was a good call. I set up a blanket to sit down on and Maddux almost immediately laid on my lap for a nap. She got about 15 minutes before she woke up and cozied with Eli for a few songs. The two were tired, but very well behaved and happy. We stayed for The Black Keys, but not for Shorty. After hitting a few more stages and having one more mango freeze, we headed back to the hotel. The kids wanted to swim just a little more, so Lehr ran out and grabbed a pizza for dinner. All in all, another great year at Jazz Fest!

2013 05 NOLA Jazz Fest from Nicole Eliason on Vimeo.

The Moments That Count

What a day. Lehr has been gone since Friday morning on a camping trip, so the kids and I have been flying 'solo' this weekend. Friday was pretty normal with playing after school and PT, but we did go out for a special dinner. (The kids chose Doc Chey's.) Today the only scheduled thing was Eli's morning baseball game. We left just after breakfast and managed to avoid the forecasted rain throughout the whole game. The game was amazing - Eli's team was absolutely on fire with batting and field defense. Eli had several great plays in there, making at least three outs as pitcher and second baseman. After the game we hung around for about 15 minutes so Eli could play catch with one of his teammates.



When we got home, Eli played outside with a friend (baseball, of course) while I made lunch and Maddux started packing for NOLA. After lunch there was some more playing, but just with Maddux and Eli this time. Eli was really REALLY patient with Maddux and tried to teach her a few rules about whiffle ball. (This is not the norm for him.) After they finished, Eli asked to look up some information and videos on the Bermuda Triangle. (He's been very interested this week.) Once we were done with the computer, we I set up some paints outside so the kids and I could paint the wooden alphabet I bought for the baby's room. The kids loved doing this. They each painted one or two before I made them take a break so the work area could dry. I heard the two of them discussing what they were going to play and it was A-MA-ZING how well they cooperated and it blew my mind how accommodating Eli was. Maddux always bends over backwards to make sure Eli is happy and they do something he likes, but this time it was him working around her. He even went on the swings with her (she loves them; he's over them). In the end they decided to do a boot camp/obstacle course thing (her choice) first and then play kickball (his choice). Somewhere in all of this, Eli brought up his birthday celebration again. He updates me at least once a week on what he thinks he wants to do this coming August. Today he said for our family celebration he wants to play kickball and for his friends he wants to play whiffle ball. More importantly, he asked that Maddux be on his team for both games. Wow.

Once they finished, we painted a few more letters and then went to pick up pizza. I'd told the kids we would eat pizza while we watched a movie. They've been asking to watch "The Princess Bride" for about a month. Eli lost one of his very very loose teeth on the way, making his day even better. He told me at least a dozen times that 'this was the best day ever', and he even told me that I was a good mommy because I plan fun stuff. I do love that kid! Now the kids are sleeping (or close to it), both in Maddux's bed. Life is good.

2013 04 E&M Backyard Obstacle Course from Nicole Eliason on Vimeo.

Baseball

Eli's team has been on quite the winning streak! After a rough start to the season between rain, cold and many losses, they have now won six of the last seven games. As it is every season, it has been so neat to see the growth in these players....they have come so far in just a few months! Eli has become an all-around player, rotating to different positions almost every inning. He is often found at pitcher or second base. Eli really shines in those two areas; he's very focused on where the ball is, and he often assists in or makes a few outs each game. His batting is solid, but he's not a big hitter by any means. He can hit some great line drives that advance him one or two bases (he's not the fastest runner), and because he is able to control the bat and ball so well, the coach sometimes signals him to bunt.

What I've noticed more this time around than in other seasons is his on-field relationship with his teammates. Some of it is likely due to the 'growing up' of the boys, but also this team is made up of at least half of the kids we were with in the fall. Our current coach is amazing and everything Lehr and I could ask for in someone coaching our child. He really focuses on the right things, as far as we're concerned, and we have seen more high-fiving, congratulating, and over all team support on the field than in any other season.

Perfection

Oh that girl. I can't get enough of her. It's been a while since I've had an opportunity to spend some time with her and the camera, but during spring break we had an unexpected 'free' afternoon. There is a field near us that blooms awesome little yellow flowers (weeds) for about a month in the spring...I've been waiting since last March to shoot Maddux there, and this week provided that opportunity. She is amazing. She is crazy, she is silly, she is beautiful and she is love.....

Night Shoes Breakthrough

So finally, after wearing the original shoes for almost a month, and the 'new' custom shoes for a week, we had almost a full week of Eli wearing the shoes for at least eight hours each night. Wow. There were many times in the last month when I thought this would never happen. Even now, after a 'good' week, I know we are still not over the struggle....this is still a difficult thing for Eli every night, but at least his feet have accepted the shoes more than they've rejected them. I'll take it.

Eli-n-Mommy Trip

In the last year or so, Lehr has had the opportunity to take each of the kids individually to the beach. Then last spring, Maddux was able to fly out west with me for a one-on-one trip for us. Recently I realized that Eli and I are the only combination that hasn't taken a trip, and time is ticking!

The only time that seemed to work for a trip was during a spring break weekend because sports and photo shoots were on hold. However, that meant a 7-month pregnant Mommy, which limited our options for where to travel. After much deliberation, I decided on a little touristy town in Tennessee. Eli was so so SO excited.

We left on Friday, just after Eli got home from school. We arrived at the hospital only in time to grab some dinner before bed. The next morning we woke up, ate some breakfast and walked to our first destination. The weather in Atlanta has been so cold and rainy, so when we woke up to sun and 60-degrees, I decided we'd walk the almost-mile stretch from the hotel to the Titanic Museum. Eli LOVED that museum, as I knew he would. I struggled to find things to do on our trip that I could still do with my growing waistline, and I knew the museum would be a home run. We had some afternoon time after we finished, so we went to the pool. Eli had a blast going down the water slide and playing UNO with me (waterproof cards) on the pool deck.

We then hopped in the car and drove about 15 minutes away to hike a little in the Great Smoky Mountains. We only did a few miles, but it was nice to be out of the touristy part of the city. Back at the hotel, we stayed outside and threw the baseball for about 30 minutes - Eli was calling all of the shots and he loved it. Before we ventured out for dinner, the two of us spent about 30 minutes on the balcony of our room, reading. I bought Eli a chapter book at the Titanic Museum and he wanted to sit on the 'porch' and read. (Can't argue with that!)

The next morning we went to another indoor activity area (we walked again!) where Eli could do some VR rides, pitch balls and see how fast and accurate he was, and do an indoor ropes course. I would have loved to do the course with him, but they wouldn't let me because of the pregnancy. I was SO proud and SO amazed of Eli. Even though Eli was connected by a rope in case he fell, he did a portion of the course all by himself - amazing. It was several stories up; we were inside a very 'tall' room and he went up as high as the middle level while he was working through the course. I held my breath the entire time, and kept watching in awe as he maneuvered the insane course. I could tell he was scared, but he never cried or let go or anything. When he got down he told me he was scared, but man, did he impress me!

We took another trip to the pool that afternoon and then got dressed for dinner. I'd secured tickets to a "Lumberjack Feud" dinner show for us. Eli absolutely loved it. It was probably the highlight of his trip. The lumberjacks threw axes and competed in log chopping contests and climbing contests, dogs came out and jumped over water and logs...its was awesome. This trip is one neither of us will forget any time soon, I hope!

More New Shoes

So we've been working through Eli's feet challenges for a month now. He's been wearing UFO 'boots' at night to help stretch his calves/Achilles, but we have only had one night where the shoes have actually stayed on all night. Most others, they are off by 9PM, only to have me put them back on as Eli sleeps. And that is done in vain because they end up getting kicked off/taken off again before midnight. It's gotten really bad in the last week and I think we may get one hour each night at most.

A few weeks back we went to the orthotist to get fitted for custom boots. The thought was that if we go custom, they'll fit and feel better, so they'll stay on better. This last Monday the boots finally arrived. While they felt 'fine' to Eli, they still ended up off by 9PM, so lehr and I put them back on, but once again, they were on the floor in the morning. Ugh - defeat.

Yesterday afternoon I took Eli to his weekly PT session. We do exercises and stretches every day at home, but he goes in once a week to work with the therapist. I brought the new boots to see if there was anything else she could suggest. She put them on, just as we had, and talked to him, just as we had, about the reality of casting should his feet not show progress soon. (We've all reminded him that the shoes are vital to his foot stretching and showing progress.)

Before bed, Lehr and I talked to him separately about really working hard to not take his shoes off during the night. I've reminded him that it will be uncomfortable for a few nights, but once he gets past that 'hard' spot, it will get easier. He called me back in just before 9PM because he felt the boots sticking together (heavy Velcro), so i helped rubber band his pant legs over them. He fell asleep and they were still on at 10:30 when Lehr and I went to bed (for the first time in a looooong time). And let me tell you it was like Christmas morning when we woke up this morning and he still had both boots on. He was SOO excited (as were we!) and soo proud of himself. We talked about a few things that bothered him through the night and how we can hopefully fix that tonight. Then we celebrated with a big pancake, egg and bacon breakfast before school. Big time.

I know he did not get quality sleep last night as he was surely in and out of consciousness several times, but he made it.... So hopeful this is the start of success.

Shades

Eli wears my old sunglasses to his games these days (the ones that aren't cancelled due to rain, anyway). I bought this pair about 10 years ago for biking and I never liked the way they fit (too big). Somehow he's recovered them and decided they are perfect for baseball. He asked me, "Mom, do these look cool?" when he put them on before the game this week. I love that boy with my whole heart and soul...

Game Time

What a crazy 'spring' it's been. Eli has had more games and practices cancelled (to be rescheduled) than he's actually played; our weather has been cold, wet, and COLD! Today was a bright spot in the season of cold sleet as it was 60 degrees and sunny. And the weather couldn't have picked a better time to cooperate because Eli's team was playing against Drew's team (Eli's BFF). The boys were sooo excited, of course. They didn't have much interaction during the game except for one play. Eli was playing second base and Drew hit a pop fly/line drive right into his glove. Eli didn't even have to move his feet to catch the ball.

Maddux's Musical Performance

This morning the Kindergarten classes at Maddux's school put on a musical performance for all of the adults. Maddux has been practicing songs and hand motions in front of the mirror (and not in front of the mirror) for weeks now, so I knew many of the songs already. The theme was "Squirm" and the songs were all about animals that make people squirm (snakes, bats, worms, spiders). As in the past, when Maddux catches Lehr or I watching her practice, her performance changes (less outgoing and intentional), and today during the performance she appeared to be not as 'into it' also. Such a shame; I'll try to catch some video of her practicing at home when she doesn't know I'm watching.

Star Student

Maddux has been waiting all school-year long to be chosen as "Star Student". Most Friday afternoons, her teacher reaches into a fishbowl filled with names while the class does a drum roll, and the name selected is the Star Student for the upcoming week. I believe Maddux is the one of the last two or three to be chosen, given how late it is in the year. This last Friday she came bounding off of the bus, proudly holding the class mascot (Flick, a stuffed hummingbird).

Maddie carried Flick around all weekend, letting him help her with chores, practice her keyboard lesson (he even wore the headphones), drink hot cider one cold night, play a family board game, and, of course, he went in the car with us wherever we went.

Over the weekend we filled out a few questionnaires regarding Maddux. Some that Lehr and I filled out and one that Maddux got to fill out. This week (as it changes often), she likes the color gold, the book "Knuffle Bunny", ice cream, and she wants to be a teacher when she grows up.

Night Game

The only standing conflict I have for kids' sports this season is Thursday night at 7:30. And for two weeks in a row Eli has had make-up baseball games at 7PM, meaning I'm missing out more than I'd like. As luck would have it, tonight's game was a really good one too.

This game was a make-up from Monday's game. We got through 2 1/2 innings Monday afternoon before hail and a tornado siren cleared the ball park. The team we were playing is the one Eli has the most ties to also: he goes to school and is friends with three of the boys.

Eli's team did end up winning in extra innings (their first win this season), but as usual, the win is not what made it great. Lehr said there were many really good plays and Eli had two highlights: he hit the ball straight down the center line (almost taking the coach's head off) and he made an out by catching a line drive while he played second base. Thankfully Lehr took some video and snapped a picture.

PT Progress

Yet another update on the process we are currently in with Eli's feet.

This week I did some extra research and confirmed my theory that Eli is likely experiencing some of these relapse symptoms because of a growth spurt. What that tells me is that we'll have to keep up some form of PT (at home anyway) until he's in college. Not a bad thing, but information that I wish I'd known earlier so we could have stayed more ahead of it.

This last week was our first week of doing the PT exercises at home every day. Eli has been a really good sport, having a pretty happy heart through most of the sessions. Each time we go through our exercises it takes about 30 minutes. And these are not easy for him; in fact, some of the stretches are painful for him. Getting and staying motivated to commit to voluntary pain for 30 minutes each day is not easy for anyone, let alone a 7-year-old, so I do try to cut him some slack in the attitude department. We've only had one 'bad' session, but we still got through it. What I've not cut him slack on is actually doing the exercises. One way or another, we get through each and every one of them (though the 'bad' day did take almost an hour.)

Yesterday Eli was rewarded for his hard work when we went to his weekly PT session with the therapist. Maddux and I stay in the waiting room for about 50 minutes while she works with Eli. When they returned she said that he did great and his progress with balance is already considerable. (He exceeded her expectations for a month of therapy in just one week in that area.) She even rewarded him at the end by letting him ride the zipline into a ball pit - he loved that! His therapist will measure his flexibility next week, but she did warn us that we may not see much of an improvement given that he is wearing the boots for such a limited time each night.

Our schedule has been crazier this last week, so his daytime boot-wearing has decreased, and unfortunately it has not improved overnight at all. His custom braces/boots will be in about ten days from now; I'm hoping they are drastically different for him.

The Feet

Still struggling.

We have only had one (maybe two) nights where Eli's shoes have stayed on through the night. The other nights he either wiggles out of them or takes them off in his sleep. Before I go to bed each night, I check on him and they're always off, so I put them back on while he's sleeping. Even with that, I estimate that we're getting about four hours a night in the boots, and we need at least eight. We had an appointment yesterday to get fitted for a pair of custom boots. The orthotist thinks they will fit his feet better so they'll stay on better. (Fingers crossed!) They won't be in for another week, so until then we'll continue the UFO boots we have now.

I took Eli to the chiropractor last week; at this point I'll try as many things as I can that may help loosen up his feet. He enjoyed that, the manipulation of his feet and the hot 'laser' treatment.

Today Eli had his first PT session. It was mostly an evaluation where the therapist walked through a bunch of exercises and tasks to see how Eli's feet performed. Then she took a handful of measurements with his feet flexibility. She finished by giving us some stretches and exercises to work on at home. Most of the stretches were ones that we've been working on, but we have not been as consistent as we'd like. Eli tends to get frustrated, especially since we do many of the stretches at night (no other time in the day!) when he's tired.

When we finished this afternoon, we came home and I had Eli go through all of her exercises so we could get one day 'done'. He started out great, but definitely got 'bored' towards the end. I had to remind him what the doctor, the orthotist and now the therapist said: if things don't improve real fast (as early as two weeks from now), we will have to start casting again. That will mean no baseball, no swimming, no football...pretty much all of the things Eli loves to do. That would absolutely break my heart, so I'm pushing him hard with this therapy. Parenting is not for the weak, I tell you....

Eli, the Caregiver

Usually its Maddux that is all about taking care of the family's needs, but today Eli proved himself to be just as capable. I woke up during the night very sick and nauseous. When Lehr had to leave for church at dawn, he took Maddux with him, but Eli opted to stay home with me. He then proceeded to climb into my bed and snuggle for 20 minutes or so. Awesomeness.

Then he got up and got his night shoes (which haven't been staying on through the night, so we've had to log some daytime hours), Harry Potter and his Action Bible. He started to put on the shoes, then remembered the dog we are sitting hadn't been fed yet. He went outside, through the gate and took care of her. When he returned, he put his shoes on (by himself), and then read his Bible to me. (Nothing he did was because I asked him to - it was all initiated by Eli.) After a few pages, he read to himself and then switched to Harry Potter.

I was in and out of consciousness at this point, but at some point I do remember him going downstairs to eat breakfast (which he made and cleaned up after by himself). Then I remember him asking me if he could use Daddy's iPad to read something. The next time I came to, he was next to me, reading his "I Survived" series book about shark attacks in history, comparing them to the ones he found on a kids encyclopedia-type website we let him use. And through all of this, when he would see me open my eyes, he would ask me if I needed anything and tell me that he hoped I felt better soon. That boy is just amazing.