Holy Crap - He's Mobile!

Friday, December 21. In the wee hours of the morning, Elliot learned how to go from laying to sitting up. Problem was he couldn't figure out how to get back down so he cried until we came to resuce him. This happened for the next five nights.

Thursday, December 27. He crawled. It's gimpy, but it's a crawl. He crawls with one knee and one foot. I think the cat's days of peaceful napping are over. Here's a video of his version of a crawl.

Saturday, December 29. He cruised. Went from one toy to another by slowly negotiating where each foot should go.

Still Saturday, December 29. He pulled himself up. He was sitting on the floor and then pulled himself up, stood and is still playing with his cube.

For each item, he does it over and over now as though he's been doing it for months. This kid isn't messing around - at this rate he'll be running the Lincoln Marathon this May!

Morrissey Christmas

Yesterday was the Morrissey Christmas in Tecumseh - soup lunch, nibbling on goodies and watching Ethan and Alaina compete for Elliot's attention. (Seems he's a little more interesting now that he's interactive!)

We introduced a new game this year: The Super Secret Gift. In this exciting and challenging game, participants had to answer a series of questions and the person with the most correct answers won. We had a tie breaker between Lisa/Bill and Steph/Mike - Steph and Mike won! Just what was the Super Secret Gift?



I think this year's winner should provide next year's Super Secret Gift!

Elliot opened his first Christmas gifts - a laptop and shirt from his Great Grandparents and a Learning Puppy from Ethan & Alaina. Thank you, everyone - he already seems to have a fondness for the toys!

Good times, good memories - I hope everyone had as much fun as we did.

Santa "The Rip-Off" Claus

Last Thursday we took Elliot to visit Santa for the first time - he wasn't too sure what to think of that man in a red suit but handled himself well.

His mother, on the other hand, came close to puking when she saw the pricing for pictures. "Are you kidding me?" Anna said, jaw still dropped to the floor, staring at Fred. "We get 4 3x5 pictures for $20?!!"

In a total of two minutes, Elliot was on Santa's lap, off Santa's lap and leaving the mall with pictures in hand. Twenty bucks. The least they could've done was make us come back for the pictures so it wouldn't feel like quite such a rip.



Best part is this: the receipt says Santa/Easter Photo. Having babies isn't cheap - now I know what that means.

Look alike?????

As I sit at home this morning waiting on my friendly neighborhood Best Buy delivery man, I am working on a project and looking through the pictures on our computer. I've never been a real "oh the baby looks like......." person but, after finding this picture of me when I was little maybe he does look like me......a little. You be the judge.

Christmas Cards - Or the Complete Lack Of...

For the last few years, I have had good intentions of sending Christmas cards but somehow manage to not get any out. It's becoming apparent this year - we haven't received very many cards - we're being cycled off of people's lists for a lack of response.

Normally it follows the same pattern - mid November it crosses my mind and I begin to think of ideas of how I could sew a nifty, crafty card or how I could turn white buttons into a snowman... Then I realize I am not Jen. Early December rolls in and I look in stores for 'not your average' cards. Mid December hits and I give up because all the good ones are taken. Cards roll in, I feel terrible and the cycle begins again 11 months later.

This year I had high expectations mixed with frustration. I didn't want to do the same ole picture card as everyone else, I didn't have time to get crafty and neither Hallmark or Super Target had cards I liked. Well... I don't have anything. Nothing. So I'm giving up. Yes, again. Quitter with a capital Q.

We need to get back on the card lists to clear our tarnished reputation! My next chance for redemption? Valentine's Day. I should bring back the Valentine and send everyone on our list a 'Be Mine' instead! I can sew some red hearts onto pink paper! I can glue doilies on postcards! I can surely find some at Hallmark?

Don't give up on us yet. But, don't be surprised if there's a blog posted around February 11 talking about sending an Easter card.

Worst Mom Ever

Last night should have been like any other.. Elliot went to bed at 7:30 and around 10 I went in to check on him and put his blanket back on him before we turn in for the night. I went in his room and grabbed his blanket, leaning over his crib. All of the sudden, he pops up and stares me straight in the face.

I ran out of there hoping he was asleep - not the case. It started as yelling and quickly escalated to screaming with a dash of hyperventilating thrown in. I, 'Worst Mom of 2007' just successfully scared the bejeezus out of my child. It took some time with me, some time alone and some time with dad before he finally calmed down enough to go to sleep.

I can't help but wonder if moments like this are what causes kids to believe monsters are in their room??

After he went to sleep (about 30 minutes later), Fred and I had a good laugh about it but not before admitting that if I woke up to some huge head leaning over me I'd probably freak out and pee my pants too.

Snow Day!

It's been 17 years since Lincoln Public Schools gave me a snow day - long overdue if you ask me. (The foundation I work for closes when LPS closes.. aren't I lucky??) I expect this LPS snow day to be quite different than my last one, though. No sleeping in, no Bob Barker, no macaroni and cheese with Jen and certainly no laying around all day long. Why? Elliot. My snow day = Elliot snow day. (I'm a little sad that I don't have the sled for him that my parents are getting him for Christmas.)

I do, however, expect one thing to remain the same - catching an episode of Y&R to keep up with Nick, Jill and good ole Jack. Only this time, I don't care if my mom knows I'm watching it.

Finally.....Da Da Da

After weeks of Elliot being able to say 'Ma Ma', yesterday he finally figured out 'Da Da'. He prefers to yell it instead of just speaking it (which may or may not be a commentary on my parenting ability) plus when you ask him "Can you say Da Da?" He still replies"Ma Ma" 80% of the time. None the less, I'm still happy to hear it. Two words down....now on to 'baseball'.

Dorothy Gale - R.I.P.

A while back, Fred's Grandma Judy gave me a kit to make my own Wizard of Oz ornaments. Included was all of the needed felt, string, beads and sequins. Easy! Piece of Cake! I decided that since my Oz collection is no longer that I'd try to make these super-easy ornaments. I'm starting to think Grandma Judy is Phyllis Newman.

It started well. I read the instructions, seperated the thread and cut out the pieces to Dorothy. At first it was hard, but I chalked it up to the instructions and kit being older than I am so surely it was human error on their part.

After 5 days, and still working on the front of Dorothy, I decided it'd be funny to only make Dorothy and give the rest back to Grandma Judy for Christmas. On the 6th day things got ugly.

I won't go into detail... but I had her entire front together before I tore her to shreds in a fit of rage. If anyone has Auntie Em's number, I need to give her a call.

Dorothy Gale, I hope your next life is better.

I threw her and the rest of the kit in the trash. This morning I checked eBay - yep.... as I somewhat expected, had I not opened the kit I could've sold it for about $60.00. Oh well - this was much more therapeutic.

Welcome and Introductions

Because I just don't have enough to do, I decided to give "blogging" a whirl...

Most of our friends and family regularly check out our flickr site, but more often than not there is nothing but pictures and whatever funny (or so I think) title is above. I thought this could be the place to share the stories behind the pictures, random thoughts, wishful thinking of living in Genoa City or that 'funny thing' Elliot did the other day. I will likely dwell on the mutual dislike Sienna and myself share for each other at some point.

Bear with me since I'm new to this and I promise to try to not bore you to tears with each post.