A Lazy Day

On Saturday we actually got some things accomplished at the house. On the way home from a trip to Home Depot we stopped at the park in the subdivision and decided to relax and go fly a kite. Random, I know but Jake had bought a really nice kite and Elijah just loves it. He loves to try to catch the streamers. It was just a little bit of time but it was very precious.  I know my pictures aren't as good as Jake's would be but you get the idea. Of course Elijah got to go down the slide. Gotta love plastic slides and the static they produce. He had fun going down, even if it doesn't really look like it. He looks a little stressed huh?

Birthday Pictures

I hope you enjoy these pictures of Elijah on his 

birthday. He really enjoyed the cream cheese frosting. He kept licking it the way a little piggy would go to 
the trough. What a little cutie! He wasn't too happy by the time we got to the presents. He was just too tired and not feeling well. Poor little guy. He sure does make some nice looking pictures despite all that!

Elijah's Birthday

It is so very hard to believe that a week ago we celebrated Elijah's first birthday. How time flies! It seems like just yesterday we brought home this tiny (though it didn't seem like it at the time to me!) little bundle of joy, eager to care for his every need and clinging on to each and every milestone that he reached on his journey to adulthood. There have been so many happy and exciting moments..first bath, smiling and cooing, sitting up, rolling over, first foods. I am a little bit saddened that I wasn't the first person to see him walk or clap or say some words. I guess that's what happens when you are a working mom. I guess dads get that all the time so I should just be thankful for what I am able to see. I never expected to go through quite so much emotional turmoil in a year. Turmoil sounds terrible doesn't it? Maybe it's not the right word to use but it sure felt like it for the first 6 or 7 months or so. I have to admit that what I went through gave me serious doubts at to whether I wanted to have more kids or not. The emotional battles just were so great they seemed unbearable. Thankfully I have a great support system and have survived. I have learned that I can't be WonderMom..and that even if it seems like other moms are WonderMoms...they probably aren't. Sure, a select few are but in all honesty what child truly doesn't throw up all over their (or your) clothes when you're late for something, cause your house to be in disarray, your shirt to be covered in "boogies" when they are upset or have a cold, or cause some sort of unforseen problem or setback when you least expect it. I never could have imagined that having a child would cause me to never have a clean house, be completely disorganized and forgetful, wear snotty shirts, forget to brush my teeth or put on deoderant, not have time for a shower, or seriously debate to what degree of dirty floor can a very mobile and quick child eat off of. I also never could have imagined how it would feel to brag to friends about my beautiful baby boy and how he is doing...about how it feels to have him put his little arms around me and give me a big squeeze and plant a big open mouth and slobbery kiss on my welcoming face...how I love to hear his squeal of delight and laughter when he gets a ride on Daddy's shoulders or hears Momma at the door...to see his face light up with every new discovery. It truly is amazing how a child changes us. What a wonderful blessing! I have to say I have been a little saddened lately and I think it's because of how fast the time has gone but I will say I am looking forward to every moment that I have to spend with my special little buddy.

How was his birthday you may ask? Well, unfortunately he was not feeling well at all. He had been sick all week..first with a fever then diarrhea...so he was a bit crabby. I didn't really want to give him cake so I made him a muffin and put cream cheese frosting on it. He didn't eat it but did lick some of the frosting. He was very cute because he kept putting his face down to it instead of picking it up and bringing it to his mouth...he looked like a little piggy going to the trough. He also was not very interested in opening his presents. Poor little guy! Who doesn't like presents? Sunday was a little better and he had a cake at GaGa's and PaPa's. Maybe next year will be better...let's hope so!

So I got a few more pictures up. I picked them from a very small picture so they may not be the best but here's some old ones from our trip to Michigan. Elijah's birthday will be posted soon.

He's A Walkin'!

With this no internet craziness I haven't been able to blog nearly like I want but just this weekend Elijah started walking on his own! What a big boy! He started a little on Friday at Jake's Mom's house and ever since he's been doing little bits here and there. Jake, his Mom, and Elijah all went to see Phil, Jess, Isaac, and Abby this weekend (I had to work..boo) and so I didn't get to see him in action until today! They came home late Monday night and then yesterday he wasn't interested in doing to much of anything. He is sick, yet again! This time he has a fever of 102.5 that only comes down to 100 with tylenol/motrin. He has a runny nose and has pretty much spent the day with me reading to him or playing with his puppy on the couch. He was up all of 5 hours from 8am til I left for work at 6. Poor little sleepy guy. I thought breastfeeding was supposed to decrease his illnesses! I guess when Mom and Dad are sick a lot too it doesn't help.

I didn't get to update on his cardiologist visit either. He went last Wednesday and had an EKG and ECHO...that was fun trying to keep a (nearly) one year old occupied so that they could get accurate results! In any event we found out that pretty much the little holes he had in his heart (PDA & VSD for all you nurses) have gone unchanged. No bigger, no smaller. Apparently his PDA is just shy of the size that they would go in and do a cath to fix it. Since they both shunt blood the same way we just have to keep going back yearly to make sure that his left heart doesn't enlarge to compensate. He's growing and developing perfectly fine so the cardiologist is not worried about him in any way shape or form. So how big is he? He's 30 inches (10 inches bigger than birth) and just shy of 24 pounds! He's slowed down a bit in his gaining weight but is right on track. He is at the stage where 12 month clothes just fit him but he can fit 18 month clothes and they look ok...pants are a bit long but who needs pants in 103 degree weather.

In other news Jake celebrated a birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday Sweetie! We went out to Ah So, a new place in town similar to Benni Hanna's. It was good food and company (we went with Mom and Dad). Afterwards Jake and I went to see A Night at the Museum. Of course it was great. We loved the first one and this one did not let us down.

Now we are just awaiting Elijah's birthday. No big party planned but we would like to go to a Diamondback's game. I've never been to one before and of course neither has Elijah.

All for now!