"Shot in the arm, and you're to blame."

Last Thursday our weekly trip to the library was preceded by a trip to the dreaded health department. It's only dreaded because just like taking the dogs to the vet's office, after a few trips the kids realize we're only there for one thing. Shots. However, unlike the dogs they don't stiffen their legs and urinate outside the front door. Aubrey was quite overdue for her listed vaccinations and upon checking in I was informed that she needed five of them. Unlike, my dear new friend Jessica, who would never allow her kids to get that many in one visit, I just said okay. Better to get it over with all at one time, kind of like that last spoonful of cold lima beans on your dinner plate. This trip was a little peculiar because Squeeze kept begging to get a shot too. Okay, that's a little weird,I thought. So I appeased his request and asked the receptionist if I could get his that day too. Two birds with one stone, you know. However, I was told that we would have to wait until his birthday in order for him to receive the shots. When I returned to the chair that I was sitting in I told him that he wouldn't be able to get shots that day. He then proceeded to let out a whine at this apparently unfortunate news. Trying to calm his cries, I sat dumbfounded that someone would actually want to get shots. Then it dawned on me. Maybe he doesn't remember what shots actually feel like. So I asked him if he wanted to know how they felt. His big, blue watery eyes looked up at me and said 'yes.' So, what did I do? I lifted my hand and grabbed a small bit of of skin on his upper arm and pinched it between my fingers. Yup, that's right. I pinched it. His cries intensified for a moment and then I asked him if he wanted a shot today. The answer, a resounding 'no.'

Trading Spaces

As is sometimes the afternoon routine, I took a nap with Elijah today (me on the bottom bunk, him on the top). As I was trying to drift off to sleep (and hoping Elijah would do the same), I heard several soft thuds. Occasionally Elijah's stuffed animals are thrill seekers and launch themselves off the top bunk, but only when Elijah is there to give them an encouraging push. I told him to "stop throwing stuff and go to sleep." After a few minutes I heard him climb down the ladder, and suspected that he had to go the bathroom. However, he did not return until a while later. I inquired to his absence, "What were you doing? Did you go to the bathroom?" "No," he replied. "I was sleeping." "Where were you sleeping? We're you on the couch in the living room?" "No. I was sleeping in your bed." "Why were you sleeping in my bed." "Cause you were talking too much."

Sweeter than Pie

This evening while making dinner I was delighted with something sweeter than the pear crumble I had made for dessert. I was able to catch Elijah 'reading' his thank you note that he 'wrote' to G-Mommy. His sweet voice rambled these priceless words, "Dear G-Mommy, Thank you so much for my nice pirate mustaches and thank you for my nice game too. I love you. Love, Squeeze Neal." Now that's a moment to be thankful for always.

Poo Happens!

Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! This past Friday saw the Neal family making a two hour trek to Zoo Atlanta to enjoy the sights and sounds of the wild. We were able to secure our tickets through our local library. We simply had to check out a DVD on the history of Zoo Atlanta and return it for a signed receipt good for a family pass for four. Be forewarned, however, though it held both Billy and my attention our little preschooler dubbed it "boring." So one enthusiastic thumb down from Squeeze.

So we packed up our car, AKA our Safari Land Cruiser. Okay, so maybe it's just our Toyota Camry. However, it has battled the wilds of nature by hitting a deer and me hitting an indigenous pine tree. Needless to say, it was up for the challenge to haul our clan southward.

We arrived at the zoo around lunchtime unscathed by midday Atlanta traffic. Immediately, we took to eating our homemade lunch; because despite the care that the zoo keepers give to the dietary needs of its animals, it surely lacks the same care for those of the homo sapiens species. Elephants and Pandas get bamboo, snakes get their rats, and people get deep fried chicken strips, sodas, and candy vending machines. So this Mama made PB&J sandwiches which were lovingly emblazoned with Sharpie marker illustrations labeled: "Lion Lunch, Monkey Grub, and Elephant Yummies." It sure made our little guy smile and that's more than I can say for a greasy piece of pizza.

Our beginning route saw us making it around to see flamingos, elephants, , giraffes, etc. Elijah and Daddy made it into the Boundless Budgies Parakeet Adventure--a large open habitat for birds to fly freely overhead. So Aubrey and I stayed safely outside because this Mama has an irrational fear of all things that fly. Birds, bees, and yes, even butterflies. Okay, quit laughing, I can hear you snickering.

We went on to see lions and other assorted animals. Then we saw the most frightening animal of all. Screeching that could make your skin crawl, teeth bared and body shaking. Yes, we saw the likes of Preschooleous Fitteous Maximus. Our sweet, little blond-haired blue-eyed boy went into a fit of rage upon being restrained into his Graco tandem stroller by his trainer(Daddy). He was unable to follow direction so he as forced into immobility. When Billy was buckling him in and while he was thrashing about he let out these fateful words, "Somebody help me!" Really? Oh yes, really. Thankfully the couple that was the closest to the wild child let out a small chuckle upon hearing this. No doubt they had kids too.

So one more fit saw us repeating this whole episode. And it was remarked by this Mama that he was "Acting like a baboon's backside." I wanted to be educational and effective at the same time. When he finally calmed down Daddy wanted to go back and see the House of Reptiles. Yea! (Wish you could sense the sarcasm I say while writing that). Lucky, us we were just in time for feedings too. Double Yea!

We finished off the day with the kangaroos, the petting zoo, and the playground--which was remarked as Elijah's favorite part of the day. Awesome, had we known that we would have gone to one of our own stinkin' parks.

As the car made its way out of the stone exits in the wrong direction we explored the likes of another wild area, south Atlanta. Frustration mounting we finally spotted the familiar signage for 75/85. Mistake number two, navigate the main arteries of Atlanta at rush hour on FRIDAY!!! We were stopped multiple times for congestion on our way home and were intermittently accompanied by the cries of Aubrey and the return of Preschooleous Fitteous Maximus.

Finally, we stopped for sustenance and ate dinner with Billy's parents. We needed a break from driving and crying. As we made our way back home we unloaded our car, dropped the kids in bed, and Billy and I talked over an adult beverage about our adventure for the day. Having experienced this wonder I had to ask myself "Why would anyone want to go to Disneyworld and deal with this crap?"

Friggin family zoo memory--check! Despite the frustration, I still realize that this indeed will be a fond memory to look back on. As we commiserated about how annoying it was that you go through so much heartache and sacrifice to do things for your children just to have them be ungrateful, I had an epiphany. Billy and I were doing the same things ourselves. Here we were given free tickets, lunch to enjoy, and arrived safely both there and back and we complained because our kid threw a tantrum, that we got lost, that we were inconvenienced by traffic. All the while not realizing how much God gave us in this day and everyday. I'm extremely blessed by my Father in Heaven to have these two little 'beasts' to care for. And if you're wondering about the status of Preschooleous Fitteous Maximus it unfortunately is quite common in the wild. So watch out!

Build-a-Friend

Okay, so I admit it. We do a lot of things for and with our kids that we always wanted to do when we were kids. I did one of those things just the other weekend. Ever since there was a 'plus' mark on the pregnancy test; I knew Build-a-Bear was in our future.

So Mama(me), G-Mommy, Elijah, and Aubrey spent nearly $4/gallon of gas to haul our silver bullet, AKA our new-to-us minivan, and hour away to the Mall of Georgia. We got out and battled the throngs of recession-riddled souls lined up at the Auntie Anne's pretzel stores and Abercrombie. While there, searching for an elevator to get our massive tandem stroller to the second level of the mall proved as elusive as searching for the Loch Ness Monster. I mean we'd see the signs, pursue the lead, and then there it wasn't.

When we finally made it to our destination the magical store beckoned us with a warm, golden glow and the promise of over-paying for a stuffed animal made in China that we could have just as easily purchased at Wally World for a fraction of the price. What kind of scrapbooking opportunity would that be though? Our first step in the fast-food build-a-friend franchise was to pick our furry carcass. So I guided Elijah to the wall to make his choice. Obviously overwhelmed with the options, he quickly pointed to a floppy-eared pink bunny with delicate yellow flowers covering it. Figuring that Daddy would not appreciate the feminine hare, I speedily imposed a second choice on him. So his second choice was a camouflaged bear. "Atta, boy son!" Assured that Daddy would be okay with this new friendship, we proceeded to the next steps.

The next stop in building a friend was helping to fluff it. The 'stuffing employee' guided us to picking a small heart to kiss and place in our bear. Of course, Elijah quickly grabbed his small, gingham heart and shoved it to the bear without the kiss. He then helped press the foot pedal to help stuff him. We then went to the brushing and fluffing station. He appeared slightly more enamored with this process as it allowed for self-guided fun-with blasts of air.

Then it was time to name and retrieve our birth certificate, a la Cabbage Patch style, for our new friend. G-Mommy and Elijah sat down at the 'records' department and proceeded to fill our their paperwork. However, one incorrect keystroke by Elijah led us back to the main page. So Mama stepped in and finished the work. I even named our new friend, Gillem, an army base my dad works at. Figured it went well with the camouflaged motif.

Finally, we had to accessorize and pay for the guy. He left with some camouflaged undies (hoping to inspire his friend Elijah to potty training success) and a little hat. So G-Mommy being so kind paid for Gillem and he made his way into his Cub Condo box for the car ride home.

Gillem ate lunch with us at Chick-fil-A that day, has made his way to the potty (successfully getting jelly beans for his number 1 in the potty), and slept with his pal Elijah every night since then. So there you have it. Now, if only I could figure out how to get a power wheel for me, I mean Elijah.

Chopped Liver

So I was prepared when people said that once you have kids you become a blurry figure in the background of a photo. No more asking, "How are you?" Instead, it's "How's Elijah doing?" All the focus goes to the kid. Not that I can blame anyone though, he is one cute kid.

However, I wasn't prepared to be shoved to the background by my own kid. One thing you need to know is that he loves his grandparents. And I mean L-O-V-E-S them! One Monday, I recall getting him ready to go to Ms. Yvonne's (the lady that watches him two times a week) and he picked up his cowboy hat and Star Wars Clone Wars lunchbag--actually that bag is Daddy's. He assuredly told me that we needed to go to 'GranMommy and Ahda's' house. Perhaps it was blissful memories of his prior weekend where he had Billy's parents doting on his every move. Hey, who wouldn't want to hang out with people who think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread with peanut butter and jelly with the crusts cut off?

In fact, our nightly prayer times often consist of the following:

Us: "Dear Jesus"
Elijah: "Dear Jesus"
Us: "Thank You"
Elijah: "Ank You"
Us: "What do you want to thank Jesus for?"
Elijah: "GrandMommy and AhDa!" (Billy's parents)
Us: "Who else?"
Elijah: "G Mommy!" (My mom)
Us: "Who else?"
Elijah: "Ahdadoe" (My dad)

Often times, Mama and Daddy are left out of the mix. And we have to forcefully insert our own names into prayer time, along with many other things.

Even though we cloth, feed, bathe, and care for this beautiful child on a regular basis, somehow I feel like Chopped Liver!

Nap Time

I'm sure as any parent knows, nap time is a most cherished time of the day. I long for it as the morning wears on and grow slightly anxious about when it draws to an end. Now, don't get my wrong I love spending my day with the Squeeze, but sometimes you've gotta take care of a few things. Things like making sure that the toilets don't permanently have a ring in them, that the hampers don't explode with dirty laundry, that toys don't begin to leave imprints on the floor from having been left lying about for way too long, along with the myriad of other household chores that fall under my title of all things feminine and domestic.

Sometimes, however, nap time is just a little bit more than chores and routine. Sometimes, its watching a tv show, catching up on Facebook, scrapbooking, or even in the rarest of occasions, SLEEPING! Its hard not to get jealous of Elijah and his daily 2.5-3.5 hour siestas.

A few weeks ago, nap time was filled with sanding, painting, and refinishing. After about five years, I finally refinished a pie safe of Billy's grandmother, Maw Maw. When she was moving out of her house in Fayetteville, I was just intrigued by the piece and asked if I could have it. I did have every intention of redoing it before now, but you know where good intentions end up. So here are some pictures about what to do with nap time. That is if you're having problems coming up with something. Ya right!

Good Ole Newt

First Law of Motion:
"An object at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force. An object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force."

Not gonna lie, never took physics and apparently I don't understand it either. You remember how when you were in school and complained, "When am I ever going to use this junk?" Well now I know. Physics is useful information. Although, I never took the subject in high school or college I am not totally innocent of never having heard Newton's laws of motion. So although not formally educated on them to any great degree, I have now learned about them in the school of hard knocks, well, maybe I should say Elijah has had to learn them there.

So last weekend, after Billy got back from hanging out with his friends for the weekend we anxiously awaited his arrival outside. We were so excited to greet him with smiles and waves when he drove down the street. While we were out there, we decided to take Elijah's blue car out for a spin. So daddy, pushed him around while I chatted with a neighbor.

Then it happened. My first hand knowledge of Sir Newton's profound observance of objects in motion. Billy was further up the street when he gave Elijah a big heave and the car began racing towards me at break neck speed. Okay, maybe not break neck speed, more like a couple miles an hour. So what does his brilliant mother do? That's right, she extends her leg and sticks her big, size-nine-banana-boat shoe out. I see this adorable child cruising closer to me and that is when things got a little dicey. Conclusion: blue car meets Mama's foot.

Any ideas what happened next? Bueller, Bueller? That's right for all you people who took Physics, or for that matter have even the slightest bit of common sense, Elijah's head snapped forward and hit the steering wheel. I was apparently the 'unbalanced force' Mr. Newton was referring too. Yup, I sure do feel 'unbalanced' sometimes. What's worse about this whole situation? Oh ya, this was in front of a neighbor. Smooth move, Ace!

Sometimes, I feel like what they tell you about a first child is true. Everything is experimentation. I try to give him a little freedom to explore and climb like a little boy should, but it sometimes backfires on me. Many times Elijah's head will instead meet the corner of a table, the concrete driveway, or anything else that happened to break his fall. I'm sorry, I mean his head meets the unbalanced force. People always say that kids at this stage will have bumps and bruises. I just feel guilty that they're sometimes caused by me due to my negligence, permissiveness, and severe lack of knowledge about good ole Newt's laws of motions. Maybe, one day I'll learn.

Next up, thermodynamics. Just kidding!

Fun in the Sun

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Happy Birthday Squeeze!

When they tell you time flies when you have kids, they weren't lying. I can't believe that our little man is already one year old. Today while I was at work I managed to look at our blog and its photo slideshow probably half a dozen times. I look back at those first pictures and I'm amazed at the transformation. Not only of this tiny newborn growing into a little boy, but of a girl becoming a mother.

Sometimes, I'm saddened that I didn't appreciate Elijah more than I did when he was newly born. And sometimes I apologize to him and can only tell him that his mama was just a wimp. In fact, I told him that again today.  

There is just nothing better than seeing those big, toothy grins and hearing those giggles. I love the way he slings himself backwards in our arms while we're holding him. He's a great shopping buddy. He's so mild-mannered and happy. And even though this is a bad habit to teach him, I love the way he reaches for my sunglasses to pull them off. Apparently when I was little I did the same thing to my dad and told him 'Gasses off, Daddy.' And I love that I say that to my son now.  

I guess I could go on and on about how wonderful Elijah is to me. I'm just so incredibly blessed that God gave us him and that He thinks we're capable of being parents. And I'm excited to see the wife, mother, and friend He's shaping me into.

That's NOT a Baby Ruth!!!

Sometimes bath time doesn't go the way you planned. Sometimes, things turn out very, very badly.

Well, it's been quite some time since I've managed to sit down and chronicle some of the happenings at our household. Actually, this particular instance happened nearly a month ago, but it is a story that needs to be told. Especially for the sake of the Shulman side of the family.

So I thought it was high time that Daddy and Elijah enjoy a bath together. I mean who really wants to bathe in that silly baby tub forever anyway? Billy put on his yellow swim trunks--nude bathing with a small infant who grabs for everything posed a serious health and mental wellness risk to Daddy and the future little Neals. And due to the inevitability of a Kodak Moment, it was best to keep some things... private. So for the sake of modesty and security swim trunks were a must.

Splashing, babbling, and merriment were being had. Photos were being taken for future embarrassment at a wedding reception. Elijah was standing against the side of the tub, when all of a sudden there was 'The Look' (see picture). I even gave Billy ample warning to notify him that I in fact, did witness 'The Look' firsthand. "Oh no, I think he's pooping," I said with a giggle rising up from the deep recesses of my being. 

Billy, assured me that no, he didn't see anything. When all of a sudden there they were. You would have thought they were a school of man-eating sharks circling their prey. You could see that Billy was visibly shaken and in a mode of certain panic. As we don't have an aquarium, fish, or thus any fish maintenance tools on hand, we were without a net to remove these unwelcome guests in the tub.

So Billy did what boys are scared to do. He picked up the poo with his bare hands. Yes, his bare hands. Meanwhile, I was not going to let this moment go to waste--pardon the choice of words. Between the breaths I was able to take from the moments of my only real ab workout to note in years (aka laughter), I was able to capture this moment on film. Now, I did manage to get a picture of the aftermath, but Billy talked me out of posting that image. 

So when all was said and done, I of course, knew that I needed to write about this. Billy actually told me that he could write it. And I said, "No, all sentimental and thoughtful postings are yours. All the tasteless and disgusting ones, those are mine." So to honor the classic comedic motion picture of a one Caddyshack, "That's Not a Baby Ruth!!!"

Helloooo Ladies!

Alright, so yesterday Elijah and I packed up our wagon and headed into the big city for our grocery store excursion to Wal-Mart. Mind you, he is a very good shopping buddy, and I think he tolerates it much better than me. I'm actually convinced that my personal hell is Wal-Mart on a busy day. Anyway, I digress.

So we've gathered our groceries, been through the check-out, and now we're coming down the home stretch. I notice two, attractive, young college girls walking in our direction. One in particular seemed to be showcasing her 'girls' in the low-cut halter dress she was wearing. Well, we walk past them, and I kid you not, Elijah did 'the look.' Oh come on, you know what look I'm talking about. His head, and almost his entire body, was practically outside the cart, as if to say, "Mama, move! I want to see those pretty girls."

Can't say I can blame him. The one girl looked like she was better equipped to meet the milk demands of my 11 month old than I'm apparently capable of doing.

Got milk?

Almost a Full Moon

The other night I'm making my rounds before bedtime. You know, let the dogs outside, put the dogs up, make sure the front door is locked, and finally go check on Elijah. So per my usual, I turn on the bathroom light right outside Elijah's door. I creep into his room, making sure the light only barely illuminates his room. I gently peer over the top of the crib and peek down on my sweet boy. When I think to myself, "Wait a second, he went to sleep with pants on. Where are they?"

I guess Squeeze managed to wiggle out of the bottom half of his night time apparel. I couldn't help but giggle to myself and think what an incredibly adorable sight that is now, considering that he's just ten months old.  But I can't imagine seeing this when he's seventeen.  "Son, where in the world are your pants?" Anywho, thought I would share about the almost full moon I saw the other night. Sweet Dreams and keep your pants on!

In Cahoots

Yup, you see the picture. There they are, the culprits.  Billy and I are beginning to master the art of steam cleaning.  So much so that I think we have a bright future at Stanley Steamer.  

Let's just say that Jalapeno has provided us numerous opportunities lately to become quite familiar with our new portable steam cleaner.  When our Christmas tree was up, he apparently mistook the area for his own personal nature preserve. Almost daily we would discover this confusion.  Unfortunately, we've come to expect this from him.

But now Peno has found himself a cohort.  Last Sunday we were lazily enjoying our tv time upstairs.  Billy was playing a video game, I was snuggled underneath a blanket, Elijah was playing with some toys, and the dogs were taking a snooze. When what do my wondering eyes did appear?  An explosion from the tiny shorts of our little tot that was near!  So we immediately went into Defcon 3 mode.  Billy carried Elijah downstairs.  You know the kind of carrying I'm talking about--arms extended, body swaying below, careful not to cross contaminate another innocent bystander or object.  

So, I went to reach for Peno.  Bad mistake.  He is apparently growing increasingly weary of me and likes to pee every time I try to pick him up. Needless to say we had two areas of post-war cleanup to deal with upstairs. So much for a day of rest!

Cue the Stanley Steamer jingle..."Call on the experts to clean it right, call on Billy and Stephanie!" 

Can't Hold His Licker

'Oh, No!  Elijah, don't touch that.'  'Jalapeno, stop licking the burp cloth.' 'Bennett, don't lick Elijah's hand.'

Good grief, it's tough keeping up with all my babies, Elijah and my furry babies too. Through all the wonders of bodily functions, I was struck with a very odd thought the other day.  So, you've heard from Billy that Elijah has found his chubby, cherub feet and enjoys them quite thoroughly for minutes on end.  Another new phenomenon he has taken to is discovering things with his mouth. He has already found his little 'sausage fingers', but now the world is opening up to rattles, blankets, and the tail of his stuffed puppy rattle, Spunky. He sees something, grabs it, and immediately to the mouth it goes. 

Now, nothing about this behavior is particularly new to our child.  The thing I found funny was, what if we as adults did the same thing.  Say you visit your local bank seeking to take out a loan.  Out comes Mr. Brown, the bank manager, he extends his hand and immediately you pull it to your mouth and slobber all over it.  I mean, you need to get to know this man.  What better way is there?  Ah, to see life through the eyes and mouth of a baby.

   

Bias

I figured it was time for an update seeing how its now been a MONTH since my last posting. That and Billy keeps harassing me to update too. And we all know, it's just better to keep Billy happy.

It really is amazing how bias you are about your baby. I can look at other babies and think, 'My baby is soooo much cuter.' But I think I'm safe in assuming that 1)He is the cutest baby and 2) every parent thinks the same thing about their child.

That Warm Feeling

Sure, people warn you about all the dirty diapers you'll change throughout your child's life. But alas it doesn't stop there.

Sometimes I'll be feeding Elijah and all of a sudden I get that warm feeling. No, I'm not talking about this overwhelming sense of fondness for this little bundle of joy. I'm talking about something a little more personal than that--I'm talking about getting urinated on. That's right people, urine. I'm giving this child his sole source of nutrition and you know what he does to thank me? He pees on me.   

Thankfully, the family I come from, the Shulman side, finds bodily functions hilarious. So, I can't say it ever really grosses me out. In fact, I must share another funny instance. If this stuff disturbs anyone, please omit the next paragraph from your reading experience.

One morning, not too long ago, I was changing Elijah on his changing table when all Hades broke loose. The diaper was off, and well I'm sure you can imagine what happened next. The thing that freaked me out was that I was watching the bottom half when all of a sudden projectile vomitus came spewing on me. Needless to say, it totally messed with my head. All I felt was a cascade of warmth on me, and I have to say, I thought I was being pooped on. Thankfully, it wasn't quite that bad. Sorry for the vivid picture, but hey, that's a slice of my life. Hopefully, you weren't innocently snacking and catching up on your blog reading when you stumbled upon this lovely post. Hopefully, you can still finish your candy bar.

And just to let you know, that warm feeling of fondness for Elijah grows each day. 

How do you work this thing?

So you get your baby home and at first it's basic maintenance: feed him, change him, bathe him, and launder lots of his used and abused burp cloths, clothes (sometimes yours too when they get caught in the crossfire), and bibs.  But now comes something different, and frankly something a lot more fun.  We recently found out a couple of weeks ago from Elijah's honorary grandma here in Athens, Gammy G, or Kelly my wonderful co-worker and friend, that he enjoyed sitting and even standing up. Well, that certainly was news to us.  Billy and I sometimes feel like ignorant and fumbling parents looking for the instructions on how to work this thing. We just don't seem to know these seemingly obvious things.  But thankfully, many a parent has reassured us that they didn't know these things either their first time out.  Apart from sitting and standing with assistance it looks like Elijah is on the verge of rolling over.  I can see his determination and hear his grunts as he tries to force himself over.  It sure is amazing to see the discovery of human development and that something so simple like rolling over isn't as easy as it seems.  I thought maybe I'd see a 'first' today. I guess the day is not over yet.  My only fear is that someone else, namely our new babysitter, will see it before me.  

One other funny thing about today.  I happened to glance at myself in the mirror and admire all the lovely spit up stains on my shirt.  Now normally, there's really nothing funny about that in particular, except today I have on my 'Beverly Hills Rodeo Drive' t-shirt.  I realize that the people who can actually shop on Rodeo Drive aren't really sporting the latest lilac, embroidered tee like I am today, but I thought "Now, I'm about as far away from glamourous as you could possibly get." But good news...I did brush my teeth today!  

Stinky Rodigueez

Well, I've tried to see that I update the blog every Sunday, but you see where my good intentions have gotten me. Things are a little crazy at our place. Our little one has only been taking small naps lately. Which makes getting things done around the house quite difficult to nearly impossible. Yesterday, he was pretty fussy so his new nickname is Fussy McGrumpy Pants, which joins his other nickname, Stinky Rodigueez. Don't ask me where I come up with these crazy names, but Billy says I need to stop calling him Rodigueez or he'll start thinking that's his real name.

Last week we also visited Elijah's doctor for his first set of immunizations. I have to say, I was a little nervous about how he would react. I was at work that day, so Billy brought him to the office and I met them there so I could feed him afterwards. All the ladies at work told me to bring a tissue along. Well I was emotional before I even got there, having been shot down for the umpteenth time trying to find permanent childcare for Elijah. So, I thought I'd be in for it. Billy stood over Elijah and watched his little eyes open so wide as if to say, "How could you, Daddy?" The doctor told us to expect a fever, fussiness(we're used to that, well not really), and not much sleep that night. Right after his shots we carried him out and he just stopped crying. I went to the car and fed him, and he was wonderful. We even got plenty of sleep that night. What a brave little Stinky Rodigueez...sorry, Billy, I mean Elijah.

My New Best Friend

Hello, everyone!  I'd like to tell you about my new best friend.  He has a wonderfully, calming presence and makes everyone so happy to be around.  What's his name you ask?  He goes by only one name, Soothie.  That's right, my new best friend is a pacifier named Soothie.  He's wonderful.  Now he isn't that cute button of a pacifier, in fact, he's a little homely if you ask me.  But he makes my little guy calm down like no one else can, not even mama or daddy.  Of course Grandmommy is coming today, so she might have the same Soothie touch. We'll have to see. 

So this is how I met my friend, Soothie.  Last week was my second week back at work and a friend of ours called in a favor to her babysitter.  So Elijah saw Miss Ann on Monday and Thursday.  After coming and picking him up on Monday I asked how he was.  She said he was pretty good but fussed a little, until they introduced him to Soothie.  Apparently they were fast friends.  Which made me remember, hey, someone gave me a bag full of pacifiers, and I think there were a couple of those in there.  So I rummaged through a zip lock bag and found my little green buddy.  So there you have it the story of Stephanie and Soothie.  Who says there aren't benefits to going back to work!?!  I would have never been introduced to Soothie otherwise.