Spring Showers and Random Pictures

I wonder how many times I've used the word "random" in my post titles? 

A lot, I bet.

It rained cats and dogs and hail this weekend.  During a break in between the storms we headed out to splash in some puddles. 

Puddles are cool when you're 2 and 4. And when you're allowed to jump in the puddles...well, that's "super-duper-oooooper cool!" as Brooke would say. Puddles are pretty fun when you're a 30-something mama with a camera, too.

Brooke went on a one-woman mission to rescue the worms stranded on the sidewalk.  She may be a girly-girl, but she'll get dirty when little slimy lives are at stake.  Ew.  



I got a weed bouquet from my best gal.

In other news, Eli is doing better.  That makes us all happy.

Especially him!

I would say Nate has fully adjusted to the new baby at this point.  It took a little while, but he's decided his little brother can stay.  He's also realized there's fun to be had, even when mama's too busy to play.

Seeing my failure, Brooke has taken on Nathan's potty training.  She drags him into the bathroom every time she goes and gives him a step-by-step demonstration.  She got him to sit on the potty, which is much better than the "I just have a diaper!!!!" response I get from him. 

Here's hoping!

Selective Memory

Things have been a little wild around the Baby Days household lately.

I'll take a breather from my usual selective memory blogging to tell you: It seems the little one has a case of reflux.  If you've ever had a baby with reflux, you know it's not conducive to blogging or photography.  (Or sleeping or speaking in complete sentences or leaving the house). 

Poor Eli just does not feel good.  And he's taking us all down with him.

But the good news is we've started Eli on some medicine and we think...we hope it's working.  I'm taking the time to blog and writing mostly in complete sentences.  That's a good sign. 

So let's get back to the selective memory blogging, shall we?

Here's Eli during a few precious moments of contentment. 

Little fingers and toes...that's what this mama will remember. :-)

Happy Easter!

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened that while they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling apparel; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen!"   Luke 24: 1-6

Happy Easter from all of us!

Baby Pictures and Spring Stuff

Eli is already 5 weeks old. 

He smiled for the first time a few days ago, which is just about the best thing in the whole wide world.  I always feel like I've earned those first smiles.  Like the tiny little one is finally acknowledging the pain of birth, the up-all-nights, and the endless nursing, changing and bathing. 

Or maybe he just has gas. 

No matter.  Either way, it's cute.  And I have earned it.

Spring has totally sprung around here and I am thrilled!!  Even in my sleep deprived state, I had to stumble out into the yard to take a few pictures. Our resident gardener planted flowers with a little help from grandma.

Our little spring flowers are in full bloom.

Can't you just smell them??  Happy spring!

Settling In

Eli is 3 weeks old now.  :-)

He's starting to uncurl and wake up for us.  It's exciting to see him begin to become his own little person.

It's not quite as exciting to watch him become his own little person in the middle of the night.  We're really, really tired.  But this time we know, just like his littleness, this part is only temporary. 

Brooke can't get enough of the little guy. 

Here's the scene I walked in on the other day.  (Yes, little boy is rockin' the pink bouncer.)

And Nathan?

He's doing...better.  Man, it's hard to lose your status as baby of the family.

Meet Eli.

Eli Jacob

February 21, 2012

7 pounds 15 ounces

20.5 inches long

Proud big sister and big brother.  Pictures courtesy of Scot, my backup photographer. 

Poor Nate didn't know what to think of everything.  He went quietly from grandparent to grandparent, asking to be held. Promises of a hot dog perked him up, though.   

Brooke was just the opposite.  She was totally in love with Eli and couldn't get enough.  She brought a book to "read" to him and sang him Happy Birthday.   

The grandparents were pretty proud, too.

I might get in trouble for posting the next pic, but I love it.  The expressions on the grandparents' faces are great.  :-)

You know as soon as I was up and around I took some pictures of that new baby.    

  We are so in love.  And so, so thankful for baby Eli.

Macro Fun

Hmmm...what to do while passing the days waiting for baby? 

Most women clean and nest and all that good stuff but I AM SERIOUSLY TIRED.  So how about a little experimenting with macro photography instead?  I am in love with macro.  You know what I'm talking about, right?  Pictures of teeny tiny bugs or the itsy bitsy bits inside flowers?  Basically, a picture that magnifies the subject.  That's macro.  

There's a macro lens I would love to have.  But it's very expensive.  When I mentioned it to Scot he just laughed and mumbled something about diapers and college.  He can be so unreasonable sometimes. :-)  So instead I plunked down ten bucks on some extension tubes--tubes you can use with your existing lenses that allow close-up focusing. 

Here's my first attempt.

Strawberry.

Maybe some little baby finger and eyelash pictures in my future?  :-)