3.12.2012 My big boy

Eli loves cars. A lot.
He spends hours playing with them most days.

He loves to get them lined up-either all in a straight line (and you better believe they are all facing the same direction) or he has them in a nice little arch around his play mat.

He inspects each car carefully...

...sometimes putting them right up to his lips (he likes to 'feel' things with his lips. That doesn't make sense at all...but he does what he's doing in the above picture, but he's not smelling them...at least I don't think he is)

He's so careful about where he places each one (which makes Hurricane Leah a very unwelcome visitor).

You hear lots of car noises, and you often hear them 'talking' to each other. (My favorite was the other day when he had 2 cars talking to each other, and I kept hearing 'We are NOT the same!' A quote by Doc Hudson from Cars)

I think he's trying to pic the truck up with his feet...good gymnastics form ;)

See how he has them lined up? I think it's hilarious that he typically has cars parked in the 'parking spots' on the mat.

Just a few more cars...

And when he's done with his mat, he plays with his cars on the couch...or the counter...or the stove top (we really discourage that one) or the window sill...you get the idea.

3.11.2012 Fourth time's a charm?

It's that time again. The time of year where I attempt to plant a garden. And in a few months is usually the point where I fail miserably. BUT, I continue to try. You would think I would give up...but no. I'm determined to someday figure out how to grow vegetables. This year I have abandoned the canister planting. I'm hoping that was the reason for my failure, and planting in the ground will bring better rewards. This is my raised garden bed. I gotta be honest...I'm pretty proud of my gardening to this point. I have done ALL of it by myself-digging out the soil, putting the raised bed together, putting the soil and compost back in, testing the soil, adding organic potting soil...all of it by myself...with 2 kids that run all over the place while I'm trying to work. Fortunately they have not run out into traffic...I can't wait to get a fence!!!

Anyway, above is my 'before' shot. It's not a very big garden bed...I've already asked Edgar if we can get a couple more...and he said next year. I have big gardening plans...but in his defence, I have failed (as mentioned before) at every gardening attempt I have ever made. So I suppose taking it slow is wise.
Eli helped me plant the green beans. I was trying to get him to plant them every 2 inches like the package says, and take his picture at the same time. It didn't work out very well.

He just kept throwing them in the ground.

Even from a standing position...he needs to spend some time on the farm...

That was all the pictures I took. BUT, in addition to the green beans, I planted carrots and beets. I also have 3 tomato plants that I started from seed 6 weeks ago. I transferred them to 1 gallon containers until the grow a bit bigger. (I am trying to follow the instructions I read HERE...fish heads and all. Anyone know someone with 3 spare fish heads? I'm gonna need them in a couple of weeks...). AND, I have 7 eggplant plants growing from seed as well, though I don't think I am going to plant all 7. Seriously, who can eat that many eggplants? Of course...if my luck runs true, I only get 1 vegetable from any seed I have ever planted, so maybe I should plant all 7...oh yeah...my garden is too small for that.

I might plant some zucchini and cucumbers too, but I honestly think I'm out of room.

Did I mention I wanted another garden bed? I did...oh.

Anyway, I'll be sure to update on the progress of my plants. I really REALLY hope I don't fail again. You would think I would have gotten at least a FEW farmer genes...

3.10.2012 Let's Go Rays!

Yes, I'm cheerin' for the Rays! Well...that's because my son plays for them. Ya know...in the 3-4 year old division :) Today was Eli's first baseball game. That's right...my 3 year old son is playing baseball. It's been fairly comical in many ways-he really only likes running around the bases at this point. But hey, he's 3...ya gotta start somewhere!

The boys warming up (Eli's #6...yes, his pants are too big, so he's got the waist rolled so they don't fall off of him.)
Eli was up to bat. That is his coach, showing him how to hit.

First swing! A little low. His second swing was sort of a hit...he still hit the T, but he ran anyway. His second time up to bat he just tapped the ball off the T and took off.

He doesn't love being in the field. He doesn't really like wearing his glove, and only wore it for part of the first inning. He had a hard time staying put. He wandered a lot...so we had a lot of these conversations "Eli, stand here, and when the ball gets hit, go get it. No really, Eli, stay here. NO! Don't wander right in front of the kid hitting the ball. Eli come back here! Come here...I'm going to hold your shirt so that you can't move from here."

When really all he wanted to do was sit down.

After the game there were cupcakes for all-so in the end Eli really DID love the game :)

Mommy was so proud!

Uncle Ryan came to cheer his favorite Ray on.

Daddy and sister were proud too!

It was a fun morning. It's something that is out of Eli's comfort zone, for sure, but I think it's really good for him. And there is a part of baseball that is totally 'mommy's dream' :) But hopefully he has fun-he certainly will if there are cupcakes at the end! The morning wore him out-he took a 3 1/2 hour nap after lunch...and since he usually doesn't nap, it's 10:00 pm and he's still awake. Oh well...at least he's being quiet in his room.

Alrighty...off to bed!

2.28.2012 Cake Anyone?

YUM!

2.24.2012 The Daytona 500

I think Eli likes NASCAR...Though he doesn't seem to care that Danica Patrick was out after the 2nd lap nearly as much as the announcers do...

2.15.12 Visiting Jacob! (Plus a little 'fun' from today)

On Wednesday the 15th after Bible Study, the kids and I went over to visit Jacob...and Krista & Katie :) We picked up Chick-fil-a and headed over. Leah LOVES her little cousin. She just wanted to play with him. Unfortunately, Jacob has RSV (poor little guy!) He's so little to be struggling with sickness already! So we tried to keep the other kids away from him (unfortunately, I didn't watch close enough, and little miss 'get into everything' came marching around the corner sucking on his pacifier. We are paying the price for that now...)

'Don't touch him Leah!' Can you just hear her thinking 'Maybe just ONE finger'...

Not sure why the only pictures I got of him were in his car seat...he's SUCH a cutie pie!

After trying to play with Jacob, Leah was off to play on the slide

and Eli and Katie played together.

I might have to get Leah a slide. She loved playing on it, and played there most of the time.

And then she went back to harassing her cousin.

It was a nice afternoon. Thankfully Jacob and mommy (who is also fighting an infection) are doing better. SO thankful Jacob did not end up in the hospital-RSV is pretty scary for a kid not even 2 weeks old when he got it! We were able to take Krista to a doctor's appointment-LOVE that I could fit all 4 kids in my car :) While Krista was visiting her doctor I went to Dunkin' Donuts...the sacrifices I make ;)

Unfortunately, Leah has gotten sick since then. I really don't know if she got what Jacob had, or if it's her teeth-they are really REALLY bothering her. She had a fever for a couple of days (which Jacob never had...so I'm starting to doubt she picked this up from him) and a very runny nose. Today (the 21st) when she got up she had a terrible diaper rash that has spread down her legs and up her back...so we went to the doctor. (She ended up with an Rx for diaper cream and an antibiotic) At the doctor's office he checked her throat with a tongue depressor, and she gagged and threw up ALL OVER THE PLACE. On me, on her, on the floor...mostly in the trash can. Poor Dr. Yee just kept handing me paper towels, and she just kept heaving. She was so scared and upset. I'm pretty sure the only reason she did throw up was because she gagged on the tongue depressor, but we're going to hang out at home for a few days just in case.
The funny thing was, I didn't have a different outfit for her...but I did have one for Eli...

So here is Leah, in her brother's 4T clothes. She looks like a little gangster ;) Except she's still freaked out from throwing up everywhere, just wants to be held, and mom is taking her picture with her cell phone instead of comforting her...The things we do for a picture...

ANYWAY, we're at home now, I finally got to change my clothes (over an hour later...by the time the Rx was filled it took us a while...nothing like eating take-out with a bit of Leah's snack still on you...) and Leah is sleeping. Scratch that. I just heard her talking in her room. She's probably hungry. The only thing she's eaten today is in Dr. Yee's garbage can.

Hasn't this been a lovely post?

2.13.2011 Valentines Party

Today we were going to go to a little Valentine's Party at the park. We (finally) got a cold snap here, though, and because there were several little babies, I offered to have it at my house instead. It gave me a reason to clean my house... :) Leah was the only girl at the party, but she held her own. She's a tough little cookie.
I think Carter likes the alphabet as much as Eli does. This little alphabet book is one Eli's favorites too :)

The three little babies :)

The big boys playing outside. Every times we have a play group at our house I'm so thankful for this back porch :) The kids love playing out there!

Leah checking out her valentines.

Kollin hanging out.

Yup. Three pictures of Leah. Zero of Eli. That boy does not like to be photographed!

Kaeden and Leah were playing and making each other laugh. Very cute :)

It was a fun afternoon. It was a nice change up from the morning play dates that we usually have. And shortly after everyone left, Edgar got home, so the day flew by (It seems like the hours from 3 until daddy gets home kinda drag by).

**As a side note...I realize I am WAY behind in posting. I have every intention of catching up, but I just get overwhelmed :) SO, I plan on posting the 'events' I've missed (and there have been a few!) on the dates they occurred...so if you really care, you can check my sidebar to see if I've added a post you may have missed. Because I'm just SURE you're dying to know what has been going on with us ;)**