March 2007

March 05

ever had one of those weekends?

so last thursday we get back from playgroup and elijah takes an half hour nap...yep that's it.  later that afternoon he's sniffling and coughing...oh well, a cold, no biggie, right?  that night he's up every 15 minutes coughing.  sigh... friday it's all about the runny nose and coughing, but he's happy and playing... but we decide to give him something for the cough at night.  so he sleeps fairly well friday.  we were supposed to have a swim lesson on saturday, but he has a fever of 102 now...double sigh.... so into the car, to the doc on call, find out he has an ear infection in BOTH ears....sigh.... he sleeps pretty much all day cuddled up next to me.  jerry worked the rest of the day.  we bought paint for the bathrooms, but at this rate....
so, i know i need to work on sunday to bulk up my stock for the store.  so after breakfast, i get cracking.  i made 2 hats and 8 slings.  on the next to last sling my needle breaks.  this shouldn't be a big deal, EXCEPT, my machine is a 1947 singer....sigh...i scrounge and find another needle, BUT it's dull, so what should have taken 10 minutes to finish up, takes an hour....sigh... i had planned on making 3 more hats, but that's out until i borrow a friends sewing machine.  i don't know what i'm going to do now.  i really haven't made enough money to buy a new machine.  i'm really just putting money back into supplies to make more products....we'll see.
so needless to say, we didn't paint this weekend.  elijah just crawled up in my lap as i was getting ready to blog (hence the lower case-ness) and has since sacked out.
we did have fun at the park last thursday though.  elijah really likes the slide...hence the new video....
okay,i'm going to see if i can lay this sniffly boy down without waking him....
March 12

Monday Monday

It is SOOOOO nice out!!!  This weekend was really nice too.  So, let's see...this weekend I painted the Master bath.  I added the pics, but it's hard to tell the color.  I did one with a flash and one without...  It's Provence blue.  I really like it.  We used a sateen enamel that repels water and mold and mildew and gross stuff like that.   Jerry thinks it's too dark, but I think it's growing on him.  After I did that we met Rachel, Erin, and MR for ice cream and then Qdoba...yes that's right ice cream BEFORE dinner!!!!  We wen to the park Sunday morning.  Everything was fine until this group showed up.  There were much older kids in the group and the leaders of said group did nothing to keep them off the toddler equipment... I should say that this is specifically a toddler play ground.  There is an older kid play ground across the street.  This group had 4 leaders.  Some of them could have taken the older kids across the street.  It really bothered me.  I mean these older kids were not paying attention to the fact that there were smaller kids on the playground.  And the leaders were just laughing and sort of egging them on.  So we left...sigh...
But other than that...the weekend was good.  The weather was GREAT!!!  It's supposed to be 75 degrees tomorrow!!!!  I'm super psyched about that!  Elijah is down for nap right now, but we are going to go over and baby-sit for a neighbor for a few minutes.  They have the cutest little boy.  He's 9-ish months I think.  It'll be fun!  Though I may have to put Elijah in his stroller and just let him sleep in it.
Getting Elijah to stay in his room all night is NOT going well.  He's fine until about 1, then we go in and get him resettled, breathing deeply, etc, and then we leave and he's up again 5 minutes later... after and hour or so we're so exhausted we bring him to bed with us and then he sleeps straight through until 8 or 8:30... It's frustrating, but whatever...I think I'll start sleeping in the room with him again.  That seemed to work.  At least he's sleeping.  It's never hard to get him back to sleep...sigh... this too shall pass.  I really don't mind being up, it's the up and down that wears on me.
Oh yeah, a little commentary on the video...There is this bucket-y thing that we use to keep some of Elijah's toys in.  He loves to dump all the toys out and bring the bucket to us and have us put it on his head (he tries, but doesn't quite get it yet...) and then he runs around with it on his head (sometimes covering his eyes...though that doesn't stop him...)
Okay, I have some things that I have to do before we walk over to babysit...
Hope you are having a great week!!!
March 16

Friday...

I guess the nice weather was too good to last.  It is raining now and supposed to get rather cold for the weekend...boooooo.... Oh well, at least we had a good week.  Yesterday it was close to 80.  We went to the park for playgroup and then came home, Elijah napped and I knitted, then we took Jerry to get his eyes checked.  He got new lenses and some sunglasses.  We'll pick up the sunglasses today.
Elijah's sleeping (and I almost hesitate to write this...I don't want to jinx it...but...) is getting SOOO much better.  I moved out of his room on Wednesday and Jerry took a turn at night.  He was only up twice.  Then last night it was back to me.  Elijah woke up at 3:00 and was really wet, so I changed his diaper (which usually wakes him WAY up) but then I put him back in his bed and laid down beside him and left his room at 3:15, he slept until 6:30 at which point I brought him to bed and he slept until 8!!!!!!  I am so freaking excited, though trying not to get my hopes too high.  I hope this is a turning point for him.
This morning I'm trying to keep him active since we can't go outside and run around.  He stacked his stacking rings all by his self this morning (I'm uploading the video as I type... it's really freaking cute!)
Other than the weather being so awesome and us playing outside all week, nothing is really new.  I dropped a bunch of stuff off at Carmen's yesterday to sell.   Check out the Sweet Potato Site to see the super cute things I've added!!! Azalea Festival is the weekend after Easter and that really marks the beginning of tourist season here.  Since Carmen's shop is right where the festival is I am hoping she'll sell a bunch of stuff.  I am thinking about starting to do some tie dyed baby stuff to sell in her store, but a store next door to hers is called A Little Bit Hippie and that would really not be nice (though the store owner there said I could sell them to her...)  Carmen's going too start and on-line store this summer and she said I could sell them there... we'll see.  I'm also thinking about having a booth at WWC homecoming this year to sell hats and slings and I think that the tie-dyed baby stuff would do well there too...we'll see.  That's a lot to think about.
Okay, well it's almost lunch time.  Let me add this video and get some lunch started for the boy!  Have a good weekend!
March 25

WAHOO!!!

Spring is here!!!!!  So exciting!!!!  It has been so warm the past few days...over 80 both days.  The water temp is still in the 50s, so no swimming in the ocean just yet.
So since this week was so warm we were outside for most of the day.  I really don't like DLST but I must admit it has been a little nice to be out later.  I also blew up Elijah's pool (not the one her had last year...) and yesterday we brought out the water playground thing-y he has.  Next Saturday we start swim lessons for the little guy.  I am interested to see how he does.
We went to see Jerry's family today.  Our nieces are in town.  It took Elijah a bit to warm up, but he really likes the girls.  We played outside for a couple hours this morning.  But no matter how tired Elijah was he wouldn't take a nap while we were there.  Of course, at Jerry's folks house there are always people coming and going, so it's really not that surprising.  He did really well the rest of the afternoon considering.  He fell asleep in the car on the way home.  I made him wake up though, when we got home.  So I made him dinner and threw him in the shower (with spring comes pollen and he was COVERED in it) fed him and then put him to sleep.  Jerry had to go into work (and still isn't home...sigh...)  But such is life.
Speaking of jerry's work... They are sending him to Boston for a training on the new machine in his office!  It's really exciting!  There is so much he can learn at this training, not to mention the opportunity to network.  I will miss him terribly (as will Elijah) but I wanted him to go (as did he) so that he can better himself.  A week here, could, one day, mean a bigger, better opportunity.  It's worth it.  Heck, I would go away for a week if it meant better opportunities for us and the ability to provide more for our kids and family.  So we're going up to my folks house on Good Friday, my parent's are having the family Easter party on Saturday, and then jerry flies out on Sunday.  Elijah and I will stay at my folks (we could've gone, but Jerry's snoring....) and then come back the following weekend.  So it'll be fun to be at my folks for a week.  I've been practicing with Elijah in the back pack carrier so we can hike (even though we have no real hills here.)  We'll just miss Jerry.
SO, here's a total tangent...
I got a free copy of E: Environmental Magazine and I was reading an article in it called "Local is the New Organic".  At first I thought, this article had some good points, but then I read that one of the contributors said (and I am paraphrasing) that since Walmart has started carrying Organic, it's not so special anymore...  WHAT?!?!?!  I was considering subscribing to this magazine, but I am so sick of FREAKING ELITIST people thinking that just because they shop "organic" or whatever, means that no one else can?  I agree that local is better environmentally (for the most part) but there is no way that every person in NYC could buy locally.  Right now there isn't enough local farmers to sustain every person in America.  So while in theory this is a great concept, apparently you have to be wealthy and elite to buy locally (since organic, is now for the underclass...)  It just frustrated me.  There is neither the space, nor the knowledge, nor the continuing warm weather for local eating only to happen.  Of course, eating organic, is not all it's cracked up to be.  I mean once you ship in "organic", let's say, bananas...okay, so you live in the NC mountains (bananas don't grow there, especially in December), so the bananas come from somewhere far away, where they are shipped on truck, plane, boat, all three...who knows...and that's the point, you don't know.  Anyway, regardless, even if it was hiked to your local organic market it's still subjected to the mercury and lead and all the other heavy metals in the air from cars, volcanoes, and whatever else...so really by the time it arrives to your store, it's not rally any better as the "conventional" (what they label non-organic food at the Fresh market hehehehe) bananas it's right next too.
Okay, that's my little soap box for today.  If you feel you need to eat organic...By all means, do so.  But don't do it because you think you are better than those who buy Organic at Walmart... do it because you really believe you are eating better...
March 30

Another week

It's been a good week I guess.  It was really warm at the beginning and got chilly yesterday.  We went to play group yesterday at Rachel's to celebrate MR's 1st b-day.  I can't believe she's almost one!  We had fun, but my boy is quite the crab lately.  I really think it's his teeth.  Poor guy.  We've been fairly lucky with the teeth thing.  But these i-teeth seem to really hurt him.  Maybe this will be it for a bit.  I mean he'll have all his teeth except his 2 year molars...maybe they'll wait until he's at least 18 months...sigh
Tomorrow we go to our first swim lesson.  That should be fun.  Then we go to party number 2 for MR.  We've got to get our oil changed and I have to sew sometime this weekend as well.
I'm so excited to be with the fam over Easter.  I'm sad that Jerry's going to be gone the week after, but hopefully the time will fly and we can play in the woods some.  I wish I was magic and knew what the weather was going to be up there.  Of course, if I were magic then I could make the weather whatever I wanted it to be...hmmm.... I'll have to work on that.
Okay, well it seems like there was more, but I guess not...  Have a good weekend...
March 31

Big Yawn!!!

What a busy fun day.  The weather is perfect!!!  Elijah had his swim lesson this morning.  It was more successful than I thought it would be.  He learned to kick, float on his back, and acclimate to the water.  The water was REALLY cold.  It was 82 degrees...which is cold for pool water.  Elijah wasn't the happiest, but the teacher had us singing to the kids and that seemed to keep him calmer.  We did have to get out a little early.  It was so cold the little guy was shivering.  So we got out and took a warm shower and got dressed.  The we got home and I jumped in the shower while Jerry gave Elijah snack and then back in the car for MR's b-day party.  The weather was so great so we were outside a bit, which was good.  MR racked up on the presents!  We had lots of fun.  Back in the car and home for a nap.  While Elijah napped, Jerry and I watched Happy Feet.  This movie was cute, but odd.  There was lots of underlying grown up things...and the ending was...hmmm...it just seemed that the writers got somewhere and couldn't figure out how to end it, so they just sorta made something up...I don't know, it was abrupt  I guess.  But baby penguins tap dancing...so FREAKING cute!!!  Elijah woke up right as the movie ended, so back in the car to the mall for oil change and tire rotation.  Walked around, found a cute pair of shoes for Elijah for 4 bucks...Sears was having a sale!  and as my child is growing out of shoes faster than, well, whatever grows fast, it's good to find shoes that are cheap.  Then back home and then Jerry had to run off to run a test on his machine at work as to get a jump start on the week.  Sometimes I'm annoyed, but tonight is my night with the boy, and I understand that this helps him understand the machine and can advance his career (never know who's paying attention...) I understand.   So I watched Rumor Has It (Jennifer Anniston...cute movie...) and am chilling out waiting for Jerry to come home.  He just called and was 20 minutes from his run to end...so that should be soon.
Tomorrow I get to sew at some point... But we found this garden center that has some trails around it and we may go out there with a picnic and then let Elijah sleep on the way home.  Then we're going out for ice cream tomorrow afternoon!!!
This coming week is not going to be that much calmer.  I think Monday we'll take it easy.  Tuesday is story time at the library, dropping some stuff off at Carmen's and picking a few things up, then off to drop some things off at a Thrift store (which means I HAVE to walk through).  Wednesday I need to go to Kohl's to pick up some b-day presents for some kids.  And Thursday we have a b-day party to go to.  Then Friday we hit the road...That's exhausting just thinking about it...
I can't believe that my b-day is coming up in 20 days.  This year has flown by.  I have no big plans for my b-day.  I think that I might have a drink or two...On Saturday we'll have our friends over or go out or something.  I really want a Mexicali cake from this bakery...it's sooooo yummy....mmmmm.... we'll see.
Our garden is doing okay.  I'm going to post some pics after this... We have some spinach that's ready to pick.  Most things are looking okay.  I planted some more things in Elijah's garden, we'll see if they come up.
Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head and it will not get out?  I have this song from one of Elijah's CDs stuck in my head.  It kept me up one night this week and it's still there....GET OUT GET OUT...it is driving me crazy!!!  I wonder why things do that?  I think I may sleep with a CD on tonight or something...I tries everything the other night...it was making me almost sick to my stomach.  This has happened before, but not to this extent...sigh...
Okay, again it seems like I have something else to say... but I can't remember...  This started out all organized and just went in all different directions...
Two of my fellow bloggers haven't been home for a bit and I miss them... At least Tracey has been posting...Thanks TJ!  okay, off to get ready for bed...

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.....