2.18.07 Cute (Mommy)

Cute thing: Lijah eating a rice cake. Gosh he loves em! It is adorable to see him bite into one and hear the little crunch of his teeth. They are nice and crumbly so naturally it thrills him to get it ALL over the place.
This is a very cute stage he is in now. We literally get to hear the pitter patter of little feet as he trots around. How idylic.

2.17.07 Manipulation (Mommy)

So much for blogging every night, huh? You would think that this would rate a bit higher on my list but I have been exhuasted each night. I have started a bit of a walking regimen at work. I am walking on my lunch break for about 20 minutes and then instead of driving up the street to pick up Lijah I am walking up there and then walking back to school with him to pack him in the car to leave. I have wanted to do this in the morning as well, but getting up 10 minutes earlier to get it all together has proved more challenging than I expected. But still, I am getting a good 40 minutes of cardio in my daily routine and my body is kind of shaken up about it and is wanting more sleep or something like it. Not to mention that I have been presenting for new teachers at night and while that brings in much needed extra money it does tucker me out. (4 hours in heels presenting to new teachers who do NOT want to be there.... fun.)
Okay so that is the end of my excuses.
Here's the skinny on our son. Elijah goes to June's just about everyday. He spends his time with a couple of other kids; Ayden, Kim's son, and Marley, the daughter of another co-worker. Both children are older than Lijah. Ayden is 18 months and Marley is 3 or 4 years old. Ayden is naturally bigger than Lijah and, as most kids do, will take a toy that our son has or will push him or hit him. But Marley just loves Elijah and will take up for him when Ayden pushes him around. As soon as she hears Lijah shriek she will go to Ayden, take the toy from him that was taken from Elijah and smack Ayden around. She stands up for our little boy and Elijah seems to know it now. Apparently Elijah was sitting in his walker, eating a snack, and Ayden was playing with a toy. Marley was watching TV and she heard Lijah shriek, so she immediately rushed over to Ayden, grabbed the toy he had and started hitting him. She then gave the toy to my son who never had it to begin with as he giggled and pointed at Ayden. So now he has figured it out. He cries and Marley beats up Ayden. So even if there is nothing wrong with him and Ayden has done nothing to him, MY son will scream for Marley to beat up Ayden for him. What a little manipulator! Who did he get this from? There is no doubt in my mind about how smart my kid is. He picks things up so fast. This has changed how I look at him and how he acts up. I have now caught on to how smart my kid is and how manipulative he can be. Unbelievable! At 1 year old he has managed to figure out how to make other kids do his dirty work for him.
Andy and I also watched Elijah take some tupperware out of the cabinet and figure out how to nest them together. We had not observed this before. Although, knowing our kid, he probably has been doing this at June's since forever. Yep, the kid is getting bigger and smarter. Cuter too, but that's just my opinion. It is very adorable to be led around the house by a toddling 1 year old. Also cute is watching him discover gravity; that if he drops his blocks from his high chair that they will hit the floor with a band. Even cuter is watching him grumble to himself when things don't go his way. That personality is getting stronger and stronger.

2.15.07 Leading (Daddy)

What is our little boy up to now? He is continuing to grow, and is walking like a champ. I will never call him "champ" though, ick. 'Lijah is almost to the point where he can't see himself crawling anywhere. I look at him and get the feeling he thinks walking will get him there faster, even though it is more dangerous in his mind. He still seems so happy with himself. When Mom brought him home today I was kneeling just outside the kitchen. He walked, very happily, all the way to me, hands outstretched as if I were some person in a movie that he was running to and hadn't seen in 15 years. He didn't run of course, but that is what crossed my mind when it was happening. He gave me a hug and then wanted me to pick him up and take him to the computer. Guess I too am only good for a few things.
Now that Elijah is walking he is also noticing where things come from. He may have actually known where things come from before now, but hadn't put the location and the getting there together into one thought. Recently he's been leading us to the garage door, the front door, around in circles and to the pantry. When he leads us to the pantry he is apparently wanting a rice cake. Mom was lead there this afternoon and we thought he wanted a cookie. She grabbed the tin and opened it. Elijah didn't want a cookie and he didn't take one. He wanted a rice cake. Mom handed him one and he happily walked off. We'll see if he is that easily pleased in 4 years.
Being lead to the garage seems to mean we are either going on a walk or going in the car. 'Lijah loves going to the store and has really liked going outside lately. He wanted outside two days ago and didn't want to go anywhere, just wanted to look at Miles (our dog). We aren't going to just hang outside and let him stand around or possibly fall down onto the rocks that surround the side walk, so we take him back inside after a few minutes. He doesn't like going back in and whines a little to let us know he's unhappy with the decision. At this point though, we can let him grab our finger and could lead him anywhere, so getting him back in the house isn't an issue yet.
What did 'Lijah get Dad for Valentines Day this year? A bottle of wine, a German Reisling actually. Mommy got Dad some chocolates. Dad got Mom a blouse and a pair of out-of-the-house sweat-type pants. They are nice.
In just a few days I will head back to Portland for my monthly trip, but this time Mom and boy will not be far behind. We'll be staying in our Portland home for the first time. That reminds me, I have to start packing stuff. . .

2.7.07 Hooters (Daddy)

Before anyone screams at me, let me explain. . .
Vegas is a place where is very hard to find a simple, safe, beer on tap, clean sit-down spot. I could have gone to another chain place like Marie Callenders, etc., but didn't really have "eating" in mind. I just wanted to go have a beer with my buddy Don. Where did Don decide to go? Hooters. Even the Hooters in Henderson is in a casino, so there are very few options. Vegas just isn't a place to raise a family. Right now I can't really think of another place nearby that was smoke free and kid friendly that had beer and wouldn't mind a little "mess". Hooters had high chairs, which Elijah used 2 of, so he was high enough. The waitresses loved him and brought him crackers, a bib (which we got to keep), and even wanted to take some pictures with him. He really had a good time flirting with the ladies. Anyone who has spent much time with 'Lijah knows that he likes looking at attractive women. For some, that instinct must be there from the beginning. He especially likes blondes, probably because his Mom has been blonde since he was born.
I'm not embarassed that I took 'Lijah to Hooters, just a little disappointed that Hooters was my only real good option. Doggone Vegas. If I were in Portland I could have gone to McMenamins or 10,000 other restaurants, but not here.

'Lijah also had a great time with Don. I think Don held him more than I did. Elijah got to play on the table while he got raspberries and played with Dad's cell phone. The little boy also wouldn't stop offering curly fries to the waitress. . . I wonder what that means????