3.31.06 - Quick Late Night Update (Mommy)

Andy is in Portland and I took the day off, so I got to spend the whole day with the little kid. We ran a bunch of errands. I am tired, so just a few things.
1. 'Lijah spent his first day with our sitter Caryn on Wednesday. He spent the day on Thursday with our sitter Korina. (Korina is a parent of a former sudent. She lives 2 minutes from work and will spoil rotten. I am okay with that.)
2. 'Lijah started Nestle Good Start formula in lieu of our missing organic stuff... he now has a rash on his face. No more Nestle formula for him. Damn waste of money!
More about the above mentioned stuff later. (Meaning, tomorrow)
I have forgotten most of the stuff I wanted to blog about.
I am tired.
So very tired......

3.28.06 - Elijah Sleeps Through The Night (Daddy)

5:56am "Did I miss something?" Rebecca asked. "What?" I replied as she squints toward the clock. "It is 6. I don't think you missed anything". "Have you checked on him?" I am asked. "No, I haven't but I'm sure he's breathing." No one gets up until I swing out of bed and go look at the boy 5 minutes later. He is indeed breathing, eyes half open, but clearly sleeping. Our little 'Lijah actually slept through his first whole night - and yes, we're still tired.
We have had the humidifier in his room but just changed the filter last night. The old one was really crunchy and didn't absorb water very well. Water is now flowing through it like new. Neither of us are 100% certain the humidifier had anything to do with his sleeping, but it seems rather timely. Mom went in an got him a few minutes after I checked on him. Boy was he groggy. The little plump quickly consumed about 8oz of formula though, which stirred him for a bit. He slept for another 45 minutes afterward and was up to see Mommy off.

Constipation. Not a good thing for anyone, but a little boy? We DID switch him to the Nestle Good Start Formula, much to my dismay. I'm hoping to get him back on something organic soon. He felt great and was very regular on the Horizon. 'Lijah didn't poop all night on the 26th or all day on the 27th. He did finally drop a bomb last evening, but he is still looking a bit bloated. He's farting well, but nothing more. How is that for a paragraph?

Oh, and one last thing. In Rebecca's entry on 3/26 she neglected to mention that she watches Who's The Boss every morning... And I was gauging our site's success by its lack of mentions of Tony Danza. Hmmmmm.

3.27.06 (Daddy)

I must say, this boy loves to look around. I may have said this before, but he is a very very visual child. Unless he's sleeping, there isn't a moment that he isn't wanting to look around, lock onto something and study it. This morning at 6 (our alarm went off, but it was crying not beeping) we brought 'Lijah into our bedroom so I could feed him while Mom got ready for work. He ate for a few minutes and then stopped. He hadn't eaten since 3:30am so I knew he was hungry. So. . . I put him under the covers (keeping the sheets off his face). He did not like that one bit and the screaming ensued. Brought him out again and he stopped crying. I gave him the bottle again and about 5 minutes later he was distracted by the pictures on the wall. Back under the covers he goes - the crying starts up again. We stimulate him a whole lot, and maybe putting him under the covers seems mean, but he woke up to eat, right? I don't know. My thinking was if he was in a darkened room (under the sheets) where he couldn't see anything that maybe he'd be interested in eating again. It works, but not without a screaming fit because he's not getting to look around at everything. We went through the eating/under the covers cycle once more and then he finished his bottle and went back to his crib.
This morning when he finallly got up (8:30am) I brought him down to the living room and he ate pretty well. Of course, he had tons of stuff to look at! At one point he got distracted by Max (skinny kitty) who was on the couch beside him. 'Lijah smiled a huge smile. I took his hand and helped him pet Max. 'Lijah's mouth dropped open, clearly he was amazed. Max left and I tried to feed the boy more - not interested. So, we went to the screen door where Miles (the dog) was sitting. This time Elijah didn't smile but looked intently at Miles as Miles wimpered. Again, a couple minutes later I tried to feed the kid. No go. He was locked onto our big tree plant. So, I took him over to feel it. He seemed amazed that he could move it with his hand (the heavy breathing started and the mouth was open). About 2 minutes later we were back on the couch, the boy was propped up against the cushion by himself, watching the fan. I left him there for another 10 minutes or so until the grunting started and the limbs began moving continuously. Apparently it was time to eat - so we did.

3.26.06 -Later that day...(Mommy)

So I came home from the gym this afternoon to a huge hug from Andy (pretty typical reaction when I come home to Andy alone with the boy) AND a card that they both made for me. There was a footprint, a hand print, toes print, and a ball of foot print from the little boy. Written on the card was "U are the best mommy", "heart U mommy!", "Daddy loves Mommy and his family soooo much" and a signature from Elijah. Andy told me that he held 'Lijah's hand and had him write the card.
I want to frame it.

3.26.06 -Breastmilk Schedule (Mommy)

My life revolves around breastmilk. As I write, 'Lijah lies here in my lap, squirming around as if to say "More food Mom!" Oh wait, it was just spit up. Yum.
Anyhoo, as I was saying... I have a new routine.
3:00 am: Feed baby
6:00am: Get up, shower, dress
6:30-7:30am: Mommy duties(make food for the kid)
7:30- 7:45am Eat breakfast with family, spend time with kid, have family hug and leave for work. (If I'm lucky Andy makes me a coffee drink for the road.)
8:00am Get to work, prep for class, and do mommy duties
9:00-11:00am Teach
11:00-11:35am Mommy duties and try to eat lucnh
11:35-12:35 Teach
12:35- 1:25 Prep for classs and do Mommy duties
1:25-3:21 Teach
4:00: Go home, spend time with family, and do mommy duties every 3 hours.
9:00: Put 'Lijah to bed and spend time with Andy.
10:00 or 10:30: Collapse into bed.
Sheesh . Do we detect a recurring theme? Again, my life revolves around breastmilk. Yeah, how much longer til' solid food?
And yet 'Lijah is doing so very well. Nice and fat. My roly poly boy. I hate leaving him to go to work with other people's kids. Now that I have my own, I get even more upset that parents of my students don't take care of them or work with them. 'Lijah is only 2 months old (Holy cow, already?!) and we are working with him non-stop, it seems, to help him develop and push his mind to higher levels. And then I see these kids at school, already disadvantaged through circumstance, whose parents practically ignore them. They hardly stand a chance.
Not my boy. He will be smart like his dad. He will be expressive like his Mom. He is so loved. We could never ignore him. (He would never let us!)
My life revolves around breastmilk... but it will be worth it.

3.25.06 - No More Organic FOOD!! (Daddy)

We just discovered today that the organic formula we have been feeding 'Lijah, and which he loves, is no longer being sold. The Horizon company transferred the product to a new company and it is not yet re-available. We went in to Wild Oats where we normally buy it and they have 0 on the shelf. (BTW, we only go to Wild Oats for formula). Now we have no idea what we're going to give the boy. We can still get some online, but it is about $7 more expensive per 13.2oz. can than in the store. We were paying $15.95. Rebecca says we should try the Nestle Good Start, but they make chocolate milk and candy! I'm not giving my little boy candy. He gets applesauce first.
If anyone sees the Horizon Organic Infant Formula in Oregon or SW Washington, let us know.

'Lijah screamed a whole lot today. Not sure why he was so upset, but there must have been something going on with him. I mean these screams were blood curdling. I couldn't stand it for a bit and had to step away. Yep, this is how we parents begin to go deaf.

3.25.06 (Daddy)

The weekend is here and all 3 of us are together. Rebecca made me pancakes, yum. The boy cried his head off around 9am while I was trying to feed him. Low and behold, Mom comes down, the boy sees her and stops screaming, followed by another smile. Yep, screaming baby who was with Dad, saw Mom and then was fine. I apparently rate at the same level as a full diaper! I know how the boy feels though. I missed Mom this week too. It is supposed to be 80deg here today. We were thinking of taking 'Lijah on a walk, but with the 30mph winds that are supposed to accompany the heat, we might just hang.
What's happening right this very moment? Elijah is on mom's lap, arms around her neck, watching the pots.

3.23.06 (Daddy)

Rebecca's Dad is gone. I'm home with just the boy, the dog and the two kitties. Strange. The kid is feeding, I have a headache and would like to get some things done. It is only 8:17am though and he should be back down in an hour or so. He's always really fussy in the morning and this morning is no different. He did wake up okay and didn't freak out at all. That was nice. I wanted to start going back to Starbucks this morning, but having not yet had a shower, having to feed the kid and eat breakfast (which I haven't done either) kinda tells me that Starbucks won't happen today. Maybe tomorrow. So, why am I writing this now? He stopped eating about two minutes ago and is now looking around while sitting on the couch beside me. The squirming is starting and I'm going to have to. . .

Continuing day 1 of being alone with the boy:
10:15. Breakfast done, the little kid and I have had a shower and he has been fed again. I must say one thing. I had no idea that I would ever instinctively put my hand in front of a boy fountain. I did just that while getting the shower ready for the two of us. Stripped the boy down to his B-day suit, set him down on the floor for a sec and got myself ready. Heard a grunt, looked down and weeeeee! The hand wall goes up to stop the stream. Picked him back up and in the shower we went. He was really good in the shower. Didn't cry until I washed and rinsed his face. He got a little water in his nose and didn't like that. He cried for about 10 seconds.
Getting dressed was a different story. I can't run around the house naked, so proceeded to clothe myself. Boy didn't like it. Snort Snort Snort, scream scream scream. I finished and got myself downstairs. I hadn't got a bottle out of the fridge so had to warm one up in hot water. Scream scream scream. He's screaming too loud for me to hold him (ear pain) so I sat him in his swing. He calmed down a little bit once in his swing but continued crying for another 3-4 minutes. I finally fed him and he went back to sleep.

12:35. Now off the phone and need to wake the kid up to feed him. Easy. He ate well and fell asleep again. In the swing he goes. To work I go. Email, product recommendations, money making. Damn I need a haircut.

2:40. Going to wake the little kid up again to feed him. I need to go run a bank errand and don't want him waking up screaming while I am in the bank. Security!! Off to see our family counselor in an hour. Gotta work through all the change you know (smile).

3.22.06 (Mommy)

Well, I am back to work. Gosh is it hard to leave the little kid. Each day I just want to rush home as soon as that bell rings. I find myself call ing home at every chance I can. This behavior is not me; I am usually happy to be in my own little world at work. Now all I want is to get home to my new family. Crazy the way things change.

3.21.06 (Daddy)

Rebecca has been back to school for two days now. Things are going 'okay'. I know there are going to be up and down days. I just hope there are fewer down days. Yesterday morning was especially difficult. I probably got about 3.5 hours Sunday night. Elijah had a bad night, which was the main reason for my lack of sleep. He was up about every hour from 2:30am on. He was then incredibly fussy Monday morning. He really could have picked a better morning. I was already feeling a little out-of-my-comfort zone and Elijah not wanting to eat, screaming in my ear and looking every which way but at his bottle didn't help matters much. I was in a really grumpy mood. I just can't understand what puts 'Lijah in these strange spaces. This morning was a whole lot better - probably because I got about 6 hours of sleep. My parents raised me to require rest and I have a really hard time functioning if I don't get it.
So what did we do with Mommy off at work? We fed the kid. I say "we" because Tom (Becca's dad) is here until tomorrow evening. I am so thankful that he is here. I probably would have pulled a little too much hair out Monday if I hadn't had someone else here with me. Thank you Tom.
People have been asking me what I am enjoying when it comes to daddyhood. Well, they are kinda hard to come up with at times, but there are a few definitive things.
a. talking to 'Lijah and having him talk back nonsensically
b. changing his diapers and talking to him as he talks to me - never thought I'd say this.
c. noticing new developments. ie: his turning his head toward a cell phone ringing.
d. telling him stories and his smiling back.

We think we've found a babysitter that we can drop in on. Found her on Craig's List. Her name is Karen and her kids and her husband seemed really nice. I got a great vibe from Caryn, which is going to be important to all new parents - but I didn't think I would feel that comfortable so quick. We need a drop-in person for those tech help appointments that pop up out of nowhere. I love those appts, but with a little one in the house they are harder to go to.
Tom leaves tomorrow evening - and then the real fun begins Thursday. All by myself.
to be continued. . .

3.17.06 (Mommy)

Big Poop and Little Smokey
If there were some way to measure the output in Elijah's diapers, I'm sure he could win some sort of prize for sheer quantity of excrement. These massive poops are continually shocking to Andy and myself. It's amazing how a couple of bottles of breastmilk can turn into something so huge.
Andy has started calling 'Lijah's boy part "Little Smokey". This came about during one of Andy's nonsense talks to the baby, this time involving using a sausage as a bath toy. He then looked down at the naked child (they were in the shower) and christened him "Little Smokey".

3.17.06 (Daddy)

"It is a good thing you are cute. If you turned not cute, we'll put you outside and then you have to get homeless sign." Those were the sweet, funny words from Becca - in baby talk of course. . . Though some of the crazy things I say to 'Lijah aren't any better. I told him a story yesterday about a bear going fishing and getting attacked by werewolves. The bear chased the werewolves off with a burp after drinking a Pepsi. It is interesting what you will say to a child when you have nothing to say.
Right now it is hard to know if Elijah is playing with us or really upset. This is what happens - He starts to fuss, makes little warbled yells, quick half cries followed by full-on screams. This may go on for 5 minutes or so. If you just walked into the room you would think he was crying, but the noises are too inconsistent. Walking in front of him and leaning over toward his face frequently makes him stop completely. No tears whatsoever. There are other times when he is just screaming his bloody head off, but is staring, with eyes wide open, at the pots hanging from the ceiling. No tears whatsoever, and if you pick him up, he'll stop. Sometimes he will eat sometimes he won't. I'm really struggling with a balance of 'he's okay vs. he needs something'. Yes, he still cries and has tears and all that. Usually tapping the sides of his mouth to get him to root will tell me that he is hungry and that is why he's crying. It is the other times that are hard to understand. It IS a good thing he is cute. Good t-shirt idea - no?
We have life insurance - or we're getting it anyway. As soon as we sell our 3rd car, we'll be saving about $400 a month and that will go toward a lifetime policy for Rebecca. The policy we're looking at will provide about $44,000 to Elijah by the time he turns 18. We can gift that to him for college at that time with no tax. The problem could be how he decides to use it. Our gifting it to him basically gives it to him and he is the one who gets to decide what to do with it. Our teaching him good money values will be a must if we don't want this to bite us in the arse. Even if we pull the $44k out, the death benefit is still there. So, it is kind of a no-brainer investment. We're trying to get life insurance for me as well, but with my long heart history, we're not sure if that will happen. Could be expensive.

3.15.06 (Mommy)

Can you believe how big the boy is? I measured his length the other day and I think he was 24 inches. Sheesh. I'll have to double check, but I think it was pretty close. I saw a couple of babies at the doctor's and in Wal-Mart and they were smaller than Elijah and already sitting up so I know they were older. He is so big!
Little boy got his shots when we went to the doctor for the thrush. (He got a perscription for that.) Oh my, did I wince when they stuck that needle in his pudgy little leg! He screamed like a pro, red-faced and all. But on the upside, he got 2 really cute Band-Aids on his legs. Darling!
So, our little pumpkin is growing up. He's growing out of clothes, becoming more alert, making more noises, and getting stronger. Sigh. I'm trying to absorb as much "baby" as possible but I just can't seem to get enough of him. And he will just continue to grow.
I go back to work next week. I really don't want to . I have a huge list of stuff to do. To make matters worse I had a sub for the past 2 days who literally trashed my classroom and plans, so my work is really cut out for me. Luckily my principal told her not to come back and I have a new person to finish the last 3 days.
I have started losing weight now that my 6 weeks of "resting" is up. I can't wait to lose it all.

3.14.06 (Daddy)

And in THIS corner, we have Elijah Thomas Harrison weighing in at 12lbs, 10oz. In this corner. . . we have more food!!!
Okay, this little guy is clearly packing on the poundage. We didn't get his length but he is in either the 90 or 95th percentile for his age. That is quite large. Mommy says he is a big boy. So, we're going to go wake him up now so he can eat some more.

3.12.06 (Daddy)

People have heard 'Lijah cry when they call on the phone. They have heard him fuss, but they really haven't heard him talk. He has only been verbalizing for the last couple weeks. His "talking" is becoming more and more frequent. This morning, while in his swing, he was just talking up a storm. Talking to the mobile above his head. This is the 2 minutes of audio I captured. The file is about 1MB. Make sure you turn up your volume.

3.10.06 Later that night...(Mommy)

I got to put our guy in his first big boy outfit. Overalls, white onesie, socks and... shoes! Little shoes that fit his little feet. So, so cute. Those overalls brought out his eyes so beautifully. We stopped by my school and had everyone ooh and ahh over him. He was so very cute. Our cute little boy in his cute big boy clothes... oh he's growing up so fast! Be sure to go to the March photo page to see Elijah in his overalls!

3.10.06 (Mommy)

So Dr. Jameson gave me some Diflucan for the thrush. In one day we have noticed a difference in Elijah's eating. There is a lot less gas so I'm thinking that I was passing the thrush through my breastmilk and when I was breastfeeding he was reinfecting me. Without all the yeast in my milk, his stomach seems to be better. Yay. We still need to go to the doctor for the white spots in his mouth, but at least he is eating better. I would like to start breastfeeding in another week once his mouth is all clear. I notice that when I don't breastfeed directly at least a little bit that my supply goes down.
The little boy is "talking" more and more. There are lots more "goos" and "oohs" and "gahs" and squeals and chirps... Andy really seems to be enjoying him more now that Elijah smiles and gurgles at him. The alertness is a lot of fun for both of us.
Elijah is showing a preference for being in certain places. He doesn't really like to be in his crib if he's not tired. And he loves to be in bed with Andy and I in the morning. He also likes spending time with us on the couch when we are watching TV or eating. We prop him up against the pillows and he sits there looking around, very content. He is definitely liking to be around his parents and having interaction. He is quite the social butterfly.
More developments:
Arms and legs are uncuring from the fetal position.
Hands are opening more.
Coos and giggles are increasing.
Dad is working on helping Elijah learn how to grasp and hold on to things.
Arms are being lifted over the head and they shake when excited.
Different kinds of cries are occuring.
Head and shoulders are being lifted when the baby is on his tummy.

3.8.06 (Daddy)

We have just spent the last 2 hours trying to feed and comfort our little boy. We think he may have thrush along with the reflux and high levels of gas. He does have some white stuff in his mouth, but we're not sure it is thrush because neither of us have spent 300k on a doctors degree. This is incredibly frustrating. This is what he is doing:
- He begins to eat. Eats for approx 5 minutes. He will then start to squirm with every part of his body. If he is lying down, he pitches his chest forward. We think the pitching is also part of some reflux problem (from what we read).When he squirms he won't take the bottle. We bap his back in about every position (It takes forever to burp this guy). He'll cry and fuss continually for another 15 or so minutes before wanting to eat again. We have to keep trying the bottle to know that he's ready again because his crying doesn't change. This will go on for a couple hours, until he has had enough to eat and we've gotton rid of his gas. You should hear this kid burp. Sounds like an adolescent version of my Uncle Larry (loud, long and rated at about a 9 out of 10 on the burp scale). We place him in his swing to try and comfort him and it eventually will. He will start and stop crying while the swing calms him. He is quiet now, which took about 20 minutes of squeaking, squaking and whining.
How do we feel? 2 martinis down, we feel fine.

3.7.06 (Daddy)

We know a few people haven't yet seen Elijah move. For those of you who would like to see that this little boy is indeed real, I have put together a 53second video clip of his swinging and demonstrating how strong his head is already. It is about 900k and should take dial up users a few minutes to download it. High speed people need not worry. Quicktime is the only requirement. Click the clip image in this blog entry to view the video.

3.6.06 (Mommy)

Feed the baby with a blindfold! The chubby little boy gets distracted by EVERYTHING right now so we are covering his eyes or going into a dark room when we feed him. It seems to help a little, but he is still having some gas problems. It is still a mystery to us why he is eating so strangely.
One thing is not surprising; 'Lijah is a formula snob. (Takes after Dad) Andy, Elijah and I went to Whole Foods and picked up some organic formula. Yes, we are crunchy. Yes, it is pricey. And yes, he likes it alot. You should see him gulp this stuff down. He wouldn't even touch the cheaper stuff that I tried to give him. He is not a cheap date. Lijah may look like Mom, but he's got his dad's champagne taste!
Currently Lijah gets breast milk during the day, and formula at night. Pretty good balance. My hope is to get my supply back up so we can use the least amount of formula as possible. I'd love to breastfeed him again, but he stays on for hours at a time and tears my skin up. Then I'm no good to him for days while I heal. Expressed milk will have to do. Sorry kid.
On the up side, our kid is brilliant! He is holding his head up 98% of the time, and he is working on holding up his shoulders when he is on his tummy. His eyes follow us everywhere now, and that is part of why he is getting so distracted when he eats. He is starting to notice everything. When we cover his eyes during a feeding he tries to move away so he can keep looking around. He just has to see everything! Lijah's smiles are becoming more and more social; he will smile back at us more often. He will also "talk" to us when we engage him in conversation. He's got some cute "goos".
The little boy used to scream his little head off when we changed his diaper, but no more. Andy thinks that Elijah knows he will feel better after a diaper change and so that's why he doesn't cry anymore. I have no theories myself. I just enjoy his gurgles and cooing when we change him. Not enjoying the stinkier poops, though. We're using powder on his hiney for a reason! That's what we get for supplementing with formula!

3.5.06 (Daddy)

We learned something today. To open a bottle of Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder, you pull the sticker off the top. Hmmm, who knew!!

More and more 'Lijah appears to be having some sort of stomach/digestive/reflux issues. This morning was really bad. He wanted to eat, but wouldn't. Lying him down prompted him to cry. Leaving him alone for a few minutes reminds him that he is hungry, or allows his stomach to settle, so we can pick him up and feed him more. We are going to go out and find some different formula today. It is possible the Similac Advance we have been giving him is the cause of the problems. This granola/crunchy family will be looking for something more natural. Yes, breast is the best, but we just can't keep up with him!

3.5.06 (Mommy & Daddy)

Current names for Elijah (not in any particular order):
a. Little kid
b. Dookie
c. Kiddo
d. 'Lijah Lou
e. Little boy

Bottles we are currently using:
a. Medela
b. Avent
Our Pump: Medela

3.4.06 (Daddy)

Elijah must be getting distracted easily and forgetting he is hungry. We're thinking this is the reason he'll eat for 10-15 minutes and then not want any more for another 10 or 15 minutes. He doesn't do this at night though, which is when lights are down and he can't see as much.
I do think, however, (and Becca agrees) that babies (ours at least) have a faulty fuel gauge. Some times it is full, some times it is empty. Sometimes it is 9/10ths full but they think they are empty (and screaming ensues). Give them a couple more drops and the gauge will pop to the full postion. You can tap it (the face) and you will remind them that they need to adjust. Who wired this thing?

We were also wondering if he had reflux last night. There seemed to be no reason for his appearing like he wanted to eat, but not eating. Would reflux do that? Something to ask the doctor.

3.3.06 (Daddy)

Elijah is a little nutty tonight. He's actually been a little nutty all day. Over the last few days he's been eating for 15 minutes, waiting 5-10 minutes and then eating again for 15 minutes. He'll take an occasional glutton break, but only for an hour or so. He consumed 5 ounces this morning and 30 minutes later had another 3. That is 8 flippin ounces (did I do that math right?)!! Tonight, however, he's wanting to eat but he's not eating. He's continually spitting it out. We're not sure if he is just over stimulated or if he's not feeling well.
He is tracking with his eyes quite well now. When you move him around, his eyes or head move back toward what he was looking at (pots, lights, fan). He is even tracking Mom and Me. I repeatedly stood in front of his swing tonight, talking to him. He latched onto my face with his eyes. Walking away, his eyes moved the same direction I went. He also tossed big time on Mommy. I'm talking projectile here. So, we're not sure what is his deal. We are trying to get him to bed now - have been for the last 90 minutes. Nada. Could be a long night.

3.2.06 (Mommy)

Boy is the little boy changing! He's packing on the poundage lately. Not surprising by the way he's been eating... I may not be able to keep up with this little (not so little anymore!) guy. I had three extra bottles pumped for him and he went through them so quickly we have given him a few bottles of (gasp!) formula to apease him. Yes, I feel guilty, but unless I stay home full time, I don't have the time to breastfeed. He just latches on and stays on for hours. There are not enough hours in the day to feed him by breastfeeding only. Sigh. I guess I won't be winning the mother of the year award....
Looking at pictures of our 'Lijah, I can see so many changes from when he was born a month ago. Most notably he is bigger. Alot bigger. There are pictures of him in his footie pajamas and they are huge on him. Now those same pajamas are tight and he has almost grown out of them. There's a new chin, and knee fat, thigh fat, wrist fat and back fat. Before I know it, he will be big and he won't want hugs from Mommy anymore. I better enjoy him being snuggly while I can.
Elijah has been working on focusing his eyes more and more. He still adores our pot rack, ceiling fans and overhead lighting. The main difference now is how he looks at it. Previously he would just stare at his target item and if we moved him out of sight his gaze would continue staring ahead and he would let the object slip out of his vision. Now, however, he will turn his head around as we move him away so that he can keep looking at the said object. Elijah will also get distracted while eating when he stares upward at lights, fans and/or pots. This may be why it is taking longer for him to get in a full meal.
In light of Elijah's developing vision, Andy and I have come to the conclusion that our boy is decidedly advanced for his young age. We expect great things from our prodigy.
New noises are abundant now. We are treated more and more to coos, gurgles, screeches, and chirps. The latest communicative endeavor from Elijah is "ah-goo". We will let you all know what that translates to as soon as we figure it out.
I have little over 2 more weeks before I need to go back to work. This depresses the heck out of me. Whatever will I do without my new little guy and my old guy too? (Well, not "old", but you know what I mean...)

3.1.06 (Daddy)

Elijah loves the emails he gets from family and friends. We are currently translating his responses, but I'm sure he has something to say. 'Lijah did "try another restaurant" two nights ago. He spent $10 at Similac and, according to Mommy, seemed to like it. His 'liking' it was followed by a very large toss, but I guess it depends on your definition of 'like'.

I got home yesterday to a boy who is now clearly packing on the chub. His cheeks are swelling up and the second chin is visiting chin one. Leg fat is also growing at a steady pace. I heard about his eating frenzy while I was gone, and there is clear evidence of it. I'll try and have some new photos up really soon.

We just got some really cool photos from Papa Tony and Great Grandma Max. They are of me when I was around one or two months. They serve as great embarrassment tools for memories I don't have. Thanks Grandma (wink). There are two things that amaze me in the pictures. a- My sister and my mom look the same. b- I cannot believe the picture in my grandparents dining room has been in the same place for 27+ years. Is there something hiding behind it? I may have to take it down next time I'm there.

There was a questions to Elijah in the letter from Papa Tony and Great Grandma Max. This was 'Lijah's response:
- How do the cats and dogs treat you? Do they make you laugh?
Odo, Max and Miles (dog) are good to me. Miles sticks his nose in my face when I am on the floor and I make a noise. Miles comes running to make sure I am okay when I cry. He seems very anxious at times. My Mom and Dad are surprised at how good Miles is with me. Do they make me laugh? No. Right now I don't know what makes me laugh. I have smiled at Mom and Dad a few times now but they don't know what I am smiling at. I plan to keep it a secret for a little while yet. Dad makes animal noises and it is hard to keep a straight face when he does that. You would have the same reaction. Odo and Max are okay with me, but they keep their distance. When I slept in Mommy and Daddy's room they still slept on the bed, but when I started to cry Odo left. Max leaves me alone, but is more tolerant of me. Thanks for asking GGma and Papa.