Public Service Announcement

Recently I have attended a few social gatherings with just Elias (Matt has been sick or busy). It is no simple task to entertain your child at someone else's house or in a public place that isn't childproof and preferably padded on all sides. I always come prepared with toys and food, but inevitably Elias loves to get into those things that are not for kids. This is no new thing, it happens at home too. The trouble is, I go to a party because I would like to talk with people, eat and enjoy myself. I have noticed that at events, if I have to constantly watch and play with Elias, no one comes and talks to me. I tried to talk to a friend at the last party, but he wouldn't follow me around and talk as I chased after Elias. So, I write this as a public service announcement. The next time you are at a party and there is someone there with child in tow, follow her (or him) around and play with their child, talk to them and make them feel like it was worth it to come out. Even if you don't have all that much to say, just think how much more conversation it will be than the last time they were at a party.

Missed Post

As I was checking my posts, I realized earlier this month I was planing on writing about getting Elias off of the bottle, but never finished it. So this is about a month behind, but Elias is using a sippy cup. Hurray!

I decided one day (and who knows where I get these crazy ideas) that Elias should transition from using a bottle to the sippy cup. I actually think we may have waited too long because it was a bit of a struggle. Elias takes a while to warm up to change (don't we all), so for a while, he just wasn't drinking milk anymore (this made Matt worry, of course). I knew he could use both kinds of cups we had because he drinks water out of them at school. One day they told me he drank a cup and a half of water out of the sippy cup, so it became a battle of the wills. After about a week, he started using one particular kind of cup pretty well, so I deemed him off the bottle. He still doesn't drink quite as much milk as he used to, but I think it is because he is eating more. That Elias just keeps on growing up!

Highchairs are Gross

We were lucky enough to get a used highchair from a co-worker and it worked really well for feeding Elias. I have just recently returned it to her as her daughter is having a baby. I'm sure you have seen it in the many pictures I have posted here. The thing is highchairs are really gross. They get food stuck everywhere and are impossible to clean. This particular highchair had tons and tons of nooks and crannies, screws an seams. Icky!

To take its place, we got one of those restaurant highchairs on Craig's list. It has far few pieces to clean and pulls right up to the dinning room table. I like it sooooo much better. I've decided when babies are small, getting a highchair that hooks onto a chair is the way to go. When they get to be toddlers, the restaurant style chair works great. Just a little tip for those of you yet to experience the sticky god-awful smell of days old food caked onto a traditional highchair. Hope this helps.

Conferences

Elias had his second parent/teacher conference at daycare last week. To summarize:

Elias doesn't put up much of a fuss and can be easily overlooked at school. He often entertains himself, and always has a smile for the teachers. He is slow to try new things and will let you know when he isn't interested. He loves music, being outside, books, puzzles, and stacking cups. He will participate in art projects, but doesn't like getting messy. The goals for Elias are to try and get him to interract more with the other kids.

When I told Matt, he was a bit disappointed. He doesn't want Elias to be quite so much like him, and would rather him be a little bit more like me. I must say I'm not surprised he is a lot like Matt. Just look at him for goodness sakes.

And it is Still Snowing

We've gotten well over a foot of snow in the last two days. Elias, Matt and I went out to play in it for a short while this afternoon (no work!). My favorite moment was when Elias leaned on a big pile of snow and went head first into it. Wasn't quite as solid as he thought. I found it hilarious...Elias, not so much. It is supposed to be sunny and 40 tomorrow. Gotta love Colorado.

Cruddy

Everyone seems to be feeling cruddy these days. Elias got a cold with wheezing (as always) and was just too tired to go to school for a few days. Once he seemed better rested, he quit eating and started crying non-stop. That can only mean one thing...ear infection. Luckily we have some drops from last time that relieve the pain, but it still entails a trip to the nurse practitioner, a couple more days out of school and ten days of medicine. One would think with all of the time off of work I could have gotten a lot done at home, but no such luck. Now Matt and I have sore throats, and strep was going around my office. Ugh. Wonder how much I'll get done if I have to take off for that.

A Busy Boy

Elias gets into everything. Almost everyone describes him by saying, "Elias sure is a busy boy." A few weeks ago he pushed his toy table over to the kitchen counter, stood up on it and was trying to get something down that I'm sure wasn't meant for him. Busy.....hmmmm. I tend to say "trouble", but to each their own.

Illinois Part II

Right after the shindig on Sunday, Dad took Elias and me back to Springfield where we met up with my sister, Doug and their two kids. In the two days we were there, we squeezed in playing at the park (Ethan pulled Elias all the way there in the red wagon), catching up with my Dad's (not so little) little brother Dustin and making s'mores over a real fire in the living room. It ended with Elias getting an extra seat on the plane ride home (thank goodness). Matt picked us up at the airport, feeling better, but not 100%. Since it has taken me a few weeks to finally catch up on the blog, Matt is now over his strange virus...and we are already thinking about our next trip.

Illinois Part I

It has been a little while now, but I am finally finding time to write about our trip to Illinois...at least the first part. Elias and I flew to Chicago and helped Mom and Jim prepare for my Grandma Ruth's big 90th birthday bash. At least that is the way I like to think of it...us going out early to "help". We spent a few days watching the cars and boats, swimming in the pool and in the playroom. We also made cupcakes for the party, nailed down the party events and wrote names on name tags, etc.

We were supposed to get Matt on Saturday a the airport, but he was too sick to come (he is finally feeling better). So the four of us headed to the middle of nowhere Illinois to see family we hadn't seen in years. Some of the highlights at the party were a family tree with stickers to help the kids meet, coloring, a parade, a grand march, cupcake decorating, a nature hike and regular old running around. Sunday was a little more lowkey with the viewing of an old family video in the middle of the hotel breakfast area (I hope the people we didn't know staying at the hotel enjoyed it as much as I did), old friends of Grandma's coming to visit, outstanding cookies and regular old small talk.

It was nice to finally see those long lost cousins and catch up...just don't ask me the names of all of their kids.

Mama

It is about time...Elias is finally saying "Mama". He has lots of words, and seems to get more each day. A sample below:

Door and light - A lot of opportunities for these two

Animal noises - Moo, Baa, Ruff, Meow, Roar and my personal favorite - Oink (just ask him, you'll see why)

Daddy - We've been over this one before

All done - This one often comes with a sweep of the arm across the table

Numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 - If you point to these numbers, he will name the correct ones (not sure why he hates 1 and 7 so much)

Socks and shoes - He even "helps" put them on

Up - This means both up and down

Car and trees - If we are driving around and you ask him what he sees, he will say car even if there isn't one

Cheese and cracker - One of his favorite combos

No, no, no - This is a direct imitation of me and is done when he is doing something he knows he shouldn't

Just a small sample. He talks a lot even if we can't quite understand him. I guess we should start enjoying it now since once he gets older, it will be like pulling teeth to get him to say anything.

Cruel and Unusual?

I recently realized that the stuffed lion on wheels that Elias got from Aunt Jamie sits right outside Sumo's kennel when it isn't in use. Every time we are gone, I'm thinking that it just looks at Sumo and Sumo looks back, a little frightened. It is bigger than him.

La La La

Elias loves music and has started to sing. He can sing most of the tune of the "ABCs"...the words, not so much. He has a wicked "EIEIO" during "Old MacDonald", and he does the movements to "If You're Happy and You Know It" and "Head and Shoulders". When you see him, be prepared with "Itsy Bitsy Spider". He'll ask for it by mashing his fingers together. You'll know.

What, No Crying?

It may seem impossible to believe, but Elias got his haircut last week with no crying. We went to a recommended lady (thanks Shari!) who cuts hair out of her home. The trip took us over 2 hours, but it was worth it. At first Elias wasn't sure, but he sat in a boat chair, had a little table to put toys on, a magic bubble wand, and was watching "Baby Einstein". Colleen took her time (about an hour) showing Elias all of her tools and taking a break when he wasn't real sure. So much better than the kicking and screaming when I tried it. I guess he won't have to have 80s boy band hair after all.

Trusty Old Mazda

It has been a few weeks now, but my 1998 Mazda Protege was having problems. In fact, it was when our New Zealand friends were here (great timing). When I drove it, it would often idle really low, and die as I slowed down or waited at stoplights. After a while, I would have to constantly pump the gas when I was stopped to keep it idled high enough to get going when the light turned green.

One day, as I was leaving the daycare, it was acting up. Since daycare is downtown, we park in a garage and put our parking validation card in the machine on the way out. Then, we drive up a very steep hill to get to the street level. At about the middle of that hill, the car dies. This is not good. Luckily there weren't too many people behind me, so they could back up until I could get to the bottom of the hill, pump the gas and gun it up. Phew...just made that one.

In hindsight, after that I should have taken the car in as soon as possible...but with guests in town, it seemed hard to find a good time. The following Monday, on my way to work, I turned the corner for the last mile or so to work, and it was stop and go traffic. Having just passed the mechanic, I should have turned around right there and dropped it off. But no, I figured I could make it. Thirty minutes later, the car dies just as I am to turn into work and refuses to start again. I waved people around me, trying to yell that the traffic jam was not my fault. I called some guys at work who helped me push it out of traffic, called a tow truck (it was towed only 1 mile) and had the fuel pump replaced. Perhaps I better start calling it my rusty old Mazda.