November Recap

> Isaiah is 8 months old today.
  Help us all, my boy is standing up...alone.  He spent his last month working on getting more mobile , tried some new foods  (grapefruit was hilarious), got sick on a carrot casserole on Thanksgiving day, played with his big brother, and is laughing up a storm.  It was a fun month and I look forward to seeing this little guy's personality more each day.  He is such a sweet handsome boy and I love how he lights up to see me :)  I'm doing a decent job of recording his growth - I'm just not updating his baby book yet. 
  ONLY 7 months!

>Thanksgiving Day Notes
It was a fun day.  I set up the Christmas tree before Thanksgiving as I just can't wait to see how Elijah reacts to presents this year.  He's growing up so fast.  I think I'm more excited for Christmas than he is though - I started shopping in July for presents on the clearance racks.  The only issue with this is that you have to predict what they might be into come December.  I made my annual sweet potato pie and it was delicious. I should really bake more often.  We spent the day with my in-laws and Noah wore his turkey hat for the day.  It was a great Thanksgiving day.

Baby 7 month update and other October news

Isaiah's 7 month was quite an adventure and brought a whole lot amusement to my life.  Just when I needed it, really. 

This month he started pulling up on the furniture and began standing.  Isaiah took his first trip in the grocery cart seat...I'm sure it's one of many.  Of course this means that I'm going to have to either move Elijah into the grocery cart itself or allow him to walk next to me.  Either way I think my trips to the store are going to be shorter and more frequent.  

Isaiah worked on a lot more crawling this month and he discovered that standing was quite fun.  His eyes are still a blue/green color but I don't know if they are going to stay that way.  It's one of those fun wait and see genetic traits.  Isaiah enjoyed lots of time in his walker outside but I could tell he wanted to be doing what Elijah was doing. 

 I finally decided that I was going to try the whole trick-or-treating thing this year.  I even went so far as to practice with Elijah.  I got him a basic mask and cape.  Elijah started calling himself "Incredi-boy."   I don't know why he loves to identify with the bad guys in movies.  I'm sure it's just because they seem to be having more fun.  At any rate, Elijah quickly caught on and was very excited about it.  What a funny night! Had a flat tire so we couldn't leave home until 7:30. Elijah was happy to go trick-or-treating at Nana and Papa's house first. I finally convinced him to try the house across the street and we followed another couple with their little girls up the sidewalk. Elijah got freaked out when the little girls ring the door bell and turned around and raced away, superhero cape flying in the wind.  He then proceeded to yell "I want to go see Nana and Papa." He was quite thrilled to visit their doorstep again and get more candy.  Isaiah was dressed as a little baby alligator and did not get any candy but he had a good night all the same.

 

In other Elijah news, I've been working with him on answering the 'What is your name?" question and he's finally able to give me a response.  I have him scheduled for his county speech evaluation in December and I'm hoping that he gets approved for speech therapy - I have not clue when they would be able to start but I know he needs it.

Guilt and hazelnuts

Today I spent a whopping $.59 for a delicious Ikea milk chocolate bar with hazelnuts. I devoured the entire thing in 5 minutes and washed it down with a large coke. What makes this exciting is it's the first time in 8 months that I dared to eat any tree nuts. No, I'm not allergic but my son and husband are. I took precautions, I purchased and ate the bar while away from home. I disposed of the wrapper in a garbage can at a gas station. I washed my mouth out. I washed my hands multiple times.

So what's the problem? I feel guilty - like I still broke some unwritten oath of mom's of kids with nut allergies. When we witnessed and confirmed of his peanut allergy, I went cold turkey on all nuts. Some people are only allergic to peanuts (a legume), and others are allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. DH is allergic to tree nuts too so I just decided to give them all up. I don't buy them, I read nutrition labels on all grocery items, I never eat them, and I switched to Sun Butter.  Giving up peanuts and all peanut butter products hasn't really been that bad at all.  SunButter tastes just as good to me.  It doesn't have quite the same texture but is pretty delicious.  But the tree nuts was hard one for a girl who used to eat an entire can of mixed nuts or cashews in one evening.  

So when did we know?  It all happened at the church pot-luck last Thanksgiving.  Noah had promised him a cookie after the meal.  Elijah was 2.5 years old and didn't use very many words at the time, but he made sure to tell Noah about the cookie he wanted.  Well, the husband went searching with him for a cookie and found one.  Elijah was thrilled and immediately took a bite.  He chewed it a little and then spit it out and coughed a little.  Noah found this weird so he smelled it and he immediately smelled the peanut butter in it and threw the cookie away.  Noah is allergic to peanuts but hasn't ever had severe anaphylaxis.  We piled in the car to leave and noticed that Elijah was still coughing a little and he had started rubbing his eyes.  I suggested we drive to CVS down the road for some benadryl.  I quickly ran in and asked the pharmacist about giving my 2 1/2 year old some Benadryl and what dosage.  By the time I returned to the car I noticed Elijah's face (especially around his eyes) were puffy.  Noah, who had been reluctant at first about the meds, totally agreed with me that he needed some.  Elijah had a dose and looked fine by the evening.  

We talked with the pediatrician and she recommended he have blood allergy testing done (and this was an event in itself).  Elijah's radioallerosorbent (RAST) tests results were shocking to me.  The RAST is tests that is done to detect specific IgE antibody levels to suspected allergens.  These levels are then categorized as Classes 0- 6.  See more here.  A Class 0 means no allergy and a Class 5 or 6 usually means high allergy.  The RAST test is used as a guide to what a patient may be allergic to.  Elijah had many environmental Class 2 allergies but the Class 2 food allergies really surprised me (milk, soy, corn, wheat).  His peanut allergy registered as a Class 6.  Time to fit him for a plastic bubble.  Elijah didn't come back with an issue with hazelnuts but who knows...  He does have and epi-pen now for any accidental consumption of the peanuts. 

 *Now I have to note that a person can still have positive IgE levels even if they have outgrown their allergy (obviously not the case if your child is 2). 

After a few months of food elimination and experimentation I can say that Elijah has no real noticeable reaction to wheat products but tends to have digestive issues and eczema if he has too much milk or corn (this includes corn syrup).  He also gets very irritable from anything with too much corn syrup - no more fruit snacks for treats.  Fruit snacks are just glorified candies anyway. So I work around his food issues. It's made us all healthier.  I found out in my experimenting that I am allergic to soy (my throat started to to close up!!) .  It has been a crazy summer of learning for me.

October Days

October was a big month for me as I turned 29.  It's the start of my final year in my 20s.  What's weird is I still don't really feel like an adult that's nearing 30.  My mind still feels very 'young' in many ways.  I still like the new music (as well as a wide variety of older stuff), I still love movies, video games, and reading the same array of books (classics and popular). 

 

But, when I compare myself to 10 years ago, I think that the things that are changing the most are my perspectives.  I saw things so black and white when I was younger and now I see that there really are a lot of gray areas in life.  Nothing on Earth is all good (only Christ is).  I'm more moderate in my thinking and I really strive to see things from both sides of any argument so I can make an informed decision on whatever it is.  I still prefer to be optimist and I'll admit it would be nice if life wasn't a grayscale.

Too busy to break down.

It's been a crazy few weeks but things seem like they are on the up swing now. The hubby had a trip to the ER for chest pain but thankfully all is well with his heart.  He's recovering from it and I'm recovering from the scare. It's amazing to me how you can push everything aside and focus on what needs to be done in that moment.  I just called 911 and explained the situation, followed their directions, and waiting for the ambulance.  I was calm when they arrived and was able to give his vital stats and list his medications for them.  I saw him receive nitro and get loaded in the ambulance without a tear.  I called his parents and left messages for everyone at 3 am.  I found a friend to come stay with the boys so I could go to the hospital and take my husband pants and shoes and support him.  Now that it's almost 2 weeks later, I'm finally sleeping again but I'm tearing up anytime I think about it.

I am having a lot of trouble giving up my dream of a big family.  It's just not realistic, financially or otherwise.  I always wanted to have at least 3 kids but with Noah's health issues (and frankly my own terrible pregnancies), I just don't see it happening.  I'm not that old though and you never know what could change and how God's plans for you might be different than what you think. Still, I think after this last event with Noah, I just need to accept that a bigger family just might not be a possibility. I am so thankful for the two special boys that He has blessed us with raising and I wouldn't change a thing about them.  They make us proud every day.  I miss those little guys when they go to bed every night.

I'm working on being thankful in general....just in time for Thanksgiving too.

Isaiah at 6 months!

 

Looks like my little guy shares his half-birthday with my Mom's birthday. In honor of his half-birthday I taught him to high-five. It was cute and there were lots of smiles He is now 27" and 17lbs 13oz. We had a lot of changes this past month. During his 5th month of life my baby boy started to crawl- he crawls by using his arms to pull himself forward dragging his belly and legs on the ground. It is the weirdest and funniest thing. I love how he will actually follow me down the hallway. He is having to wear a lot more clothes now because he started getting rug burn. The things that motivate him to move the most are dog toys and shoes. Zoey has lost all her toys because she doesn't help matters by bringing the toys to him.

 After Isaiah learned to crawl he began to try and sit up. He finally succeeded and he was so proud of himself!! Isaiah still tries to wave 'hi' and 'bye' at us when we wave at him and he has lots of smiles for us all. He is such a happy baby and I think it still surprises me to get such big smiles because his brother was such a serious little one. Elijah still is pretty serious and only gives us big grins when it comes to things like cake, or something really funny. Elijah does not like that his brother is moving now and gets really frustrated when Isaiah comes near his toys and starts saying "no baby, no baby, no baby." I am trying to teach him about sharing but again the communication with Elijah is so frustrating and I have no clue what he gets.

Isaiah is awake a lot more now and thrilled to be mobile. He takes longer (and less) naps now but I can live with that. He finally started showing an interest in food and is doing well so far... especially with the sweet potatoes. 

What does the fox say?

I am not sure if it's wise for us to expose our child to the ridiculous music found on YouTube.  YouTube has been a fun amusement for us since we were first married.  Elijah came along and generally ignored what we watched, probably because of his hearing loss.  Once he had surgery on his ears and his hearing loss was reversed, he was able to hear the music and began to dance and 'sing' along with the latest YouTube hits.   We never chose to view anything with questionable images, but I am starting to become concerned with choices of songs that are my son's favorite.  His taste is slightly questionable!  What started out as watching some of these viral videos 'just for laughs' or chose our personal favorites such as Coldplay.  These top videos became his favorite music selections.  So without further ado, these are my 3-year old son's top YouTube favorite videos along with my comments.  Some are great (Cold Play, Mike Tompkins) and others are just plain crazy. They are listed in no particular order but these are his top requests.

1)Mike Tompkins "Teenage Dream/Just The Way You Are"  -Elijah's absolute favorite artist requested Justin
2) Bieber's "Baby"  - catchy but we aren't Bieber fans, Elijah just wants to do the break dancing
3) Karmin "Acapella" - He calls it "Blue"
4) Psy "Gagnum Style" - Elijah tried to do this dance and attempts to sing it.  It kinda scares me.
5) One Direction "Gotta Be You" - his first 1D favorite that he called "You"
6) One Direction "Best Song Ever" - current favorite and I think it's a hilarious and catchy video
7) Ylvis "What Does the Fox Say?" - awesomely weird viral video helping Elijah with his animal sounds
8) Anna Kendrick "Cups" - Elijah and I are trying to figure out how to do the cups, he's 3 and doing better than his mom.
9) Coldplay's "Yellow" or "Paradise" - Elijah likes the Elephant in "Paradise"
10) LMFAO "Party Rock Anthem" - I love the craziest of this video and the zombie references.  I think Elijah likes break dancing.

* I feel like I should also state that my son does enjoy the typical Preschool songs too.  He loves anything by VeggieTales and he loves "Amazing Grace."  Sadly, Elijah's love for music is not met with natural vocal talent.  I love him and his singing anyway.  I'm sure his singing will improve....

Sick Babies and Lullabies

Isaiah is nearly 6 months old now and we are dealing with our first real illness. He's been cranky, restless, and congested. The past couple of days he seems like he's in pain when he's laying down. I'm not 100% sure but I think he has an ear infection. I'm up at 5 am, snuggling my little baby boy and listening to lullabies. It all reminds me of another sick little guy- Elijah, who hasn't been sick since May (4 months) and it's the longest he's ever gone without requiring a trip to the doctor. I am so thankful to see him doing better.

So what changed? Well, it's hard to pinpoint only one thing because it's been a few things : ear tubes, adenoids surgery, diet changes, allergy medication, and no daycare. Staying home with me has changed our worlds. I can monitor and control all food, give him his Singulair, and more of my attention.

Elijah spent his first 2 years getting a constant stream of ear and sinus infections. Just when we were considering surgery, he seemed to get better and went a whole 3 months without one. Then January 2012 hit and my big guy had 9 ear infections by April (the earliest we could get him surgery). Elijah would literally finish one antibiotic and have to start another one a few days later. In early February, we found out he had some hearing loss and scheduled the surgery to put in tubes and take out his adenoids.

So, Elijah had the surgery in the very cool pediatric ENT surgery office. It was the hardest thing I've ever witnessed, and I unceremoniously became the oldest patient in the recovery. Elijah had been put under anesthesia and was only gone about 30 minutes when he was wheeled into recovered. He was already awake and coming out of it. He was furious to be hooked up to IVs and kept trying to rip then out. I teared up and just wanted to comfort him... Until I started feeling dizzy and nauseated.

Noah, my ex-firefighting husband had me sit down. I got hot and clammy but thought I could manage signing a few papers when the nurse called me out to her desk. Standing there, I tried to read and sign. But then things started to go black. I heard a muffled Noah say something and felt another nurse catch me and place me in a wheelchair. Next thing I know I've been wheeled down the hallway and I'm being handed apple juice. The nurse consoled me and told me Elijah was just fine and I needed to sit for a few moments. I started to cry. It was frustrating and I felt ridiculous. My boy needed me and here I am passing out.

We both recovered just fine. Elijah went home with us and it was so amazing to see and hear the differences afterwards. My son could hear! He went from mumbling a few words to talking more and more every day. His speech was delayed but he began progressing finally. He was less frustrated because he was able to communicate more. He didn't have to rely on baby sign language and started to articulate his needs. He passed his hearing tests at his check-up with flying colors.

It was such a blessing to see him healthier and happier. We haven't had any more doctor trips for ear infections. Elijah stayed well for a while, but then we began the battle of the allergies. To be continued...

*Update, we went to the doctor yesterday and yes, Isaiah has a double ear infection.  Poor little man.  Elijah was very concerned about his brother and kept telling him 'it's okay baby, Mommy's got you."  Love my boys.

Be Like a Dog Chewing a Bone

Isaiah has this fascination with going after and chewing shoes and dog toys. Last week when he was only belly crawling a few feet it wasn't that bad to keep moving them.  Zoey was the primary issue as she would bring the toys to him.  I think it's all part of her poodle ploy to get me to take them and throw them. This week my 5-month old crawler is able to get from one end of the room to the other very easily.  I'm going to have to get some new baby gates.  Once he has his mind set on getting to something, he will not give it up.  He loves to try and chew on Daddy's shoe laces, my crocs, my flip-flops, and Zoey's dog toys.  It's bizarre.  They can't taste very good at all! I always stop him before he chew them.

Today was interesting.  Isaiah spent all his waking moments crawling away from his toys and toward the forbidden items.  I move the shoes and toys out of his eye-line several times.  I even hid the shoes out of sight and he crawled around until he spotted the new location. Elijah tried to help me by taking the shoes away from him and replacing it with Isaiah's blue blanket.  He moved Daddy's big shoes only a foot away and dropped the blanket on Isaiah's outstretched arm.  Then, to really drive home the point, he stood between the shoes and Isaiah and then said "no brother, No shoes."  Isaiah just looked at him, grinned, and tried to reach for the shoes again.  I intervened at this point and put back in the middle of the living room and as far away from the shoes as possible.  I was sure to congratulate Elijah on a job well done.  Noah and I both told him how he was such a good helper and such a good big brother!  He was quite pleased with himself.  Clearly the praise worked because not 30 minutes later, Isaiah was trying to get to Zoey's stuffing free bunny and Eljah intervened again.  It's missing a face and I really don't see what the appeal is.  Elijah carefully scooped up the faceless fluffless bunny and replaced it with a baby teether - he told Isaiah that "no Zay-uh, this is for Zoey."  So cute.

I decided the next time he went for the toys I would snap some photos for memory's sake. Maybe my little guy thinks he is a puppy and not a baby boy.  I didn't have to wait very long for a picture.  The dog toys reappeared at his side with Zoey standing nearby.....

Now that I've got my funny photo, Zoey has lost access to her toys and all the shoes have been put in a bin by the front door.  This should stop him for a while at least!

Mommy must haves for little kid survival

My oldest, Elijah, is now 3 and my baby Isaiah is already 5 months old. Between the two of them I can say what my must haves for my boys:

1) Boppy pillow with multiple covers (used every day for little guy for nursing him and just propping him up)
2) pack'n play - great for both boys. I skipped the crib this time because By the time Elijah would actually sleep in his room he could climb the rails of it.
3) medela breast pump- makes it possible to actually leave the house
4) tupperware impressions tumblers with dripless straw tops- I have tried multiple sippy cups and even just let Elijah drink without a lid on his cup. He can do either but we always end up with a mess. These have saved me from many spills!
5) receiving blankets, bibs, and lots of Carter's onesies and rompers for the spit up gang - makes changes easy since both my boys had reflux.
6) Amazon mom and prime membership - get fast shipping and discounts on baby items. You also get accesses to lots of shows for you and the kids! Saves money and a trip to the store with two little nutter butters :)
7) organic baby wrap. I got mine from lovey duds like this one : http://www.etsy.com/listing/58208027/pre-order-organic-baby-wrap-hands-free?ref=shop_home_active
8) access to Pandora or endless lullabies.  I use my iPhone and it puts baby to sleep almost every time!
 

Apples, Carrots, Potatoes, OH MY!

 J'ai survécu à la première semaine. [I survived week one.]

I spent my week working hard with Elijah and his meals.  I took notes, I bookmarked over two dozen pages in my Nook Book version of French Kids Eat Everything.  I survived the first week and lived to tell the tale. She tells her story in such a humorous way and she approached her situation exactly how I would have done: with lists, plans, and some mistakes along the way.   I have to say that I enjoyed my week of learning and I loved getting to practice my French.   I spent 6+ year of my life trying to learn it and it was a nice fringe benefit to know what her girls were saying before the author gave you the English translation.  (I say trying to learn French because I can read it but conversing is a whole different story).

Elijah has been cut off from having access to the refrigerator and pantry for a couple of months now.  Previously I had read in a leading parenting magazine that you should keep healthy snacks available for them to serve themselves.  It seemed contrary to logic to allow this but I thought I'd try anything to get him eating his fruits and veggies again.  The idea crashed and burned and resulted in a child that was serving himself Cereal, Organic Fruit Snacks, lots of juice and more cereal.  He quit eating apples, carrots, and chicken around this time.

Learning this week is so much more about retraining myself and teach myself to eat a variety of foods.  I'm starting with trying to make meals that are more natural, less preservatives.  I know I can't make all the changes at once and I have to work with Elijah's food allergies, but changes are coming and my boy is already making progress.  He gave up carrots a few months ago and apples earlier this month.  This week, I managed to get him to eat both again.  If you are having trouble with your child and eating then you absolutely must read French Kids Eat Everything by Karen Le Billon.

Notes & Quotes:
These are the first 3 rules just paraphrased a bit.  These are the ones I'm working on first.  My comments have the * underneath.  The key to the rules is to make it about positive disciple and  establish a routine.

The Rules:
#1 Parent's are in charge of their children's food education.
    * I really never considered the idea of teaching my son about food.  But it was a light bulb moment for me.  Here I have been so concerned about his health, his allergies, he hearing, his speech, and I'm missing out on the keystone piece.  If I'm getting him to eat better and teaching him about his food then his health will improve.  The communication he gets from me while participating and learning will improve his speech.  What an empowering rule.  It's daunting but it's exciting.  Elijah enjoyed making biscuits this week with me and eagerly ate them up afterwards. *

#2 Food is NOT a pacifier, distraction, a toy, a reward, or substitute for discipline.
  *I have never wanted Elijah to play with his food but I have so been guilty of using it as a reward, especially for good behavior in a store. My issue is that I'm afraid to discipline my child in public via stern voice, smack of the hand, etc, because I don't want child services to be called.  I'm really jealous of the "it takes a village" concept in France, where the nearest adult will reprimand a child.  Really jealous.

#3 Parents schedule meal times and menus.  Kids eat what the adults eat.
  *I am a short-order cook no more.  I am excited to have this affirmed and proven.  Elijah gets what he gets and there will be no fit.  I am sticking to my guns.  He is strong-willed but so am I.  I'm older, I'm smarter, and I have patience when I know something is possible.  Karen Le Billon proved it is possible so I know we can make changes.  Thursday night he was served Breaded Chicken, Carrots, and Mashed Potatoes made with Lactaid.  It was a delicious meal.  He refused to eat anything but after sitting at the table with me for 30 minutes.  He begged and pleaded for cereal.  When I remained calm and continued to tell him that cereal was for breakfast he eventually gave in and ate his carrots.   We tried again at lunch time with leftovers and again he refused the chicken and mashed potatoes.  He gladly ate several carrots.  It was a small success but I was thrilled all the same.

So what's next? Well I'm going to continue to work on routine for Elijah.  I'm about to start introducing fruits and veggies to Isaiah (5 months now!) and I think this will be a great time to retrain Elijah too.  Now if I could just get my hands on a Babycook Baby Food Maker I'd be really in cooking. Yes,pun intended.

Upcycled Comic Coaster

Since I have resigned my position as teacher and no longer have an income to contribute, I am working hard on my Etsy shop: SkyBlue Creations & Finds.  I don't know if I'm in love with the name but I've been SkyBlue online for as long as I can remember.  My child art prints haven't sold in a while so I am trying to break into the "Dude gift" market as my college roomie calls it.  The goal has been two-fold.  1) Get rid of hubby's excess comic books, 2) Make some money.  I just posted them online last week so we will see how it goes.  I'm really happy with all the sets I've made so far.

 

 So how did I do it?  You can use old comics, scrapbook paper, bits of books, sheet music, etc.  If you are making them to sell then you absolutely CANNOT make copies of your comic book.  You must use the actual comic book.  This way you should be covered by the First Sale Doctrine but check with a lawyer. My comics that I'm using are generally ready for the recycling bin...they just aren't worth selling on their own.  Covers are bent, pages torn, etc.  The comics that I'm not using are the ones that were kept in pristine condition and are going to continue to live in the file cabinets in the closet. My husband tried to keep all his comics in good condition.  But he's been collecting for over 20 years and many of the comics were pre-owned before that. 

DIY: Upcycled Comic Coaster

Materials

-Square ceramic tiles (mine were 16 cents each and 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ from Home Depot)

-Decoupage glue, I used Mod Podge Gloss

 -Paper

-Foam brushes
-Adhesive backed thin rolled cork (or felt)
-Paper cutter
-Heavy-duty glue
-Ribbon or raffia for tying, or small appropriately-sized boxes.

-Miniwax Polycrylic Protective Finish.

Instructions

1. Clean the tiles with alcohol to remove smudges/fingerprints. Be sure you’re working on a non-stick surface like plastic or vinyl.

2. Cut your paper into squares 1/4″ smaller than your tile.

3. Use the foam brush to coat the tile with decoupage glue.

4. Center your paper on the tile. Press the paper to the tile firmly, beginning in the middle and working your way outwards. Smooth out bubbles quickly! Decoupage glue is NOT very forgiving!  Check all the edges and allow this layer to dry, ~15 mins

5. Apply a layer of decoupage glue to the top of the paper. Make sure your strokes run in only one direction.  Allow to dry (~15-20 mins)

6. Add another layer of decoupage glue over the coaster. You can make your brushstrokes in the same direction or the opposite direction (horizontally). The latter will produce a hatchmark effect which I think ends up looking more professional.

7. Continue adding layers of decoupage glue until you are satisfied with the look. I used three. Then repeat the process of sealing with waterproof acrylic sealer, brushing on a layer and allowing it to dry.

8. When the coasters are completely sealed and dry, cut the cork to the appropriate size to match your tiles.

9. Stack and package your coasters. I am using twine and a little tag for mine. 

*Be sure you are in a well ventilated area and you follow the precautions on the product! I wait at least one day before adding the sealer.

*Clean brushes out after each use.  The decoupage glue dries fast and will quickly ruin your brushes.

Isaiah at 5 months!

Isaiah actually was 5 months old on September 11th, but I had trouble writing a post about my happy baby boy on such a somber day and chose to put it off.

So what happened this month?  Well my happy guy didn't have a check-up this month or shots so I'm sure he was happy about that.  I don't know his actual weight but I know my arms are getting sore picking him up.  He is all muscle though as he is working hard on crawling.  He has succeeded in crawling a few feet but he generally gets around the room by rolling, baby push-ups, and grabbing onto stuff.  Much to my dismay, he is highly motivated to move when he sees a dog toy in reach.  He loves to go for Zoey's green chewy bone...I wish he would go for his own teethers!

As far as trying to communicate, he tries to wave 'hi' and 'bye' at us when we wave at him and he has big smiles for both daddy and mommy whenever we come into the room.  He has started paying more attention to big brother and even laughed at him this past week.  I think Elijah was a little startled by it.

Elijah doesn't really try to play with Isaiah yet, but he gives him kisses goodnight and is definitely concerned about him and his toys/blankets.  In fact, one day this past month I was sitting on the sofa using one of Isaiah's blankets to cover up instead of hunting for a sweater. Elijah took it away from me, smiled, held it up and said "blanket for baby!" He then ran off with it and covered his little brother up. He cracks me up.  Another sweet moment was when we arrived at the beach for the church picnic and as Isaiah was getting some attention, Elijah points at him and says "brother" and then kissed him on the forehead.  I'm proud of my little guys. 

As far a food and napping goes, Isaiah is taking a few power naps during the and then sleeping for 8-10 hours at night.  I thought maybe he was ready for solids but he keeps pushing the rice cereal out.  I'll keep at it.  My chunky guy is sure to give in eventually!

Manger! [To EAT!]

Je voudrais mon fils manger la bonne nourriture. [I would like my son to eat good food!]

The battle of the food commenced sometime around the time my son Elijah turned two.  He systematically quit eating foods that he normally ate.  My once good eater was gone and replaced with this tantrum throwing, food pushing, self-starving creature.  The doctor advised that it was a stage that he would outgrow.  She said that two-year olds don't eat much anyway.  They really don't.  In fact, after the rapid lightning growth we see from birth-24 months, the toddler stage is slow in comparison - so their needs are different but nutrition should still be a priority.  

With our son being so strong willed anyway, my husband and I decided that this was a battle we weren't going to wage.  We were already trying to break his will without breaking his spirit.  But the food issues just got worse when he was diagnosed with multiple food allergies (peanuts, wheat, corn, milk, soy).  As I struggled to cook and experiment in the kitchen with food, he resisted further.  He turned three this spring and showed no signs of relenting.  I was forced into sneaking fruits and veggies into smoothies or bribing with promises of cookies or fun afterwards. It worked for a while...until it just didn't.

This past month, he has flat out refused all sources of protein and even his once favored smoothies.  He would only eat cereal and bread. Desperate and convinced that things would have to change, we took the advice of my father-in-law and decided to remove any and all snacks.  The same weekend my cousin, Courtney, posted about two books that I clearly needed as well. Both are books about French kids and I am already half-way through them.  They confirmed the need to remove snacks and asserted that parents should not be short-order cooks.  Thank you Lord!  

We are already on Day 2 of no snacks and so far I have had some small triumphs.  Last night my son went to bed hungry because he refused to eat what we were having.  He began complaining and asking for food around 9 pm but I told him that if he was that hungry he could eat his carrots.  He cried for cereal but was told that was for breakfast.  At 9:35 pm, he broke down and was allowed out of his room to eat the agreed upon carrots.  He hasn't eaten carrots in 6 months-no I am not exaggerating.  I'm taking baby steps with this because we all have bad habits to break here.  Eventually, my plan is that if he doesn't eat with us at dinner time, the he will just not eat dinner.  Right now I just want to work on seeing him eat the food that is prepared for him and not put up a fight the whole way through.  Victory #2 came today at lunch time when he began asking for cereal again around 11pm.  I told him that cereal is for breakfast but if he was hungry he could have some mini-pizzas (freshly made with organic mozzarella I might add!)  He said "No thanks, I don't want it" and asked for apple juice.  Normally, I don't refuse him drinks but both my forays into French child rearing affirmed that drinks are not required at all hours of the day but given at meals.  So, I said he could have his juice when he was ready to eat his pizza.  Again, my strong willed child caved in when he was really.  He ate all his pizza and had a nice cup of apple juice as well.

I'm working harder, but hey, I've got the time to do it now that I'm not teaching.  So I will continue to read my books apply my new knowledge to change Elijah's appetite and help teach Isaiah about foods as he is starting solids now!

*By no snacks I mean that Elijah no longer has access to snack foods.  He still is getting a late afternoon snack but it is something I choose.  No more choices for him.  He eats what I give him or he just doesn't eat.  No battles, no pleading, no bribery.

Breastfeeding is awesome... except when it's not

I just read a hilarious article for National Breastfeeding Month titled "Breastfeeding is awesome...except when it's not," see original here and I thought I would add my own top reasons of why I don't always love breastfeeding. Don't get me wrong, there are so many awesome reasons why I do love it, and why it's the best decision for my family. But as the floodgates (pun intended) have opened on everyone promoting breastfeeding, I'd like to highlight some of my own amusing/awkward moments. Let's face it, we all feel better when we share ;)

So like said article says, I too do not speak for all the breastfeeding ladies, but at times I am jealous of the normal bras, the flexible schedule, and that....

1) You have the ability to leave your baby for more than a couple of hours with someone else. I seriously think my husband believes that baby needs milk access (even if he just ate and I am just running to the drive-thru pharmacy) at all times and a bottle just isn't the same....it really isn't to our son.

2) You don't have to worry about getting an infection in your breast. I didn't have the pleasure of experiencing mastitis with my first child, but the second time around I got a terrible infection and there were moments when I thought I would just pass out from the pain. I am not even exaggerating a little. I had to go to walk-in urgent care and they kept me under observation for a couple of hours before letting me go home. Seek treatment immediately if you suspect you are getting mastitis. You'll know because in addition to the breast pain, you feel like you have a really bad flu, complete with chills, fever, and aches all over.

3) You don't have to worry about checking to see if you have your nursing pads in before you leave home. Nobody wants to be at the store and start having a leaky situation. I keep spares in the car just in case. I've had to use them too.

4) You don't have to pump, label with name and date, and prepare bottles for baby to go to daycare the next day. Thankfully, I am not having to experience this again. It was a lot of work to get the bottles washed and filled and then I had to actually label them too with name and date. Too much extra work for a new mommy who wasn't getting much sleep to begin with.

5) You don't have to cry over spilt milk. Yes, I really did cry over this once with my first son. I had just spent my lunch hour at work pumping a good 16 ounces...only to spill it all over my pants. Since, I didn't have a spare pair in the car I just went home for the rest of the day. What a waste of good milk and of half a day of vacation time!

6) You don't have to monitor your diet for effects on baby. Once all the vomiting of pregnancy was over, I was ready to get back to eating again...only to find out that certain things (like chocolate) that I craved were still off of the menu because they upset little guy's tummy. I'd never seen projectile spit-up before baby boy #2. No chocolate milk for him...

7) You will never have to milk yourself in a public bathroom. Yes, I know this was on the original author's list, but it happened to me too. I had a terrible time with morning sickness during my pregnancy so when my first son was about 2 months old, we decided to go out to dinner at a popular Italian restaurant. I was thrilled to go out in public and to get to EAT!! yay! Well, halfway through the meal, I am about to burst. I seriously thought my chest might explode from the pain and pressure. So yeah, I resorted to leaving my lasagna to milk myself in a bathroom stall. I promised myself I would never let that happen again. It hasn't. The lasagna was so worth it though.

Okay....so now you are wondering why in the world I would put myself through all of that. Well, the benefits for baby having breast milk are proven. But I feel like I am blessed to actually be able to do this for my son so I should. Breastfeeding protects baby from viruses, reduces a child's risk of developing childhood cancers, decrease chance of baby getting allergies, and may actually help children avoid diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension later in life. Breastfed babies also have a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). What about benefits to mom? I have to mention that it was super nice to be able to lose the pregnancy weight within only a couple of months (I dropped 30lbs by the time baby was 8 weeks old). Also, breastfeeding may help protect against ovarian cancer and can reduce stress levels. I know sometimes it's tough, but the benefits outweigh the awkwardness and occasional inconveniences. If you can do it and it works for your family situation then try. There will be moments when you want to quit (I've had several). I only wish society didn't make it such an awkward topic/thing. But that's another issue to talk about for another post.

Happy National Breastfeeding Month.

Places of Love: Love Grows Here

Hallmark decided to do a contest Share a story (IN 250 WORDS OR LESS) about a particular place or space that has special meaning in your life (where you would say “love grows here”) and the person or people who have made that place so meaningful. 

This was my entry: On Granddaddy’s front porch we had welcome hugs, goodbye kisses, sharing of secrets with cousins, singing hymns, or just swinging quietly. Here is where love grew. My favorite childhood memories are from the summer days at Granddaddy’s. My mother is the youngest of seven children and there were 15 grandchildren in all. Granddaddy and Grandmother had labored to build this house and its large front porch. It took many years and all but my mother were gone and married by the time they finished. But they had their dream home: a sprawling five bedroom red brick home (with running water!) set on several acres of land in a town with only one traffic light. The traffic light was eventually taken out and the home was sold to become a quaint nursing home. But my memories on that front porch remain. I long for those summer days sitting on the front porch in that green swing with the cut out hearts. I felt closer to my family and to God as the time on the front porch offered nothing but an opportunity to bond. We shared our hopes, our dreams, our problems, our worries. We sang together and talked our hearts out. There was plenty of work to do but there was always time to spend together on the front porch. There was no TV to distract, no phones to divert, and definitely no city noises to take away from some good conversation and maybe a Dr. Pepper.

He's 4 months Already!

I can't even believe that this time last year I was starting my third year of teaching and pregnant. I didn't know how I was going to do it but I couldn't wait to meet my little bundle. I wasn't sick and I had such high hopes of having a totally different pregnancy. It wasn't.... I suffered through months of vomiting and trying to teach at the same time. But look at this little sweetie. He was so worth it. I love him to pieces! 

This past month has been interesting for sure. My little guy continued his absolute obsession of being near me at all times. I swear he knows when I even think about leaving the room. It made me tear up at just the thought of going back to work. Between my sweet little bundle's attachment and Elijah vast improvement in speech skills, Noah and I decided that it was best for me to take some time off from teaching. It was a hard decision but so worth the time I get with my boys.

Back to Isaiah's month. He went through a lot of changes already and is rolling around and doing this belly scooting maneuver. Apparently this combination of rolling and scooting is referred to as "creeping." His doctor said she expects he will be an early walker because he is way ahead with his motor skills. She even went so far as to tell me that his head and muscle control looked more like a 6-7 month old. I think she expected me to be surprised....I wasn't because Elijah took his first steps at 9 months old. Aside from motor skills, Isaiah is a super happy little guy. He smiles easily, even when all you say his name and loves to coo and laugh.  He apparently finds my hiccups funny.  I will admit, my hiccups are pretty funny - they sound like a combination of burping and hiccuping.  It is definitely not very ladylike, but makes for great entertainment. He is enjoying his toys and absolutely loves his o-ball.  Isaiah can actually throw the thing already.  

As far as sleep goes, my little guy is great.  Around 11 pm, he goes down for the night until about 7 am.  He takes about 3-4 good naps during the day.  I attempted to start him on solids, but Isaiah had little interest in actually ingesting them.  He enjoyed tasting and making a mess though!  At his 4 month check-up he weighed in at a strapping 15lbs 3oz and is already 26.5 inches.  He's growing so fast :)

Gamer wife confessions #1

I'll admit it - I like to play video games. I grew up loving video games.  I played them with my little brother and we had a blast.  We enjoyed our Super Nintendo, our Sega Genesis, our Playstation, and our gameboys.  It's not surprising I married a gamer.  When we were dating I even got into playing the same games as he did.   I know the lingo.  I can tell you that I like RPGs and I know what backwards compatible means.  However, I am not a true gamer myself.  I just don't have the time now that we have 2 kids.  I'd rather spend my precious few moments of free time taking a nap than catching up on my Skyrim character.  So this leads to me to.....

GAMER WIFE CONFESSION #1

I cannot wait until the new PS4 and XBOX 1 are out.  Not because I want to play the new fantastic games, see the improved graphics, experience better loading, faster downloads, or even enjoy the new controls .  I can't wait until the new systems because I want to STOP hearing about them!!!  I want to stop seeing the comparison videos.  I want to stop the daily conversations that revolve around why PS4 is so amazing.  Sony has definitely done things right this time.  But does that mean that I need to hear about them constantly?? My only reprieve is being able to participate in mocking Microsoft and all the mistakes they made and how much back-peddling they had to do after E3.  I'm still waiting for Microsoft to announce they have made the XBOX1 backwards compatible.  

There's a Woody in my purse!

Elijah's current favorite toy is a small Toy Story Woody, complete with lasso and cowboy hat.  He is getting the full size one for Christmas because for some reason it was on clearance at Target.  It was originally $44.98 and marked down to $32.20.  Can someone say deal!!!  I'm still watching for Buzz Lightyear to go on sale.  Yes, I am already Christmas shopping.  So far his stocking is going to be stuffed with a Monsters Inc Pez dispenser, a small superman in a car, and a book.  

Anyway, this Woody toy is going everywhere with him.  Woody has been to the park, the mall, church, and out grocery shopping.  I suppose I shouldn't be surprised he is appearing in odd places.  So far I have found him in the dog bowl, in my purse, and even buried in the comforter of my bed... It's starting to get weird!  If I find him perched over me whilst I sleep there will be screaming.  Anyone else have a toy following them?

Where is Elijah....

My 3 year old, Elijah, may struggle with his speech but he is quite a problem solver.  He loves to play with the water hose on the patio and apparently was determined to do so, with or without us.  One Sunday morning at approximately 7am, he crawled into bed with my husband, my 3 month old, and I.  As usual and we all went back to sleep and I was hoping for maybe an extra 30 minutes of rest before he started saying "Mama, wake up.  Are you hungry?".  The next thing I know, I wake up feeling rested.  I knew something wasn't right and my husband sat up and noticed Elijah is not in bed with us.  He jumped out of bed to go find out what he was up to.   Assuming he was just in the living room playing, I rolled over and checked my phone and panicked when I saw it said 10am.  About that time, Noah calls out to me that Elijah is nowhere to be found in the house.   My precious, active son was missing. My heart stopped.  I felt like I couldn't breath. Terrified, I was already thinking of all the things that could happen.  We have a pond with alligators behind our apartment, a pool down the street, tons of neighbors….  I flew out of bed, completely frightened and ready to start looking for him.  As soon as I reached the living room, Noah was dragging a soaking wet Elijah down hallway to his room as he scolded him.  Thankfully, Elijah had been found and had come to no harm.  He had been playing outside on the patio to play in a thunderstorm – it had been pouring rain with lots of lightning all morning.  Noah’s only clue to his location was a chair pulled up to the sliding glass door.  Apparently Elijah had pulled the chair up to the door, pulled the locking pin out, hid the pin, unlocked the second lock, went outside, and closed the door behind him.  He wanted to play with the hose on the patio so badly that he figured out his escape.  We can only guess to how long he was out there….  It took hours for my heart and Noah’s to return to normal.  There is a third lock on our sliding door and Elijah cannot reach it or figure it out.  It's also transparent, so he hasn't even noticed that's why he can't get out again.

Just want hold his hand a little longer

My 3 month old, Isaiah, quickly showed us that he was different than his brother. Where Elijah is serious, Isaiah is smiling.  Where Elijah was fine to be on his own, Isaiah knows the moment we put him down.  I have a ton of projects and chores to do but right now all I want to do is hold his hand and watch him smile in his sleep as he snuggles in my arms.  I love both my boys equally but I have to admit that I love moments like this.  I know they won't last forever! Cue sighs.

Brotherly love

My 3 year-old, Elijah, is very loving.  He gives hugs and kisses freely.  He tells us he loves us all the time.  He expresses concern when his baby brother, Isaiah, fusses and cries.  He even tells him things like "it's okay baby, don't cry,"  and will share his special blankets with him.  He will give Isaiah kisses on the forehead even!  Despite all this, Elijah does not want to sit for a photo with his brother?  So yes, I did indeed resort to bribery to document my two boys sitting together.  Now Elijah thinks that every time I take his picture, he is going to get a piece of candy.  Oh well, a priceless pic of my boys together is worth a few lollipops and sticky hands :)

Follower of Christ

I am doing some theology reading on Arminianism vs Calvinism and I find myself frustrated that Christians are so focused on trying to put God's word into a box. I personally lean toward one side but I cannot wholly embrace one or the other. Let scripture interpret scripture. To do this accurately, all Christians should know their Bibles. The debate has gone on for centuries and is sure to continue as finite humans try to grasp an Infinite God.

Favorite Books for my boys

We have a lot of board books and several cloth books.  I love books and there are so many that Elijah (age 3) could just care less about.  Any of the nice picture books that we have gotten are stored in the closet because Elijah went through a stage of chewing all books.  He is also pretty destructive and I just don't trust him to have them out.  He just has to read the books with me holding them.  Isaiah is only 5 months old so not too discerning yet.  These are the boys favorites thus far. 

1) Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox & Judy Horacek
    Elijah loved this book when he was a baby and he still enjoys the cute pictures and rhythmic story.  I love that the Green Sheep is fast asleep at the end.  It makes it a fun bedtime story.  We are already on our second copy of this board book since Elijah thoroughly enjoyed this one.  He was upset when it was finally to the point of no return. I think I've probably made him partial to this one because I love the illustrator and she actually was the one that inspired me to start outlining all my children's illustrations with black sharpies.  I don't think that is how she does it but I'm a sucker for sharpies.

2) Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton
   We have several Boynton books and Elijah enjoys all of them.  He finds this one very funny and requests this one most often.  She has illustrated over fifty children's books and I expect we will one day own a large share of them.  He loves to 'read' it with me when we get to the "oops" parts. This one has actually helped me with working on colors for Elijah. 

3) Squishy Turtle and Friends Cloth Book by Roger Priddy
  This was a great buy for both boys.  It has Textured fabrics, bright colors, and cute illustrations.  Really helps develop the kid's sensory awareness.  

4) My First Colors: Let's Learn Them All! by DK
  I haven't introduced this book to Isaiah yet but it is a big favorite of Elijah's.  It has tons of great pictures that illustrate different shades of the color.  Elijah requests this one quite often and likes to tell me about the objects on the pages.  I love the tabs and it even includes pages of Silver and Gold!  I think this book will continue to be a must have for discovering and learning.  Any of the books in the series are great! 

5)  Penguin Says "Please" by Michael Dahl
  A great quick little board book that helps teach please.  Very cute illustrations.  I got it as a stocking stuffer last Christmas before Elijah turned 3 and he still enjoys it.

Top reasons why Elijah has meltdowns

Elijah is going through this stage of crying and whining every time something doesn't go right.  I decided to google this thinking that maybe we are doing something wrong.  Our response when he goes into these crying fits is usually to tell him that he needs to calm down because we can't understand crying.  Some times he escalates and gets to visit his room to calm down.  According to google we are not alone.  Other parents face the same issue and some even made lists of what sets their preschooler off.  It's humorous and therapeutic - so here is what sets my 3 year old Elijah off (in no particular order)

1) we don't understand mumbling

2) he isn't allowed to play with the dog leash and wrap it around his neck

3) he has to wear shoes outside 

4) he has to take shoes off inside

5) he can't go out in the lightning 

6) he threw the toy to the dog and she went and got it

7) the dog doesn't want to play with him

8) Netflix is slow

9) it's the wrong veggie tales

10) the chicken nugget is too hot

11) the chicken nugget isn't hot

12) he can't turn the water up to scalding

13) YouTube is not working

14) he's not allowed to take everything out of the fridge

15) he wants apple slices not apple sauce

16) he couldn't throw the watermelon

17) he can't sit in the baby swing

18) his baby brother isn't in the baby swing

19) baby brother is crying

20) he gave the dog his chicken and she ate it

21) the dog is barking

22) he is stuck in the booster seat and wants help

23) he wants to get out of the booster seat by himself 

24) he can't play with the breast pump 

25) he can't go in the pond with the gator

26) I organized his toys

27) I washed his blankets without him

28) I gave him the wrong blue blanket ( they are identical)

29) it's the wrong apple juice

30) Netflix took Yo Gabba Gabba off

31) he hurt himself dancing

32) he broke the chalk on purpose and now it won't go back together 

33) he has to wear a jacket when it's 50 degrees outside

34) he can't play with scissors

35) there is oatmeal on his shirt

36) he wants cereal

37) he doesn't want cereal

38) it's the wrong spoon

39) he can't get in the baby car seat

40) he wants to go home

41) he doesn't want to go home

42) he has to wear pants

43) we are going to hunt for Easter eggs