Why I am feeling good today:

• My super awesome husband got his CDL yesterday...and, provided his drug test comes back clean (which it had better!), he will get a new truck...which means he will have WAY fewer truck problems...which hopefully means he'll be home a little more quickly after his runs!
  
• I am going to take a kickboxing class this summer! Until now, the only place I could find a class was through a health club...which, if you're not a member, was INSANELY expensive. This is through the Milwaukee Rec. Department and because we are residents, it's very cheap...I am totally excited
• I am FINALLY losing weight. I knew it would happen eventually but I was getting tired of exercising and not seeing results. Now I just feel more motivated
  
• I JUST found out you can use Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bags for frozen vegetables...this is good because my son is obsessed with green beans!
  
• Adam taught Elijah to grunt when he's putting on his shoes...it is so cute! Now, when I hear caveman-type grunting from another area of the house, I know that Elijah needs a little help putting a shoe back on!
  
• My upstairs neighbors aren't fighting anymore (it got pretty loud this afternoon)...not only am I grateful for the quiet, but I'm thankful that they're NOT fighting!
• I bought boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.88 a pound yesterday! I love chicken and so does Elijah!
• Even though it's pretty chilly outside, the sun is still out. I love the sun.
• Elijah is almost done eating dinner, the dishes are DONE (we don't have a dishwasher), Elijah is going to take a bath and then we can just relax tonight until he goes to bed.
• Ooooh...and when I gave Elijah his dinner tonight, I told him to say "thank you" and he did! And it really sounded like "thank you"...he said it yesterday morning, too.
• Elijah also says "bless you" to me when I sneeze...he actually says "bah" but he says it every time I sneeze, and sometimes when the cats sneeze so I know he's trying.
• Elijah loves to read books. Before he goes to bed at night, I always tell him to go get a book to read...and about 10 books later, he's ready for bed. Plus, sometimes during the day when he gets quiet (and I get worried that he's misbehaving!), I check on him and find that he's sitting quietly, "reading" a book.
• Apparently, we're supposed to have rain/snow showers tomorrow...but I know it won't stick to the ground!
• My house is clean. So tonight after Elijah goes to bed, I am going to take a bath and enjoy the silence.

Well, I am sure there are more reasons but that's a pretty good list, if I do say so myself. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Paper: $1.00

Finger paint: $2.50

Baby soap: $3.00

Floor cleaner: $3.50

Finger painting with a 17 month old: PRICELESS








Here are a couple extra photos for your viewing pleasure:


Elijah wearing a maternity swim suit

and


ANGRY TACO CAT!!!
(of course I'd be angry too if someone made me wear a taco costume!)

Elijah's first portraits

Elijah had his first set of portraits taken this month (thank you, Seiberlings!). He looks like such a little boy now!






these four are my favorites (except the football in the first one!):

Poor Elijah. He's having a tough time today. It started at 6:45am when I heard him talking in his crib. Now let me explain something: Elijah is not a morning person, probably because he has two parents who aren't very fond of mornings either! Most mornings he sleeps until 8am. So for Elijah to be wide awake at 6:45...I just knew it was going to be an interesting day. But we got up, got dressed and started the day. We have a pretty good morning routine: Elijah gets some animal crackers in his orange cup and watered down juice to keep him pacified until his oatmeal has cooked and cooled. Usually, this goes very well. Today, however, it did not. Elijah was climbing on a chair and fell off the chair face first...into the kitchen floor. We were lucky enough to not have blood but by the time I picked him up off the floor, he had a huge fat lip. And because he was so upset, he wouldn't let me do anything for him. He didn't even want to be held! So I let him cry it out and then he came and sat on my lap for awhile. Poor little guy! Well, the huge lip must have made it painful to eat off a spoon because after only a quarter of his bowl of oatmeal, he started crying and pushing the bowl away. So this is the 3rd thing for him...he loves his oatmeal! He was trying so hard to just eat it but I could tell it hurt. He finally settled for dry Cheerios and animal crackers.

So the morning continues with various temper tantrums for no reason and almost falling backwards off the couch. I caught him by his leg, which I think made him angrier at me! Sheesh, I was just trying to help! Needless to say, I decided his nap time was happening before lunch today. Which is when I found the next problem: grapes give Elijah diarrhea. Nasty diarrhea with grape halves in it. And diarrhea means awful diaper changes with a lot of crying and poopy socks due to flailing. Yeah... We made it through, and he seemed to be content in his crib. He fell asleep and I just hoped he'd sleep off his bad day. He woke up after an hour...which means he needs another nap today, and it will probably be too long...which means he won't go to bed on time tonight...which means, well, I don't know but we definitely do NOT need this day to repeat itself tomorrow. I just told him he needs to SIT , not STAND on the bench in the living room and he is one ticked off toddler. He screamed (his new thing when he gets scolded!) and threw himself onto the floor. Then he decided to stop crying long enough to take a drink...but alas, the cup was empty...so he walked in the kitchen and threw it at me . Funny thing, though, is he walked away and is fine now. Yeah... It's days like this that make me feel bummed - he's scowling at me from across the room right now! I'm hoping he decides he likes me again soon...

Good news is his lip isn't nearly as swollen as it was this morning. Prior to his meltdown, he let me take some pictures:


You can see on his left (your right) where it's really red...that's the spot he hit. Poor monkey...

This is his "I'm gonna freak out and cry now" face.

Crisis averted (for the time)...I got him to smile!

Elijah LOVES to read!

I love how cute he looks when he's "reading" his books!


In the first picture, he is putting the first book away! I've trained him well




Adam taught him how to climb on the furniture ...so he likes to read on the couch, too!

Laundry Day

Elijah wanted to help me with laundry today...here's some pictures from our laundry day:



Juice break!

Check out that BIG melon of a head! Just kidding...his head is fine!

I like this set...so serious...

followed by the giggles...


followed by a series of poses (what a ham!)

My little laundry helper He's the best.