Hats and Highchairs

A Thomas the Tank Engine hat!


A plastic red bowl hat!

Cutie pie with his toast and shoes on!

Snow Day!

We are visiting in Pennsylvania and we got a snow day! Here's Eli peeking over my shoulder as we walk out to investigate the snow-covered tree limbs and one of him tasting the snow off my fingers.

He tried to warm his nose up on my shoulder once we came inside!

Pennsylvania

A whole new sound...

Eli has discovered his upper register...

Squealing

Silly

We have discovered new toys for Eli in the most unusual places. Here he is in his hamper. It's the perfect height for him to stand in and hold on. In my professional opinion it is improving his balance and the strength in his arms. In my mommy opinion, it makes him happy and I like that!



Here he is with his daddy. He has just now started moving his legs around when he sits, and I am hoping that once he moves his left leg like his right, we might get some hands and knees action!



The other day he was fussy and I knew he was needing a nap. If I can get him to take a pacifier, he usually goes right to sleep. It's harder than you think. He keeps turning his head away and arching his back so I can't get it in his mouth. I wonder how he accomplishes this because when he wants to suck on my chin he can grab my face and pull it towards him and I am helpless to turn my head. Either he is that much stronger than me or he has no concern for the fact that he is holding on by my hair and hurting me. It's hard to tell which becaues he doesn't really have a concept of "Eli No!" but he can also pick up a full 2 liter bottle and throw it.

A mess

Eli and I had fun at dinner tonight creating just the right mashed potato/carrot combination. Jason refers to it as Eli's Indian war paint.

The Matthews boys were having fun playing with Tanky's ball. They took a break just long enough for me to snap a picture.

Eli's newest thing is squirming around until he is upside down on your lap. You can hold him in your arms, he'll go still like a log, and throw his head back to look at the dogs upside down. He thinks it is hilarious! It's hard to get a picture of that!

On the mend

Besides an unattractive nose, Eli seems to be on the mend. Last night was a normal night of sleep! He seems to have come through this happier than ever, which is making his mommy and daddy happier than ever!

Eli's first x-ray

Yesterday Eli woke up with a fever of 102.4. In to the doctor we went. His lungs sounded clean and his ears looked clean after the doctor took out the wax, so Eli had a strep test (negative) and blood drawn for a complete blod count. His white cells (those that fight invaders) were elvated enough that the doctor ordered a urine analysis and a chest x-ray.

All came back clean so now Eli is taking bubble gum flavored amoxicillin, benedryl for his nose, and tylenol for his fever. Hopefully the one sleepless night is already behind us!



Here is how he looks today....post-tests and three doses of medicine:

Action!

Thug or movie star? He sure does love the camera!

6 months old!

Weigh-in: 18 lbs. 12 ounces
Height: 27 inches

He's a big, but not too big, healthy baby boy with advanced trunk control. He's a whole 2-4 weeks ahead of "schedule". We're so proud of him, because he is so heavy and wiggly it is nice to sit him on the floor.

Highchair action

Last night we went out to dinner with some friends and Eli sat in a high chair for the first time!

He was such a big boy, just sitting at the table trying to eat it.



We gave him a bottle instead, and he surprised us by holding it himself!

Eli in action

Click the pictures for some fun videos!

Bathtime

Jumpy Jump

Eli and I were playing in the bathroom in front of the mirrors, his favorite place, when he did the funniest thing.

Follow with me if you will...

Step One:



Place rubber ducky in right hand.

Step Two:



Place ducky in mouth and slobber it up.

Step Three:



Place the entire head of the rubber ducky in mouth.

Voila, a new pacifier! He sucked on it for quite a while, but he can't swallow very well with it so he spit it out and a whole bunch of drool came with it!

Eli's First Christmas

Click picture for a slide show!

Enjoy the many many pictures! Eli had a very busy holiday season. We flew to Midland to celebrate his great-grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary! He didn't cooperate well during the family picture but I think he can cut and paste a good shot. I was bouncing him and would stop when the photgrapher said three, hoping Eli was not making a scrunched face! He even got a bright shiny red tricycle, which is just adorable.

He was so full of life and laughs and coos and smiles while we were in Midland. His Aunt Trisha and Uncle Marc fell in love with him, and he gave them quite a show. He was a good little traveler, sleeping at all the right times.

We flew home Christmas Eve and picked Grammy and Papa Bill up at the airport on Christmas Day! Uncle Scott, Aunt Angela, and Madelyn even came to play. Papa Bill got his little cowboy a not so little horse that Eli just loved. He also got a Thomas the Engine train set that his mommy and daddy just love!

We drove to Granddad's house for New Year's and played with Madelyn. We sat by the fire and played with new toys.

It was a wonderful few weeks, and we got to see the whole family!

Busy busy times...

Very few spare moments to post...

Technical diffictulties...

Picture drought...

Too many lists...

Too little time...

Check back at Christmas...

Here is Eli waiting for the plane that took him to Grammy! Contrary to his facial expression, I think he
enjoyed the flight. I know I did! He slept the whole time.


Nowadays, he likes to spend time at the office. My little executive works his team hard, calling four to five meetings a day! Denny the Dragon usually gets in trouble while Mr. Sunshine always gets a big grin!


We've been having a lot more tummy time lately. He's rolled a couple of times, but seems more concerned with scooting. He puts his head down and pushes with his feet and after a few good pushes he pops his head up to see how far he got, and then he starts pushing again.


His hand-eye coordination has been improving as well. He gets his hand to his mouth 9 out of 10 times, and can clasp them together if he wrinkles his forehead enough!

 

Weigh-in: 16.2 lbs.

Height: 25 inches

Head: still growing

Diagnosis: Reflux

Treatment: 1 capsule emptied onto small amount of applesauce daily.

He also gave the green light on rice cereal.

Let the solid food games begin!

It's been a while since I blogged, but so much has been happening in little Eli's life! After the visit from his cousin Madelyn, Eli dabbled in the art of card playing and enjoyed sitting on the kitchen bar, which is only clean every other blue moon!

This past weekend we took a trip to see Grammy! Eli's first plane ride and he was most excellent. Now while being one of the chosen few in the pre-board line is quite exciting, I can't decide if it is worth all the suspicious stares and whispers from the other passengers as they roll their eyes and cross their fingers he won't cry! He turned out to be a pro at flying and promptly went to sleep during the two hour delay and remained asleep the entire flight! It was well worth it and Eli loved meeting his family and they loved him.

Here he is with his great-great grandma who has two great-great grandkids! ...

here are all the boys....aren't they cute ...

great-great Mary... whom Eli finds quite hilarious ...

and cousin Drew!

I just like this picture of my boys:

Someone once told me (or I am just making this up) that having children gives you special insight into how God might view us big kids. I was reflecting on that as I was bouncing and be-bopping around with a screaming Eli in the middle of the night marvelling at just how much patience a parent needs (and I do not have!) I wonder how many times a day God tells me to calm down and listen to him and I just keep screaming my head off....

 

Eli is getting a whole lot more leg and head control, I just can't believe it! He is now playing in some more of his toys and focusing on hand control. His favorite toy today was the smiling sunshine flower. He studied it for a really long time and then started uncontrollably grinning at it.

Later during naptime he surprised me with the crawl position:

Now, if he could only work on that when he is awake!

Weigh-in: about 14.4 lbs.
Disposition: supremely happy one moment and utterly distressed the next. It is exhausting, but lovely just the same.
Favorite activity: looking in mirrors

I found out that my son will be two years old before our Benedryl expires....that's weird.

Countdown to first airplane ride: 15 days

We are headed to see Grammy and what Fall looks like!

Madelyn and Eli meet!

Something you shouldn't do while holding Eli: Try to answer the questions of an automated voice menu on the phone.

Invariably coo, ooh, and aaaaaahhhh are NOT choices the automated voice understands. Thus, you will be repeatedly forced to start over and over and over.

I think he was trying to eat that bug on his head.

This was taken in a park in the middle of Houston...nice, huh?!

The beautiful crib! More to come when we get the room cleaned up...