When I posted about Eli's latest vocabulary I forgot his two most prominent words: 'tickle' and 'hello'. He has been saying something close to 'tickle' for months now, but as of late, it's become very clear. Eli will go to your feet and touch them saying "tickle. tickle. tickle." in the same voice Lehr and I use when we do this to him. Also, he still plays with a rubber paint brush he 'borrowed' from Grandma Cathie's house at Christmas. I usually tickle him with it up a pant leg after I get him snapped into his car seat. I often look into the rear-view mirror to see him tickling himself the same way while grinning and saying, "tickle. tickle. tickle."
'Hello' is a new word in the last week. Eli enunciates it very emphatically, sticking his tongue way out on the 'l' portion. And he says it over and over again. "ha-low! ha-low!"
Eli went to the pediatrician for his 18-month well-visit today. He was very well behaved for the nurse and doctor and he didn't cry at all when he got his shots today! The doctor blasted me for taking him to the CVS minute clinic a few weeks ago, never mind that I told him the only reason I took him there was because his office couldn't fit me in until the next day (way overscheduled). I agree with his reasoning about why Eli might not have really had an ear infection, but I was worried because we were about to leave for a trip and I didn't want to be stuck on the road with a very sick Eli. Oh well....he was fine today - weighed in at 24.5lbs and measured 32 1/2" long. The doctor assured me that his lack of attention span is completely normal at this age and not to worry about it at all.
Last night we met up with Cooper and his parents at the park. First we let the boys run around for a bit, enjoying the hills and the wind. They both had a good time, but of course they wanted whatever ball the other one was playing with. (Eli was a bit more possessive about it than Cooper.) Afterwards we had dinner at a nearby cafe and the boys sat next to each other, happily sipping water from straws. Here is some video of the park:
I can't take credit for this one: Lehr found this worthy cause last month. Fugees Family is a non-profit organization whose goal is helping refugee families. Their programs aide these families in the transition to life in the US through self-reliance by way of education and the building of self-confidence.
Three years ago, Fugees began as a soccer team for refugee boys in the Clarkston (Georgia) area. Luma Mufleh worked as a volunteer coach and quickly realized that the needs of this particular team were going to be unique. By the end of the second year, mentoring and after-school help were in-place. However, she realized that she couldn't address all of the needs of the players' families on her own, so Luma helped found the Fugees Family.
Here is the article Lehr found in the New York Times. It's quite inspiring!
Sorry for the Debbie-Downer post yesterday. Those of you with kids (especially toddlers) know how one or two bad days can make you feel like you've been battling the same problem for years. In addition, I'm so afraid of ending up on Nanny 911 one day that when I see the slightest problem I worry that we're too far gone down the wrong path already. Having said all that, please keep the helpful emails and suggestions coming! (I'm always open to a new form of interaction/discipline.)
So one of my new favorite things, which is also one of Lehr's favorite things, is Eli's comprehension of seemingly unknown words. (Sidenote: I posted the other day about Eli's spoken vocabulary and how it appears to be so much less than his (female) friends' vocabs. Let me assure you that I am not concerned as of yet. He still signs like a fiend and I know boys are usually slower to develop vocally.) Almost every day for a while now Eli will shock me by showing an understanding of a word or a phrase that we've never formally taught him.
Example: Yesterday Eli bent down to look under the couch, as he often does, to see if any toys had made a new home there. Of course they had, so he proceeded to lay down and 'talk' to me about them. "Eli, are there toys under the couch?" "Yeee-ah! Phermonifps eslo!" "Really? Can you reach them?" The key word there was 'reach'....I don't think I've ever used that word with him, but immediately Eli stuck his hand under the couch and tried to grab the toys. I know most of the time when he and I have been in similar situations I've said 'grab' or 'touch' or 'get'. Maybe it was just a coincidence that he reached after I asked him to. Maybe he just deduced by the conversation that I was going to ask. Who knows. This is just one example of the constant sponge that he is. I guess toddler-hood isn't always so bad....
(Unrelated picture: Eli eating pizza on the boardwalk at Lehr's all-time favorite pizza place last weekend.)
Wow. Eli has been seriously spastic all afternoon. He slept for less than an hour for his nap (he's normally a 2-3 hour kid) and he's had these CRAZY episodes all day that I guess are tantrums but I'm not sure because they are so much more all-consuming of him than anything I've ever seen and they seem to come from nothing (I am not saying 'no' or taking anything away from him at the time). Since this has been happening more and more recently, I figured it was time to break my silence and come forward asking (BEGGING) for help.
Of course when this happens my guilt gets to me...what if he's already getting jealous of the baby (highly unlikely, but who knows), what if he's teething (I usually give him some Tylenol if I'm confident this is the cause), OR what if he's being a brat and I need to nip it!?!?!? So today I put him in a little time out (basically ignore him) for a few minutes at a time which did nothing to calm him...once I resumed activity with him he would scream for another 4-5 minutes, then he would have 2-3 minutes of normal/happiness before going into a full force scream fest again. Holding him didn't help, putting him down didn't help, trying to feed or water him didn't help....I was SOO frustrated!
My point in all of this is sometimes I think he gets bored. I'm at a loss because I try to sit and read with him, or play blocks or other toys with him, but he will do that for seriously less than two minutes at a time. So how do I interact/entertain him? He's 18 months and I'm hoping this is a little bit of a phase because until about two weeks ago he was going strong at about a month of really good independent play. What am I doing wrong?!?!? (Or not doing?)
After the "big" ultrasound this morning Eli and I went home to have lunch and it was a very trying afternoon. He did so well at the doctor, totally entertaining himself during the main event, that I was shocked at his sudden change in behavior when we got home. He is going through a phase (hopefully?) where he gets frustrated over nothing obvious to any bystander, and five or ten minutes is 'wasted' on him crying while loudly demanding 'DAT!' as he signs 'please'. (When he does this, your guess is as good as mine what "DAT" is referring to.) Today was no different. Lunch was difficult and after that he was a mess, so an early nap was in order. Of course he decided to only sleep for 70 minutes, so it was a long afternoon. But I digress...
Eli LOVES to roll, as I've mentioned before. He enjoys a forward or backward roll, which he's been doing since even before his gym class started, but his favorite is the sideways roll. (This is the one he uses when he falls down at the park.) However, he has been unable, or unwilling, to initiate this movement on his own; Mommy always has to push him to make him roll. Tonight after his dinner and bath (which went MUCH better than this afternoon), Eli and I were playing in the guest room when he decided to 'fall' and stretch out, which is apparently a sign for me to start rolling him. So I did, but after pushing him over once he started to do it all on his own. What an exciting new skill, I know. After the rolling incident Eli spent a good ten solid minutes climbing onto the back of 'Mater only to climb off as soon as his bottom hit the seat. Then he would push up the 'hood' and sit in the 'trunk' for a split second before he'd get up and start the whole process again. It is so fun to see him figure things out and learn! On a side note, he's been using utensils primarily with his left hand (even though when he shovels food in by hand he uses both right and left), but when he was climbing on and off of 'Mater tonight, he always balanced on his right leg.
We had our mid-way ultrasound this morning; Lehr planned to meet Eli and I there to see the ultrasound and then meet with the midwife that delivered Eli. Unfortunately Lehr got there about 10 minutes late and missed the main event. The one time the ob office was right on time, he was a little late! Eli and I were called back right at 11AM and whereas we are usually told to sit in more chairs to wait, this time we were ushered right back into the u/s tech room. This caused me a little stress because that meant that there was no one to watch Eli but he was amazing. Made me so proud! He stood next to a chair and played with the three toys I took out for him during the whole ultrasound.
So I stayed strong and did not find out the gender (though I was tempted, just because it would have been so easy to find out). I asked the tech to look for clubfeet, but lo and behold, as of now they look SOO straight! Totally a shocker for me....I 100% expected to have foot issues again since the probability is so high. (Not that we're out of the woods yet, but this is a good sign.) The heart, skeleton, and organs looked great too, so everything seems to be growing right on schedule. Lehr got there right when we left the u/s room, but he got to meet with the midwife with me. I got to see one yawn, but for the majority of the time, the baby sucked on his/her thumb.
Since I no longer have a running list of Eli's words and signs in the sidebar I figured I'd let everyone know of his progress (or lack there of). Even though he's still not speaking as much or as clearly as most of his (female) friends, he's come a long way in the last few weeks. Here are a few of the most recent:
That's what Lehr and I were to think we could pull off this 'weekend' trip in only 3 1/2 days! Considering that we haven't been back to Central Florida in many years, and not at all since Eli was born, taking on that amount of family and friend visits in that short of time was nothing short of ignorant. Live and learn I guess..... Let me try to recap all of Eli's visits as quickly as possible so-as-to not bore you:
Starting at 1PM on Friday and ending at 9:30AM on Monday, Eli visited with Linda & Darol (thanks again for the animal crackers!), Mom-Mom (Eli loved using your boogie board and he is fascinated with the new books), Chris, Jessica & Alex (just how many kisses did the two kids share?), Grandpa Ed, Grandma Sandy & Great-Grandma Nana (Eli had a blast playing the guitar), and Courtney, Michael, Brandon, Jake & Emily (when Eli grows up I think he wants to be Brandon, though he shows more similarities to Jake. Courtney has a great blog documenting her kids.).
Phew!! And those people totalled eight visits....in 3 1/2 days....when Eli sleeps 12 hours at night and 2-3 hours for a nap during the day. Do the math and you'll see that Eli spent a lot of time travelling to and from places the whole time. Considering that and the fact that the people Eli met were 'new' (pretty much anyone he hasn't seen in a 3-4 weeks is 'new'), Eli did fairly well. He was sure to save 90% of his frustrations and meltdowns for the car (gee, thanks), so most of the people he saw only saw his good, if not a little shy, side. Of course he had a blast at the beach; he alternated chasing birds, being pulled on the sand on a boogie board (which he insisted on standing on so he would fall when you pulled it) and digging/filling holes in the sand with Daddy.
Eli is becoming more and more able to do things for himself, even if they are things that are off-limits. I mentioned last week about his desire to play with the fire place; he also constantly asks/tries to play with remotes, telephones, and cell phones, which are all 'no-no' in our house. The kicker is when he does successfully obtain one of those objects, he usually giggles really loudly and then runs towards me, to show off his find, I guess. Of course I gently take it away and say 'no-no', which upsets him, but he has yet to make an attempt to hide, which makes me wonder why he continues to bring these things to my attention. I can only figure it's because he's so proud of himself for getting his hands on something that is not allowed.
This happened again this afternoon right before I put Eli down for his nap. I was unloading the dryer while Eli was roaming the upstairs. Just as I was finishing up, he came into the laundry room laughing and saying 'goo!', all the while holding up his blanket (which stays in his crib as a rule). I chuckled as I carried him and his blanket to his crib. Since it was so close to nap time I just let him keep the prized possession and go down a little early. I tried to remind him as I was closing the blinds that if he wants to play with these things it probably isn't the best idea to show them off to me, because I'll take them away every time. Gee...it almost sounds like I want my son to be a sneak! I assure you I don't; I'm just a bit puzzled by his lack of training. Pavlov's dog he is not...
Wow. So far I have been through croup with Eli and a multitude of 'colds' ranging from flu to bronchitis with Lehr in the last 6 months. If I make it out of this winter without contracting any of these viruses (successful so far!), I think I might have some mutant, super genes. Lehr just got over bronchitis and now Eli has his first ear infection. I was SOO optimistic in my hopes of him surviving his first two or three years without one, but a nurse at the CVS minute-clinic confirmed it today.
Before I left for the weekend, Eli had a slight fever on and off (mostly off), and he's had mild congestion (nose and cough) since then, but since I can see one of his front teeth poking through, I chalked it up to teething. He's been in a relatively good mood and has had no problem sleeping, after all. Lehr monitored his temp all weekend and noticed that he was in a really good mood both days. Last night, however, he woke up two or three times around midnight crying for no reason. We're not even sure if he was awake, but each of these episodes lasted a little longer than five minutes (it's quite rare for Eli to wake up crying during the night). I took his temp this morning and even though he was only at 98.8, I decided to call the doc and try to get Eli an appointment to make sure something 'bad' wasn't happening. His cough was back today and the nose, albeit clear, was like a mucus faucet. No appointments available, so off to the clinic we went. The left ear showed inflammation, so Eli will start some antibiotics tonight. I'm all in favor of doing what works to clear up an infection, but due to Lehr's long list of illnesses following a year or so on and off antibiotics, the less Eli has to take, the better!
Eli loves to sign "please". It's replaced a lot of his other signs, including "more". He will walk around the house signing "please" while saying "dat". It's not always obvious what he's asking because, like most toddlers, whatever he can see at that moment is what he wants. Eli knows the fireplace is off-limits , but he still asks if he can investigate from time to time, so I thought I'd snap a picture of him mid-sign. (It's hard to say "no" to that cute smile!)
Eli has had another great week of blanket time. He has started to test us a little by standing up and staring at us, smiling as big as possible as if to say "Look at me; I'm standing up when I'm supposed to be sitting!" But if that's the highest level of defiance he'll rise to while in blanket-time, I'll take it! He's become really good about just going straight to the blanket and sitting down once I open it up and put a few toys on top. Tonight he stayed in for 20 minutes alternating between sitting and lying down on his stomach while playing. Never once did he appear to want to leave. This is most definitely one of Lehr's 'favorite things' these days.
After Eli woke from his nap this afternoon we spent some QT cleaning the upstairs. Eli enjoyed a few minutes of chasing the vacuum around, after which he helped me dust and clean up his toys. That is where the picture came from. After examining the contents of his upstairs toybox, Eli turned around so his back faced the box and lowered himself to sit inside it. He was plenty pleased with himself and laughed along with Mommy for several minutes. Then, when I reached for the camera, his tune changed when he realized he couldn't get out on his own.
Here's a quick clip of Eli dancing with Daddy's iPod on Sunday. It's hard to tell on YouTube, but at the end Eli is attempting to snap his fingers. (I also posted a clip of Eli and Cooper on their post below.)
Some days it feels like winter is over (even though it only arrived about three weeks ago)....I'm quite confused by the weather, so I can only imagine how the trees and flowers are feeling! Since it was one of the warm days today (62-degrees!!), Eli and I decided to go down to Piedmont Park again to enjoy the afternoon. Eli seemed to remember the fun he had before rolling down the hill because as soon as I took him out of BOB today he 'fell' and started to giggle. This time we stopped at the dog park so Eli could see all of the 'doggies' before we went on our walk. He loved when they came up to the fence to investigate, but he did make sure to have contact with my body at all times. (Brave, yet not so brave.) After he rolled down the hill several times, a man sitting nearby with two dogs offered to let Eli pet one of them, since he seemed so interested. He promised the one dog was as friendly as could be so I let him. Eli could not stop laughing while the dog sniffed all over his face and torso. He didn't really get to the point of petting him, but the interaction was a success all the same. Eli's favorite activity today was walking/running down the big hill (very far away from Mommy) to find a stick or branch of sorts. Then he would try to climb back up, proudly showing off his find.
Cooper and his family are moving into a new house, so Cooper spent the day with us so his parents could move without him underfoot. To start things off, Lehr took Eli over to pick Cooper up which meant the boys would be riding in the back seat together. Quite amusing! The boys thought this was pretty odd, so most of the ride was spent staring each other down. Once they arrived home Eli took off running, playing and using his outside voice very excitedly while Cooper stayed a bit 'frozen' in place for a few minutes taking it all in. Not that I blame him; Eli's weird-o behavior was a bit odd. (He continued to 'show off' this way throughout the entire day.) Pretty quickly Cooper warmed up and investigated Eli's toys. He is so much more methodical and overall calm when it comes to sorting through and ultimately picking toys than our son. We nicknamed Eli "the bull in the china shop" quite some time ago because he prefers to literally dive into his toy box, tossing toys to the right and left as he goes until he finds one suitable to play with for 60 seconds or less. Mostly the boys just played side by side, unaware of one another, but from time to time they would take interest in what the other was doing. All in all, the boys had a great day.
We're back to tough days. Days that are tough until Daddy comes home, of course. Eli can give me the hardest time all day, but once Lehr comes home it's nothing but smiles and giggles. In an attempt to entertain Eli today I pulled out some play-dough. He seemed to like it ok, but he was far more interested in this new game when I let him use the container also. He thought it was so cool to open and shut it while putting little bits of green inside. Also, Eli started back with his Little Gym classes today. This is the last time he'll be able to take those classes for some time considering a new person will be here before we know it. Scary stuff!
After a great report from Mothers' Morning Out, Eli and I came home to play before naptime. During that time he had had his first of a few photo ops today. Eli loves to listen to Lehr's iPod. He doesn't really like the standard earphones, but the free set from Delta flights works well on his ears and he tolerates them much longer. His favorite past time right now is to have Daddy hook him up and then let him roam around the house bobbing his head as he listens to Stevie Ray Vaughan or Beastie Boys.
The second came right before his bath. I put the finishing touches (fringe) on the first scarf I knitted tonight while Eli had blanket time and he was very eager to try out this new piece of wardrobe. Eli strutted around the house for about ten minutes wearing this colorful scarf before Daddy gently insisted he remove it.
I can't think of any other word to describe this story. A friend forwarded this link to me and I can't stop thinking about it. I hope at the end of the day I'm half the parent to Eli that this father is to his son.
How cute is it when your little one starts to show signs of intelligence? Or random acts of memory? Those are the moments that are melting me these days. While Eli's personality is coming through with his cape-wearing and his dancing, he is also starting to show us how much he really has been paying attention these last 18 months. The following observations are definitely a few of my favorite things.
First off, when you ask Eli a question about something in his immediate surroundings, or you request he go somewhere, he at least acknowledges he knows what you're saying (even if he doesn't comply). For example, Lehr piles up all of the trash from the mail each day and tells Eli to throw it away in the trash can. Eli loves carrying the envelopes and catalogues to the other side of the kitchen and depositing them. (Usually about half of it ends up on the floor, but beggars can't be choosers.) A few other notes: Eli always puts shoes (his or not) on his feet; Eli points to his mouth signing "water" when we turn on the bath or sink sometimes; when Lehr comes home Eli runs around the corner to see him as soon as he hears the garage door opens; and when I ask Eli if he's hungry and ready for breakfast/lunch/dinner, he nods, points to his mouth (signing food) and goes to his chair to wait for me to hoist him up.
The intelligence part of this is more a display of Eli's keen observation skillz. He really notices when Lehr and I do things around the house, and he loves to mimic them. He's been brushing his own hair for quite some time, which we never showed him how to do, but obviously he's seen us do it enough. Eli loves to wash his stomach or the walls of the tub with his washcloth while he's bathing. Recently he started attempting to wipe his mouth with a napkin if given the opportunity. (We never taught him this, nor did we ask him to. One day he just got ahold of a napkin and started wiping!) The scarier ones include lighting the fire. Now that winter has finally arrived in Georgia, we've had a few fires in the fireplace each week. Although I watch Eli very closely when he and I are downstairs together, I try to give him the opportunity to remove himself from a 'NO' situation (rather than me constantly pulling him away.) Last week he grabbed the lighter (which has since been moved even though there really isn't any way he could manipulate the buttons correctly) and placed it CORRECTLY into the fireplace, next to the starter. (Again, no gas was on, no logs were in the fireplace, and I was right there the whole time saying 'no'; Eli was removed from the area as soon as I got close enough to him.) We've been doing a lot of home improvement projects around the house in preparation for selling, so there is always a hammer or drill or level somewhere (usually out of reach). When we are working we often let Eli play (supervised) with select tools. Recently he had a screwdriver and correctly tried to screw the towel rack into the wall (he was watching Daddy when he did it, obviously).
The memory part is my most exciting observation. As I've mentioned a few times before, we do couch-time/blanket-time with Eli at least five nights per week. Sunday night I figured we'd skip it in light of the Superbowl and a later-than-normal dinner. However, Eli decided otherwise. After dinner (which is the routine), Lehr and I settled in the living room with the game on and a few toys around for Eli to play with. After about five minutes of this, Eli went over to his toy box, pulled out his blanket-time blanket, placed it on the ground, sat down and looked up at us as if to say, "It's time, right?" We were totally blown away, but of course we helped him spread the blanket out and get situated. Also, Eli's diaper trick has not occurred in several days, but the fact that he did it still excites me. His newest trick is lying down when you ask him. It's become quite a game between he and Lehr after bath time. (Although I do not condone the pretend-play of guns, this clip is still cute.)
This one does not fall under any of those categories, but I still thought it was blog-worthy. Over the weekend I left the house while Eli and Lehr were playing in the living room. I said my good-byes and walked out the door. As I was closing it, Eli started to run over to me, so I said "OK, one more kiss". He came to the door, kissed me good-bye, and then shut the door for me. Separation anxiety has passed for now!
Last night Lehr was able to feel this baby move for the first time. I have felt some flutterings here and there, but nothing on the exterior. So when I went to bed last night I had my hand on my stomach to see if I could feel anything, as I often do, and low and behold when I felt something on the inside my hand started to jump a little. So I called him in and had him see if he could feel it too. It took a little while, but he felt it several times.
Speaking of the jumping bean, when I was pregnant with Eli we referred to him as the Hulk since we didn't disclose his name before birth. I'm at a loss this time because we don't know the gender. Does anyone have any witty suggestions?
For several years since moving to Atlanta, I've passed by a small building bearing the word "MUST" on my way to hike Kennesaw Mountain on a weekly basis. Until this last year I really didn't know what their 'business' was, though I always suspected a connection to a church based on the structure of the church-like house. Now that I've seen the work being done by MUST Ministries, both in connection with my church and through various publications regarding their good deeds, I think they are very worthy of their own spotlight this month.
On a quick side note, a few months back, a MUST representative came and spoke briefly at CCC, informing the congregation of their most recent goals and accomplishments. While he spoke he also mentioned something I think most of us know, but tend to forget: everyone wants to donate during the holidays, but after the new year, many charities and non-profit organizations hit a dry-spell where monetary, food, and material donations are scarce. PLEASE remember this when you think about donating, whether it be to this organization or another.
For 31 years, MUST has been dedicated to providing services to people in need. Their volunteers offer food, clothes and shelter to thousands of people each month. The little building I often pass is The Loaves and Fishes Community Kitchen. Volunteers there prepare and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the year. In a typical year, MUST helps 91,841 people with emergency groceries and baked goods; 38,223 with free clothing; 2,410 with job assistance; 5,676 children with clothes, school supplies and gifts; 2,326 people with emergency and transitional housing; serves 67,147 hot meals and provides access to medical care for hundreds of people. Almost two thirds of MUST's budget comes from donations.
Eli has become so much more into dancing recently. Saturday night Lehr and I had a good laugh as we watched Eli watching a dance show and trying to imitate. He held onto a chair for balance and bent his knees, squatting up and down several times while slightly shaking his head. Eli gets really into it when Mommy dances too. This last week I spent some time practicing for a church performance and Eli always joined me. Once I was practicing with another performer and Eli and her two sons all thought it was a dance party. Eli spun around, shaking his head and clapping occasionally.... Of course none of the true gems have been caught on video, but here is a video with a few seconds of the last week.
Today was my last 'short' midwife appointment. Next time I go we will have an ultrasound and the following time will be my 1-hour GD test (yippee!). Lehr came along today, thank goodness. Eli was good, but very very busy and it is difficult to keep up with him while filling out paperwork and listening for the nurse to call your name and getting weighed in and giving a urine sample and talking to the midwife and and and and...... We heard the heartbeat right away today: somewhere in the 140-range. We haven't been taking weekly belly pictures like we did when I was pregnant with Eli, but I've taken two of myself so far (so they are not so great on lighting). Here is the one from this morning (17+weeks).
So I've mentioned before how Eli likes to pull blankets or washclothes or whatever over his head. Today he decided he wanted a blanket on him...his head was the only place he could get it to 'stick' but he preferred it I placed it on his shoulders so he could parade around (with a BIG smile on his face) until it fell off. He had so much fun with this that I decided to tie it around his neck/shoulders like a cape. This was a huge hit with Eli. I had a difficult time getting pictures of it because he wanted to keep moving around to make sure it would stay. When the knot came undone and it fell off, he attempted to put it back on himself, but of course he could only get it to stay on his head.
Eli had a check-up with Dr. Schrader (who took over for Dr. Morrissy at Childrens Orth. of Atlanta) this morning. This was his first appointment since he started walking; the purpose was to make sure his foot was doing the right things when he walks as well as to verify the flexibility is still there. Dr. S found everything to be looking very well and advised that we move to biannual visits from now on. We discussed how much longer Eli will wear the shoes at night and he agrees that as long as it's not a problem with us, keeping him in the shoes/bar while he sleeps until he's four is a good idea. (Basically negates any chance of relapse.) From there, Eli and I went across the hall to get a new pair of shoes and a new bar. He'd outgrown the current ones, but I didn't realize how much until the orthotist measured his feet. He is currently wearing a Markell size 1 and the new shoes are Markell size 2 1/2 (and they are not huge on him either!).
Cheese and crackers, I'm happy!! Eli had a great day at MMO this morning and I am walking on air! He woke up later than usual, even though I tried to make extra noise so he might wake up 'on his own' before 9AM (I was hoping to drop him off and make it to a step class at the gym....didn't happen thanks to Mr. Sleepyhead). When he finally woke up, he was in a great mood and wanted to play instead of having breakfast, which is unlike him, but who am I to squash a good mood!? So after his leisurely morning we got in the car and sang our way to MMO. I dropped him off and he cried, but only for a minute. (They had Sesame Street on in the corner and I think that caught his attention.) Three hours later when I picked him up I poked my head in, expecting to see one of the workers holding Eli, as they usually are in the late portion of his stay. Instead I saw him smiling and playing with a toy house and another child. HIP HIP HOORAY!!! He didn't even cry when he saw me (which he usually does...kinda like 'i forgot i missed you!!!'). He continued to play until I opened the door and came in to give him a hug and even then he didn't whine to be picked up and showered with affection and promises to never leave him again. He smiled and hung out while I gathered his things and talked to the two women who work in his room. It turns out he had a great day with the exception of when one of them had to leave the room for a minute. He would cry then, but once they returned he was ok. Seriously....I can't express how happy I am that Eli might be getting over this bout of separation anxiety!
We made it through the weekend! I'm not sure why the weekdays are so much easier for me to be 'on my own', but they are. I'm sure it's due to the fact that I'm used to weekday traffic and weekday park attendance and whatnot. I did discover one more thing this last weekend: weekdays are easier because I have online friends to chat with and 'regular' friends that IM or email me. Not so much on the weekend. This made the weekend difficult because I was very much without adult conversation. (Cooper and his parents did take Eli and I out for dinner one night and that was wonderful.) Regardless, the weekend is over and we are in the homestretch now.
Eli and I went to the aquarium this morning. He has not been since he started walking, so as excited as I was I also had some fears of him running off. I pushed Eli in the stroller from the parking deck to the entrance (quite a long walk, in the biter 17-degree cold this morning I might add), and then to the area they politely ask you to 'park' your strollers inside. I knew I wanted Eli to be able to walk around in the large shark/fish aquarium exhibit, but I also knew it would be difficult if not impossible to carry him after I let him loose. So we started with the penguins (which didn't impress him) and moved to the beluga whales (which he kinda liked), then on to the sea lions (which he LOVED) and the jellies (he couldn't get enough). Finally we were to the large open room and as luck would have it, an elementary class was just leaving the prime front seat. I put Eli down and let him explore the tank at his own pace. He laughed and pointed to all of the fish while moving to different areas of the tank for a few minutes. Then he discovered the seats/steps where I was sitting. That became his new favorite thing about the aquarium. Luckily the big room was at such a small capacity I could let him go up and down these steps, while still running back to the fish every few trips to point and laugh, as much as he wanted without worrying about him disturbing anyone. We had close to fifteen minutes of such freedom before the room filled up again and we had to leave.
The rest of the day was spent playing in Eli's room and running a few small errands. Since Lehr has been gone I've also been practicing couch-time/blanket-time on my own each night. I just sit on the couch and knit while Eli is on his blanket. It has been great - he has only tried to get off once on one night. I'm hopeful this means we've really turned a positive corner with this practice!
How else can I explain what I'm feeling right now? Lehr left way before the sun came up this morning for a well-deserved ski vacation with some friends. The only less-than-desirable result is me on full time Eli duty for five days immediately following a regular five-day work week. Not such a big deal normally, but Lehr is so good about giving me Saturday (and sometimes Sunday) 'off', so I anticipated the weekend of being 'on' full-time might be a challenge for me. Thankfully today (the hardest day due to no scheduled activities) went wonderfully. Eli and I went to Piedmont Park and walked and played the day away. I was so excited to see how much fun Eli had because back in the days before Eli, Lehr and I used to enjoy that park on a weekly basis. It is a great place to go and walk or kick a ball or sit and people-watch.
When we first arrived, Eli was very taken by the masses of people playing Frisbee-football (is there a more technical name for that game?). He sat in his stroller and watched them for a good ten minutes before I wheeled him away. He enjoyed his snacks and water while I walked around a few big loops. At the end of the walk I let him out on the grass so he could run around. Eli was in hog heaven. He inspected all of the trees, all of the bark, all of the leaves... He kept trying to walk back out onto the paved trail though, so I eventually pushed him and his stroller up the large hill so we could run and roll down. BRILLIANT! Eli loved how hard it was for him to walk down the hill. Even more, he loved when his legs gave out and he fell. Even more, he loved when I came up behind him after a fall and rolled him down the hill. Of course, because the grass is dead and dry, he accumulated at least two bags worth on his back, in his hair, in his diaper, under his shirt(s)....it was almost as bad as sand! This was one of the most enjoyable afternoons we've had in a long time. Even though winter only just got here, I'm already ready for spring so we can spend more of these days outside.
To cap off a great afternoon, Eli and I came home to eat lunch and another surprise awaited me. I've been really struggling with Eli's fruit consumption ever since I stopped pureeing his food several months back. He's usually a fan of bananas, but that's it. No matter what other fruit I offer, the only success I have is when it is cut up and 'hidden' in yogurt or oatmeal. So today, as he turned up his nose at grapes and bananas (great!), and as I was walking through the conversation I would need to have with his pediatrician next month, I decided to try one more fruit. Honestly, I wanted the nectarine, but I thought I'd offer him some just in case (even though I tried this last week with failure). Eli picked up the piece I cut for him and inhaled it so I quickly offered him a bite from the actual fruit. He loved it so I handed it to him and he polished off a little more than half. HALLELUJAH!!!
Wow. That was fast. Eli has his first girlfriend. Gracie (who was born two days before Eli...an 'older' woman) has been coming over to our house for playdates for several months now. The two get along for the most part, but today they officially became a couple. After playing next to and around each other for about an hour, the two ended up sitting next to each other on the bottom step of our staircase. After a few minutes Gracie leaned over and kissed Eli on the cheek. He smiled and leaned closer to her and she did it at least one more time. A little while later they were spotted walking across the room hand in hand. (Gracie likes to grab your hand or finger and 'take' you places; that's probably the origin of the hand-holding.) I had the camera, but of course these moments were impossible to catch on film. There is another little girl in the playgroup, but she didn't show any hard feelings over being left out of the love nest.
Speaking of playgroups, Eli met up with a few friends for a new one yesterday. This group contained two other boys, both younger. For some reason this is a challenge for Eli. He is able to be civil and sometimes nice to kids his age or older, but he tends to bully and 'no-no' younger ones much more readily. He did offer up a kiss to the 10-month old little boy, completely unprompted (which was a first). However he spent the rest of the morning taking away toys (which weren't even his, mind you) and saying "NO-NO".
Of course Eli will not reenact his diaper-trick for Lehr, but he did lie down for me again twice today...a trend is forming.
We had our last swim class this morning. Eli did fine and for the first time he successfully blew bubbles. Usually he will blow a raspberry above water, but as soon as his face is submerged, he takes water in and coughs for a few minutes. Today he just continued to blow, pleasing the teacher and mom equally.
After his (short!) nap, Eli and I went for a walk at the river. This is usually a twice-a-week-minimum occurrence, but the colder, windier last few weeks have prevented that. Eli seemed to really enjoy being out with the dogs and people again. Then he was absolutely A+ behaved tonight with Lehr and I. For those of you who follow Babywise and/or Toddlerwise, we've been working on couch-time and blanket-time combined in the last month or so. We've had our ups and downs, but tonight was by far the most successful ever. Fifteen full minutes of Eli on his blanket and us on the couch without so much as a whimper or a suggestion of an escape. (YEAH!!)
One last note: one of Eli's big Christmas presents finally arrived today. He already received it (out west), but due to Fed Ex holding it hostage for a full month, we did not receive it in our house until now. For several years my parents have been carting around a small rocking chair I had as a little girl. It suffered some breaks and scratches as a result, but a few months back my dad offered to fix it up for Eli. He did that so well that it looks at least as good as I remember it as a child. Anyway, Eli was happy to see it (finally) arrive safe and sound yesterday.
Not-So-Good: When I dropped Eli off at Mothers' Morning Out this morning, he cried. Actually he cried when I first put him in the car. (It was as if he knew where we were going.) They told me it didn't last long after I left though.
Good: Eli has repeated his diaper trick for me several times today (a few times when we didn't even need to change his diaper). He loves to go to his drawer, pull out a diaper, sit down on the changing pad, lie back, and lift his shirt as he points somewhere between his stomach and the top of his diaper. We have a full-fledged trained monkey on our hands!
Today was a good day. Scratch that - a GREAT day. Eli had his swim class this morning which went as expected: some fun and some fussing. He still won't actively jump in the water, but at least he's not running from it!
The day got really good after Eli's nap. I went in to his nursery to find he was playing with his aquarium (his 'radio') and his pelican toy (he loves to put things in it's mouth and watch them fall to it's stomach). We hung out in there for about 20 minutes, playing with toys and reading stories. Eli goes through such swings with his story time: for two weeks he'll love nothing more than to sit in my lap and read for extended periods of time. Then he'll switch for another week or so and not sit still for even one book. Today he was in the lap-story-time phase. (YIPPEE!!) After a few books he started to walk towards the door (his indication that he's ready to leave his room and play in the rest of the house), so I told him, "Let's change your diaper first, Eli." Eli immediately sat down on his changing mat, lowered his head back and waited for me to come over to change him. (Quick background: for over a month now Eli has been incredibly difficult to change 95% of the time. For no apparent reason, he cries, wiggles, and squirms his way through every diaper change.)
Ahhhhh. Compliance. Not many things make a mom more happy. (Seriously, I was so shocked and overwhelmed with joy at Eli's blatant obedience that I couldn't stop kissing him and thanking him the whole time I changed his diaper.)
Following that wondrous occasion, Eli and I ran to the store and then came home to make dinner. This was as difficult as it always is, considering Eli's desire to have me play with him rather than cook a meal, but we got through it. Lehr came home and we all ate together, with no fights over eating or drinking I might add. To finish off the night, we all snuggled on the couch before Eli's bath, playing patty-cake and 'where-is-daddy's-ear'.
I know...I need to get used to it. Used to Eli not being 'happy' with Mommy even though she is the one who feeds him, dresses him, changes him, plays with him, pacifies him all day long. Used to Eli favoring Daddy just because he walks through the door at the end of the day. (This is not to say he doesn't do any of those things; he just doesn't do them when he is not here.)
So Thursday was an especially difficult day with Eli. He did a little better at MMO, but once we were home, and for the rest of the day, he was difficult to say the least. He whined when I picked him up, he whined when I put him down, he whined when I fed him, he whined when I played with him, he whined when I didn't play with him.... When Lehr got home at 6:15, that all changed on a dime and Eli became a very normal, non-whining child. Not just for a few minutes, but for the remainder of his evening. There's gratitude for you!
In addition, last night we went to our bi-weekly Community Group which usually lasts until about 10PM. No problem for Eli; he just plays with the toys and people all night and goes to bed late. So this morning I wake up at 8:00 and go to the gym, which is usually the start of my responsibility-free-Saturday. I arrive home just after 10:00 and Eli is STILL SLEEPING. So I didn't 'miss out' on any of the whining. Lucky me! Seriously....what is Lehr paying this kid?
Tonight Lehr and I went out to dinner while Eli's Fairy Godmother babysat. Eli had Carolyn wrapped around his little finger, even when he told her 'no-no' as she tried to reclaim her cell phone.
So someone must have been paying attention when I posted about Eli's new dancing skillz. This morning I checked the mail and there was a custom CD full of great rock'n'roll oldies, complete with a picture of Eli on the CD and case, courtesy of his favorite non-related Aunt Linda and Uncle Darol. These two are always sending Eli cool gifts, holiday or not. (Remember the cowboy hat?) Anyway, Eli has had a blast all morning alternating between dancing along to the music and holding the CD case tightly while he inspects it.
So this morning I brought Eli to Mothers' Morning Out and even though I talked it up to him all morning and in the car, I was very worried he'd be upset (as per the last month) because the whole time we were in the car, he was SO wide-eyed and tense....like he totally knew what was about to happen. Sure enough, we get to the door of the church and he starts to cry. They didn't have to pry him out of my arms this time, but he still wasn't happy about me leaving. I mentioned to the woman in charge that Eli will be turning 17-months over the weekend, and maybe a change of scenery would help. (They're next room up starts at 17-months.) When I went to pick him up, he was in the new toddler room and they said he was crying a little at first, but once they moved him over he was just fine. I'm sure it helped that there was a small tv in one corner of the room playing "The Wiggles" most of the time. Plus they have much bigger and better toys over there; most of them are more suited for Eli's tastes. I know this phase is not over, but today was very encouraging.
When we got back home Eli and I had lunch which mostly consisted of a banana for Eli. (I swear I don't know how he continues to grow since he barely eats some days.) He's taken to holding it like a grown-up now (with the skin). After lunch he participated in his new favorite game of pick-up-the-rubber-ball-and -chuck-it-only-to-find-it-and-repeat-over -and-over.
Since Eli's last two days have been a bit of a bust due to teething/toddler-tude/you take your pick, the only blog-worthy thing I have is some video of Eli and Tyler swimming on Monday. Enjoy! Note: You'll notice at one point Eli walks rather determined towards the water only to slip and LUCKILY not hurt himself as he falls backwards onto his head. You can hear Tyler start to cry though (and who could blame him?) because in his ever-so-graceful fall, Eli totally soaked him with water.
I've used this reference when describing Eli's behavior (AKA his toddler-tude) in the last few months, but this time I'm talking about his security/insecurity. If Lehr or I are anywhere within sight or earshot, this kid is a daredevil who couldn't care less if Mom or Dad are present. He will walk into crowds of people, he will climb up unknown stairs, he will run around until he is lost (at least where we can't see him).....it's nuts! And when he's walking he will NOT hold our hand. However, for the last few weeks when I drop him off at church or Mothers' Morning Out or MOPS, the insecurity sets in and he clings to me like he'll never see me again. Yesterday I literally had to peel Eli off of my chest to give him to the nursery worker (who he knows very well and loves). Yet when I picked him up after church and walked into the huge open reception area, he ran off and never once looked back to see if I was still there. Crazy!
Eli's swim lesson today was a little more tough because Daddy came along to watch. This made Eli want to get out of the water and play, but he still managed to have some fun between reaching for Lehr. Before class started Eli spent a few minutes running in the shallow water, as he usually does. But because Lehr was on the sidelines, he would run in the water and then out, causing him to fall on the slick poolside surface. He never hurt himself (which is shocking considering the amount of concrete present and the fact that he landed on his back/head several times), but he did seem surprised when his feet went out from under him. After the class, the instructor turned on 'the jets' and there were a few fountain-ish water displays for Eli and Tyler to play in. They both seemed pretty weary of actually touching them, but I did get Eli to try once as long as he sat on my lap.
So after having the desire to learn how to knit for a few years, and after having a friend show me only for me to start and stop several times, and after buying a book only to start and stop several times, I think I *finally* learned how to knit. There is a really neat knit-yarn store near my house (The Purly Gates) that offered a beginner knitting class yesterday, so I went. I thought maybe I'd be confused since I'd already 'learned' how a few times before, but the instructor was great and the other student and I seemed to pick it up quickly. I came home and did a few things around the house (non-knitting), but around dinner time I got scared that I might have forgotten my skillz, so I quickly picked it up and started again. Since there was a football game on last night that Lehr wanted to watch, I had nothing else to do (other than put away the remainder of the Christmas decorations, or the looming house projects that prevent us from putting our house on the market) than knit. Voila! So far so good! I picked a colorful ball of yarn to start with, so hopefully this first project will become a bee-yootiful scarf in the near future.
Sometimes on the weekend, Saturday specifically, Lehr and I will sleep until Eli wakes us up. Usually Lehr will go collect him from his crib then and bring him to our bed. Eli has never been one to snuggle with us and go back to sleep, but he is starting to enjoy a few minutes of lounge/cuddle time. This morning Lehr brought him into our room and his face totally lit up as he realized Mom was still in bed and we would all be together. He crawled over to me (on the bed) and put his head down on my stomach before flipping around so that he was on his back. Lehr got back into bed and covered him up to his waist with the blanket (which he left there for a full minute!), and we all enjoyed a few minutes of family-morning-lazy time. This definitely qualifies as one of my new favorite things about Eli.
Cooper came over to hang out at the park this morning. The boys had a great time on the slide, but in very different ways. Cooper is great at getting himself in the traditional, feet first, sitting-up position. Then he usually waits for Carissa to count to three (while he smiles in anticipation) before pushing off. The slide in our neighborhood has a few steep bumps, causing Cooper to lie down flat once he gets going, but he seemed to love it. Eli prefers a different journey. Once he climbs up the ladder, he likes to position himself so he will slide feet first, on his stomach, with his face towards the slide. Even if I try to put him in the 'normal' set-up, he will switch halfway down the slide.
Yesterday I took Eli to his weekly Mothers' Morning Out program for a few hours. After our last visit, I worried he might not be too thrilled, but I know it'll get better eventually, so I packed him up (after a great morning) and off we went. The poor child started to cry as soon as we walked through the church doors. I thought a few times about turning around and going back home; would that teach him that I love him enough to listen to him when he is unhappy, or would it teach him that all he has to do to get his way is whimper? Ahh...back and forth back and forth. He settled down a little and we proceeded back to his classroom. He stuck to my side like glue as I tried to get him interested in the other kids and the other toys. After about ten minutes I attempted my escape but he caught my eye before I even made it to the door. Eli gave me his best so-sad-and-lonely face and cry, but after one more hug I walked out. Just like before, I hung out around the corner until I heard him settle down. It only took one minute this time, which made me feel much better. When I picked him up, however, the director told me he cried off and on the whole time. She thought maybe he had some stomach issues due to the crying and a little gas. Not that I don't give her any credit for trying, but he was 100% fine with me the rest of the day, so I'm thinking it was just a case of missing-mommy-blues. I know kids go through these phases, but considering how well he's done in the church nursery for a full year now, and at this program for a few months, it surprises me that he's all of the sudden so insecure about me leaving.
On a very positive note, Eli's second swim lesson went extremely well today. I was so excited when we left because I know Eli enjoyed every second of it today. Instead of putting him right next to the slide like last time, I moved him closer to the lap pool and it seemed to work. He 'jumped' in for me a few dozen times, which he really seemed to get a kick out of. The rest of the class he kicked and splashed and 'swam' as much as he could. Before we started, he had a blast walking in the knee-waist deep water. He thought it was quite funny when he tried to run, which caused him to fall and 'crawl' in the water.
One thing I've noticed over the last few weeks, especially since Eli started walking, is how much I am loving this new 'stage' he is in. The clinginess and toddler-tude aren't always preferable, but his new personality and independence are so much fun to watch! Last night after dinner Lehr and I witnessed Eli dancing for quite some time while we cleaned the dishes. We had the stereo on and he was over by the speakers, shaking his hands, bobbing his head, and spinning in circles. Happiness comes cheap these days....especially with 80's music in the background!
Already this pregnancy has been a little different from the last. I had a little morning sickness in the beginning (which I didn't have with Eli) and when I go for walks or to the gym, the cardio really tires me out, which I did not experience the last go-round. Although 'the belly' seems to be growing at the same rate as last time (I'm not quite showing yet - just getting 'soft' around the middle), my belly button is already trying to pop out. In fact, when I lie down, it becomes even with the skin around it. But that's not the worst of it: my pop-out meat thermometer wanna-be is incredibly sensitive, and it actually feels like the baby is stretching against it 24/7. What fun!
Eli started his second set of swim lessons this morning. This time his friend, Tyler, is joining in the fun. The boys seemed to really enjoy the pool at the South Cobb Aquatic Center, which isn't surprising since they have two slides, a gradual descent, and a 'lazy river'. When we first arrived, Eli really liked the fact that he could walk in the water. When the class began we helped the boys kick and swim, float on their backs, and blow bubbles (which Eli has not mastered yet). Then we went to another section of the pool so the kids could 'jump' into the water. This became a problem for Eli because one of the slides was right next to our station and Eli found it impossible to be that near a slide and not climb up. After several attempts to distract and re-direct Eli's attention, he seemed happy to float in the lazy river (which has a very strong current actually). His toddler-tude returned when we exited the pool though, because we passed by the stairs for another slide and again, Eli is incapable of passing by a climb-worthy structure.
So to re-cap: the swimming part of the lesson was great, but Eli is in full toddler mode, so as far as he's concerned, it's his way or the highway.
As I've mentioned before (here ,here and here), Eli LOVES to help clean up and fix things around the house. Especially when it's Daddy who is doing the cleaning or fixing. This morning he got the opportunity to help Lehr sand down a few patches on the walls in preparation for painting. (I only hope he's as eager to help me when I pull out the paint brushes on Tuesday.) He thoroughly enjoys using the big tools and cleaning supplies, just like Daddy. No matter what the chore, big or small, as soon as Eli hears one of us go into the laundry room or garage for supplies, he comes running.
Also, I left the boys alone tonight; it looks like Eli has another favorite baseball team:
This month I'm spotlighting two charities that are both well-deserving, but also somewhat linked in their purpose. First up is the Ronald McDonald House. RMHC focuses on helping families who are in need due to medical expenses and travel. Often times when children become ill families travel far away from home seeking treatment and specialists. The financial burden of hospital bills, physicians, hotels, rental cars, etc. causes a strain on an already worried and stressed family. The Ronald McDonald House Charities aim to provide a "home away from home" for these families while they receive treatment at nearby facilities. Since beginning in 1974, more than ten million families around the world have benefited from the comfort provided by a Ronald McDonald House.
This charity is near and dear to my heart because had we traveled to Iowa City to visit Dr. Ponseti while treating Eli's clubfeet, this option would have been available to us. We are extremely lucky to have three practicing Ponseti-trained doctors in Atlanta, but many people don't have three doctors in their state, let alone their city. Their only option is to travel to Iowa and stay for 4-6 weeks while their child(ren) are treated. The room and board cost alone for that would be astronomical (nevermind the fact that work is being missed). If you would like to donate to the Ronald McDonald House, follow the link above, or donate to the Iowa City branch.
The other charity is Angel Flight America. Angel Flight America helps arrange free flights in small, private airplanes for patients and their families seeking medical treatment. (Free flights are also arranged in the event of a national crisis.) In 2005 alone, the corps of over 7, 200 volunteer pilots and outreach volunteers arranged over 18,000 flights for children and adults in need. Again, had we not been able to afford the travel accommodations to Iowa City, Angel Flight would have been available to us; it is another very worthy organization.
Eli and I went to see the midwife today. I knew it would be a short appointment, so I figured it was safe to bring him. He was very antsy, and not too happy to wake up early to make it on time, but all in all he did ok. (He even let the midwife hold him while the other midwife found the heartbeat on the doppler.) At the 'heartbeat' appointment with Eli, the midwife found it right away - literally as soon as she touched my stomach. This time it took several minutes, which is quite normal considering the baby is just over two inches long. Once she found it, the heartbeat was strong and loud. (BTW, Eli was very fascinated by this whole process.) Photo is 13+weeks.
So I think we've waited long enough to clue everyone in. Eli will be a big brother in the first week or so of July (depending on which midwife or nurse I listen to). Lehr and I are very excited, though Eli seems to be a big possessive of his parents and his toys these days, so I'm not sure of his level of enthusiasm. We've opted to not find out the gender this time, so the name and the sex will both be revealed when this little one decides to join us. I've started another blog (of course), which will be fairly uneventful until July, but is established nonetheless. Lehr suggests I combine them, so save time for me and everyone else. We'll see how it goes once July hits; for now Eli still maintains his own 'ele5' place in cyberspace.
Eli hosted his first sleep-over last night; Cooper and his parents came over to celebrate New Year's Eve. We had dinner at our favorite sushi restaurant where the boys ate tofu and behaved themselves for at least an hour. After that we headed home so Eli and Cooper could play before we put them in the bath together. They did pretty well considering they're both used to bathing solo. I did notice a few times during the night when Eli said "No-No" to Cooper as he played with Eli's toys. So much for the 'nice' no-no.
now, but as of late, it's become very clear. Eli will go to your feet and touch them saying "tickle. tickle. tickle." in the same voice Lehr and I use when we do this to him. Also, he still plays with a rubber paint brush he 'borrowed' from Grandma Cathie's house at Christmas. I usually tickle him with it up a pant leg after I get him snapped into his car seat. I often look into the rear-view mirror to see him tickling himself the same way while grinning and saying, "tickle. tickle. tickle."
