Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone! Hope you've had a great day. Ours has been very busy.

Thanks to a great play date with Ryan last night, Eli slept in a bit this morning (until 6:45am) so he went to school a bit late. That was a nice start to the day! Today was the Parade of Costumes at school today so Tim & I both went to watch. It was so cute. Lots of adorable kids and costumes - they all loved it. Eli walked with his class and then with me for a bit. He went as a farmer - Old MacDonald to be exact. The little infants were pushed through the parking lot in the evacuation cribs - it was fun. Then it was party time in the class. Eli ate sooo much food. He & Ryan ate their plates and then wanted more. Apparently Eli is a good eater every day in class. After lots of food and treats, we headed home.

Tonight we took Eli walking through the neighborhood in his wagon. We didn't really trick or treat - just dressed up for our family walk. We had straw in the wagon, Eli's farm and 'Old MacDonald had a farm' was on repeat on the ipod speakers. Eli didn't care too much for the straw but did enjoy playing with his farm while we walked.

He's pretty pooped out now and getting fussy. Hopefully he'll give us a good night of sleep after all the excitement. Hope everyone had fun either treating or being treated.

Farmer Eli at Parade of Costumes

School party - Ryan is the giraffe on the left, Eli on the right

Checking to make sure the animals are ready to go

Look at my cool bucket Mom made me

Playing with animals on the walk

Trick or Treat

Eli's 1st pumpkin carving

Tonight Eli carved his first pumpkin. Last week at school they had pumpkin patch so he brought home one he had picked out himself. He wasn't too thrilled tonight with all the goo coming out of the pumpkin but he did have fun watching me carve it.

Trying to scoop goo

Helping Mommy

Hello there Mr. Pumpkin!

My funny faced pumpkin

Final Measurements and Pictures - Bye Bye Helmet

Today we had Eli's final helmet appointment at UNC. We stopped his helmet last week because it just wasn't fitting well so we went in today for the final pictures and measurements. I don't think I've shared any pictures along the way of his head shape so you'll all be shocked and, hopefully, excited for Eli about the difference. As for measurements, when we started there was 5/8" difference in the cross sectional measurements. Now there's 3/16" - almost 1/2" improvement!! So it's not perfect but it looks pretty darn good and we're very very pleased with the results. The 7 months was totally worth it and we were very happy with the staff at UNC's Brace Shop. Hopefully none of you will ever need their services but just know how great they are if you do!

The "before" left side - taken 3/24/08

The "after" left side - taken 10/28/08

Hanging with Grandma & Grandpa / Panthers game

This weekend we went down to the farm to see Grandma & Grandpa C. The main reason was that I was hosting my company's suite for a group for the game. We went down Saturday afternoon and Eli was able to walk around the farm and help Grandpa gather eggs. He was so cute just roaming around and watching everything. A full afternoon of playing and we had a great dinner. Lots of good Southern comfort food especially one of my favorites - my mom's country style steak! Eli did really well driving down and also sleeping that night. He was up Sunday morning before the roosters (literally!) and I was surprised that it was 6am. I could have sworn that it was 4:30 or something. We had family breakfast and then Grandma took Eli with her to church and we were off to the Panthers game. I'm told that Eli was a good little boy for church and also at lunch with the extended family. They had lots of fun playing and exploring the farm and Grandma even enjoyed a nap with Eli.

Now for us, we had a great time at the Panthers game and were very happy that they won. My company built the stadium and we have a suite there. I was fortunate enough to reserve it for the game and entertain clients. So much fun!!! Tim even said that he would be the world's #1 football fan if we could always watch games that way. The group we hosted was a lot of fun and it was an enjoyable afternoon. A fun time there combined with Eli being good made for a wonderful Sunday.

We drove back last night at Eli's bed time and that worked so well. We didn't have to stop really at all and cut 30 minutes off our drive. I think that will be our approach for a few upcoming trips. Got home kinda late but survived the day at work. All I want to do right now is lay on the couch and sleep but I've got work to do. It just never ends does it?!

Now the pictures...

Gathering eggs - oh no, don't drop it Eli!!

I just love this picture - walking with Grandma & Grandpa

Not a great picture but us at the game

Woo hoo - a new football!

This was actually tonight. Eli in his doggie camo coat. Got to stay warm!

Family dinner at the table

It's hard to believe but we've started having family dinner (and other meals) at the table together now. Eli has been aggravated with the high chair for some time and was throwing his food and drinks ALL the time. It was very frustrating for us and didn't make meal time enjoyable. Last night we decided to try his booster seat at the table with us and he loved it. Breakfast again this morning and then dinner tonight. It feels so strange for him to be big enough to sit up to the table with us but it was pretty cool. Looks like it's time to retire the high chair! Here are some pictures from pizza night tonight.

Big boy style - my own seat and plate

Yummy pizza crust

LOVE this new seating arrangement

Helmet free Eli

Last night was Eli's first official night as Helmet Free Eli. When we went to put his helmet on, it just wasn't fitting right and Eli appears to have grown out of it. That was our goal - wear it at night as long as it fits. And here we are!! Almost 7 months after we started, we are Helmet Free. =)

The Great Pumpkin Search

Today we went to Hill Ridge Farms in search of pumpkins. Thanks to our friend Amy (Stella Dot's mom) for her blog post about the fun farm. We arrived at the farm right when it opened at 9am wanting to beat all the weekend farm-goers. The only thing about doing that was that it was pretty chilly! Eli loved all the room to roam and stuff to look at. He's pretty used to animals at Grandma & Grandpa's farm so he was very comfortable looking at them. He is getting good with his animal sounds - he can do chicken (bock bock), cow (moo) and rooster (some kind of shriel sound that I can't write!). We're working on other animal sounds as well. Anyway, after the animals we went into the Corn Playhouse. This was so cool - it was pretty much equivalent to a sandbox but full of corn kernels. Eli & I played in there for a little while. Then it was off to the 80' slide. Eli went down it twice - once with each of us and loved it. He even walked up the big hill to the slide holding my hand. Did I mention that he's 14 months going on 4?!! He also ran through the hay bale maze. It was so funny because most of the time all I saw was a little head running by. He went in, went about halfway through and then backtracked to the entrance.

After that we went on a hayride that took us to the pumpkin patch. We could have spent all day looking for the perfect pumpkin. Eli seemed to want ones that were too big for him and got upset when he couldn't pick them up. When I finally gave him one to hold, he wanted to throw it so Daddy got pumpkin duty and carried the pumpkins back. Eli had a lot of fun on the hayride and running around the pumpkin patch. I was impressed with his ability to walk in and out of the pumpkins without falling or stepping on them.

Back from pumpkin patch, we wanted to go ahead and catch our train ride - it was getting close to lunch for Eli. We rode in the caboose and Eli liked looking out at the farm. It was chilly and windy so we tried to stay warm. After the train ride, we headed home and Eli fell asleep on the drive after running around virtually non-stop at the farm for two hours. He was so happy and had so much fun. This was our first trip to the pumpkin patch and hopefully we'll get to go back next year!

Welcome to Hill Ridge Farms

Eli & Mommy in the Corn Playhouse

Eli the cow?

That little head running through the maze

Big slide ride with Daddy

Big ole pumpkin patch

Family self portrait in the caboose

Picture of the Day

Our little pirate before school - LOVE this picture

Specialty Doctors - an upper societal class?

Oh, I'm so frustrated today. Took Eli to a specialty doctor and was not impressed at all. Now my feelings today aren't directed at ALL specialty doctors, more specifically the one I saw today. So here's the deal, had a 2:30pm appointment so like a good Mom, I arrived at 2:20pm with all my (Eli's) new patient paperwork completely filled out. Signed in and waited. About 15 minutes later I was escorted back to a small patient room where the door was left open. It became frustrating to see the doctor run back and forth to other patients as we waited well past our appointment time. About 3:20pm, doctor came in our room and shut the door. No "Hello how are you, my name is so and so" or "sorry for making you wait", nothing like that. Quick and simple. Checked Eli out, made a recommendation to see him again in a year and we were off. I must say that Eli behaved extremely well considering I woke him up at school from his nap (he's now taking a cat nap b/c he fell apart just a little bit ago but that's ok) but we should have never had to wait that long. Anyone ever see the episode of Seinfeld where, I think it was George that billed the doctor for his time b/c she wasn't there for his appointment and didn't let him know 24 hours in advance. I just want to send him a bill and a letter that he needs to work on his service manner.

Oh well, just venting. We love Eli's regular doctor and all the doctor's in the practice. Specialist are not an everyday occurence in our household so I guess I'll survive. I just want to know what gives them the right to be so not nice and respectful.

(FUN) Weekend in review - LOTS of pictures

This past weekend, we went to the beach to visit Tim's parents. We had such a great time and Eli was amazing the entire weekend. Got there Friday afternoon - didn't do much but visit and catch up a bit. Eli took a nice nap as did I! I think Tim may have dozed off but I know I did (as will be a theme during the weekend). Saturday morning Eli & I did a walk before some family came over for lunch. A lot of Tim's family friends and family came over to have lunch and it was wonderful. All the kids were playing together, lots of great child noise and they were all happy. The adults enjoyed talking and catching up a bit. It's not too often that we get to spend time with a lot of his family together so it was really great. Eli played with a lot of Tim's cousins' children as well as children of some of his childhood friends. Eli was trying to act like the 4-year old boys. He thought he was big stuff! By the time everyone left, Eli was pooped out. He took a great nap (as did I!) and then we had a nice dinner with Tim's parents. More play time, bath and bed. Sunday morning after breakfast, we went to the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium. Eli had so much fun running all over the aquarium and checking out all the fish. He got to touch seashells and the back of a hermit crab - he wasn't too excited about that one! We took the stroller in but no reason, Eli just walked all over and didn't want to be held. He walked right up to each of the floor tanks and just looked in. He wasn't scared at all. Back to Grandma & Grandpa's for lunch and then we were on our way home. Eli took a nice nap on the way back so the drive was a breeze (again, I dozed as well!). It was a very relaxing and fun weekend. Great to see Grandma & Grandpa and hang out a bit down there.

Now, the pictures!!

"Funny Face" - Eli worked on perfecting this and can now do it on command any time there's a camera nearby.

Playing with Miller & Ally

Eli hanging with the 4 year olds - Matthew & Hunter

Showing off his farm to Emma Ruth

BIG Fish at the aquarium

A cool octopus

Mommy & Eli with another Froggy

Mr. Funny Face again

Family photo

A new species of Hermit Crab - the Eli crustacean

With Daddy, Grandma & Grandpa

Snuggling with Blankie on the ride home

Headed to the Beach

We're all packed up and ready to go to the beach to see Grandma and Grandpa N. Isn't it amazing how much you pack with a little one?! Pictures and stories when we get back. Hope you all have a great weekend.

Froggy Fun

Eli got a package today from my friend and co-worker Amanda who lives in Atlanta. She warned me that a "big" box was coming with something cute in it. I had no idea what to expect but was so excited when we got it today. She sent Eli his own big tree frog. The tree frog is a mascot in my company of our "Preserve" initiative promoting responsible construction and sustainable building practices. Granted, Eli won't know any of that for a long time but I've been wanting one of these frogs for a while. Eli & I opened the box and he proceeded to play with froggy. After dinner, we took froggy along on our wagon ride (I'm sure our neighborhood thought we were crazy!). Eli wasn't scared of it at all and liked his new friend.

Piggyback on froggy

Wagon ride

Week In Review

We've had a pretty good week in our house. Eli has adapted to the Toddler Room at school pretty well. His first week was great and his teachers are wonderful. He spent a lot of time outside, had art time, sang songs, danced, learned more sign language, practiced drinking with his open cup, and, amazingly has learned to sit for 40 minutes for circle time. I could not believe when they told me that. He's a very good sleeper at nap time and he has also done better for us sleeping at night. Of course, with all this activity, we've gotten several "incident reports" where he's been playing and bumped his head. He soooo thinks he's older than 13 months!

Tim & I have been the same. Work, play Mom & Dad after work, do chores, go to bed, wake up, repeat. But we're happy and healthy. I think we've finally beat the icky bug in the house and we're finding harmony again...thankfully.

I've been trying to tap into my creativity again and have been working on some scrapbooking ideas. I follow a few blogs and one of them had a project this week to take photos / document a week in your life. Well I haven't really done that but it has gotten me to pay attention to the little everyday things. And you know what I've learned most....I'm in love. I'm in love with my life. I love my husband, my son, my family, my dog, our house, my job, my friends, me......I'm just in love. I get stressed a lot because of work and lose focus, forgetting all the wonderful things I have and how lucky I am. One day I do hope to complete the "week in life" project but for now, I'm just being more aware of the good stuff. And there's a lot of it when you pay attention!!

Some pictures I love from this week....

Eli practicing sitting on his potty

Running of the starfish through the house

Eli brushing his teeth this morning - he likes to imitate us