after breakfast sun...

Anyone else having a hard time enjoying the sun today?

Knowing it will be gone again in the next day or two?

I mean really.  Spring, you are welcome to stay anytime.  What have we done to make you so shy?

I'm never listening to Mr. groundhog again.

But thankfully Ellis isn't jaded like me.  

He's naive.  In a way I only could hope for.  He doesn't care that it might rain again tomorrow. 

 He doesn't care that Thursday may bring 50 degrees again.  He just enjoys the now.  

And.  To top it all off.  He's cool with going outside in jammies and shoes.  

And eating grass. 

This kid teaches me a lot. 

In which I ramble on about doors...

Sure, life is always changing, but too many closed doors at once have a way of stopping you in your tracks and asking, "What's next?"

I am positive of one thing.  I am not in control.  The rest of it is pretty open.  :)

There are a few areas of my life that have recently been "closed" that are still a little fresh.  Time will tell where those things will go and I'll share when I have more answers.  {All good things...don't get yourselves all in a tizzy about nothing, now...}

But what's on my heart that I can share...

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I have a one year old.  Guys.  Ellis has {quickly} turned into a toddler before my eyes.  Walking, running, and {gasp} throwing fits.  My little baby, throwing fits.  The baby door has been closed on me without my permission and my son went running into toddlerhood without looking back.  I read a lot of books on how to take care of babies.  I know how to change, feed, sleep, repeat like a freaking champ.  But what's next?  I have no idea.  I used to look at those moms in target with the screaming baby with 10% sympathy and 90% wondering why they didn't teach their kid how to behave.  hahahaha.  I wish I could go back and slap the old me.  I definitely didn't teach my kid it was okay to throw himself into a puddle of drama because I wouldn't let him drink my hazelnut macchiato.  But he still did it.  And I had zero clue how to handle it.  So I just took a picture.  This next year should be fun... through the door I must walk...

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As a lot of you know, a good friend of mine and I have run a furniture refinishing business for the last few years.  I had a lot of fun, and created a deeper friendship through the process.  Well, my partner is crime is leaving me.  Kris and her family are packing up and moving to heaven on earth, aka Franklin, TN.  And I'm not happy about it.  Really, though, I am excited about where God is taking here and her family and I know He has big plans.  All to say, I've decided this is another area where I will choose to let the door close and not keep it open on my own.  All Things New has officially run it's course.   

But, again, God is moving in new ways.  It's amazing how I try so hard to hold on to the old that when I finally let go, the new hits me upside the head.   Dude, what's taken you so long?  I love the "side business" gig and need a way to let out my creative side.  So, I've dilly dallied in this all my life, and am finally putting one foot in front of the other and making something of  it.  Soon, I will be officially opening my Etsy store.  Get pumped :)  I'll leave you all shakin' in your boots about what exactly will be in store.  {but you can check out my instagram for a few sneak peeks if you just can't contain yourself --- @klthrock}

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Last bit of "this girl is crazy" info.  We are looking at houses.  Well, at "a" house.  Yep.  This pregnant lady has officially gone off the deep end.  That's all. 

Sleep is calling my name.

Rambling over. 

Small Victory.

Small victories.  That's what we celebrate around here.  And guys, this cause for celebration!

Ellis ate puffs!  ...and didn't throw up!

Seriously.

For a kid who throws up eating oatmeal, this is huge.

Good job little dude, mama is so proud... (and I'd say you're pretty proud of yourself, too!)

{ 9 Months }

Weight: 19 lbs 2 oz
Length: 31 in
(Your stats didn't change...)




Likes:  Peek a boo!  We say "where's Ellis?" and you stop everything to put your head down and "hide" and then pop up to say "there he is!"  You think it's hilarious.  You are right.  You also have started paying attention to the TV.  You really like Bob The Builder.  It only holds your attention for about 5 minutes, but if it gets you to sit still for 5 minutes, we will take it!  You also love Stanley.  You get so excited when you see him walk by and want to "pat pat" him all the time!




Dislikes:  Getting your diaper changed.  Getting your clothes changed.  Pretty much anything that makes you sit still.  You don't like to stay in one place.  You don't like your new carseat either.  Once you are in and settled, its okay, but getting you in and settled is not easy.  Again, I think it's being you are being forced to be still for a moment.


Milestones: We have a crawler!!  You have quickly gone from "scooting" around to full out crawling.  And crawling FAST!  On the hardwood you do more of an army crawl but as soon as you get on the carpet you get those knees up under you.  It's pretty fun to watch you learn and explore.


You are also pulling up on things.  The problem is that you don't hold on.  You pull up and then just rest yourself against the object.  And you have no balance at all, so as soon as you pull up and let go, you fall.  I see lots of bumps and bruises in your future.  Your dad says that is what comes with being a boy.


Still eating only purees.  We do yogurt bites on occasion, but they are so hit or miss that we don't risk it very often.  Puffs are a big no no.  We are attempting to thicken up your food, but it's really not working well.

Naps are still great!  Sleeping at night however, is not so much.  For the past 2-3 weeks you have been up at least once a night.  You can go back to sleeping through the night anytime you'd like :)

The best news of the month...No more helmet!!  You graduated from the helmet on New Years Eve.  You were down to 8mm and your dad and I decided that it was time to be done!  You had outgrown the helmet and they were going to have to make a new one and start over.  The Drs agreed that your head looked amazing and there was no reason to start a new helmet!  It's been off for about 3 weeks now and I feel like it was an eternity ago.  This could be another reason why your night sleep has been worse, but we will get through it.








Firsts: You (FINALLY) got your first tooth!  It popped through on Dec 21st and as of January 20th, you were still working on it.  That's right, still working on one tooth!  It keeps getting bigger.  And no more even are looking like they will come through soon.  This teething thing is not going to be fun.

Christmas!  Your first Christmas was definitely a fun experience.  You obviously didn't understand everything going on, but you knew that there were lots of people to play with and lots of pretty paper to eat.  We had "Christmas" at Grandpa Hay's house on Christmas Eve...complete with a visit from Santa!  Christmas morning we were home with Grandma Lisa and Aunt Lauren.  After that we packed up and spent the rest of the day out at Nana and Grandpas with lots of little cousins to play with!  You were very blessed with great toys and gifts from lots of family and friends.  You are one loved little boy.


Fun Fact: You love to be worn.  Yes, at 9 months old we still wear you around the house in the BJorn carrier at least once a day.  When you are restless it really is the only thing that will calm you down.  I'm hoping that you don't get much larger or that you learn to fall asleep a different way because at this point I'm not sure how much longer you will fit in this thing (or how much longer I will be able to hold you up!) :)

And he's off...

Took a shot at my first animated .gif today.  I'm kinda in love.  However, it doesn't quite capture just how crazy fast this kid is...

{ 8 months }

Weight: 19 lbs 2 oz

Length: 31 in

Likes:  People.  All you want is for someone to pay attention to you.  You will play and play and play as long as someone is within eye sight.  The second you are alone is a whole different story.  You like rattles and shaking anything that makes noise.  You love to stand.  You get this look on your face and everyone knows you are soooo proud of yourself when you stand up.  Oh, and splashing in the tub.  Getting mama all wet is soooo funny!

Dislikes:  Still not a fan of textures.  We are getting better.  You hate being laid down.  Whether it's to get you dressed, changed your diaper, or even lay you down to take a bottle, you freak out like we are pinning you down.  You get over it pretty quick, but it's not a fun trick :)  You don't like when your dad or I walk by without acknowledging you.  We can't walk through a room without stopping to say hi or you act like we are the meanest parents in the whole wide world.  I guess stopping a moment to see you isn't so bad though.

Milestones: 

You are scooting.  Not crawling, but doing everything in your power to scoot, roll, or slide your way to get what you want.

You are back to eating on a bit of a better schedule.  You still don't like the textures, but you will eat the pouches of food 2-3 times a day.  You are still taking 4-5 6oz bottles a day.

You are taking great naps!!  I never thought this day would come.  You aren't completely regimented, but that's okay.  Pretty consistently you are taking a 2 hour nap in the morning and about an hour in the afternoon.  This has been great as now your mama can get more things done :)

We are making progress in the helmet!  We had an appointment a few weeks ago and they said that you had gone from 15mm down to 9mm.  The goal is to get you under 6mm difference.  Your orthotist says that there is a good chance you will be done with the helmet by the end of the year!  We have an appointment on new years eve.  Your dad is beyond excited, I am not holding my breath.  I guess we will wait and see!

Firsts: 

Words - "mama!!"  You said it for the first time when you were really really angry, but none the less, you said it :)  And "hey!"  Anytime someone walks in the room you look and say "hey!!"  It's pretty cute.  You also think it's hilarious when I tell you to "say mama" and you look and me and yell "dada!"

Thanksgiving at home and in Petersburg.  You didn't partake in the food this year - besides throwing up a few mashed potatoes.  That was enough for the day.  But we had a good holiday!

It was a bad month of sicknesses around here.  It seems that you've inherited your mama's lungs.   You spent most of the month on nebulizer treatments.  I think we are finally over it all.  Here's to hoping to a warm rest of the winter.

Fun Fact: 

You really love your puppy.  You will smile when he walks by and love when he sticks around long enough for you to "pet" him.  Your petting involves more pulling and hitting, but we are working on it!   You love listening to Andrew Peterson's "Slugs and Bugs" album in the morning with your dad.  Many times I can hear him singing to you and you just cackle.  You've got a pretty awesome dad.  

Love you little Mister!

(This month's photos were taken by Kyle Shultz)

{ 7 months }

Weight: 16 lbs 12 oz

Length: 30 in

Likes:  You love to talk.  You mumbled before, but now all you do is talk.  Or scream.  Whichever. You found lots of new octaves and you use them all.  :)  You love to dance and to watch us dance.  You think your momma is soooo funny when she dances around to get you to smile.  You also love to look at yourself.  After your baths, when we walk in front of the mirror you just stop and stare and smile at yourself.  All while rubbing your head of course :)  You also LOVE to sneeze.

Dislikes:  Any food that has texture.  Yeah, we're hoping this one passes.  We tried to move you up to the next "level" of baby food and you want nothing to do with it.  Doctor says that it's most likely a texture aversion mixed with a over sensitive gag-reflex.  Lovely.  I tried to give you applesauce and you gagged and threw up.  Applesauce!  We've tried mashed potatoes, avocado chunks, smashed peas, and banana.  All of which were an absolute no-go throw up mess.

Milestones: 

You finally sit up!  Well, you've been sitting up for a while, but you sit up all on your own!!  When you start getting tired we will put the boppy behind you just in case, but for the most part you are golden.

You are FINALLY easy to bathe.  You are so squirmy that I have always just prayed that you don't slip and hit your head on the porcelain tub or roll over into the water.  You would flail and splash and I would just rush to get it done as quick as possible.  Now that you sit up so well, you will play with toys and actually enjoy bath time.  And I'm not a nervous wreck the whole time.  

You are still in the helmet.  The doctor says it will be at least 3-4 months.  We missed the 5 month growth spurt, and so we may be looking at a little bit longer, but that's okay!  You are doing great and don't seem to mind it one bit.  Sometimes you get so fussy when it's not on that we wonder if you are just more comfortable with it on.  

Firsts: 

Words!  And, of course, you said "da da".  It's not like I'm home with you all day everyday.  No big deal... :)  No, it's actually pretty darn cute and I don't mind that you can't say "ma ma" yet because I'm sure once you start you won't stop!  Your dad thought you were just saying it and didn't know what it meant, but now when he walks in the room you yell, "da da" right at it, so we are fairly confident you know exactly who your da da is!

Your first night NOT sleeping through the night (since you were 6 weeks old).  This one is not so fun.  Thought I really can't complain, but you had a few bad nights when you were sick this month.  That's okay - the late night snuggles really aren't that bad when you only have to do them every now and then!

You had your first halloween!  (just a few days after you turned 6 months!) Mom made you a homemade Owl costume, and we carved you a little "e" pumpkin.  Even though you had no clue what was going on, we took you trick or treating and you seemingly had a great time!

Fun Fact: 

You rode on a train for the first time and did great!  You loved being able to sit in your own seat and watch all the fun stuff out of the window.  We took the train up and back for your Aunt Sarah's wedding in Chicago.   Some of your cousins were on the train with us and so you had a great time being passed around and playing with the boys!  You had a blast at the wedding and you looked pretty snazzy in your fancy wedding duds.  

We love you little mister.  Happy 7 months!

{ 6 months }

One half of a year.  Every single mom on the planet has said this, and I completely agree.  I feel like you were born yesterday while at the same time I don't remember life without you.  Well, I mean I remember it.  But I don't at the same time.

Weight: 16 lbs 4 oz

Length: 29.5 in

Likes:  You are all about the people.  Just like your momma.  A social butterfly.  As long as there is someone to talk to you or someone for you to look at, you are happy.  When we leave the room, you let us know how utterly boring your life is without someone to play with! :)  You are starting to interact with Stanley.  He's not so sure about it.  He just lays and lets you pull and pat him...for about 30 seconds.  Then he gets up and hides in the corner.  Soon he won't be able to run from you!

Dislikes:  Your tummy.  You hated it, then didn't mind it, and now you hate it again.  You will roll from your back to your tummy and as soon as you get there, you get mad and roll right back over.  Silly boy.  You hate having your nose wiped.  We've had our share of illness this month and we learned this well.  You will arch your back and scream bloody murder...all over a little kleenex.  

Milestones: 

Still not quite sitting on your own.  Every time we think you have it, we turn around and down you go!  You will sit, but not without a barricade of pillows, blankets, and then an inevitable face plant. 

1-2 meals of purees a day.  No more stinking oatmeal - that's for babies.  You love carrots, green beans, and prunes.  You hate (and are possibly allergic to) bananas.  You aren't so fond of apples or spinach either.  But we keep trying!  And still going strong with 6-7 ounce bottles every 3 hours!

Rolling!  You started rolling back to front, and in one day you just didn't stop!  Now we never know where we will find you when we leave a room.  It's fun, but makes it a little harder to get things done!

You are outgrowing your clothes faster than I can buy them!  You are 25% in weight and 100% for height!  Someone is taking after their dad!  You are now wearing 6-9 month clothes.

Firsts: 

Sickness :(  We had a lot of firsts this month - ear infection, high fever, allergic reaction, late night throwing up.  All no fun at all!!  You handled it like a champ and after about 2 weeks I think we finally kicked it all.

You are officially a helmet baby.  You got your helmet Oct 10.  The first few days were a little rough, but we made it!  We are about 2 weeks in and you rock it.  It's the cutest thing.  You wear it 23 out of 24 hours a day.  We've decorated it a couple times...white, blue, and currently it is grey chevron.  Your dad wants it changed, so I guess I need to start thinking of new ideas.

Fun Fact: 

When we take your helmet off, you just lay there and rub all over your head.  I mean its the cutest thing ever.  A little itching, but mostly just rubbing back and forth all over your hair.  It's like you missed your head while it was in the helmet.  It's stinking adorable.

Your Nana T made you a half cake for your half birthday.  Your dad and I wouldn't let you eat it, but we let you play in the icing!  You didn't even try and put it to your mouth - kid, you don't know what you were missing!  Happy 6 months Mister!