Elias is 9 Months Old

In His 9th Month, Elias:

Weighed 22 lbs and 13 oz.
75th percentile for weight,
and 80th percentile for height.
Wore size 4 diapers.
Wore size 18 month clothes.
Had terrible eczema on his knees, chest, and chin.
Was crawling EVERYWHERE.
Was often found underneath the kitchen table,
crawling through the chairs as if it was a jungle gym.
Had two teeth (bottom front).
Chewed on anything he could.
Always needed to wear a bib.
Was a Momma's boy.
Celebrated her 30th birthday.
Still nursing full time.
Would not eat baby food or puffs.
Did not take naps.
Slept for 1-2 consecutive hours a night.
Got moved into his own room.
His past sickness (and respiratory issues)
   has caused some sleeping/eating issues:
   1.  He falls asleep sitting up.
   2.  He wakes every couple of hours.
   3.  He is never full.
   4.  He is scared to swallow.
   5.  He has created an aversion to spoons
          or having things put into his mouth.
The dr. says due to sickness, his breathing/eating
   is like that of a 5-6 month old.
He says Da-da and Ma-ma.
Babbles all the time.
Is either always smiling or scowling.
Is very serious.
Has started wanting other people to hold him.
He'll finally reach his arms out to others.
Saw his first snow.
Ate his first bites of watermelon and cantaloupe.
Likes sucking on popsicles.
Got his first real "boo-boo."
He pulled up on the lazy susan
   and pulled a can onto his finger, smashing it.
Loves his big brother Daniel.
Always likes watching Daniel and laughs at him.
Pulls hair.
Loves to hug and pull others close to him.
REALLY enjoys bath time.
Got his flu shot.
Didn't cry at all.

Made some major messes...

Cutest toothy grin...

He sported one pearly white for a month.

Laughing with Mimi

at Mommy's 30th birthday dinner.

Elias' favorite toy this month

was most definitely Mommy's cell phone.

Daniel was playing "dress up Elias."

Elias didn't want to miss anything.

He always crawled right to where the action was!

Learned to pull up this month.

AND how to stand and play at the same time.

Elias' first "injury." 

Thanks to a can of sweet potatoes.

Happy baby despite his red,

carpet burned, eczema knees.

Seeing snow for the first time.

Trying his very first popsicle.

My sweet Valentine.

With Mommy on Valentine's Day

Holding his own piece of watermelon

He did NOT like the idea 

of sleeping in his crib.

He's slept in his car seat

sitting up his whole life.

Simple, Sweet, Sick Valentine's

Brian and I decided that Valentine's Day wasn't ever going to be a big deal for us.  If we make plans, great.  If we don't, that's fine too.  This year was so simple.  The weather was perfect and the boys are particular.  I knew just what to do.

We went for a walk around the neighborhood,

despite the fact that Mommy had bronchitis.

CRAZY.

Pushing the double stroller sent me 

straight

to the nebulizer.

Samuel, however, loved getting out.

Daniel loves the outdoors.  

He rode his tractor around the subdivision 

until its battery died.  

That might have been what sent me

straight

to the nebulizer.

I asked the boys specifically what they wanted

for the Valentine's supper.

Here were their requests:

Daniel wanted a chocolate (nutella) sandwich,

fruit with all the colors, grape juice, and 

a little macaroni.

Samuel wanted a sandwich with "just jelly by itself",

macaroni and cheese, tea, watermelon and strawberries.

"Not all the colors, just blue."

Well, actually, Samuel, those would be red.

Their Valentine's dinner plates. 

Fancy.

We broke out the FINE china paper plates.

I even used my knife to cut their sandwiches 

into hearts.  Cute, right?

Samuel just wanted to eat.

Daniel was ready to pray.

Elias just wanted to crawl under our feet.

Taking a picture of one of my Valentine's.

Elias tried watermelon for the first time.

He liked the juice.

THEN, Daddy got home!

Samuel took our picture!

We lowered Elias' crib so we could attempt

to put him in it at night.

He didn't like the idea 

as much as his big brothers did.

The Week of P

As a former Kindergarten teacher, I love everything about school.  I love that our children attend a Mother's Day Out program that incorporates Christ into learning, and what's great is that my boys love to learn!  Last week was "P Week" at MDO, and on Tuesday the boys got to wear their pajamas to school.  Samuel was so anxious to wear his Elmo jammies and Toy Story house shoes that he woke up at 6:30 that morning asking, "Is it school day?  Can I go see Ms. Rochelle yet?"  

Might I add that Samuel has NEVER,

not ONCE wore his house shoes before...

that is, until Pajama day at MDO!

Daniel was decked out 

in his Thomas Pajama gear!

Thomas pjs, house shoes, lunch box, 

and even a Thomas nap mat.

Later that week, the boys Pretended to be

what they call "cookers."

Samuel also proved himself to be

the perfectionist we know him to be

by sitting and eating every last piece 

of rice leftover from his Mexican dinner.

(Excuse my face in this one.  I was SO surprised!)

And, last but not least, our littlest one (8 1/2 months)

isn't a big eater.  In fact, he's not eating anything yet at all.

He's still breastfed and healthy, 23 lbs healthy, 

wearing 18 month clothes healthy, but he's not into food.

That is, until his brothers got popsicles.

He actually wanted it!

We ended this week with seeing the pediatrician...  All three boys had sinus infections, and Daniel had an ear infection.  Antibiotics for all!  Then, Mommy got sick with bronchitis, sinus infection, and an ear infection too.  Would we all be puny on Valentine's Day?!

February Snow Fall

As a January baby, I have always expected snow at the beginning of every year, just so as to ruin my birthday parties.  However, not this year.  I celebrated my 30th birthday on January 22nd, and it was fantastic without a hint of snow!  

BUT, with three little boys, I can't help but want some snow.  Like a few inches for them to run and play in for about 10 minutes, and then I'll be over it.  When February rolled around this year, the boys were so excited to find snow in their backyard.  It wasn't much, but it was enough to get them so ecstatic I couldn't calm them down!  The temperature was in the twenties, so I didn't let them go outside...  

but that didn't stop a certain, determined Daniel.

Footprints in the sand snow.

Elias' first boo-boo happened that day as well.

A can of corn fell onto his finger

as he was using it as leverage to stand up.

Even though it was too cold to go outside,

I knew I could take their minds off of the snow

by making our very own ICE CREAM!

They were so excited to mix the ingredients

in their ziploc bags and find that REAL

ice cream came out.

Daniel showing his off.

Elias' banged up knees from crawling!

Isn't he the cutest?!

Daniel even found a "snowman" in his ice cream.

Do you see it?

Watching the snow fall in February!