Bumps and Bruises

Now that crawling is in full swing, so are the bumps and bruises. Elliot decided to crawl over the bottom "shelf" part of our coffee table last night, but couldn't quite make it onto it and smashed his face on the edge. I have never heard him cry so hard, I felt horrible.

To top it off, I had twisted my ankle pretty bad while out on our daily walk and it really hurt. My brain said "Run to Elliot" and I did, twisting it again and falling to the floor almost on top of the poor kid.

So he was crying, I was trying not to, and Tony was trying to figure out who to check on first. Elvis just sat there looking at us like we were all fools.

In the end, Tony consoled Elliot, I iced my ankle (which still hurts and is swollen...a trip to the doctor may be in order) and Elvis went to bed.

Aaaaahhh, and it's just the beginning!

Tiring Times Ahead

Elliot is crawling all over the place. It's all he wants to do. Right up until bedtime. He was so tired, but had to keep going so he took breaks. It was pretty cute. See for yourself.

Oh, and his 2 top teeth are coming in so he's been up early for the past few days. I think they will break through tomorrow. They are so close. I hope so anyway. I would really love to sleep past 5 am!

So, my tired baby is in bed early and I am going to relax a little and head to bed early myself.

White Spot

Elliot was up early again. So I checked his gums. I saw a white spot on his upper gums. Could this be a sign that the tooth is coming soon? I hear that it could be, but since I didn't know Elliot's teething signs for his first 2 teeth I have no idea if these spots were there. I didn't know there was a tooth until he bit my finger.

Oh, and right this very second, Elliot is trying to pull up. He can do it on us, but now he's practicing with a chair. Would someone please tell my baby to stay a baby a little longer? He's not even officially 7 months yet.

Monday Blues and Milestones

This is what my weekday mornings look like. Elliot sits in my lap and plays. Makes it really hard to go to work. Especially on Mondays. I seriously considered calling in sick today so I could stay home with my little guy!

I think we may be seeing tooth #3 soon. Before each of the other 2 teeth appeared, Elliot didn't eat well, got up really early and his naps were all screwy. Well, he didn't eat well yesterday or today, got up really early today and his naps have been screwy for 2 days. I guess we'll see if my theory is correct in the next day or two. I hope it's not another tooth. That would be 3 in 2 weeks.

Today Elliot started to crawl, officially. He's been scooting backwards and sideways, but today he went forward, ALOT. Of course, when I tried to get it on video he got lazy and only army crawled. But I think that counts too!

Trail Walk

We headed out on the trail again today. This time Elvis joined us. He did quite well, considering he is terribly out of shape. He trucked along, stopping for sniff breaks. Then he decided to cool off in the stream/brook (whatever you want to call it!). He also tried to bring a stick much larger than himself home with him...we "lost" it on the way though.

Walking the trail

Cooling Off

With the Big Stick

Here's a pic where you can see the pocket on my new sling...I just LOVE this thing!

Milestones Galore

Yesterday, while home for lunch, I discovered Elliot's second tooth had emerged. His first was just last Monday, a week and a half ago, and isn't even fully in yet.

Last night, he figured out how to get from crawling stance to sitting and finally moved forward a little while crawling.

I can't believe how fast my baby is growing.

Ring Sling

I have tried all kinds of carriers. Either Elliot was uncomfortable, I was or we both were. Some wonderful ladies on Babycenter told me about the ring sling...in fact one of them makes them. So I bought one. It is the most amazing thing ever!! Just a piece of fabric, so easy to put on and put Elliot in. He loves it. We used it all Saturday afternoon and it was like my 18 pound baby weighted about 5. If only I had known about them 6 months ago.

Here we are with the sling and although you can't see it in this pic (I'll have to get a better one) there is a cute pocket on it. Great for keys, phone, wallet.

Please don't look at me, only the baby in the sling...NOT a good photo day!

To get this sling or one like it, visit Indie Sunshine and tell her Kristin sent you!

Thank you again, Melissa!

Baby Pools and Car Seats

We finally had a nice, sunny, warm day. They seem to be few and far between this summer. I decided to sneak out of work early today. Well, not sneak as much as just walk out the front door, I was the only one left at work. Everyone else had already gone home early.


I took Elliot out to use his baby pool for the first time. (Crappy summer.) He loved splashing around...I think I might have a water baby. Elvis joined him for a bit also.


Then I headed off to our local car seat check to get my install of his convertible checked. I got rave reviews and was told they couldn't have done it better. They couldn't move that seat at all and boy did they try. Thanks BBC Car Seat Board ladies. I learned so much from all of you!


A couple of pics from today.

6 Month Stats

We finally went to Elliot's 6 month well check. He is a very healthy, happy baby! We are starting fluoride drops because our water doesn't have fluoride and he is starting to get teeth.

Here are his stats:

Weight~17 lbs. 14 ozs. 48th Percentile
Height~27 ins. 60th Percentile
Head~44 cms. Percentile Unknown

His pedi was so surprised that he is just average in size. She thinks he looks like a 9 month old.

A Picture Story

Yesterday as I left work the sun was shining. It was cool and felt more like fall, but still, the sun was shining. As tired as I was from getting up at the crack of dawn with Elliot (he decided to get up VERY early) I still needed some exercise and decided I was going for a long walk. I got home, changed my clothes, got Elliot in the stroller and headed out. I decided a half mile walk to a hilly, wooded trail, walk the trail and back home would be a great workout.

Just as we got to the trail it started raining, of course. So I got the rain guard on Elliot's stroller and my raincoat on.

One of the good things about walking in the woods is that it isn't always raining on you. Although there are times that when you look up you can see the sky and feel the drops, once you take another ten steps it's nothing but treetops and dry faces.

So I'm walking and feeling good. I'm making steady progress when I turn a corner and realize I am at the hill of doom. I know what your thinking, that doesn't look much like a hill. Well, pictures can be deceiving. When your pushing a 20-some odd pound stroller with a 17ish pound sleeping baby in it virtually straight up, IT. IS. NOT. EASY. (Picture 1 is the first part, picture 2 is after the turn.)

My heart is about to pound out of my chest (at least the hospital is close by, passed it on the way here), but I make it and I turn around to see how far I have come. Now I feel more tired than I did all day. Great, I am only halfway through this 2.5 mile trail. I am never going to make it. I hope I have cell service so I can call my husband to come get us...with a wagon to pull me back in!

I find my motivation I as look ahead, sunshine coming through the trees. I think it may have stopped raining, but that is hard to tell when I am not getting rained on half the time anyway. I trudge along, my heart rate steadies from the push up the hill and while I am growing more tired, I no longer feel like I am about to have a heart attack.

Up ahead, do you see that?? It's the first of 4 bridges. I am about 3/4 of the way through. I can do it! From here it's all down hill, literally, thank god. Before I know it, I am at the 4th bridge. And I only stumbled as many times as there are bridges because I keep misstepping from my lack of concentration.

Can you read that sign? A quarter mile to the parking lot, I am done! Except for that half mile walk home. UGH!

Out of the parking lot and there's the road. I made it through the trail and I have finished 3 miles of my 3.5 mile walk. I can do this. It's flat all the way home. Oh, look at that tall grass on the side of the road. I could just stop for a minute, just a little rest. No one would know if I curled up and took a little nap. Elliot is still asleep, he wouldn't care. Who knew the last half mile would be so hard?

Finally, I can see my house, my picnic table (even that looks like a good bed), finally my front door!!! I did it. I made it home and kept my eyes open the whole way. I haven't felt this tired since the days before Elliot started sleeping through the night. I am too tired to eat dinner, too tired to take a shower. I can't wait for Elliot to go to bed so I can too. I learned a really good lesson though. Never walk a very hilly, wooded trail in the rain, pushing a heavy stroller with 4 hours of sleep when you are completely out of shape.

Can't wait to do it again tomorrow!!!!

We have...

a tooth. Elliot's first tooth cut the surface, I believe, some time last night. This morning as I was getting ready to leave for work he decided to say goodbye by chomping on my finger. It hurt a little more than usual (who knew gums were so hard?) because I was stabbed by a sharp little tooth poking through his gums. One more milestone almost checked off. It's a little bittersweet.

Another Day at the Beach~Pic Heavy

Well, actually just a couple of hours this morning. We had some sunshine this morning so when Elliot got up from his nap we headed out to the beach. He ate some sand, tore down my sandcastles, played in the water and laughed hysterically at the other kids in the lake. All they did was look at him or run in the water. Who knows why babies laugh at things?? Here are some pics from our day.
Just before I took this they were both chewing on something. I thought it was funny, grabbed the camera and as I was taking the picture Elliot took the beads out of his mouth. Bummer, but they are still both too cute and I love getting pics with them both in it.
And just to share...I love this onesie!

Freezer is Stocked

It took me on and off all week to get it done, but I now have a freezer stocked with baby food. I shouldn't have to make any more for awhile and there is so much variety that we can make all kinds of combinations. Yipee!

P.S. I learned one thing this week, I will never make my own mangos again. UGH!

Adventures in the Sun

Yes, we FINALLY got sun!!!!! Elliot was asleep when I got home from work and didn't get up until 5 pm so we didn't get a whole lot of time outside, but we got some and made it count.

After his bottle, we headed outside to the front lawn. I put down a blanket and some toys and we played in the sun for awhile.

He had a lot of fun, but then it was time for dinner. Tonight's menu: Butternut Squash and a few Banana Puffs. Yummy!!

Then I hitched up Elvis, got Elliot into his stroller and hit the road. A perfect evening for a walk. Sunny, warm but not too hot. Everything was green and flowers were blooming. Elliot took a short nap in the summer air.

Back home Elliot tried very hard to crawl and kept getting very angry when he would only go backwards. He almost had it though.

Tomorrow is supposed to be another nice day and we are planning a trip to the pool at Uncle Paul and Aunt Judy's after work. And hopefully Beach Day #2 this weekend. We'll see.

Mess Making

I walked away for one minute, exactly. I came back to my little guy at his toys and starting to dump each basket out. He got 2 out of 3 of the baskets dumped before I stopped him. I was just so surprised the got to them.

When I left the room, he was on the the whole other side, 60 seconds later he was at his toys. HOW?? He isn't crawling yet. But he is scooting backwards, slowly.

Or so I thought. I let him stay up a little later, just to watch him and see if he would move again. He did. The kid went around the perimeter of the floor rug with speed I have never seen.

I think we can officially say that he is on the move.

Rainy Day (Non)Adventures

Our weather here has been awful. It just keeps raining and raining. It seems everytime I get the boys ready for a walk it starts to pour. It's making for a very bummy summer. We are hoping for some sunshine, or at least no rain, tomorrow afternoon/evening so we can hit the trail. Mommy needs to get her exercise back on track!

Adventures in Baby Food Making

I am on a mission to stock my freezer with baby food. Since Elliot is eating 3 to 4 ounces two times a day and I am about to add a third feeding of solids, this food goes fast. My original plan was to spend today making lots of food. However, since we are finally having a nice day I plan to enjoy my day and make some food today and some throughout the week (another rainy one).

So far in my freezer I have:
6 ounces of peas
8 ounces of sweet potatoes
11 ounces of acorn squash
11 ounces of blueberries
13 ounces of (very pureed, unfortunately) bananas
16 ounces of pears

There is also 16 ounces of zucchini that I just put in to freeze.

On hand to make:
Cherries
Asparugus
Mangos
Pineapple
Carrots
Peaches

What I still want to get and make:
Apricots
More veggies (I just can't think of any. Can you tell I am not a veggie person!)

Well, the sun is out and Elliot has just woken from a short morning nap. I am going to get him his morning fruit and head out for a nice, long walk!

Another Crazy Day

Today we had a visit from another pug. A neighbor came over thinking our pug got out and was following her around. It wasn't ours, Elvis was hanging out on the couch with Daddy and Elliot. It was an older pug and very friendly. He just wandered into the house like it was his. He and Elliot played a bit then the neighbor tried to take the pug back to her house to figure out what to do. Unfortunately, the pug headed in the opposite direction towards a busy intersection. We decided it was best to put him in our fenced in backyard.

We called the local police (they contact the animal control guy) to tell them we had this lost pug. Since the animal control officer was off today, 2 of the local police came to get the pug. We hope they find his home but if not either a friend of ours, or we, will take the pug. Poor little fella.

Then Elliot and I headed off to pick up his 6 month pictures (it's an hour trip). We did a little shopping (got a new cup, new toys, some pj's and socks and a couple of things for me), ran into his aunt, uncle and cousins, picked up his pics (where I totally got suckered into buying extras-not my fault, they used my favorite pose) and headed back home.

Once we were back in town, we stopped off at a friend's 40th birthday party. Elliot got to see his friend Emma (our friend's 5 month old daughter) again, saw some other friends and met lots of new people. He was already a tuckered little guy, but was all smiles for everyone. We stayed awhile, but it was hot and loud. We were both so tired, it was time to head home to bed (for Elliot anyway).

Elliot's favorite part of the day? Getting his new Little Tikes Hammer and little Rintoo (from Ni Hao, Kai- Lan). Mommy's favorite part of the day?? Right now...I'm going to bed :)

Oh, What a Day

Elvis has been having an eye issue on and off the past couple of weeks. His right eye gets very runny (it's brownish and has stained some clothes) and seems to be very sensitive to light so he keeps it closed alot. He rubs at it constantly and it seems to swell in the evening.

We shrugged it off as allergies since it kept going away and seem to come back after he spent long periods of time outside. It was really bad today and we decided that we needed to take him to the vet. Since our regular vet doesn't seem comfortable dealing with pug eye issues, we decided to take him to another vet that we know deals with a number of pugs. Here's how that went:

We got there for our appointment at 4:20. Surprisingly we didn't need to wait long. A vet tech comes and gets us, then takes Elvis to be weighed (he's a hefty 25 lbs-chubby little pug!). She brought him back and wrote (on a piece of scrap paper) what we told her about his eye. She left to get the vet.

The vet comes in. Feels Elvis's neck and looks at both eyes quickly. Vet decides to do a stain on Elvis's eye to see if there was a scratch. Used an ultraviolet light to check....no scratch. Vet then tells us he is going to give us steriod eyedrops to use 2 times a day (loads of fun because it takes at least 2 people to hold down this dog). We ask what he thinks the problem might be. He answers "I don't know. Use the drops and can you call me if they aren't working after a few days?"

WTF???? You want me to put steriods in my dog's eye, but you don't know why we need to?

We ask if he thinks it's allergies and other than paying for very expensive tests (since it has been determined in the past that Elvis DOES have allergies) what can we do to help him. Lots of "ums" later he tells us that we can give him benedryl (ok, we know that) and could always keep using the steriods (prolonged use of steriod drops will cause steriods to enter his blood stream).

So we got the drops, paid the bill, left with virtually no answers and a pug who still can't keep his right eye open for long.

Back at home, we have a very cranky baby. Elliot has decided that naps aren't his thing lately. Tony (my husband) thinks it's because he has had to work (he's a bartender) for the last 9 nights and could really use the naps, that Elliot refuses to sleep during the day. The only time I could put Elliot down was to feed him his veggies. Other than that he whined and cried if I didn't hold him. So we watched a little Max & Ruby (I don't know why, but he laughs through the whole show), then Elliot had a bottle. Both Elliot and I were sound asleep on the couch, when someone knocked and just came in, waking us both up. UGH :(

And now, some idiot in the neighborhood is setting off fireworks making my dog bark. Elliot just fell back to sleep and I really hope the barking doesn't wake him. I'll never get him back to sleep again.

I hope this isn't a sign of what is to come for my 3 day weekend.

Elliot's 6 Month Pics

Here are a couple of Elliot's 6 month pictures. The first one is my favorite!