June 2006

June 02

Friday

Some weeks seem to go by so slow...this was not one of them.   Yesterday we had playgroup and then Jerry and I had Bonnie, Dean, and William over for dinner.  Wednesday night was a LOOOONNNNNGGGGG night.  Elijah woke up at 3:30 and didn't go back to bed until 5.  So getting up yesterday and then not having time for a nap...I surprised I didn't fall asleep in my dinner last night.  Last night was better.  It was Jerry's night.  He brought Elijah in to eat at 2 and then wen to lie back down.  At 2:30 I woke up (often I fall asleep when feeding Elijah while on my side...very convenient way to feed in the middle of the night....) and heard Jerry snoring.  I went into his room and asked if he wanted me to take over for the night.  He said, "sure."  I took off his glasses and couldn't find the baby monitor to turn it off so I asked him where it was and he reached over and turned it off for me.  I left, put Elijah back in his crib and went back to bed.  Elijah slept until 6:30 and I just brought him back in bed with me and we cat napped.  At 7:45  Jerry walks into the room, points at me, and say, "j'accuse"... Turns out he has no memory of talking to me last night or turning off the monitor...hehehe ... ahhh  sweet sleep deprivation!  Anyway, it was no big deal.  I may have been a little less jovial if Elijah had kept me up, but not too bad.
This morning Rachel called and we went to the library to see everyone (we both used to work there.)  And I checked out some board books for the boy.  Then we came home and had "naked baby dance time!"  That is a fun time for sure!  I just put on some music, lay a water resistant blanket on the floor and let him be naked.  It's really very cute and in the afternoon I  let the sun it to help with any diaper rash he may have.  It also wears him out!  He's sleeping right now...
I really want to clean my house this weekend.  It's driving me crazy!  I need to vacuum and really dust and all that good stuff.  The problem is that Elijah does NOT like the vacuum, but with Jerry home, I think we can manage it.
Oh, did I mention that we got a telescope?  This woman listed a telescope on the yard sale page for 20 bucks.  So I went and got it.  Jerry (being the physics major) has wanted one, but we never bought one because they were too expensive.   But we got a 250 dollar telescope for 20 bucks!  It does need an eyepiece, but other than that it's in great working condition!  so maybe we'll get the eyepiece this weekend.  I know it's against the pact with the money, but Jerry deserves this...
I have a new list of shopping categories.  I think my new favorite site is Clever Cuties!  They have the cutest things!  The site itself is very clever....anyway, check it out!
Okay, I'm about to upload some more pics of the cutie that's my son!   Have a GRAND day!

a very nice morning June 6

I had a very nice get together with my friend Amy.  We hadn't seen each other for almost five months.  Which in normal people time it doesn't sound like a long time, but in baby time it really is.  Anyway, it was nice to sit down and catch up on each other's lives. (Though she is an avid reader of this blog, so really everything was old news to her....)  I totally let the day slip away from me.  I didn't realize it was almost 1 until I got in the car to come home.
When we got home, Elijah took a small nap and then Jerry stopped in to get the stuff to go to the court house to get out of jury duty....(wow that was a run on sentence if I've ever seen one....) He got out of duty (well got it postponed) and came home!  It was so nice to have him home!  This past weekend I got nothing done that I wanted, but I did get to spend time with Jerry.  We went to Maya's baptism on Sunday and I really forgot what we did on Saturday.  Jerry had to work both days at some point, so I feel like it really wasn't a weekend.  We did get our shelving dilemma solved, but the store didn't have all the parts we needed, so we didn't buy anything yet.  Hopefully they will get the parts this week and we can install them this weekend.
Today we realized that our gym membership will expire 6 months sooner than we thought!  That's exciting seeing as neither of us have gone in quite sometime...it's rather far away and with traffic, it's really a hassle.  we have the exercise ball, weights and a stationary bike here, so that's really all we need.
I'm so excited to go on vacation in a week and a half!  We are going to Edisto Island...I used to make fun of people who lived at the beach and then went on vacation to another beach...but I guess I am one of those people!  Anyway, we will be there with my folks and some extended family will be just down the road.  It should be interesting and fun to say the least!
My goodness, I suddenly have a cranky baby...so I am off to feed and then maybe put him to bed....(he's still a cutie....)

finally asleep...i think

little man has been doing this weird thing lately.  he'll fall fast asleep, and goes into his crib without any trouble...then half an hour later he's crying (but not awake) and is all squirmy and stuff.  so we hold him and comfort him and rock him and he goes back to sleep and then cries again in half an hour and the process repeats itself until about 10 or 11. (going to bed between 8 and 9) and then he's fine.  he is waking up every three-ish hours these days which is a change from the 6 hour stretch, but i feel like he's going through a growth spurt.  nevertheless, the every three hour thing is not that bad because he wakes up, we change the diaper, he eats and goes back to bed all within about 15 to 20 minutes...so much nicer than when he was a newborn waking up every two hours to eat for an hour and then not want to go back to bed (don't worry megan this didn't last long.)
so yesterday and today have been cooler than normal.  by cooler i mean 77 degrees.  it rained yesterday and this afternoon we had rain and hail!  our sunflowers love it!  i swear hey grew a foot in the last two days.  but apparently this rain has brought out all the frog and toads in the world into our yard.  they are sooooo loud!!!  i mean we've had tree frogs all season and they are not the quietest creatures...but mixed with the bull frogs it's quite a chorus outside.  don't get me wrong...i love anything that eats bugs!  speaking of which...the stupid bug sprayer person came through the other day.  now i don't mind this since i hate bugs, but a little warning would be nice.  we had our windows open and everything.  i just don't want my kid breathing in the fumes.  i guess he gets them second hand anyway, but really i don't need this insecticide flowing directly into my house.  sigh....
okay, so i really hate the dentist... i mean really hate it...but i think i have a cavity so i am going to the dentist on thursday afternoon.  since i am a new patient (that's right i haven't been to a dentist since we moved down here....judge judge judge....) thursday is just going to be x-rays and an examination of my mouth.  then i have to schedule another appointment for the cleaning and then another one if i have cavities...sigh....it's just inconvenient with jerry working and whatnot.  also i looked at our dental plan and realized we have to pay 20% of having cavities filled...sigh...  i guess there are many more things in the world than having to do this, but i just have an aversion to anything being done to my teeth...i blame my grandmother...not because of all the candy she feed me (that was just good) but because she pulled my loose baby teeth with old tooth pliers....eeekkk!  i can still taste the metal...to this day i can not look at a loose tooth in a child.  i've already talked jerry, he's going to be in charge of the tooth pulling...
i was very lucky to not have any cavities until i was 18.  but i did have all my wisdom teeth pulled. and i had my last baby tooth pulled and the new tooth had to be pulled down because it was growing sideways...so that needed braces...but only for a year.  anyway, think of me on thursday...hope i just have a tooth ache and no cavities....gotta go brush and floss now....
June 07

FYI

Elijah found his feet...check out the new pics of him...
Also he is rolling from his tummy to his back consistently now, and sitting fairly well as well....
That's all...just wanted to brag....
not all...
I just read Megan's comment about the shelves and I realized no one knows what I'm talking about....
We have a ton of DVDs and CDs.  Right now they are on those shelves that are make just for holding entertainment stuff.  They are not very sturdy and we want them off the ground for when some little boy starts pulling himself up.  We of course don't want anything to fall on him, and we want more floor space.  SO we are getting shelving that can go on the wall and what not.  We found some shelving we like.  It's on tracks sort of and then you can buy as many or as few shelves as you need.  It's hard to explain, but once we get the stuff, I'll post pics.  There are other shelving issues around he house, but this was my biggest concern since the living area is where we are lots....
Okay, now that's all...I think....
June 08

stupid dentist...

sigh....Okay, so it's my own fault....I haven't been to the dentist in five years and I LOVE sweets....sigh...so I broke down and went to the dentist.  Rachel recommended me to Dr. Smaltz.  She's a nice dentist, but really I have to cut out ALL SWEETS AND yes that's right AND get a prescription tooth paste? sigh....i am lucky in that I only have a little decay on an already filled tooth, so the filling happens in July.  But  really a prescription?!?!  sigh....well, at least I got my Ben and Jerry's fix this week (Carmel Sutra...to DIE for!!!!) This wonder tooth paste is supposed to help restore my enamel and prevent more decay.  Get this...step 1) floss step 2)brush with special tooth paste BUT no spitting.... step 3) swish with toothpaste for 2MINUTES... are you kidding me?!?!?!?!  My dad said I could just carry the tooth paste around with me and swish with it after every sweet I ate...I'm very tempted.
Anyway, it could have been WAY worse.  I really thought I would have 5 or 6 cavities.  I must admit I was pleasantly surprised.
However, what is with dental hygienists?  I swear every one I have ever had starts up a conversation that is in no way one sided while they have the cleaning thing in my mouth.  This one started talking to me about my OB (who happens to be hers) and asking me all this questions about her and I'm sitting there with goop coming out my mouth looking at her thinking really you want to talk about our OB/GYN while you are cleaning my teeth?  Personally I'd rather be there....I mean it's not like they talk to me about the dentist and the visit is a whole lot faster....super sigh...
We had our little group this morning.  I really love meeting with them.  I know I say that often, but I really do.  It's so nice to have a group of women I can bounce ideas off and talk to about issues I may be having.  Elijah did great all day.  poor guy.  I take him to group and then rush home so I can brush my teeth and then back in the car to get Jerry and then two+ hours in the dentist office.  He's sleeping right now.  It's against my 6:00 rule (no naps after six because then it seems he never sleeps) but I am making an exception since he didn't get a nap at all today, and last night was a little frazzled.  Jerry had him last night and said that Elijah was up from 3:30 to 4:45...apparently Elijah just needed to poop and then went straight to sleep...poor guy....
Did I mention that I have become a beer drinker?  I have NEVER liked beer.  But I have decided to acquire a taste for it.  My favorite (which means I can finish most of it) is Sam Adam's Summer Ale.  It's yummy.  Jerry says it's a girlie beer, but hey I'm a girl!
Also, I know I need to start a new album, but Elijah doesn't turn 5 months (not 6 months Megan...lol) until next Tuesday...I know it's nit picky, but I back pictures up on his birthday and I have them in folders labeled by months....soooooo....I'll start a new folder next week.  Until then just click the back button to see the newest ones.  I didn't put up any today, so there.
Okay, I think that's it.  One day I'm going to get on here and totally go off about politics (there are some interesting things happening...SUPER DUPER SIGH!!!) but not today....
And if you haven't already check out Clever Cuties....
oh there's my boy.....

June 12

the weekend...

I had a very nice day Friday.  rachel and I went to Target to get some things for her sisters-in-laws birthday.  While we were there I found non-disposable swim diapers!!!!  I was sooooo excited!!!  I had found some on-line, but we are leaving on vacation on Friday and I knew they wouldn't get here by then.  Also I found baby sunglasses...That's where I stopped though they had matching swim trunks and t- shirts and hats  and cover ups....wholly moly I could have spent lots of dough!  But I only got the swim diaper and the sunglasses.  The two things I was going to get on-line anyway (and they were cheaper at Target!)  My friend Laura got Elijah some swim trunks that are super cute.  I'm so excited to go in the ocean with him and also into the pool.  I can't dunk him yet because of his ears, but I hope to get him used to water (other than in the bath!)  So that was Friday.  On Saturday, Jerry's friend (and mine too) Eric came in for a visit.  It was nice that Jerry didn't have to work this weekend (the first time in about a month and a half!) So he spend Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday with his friend.  Yesterday I went to Cora and Dora's b-day party.  That was lots of fun. There were three kids (including Elijah) and I know these three are going to be thick as thieves when they get older.  Alexis is the oldest.  She's about 16 months.  And then there's Elijah at almost 5 months and Maya Rose at just over 2 months!  They are all very cute kids and as Maya Rose and Alexis are cousins, just throw in my boy and there you have it!  Bill cooked out so much yummy food! And Cora made this potato salad that was to die for!
So all in all it was a good weekend.  I did get the front lawn mowed and the front ditch whacked.  So that was the productive thing I did.
Elijah is sitting on the floor playing with a stuffed parrot that Amy gave him.  It's too cute!
I realized I haven't taken any pictures lately, but I go through these spells where I just don't take pics.  Tomorrow Elijah will be 5 months old! so I'll start another folder then!  I'm so excited about vacation!  I just can't wait to not have to worry about the house for a week!  Okay, my boy's getting cranky!  Off to play with him for a bit...what a hard life I lead!
June 13

the feeding debate continues...

I just read this interesting article in the NY Times.  I am a strong advocate for breast feeding.  I strongly believe that it increases the mother/child bond.  I believe it is healthier.  I believe that it's WAY cheaper.  But I have never bought into the "cure all" philosophy.  When someone says that breast fed babies are less likely to have childhood obesity...I can't help but think.  Well, if a mother has the time to breast feed her child, doesn't it stand to reason that she will also take the time to prepare healthy meals for her child instead of something pre-packaged and processed?  I wonder if these studies take into consideration the efforts of those who are able to breast feed?  Many women can't because they have to work(sometimes many jobs) very soon after giving birth.
There are, according to the article, people who want a warning put on formula.  Saying that breast milk is better... well, fine, then give women a mandatory PAID year off work.  Make sure EVERYONE has health insurance...better yet, get rid of insurance and make sure all healthcare is free!  Provide all women with GOOD lactation consultants in the hospitals.  Have a ratio of them 1:1 so that women who need constant help receive it.  Educate women that breast feeding HURTS and is not easy and does not come naturally, but with time and practice it might get easier.  Force employers to provide a quiet, private, NON-stressful environment for mothers who need to pump.  Make GOOD QULAITY childcare available on the grounds of the place of work where a mother can go and feed her child.  Encourage father's to be supportive participants in the process.  Educate women that there are ways to help your milk be more abundant.
However, since none of this is happening in the US (well, maybe in small communities such as The Farm...and NM...but for the most part...)don't make mother's feel guilty about what they chose to do.  For most it's a choice between breastfeeding or paying rent/mortgage.  It's not fair to state how important something is for the well being of our children and then not provide a way to feasibly provide an ideal situation for them.  I mean statistically formula fed babies sleep through the night faster because there bodies metabolize the formula slower than breast milk...so of course, there are mothers who have to get up at the crack of dawn who are going to go for whatever helps their baby sleep through the night faster... COME ON!
that's enough of my rant tonight...speaking of ranting I believe my little one is putting up a pretty big fight right now...thank God for Jerry....
Thanks for reading!

new album june 14

i must say that i love the new albums!  i put new pics of elijah up.  he's now 5 months old!  i can't believe it!  the sleeper he is in was too small and too hot, so i cut out the feet and the arms and now it fits and it appropriate for summer... and how cute is he in his swim diaper and sunglasses?
speaking of the ejj...gotta run!
June 14

reassurance is always good

You know, sometimes I feel like I'm not doing what I'm "supposed" to be doing with my child.  This article made me feel better.  We don't sleep with Elijah in our bed (well not that often) for many reasons, but none of them were because we thought he had to be in his crib.  I totally feed on demand and am actually a little sad about introducing food next month.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that it felt good to know that there are others out there who feel the same...
June 15

the boys are sleeping

it's so sweet...i'd take a pic, but it would wake them up.  they are curled up together on the bed...  we leave for vacation tomorrow!!!  jerry is in much need of some r&r.  it'll be good to be lazy and not have to worry about the house being clean (which it soooo is not!)  we are taking cloth diapers, but that means the only thing we have to do is laundry.  i am picking up a pack of disposable today though.
anyway, i just wanted to write down how very sweet my boys are....
June 23

we're back....

We had a very nice, though not long enough, vacation.  The ride went better than I thought it would with a little one.  It just seemed too short.  Jerry took four books and by Monday he was through with almost three and realized he needed to pace himself or he's run out of stuff to read.  Our condo had a very nice view. We were right on the inlet and we watched boats go by most of the day.  There were a herd (?) of about 15 dolphins that provided us with daily entertainment.  And the sunset was absolutely perfect.  It was a bit hot, but that's why air condition was invented.
some highlights with possible stories to come.... I ended up walking three miles pushing Elijah (in his new stroller...) by pure accident...and was rescued by my mom...Jerry started drinking most days by 11...but some days he started a bit later...we did nothing we didn't want to do...my parents ended up upgrading their time share which gives them more weeks....watched world cup soccer in our down time...I  took a couple of three hour naps with my boy....Elijah's first time in the ocean was good...my parents bought him the matching shirt and hat and it is JUST ADORABLE!!!!
i will post pics soon, but right now, I beat.  I'm glad that we still have the weekend to recover (that and mow the jungle that is our back yard....I wonder if I can get a neighbor hood kid to do it for 5 bucks....probably not...sigh....)
I missed everyone's blog while I was gone....gald to be back!

updates

i added pics form our vacation.  i also added a couple pics to elijah's five month old album and also updated our garden pics.
we have veggies now and that's exciting.  there are several things we'll do differently next year, but i am happy with this crop of food.
tomorrow i hope to write more about our vacation, but we are in the process of installing shelves and trying to do a massive clean up of the house, so it may be later this week.
elijah's finally down for some sleep, so i think we'll be able to get most of the installation done tonight.  when we're done, i'll post before and after pics....

June 24

c'est fini

we just finished hanging the shelves... i wanted to post the before and after because with any luck i will sleep as long as possible and then get up and clean....
so before and after....let me know what you think....

cleaning and sunflowers and food...oh my june 26

So I cleaned our floors yesterday.  I've been wanting to do that for sometime now.  They look much better.  I love that we have hardwood floors, but every time the baby spits up or milk gets on the floor, even if you clean it up there is still a little stain.  sigh... so Stephanie (from our little group...JErry calls us the high society ladies...lol) told me about the wonder that is vinegar.  So I cleaned the floors with a water and vinegar solution and while it smelled briefly of salad dressing, the solution really cleaned the floors well.
Yesterday morning we woke up and looked out at the garden and our first sunflower had burst open!  I love sunflowers!  Another one opened this morning.  I think if we actually had some stupid sun then more would open.  It's been raining for a few days now and it's supposed to continue.  It was so yucky yesterday that at 3 in the afternoon it felt more like 7 at night...yuck!  However, we at least aren't having to water our garden and our yard...so that's good.
Elijah is growning out of his clothes faster than we can get them.  So on Saturday we went to Goodwill to find him some clothes.  They had lots of girl stuff, but not a lot of boy things.  Sowe got about 12 dollars of stuff there and then headed to the Bargin Box.  This is the coolest little thrift shop ever.  It's so much bigger than it looks from the outside and the chuirch that owns it has doen a fabuolous job of organizing everything.  Anyway, they had a room of kids clothes.  So Jerry went to town.  I think we bought most of their oneseis and a bunch of outfits.  Total spent at Goodwill and Bargin Box: 25 dollars.  Total items bought: ~30.  Not too bad!  I think (as long as he doesn't grow out of the 18 month outfits we got him!!!) we have him covered at least through the fall.  Hopefully through winter as well!  I was really excited!
Okay, so the biggest news (best is always last right?)...Elijah had his first real food yesterday.  We gave him mushed up banana and he loved it!!!!  I was a little concerned about constipation...but so far so good.  So last night I made a batch of rice and put it through the food mill, mixed it with some breast milk and then froze it in ice cube trays (the only ice cube tray we have way given to us by Laura and is int he shape of little hearts....very cute!) So tonight we will try a bit of homemade rice cereal.  Very exciting indeed!  When we were on vacation we gave him water from a spoon and he didnt spit it out.  We have known that he's been very interested in food, but I didn't want to try it on vacation in case it made him sick or backed him up...who wants that on vacation?  So we went ahead yesterday.  Yea!!!
Well, that's about it.  I still haven't written about our vacation, but there is a pile of laundry staring at me right now...sigh...


June 26

just to clarify

I mentioned that Jerry started drinking at 11 o'clock some of the days we were on vacation.  Let me clarify that he was not drinking to get drunk.  He simply had a nice cool beer as he read his books and hung out with the fam.  I must say that we are the least drink-i-ness people I know.  I have started drinking the occasional beer in between feedings.  We drink beer and wine with friends and family at dinner, but really that's about it.  We are by no means alcoholics.  Heck, I haven't been drunk since college.  I am not sure I have ever seen Jerry drunk.  I just don't want anyone to get the wrong idea.  Jerry didn't drink from 11 until he went to bed...he had a couple of beers maybe three times while we were on vacation.  Please don't get the wrong idea...
June 29

food update

constipation? HA!  i feel like i am constantly changing diapers...but i would rather do that than deal with a grouch who can't poop!  today we will introduce pears!  exciting! he really does not like rice.  i think it may be that i mixed it with breast milk and that confused him?  or maybe he just doesn't like the texture.  so we'll lay off that and come back to it at a later date.
the pic of him feeding himself cracks me up.  he looks so unhappy...but he shoves the spoon  so far back in his mouth that he gags himself a bit and that was when i happened to snap the camera....silly boy...
okay, i'm hosting the high society ladies at 11...so i need to go finish cleaning the house...or at least finish closing the doors to the messy rooms....hehehe..
June 30

Victoria's Secret....REALLY?!?!?!

Recently a woman in Victoria's Secret was directed to the nearest public bathroom to breast feed her baby.  The clerk explained to the mother that the sight of her breast might offend other customers....really?!?!  Did Victoria's Secret suddenly atart catering to the Amish and I didn't know about it?  I mean the last VS catalogue I received showed more everything than the Breastfeeding issue of Mothering Magazine....COME ON PEOPLE!!!!!
For those who do not breast feed or think that the restroom of a mall is a place to feed a child...the next time you want someone to go into a public restroom to nurse, think about if you would want to eat your next meal ina stall in a public restroom...GROSS!!!!
So tomorrow nationwide their will be a "nurse-in" at Victoria's Secret.  My town apparently is not participating, but Asheville is.  Here is the link to the article in their news paper.  Just to be clear....no one is protesting Victoria's Secret, just the right to breast feed in public.  In fact, as this article states, VS has a policy to let mothers breast feed in their stores.  Apparently they are re-enforcing this among their employees....but it really shouldn't be an issue....sigh...
Here's another article I found on Mothering.com.  double sigh...