June 2007

June 03

feeling better

sorry about the big bummer of a blog... but thanks for the kind words.  sometimes it helps to write things down...even if they aren't what's totally bugging you...  anyway...this weekend has flown by and that makes me sigh... yesterday someone was supposed to come look at our futon, but bought another one before looking at ours...though it turns out that's a good thing.  someone coming forced us to clean the office, which forced us to clean some other rooms and we realized we really like the futon and want to keep it... so that was good and we had a productive day.  today i went to a baby shower in the morning and then we went to rachel and erin's for dinner.  so it was a good day, but i wish it were saturday instead of sunday...sigh...
one of the things we did was re-assemble elijah's crib.  he kept rolling off the bed and ended up sleeping almost upside down...so back into the crib...we'll see how it goes.
we finally got rain that we have so desperately needed this weekend thanks to barry...(tropical storm) so it's been nice to not have to worry about the garden for a few days...though we did need to hang up some clothes...
also we found out that the weed wacker isn't broken, it just flipped a reset button...ahhhh, the joy of electric, right?
so that's about it i guess....maybe more exciting things will happen this week!
June 08

who needs thumbs anyway?

so i started the car today to cool it down while i got elijah in his seat and as i turned around i closed the door on my thumbnail...i have shut my finger in a door before, but i forgot how freaking bad it hurts!!!!  my nail immediately started bruising underneath and the back of my thumb swelled up.  it still hurts quite bad.  even if it's broken though (i don't think it is) there is nothing anyone could really do.  anyway. that's all about that... stupid thumb... hmph!
last night i went out with some girlfriends to see waitress.  it's a GREAT movie and i highly recommend it.  it's not the best acting in the world, but the story is really good.  i love that the main character writes letters to her unborn baby... it's a great witty movie.  very chicky-flick...
i added some pics of elijah.  his new thing is running and playing hid and seek in the laundry that's out drying.   he can also pull off his diaper through his pants now, hence the diaper pin in the front of the wrap.  with his hair pulled up into a pony tail he looks a little like a baby sumo wrestler...
we went to the beach yesterday and it was absolutely perfect.  it is burning hot inland, but the beach was perfect weather and the water temp is actually cooling right now.  so that was good.
we have decided to move our playgroup from the beach to each other's houses.  this is fine except for the space issue at my house...but i think when it's at my house i'll set up our new screened in thing-y outside and fill up the pool and offer inside and outside play.  it wish we had a fence so the ditch wouldn't be an issue, but life will go on...
okay, elijah is stirring from his nap....
June 12

a new week

so my thumb is all better...well it doesn't hurt anymore, it still looks rather gross... sigh...
this weekend i mowed the lawn and then finished weedwacking the ditch.  we also got a potty seat for elijah and are starting the training...nothing too big, just getting him used to sitting on the pot...
last night i stayed up way too late working on hats to drop off at carmen's.  the web designer is taking longer than expected to get her site up, but hopefully it will be up within the week.  she's 38 weeks preggers and we would be surprised to see her at group on thursday...but you never know.  i have a new item.  i have made baby dreamcatchers.  they are small and they have an origami crane in the middle of them.  i made them all different colors.  i think they are quite cute personally.  i'll post a pic at the bottom of this...
i am hosting group this week.  we are making father's day art projects... it should be fun...and messy... but mostly fun.
jerry is going to pass your plate for our next round of food.  i really love this place.  they use really fresh ingredients and supply you with the nutritional info so you can choose things that are healthier for you.  since it's his turn to go, i'm in for a long day... sigh...
last night elijah had a sorta hard time.  at around 11 he woke up and had his fingers jammed into the back of his mouth...sure enough i can feel the bumps of his 2 year molars coming in... so we gave him some IB and jerry got him back to sleep.  he stayed in his crib until 4:30!!  i brought him to bed and then he slept until 5:50...yuck-o!  I made him stay in bed until 6:45, by then i was over fighting him, so we got up...sigh...  this wouldn't have been that bad if i hadn't stayed up so freaking late working on stuff...oh well...
we went to story time today and elijah did GREAT!  he sat in my lap the whole time and for the most part really listened to the story.  we went down to carmen's after that and i talked to a woman about slings for a bit...she had the cutest little girl...so pudgy still...  rachel was with me this morning so we went for smoothies and then came back here for lunch.   tomorrow is going to be all about cleaning.  i think that i will do some example ideas with elijah for thursday.  we're doing hand print art and i think it will be super cute, but trying... it's hard to control a child's hand, but it'll be okay...
okay, i have stuff uploading and need to work with it...here's the pic of the dreamcatcher...



June 14

the BEST husband in the WORLD

I have the best hubby... here is why...
He always answers the phone at work when I call.
He sends me flowers just because.
He kisses me three times every morning before leaving for work (one fore each word in the sentence I LOVE YOU!)
He likes my folks.
He likes my friends.
He watches chessy girlie movies with me and doesn't make too much fun of them.
He encourages me to go out and spend time with my friends.
He doesn't get mad at me for not cleaning the house or having dinner ready every night.
He keeps the baby every other night.
He reads bedtime stories like they are the most exciting books ever written.
He loves me and our son.
He works hard so that I can stay home.
He listens to me complain, even when he's had a horrible day.
He listens to what happened during my day, including the finger painting and EJ's poop stories.
He knows when to agree with me...even if he doesn't.
He knows how to talk me down from a rant.
There are so many other reasons, but these are just some off the top of my head...  I just love him so freaking much!!!!!
June 17

when 52 inches, isn't 52 inches and other weekend fun

sigh... my kid has been crying for almost 1.5 hours straight.  i gave him some IB about 20 minutes ago (have no idea why i waited that long) for his teeth, and jerry took over the rocking.   poor guy.  i have no clue what's going on.  he usually gets fussy right before bed, but not like this.  anyway, i think he may be finally asleep...an hour past bed time...  though he's been sorta off all day today.  i hope that tomorrow is better.  jerry went back to bed this morning and slept until 10:30!  he needed it!  we were going to go out for lunch, but elijah fell asleep in the car before we got anywhere near the restaurant.  so we did a drive through thing.  came home and elijah slept for about half hour more.  once he woke up we played outside for a bit in the sprinkler.  we decided to go out for dinner, we went to this place boodles, but it was closed for some mysterious reason, we wanted to go to smokey bone's, but it's been closed down... so we ended up at our old stand by, atlanta bread co.  it was fine, but it was weird that everywhere was shut down... oh well.  (elijah is sleeping now...thankfully!!!)
so the title of this blog's story:
on saturday we went to costco to get some things and decided to wander around.  we came across this closet organizer that would be perfect for elijah's room.  so we find the measurements (52 inches long by 18 inches deep by 72 inches high...) our biggest worry is the 52 inches.  we have really small closets in the four smaller rooms.  so we come home, and i measure, not once, but twice (i am a good this old house... measure twice cut once....type of girl) from base board to baseboard and it is EXACTLY 52 inches.  so after nap and snack we head back to costco to by the organizer.  we get back to the car only to find out the #$%^ thing won't fit in the trunk...SOOOOO after removing the car seat, putting down the back seats, moving the stroller, all the while trying to calm a grouchy baby that wants to get out of the cart so he can push it into the road... we decide that it will fit if we take it out of the box, and hey, why not since we've measured and everything...and oh, on the way  home we can stop by the recycling bin to get rid of the outer box so we don't have to bring it back out... GREAT!  so we get it in the car, get home, get it out of the car, and get everything out of elijah's closet, get elijah busy "sorting" books and start putting said organizer together.  everything is going great, it's going together really easily, lalalalalala...UNTIL!  we get to the final base bracket.  it won't fit without bending the poles in.... well, okay, so let's take the feet off the poles...everything is fairly even (except apparently the back wall of the closet) and surely that will give us enough space... SOO we move everything out, take off the feet, slide it all back in, AND........
IT STILL DOESN'T FIT!!!!  for some unGODly reason we don't have the air on and have a window fan going and now Elijah has decided that climbing on mom while in the small a$$ closet is fun.... so I am freakin' burning up and irritated and we can't return the darn thing because we threw the stupid box away because I FREAKING MEASURED TWICE....  so jerry says...."well, let's rip out the base boards."  okay.... so we rip them out, not prettily I must add, and start over AGAIN.  this time is works and everything fits in place...well, almost everything....  in the 18 inches wide they don't take into account that there are drawers and baskets that need to be pulled out and shouldn't be in front of a wall...SUPER SIGH....  so we decide to put the drawers in the middle and make it so we can just reach into the baskets.
all in all, i really like the end result and am giggling as i'm recounting the story, but man yesterday, i thought i might melt the thing down to drop on top of costco.  i still can't figure out why it didn't fit to begin with...but what's done is done... and the end result is pretty.  we have moved the dresser out of elijah's room and moved stuff around so that his room is also his playroom, instead of having stuff in two rooms.
on another note, the flowers jerry sent me last week are almost in full bloom and really very pretty!  they are purple irises and yellow lillies.  i'll have to take a picture....
happy dad's day to all the dad's out there!!!!






June 20

it's raining!!!! Finally!!!!

After a long hot beginning to summer it is finally raining.  We are 9 inches under where we should be and under water restrictions.  It is raining a good hard soaking rain and it's supposed to continue into the night.
Right now I am waiting for the last five minutes of our pecan chicken to finish so that I can call Elijah and Jerry in to eat... that's right, I'm watching them out the window run around in the rain!  It's awesome.  They are so freaking cute!  I love warm rain that you can play in.  I have towels waiting by the door, and then they'll change clothes and have nice warm food to fill their tummies!  How awesome is it that my husband comes home after a long day at work and wants to play in the rain?!?  I took pics of them, I'll post later tonight when I have more than 3 minutes to post.
I just wanted to celebrate the rain and the playing in the rain!!!
June 23

getting my kid to eat..er...drink his spinach

So for a while Elijah really liked spinach, now not so much... not a biggie.  He's a great eater, but now we have all this frozen spinach in the freezer.  Everyday for his snacks Elijah gets a tofu smoothie and a rice cake.  I know that the tofu smoothie probably doesn't sound appealing, but they are really good.  I'll post the recipe in a moment.  Anyway, the other day I was pulling out the frozen fruit and thought...hmmm, I wonder what would happen if I put spinach in this smoothie?  So I made only a single serving (usually I make two servings one for each snack).  Gave it to Elijah and he gulped it down.  I tasted it before I gave it to him.  It wasn't bad.  I really didn't taste the spinach...so problem solved!!!
Anyway, here's the recipe:
1/3 cup of silken tofu
1 banana
1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit (if you use fresh fruit you'll need to add 6 ice cubes)
1 cup of fruit juice
1 tsp of honey (optional...we like it for the allergy factor)
We double this and mix and match frozen and fresh fruit.  We also use V8 Fusion juice.  It has 100% juice plus you get a serving of fruit AND a serving of veggies per 8 ounces.  And now we throw some spinach in there... yum-o (LOVE LOVE LOVE Rachel Ray!!!!)
So this afternoon Jerry and I are going on a DATE!!!!!!  Rachel is going to watch Elijah while we go see Ocean's 13.  I could care less if the movie is good or not, WE ARE GOING OUT SANS CHILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Don't get me wrong, love the kid, but I'm about to go crazy having to interrupt conversations with my hubby to deal with Elijah.  My folks are coming in July sometime and you better believe they will probably not see very much of me.
Speaking of the little darling... he's learning so much.  He's starting to test boundaries and picks up almost a sign a day, which is AWESOME!!  He knows about 10 words and close to 30-35 signs.  It's very nice to be able to say to him "stop whining and sign what you want," and he responds with what he needs.  He's becoming more independent, but still likes to hang out with us when there is a crowd, until he's surer.  His memory is getting better.  This is also nice.  He plays independently very well.  He loves to make noise and any new noise he learns is sure to fill the house fro a few days!!  He's right on track developmentally and that is always reassuring!
Okay, we have some bread in the oven about ready to come out (bread is the newest sign... one day I'll get some of these on tape and post links to them)  so gotta run...have a great weekend!
June 27

stupid nature...

So our garden was looking GREAT!!!  I picked our first tomatoes last Saturday morning, at that time our green beans were producing, the okra had lots of little okras on them, there were two squash forming, and there were about 30-35 roma tomatoes and 25-30 better boy tomatoes (all green.)  I went out monday to check on some tomatoes that looked like they might be ripe and BAM the stupid deer had gotten into the garden and eaten EVERYTHING except for the bell peppers.  They even ate the sunflowers out of elijah's garden.  I was so upset I cried.  I mean they ate everything.  I looked today and I have 1.5 okra plants that might make it.  The squash is beyond help.  I have three or four tomatoes (total) that have formed since the eating... Man...
SO THEN... the stupid rain comes...  and while we really need it, I really needed diapers to dry more.  BUT NOOOOO, so I hung out the diapers to dry (our dryer is out of commission and that's fine, until we need diapers...) and it rained all afternoon....SIGH!!!!   So I left them up overnight...at least they are REALLY REALLY clean... I go out at lunch on Tuesday to bring them in b/c it looks like rain again (but does it rain? NOOOO!!!)  Then go back out to hang them BACK up after Elijah wakes up.  While we are out there I decide to clean out Elijah's kiddie pool.  Whilst doing that... I get stung by a wasp!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THE NATURE?!?!?!   SO having not been stung by anything since I was like 7, I freak out that I'm going to have some reaction.  I bribe Elijah inside with a smoothie and call Jerry because now I am feeling rather woozy.  I call my mom just to be on the phone with someone in case something happens before Jerry gets home...man stings HURT!!!  My mom tells me to make a paste out of baking soda (since we don't keep meat tenderizer or tobacco juice just lying around...) and put it on the sting to help take the pain away... it does help, but I still feel like I'm going to be sick.  Elijah keeps coming over and kissing my leg,, which was really cute (Jerry told me later that Elijah was walking around holding his leg like I was and signing "help" and Jerry would kiss the leg and he would go back and play and then start the whole thing over again...)  So after all that, I was fine...what a wuss I am, but I was a little freaked out...
Anyway, today was better.  We went to the beach after our walk this morning and it was perfect.  The weather wasn't too hot, the water was calm, and there was no nature out to get me.  We stopped by Rachel and Erin's on the way home to pick up their tiller and to say good-bye.  They are leaving for a couple weeks of vacation... I'm in total denial and hope that the time will fly...
I am excited because I have scheduled some appointments for next month.  One is for my annual, and while that's not exciting, we are meeting the midwife we will go with for our next pregnancy.  i've heard such great things about her and I'm really excited to meet her.  I really loved my OB but they are no longer doing OB stuff.  There isn't another all woman practice in town, so we decided that a midwife would be the way to go.  The only problem is that she lives in Myrtle Beach (about 1 hour away) so if she isn't in town when we go into the hospital...she could be cutting it close to make it here for the delivery...but I'm not worrying about that now as we aren't preggers and we'll have some time to figure it all out when the time comes...
Okay, I've got brownies in the oven for play group tomorrow...let's hope nature continues to be nice to me...

May 2007

May 01

A beach day with no documentation

HUGE SIGH.... we had a blast at the beach this morning.  I took a ton of pics and when I came home to download them...the card corrupted... and now it won't format (which would have erased all the pics anyway...  I'm so bummed.  So we have to get another card.  You may have noticed I haven't updated any video or pics lately...well our computers haven't been talking to each other properly, so Jerry fixed that last night.  I was waiting to download a bunch of pics until that was fixed and now... SIGH... I should've gone on and downloaded them.  How frustrating!
ANYWAY, we had so much fun this morning.  Elijah and some of his friends played in the sand and in the water.  I actually went all the way in.  The water temp is 67 but the air was so warm!  On our way home Elijah fell asleep and then slept for about an hour once we got home.  Then woke up to eat and hasn't gone back to sleep.  Sigh... I made him sit quietly with me for about an hour so he at least got some rest...
Okay, I just wanted to vent about the stupid camera...
May 07

Work Work Work

YAWN!!!!  What a busy weekend!  On Saturday I hosted play date from 10 til 12, then I worked all afternoon...  On Sunday we went out for breakfast and then Jerry and Elijah went to see Jerry's folks and I worked until 4 and then went out with the ladies!  That was very fun.  The working was fun too, but it was a lot...  Have I mentioned that I have this new project?  I was commissioned to tie-dye a huge amount of kids clothing to be sold in Carmen's store (FYI by the end of the month her store will be on-line as well....she is also going to have virtual birthing classes...I think it's pretty cool....) So I spent Saturday evening rubber banding everything and Sunday dying.  This afternoon (and probably evening) I will spend rinsing everything.  So I am tired and dyed a bit...  but my test projects turned out pretty well I must say.  I'll put some pics at the bottom of this post.
The rest of last week was pretty uneventful.  Jerry watched the republican candidates debate and was disgusted at many things they did or didn't say.  He got really fired up when three people raised their hands and said they didn't believe in evolution.  Anyway, he blogged about it...  he's so funny about his politics.
Oh yeah, so on Saturday Jerry took Elijah out to the store with him.  he was going to go to just the grocery store and maybe the library, but I got a call from him while he was in Target.  This is the conversation:
"Umm, hi we're in Target."
"Okay."
"Ummm, so Elijah found something he wants..."
"Oh he did did he?"
"So....is it okay if he gets it?"
"What is it?"
"It's a surprise."
"Is it for mother's day?"
"no."
"Is it for the whole family?"
"no."
"It's just for Elijah?"
"yes."
"Is it expensive?"
"I don't think so...."
"okay."
So they get home and Jerry brings this thing in behind his back and says this is Elijah's.  It's a ride on scooter thing from Radio Flyer.  Super cute.  But get this... the reason he bought it was because there  is a picture on the side of the box that looks JUST like elijah (if he had a hair cut...)  Anyway, Elijah loves it.  He still hasn't figured out how to make it go forward, but he's really good at going backward...it really funny!
So that's that....
Oh and Elijah's word for the week is uh-oh....Everything gets an uh-oh...

May 11

one more week!

We leave on vacation in one week BABY!!!!  I'm excited to have my hubby for a week...  We leave for Edisto Island in one week.  I'm excited to just get away.  My folks will be there on Sunday, but they are staying in a different area of the resort.  It'll be nice to have a babysitter if we should need one!  My mom's so funny...she doesn't want to intrude on our vacation and promises not to bother us...we don't mind mom!!!  I'm just looking forward to doing nothing!  I do think we are going to try to go up to Charleston for a day...but if it's too hot, we may revisit that idea.
So last night, we hear Elijah cry out...when this happens we wait for a minute to see if he's really awake and then just check on him to make sure he's not up doing stuff he's not supposed to...ANYWAY, jerry goes in and comes back and asks for the camera.  I go in and there's Elijah with his head on the floor and his body on his bed totally asleep (see the photo album for the pic...) we of course fixed him so he was back on his bed...  but what a cutie and funny little boy!
Rachel just called so we are going to the library and the store with her and MR...  HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!
PS check out the sweet potato production page for the tie dyes...i turned them into Carmen Wednesday...Actually I think that I might add an album here....
May 15

Is it vacation time yet?

sigh...this week seems to be dragging!  Yesterday we walked the loop and then had lunch with Rachel and MR.  Today I went and dropped off some reversible sunhats and a few slings at Carmen's.  Her site should be up by the end of the month!!!  I also did some yard work this morning.  Have I mentioned that our dryer is about to kick the bucket?  It's been squeaky for a while, but it has gotten unbearable lately.  We don't run the dryer unless we are home...so it's really annoying and REALLY loud.  So we are now hanging all our clothes out to dry.  We really want a good energy star dryer....but they are REALLY expensive.  So for now, this will work.  I think the dryer just needs a new belt, but I have no idea how to fix a dryer...sigh... the biggest thing is the diapers.  Not usually a big deal, but since we are going on vacation it's kinda hard.  So we are using disposables now and getting all the diapers (and the pail which is how we will transport the diapers in)clean to be able to pack in the car...sigh...I would have preferred to use disposables on the trip, but we'll have a washer and dryer in the condo, so why not?
So we took care of MR on Saturday while Rachel and Erin went kayaking (with kayaks I found for them, thank you very much...)   We took the kids strawberry picking.  It was really fun.  Elijah would take the bucket and move it out of MR's reach and then she would crawl after it and right as she got there, he would pick it up and move it again.  We came back here and I pumped up the pool.  While I was doing that I had MR sitting on the ground and she was just talking away and Elijah was just running around.  later when I was getting them our of the pool, I look at MR's legs and she had fire ant bites all over them!!!  She never cried, but they looked horrible and I felt SOOOO bad!!!  Poor kid.  But she never got upset and they look soooo much better...but this is the first time we took care of her and that happens...sigh... Of course, Rachel and Erin weren't even a little upset, I wouldn't be either as those stupid little ants are everywhere...but still....  Needless to say I treated the whole yard Saturday afternoon.
We picked the first blueberry off of the bush this weekend and I pulled the last three carrots and picked some peas.  I'm excited!  I think that our garden is going to be better than last year!  Everything looks really good.  I need to get out and hoe in between the rows before we leave.
That's it I guess...
May 16

yeah...

So I was just reading Claire's blog and she was talking about things she loves.  She mentioned that Planet Earth Series...I really keep meaning to watch it, but forget until it's over and then I'm all annoyed...sigh... ANYWAY, she was talking about the cool underwater creatures that were shown on one.  That made me remember the pics someone sent me after the tsunami hit a couple years back.  They are of all these really cool (and sometimes creepy) creatures that washed up on shore.  I'm going to post them in just a minute, because they really are interesting.
Is anyone else watching Notes From The Underbelly?  I'm totally addicted to the show.  It's just funny to see how some people view pregnancy.  I guess it's different for each person.  I know a whole bunch of pregnant women right now and each one of them is handling their pregnancies differently.  It's really cool.
Hmmm....I'm watching a show called My Kid's A... And there are a bunch of kids that have all these different lives...One is joining the Cirque Du Soleil, One is a 12 year old preacher, and one is a transgender kid...  It' quite interesting.  The transgender (I think...I came in in the middle) was a girl and wants to be (or rather is) a boy.  The mom is trying to find a doctor who will remove his breasts...hmmmm... very interesting... random thought....
So today I finished washing the clothes and drying them outside.  I also hoed the veggie garden and the side garden, so they are weed free-ish..I'm pretty beat now, but it's good.  It's supposed to rain tomorrow so I will pack everything and get the house cleaned up.  we aren't leaving until after lunch on Friday since we can't check in until 4.  We were going to go through Myrtle Beach, but it's bike week there...so not so much for us...
Okay, this has been a really random blog....I'm going to post pics.
May 17

okay...so maybe I was wrong...

Maybe we just don't have bunnies around here...though I find that hard to believe... ANYWAY, I just did some research on the marigold theory...Apparently it doesn't work for many, in fact some of the bunnies were actually eating the marigolds!  So many suggested blood meal which you can buy at the garden center.  Since we haven't had any trouble with the rabbits, I'm not doing anything else.  I've also heard that if you pee or spread hair around it will keep them and deer away.  I lost so much hair after EJ was born that I spread it around last year, no problems with the deer or bunnies... who knows...
I'm packed, Elijah is packed, his toys are packed....now all that's left is Jerry and the food and then we'll be ready to go!!!  I am a little nervous about the insane price of gas, but as this is probably the only place we're going this summer, I'm not that concerned.  We plan on renting bikes once we get down there, so that takes care of the gas issue once we're there.  We may go up to Charleston for one day...we'll see...
Okay, I'm going to post a video and some more pics of the kid.  Also I'm posting pics on the Sweet Potato Productions page...so check out the new stuff!
This is probably it until we get back so have a nice week!!!!
May 25

home again home again...

So we're back...got back around 4 actually.  It's depressing to come home and realize you live in an ugly place...Edisto is covered with live oaks and palm trees... it's just so pretty...oh well... we could sell our house and live in a  tent...
So our vacation... well, we got there last Friday and jerry woke up sick on Saturday and was sick for the majority of the vacation, so that sucked.  My parents got there on Sunday afternoon, that was nice.  If Jerry had felt better, I think they would have been asked to babysit.  Elijah's long term memory is becoming more apparent.  He gets excited to see my folks instead of looking at them like strangers.  He is willing to go off with them and be okay with the whole thing.  Quite nice...  I rented a bike with a baby seat while we were there and on the arm days it was fab-o.  Elijah and I went to the pool and played and walked to the beach to play in the sand.  If we had such nice bike lanes here, I would consider getting a bike, but as it is you really risk your life getting on a bike.  Jerry didn't rent a bike, so once he was feeling better, it was sorta silly to ride a bike and drive a car.  There's a great park on the island and Elijah really liked that.  He slept well at naps and at night, as did I!!!  However, he got Jerry's sickies and now has a cough that is not pretty.  If he's not feeling better by Tuesday, we'll go to the doc.  We went out to the ACE basin and walked around the plantation there on Thursday.  I got eaten by bugs there, but it was really nice.  The last half of the week it was a bit cooler so we didn't go to the beach as much.  I just felt so bad for Jerry.  He's worked so hard and he was sick on his vacation, which in turn meant I wasn't really on vacation since I was on mommy duty 24 hours a day...but we were in a beautiful place and we didn't have to worry about work and hours and stuff like that...soooo...
Anyway, we are back and our house is still standing and our garden looks good...so life is good.   Now to catch up with everyone else...
May 28

back to the grindstone

Well, not really...but yesterday I did work my little tail off.  In the morning I broke out the weedwacker and cleared out around the house, then jumped into the ditch...I got about 3/4 of the way down the side ditch and the weedwacker just stopped working.  It's electric so I thought maybe I had tripped a switch or maybe over heated the motor...but apparently not. It just doesn't work.  Since his was a gift and we have no proof of purchase, we are out of luck... Oh well, we realized we needed something that can have attachments and maybe a bit more power.  This one definitely did it's job and worked great...so, once that broke, it was lunch time and after Elijah (and I) had a nap, I hung a rack in the pantry...makes it look so much better!!! and then fertilized the garden with liquid worm poop!!!  Thought that was funny, but we found it for the lawn a bit ago and now we have it for the garden.  It's really cool stuff and they have a program for recycling used soda bottles...The company seems really environmental and we like to support companies like TerraCycle.  It's awesome...check 'em out!!
Anyway, it was a good day.  Today Elijah and I went over to Rachel's grandmother's pool and played for a bit then picked up some lunch.  It was good to see her again.  Jerry's friend, Eric, came down to visit for the day, so that was good for them to catch up.  Tomorrow we'll go to story time at the library and then I want to check out this bookstore in town.  I also want to try my hand at a Memory Quilt so I need to find some fabric crayons at AC Moore... I hope these work out.  I am hoping to have a website up before homecoming in October, though I think/hope that it will happen sooner.  I just purchased another bolt of fabric from JoAnne's, so we'll see...
I'm waiting for a video to process to add to the site and then I am going to just chill with my hubby for the evening.  I'm sad that he has to go back to work, though he worked on Saturday... but at least it's a four day week.
Hope you had a good long weekend where you are!
May 31

little known facts

or maybe they are widely known...who knows...
1. i don't make friends easily.  i tend to not always be myself and then the whole thing blows up in my face when my true colors come through.
2. i often feel that i don't belong and that i am somehow in a temporary state.... i constantly hope that this feeling will eventually end.
3. i worry that my children will have some of my same issues.
4. i do worry about what people think of me and secretly get my feelings hurt quite often...but i don't let it show...
5. i think that the whole "organic" movement is overrated and that you are really just paying a higher price for the same food...wash your food people!  i know that there are those that judge me for not eating organic and for once, i really don't care...
6. i do believe in buying in local and think that it's great that there are farmer's markets in which this is possible.
7. i think the best way to go is to have your own garden...but i know that's not always possible either.
8. my husband is my absolute best friend...he kicks butt!!!!
9. i secretly think that the country is doomed if we don't find someone who can actually make a difference...
10. i miss my college friends (and my two high school friends i still talk too) so bad that it hurts.  i wish we all lived really close...
11. i sometimes feel i lead a rather lonely existence...i am scared that my children will feel this way too...
12. i get annoyed with people who claim to be open-minded, but refuse to look at the other side of things... (another reason why i love my hubby!!!!  he keeps me in check...)
13. i don't feel like a martyr because i went through natural childbirth...my labors were only 5 and 6 hours...who knows what i would have done had it gone on longer.
14. i sometimes don't think my heart can hold all the love i have for jerry and elijah and grace... i honestly don't know what i would do if anything ever happened to them...
15. i realized today that i don't want to live in this town much longer... i would be only a little sad to leave, but i think i would be happier elsewhere...
16. i haven't attended church in quite a while... i have tried a couple down here and none of them have felt like it could be home.  i miss having the feeling of acceptance i once had... it makes me lonely and a little sad.
17. i miss acting...a lot...but i love my kids...but i still miss the stage...
18. i haven't felt like i was a part of something great for a long time (besides my marriage and being a mom...)
19. i call my folks just to hear their voices sometimes... i miss living close to them...
20. i often feel guilty about things i have no control over...i don't know why and i don't know where this comes from...
21. i often over react to small things and think they are much worse than they really are...
22. when i over react to these things, i tend to realize that i need to change direction in life.
23. i believe that life is too short to not be silly...
24. i love to skip.
25. chocolate is the one thing i can not seem to give up.... why can't brussel sprout be bad for you...those i would have no problem giving up...
26. i have missed three weddings of college friends and i regret missing each and every one...
27. i wish i would win the lottery...but i don't play it...
28. i wish i had the means to travel all over the world...
29. i wish i had joined the peace corp directly after UNCW...
i have had a crappy morning... i don't want to get into it...but it has sucked!  i've been rather tearful writing this and my adorable little boy has been coming over giving me hugs...what a sweetie...
i just needed to write...

April 2007

April 04

Getting ready

Stupid weather... I thought spring had sprung now it's supposed to get rather cold.  Sigh...  depending on which weather channel you look at it may or may not freeze this weekend.  So our poor tomatoes and peppers may perish.  I think I might cover them...it depends on how annoying it will be to do that.  Rachel's going to come over and check the mail and stuff.  I think we are going to get a timer for the garden.  Sigh...
It's not going to be any warmer in the mountains either.  We just bought Elijah's summer wardrobe, so I'm going to have to dig out his winter stuff and hope there's something in there that's Easter like...
However, today is really nice.  I have cleaned the kitchen up and I need to start packing.  But that's it really.  Tomorrow I'll keep Elijah in disposables all day so that I can wash and pack all the diapers we'll need.  Everything else is ready to pack  I guess.
Elijah's sleeping right now.  He's doing really well as nap.  He goes down fairly easily and stays in his bed for an hour, gets up and walks to the door, I go get him and rock him back to sleep and put him back down for another hour.
We were putting him to bed at night awake, and that worked for a bit, but lately it's not.  I don't know what's going on.  He screams and cries and works himself up into a sweat.  So we end up rocking him to sleep and it takes soooo much longer.  So instead of getting him to sleep by 7:30-8 it's becoming much later...the problem is he doesn't sleep any later...  So we've gone back to just rocking him to sleep ad putting him down... it's just easier on everyone.  opps he's up....gotta run
April 08

Happy Bunny Day

Soooo...
We got here safe and sound on Friday.  It was cold then, but on Saturday morning we woke up to about a half inch of snow on the ground.  While this is nothing compared to Tracey's snow...sigh...I was not expecting this... oh well, it was fun. Elijah was introduced to snow and that was amusing.  We knew it was going to be cold, so we packed well enough.  When the friends and family arrived we just made it work inside instead of having the planned picnic. I think all in all we had about 20 adults and 6 kids inside.  It worked out well.  Elijah was overwhelmed and ended up taking a 2 hour nap in a room by himself.
This morning Jerry left and I am very sad about the whole thing.  But we'll see him again soon.  He landed in Boston just fine.  His hotel is apparently really nice...always a good thing.  He hired a car to take him to the hotel from the airport and he said that was good because there were no markings on the road and he would still be driving around...  The company where is training provides transit to and from the hotel during the week and the hotel has a bar and restaurant in it.  After saying bye to Jerry this morning we got ready and went to church.  I knew that Elijah wouldn't sit still through the service, so I decided to risk it and send him to the nursery...WHATEVER!   The nursery workers were AWESOME, but he still freaked out and I forgot to leave the diaper bag, so I was going to go back and sneak it in, but he was standing at he outside door pressed up against it screaming...I had already had enough almost tears this morning with Jerry leaving, I just couldn't do it, so I went and hung out in the nursery with Elijah during the service.  It was fine.  It took a bit to calm him down and even then he kept coming over to check in with me.  I think I will start attending a church at home that has a pager system.  Eventually he'll be fine, but so many people had already come up to him to see him and stuff that I think it was just a really overwhelming day.  My dad is giving me a hard time about it, but whatever.  I feel that the bonds of trust are built at a really early age and I want my kid to trust me .  It doesn't bother me at all.  He's been a cuddly baby since day one.  I also don't think he'll do this forever...
Rachel and I have been talking about giving each other a moms morning out sorta thing (I need it just to clean my house) for each other.  I think this is a grand idea!  So hopefully, we can start doing that soon.
This week is going to be packed with stuff to do.  I really wish we could find a way to move back here...even with the snow on FREAKING Easter.  Hopefully with all the stuff to do the week will go by quicker.
Okay, it's only 8, but I am rather tired, so I'm off to go read and lie down...maybe call Jerry one more time...
Happy Bunny Day!
April 12

Almost on the way home

This week has gone by rather quickly.  Part of me is sad to go, but the other part has missed my hubby terribly.  Elijah has really warmed up to my folks and I feel bad that I am taking him away from them.  But we'll see them in a month at the beach on vacation (yes we are one of those weird people that live at the beach and go to a different one for vacation...)
Today we hiked into town (about 2 miles) and met some of mom's friends for coffee and smoothies.  Then dad brought us home (2 miles with 26 pounds on my back in the mountains...not so much doing another 2 miles...) We treated ourselves to My Father's Pizza for lunch.  Took a nap and then mom and dad took Elijah to the park while I got my hair chopped off.  We came home and ate dinner and now I really need to finish the packing, but since we probably won't leave until Jerry's plane takes off tomorrow, I feel like I have some time.  We are going to hike down to a restaurant for breakfast in the morning (only 1 mile...but we have to walk back up...sigh) and then mom will do Meals on Wheels...so I figure I'll pack the car then.  I want Elijah to get some playtime in so he's tired and will sleep on the way to the airport.  After I pick Jerry up in Charlotte we'll head home...
I still can't believe it snowed.  I'll post pics when we get home... it was wild.
I am adding a video of Elijah playing in the creek with my folks this morning.  He went down there with them while I was showering and then I went down to meet them after.  It's really cute...he's so serious about the rock throwing...
Alright, I'm off to call Jerry...
April 17

just a quick post

We got back home safe and sound fairly late Friday night.  We didn't leave the house on Saturday except to go out for breakfast.  We did stuff around the house and on Sunday we met Rachel, Erin and MR at the Mellow Mushroom for dinner.  It was a good weekend.
Elijah has a cold.  I think it was from the cold to the not as cold weather and traveling for such a long trip cooped up in a car... Now I seem to have gotten something.  I think it's just exhaustion...but such is life.
I'm going to post some pics and eventually a new video.  I finally downloaded the pics from our trip...so those will get posted.
Okay...that's all for now.
April 20

The big 3-1

That's right they say it's my birthday....
So far it's been a pretty good one.  It was supposed to be all overcast and chilly today, but it's sunny and near 70!!!  Wahoo!!!  This morning I went to the fabric store and they were having a HUGE sale, so I got the stuff I needed to make some more slings and hats.  Then Rachel called and we talked for a bit...Then Jerry took me to Red Robin for lunch... YUMMY!!!!
I don't know what's planned for the rest of the day, but I'm sure it will be good.
Yesterday we went to Fit For Fun.  It's a little like gymboree ( i guess, I've never really been inside of one before...) but it was only 3.50 for the kid and free for me.  Elijah LOVED it!  It's really well run.  There is an arts area, a table toy area, and they provide snack.  The main room is filled with all kinds of toys to push and ride and climb on.  Then there is an outside playground that was really awesome too!
Later yesterday evening I went and prepared 11 meals at Pass Your Plate.  It's a place where you go and make your meals and then bring them home to freeze and cook later.  I got all 11 made in about an hour and a half.  It was a nice little break.  I had the store to myself (of course the workers were there...but that's it.)  We've already had 2 of the meals and they were YUMMY!!!  It's so nice to not have to worry about what we're eating for the next month-ish.
Yesterday I was chasing Elijah and slipped on our floors and fell  pretty hard.  My ankle twisted and this morning I woke up all sore and stuff...sigh...31..gettin' old I guess... Just kidding, though it was annoying.  Oh well...
Okay, that's it I guess.   Life is good...and the weather is really warming up!!!!  Even better!  So Happy My Birthday!!!!
April 24

Tuesday...

We had a great weekend.  This weather is FAB-O!!!!  We went to swim on Saturday where Elijah did a great job.  He went under water twice and did really well.  But he walks under the water in the shower on his own, so I wasn't too surprised.  Sunday we worked in the yard almost all day.   When we weren't in the yard, I worked on a design for a new hat to sell.  It's a reversible hat that has a tie.  I think I have it figured out and am excited to work on them.  They are actually fairly easy now that I have it all figured out.  I also have my mom's sewing machine which is SOOO much better than the 1940s machine I was working on.  (Thanks mom!!!)  I also am starting a new line of things....I'll keep you posted once I get all the materials and start on this endeavor.
Yesterday we hung out with Rachel and MR.  That was really nice.  I felt like I hadn't really seen Rachel in a while (one on one) so we had a good catch up yesterday.  Today we went to story time.  I'm sad that it's the last one until the summer cycle...by then Elijah will be old enough to go to Toddler Time...my big boy...
Speaking of big boy... Elijah can now have a bowl of food in front of him and he can scoop up the food and feed himself!  We don't put a lot of food in the bowl at a time, but it's a big step.  So between the possibility of beginning the potty training and the self feeding, my boy's growing up...sniff sniff...
ANYWAY, after story time we went to Carmen's to check out how things are going in the store.  Talked about the new stuff and then headed home.  This afternoon we went to a neighbor's house and showed her some fabric for a sling.  So business is at least good enough to break even...that's what's important.  Did I mention that I bought a whole bolt of fabric the other day?  I had this 50% of ONE item, so I found a full bolt of fabric I liked and bought the whole thing.  I think this may be the way I go from now on.  That way I'll have enough to make a bunch of slings and if someone wants that fabric then I'll have it.   Eventually we want to start an on-line business.
So I'm off to finish watching American Idol and work on some hats.
April 27

Thinning out

We had Elijah's 15 month check up today.  He weighs 25 pounds and is 32 inches tall.  I can't remember the head stuff.  But the head and height are in the 75% and the weight is in the 50%.  He's averaging out!  The doc gave him a clean bill of health and says he's doing great.  We don't go back until he's 2 now.  Elijah did well with his shots.  These are his last until he's 5...unless we change our mind about the chicken pox vaccine.  We decided against it and the doc was very cool about it all.  If we decide on public school he has to have it before entering, but as it's not close to 100% effective and very rarely really harmful...we'll see.  I know that as kids get older chicken pox gets worse...so again we'll see.  Anyway, the doc was pleased and we were too.  We had a sort lazy day after that.  He got really cranky around lunch time and wouldn't eat his pasta, but ate some oatmeal...go figure...  Then he slept for a nice long nap.  He's back to his old self now and that's good....the whiny baby can annoy me...
We have our last swim lesson tomorrow and then I really have to get sewing this weekend.  It's just so hard to make myself do when it's so freaking nice out...  Maybe I can get my butt in gear and do a bunch tonight...we'll see.
Have a great weekend!!!
April 30

Weather and politics

This weather is great, but it also makes me wonder how freaking hot it's going to be this summer.  I'm not looking forward to a summer of extreme heat.  Tomorrow it is supposed to be close to 90!!!  So we are hitting the beach in the morning and hopefully the little one will be worn out and sleep through the heat of the day.  I planted some more phlox this morning and watered the yard, but it was really almost too hot to be out.
Our garden is starting to look a bit better.  The squash, okra, green beans, and peas we replanted are coming up and the peppers and tomatoes are looking great!
So Jerry and I watched the democratic debate last Thursday.  I must say that I was not really impressed with Hilary or Barack.  But was thoroughly impressed with Kucinich.  He was articulate and had some great ideas about how to deal with global issues without dropping bombs on everyone.  Jerry has written a really good blog entry that puts thoughts into words quite well.  Check it out!
Our weekend was good, just too short.  I sewed some on Saturday and Sunday, but still have a ways to go to get caught up.  I am hoping to have everything I want done, finished by Wednesday or Thursday.  I get the stuff in the mail to start working on the new project tomorrow!!!  I will do that this weekend, so I really want to make sure the sewing end is all done.
That's it for now.  I think I might sit outside and read while the baby boy sleeps...we'll see....

February 2007

February 10

You Got a What? Where?

Sorry it's been so long.  I can't even remember what I've been doing.  My folks have been in town this week for a visit.  That's been really nice.  Let's see... We went to a b-day party for one of Elijah's friends on the 1st, the 2nd was Erin's b-day, the 3rd was the opening of Carmen's store, and the 4th was super bowl (and me trying to get the house ready for company.)  Then the folks arrived...soooo, I guess that's what I've been doing....
Anyway, the story that fits the title.
To preface...My child was wearing a bib, a long sleeved onesie, and jeans when this happened...
So after lunch, Elijah pooped...Jerry went to change his diaper and called me.  I thought maybe something was wrong (I mean once you have had to deal with gross poop, you live in constant fear it will come back...) but then he said..."Bring a camera...."hmmmmm.  So I grab the camera and go into the nursery.  There on the table is Elijah grinning like a mad hatter, his diaper down, his pants off, his onesie un snapped, and in his belly button....a single green pea.  It's like he ate too much and it came out from the inside.  It was rather funny.  So the pics are at the bottom of this post...  Leave it to my kid to figure out how to get a pea perfectly in his belly button while fully dressed..My KID IS MAGIC!!!!
Oh, yeah, this week a woman I know from a web site I have joined brought over 3 trash bags full of yarn that her mother in law was getting rid of!  I'm so excited!  I have just about finished my newest addition to my line....knitted bunny slippers.  I have one finished and it is too freaking cute!  I would let Elijah keep them, but since most of our house is hard wood, he slips in them too much.  However, I will get him to model them.  I also have the pattern for bears, dogs, and kittens.  They are really cute.  I also am going to do some washcloths with animals knitted into them.  I hope they turn out.  I will start making sunhats soon too, but those will be out of fabric.  Mom and I figured out a way to make a pattern we found reversible.  Hopefully it won't be too hard.
Elijah also got his sandbox (and sand) this week.  He's not to sure about it, but we think it's because it's freaking cold here!  This summer it should be a blast!  We are also getting a kiddie pool soon!  That should be fun too.  Dad was making fun of the whole thing.   ... living at the beach and owning a sandbox and a pool...but you have to pay to park at the closest beach, so we won't be going EVERY day this summer...
Okay, the pics and then I need to go to bed.  I'll try to be more consistent.  It's just hard when you have a little one running around.  He's in to freaking EVERYTHING!!!!  sigh... my big walker...this time last year, he was barely keeping his eyes open long enough to look at you!
sleep well everyone!


February 16

big sigh

First off I'm really tired and so this will probably not be the most positive entry.  (Just a little disclaimer...)
So we are almost finished weaning Elijah...let me just say that this weaning thing is for the birds.   We have done this really gradually, only removing one nursing a week.  So we were down to the 5 in the morning feeding and I knew it was going to be rough... but DANG!!!  Jerry was off today since they are painting at his work, so we thought this weekend would be as good as time as any...sigh..Last night SUCKED!!!!!!  Elijah was fine until about 12:30 when he rolled out of his bed and landed on the rocker of the rocking chair...not so bad, I just brought him to bed with me and he went back to sleep (his mattress is on the floor by the way, so it's not like he fell far...) anyway, he slept until 3:45 and I woke up to him grabbing my breast... I picked him up and hugged him close and said mama's milk all gone...that didn't go over too well.  I walked with him, I rocked with him, I bounced with him, I sang to him, I sat down with him and watched bad Disney cartoons (not a norm...but at 4:15 in the morning, I'm willing to try anything to get my kid back to sleep...)he would almost get to sleep and then start screaming...sigh...at 4:45 I went to go get Jerry and he was already up, so we traded places.  I went to sleep and he stayed with EJ.  Apparently he didn't really go back to sleep.  I woke up to the microwave closing at 7:30 this morning.  So I thought, well, we'll just tough it out until 1 when it will be nap time. We met Rachel, Erin, and MR for lunch and EJ fell asleep on the way home.  Jerry brought him in and put him down for a nap...thought we would get a nap too...WRONG!!!  The little punk woke up 15 minutes later and we tried for TWO HOURS to get him back down...didn't happen.  SUPER SIGH!!!  He is finally asleep and I am hoping it is for a bit.  We, I am sure will be going to bed early tonight.  We have a play date tomorrow morning, so it would nice to actually function whilst playing at the park.
To top all this off, 2 of EJ's molars are cutting in... This makes me feel a bit guilty about the weaning, but I can't deal with the pain anymore on me.  I'm also SOOO ready to have my body back.  Don't get me wrong, I have REALLY enjoyed breast feeding and I am excited about nursing the next one...IN THE FUTURE.  But since he's had teeth and his latch is so strong and his mouth is so small....let's just say it's not so comfy anymore.  He's sorta been weaning himself anyway.  This last week, I'm pretty sure I was producing very little to none, I felt the let down, but barely, and he's only been nursing for about 5 minutes at the 5:00 feeding...sooo, I guess I had a small hope that this might be easier than it has been.  There is no magic that I can find to the weaning, it just sucks.  I also (falsely) hoped that the Motrin we've been giving him to help with the molar cutting would help him sleep...sigh....
Anyway. that's my blog entry today.  I have pics to add, but I haven't uploaded them and the camera is farther away than I am willing to walk.  I'll take some pics at our play date tomorrow and maybe I'll post tomorrow evening...depends on how functional I am tomorrow.  Wish us luck!
February 20

Weaning is for the birds

But it is done.  He hasn't nursed since last Thursday night.  The sleeping has not improved and so there are two sleepy parents in the house.  Elijah is up for the day at 5:30 and that really isn't great for me... However, he has been taking a 3 hour nap in the afternoon and is going to bed at 7:30 at night...so I guess it's okay for him...sigh.
Anyway, this weekend we tilled the garden.  This year our garden is a bit smaller and then we made a separate one for Elijah.  I'm waiting for the video I took of him to upload to Soapbox right now.  I hope this video thing works.  It's kinda a long movie, but it's so freaking cute.  He signs more and plane in the movie and he's helping me plant some flowers.  ANYWAY, we are starting all our plants inside this year.  Some we'll transplant in the next couple of weeks pending this fab-o weather staying.
I went by Carmen's shop today and found that I need to get busy making some more slings.  I am also going to try to get some sunhats in as well.  Oh yeah, and bunny slippers in time for Easter would be nice too.  I'll post the pic of the slippers at the bottom of this entry.
It seems that there was something else to write about, but I can't think of what it is...
Oh well, must not be too important!  Happy Mardi Gras!!!!


February 26

Okay, better now

So Elijah is officially weaned!  Things are going much better now.  Our next goal is for him to stay in his bed all night.  So I have a mattress next to his on the floor and last night he stayed on his bed until 5:30 with only 2 wakings.  So that's good.
Friday afternoon I went to put something in the microwave and I guess I moved the wrong way or something, but a muscle in my neck went in spasm and I lost much of the range of motion in my neck.  That sucked since it was supposed to be a painting and sewing weekend.  That didn't happen.  I guess we'll paint this weekend.  We're doing the bathrooms.  We did get some more paint supplies...like an edger...I HATE painter's tape...it takes way to long and really doesn't work that well.
My neck is feeling better, just sore.  I really need to make an appointment with a chiropractor...it's just time and stuff...oh well.
This evening we are going to a wedding and Jerry will be doing the photographs.  It's sort of a last minute thing, but I think it will be fun.  It'll be good for Jerry too. He hasn't done lots of pics lately and he really has a good eye.
Our garden is all ready for the plants and that's a good thing.  We started everything inside last week and the green beans pushed the top off the little green house box-y thing we have.  I'll post pics when I'm finished here.  I'm hardening everything but the peppers, tomatoes, and onions.  So hopefully they will get in the ground by the end of this week.  It's supposed to rain on Friday and Saturday, so it would be good if we got them in by then, but we'll see.
We did work on the front flower gardens and the flower boxes this weekend.  I hope they do well.  I've also started some rosemary and lavender.  I was going to put those in Elijah's garden, but I think they will take over his little garden, so I think I'll put them outside his window and his playroom window (as that will be the nursery for baby number 2 WHEN WE DECIDE TO HAVE ANOTHER...this is not an announcement...)
Anyway, we are definitely getting more sleep.  Elijah is sleeping until at least 7 now which, while still early, is much better than 5.  If he's really tired he'll sleep until 8 or 8:30!!!!!  But usually Jerry has to have him for the night...
Okay, I'm posting new pics of the boy and of the garden...
Hope you are having fab-o weather as we are!!!!!

January 2007

January 08

AHhhh a new year...

So far....well... I guess this years going okay.  I've ridden the bike twice, so that's good.  the last time I rode with weights, so I did my arms whilst I biked.  We are eating better.  And we're doing okay with the not eating out or spending money.  Jerry is enrolled to go back to school to learn computer programming.  He has to take a couple courses at the local community college and then he'll enroll at State to take on-line classes.  I think it will be really good for him.
I can't believe that Elijah is going to be one on Saturday.  It's just crazy!  However, he's driving us nuts right now.  For the past two nights he has awoken at midnight and we could not get him back to sleep until after 3 both nights.  IT's not that he wants to be up and play, that I could deal with.  He screams almost the whole time.  We have tried putting him down (I mean he's already crying right?) but that agitates him even more and he ends up throwing up.  We thought maybe it was his teeth or growing pains and gave him Tylenol, to no avail.  We rock him, sing to him, cuddle him, put him down...nothing.  We can't figure out what's wrong.  I looked up this stuff in our handy D.r Sear's book and he says it might be one of the following:
teething (though I would think that the Tylenol would help...but maybe not)  it would be his molars, so maybe they hurt more?
growing pains... apparently once they are walking these happen more and more at night when the muscles have a chance to relax.
GERD (a form of acid reflux...) he doesn't throw up unless he's been crying and screaming for an hour or so, but we are taking steps to see if this may be the problem.  We've gone back to mushing up his food...this kinda annoys him.  He really likes to feed himself chunks of food, but he seems to be okay if I give him Cheerios to play with.  We keep him calm for 30 minutes after eating.  We already have him quasi-propped up in bed....sigh....
I hope that it goes better tonight.  I can see where people get violent with their kids though.  I had to hand him off last night.  I was losing my patience.  I went back into my room and just cried.  It's hard to not feel like it's something you have done to make your kid act like this, especially at 3 in the morning when you haven't been asleep in MANY MANY hours.  So, here's to hoping it goes better....
A bit ago I said that there was big news.  Well, here it is, but don't get too excited....
Rachel and I were planning on opening a childcare center in her house.  We have since decided not too.  It was fun though planning and thinking about it.  But right now it's just too much.  Though we are both passionate about childcare and down the road we may look into investing in a house to be used only for a childcare facility.  I think we would make great business partners and after we are through with the baby thing...well we'll see.
However, a friend of mine, Carmen is opening up a store in a local retail place called the cotton exchange.  She is going to have a "made by moms" section in her shop, so I am knitting some hats and making some slings to sell there.  I think it will be a nice little pocket change.  The hats take me a couple of days a piece to make and the slings take about an hour to make, so I am hoping to have about 10 slings and 5-6 hats ready to go by her opening day.  Carmen is amazing!  She teaches natural birth classes, is a doula, and now is opening up this store.  She has so much energy!
Okay, I think we are going to watch Little Miss Sunshine.  I hear that it's pretty funny....we'll see....  Oh yeah, and Lisey's Story (I'm only about 125 pages in....) is freaking awesome!  Stephen King is just an incredible story teller....
I'm on Jerry's new laptop and I can't get to my pics, so I'll wait until Elijah's b-day to post new ones.  Be well and send good sleeping vibes to my kid!
January 10

Little Miss Sunshine and stuff

We watched Little Miss Sunshine last night.  I think this is a great movie!  The family the movie centers around is crazy and yet lovable.  The family consists of a heroine sniffing grandfather, a son who has taken a vow of silence, a husband who is failing at his "9 steps to success" program, a suicidal brother, and a little girl whose dream is to be Little Miss Sunshine (well, Miss America really, but who's counting?)  All parts are acted well.  You feel these characters pains and triumphs.  While the family is rather dysfunctional, you realize that they would do anything for each other and love each other unconditionally.  The ending is freaking hilarious, Jerry and I were laughing so hard we almost cried.  I highly recommend it. There is some strong language, so not so much a family movie....
On the note of sleeping, (or lack thereof) Elijah slept better last night.  It was Jerry's night and he brought Elijah to bed around 1-ish.  He stayed asleep (for the most part) until 4 and then I took him back to Jerry at 4:30.  I still woke up completely exhausted, but feeling better about the whole thing.  Mom sent us a thing about night terrors.  While the info was good, I don't think that's what was going on.  Four times yesterday and couple times today Elijah has pulled himself up and let go of whatever and walked on his own to some destination.  I really think this may be the cause...that and I believe a molar is trying to push through.  Thanks for all the sleep thoughts and the suggestions.  I forgot I had bought any Motrin a while back, Claire, thanks for reminding me.  If this night thing happens again, I will pull it out.
Jerry starts classes today so that's exciting.  I hope that this endeavor proves to be a positive thing in his life.  Okay, I need to scrounge for some food.
January 13

HAPPY ELIJAH'S BIRTHDAY!!!!

We had a fantastic party!  Elijah did really well and ate his first cupcake in record time.  He got lots of really cool loot and is currently evading a nap to play with it.  Oh well, he only turns one once right?
Okay, just wanted to announce his b-day!  I'll update after his 1 year check up on Tuesday!
January 16

1 year check up

So the man is now 23.8 pounds (he actually lost weight now that he's a walking fool) and is 31 inches long and has a head circ of 44 cm.  Over all he is the average size of a 15 month old (about 85%.)  He is healthy.  The doctor wants us to keep an eye on the food allergy thing and continue to treat his eczema with over the counter stuff.  He said that there are new studies linking food allergies and eczema to possible youth asthma.  He wants to make sure to catch it and treat it if that looks like that's where Elijah is heading, though he didn't seem too concerned about it right now.  Elijah was fine until the doctor made him lie down (even though I was holding him) and then, of course, didn't care for the finger prick or the shots, but was fine almost immediately after (didn't even comfort nurse.)
We're starting the process of weaning as well.  I'm just exhausted from the whole thing and his teeth are cutting into me (I'm starting to develop bruises...sigh...) I'm a bit sad as I wanted him to wean himself, but we made it a year and I'm happy about that.
Okay, the little guy's eating some chicken and apples, I had better pay attention before I get some thrown at me....
January 27

yawn

What a freaking long week.  Sigh... Last Thursday after group I come home and Elijah has...well let's just say gross poop.  Thinking this is a one time thing, I don't really think about it....yeah right...sigh.  He was sick all last weekend and most of this week.  You would never know to look at him, but man he smelled.  He never ran a fever higher than 99.6, so who can say.  I am thinking it may be his molars?  Anyway, he's  been fighting going to bed and doing the waking up thing this week.  I think on average I have gotten about 4 hours of sleep a night.  Last night was better, though still not great.  Right now Jerry's trying to fight him down for a nap.  It's not really working.
I spent this morning working on slings to sell at Carmen's store (which opens next Saturday.)  Jerry took Elijah out and they came back for lunch.  It was the first time Jerry's been OUT alone with Elijah.  Everything went well.  I still have lots to do but I thought I would take a moment to write and update some pics.
Let's see last Thursday was Jerry's b-day.  The big 3-1.  We were going to have a small party on Saturday, but Rachel was sick, so we had it on Wednesday evening instead.  I gave Jerry Boondocks Season 1 and a mug with a painting by Elijah in it.  He also got some N-64 games.  All in all a good birthday.  I've just been trying to keep Elijah's clothes clean.
okay, I'd better go help....
January 30

almost there

So as I mentioned before I am making slings and hats to sell in a friends shop.  I have started a Windows Live Page for reference for the consumer.  Eventually I would like to start a web site to sell everything from, but I don't have enough inventory and Carmen isn't pushing having a set amount of product.  So I'll create as the need comes.  I have to pay her a commission, which is fine (and expected) but it means I have to sell things for a little more.
Anyway, here's the site!  Let me know what you think.  Eventually I will have pics on how to use the slings... (by eventually I mean this weekend before the grand opening of the store.
Elijah is walking very well now and into freaking everything.  It's really cool, but he's a cheeky little twit sometimes.  He'll look at us and smile and then go do something he's not supposed to and then laugh when he gets caught.  CHEEKY!
The weaning is going okay I guess.  We are down to about two feedings in a 24 hour period.  That changes sometimes.  His nights are kinda rough, but I am hoping that once he's weaned he'll sleep a bit better...we'll see.  That may be wishful thinking.  Since he's weaning, I'm giving him snacks more often.  I have moved his little table out into the area between the two rooms and I buckle him in with a sling (see the new pics) and he has a snack of fruit twice a day.  He's really doing well with signing what he wants.  He can sign more and pear (which is what we have mostly right now.  He calls dried apples pears too...It's pretty funny.)  I went to the dollar tree and got a bunch of clear shoe box size boxes and have separated his toys into them.  This way the floor isn't covered with toys.  He has about 3 boxes out a time and I plan on switching them out every other week or so.  It was driving me crazy.  Now it's all organized.  Still a mess after everything is out, but much more manageable.
Okay, little cheeky guy is making me a present to change so I'm off to do that.....

December 2006

December 01

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas?

I must say that with the weather being more like early May it's a bit hard to get into the Christmas mood.  I am playing Christmas music though.  I will finish up my shopping on Saturday afternoon.  Bonnie and Will are coming over for a play date in the morning.  Then we'll get the tree.  Then the afternoon is mine for the shopping!!!  i only have to buy for Jerry, but I must make several stops.  Everything is almost done.  I have a cookie exchange next weekend and then I am hosting a cookie exchange for playgroup on the 14th.  I made cookies for relatives so I've already done some baking.
Okay...let's see... Thanksgiving was good but Elijah was running a fever of 103.  He had no other symptoms, but it made for a sort of fussy baby.  We actually bought baby food for the trip, not knowing what kind of storing options we would have a t the hotel.  Yeah, he wouldn't eat it.  And I must say that I don't blame him.  The chicken and rice tasted the same as the oatmeal and apples...eewww... Anyway, we gave him mashed up banana and he was much happier about that.  He got a ball from Aunt Marge and two books and a Racoon from Anna and Larry.   We got to meet the newest addition to the family.  And the most exciting thing....drum roll.......Elijah took his first independent step the day after Thanksgiving (which is actually the day we celebrated)!!!!  So we had witnesses and everything.  He hasn't done another step (and really I'm not rushing it...he's only 10 1/2 months for Pete's Sake!) But it was very exciting.  My little guy is growing up so freaking fast!
I'm sure there is much more to write, I'm sorry I haven't been writing as much lately.  Elijah is into EVERYTHING right now and I feel like I am running around like a chicken with head off....I'll add some more pics (thanks for not nagging mom)
December 07

Back up and running...stupid Microsoft

So last Friday Jerry was working from home and he needed to download some software from Microsoft.  Our computer totally crashed.  I mean turned on and turned off, but that was it.   He ran the recovery disc and NOTHING.  We hooked up our old computer and he looked on-line and finally got some answers about what to do.   It took until Tuesday evening for everything to get back to quasi normal.  Our outlook express lost everything.  This is frustrating because I used the calendar and the address book so all saved b-days and addresses of people are gone into the infinite cyber space.  But at least we have the computer back.  It's a little sad that I'm this dependant on a machine....sigh....
ANYWAY, on Saturday Bonnie came over for a play date while Jerry went and picked out our Christmas tree.  The tree is beautiful and it makes the whole house smell like Christmas.  Elijah is very curious about the tree, but we have (so far) kept him away from it.  My parents got Elijah a little table and chairs for Christmas and I went and picked it up on Sunday.  Elijah loves it.  He's still to little to sit in the chairs, but he loves playing with toys on the table.  He has started putting things back into baskets.  This is really cool, he "helps" clean up (sometimes....)  He is also pointing now and thinks it's fun to point at noses.  He's taken another independent step, but again I don't think he'll be walking on his own for quite sometime.
I finished my Christmas shopping on Saturday.  I now just have to finish making gifts.  Hopefully I can do that this weekend.  I am hosting a cookie exchange with our playgroup next Thursday.  That should be lots of fun.  I love some cookies! My parents arrive 2 weeks from today.  I'm really excited about this!  They have agreed to baby sit at least twice!  Before I was all nervous, but now I REALLY need to get out of the house.  I love Elijah and all, but I need Jerry time.  Jerry said we could go to a movie AND out for STEAK...mmmmmmm.....
Okay, I need to go get the boys up.  I turned off Jerry's alarm, but he's gonna get mad if I let him sleep too much longer....
December 17

It's almost Christmas!

I can't believe it!  Today it was 75 degrees so I feels more like April than Mid-December.  These weeks have been CRAZY!  I haven't done most of the stuff I needed the have done yet.  I have two presents that have to be done this week.  I just have to buckle down.  The cookies exchange went off with great success.  It was lots of fun and there were many yummy cookies to eat!  Jerry got a Christmas bonus on Friday and so we spent yesterday and today getting stuff for the house.  We assembled and installed storage things for the garage.  We were going to get an outside room because Ideally we want to turn the garage into a room of some sort.  BUT that won't be happening for a bit.  So we decided that it was cheaper to just get stuff to organize the garage.  We got a cabinet for the Master Bath and a rack that can hold our towels and robes.  We finally bought a system to hang a curtain in front of the laundry area.  Also we got cordless shades for Elijah's room.  We had stupid black out shades but they kept coming down on our heads, so I am REALLY happy about the cordless shades...they are so pretty too!  Elijah was great both days, but his nights are worse than ever.  We really think he's going to walk soon and I have heard that when they are ready to do this babies wake up often.  Last night was the worst though.  He just lost it.  From about 1 til 2 he was crying his head off.  Nothing would settle him.  Jerry tried, I tried, I offered to nurse (which eventually worked, but not at first)  it was CRAZY!  I ended up sleeping with him the rest of the night.  Usually this is a pain because he has become SO active in bed that I don't sleep, but after he finally passed out he slept until 6:30 and I nursed him again and he slept until 8:30!  That was exciting!  Granted I hadn't gone to sleep yet when he woke up the first time, but he was OUT for the duration and that's nice.  I think though that we are going to start the weaning process.  I really wanted him to wean himself, but his mouth is so small and his teeth are so sharp that breast feeding has become a bit painful.  I think that it will be hard on both of us.  I really cherish this time with him and I think it's just another sign that he's growing up so fast.  I can't believe that he's already 11 months old!  My little snarky butt!  Anyway, we'll get through and we'll be fine.  I think for the most part he's only comfort nursing anyway.
Okay, Jerry's been out there playing with EJ and I can hear the sleepinees in Elijah's whine.  So It's off to get the little one to sleep (hopefully better tonight...sigh...)
December 23

'tis the season to be jolly

My parents are here!  We've been hanging out for a couple days now.  It's nice to have someone to help out with Elijah.  I was able to finish some Christmas presents (of course, it was after Elijah was asleep, but still....)  Elijah is having MASSIVE separation anxiety.  I can't even run to the bathroom without him pitching a fit.  Mom gave him a bath last night and he was fine until mom made him sit down in the tub, then he screamed until she finished washing him and diapering him and then brought him to me.  Then he clutches on for dear life.  Ahhh, this too shall pass (I HOPE!!!)  Mom and dad say that they will be okay if we go out.  I just feel so bad for him, but man I need a break!  I think we will try and early dinner and then later this week a movie.  I really want to see The Nativity Story.
We are going to go to Sweet and Savory this morning...YUMMY!  They have the most awesome food!  Then Jerry has some Christmas shopping left and we are going to go look at fabric to make slings.  I absolutely love mine (thanks Rebecca!!!) and I think that they should be fairly easy to make.  So we're going to get some fabric and see.  If they are easy, then I will try to sell some at a friend of mine's store.  I think I will also try to knit some hats to sell there too.
I need a haircut in the worst way.  The ends are crazy gross.  Mom said she'd do it so I think I'll let her.  I just want the bottom 2 inches hacked off.  I have to be able to pull it back because some little munchkin thinks my hair is his own personal pull toy.
I kept him last night (speaking of the munchkin.)  I think we did quite well.  He's such a mover.  I went into check on him and his feet were on the floor and his body was on the bed.  I didn't dare move him for fear of waking him.  At 2 I did bring him to bed with me, but didn't nurse him back to sleep.  I did however at 5:00 and at 6:30 I took him into Jerry where they are still sleeping.  I can't believe that Elijah can sleep through that snoring, but he seems to do very well in bed with Jerry.
Oh yeah, we got confirmation of our vacation this summer.  Mom and dad gave us a week of their time share.  So we are going to Edisto Island. This will be our first real vacation with just the three of us since Elijah was born.  I'm excited.  We think we'll spend a day in Charleston and maybe go back to Beaufort.  I think it will be fun!
Okay, I'm getting a bit hungry.  Oh did I mention the crazy weather?  Tracey is under 5000 feet of snow and I was considering putting on shorts yesterday.  It feels more like spring than winter.  Today it's supposed to be near 70 degrees...sigh.... Oh well....
Okay, food......
December 26

A Merry Christmas indeed

We had a fabulous Christmas.  It was very relaxed for sure.  We woke up and had some coffee cake and sweet potato biscuits.  Then we opened presents and stockings.  Elijah got some very cute outfits and some toys (mostly re-gifts of presents that were given to him when he was too small for them.)  My parents gave him the table already, so we put it to good use yesterday evening by trying out his new finger paints on it.  Very fun!  I got a candy thermometer, a candy cookbook, a dispenser for the shower (it dispenses shampoo and what not), Stephen King's new book, a canvas bag, a pocketbook, a share of goats from the Heifer project, and a bunch of other stuff.  I can't even remember now.  Needless to say it was a very good Christmas.  Elijah is taking more and more steps everyday.  He walks about 5-10 steps independently.  It's really cool, but also a bit nerve wracking.  He flies behind his little pusher cart.  It's insane!  Speaking of insane...the weather yesterday was INSANE!!!!  We were under a tornado warning all day.  It was pouring rain and windy all day.  We stayed in all day (not that there was anywhere to go.)  We had beef stew in bread bowls for lunch, so it was very warm and yummy.  The thing is that the temp outside wasn't cold.  But we couldn't really open any windows because the wind would have blown the rain in.  It was weird...
We took a bunch of stuff to Goodwill this morning. Our garage is so close to being clean!  Tomorrow we will take the brass bed to a consignment store and so that will be out of the way.  We need to figure out what to do with the crib.  We may put it back in Elijah's room once he's walking and use the toddler bed part of it.  Elijah and I had a rough night last night.  He slept really well until about 12:30 and then was a crazy child.  I finally gave up trying to get him to sleep in his room at 1:30.  And ended up nursing him.  sigh...however, that didn't even put him to sleep.  He got much quieter, but then he was start talking to himself and then laugh this punchy little laugh he has.  I would pull him to me to try to cuddle him and he was feel all over my face and then crack up...nutty boy.  He finally rolled over on his tummy and went to sleep.  Then he woke back up at 5:30.  This is when I usually nurse him, so I went ahead and he slept for another hour, but wanted to nurse again, I gave up and took him into Jerry and then went back to sleep for an hour.  He's passed out right now.  sigh... I hope this gets better soon.  I guess it can't last forever right?
MY folks are here and will check into a hotel this afternoon.  Not cause we're kicking them out, they are doing this voluntarily.  It's great to have them here!  Jerry and I went out to dinner on Saturday, just the two of us.  It was really nice.  I was nervous because Elijah had been going crazy if I just went to the bathroom while my folks were here.  But they took him on a walk and we left while they were gone.  They said a couple times he got upset, but overall he was fine.  It makes me feel a bit better.  I think we may try to go see a movie one afternoon and then maybe another dinner.  It's nice to be able to go out without Elijah in tow constantly.  Rachel has offered to baby sit and maybe we'll take her up on it after the New Year.
Speaking of which: Erin, Rachel, and Maya Rose are coming over to spend the night on New Year's Eve.  I think I may even have a drink.  Our goal is to stay up until11.  I think we can do it...  I can't believe that Elijah is going to be 1 in just a few weeks.  It seems he was JUST born.  But a whole year has already gone by.  We're going to have a little party on that Saturday with his little playmates.  It should be lots of fun.
Okay, I think I'll go be social with my folks unless they are napping and then I'll read!!  So far this book is quite good!  Hope everyone is having a GREAT holiday!  I added our Christmas pics to Elijah's 11 month pics.
December 31

The New Year

I cannot believe it is the eve of the new year.  It seems just yesterday that I was in the hospital having Elijah.  Now in just a couple of weeks he's going to be ONE!!!  It's just crazy.
So here are my goals for 2007:

• ride the bike (stationary) at least 10 miles 3 times a week.
• continue to walk daily (weather permitting)
• eat better (I refuse to cut out sweets...I end up gorging myself when I do that.)
• loose enough weight to feel comfy in a cute new bathing suit for our vacation in May.

I think that all of these are attainable.  As I am getting ready to wean Elijah( though he's doing a pretty go job of this himself...) I won't have that extra help to burn calories.  I can already feel the weight adding on, so I want to nip this in the bud right now.  I didn't care over the holidays because (in my humble opinion) it's pointless, at least for me, to try and watch what I eat.  So tonight (and probably tomorrow) will be the end of overindulging.  We are thinking about jumping back on the Compact wagon (not going out or buying new stuff) until our vacation.  It think it will keep us from eating out as much.
Jerry and I had two dates while my folks were here.  If Jerry hadn't had to work as much I think we would have gone out more.  We went out to eat once and went to see The Good Shepherd (Fabulous movie BTW).  We were going to see Happy Feet, but it was almost sold out and there were 2 buses from day cares there, so I think it was a much better choice.  Both times Elijah (reportedly) did well.  I was really happy to hear that.  Yesterday we went up to Jerry's parents.  His sister's kids were there and Amanda (Matthew's girlfriend (Matthew's Jerry's brother)) was there too.  Elijah was tired, but warmed up to everyone after a while.  We played on the back deck a bit.  This weather is crazy warm!  I think I like it, but I would like an actual season sometime too.
Tonight Rachel. Erin, and Maya Rose are coming over to spend bring in the New Year and spend the night.  I think we will have fun.  Rachel and I are both having a drink, so I am hoping that Elijah doesn't want to nurse until the morning.  I'm sure it will all be good.  As I said he's pretty much weaning himself.  He nurses about 3 times in a 24 hour period now.  Once mid morning, once before bed ( but doesn't nurse to sleep) and once at about 4:30-5 in the morning.  It's rather bittersweet as Claire said, but it's just a new stage.  He's walking more and more independently and when he's behind the walker, you better get out of the way.
Okay, I gotta go finish getting the house ready for our guests.  Have a Happy and Safe New Year!