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.