11 months old

Here are some pictures from Eli's 11th month!

Bath Time and Crazy Hair

Daddy and Eli on TCU game day!

Eli learning to stick out his tongue.

Eli can't sit down with out doing the splits first!

Eli and Mimi (Tess) playing.

Eli having fun with a box?

Can't resist this smile!

Grammy (my mom) and Eli

Eli and cousin Bryce dressed for the OU vs. TX game.

Eli playing in the tuber ware.

Eli in the tuber ware.

Eli eating a pickle for the first time!

Hogan and Eli playing.

Eli playing.

Georgia, Mimi, and Eli

11 months ago today, Brandon and I were headed home from the hospital with our little bundle of joy, wondering what we were going to do now that there were no nurses to buzz. Well, we would have my mom for a week or so and other family around to help, so we thought we could handle it. And we did.

Now 11 months later I sit and watch as Eli crawls around, stopping to pull himself up and look at new things. He loves to talk (takes after his mother) and flirt (takes after his father?). He will look at me with his big blue eyes, smile, then grab a hand full of the plant I just told him not to touch. When I say "NO" again he will pull back his hand, smile and give me this 'just teasing' look before he grabs the plant again, how do you discipline that?

He has taken over the kitchen/family room (I made the far end into his "playroom" but he does not keep his toys on the rug!). We have toys from one end to the other, I do pick them up a few times a day but as soon as Eli is put down he grabs a toy in each hand and takes off for the kitchen part of the room. He has mastered opening the tuber ware cabinet and likes to mix lids and containers in with his toys.

A few accomplishments:

Eli is pulling up and cruising around any and everything.

He has 4 teeth!

Eli has mastered the sippy cup and is only drinking out of a sippy!

He has started sleeping 6-8 hours a night without waking up! (for some of you this happens early, but this is a big deal to me!!)

Eli loves pushing anything around, a car, box, cup, it does not matter.

Eli loves to clap and talk.

His favorite thing to say is "Yea" he will even answer questions.

My Buddy, by Eli

My Buddy and I share everything. We share our paci's, toys, germs, and even food. I like to play at his house and he likes my house. We hang out on the floor most of the time but sometimes we get on the couch. We are learning to pull-up and will soon be walking/running together. I have a few more teeth, but he is catching up. He is taller and weighs more but I think I can still take him. My dad and his dad like sitting on the couch watching football. My mom and his mom like going to lunch and just sitting around talking. We are only four days apart, I'm older, so we have pretty much been around together since birth.




SO your asking yourself, who is my BUDDY?





Hogan of course. Here are some pictures my mom took of us.

State Fair

Eli made his first trip to the Texas State Fair a few weeks ago. We went with Mike, Amy, and Georgia. Of course we picked a day that was freezing, OK not freezing but much colder than I was wanting it to be. Amy and I got Henna tattoos on our wrist that only lasted a few days but it was fun. We took the kids into the petting zoo, there were lots of baby animals and tons of people! I got a few pictures but not many good ones as Eli was more interested in the animals than mom taking pictures. Amy and I tried to take fun fall pictures of the kids but with them both mobile it was hard to get them to sit still long enough to take a picture. It was much easier when Eli sat still and Georgia could move around him! We did not ride any rides, go into any exhibits, or play games on the Mid-Way, but we walked around the main perimeter of the fair and ate great corn dogs and other fun fired things, I had cotton candy and a turkey leg that was wonderful! We took turns holding kids and pushing strollers as we ate and people watched. Over all it was a great day!

SNOT

Warning this is a gross post!

SNOT!!!

It is everywhere!!

How can so much snot come out of a child so little?

Eli has a cold and is producing a large quantity of snot. I love that Eli wants to be cuddly but the snot is all over me, at first I changed my shirt, because wet snot is not fun, but after a few shirt changes I gave up the fight. The snot gets on my arms and drys! Gross!! Eli has snot all over also. He wipes his face and it gets in his hair, it drys on his face and in his eye browse. I have picked up a few toys that are nice and slimy and don't even ask about his paci. I try to keep ahead of the snot and keep Eli's nose wiped but that is Eli's lest favorite thing.

With all the flu stuff going around I felt like I needed to at least call Eli's pediatrician. The nurse agreed with me that it sounded like just a cold. They want us to use saline nose drops and suck his nose. While that is a great idea I just can't do it. I have never been able to suck his nose, that is one job I leave for daddy! The nurse also told me to try children's Zyrtec to help dry up the snot! Let's hope it works!

Oh, the fun of snot!

Grandma

A week ago today I had the privilege to speak at my Grandma’s funeral. I have been to a few funerals but this one was one of a kind. I would like to tell you about my Grandma then explain why it was a privilege to speak at her funeral.

My Grandmother was a remarkable lady. She was born in 1917 and lived 92 years. She was raised by her mother and grandparents, after her father was killed when she was nine. She worked her way through college, going to classes for a semester or two then, teaching in one room school house, then back to classes. She received her degree from Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) and has a life time teaching certificate. She became blind when her children were young yet raised all five of her children to have a strong work ethic, to love the Lord, and appreciate education.

My Grandmother loved her grandkids. She made each one of us feel like her favorite and we always joke about who really is her favorite! Grandma always taught compassion and love to everyone. She would not put up with spite or bullies and she let you know when you crossed the line but in such a loving way that you did not feel humiliated. Grandma bragged about her grandkids constantly. She would point to our pictures on the wall and tell you why each of her grandkids was special.

The last few years of Grandma’s life she struggled with dementia (a disease like Alzheimer but that does not change your personality; you just lose your memory). Grandma would not always know who was visiting but would still point out her grandkids to you and tell you their most recent accomplishment.

My Grandma was remembered last week by many friends and family. Her funeral was lead by her grandchildren. We spoke, read scriptures, and preached about what a lady she was and celebrated her life. She lived for her Lord and gave unconditionally of herself to others. She was truly a light unto the world.

After the service we had a great lunch served by the church and then headed out to my aunt and uncles house. While the elders wrote thank you notes (side note: why do you have to thank people for giving something when someone dies, doesn’t that just make it more painful?) the boys (that would be the cousins, with the youngest 23 and the oldest 30 something, but getting up there) started a football game. Of course the girls and wives brought chairs out to watch and laugh!

As we drove away, headed back to Texas, Brandon comments; 'your family sure knows how to put the fun in funeral.'

So as you see, it was a privilege to speak of such a wonderful person. If I live to be 92 or even 82 I hope my kids and grandkids put the fun in funeral for me!