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.