Happy New Year!

I really need to be more diligent about updating this blog. I'm a pro at Instagram now, though.

Eli changes more and more each day and his little personality is really starting to shine through. He cracks us up on a daily basis and I think he thinks he is pretty darn funny too. Some of his favorite things to do right now (as a 10 month old) are:

Eli taking ornaments off the Christmas tree.

• Crawl everywhere. Get into EVERYTHING. I have to watch this kid like a hawk now because he has gotten super quick and manages to get into things I didn't even realize were within his reach. He is now tall enough to reach the end tables (which was my default place to put things out of his reach) and I swear he has the longest arms ever. That, and he is a master at standing on his tippy toes in order to reach as far as he can. 

This one is blurry, but here is Eli attacking Jon one morning.

• Climbing. He has been climbing up the pillows and our headboard for a couple of months now, but he is getting pretty adept at it. One of his favorite things to climb is his dad. Every morning Jon gets woken up to Eli crawling on top of his head. I just have to sit back and laugh. However, with his love of climbing I now have to watch him in the bathroom because he thinks it's great fun to climb INTO the bathtub. Except, he goes in headfirst and hits his head on the bottom. Yeah, that happened.

We read a lot of Christmas books this year!

• Reading. He will sit and read books for a long time, which is super surprising considering that his attention span is about 5 minutes long for most activities. We are constantly going to the library to check out new books.

Strumming along with Dad.

• Music. He will stop whatever he is doing if he hears a song start playing on the computer or TV. He also has some new toys that will encourage this love of his!

Eli in his new seal tub.

• Baths. He gets super excited and bounces up and down and tries to crawl into the bathtub as the water warms up. We have resorted to leaving his diaper on until just before we put him in because he would pee on the tub and bath mat every time because he got so excited. He is going to love that I publicly proclaimed that when he's 14. He also loves splashing as much as he can and gnawing on his various bath toys.
• Sticking his tongue out and making the "pfffttt" sound. He will do it all day long, and if he hears the sound (or a sound that is similar) he will immediately do it. It's super cute, until he is spitting all over my face with food in his mouth. 
• Sitting on the floor and scooting in a circle. I'm not sure why he does this, but my guess is that he wants to see everything happening around him and that's the easiest way for him to do it.

If we're on the couch, Eli is pulling up right beside us. And making this new face of his.

• Pulling up on everything. He started pulling up just before he turned 7 months old and has not stopped. Most of the time I am trying to cook or wash the dishes with a baby attached to my leg. 
• Banging his toys on hard surfaces, such as the coffee table and hardwood floors. And he doesn't find nice, soft toys to bang. He finds the heaviest toys he can find and then bangs them as hard as he can on the table. I always tell Jon that's it's a good thing we don't have nice furniture because kids will ruin everything you own. 
• Peek-a-boo. We usually play with the comforter on the bed, but lately I have been playing it with him in the living room as we chase each other around the couch. And a side note: crawling on hardwood floors hurts. I have no idea how he does it all day long! Eli has started to play himself. It he has a blanket he will pull it up over his face and then wait for us to say, "Where's Eli?" before he pulls it back down. Super cute.

I'm sure there are other things I will think of later, but here's the list for now. My goal is to update this blog at least 3 times a week. So uh, let's see how well I do at that.

- Stef

6 Months!

Our little boy is already 6 months old. He has changed so much and is learning new things every single day. In the past few months he has learned to roll over, to sit up on his own, and has started to figure out the basic mechanics of crawling. He's not quite there yet with crawling, but practices every day. He has been able to "army crawl" a little bit both forward and backward and will sometimes be in a different place than the one we left him in when we come back into the room. He has been getting up on his hands and knees more and more lately, and I think it's only a matter of time before he figures out how to coordinate his movements into true crawling. He has learned how to make the "M" sound and just yesterday learned the "B" sound. While he plays he will sit and say "bzzz..." over and over, which eventually turns into him blowing raspberries and spitting all over the place...and us! He is getting his first tooth as well. Yesterday I noticed a little slit in his gum, then the white part of a tooth by the end of the day. This morning I felt the jagged edge of a tooth making its way up. So many firsts already. And so many firsts still yet to come!

We love this little boy more than anything and we are so excited to watch him continue to grow!

Payback.

I was a handful as a child. I know, it's hard to imagine, right? My mom told me I was going to get paid back one day. That day has arrived.

My child is kind of a handful. But I love him!

This face looks so sweet and innocent, right??

Let's talk about some of his antics lately.

#1 - Eli isn't crawling quite yet, but he is well on his way. He can at least scoot himself to where he wants to be, which is usually to a place where he can get into things. Those things then usually end up in his mouth, like pages I have ripped out of magazines for future use. He is SO close to staying on his hands and knees so I know it will just be a matter of time before I am chasing him all over the place. Today I walked out of the kitchen and found him reaching for the remote I accidentally left on the floor. Apparently there weren't enough options within the plethora of toys surrounding him.

#2 - I usually put Eli in his bouncer seat in the bathroom while I shower. I periodically peek out to make sure all is well. Today, I peek out and Eli is trying to crawl out of his seat! He was leaning completely out of the seat - his hands were on the floor, his butt was in the air, and his legs had worked their way out of the straps. I honestly don't even know how he got himself into that position. I only wish I had a camera right beside me to snap a quick picture, but I was trying to quickly towel off so I could grab him before he face-planted into the floor. So it looks like the bouncer will need to be retired!

I can only imagine what other stories I will have to share as he continues to grow and develop!

Why I might be considered a "crunchy" mama.

There has been a lot of talk about attachment parenting and parents being "crunchy." I guess I might fall into those categories a little bit, and I'm totally fine with that. I want to preface this post by stating that these are our family's preferences and I know every family differs. If someone chooses to do things differently from us, I am not going to judge them. These are all things that work for OUR family.

I cloth diaper. We decided before Eli was born that we wanted to cloth diaper to a) save money on buying disposables and b) send less diapers to a landfill where they will stay for 500 years. Plus, cloth diapers are just too cute! I love putting Eli into cloth diapers because I know they are soft against his skin and don't contain any of the chemicals that are used to make disposable diapers.

I breastfeed. Again, before Eli was born we decided that we wanted our child to be breastfed for many reasons. Breast milk has the best combination of nutrients and antibodies for my baby. It is easier for my baby to digest and it helps protect against disease. Breast milk is free. Yes, I did have to buy a few nursing bras and a manual pump (which was actually a gift), but in the long run it is cheaper than buying formula. Breastfeeding is convenient. I can feed my baby whenever he gets hungry and not have to mess around with a bottle. This is especially convenient in the middle of the night! Also, I am comfortable nursing him in public with a cover so it doesn't bother me when we are out and about and he gets hungry. Plus, breastfeeding is good for my health too because it helps protect against certain cancers and diabetes.

I babywear. I love putting Eli into one of the carriers I own when we are out somewhere or just around the house. It is so much easier to put him into a carrier than mess around with our stroller. I like our stroller and am glad we have it because we do use it when we take family walks to the park and I intend to jog with it when Eli gets a little older, but it can be bulky in certain places. For example, I go to our local farmer's market on Saturdays and I see how hard it is to push a stroller on the busy sidewalks. It's also easier to just put him into a carrier when I run errands rather than carting his car seat in and out. Eli also likes being close to me, even when I am doing everyday things around the house. He is usually in my ring sling while I cook dinner. He also is in a stage where he loves to look around and take everything in. With him strapped to me he is in the center of what is going on!

Those are the three main things I do as a mother that some would consider "crunchy." I'm not really sure why, but so be it. I also try to be eco-friendly at home too. I use cleaning products that don't contain chemicals (for the most part), use CFL lightbulbs in all of our lamps, use a low-flow showerhead, and use an energy-efficient washer and dryer. I also am trying to buy locally more often and purchase meat and produce at the local farmer's market. The one thing I really miss is recycling. Recycling was free in Ashland and they picked it up from our curb. We have to to pay for it now in Columbus if we want it picked up or take it to a recycling bin ourselves. I might try to start taking it myself again, but it became cumbersome after awhile.

So tell me...what do you do that is considered to be "crunchy?"

For anyone who has ever asked a stay-at-home mom...

"So, what do you do all day?"

I'll tell you what I do all day. I work. Hard. Anyone who thinks that stay-at-home moms have it easy is either a) not a stay-at-home parent or b) has never had children. Yes, I understand that I do all of the same household chores as those that have full-time jobs, but I also have a baby at home all day with me. A baby who needs fed, entertained, changed, and loved. One might think I am online all day long, but a laptop is a glorious thing to have with a nursing baby who likes to eat...a lot. Or who sometimes does not like to nap unless he is on his mama.

I no longer have an entire Saturday to clean our apartment. It gets (somewhat) clean throughout the week during nap time. That is, if Eli is napping in his swing. Otherwise, I am browsing Pinterest. Hey, it happens. There are some tasks that get put off...sometimes indefinitely. I will probably regret this the next time someone decides to just drop on by. However, there are a few key chores that need to be accomplished on a daily to weekly basis. The ones I would like to address today are the dishes/cooking, the laundry, and cleaning off the dining room and coffee tables.

We still have to eat. And I'm not one to use paper plates. So, the dishes pile up every single day. A former task of unloading and re-loading the dishwasher that used to take 5 minutes can now take 15 minutes while I keep an eye on Eli while he's playing on his activity mat. Was that a cry or a happy squeal? I'm the one who has to check it out. Meals take much longer to prepare when wearing a baby who doesn't want to sit in his bouncer or who decides to get hungry half-way through chopping veggies for a stir-fry. Sometimes it's a miracle that I even get dinner finished at all.

The laundry, oh the laundry. Eli definitely gives our washer and dryer a work out. Babies create a lot of laundry for one tiny person. Between diaper leakages and spit up, he can easily go through a few outfits a day. Throw in the cloth diaper laundry and I am easily doing 3 loads of just his laundry per week. I've been known to wear my jeans probably a bit longer than intended since our laundry can get put on the back burner. Sacrifices, people.

No matter how hard I try, it is almost impossible to keep the dining and coffee tables completely cleared off. The dining table is where we put the car seat, diaper bag, mail, and all the other random items that go in and out of the apartment on a daily basis. I have tried to stop this. I have. But it's just too convenient when it's the closest thing to the door. The coffee table is usually stacked with board books and rattles that entertain Eli throughout the day, not to mention my ever-present glass of water, a plate with a half-eaten sandwich on it, and assignments for a class I am finishing to renew my teaching license. And oh yeah, my camera to capture all of the cuteness that happens around here on a daily basis.

Since this post has turned rather long, and I have yet to tell you the rest of how days are spent as a SAHM...there will be a part 2 sometime soon. You know, when I get a free minute.

Since this post has a lot of words in it...here is a cute picture for you!

Someone has found his hands! 

Oh, and before anyone jumps all over me about having a full-time job plus having to do all of these things with children...I know. I am just writing this from where I am in life right now and my experience. I am by no means telling anyone that I have it much harder than anyone else! I am just answering the question about what I do all day. :)

On our first month together.

I can't believe our little baby boy is already a month old. Time really does go by fast once you have a child. Oh heck, time has gone by really fast ever since I graduated from high school. Was that really 12 years ago? Yikes. Anyways, I digress.

Elijah has been the sweetest baby, and I am so glad that he is ours. It seems like he has always been a part of this family, even though he's only been with us for a month. What can I say? We are pretty much in love with our little guy!

Notable first month things about Eli: (this is a long list that I'm sure only we and grandparents will like, but I want all of this written down so I won't be offended if you don't make it all the way through!)

• He smiles a lot, and I love when he does it while looking directly at me or Jon.
• He is one of the noisiest babies I have ever known. He grunts, makes laughing sounds, moans, sighs, hiccups, sneezes and makes other random sounds that just make me laugh. He often does this when he is sleeping a foot away from me in his pack and play. Of course, that makes for restless nights for his parents! 
• Speaking of restless nights...Eli has not been sleeping well during the night. He will often wake up every hour to 2 hours to eat and seems to have his days and nights confused. However, I bought a miracle blanket to swaddle him since he houdinied out of all his other swaddles and last night he slept in 3-hour increments for the first time! I hope that this is a new trend and not just a fluke. This mama likes her sleep!  
• He now really enjoys bath time and basically slept through his bath the other night. I think it definitely has a calming effect on him! 
• He loves looking at lights and will crane his neck in whatever direction it's coming from. He has taken to looking at the TV and I know he can't see what's on it, but it makes me laugh to think that he is actually sitting there watching Jon play video games or watching TV with us.
• He follow objects with his eyes, especially if they light up! 
• He loves to grasp things, and will even pull my hair or pull on my shirt when I'm holding him. I better get used to lots of ponytails. 
• He is SO good at tummy time. He will lift his head and hold it up for a few seconds while on his stomach, and will often lift his head if he is laying on our chests as well. He is gaining excellent neck control! 
• Eli is awake a lot more often during the day so I take that time to sing and read to him and will hold up different objects for him to look at. His favorites are a plastic set of keys and a little stuffed soccer ball. In fact, sometimes he will hold onto the loop on the soccer ball. Or he is perfectly content just staring at me and I'm totally fine with that!
• The kid farts...a lot. Sometimes he will fart and then make a little laughing sound and it cracks me up. I think it's the only time I have used the word "cute" in conjunction with a fart.
• He has really long fingernails and has scratched his face a few times. He always makes me sad to see new scratches so we are going to work on keeping his fingernails trimmed. 
• He likes to go on walks and we have gone to the local park a few times. It's nice to get out and get some fresh air throughout the week.
• He also likes to Skype with all of his grandparents (and uncle Jonathan!), which we have done a few times. He entertains them pretty well so I don't have to do too much talking. :)
• He spits up and pees...often on me. It's a good thing he's so darn cute! 
• He makes the cutest faces, which we always try to capture on camera. One of the ones we like the best looks like the kids at the end of the Charlie Brown Christmas episode when they are singing. Eli already has a large collection of photos of himself! 
• He doesn't really use a pacifier (he just spits it out), but has found his thumb a few times already.
• His favorite way to sleep is curled up on our chests. I will be so sad when he is too big to be able to do this!

These are all of the things that I can think of for right now and will be sure to add more if I think of some!

Elijah Andrew's Birth Story (Stef's side of things)

Our little guy is here! Elijah (Eli) was born Wednesday, February 22nd at 6:03am weighing 7 pounds and measuring 20 inches. Following is his birth story. Warning - if you don't like to hear words like dilated and contractions, then you should probably skip over this post. :) I promise there is nothing gross involved though!

I woke up Tuesday morning feeling like something was different and thought it could possibly be the day I go into labor. I was still 10 days away from my due date, but babies are born early all the time, even though I knew it was more uncommon for first time moms. I decided to go ahead and substitute teach anyway and the students made jokes all day that they hoped I would go into labor then. I, however, did not agree that going into labor at the school would be the most ideal situation! I did feel a little pain throughout the day, but nothing too intense. In fact, I called my mom after school and asked her if it was possible to have contractions without knowing it. She said that I would most definitely know and not to worry about missing them. After a few hours I felt small contractions that lasted every 15-20 minutes, but they were definitely bearable. Around 10pm that night my contractions became closer together and a little more intense, and after an hour they were 5 minutes apart and definitely starting to hurt! I'm really glad we don't have any downstairs neighbors right now because I'm pretty sure my groaning would have been loud and clear to them. I called my doctor and she told me that if they lasted for an hour at 5 minutes apart then I needed to go to the hospital. I told Jon that we would most likely need to head to the hospital that night and started packing my hospital bag while he finished up a game of Call of Duty. By the time we left for the hospital around 11:45 the contractions were 2 minutes apart and I prayed that they would not send us home once we arrived.

We arrived at the hospital and they told me that I was 3 cm. dilated, but they would like to see more dilation before admitting me officially. They made me walk around the corridor of the floor for an hour, which was probably one of the most painful things I have ever done. I had to stop every 30 feet or so to wait through a contraction and may have shed a few tears in the process. What can I say? I'm a bit of a wuss. After an hour I was finally 4 or 5 cm. dilated and they checked me into a birthing suite. I got my epidural (there was no way I was going through the pain of labor once I knew what contractions felt like!) and then they broke my water. At that point I was then 6 cm. dilated, which was roughly half an hour or so after they admitted me. We waited another hour before they checked me again and I was surprisingly another 2 cm. dilated so things were definitely progressing more quickly than anticipated. Another 45 minutes later I was dilated to 10 cm. and ready to start pushing. It was at this point that my parents arrived at the hospital so I got to say a quick hello for about 5 minutes and then had to kick them out. My doctor had been at the hospital a few hours earlier for a delivery, but went home not expecting me to progress so quickly. They called her back and had me wait to really push so she could be there to deliver. (sidenote: I was really fortunate to have my own doctor on call that evening!) Once my doctor arrived back at the hospital I pushed for about 20 minutes and Elijah was here!

More posts to follow on all the details after his arrival.

- S