8.20.07 PayDay (Mommy)

Okay, I know it has been a loooooonnng time since either one of us has blogged. Yes, we both suck. But I gotta tell you, it has been CRAZY lately. So here is the update for those of you woefully out of the loop.
I am in Portland. For good. Shook the nasty desert dust off my heels and am soaking in the wonderment that is Oregon. I have been near tears many a time since my arrival at 11:30pm Saturday the 11th. I did the trip in one day- against all the advice of many folks. I don't regret it, but it WAS pretty hard on me and now I am recooping from a really nasty throat infection that I think was stress induced.
To say that I am happy is an understatement. As I sat in my Quaker meeting last first day (Sunday) I pondered heaven and had to talk myself out of the thought that what had really happened was that I died in Nevada and this is my heaven. Yup, it's that good. Perfection.
And then I got my paycheck from Beaverton.
Nope, I'm not dead! I'm definitely here in reality! No worries there!
Despite the cut in pay, my job seems fun and challenging. So I think I will be fine.
(For those of you interested, I have my own "just Becca" blog at www.myspace.com/mrsrebeccaharrison.)
Now on to the boy.
Wow, you are gone for 2 weeks and he just keeps on growing, huh? Sheesh. My boy is so big. He can get in and out of the car and in and out of his car seat all by himself. (No, he can't work the buckles!) He is attempting to climb steps holding onto a rail. He repeats EVERYTHING we say. In fact, the other day we think he said "shit". He walked over to the open front door and looked down the big step. As he looked down at how high the step was, he said "Shit..." and then backed down the step instead of stepping down. Oh boy. Gotta start watching my truckdriver mouth!
Lijah loves Framer's Market fruits and veggies. He still won't touch anything that is green colored, but he tries pretty much everything. His favorite thing is berries. He can say "berry" too! He will also eat the leaves and all. We have to really watch him.
You should see the boy eat corn! Makes me proud! We are both amazed at how much corn this child will get off the cob. He is a corn pro!
Let's see... what else? I know there are tons of things different about this little guy. Like the fact that he will hold my hand going up and down stairs, but the minute we are off the steps he will snatch his hand away and walk on his own, thank you very much! I love how independent he is! He also loves labeling me and Andy and himself. He will point at Andy and say "Daddy!", then point at me and say "Mama!" point at himself and say "ya-ya"(lijah) and then lift his shirt and point to his tummy and say "Belly!". It is very cute.
He loves to call out for Daddy while he runs around the house looking for Andy. Very dear to see him run around calling "Daddy? Daddy! Daddy?!"
He loves the letter magnets I put on the fridge for him. He has been asking about the names of the letters (Asking "Dis?" for each letter) and has said "y".
Loves his pull-around bug that his grand parents got him for his first birthday. He runs around through the house pulling it behind him and, making a huge ruckus! Hours of fun and amusement!
Another development that got finalized while I was gone is the fact that Elijah eats with a fork! I couldn't believe it but he is almost an old pro. He gets caught up with some foods, but for the most part he can do it and he seems to enjoy it!
Lijah gets more and more interesting as the days go by! I can't believe how big he is!