June 29

Hi baby!
I spent all day thinking about you! I was looking at your new photos and just thinking how handsome you are. I cleaned your room and put some photos in all those frames that people have been buying you. I went through all your clothes and there are so many that are too small or too warm it is crazy. You didn't even wear some of them! After Mary's, you went to Grampa Keith's for a little bit until Daddy picked you up.

When you got home, we set up your bouncer that we bought before you were born. Remember we bought that Amby bed for you but then it was recalled? Well, it came with a bouncy attachment that we hadn't hooked up yet. We put you in it while I was finishing up your room but you would have none of that - you were starving. It hadn't even been 45 minutes since you ate at Grampa's but you wanted your FOOD. You ate two containers and some cereal puffs. Afterwards, we put you back in the bouncer and you loved it. It is different than your bouncer chair because you can move, spin and almost act like you were flying. You enjoyed spinning around and chasing the dogs. I busted the camera out and OH MY GOODNESS you were working the camera. I have always suspected that you knew when a camera was turned on but tonight confirmed it. Once I put it up to my face, you were "ON." Crack me up!!!

I even took a video that I am putting on you tube for your family to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao0mE4__u-M

That is about it for today babycakes. You went to sleep at 7:30 tonight. I don't know if it is for good or for a nap but I am updating your blog while you are resting :)

Pool photo from yesterday - see all those leaves mommy was cleaning?

Bouncer photos from tonight




I said to your dad "I wonder where Elijah gets that big old mouth open pose." He rolled his eyes and pointed at me. I said "No, on Mother's Day, I only did that because he was doing it." He said "Go look at the wall, you have that pose long before Elijah was here." I think your dad is silly but here are the photos he is talking about. You can decide for yourself Elijah :)

June 26 - June 28

Well buddy, today is a big day! You are 6 months old. You are an old man :) I can't believe it was only 6 months ago that I was whining to Bonehead to get you out of there. Only 6 months ago that I heard your first little peep as you were being born. In some ways, I look at you and think where did my little baby go and in other ways, it seems like you have been here for years :)

Let's see, what did we do this weekend? Saturday, we hung out for a bit then you visited Brandi and Jeff while we went to a movie. When we picked you up, you were so darn cute sleeping on Brandi. You were just snuggled up for the count. Then, out of the blue, your head popped up and you looked at your daddy like "Oh, you are here, it is time to go buddy." Once you were asleep for the night, we watched a movie. We heard a big pop and the TV went dark. I think your dad may have started crying. :) Luckily, we bought the extended warranty so will fix it.

On Sunday, we went to the Aksarben farmers market and ran into Brandi & Jeff. We walked around, had lunch there and you got a few tiny bites of a sugar cookie. Then, off to Great Gramma Lang's to visit for a bit. She got to love you up but then I had to whisk you away to take some 6 month photos before you got fussy.

Here are my favorite photos from your photo shoot. I chose this outfit for a special reason. You have worn it once or twice before but I didn't get any photos. This outfit is the only outfit that your dad and I ever bought for any of your brothers. It is the only thing we saved as a memento. I tried to get rid of it several times but your dad wouldn't let me. I didn't see a need to keep it and have such a sad reminder around when I thought for sure there would never be any kiddos. But, now, you are here to stay and a big boy at 6 months! I am glad your dad made me keep it because it sure is cute on you :)






After your photos, you hung out with Gramma Debbie and Donnie for a few hours. You went to a birthday party and you were hamming it up big time. When we picked you up, it was interesting watching you interact with Gramma Debbie and Donnie. You were acting like it was your job to entertain them. You were just cheesing it up and laughing and being a ham. Daddy said he is worried you are going to be the life of the party. I don't see any shame in that but your mom is a ham too :) For some reason, you just tugged my heart on Sunday. When I put you to bed, I was pattting your back and you started cooing your soft little coos. It made me cry because we are so lucky to have you!

On Monday, I put you in your pool for the first time. You just floated around and lounged about while I was cleaning out the leaves. This owning a pool stuff is hard work. Well, for your mommy and daddy anyway - your only job is to float and splash. You lasted about 40 minutes before you were bored. Then, we ran errands. You are in your big boy car seat and you were in the cart without a carseat. Man, you are a BIG BOY!

We can only wonder what our next 6 months will be like. Will you be walking? Talking? Still be a ham? Be ornery? Everyday is a mystery and we love finding out what will happen next!

June 24 and June 25

Hey booger boy!
Our first true sickness is here. Yeah, we thought you had some tummy issues and your thrush but our first true cold or major allergy breakout. We thought it was allergies because it started on the same day that your daddy's did. But, yours got worse really quick and now you can't breathe! On Thursday, we just tried to keep you as happy as we could. On Friday, daddy took you to the doctor and they said there was nothing that they could do. They wouldn't treat you until you have a full blown ear infection. So, we are stuck giving you tylenol and claritin. Luckily for us, you are eating baby food or you would be starving. Since you can't breathe, you have a hard time eating a bottle.

Unfortunately, because you were sick, you missed a date with Gramma Debbie and Grampa Keith and we didn't get to go visit Great Gramma on her birthday. We are hoping you feel better pronto because mommy & daddy have plans tomorrow and you were going to visit Brandi and Jeff. They aren't going to want a booger boy in the pool with them :)

Here are some scrapbook pages I did for your book. I am finishing up your 6 month book. I am pretty much done except for the last 5 pages - the pool pics, your 6 month pic and a letter from me :)

June 22 - June 23

Hi Elijah!
It has been a busy few days! On Tuesday, you went over Grampa's and you came home nekked. Your daddy told me that you were in the big boy pool at Mary's so your clothes were wet. I was so excited for you! I know you love the water and you were watching all the kiddos playing. But, on Tuesday, you were in the water playing with them. Afterwards, we went to the Kroc center with Morgan and went swimming. You liked it and had fun but you were a bit tired so you didn't have as much fun as last time. But, we got some great photos of you in the water and a fabulous photo of you and Morgan.


You are now a splasher. We can no longer expect a dry bath because in your tub and in the pool, you are all about splashing every where.



On Wednesday, it was a day of trauma all around :) I went to the hospital in the morning for my test and you were traumatized by having to get up an hour earlier. You were a crabby pants. In the afternoon, we went to the dr. for your 6 month check up. You are 17 lbs and 13 oz and you are a tad over 28" long. The doctor was pleased with your progress and where you are at developmentally. We can now start giving you a bit thicker food and trying to train you with a sippy cup. At night, you hung out with Auntie Sheila and Uncle Jeff while we went to a concert. You played with them for a bit then crashed! We had a rough night sleeping because your allergies were making you miserable. Unfortunately, it appears that you inherited your daddy's allergies. He woke up on Tuesday sneezing and coughing. Of course, then you woke up sneezing and coughing. The pediatrician said we can give you allergy medicine.

That is about it for today buddy. Hopefully, you will be feeling better tomorrow.

June 21

Hi squirt!
I feel like I have a lot to tell you today, pumpkin!

First off, you are a bit of a fussy pants there buddy. You keep screaming at us. We know you are changed, we know you are not tired and we try giving you a bottle. Nothing works and you keep screaming. So, we made you a freshie bottle with warmer water and all is right with the world. Apparently, I need to get a thermometer because if your formula is not the precise temperature, it is beneath you. Your daddy says you better get over that junk quick because he won't be heating up your milk in a saucepan :) Mary says you fuss at her about it too.

Not only were you screaming at us, today you were a little PIGGIE - oink oink! This was the first day you have eaten so much food. We took some baby food oatmeal over Mary's and you ate about 1/2 of that jar. Then, you ate 2 FULL CONTAINERS at home for dinner. You ate a sweet potatoes with corn and an apricot! We also tried a couple Gerber Graduate puffs and you liked those. I think you liked a new texture and something crunchy. You were definitely a big boy today until you were throwing your temper tantrum about the formula being 2 degrees too cold :)

I made a big decision today buddy. I realized you were sleeping and I hadn't taken a photo yet today. I am giving up on the photo a day. I know that I take plenty of pictures of you that we won't go a week without a photo but the daily photo grind is too much. We end up with some bad quality photos just to say we took one. I also have to scrap them for you and your books are FULL already. I reorganized your book and you have filled up one whole 100 page book already for your first 6 months. I can't really have your first year be 3 volumes so I am making a change. Pretty soon, we will do a big photo shoot for your 6 month birthday! I also have another project whirling around in the back of my head I would like to try to focus on for a bit.

I guess that is about it for today munchkin. You are fast asleep and I am about ready to pass out on the pillow but I will leave you with some scrapbook pages I have done the last few days.

This one is kind of boring but I find it hard to scrap such good pictures. That scenery is just too beautiful to mess with :)


This set was also difficult for me because they are THEE Elijah photos. There is a lot of pressure on myself to do good pages when the photos are so good. But, I had to get them done because I needed them to complete your book.


Some great photos yesterday. I love the ones of you hanging over your dad's shoulder :)

Photo Catch up

Random order this week because your mom is a slacker :)

Hanging out with daddy in bed:


This one doesn't capture how funny the moment was - you were all fussy and crying and squirming about. Then, you wiggled up in Daddy's arm and crashed :)


New outfit from Auntie Val


I love when I walk in your bedroom and you are sleeping with your butt in the air. It is so cute! Today, you even crossed your legs :)



This is your newest face - all your noises are "MMMMMMMM....." I think it is because you are trying so hard to get "mommy" out!


Us hanging out together and trying some new photo settings.


Some scrapbook pages I made lately:

June 15 - June 20

Hi Baby - Did you think I deserted you? It has been almost a week since I posted to you. But you know what? It is because I am just so darn busy being your mommy :) Let's recap what you have been up to this week and I will catch up with pictures later...

Tuesday - you spent time with Grampa and Heather when they picked you up at Mary's. Then, we were just lazy at home at night.

Wednesday - you hung out with Gramma Debbie, Great Gramma Dorothy and Auntie Sue. Gramma Debbie picked you up from Mary's then you went to see Gramma Dorothy's new apartment. I think you were a good boy over there but I did get a text that you were slapping Gramma Dorothy on the face!! When you got home, we busted out our new CocoKey passes and went to the lazy river for an hour. You liked it and daddy liked watching you in the water. I was so proud of you - you got splashed in the face and you were still happy.

Thursday - mommy had book club so you hung out with daddy. You were fast asleep when I got home but I smooched you anyway :)

Friday - Grampa wanted to hang out with you for a bit so he picked you up and showed you off to his friends. Then, you went over Great Gramma's for a bit. I think it might have been the longest you have ever been over there! We went to dinner at Grandmother's. You are starting to watch us eat and look at us like "Where is mine?" So, we gave you some mashed potatoes. You thought those were ok but nothing to eat a lot of. We went grocery shopping and you tried to sleep but we kept moving you all around!

Saturday - we tried something new this morning. When you woke up, I gave you baby food before I gave you a bottle. We bought you Apple Yogurt Oatmeal baby food. You ate a big chunk before you had your bottle. Then, we took a nappy together while daddy went to work. After our nappy, we went to farmer's market with Debbie and Morgan. You did a great job in your sling watching everyone. When we came home, you finished off that big jar of oatmeal - little piggy :) We spent the afternoon over Great Gramma Dorothy's with Auntie Becky and Auntie Betty. You were so good all afternoon. You didn't cry or fuss even though I know how exhausted you were. I was so proud of you. I swear, you have a thing for elderly women - you seem to work them even harder than you do everyone else. You were hamming it up to Auntie Betty & Gramma Dorothy. Auntie Becky was so excited to see you - you have grown so much since she saw you last. Uncle Steve made it over and he was so proud of how strong you were, too. We are going to schedule a date with you and them for July!

After your big afternoon with the Blankmans, Debbie and Morgan wanted some Elijah time. We went out to dinner while you hung out with them. Debbie took you to the park and put you in the big boy swing - she said you liked it. But, then, like always, you conked out on them. When I came to pick you up, you were awake. Morgan read you a book and fed you a bottle - it was so darn cute. You were smiling up a storm for them. When I brought you home, you were kind of a fussy pants and I let you sleep with us. But, I moved you after a bit because I like it better when you are in your crib :)

Today is a big day baby boy! It is Father's Day. We made daddy and Grampa breakfast. We gave daddy his little photo wallet and his shirts. We dressed you in your matching onesie and later we are going to Gramma's for a BBQ with Grampa and all our cousins. I hope that you will be an adult and look back and remember how much your daddy loved you. You truly are his pride and joy and he loves you to pieces!