Froggy Time

I thought I would post a picture of Elijah using his big boy froggy towel. He's too big for the baby towels so I got this for him. He's so cute in it! Couldn't you just squeeze him?
This picture is a month old. Jake went to Shamrock Farms with his family one Saturday and he cought this picture. What a sweetie!
I took this picture today. He's just getting so big! Well, I guess I better get going. Lots to do. Working the next couple days and then I get to scrapbook Saturday. Looking forward to it!!!!!

I L-O-V-E cheerios Mom!!!!!!!

Mom,
I have fallen in love with something small, circular, and crunchy. You call them Cheerios. I call them wonderful bits of pleasure that fill my tummy oh, so well. Please don't be jealous. I've been telling you for some time now that I'm becoming more independent and this is just helping me to do so. I can grab them MYSELF...no help...K? I'll just let you know when I'm out. And a note of warning. If you put me down on the floor with some...you may hear me growling at Kitty. I understand Cheerios to be people food...NOT cat food! So Kitty can get her munchins' elsewhere...NOT FROM MY STASH! She may be nursing a pulled tail if she doesn't watch it. Oh, and another thing. Can you get this stuff in bulk? I don't want you to run out or anything.
Love you still,
Elijah

Elijah's Teeth

I worked this weekend so Jake was responsible for our little monkey on Saturday. Whenever I'm sleeping on Saturday it seems like he gets a great photo opportunity with Elijah and this weekend was no exception. Here's a couple really cute ones. You can actually see his little teeth! He may be getting his top ones in very shortly. He was very fussy for Jake and had a low fever and was tugging on the ears. I just had the practitioner look at them on Thursday and they were fine so I'm sure it's not an ear infection. He's fine now. He did that right before his other teeth came in too.

It's been kind of a rough week for us all at work. We have fallen victims to the economic lull as well and so 5 of our staff suffered lay offs as part of a company wide "cut back". We are all very shocked as in October they announced some major cutbacks in spending and took away some of our benefits..like the amount payed for short term disability. Now when Jake and I decide to have another I need a whole 7 days more personal time in order to take 12 weeks. It may not sound like much but it is when you're wanting to have more kids and you only accrue personal time so fast. In any event I'm just glad that I wasn't pregnant when they came out with that announcement like some of the people I work with. Anyways that said, those cutbacks were supposedly made so that people could keep their jobs. Now we all feel a bit deceived and quite frankly are wondering "who next?"We all miss our fellow workers and are sd that we weren't even able to say good-bye. With all of that we have been having some major changes in policy (to save money I suppose) and unfortunately they have not written anything down which causes confusion for everyone. On Sunday night we had such a rough night that 4 of us were in tears of frustration. Not very good employee moral overall and no "visits" from upper management is going to make us feel better. I think we all just want some open communication and not have to fear that we may lose our job if we open our mouth with comments or suggestions. I don't like labor unions b/c I think you can get lazy people, but I know at least I personally would be secure in my job right now. I'm not the low man or the high manand I can take any type of baby or position on my unit that is given to me, I guess I should stop blabbing and say that I am very thankful for having my job.
I need to get going. Elijah needs a bath and some playtime!

Childproofing the Home

Eljah is getting to the age where he's starting to move around a little more. He's definitely not super motivated though...in fact Jake and I joke that he's a little lazy. Here he is playing his piano while I fold laundry...and he soon falls over...despite the pillows! It's crazy! If he didn't have pillows there he would last a little longer but once he falls over he's done.

So despite the limited mobility of the moment, we KNOW he's going to start moving soon so we've been childproofing the house little by little. There's soooo much safety stuff out there to buy!

Along with the safety stuff we've been puting up, we've been putting away some of the baby stuff. How sad! For every exciting step forward there's a sad goodbye to something else.
Gone are the swing and bouncy seat! I even put away his hooded towels. He's so big they won't cover him anymore! We got something new for him....but more on that another day! Anyway. Here he is trying to play with Mom's little screwdriver. He wanted to do it himself. Just like a little man! What a cutie pie, huh?
Here he is in his car seat waiting to go bye-bye and see Daddy at work. While Mama went to get the diaper bag he found something to play with nearby. Little stinker gets into anything he can...and boy does he love crinkly paper!

Today I put a cute little Snoopy outfit on him complete with Snoopy slippers! He loved playing with the slippers! I ran to get the camera when he started chewing on them but he stopped when the camera came out. Little stinker!

I was able to catch him playing peek-a-boo shortly thereafter. He was being very playful and cute. Of course he loved the attention that Mama was giving him.

Well, I guess that's all for now. It's getting late and I'm pretty tired. Elijah has been keeping me up for some reason and I've been under the weather..still!!! I went to the Dr. today though and got some antibiotics. I was right on my diagnosis of a sinus infection. Hopefully I will start feeling better soon!

Another Day

Today is just one of those days that you just wake up and sigh. Not a sigh of relief mind you, just a sigh. Lots of thoughts go around in my head about the day...how messy (really..I'm ashamed) my house is...how much I don't want to go to work today...how I need to go to the grocery store...plan meals...finish puting the Christmas stuff away...I could go on. I've decided that my friend's daughter has a good plan. She told me a few weeks ago that she wanted a robot for Christmas so he could do all her chores. Well, I don't think she got one but I think I'll put my order in already for next Christmas. Better yet, my birthday! I told Jake I didn't want anything for my birthday. I wanted time instead. I would love to be able to go do a few things for myself (imagine that) like get my hair cut, go out to lunch, scrapbook...even go out with Jake..and come home to a nice clesan house (I know, maybe that could have all happened if I hadn't added that last part). Anyway, one can dream, huh?
Speaking of birthdays, today is my sisters 17th. Happy Birthday Heather! Wow. Next year we both celebrate BIG birthdays. That's something to look forward to.
Well, I realized that this year Jake and I did not get a photo of us all under the Christmas tree. Just photos of Elijah. And no photos of us all either. Oh well. Here's last year. 4 months pregnant and oh so excited! Time flies.

An Apple a Day

So does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? If it does I guess I need to start doing that. I am sick...again. This would be the 4th time I've gotten something since I've been back to work (4 months) not counting the 2 weeks that I spent without a voice at Christmas time. My head is all stuffed up and I am achy all over. Yuck. I have today to recover. I'm supposed to work tomorrow. We'll see how that goes. I really can't call out sick b/c I've already called out 3 times in 4 months...yet I can't go to work sick b/c of the babies (not to mention that I feel terrible). Augh! I think I am under a lot of stress and my body is saying slow down...but I have a lot to do! This past week has been pretty stressful at work. Within a week I had been to 2 codes. One was brief the other I actually did chest compressions (which I've never actually had to do on a baby). I also had 3 deaths. One I was responsible for the care of up until his death, the other 2 I was in the same room and helped out with. The first that I mentioned was really hard for me b/c the mom was never able to see the baby before he passed. I just thought about how that would make me feel and I just lost it. Thankfully I had great co-workers that helped me through it. My friend Melissa got me these beautiful flowers after such an icky night. So sweet of her (and her hubby who got up early and brought them in!)!

We found Jake's card reader so I was able to download some Christmas pics. Here's a couple of them. I gave Elijah teething biscuits for the first time yesterday. He loved them! I'm a little nervous with them since they break down into pieces so quickly but I was right there when it happened. He couldn't believe I gave him something to hold AND eat. He is eating more and more now. I made a whole bunch of baby food for him yesterday b/c I was out. I gave him some zucchini for the first time. He wasn't so fond. I tried mixing it with some avocado..still not fond. Then I added applesauce to the mix. THEN he liked it. I just want to expose him to more tastes than what they offer in store bought baby food. I am disappointed though b/c I read not to give them spinach and beets because of the high nitrate concentration and broccoli and cauliflower b/c it can upset their tummy...not until about 9 or 10 months. Oh well. We'll stick with peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, acorn and butternut squash, zucchini and avocados. Carrots from a jar until 8 months also do to nitrate levels. Anyway. I best be going Elijah is up from his nap.

I couldn't end without saying a big Happy Birthday to Mom/Grandma!!!!!!!

Thanks for the Bath Toys Grandma and Grandpa!

Here's a picture of our little cutie playing with his new bath toys. We put him in the big tub for the first time the other day. We just bought a little chair for him to sit in on Saturday so it will be a little easier next time. He loves the big tub and new toys! Isn't he cute?

Our little man got his first ear infection. Poor little guy! He spiked a fever yesterday night and felt miserable. I took him in this morning and they said, yes it's an ear infection. Poor baby. I hope he feels better soon!