"I'll want to rocky when I'm eighteen"

Eli loves to "rocky". That is cuddling in the rocking recliner after his nap, when he is getting tired or has hurt himself. I have been asking him lately if he will still want to rocky when he is 12 or 15 and he assures me that he will want to rocky then. I told him the other day that I was going to have daddy get out the video camera when he got home so that I could "get it on tape" and his response was "I don't want daddy to put tape on me!". Last night when Eli was getting tired he asked if he could rocky with me and I said "You want to rocky with me?!?!" and he said "I'll want to rocky when I'm eighteen". I am going to get this on video and I am going to play it for his friends when he grows up, and to his girlfriends, and at his graduation party, and at his wedding reception......

Ian said "DA DA"

Let me start this post by saying that I know that my boys will develop at different rates, but I am constantly stressing over Ian hitting milestones. I think it is partially because Eli hit language milestones so early (he was saying da da and mam ma by 5 1/2 months). I know that when a child is working on developing one area (such as physical) that they are less likely to master another area (communication), and Ian has been far ahead of Eli on the physical milestones. None the less, I have been stressing over Ian not using any consonant sounds. As an early childhood educator, I know what we need to be doing (talking to him, signing with him, reading to him, singing) and these are all things we do consistantly. Ian recognizes the signs for nurse, eat and more and has copied us signing milk. We(dad, mom and Ian) play a little game where we touch daddy's nose and say "da da", touch mommy's nose and say "ma ma", touch Ian's nose and say "Ian" and he has started to touch our nose when we say "ma ma or da da". His receptive language is on target, but I really have been worried about his use of consonants.

But Ian has finally spoke a consonant! Today he said "da da" when playing with daddy and it brought tears to my eyes! I was so happy to hear "da da". And although as soon as I found out I was pregnant the second time around I swore that this baby would say "ma ma" first, Ian had other plans. I am sure that I would have bawled if he had said "ma ma", but that will come soon enough!

Wordless Wednesday - Kidzfest

Ian's First Ear Infection

Poor baby! He has been terribly fussy for about the last week and then yesterday morning I tried to nurse him on his left side and he just screamed and wouldn't latch on. I got him calmed down and I knew he was hungry, but when I tried to latch him on again, he again screamed. I decided to try the right side and he latched right on and went to town. I knew then that he had an ear infection. I had to get him to nurse on the left side...we ended up doing a crazy football type hold with him laying on his right side stretched out to my right....a crazy site I'm sure!
We went to our doctor this morning and started medicine. They gave him some drops that numb the ear so that he can nurse and sleep comfortably. They really seem to help, so hopefully tomorrow is a better day. It is crazy to me that Eli had his first ear infection at 8 months, the same as Ian. I just hope Ian responds better to medicine than Eli did. Eli's ear infection never went away and we ended up doing tubes at 10 1/2 months.

Proud Mommy Moment

Today Eli and I were at the grocery store and he made me so proud. My mom had Ian, so it was just Eli and he had chose to walk with me, holding on to the cart. There was a boy, maybe a year older than him, that was running around the store shooting a plastic gun. He even walked up to one of the workers and hit him! Eli kind of looked at him and said "what he doin' that for mom?". I said that he wasn't staying safe and that Eli was doing a great job being safe. We kept shopping and we turned to go down another aisle and the little boy had just about ran over a lady. When we came to meet her in the aisle, she looked at me and said "What a well behaved boy. It is nice to see a mother doing a good job raising her child." I told her thank you and walked on. Eli said "Mommy, what she say?" I told him that she said he was a very good boy and she must have heard me because she turned and said "That's right, you are a good boy."
I was beaming. All of my time and energy is paying off. My husband and I are raising a good, respectful boy. I appreciated that someone noticed. Now, if she had seen him a few hours ago throwing a tantrum over having to share his toys, she would never have recognized him....but we are braving boyhood and it is working.

We Finally Made It To the Pool

So, usually the highs this time of the year are in the 80's and it is sunny and humid, but not this year! It has only been in the high 60's/ low 70's and pretty windy and rainy, so we have not had a chance to hit the pool. Until today that is! We finally made it today! Eli has been asking to go the the "pool with the slide" for months now and today his wish was fulfilled!


Eli first getting in the pool.


Joe and my nephew Quinn.


Eli playing in the small fountains.



Ian slept the first hour we were there.


Ian checking out the water, he wasn't very impressed. I don't think he cared much for the cool temperature of it.


Eli told me when we got home that he wasn't tired and didn't need a nap. I told him that was fine, that he should just grab a book and relax on the couch...and guess what? He fell asleep! Crazy huh?!?!?

My Boys - Portraits From Camping

Who's Got Your Tounge??

So the other day Scott was sticking his tounge out at Ian and he was fascinated! I of course to Scott's displeasure had to get pictures!

Playing In the Rain!

Eli loves being outside and the other day when it was raining, he wouldn't take no for an answer. We told Eli that he wouldn't have fun playing in the rain. He said he would. My husband decided to call Eli's bluff and let him go out to play....needless to say, we lost! He had a blast and would have stayed out there much longer, but I made him come in when I saw him shivering!

Cleaning Questions

Since I have been home this summer I have realized, while trying to catch up on my cleaning (that I have missed out on for SEVERAL months), that I need a plan. I sometimes miss only having to worry about the messes that I made...now I have to worry about Ian and Eli's messes and Joe's....and Scott's...and the dog's..... Anyway, I have never before had a "method" to my cleaning, I just did what needed cleaned. But now, I need some help. I am sure that once I get this house clean, it won't take long to get back to where it has been. I desperately need a plan, so I am asking you...how do you do it? Do you clean a room a day? Do you set aside one day for cleaning? Do you have a chore checklist? What chores do you do daily/weekly/monthly?
Ideally within the next month I will have a method to my cleaning. I want to avoid having to do lots of work on the weekend and I am the only one responsible for cleaning the house (I only work part time during the school year and Scott isn't much in to helping out with "women's work" ....I know, I know....I married him knowing this, so can't really change that now!)
Anyway, any thoughts, insights, helpful hints, etc. are appreciated!

My Sleeping Princes

And He Stands!

I can't believe that Ian has already figured out how to pull himself up to stand, but he did it today! Eli didn't pull himself up until he was nine months old (I think) and I am going to again just say that it breaks my heart that Ian is changing so fast! And BTW I am not dressing Ian up like a girl (the blanket and things behind him), my cousin's little girl was here today!