Baby Food!

Our Baby Boy has been chowing down on green veggies since last week. His facial expressions are too cute. He just didn't know what to think about those plain ole green beans but ate them nevertheless. After a week of green beans and no allergic reaction noted; we moved on to peas, Eli seemed to like them better. To wash down his veggie meal we introduced a sippy cup with white grape juice. He hasn't quite mastered drinking from it but sure likes to chew on it. Up next on the veggie list are sweet potatoes. I hear those are a baby favorite next to the fruit of course. Our nurse recommended we wait a couple of weeks before we introduce those. I am having so much fun making Eli's baby food.

Friday was Eli's 6 month check-up. He weighed in at 18 lbs 7 oz (so we were all wrong) and measured 28 3/4 inches long. His weight is in the 67 percentile and height in the 97 percentile. We had been told his weight gain would slow down but my arms sure thought he weighed 19 lbs! Eli is shaping up to be a little ham, he had all the nurses just melting over his voice and laugh. Unfortunately, Eli spiked his first fever after being vaccinated, poor little fella. Everyone has asked me if I gave him Tylenol beforehand and I hadn't but don't always do. He did get a flu shot which was new. Guess you are damned if you do, damned if you don't. By Saturday night he was feeling like a champ so that made daddy and mommy feel better. I just can't get enough of that little man!

An Ashe Week of Firsts!

Travis, Eli and I stuffed our first Scarecrow, we named him Stumpy. We also had our first craving pumpkins party last week. Eli wanted to help so badly, he held his little pumpkin and tried to bite it like everything else. Travis's jack-o-lantern was awesome, mine not so much and Eli's was cute! We headed to downtown Cherokee for some trick or treating, it was ok but I am making it my mission to find a good neighborhood for next year. I dressed up as a witch for work; made oreo eyeballs for our snack party and overall really enjoyed this halloween & no alcohol was involved! Eli celebrated his 6 month birthday on the 1st of November. He is exploring all over our house in his walker and making our hearts melt with every new thing he does. Next week we will start veggies. He is graduating from his bumbo so we are setting up his fancy high chair (thanks Amanda and Joe) in the dining room. Next Friday is his 6 month check up, our family is wagering on his weight. I am guessing 19 pounds but the others think 20 pounds. What veggie is his favorite will follow, so stay tuned.

Eli loves Fall & I love Eli!

This past weekend we took a little drive on the Parkway. Didn't want to miss out on all the leaf looking. Our little man loves being outside, probably all the colors and things to gaze at. Yes, we took some more pictures of him. I know, I know enough already but he is growing so fast I don't want to miss any of it! It's hard to believe that in a week he will be 6 months old. Everything this little angel does fascinates me. He is laughing now, Travis hopes he has my LOUD obnoxious Garcia laugh but I hope it's more subtle. Funny how simple little things like a scenic drive can be so much more exciting with a baby. In all reality, I still can't believe I am someone's mom but I am....Eli's mom! On another note, we live in a BEAUTIFUL place! Here are some pictures from our leaf looking day.

Apple Bobber Champ!

You just really NEVER completly know someone.....recently found out that my husband of almost 7 years (my main squeeze since 2001, so we are talking a DECADE people) is an olympian apple bobber! He smoked the competition. Out of the 6 apple bobbers, Childers one apple, the rest of us zero apples, and Travis 6 apples! This is him in action!

Fall is in the Air!

Happy 5 Months to my sweet baby boy!
October 1, 2011, turned out to be a cold fall morning. We planned on bundling Eli up in his jogger to support Breast Cancer Awareness but being a new mom and still figuring out temperature and outings, we nixed it. Instead we played with Eli who is doing something new and fascinating everyday! Plus, we were going to be out later that afternoon with friends at an apple orchard for Apple Roland Weekend and didn't want to over do it.

As a matter of fact, a year ago on Apple Roland weekend we told our dear friends the Roland's we were pregnant! This year our little man is 5 months old and the Roland's also have a baby, sweet baby Annie! CRAZY!!

The day was spent picked apples, apple inspired dinner at the Roland's house and discovered Travis is a Champion Apple Bobber! Who would have known? Not I or anyone there that night. So lucky to have such great friends and traditions to share with our sweet babies.

The rest of the weekend and on into the week I have been whipping up more apple inspired dinners and desserts. YUM!

Eli was Baptised!

Our sweet little boy was baptised Sunday September 18, 2011.

My dearest cousin Maribel(my sister at heart) flew in with family in tow to be our sons Godmother. Maribel brought Eli's baptism suit from Mexico. It was a special day that we shared with the most important people in our lives.

Eli will be 5 months old next month (well if you go by weeks he is 4 months & 4 weeks). Everyday it is a new discovery: his tongue, his hands, his feet, almost rolling off our bed, his sweet sweet squeal, his eating cereal face. Everyday he makes my heart skip a beat. Being a mom sure is hard work but this little man makes my world complete!

During their visit here we have taken lots of pictures, laughed til my face hurts, and ate so much it's ridiculous. I sure will miss them once they are gone but feel blessed to know I can count on my family & friends when we need them the most.

Eli also had his first professional photo shoot a few weeks ago, he is such a little ham. I thought for sure I had just wasted our money because he didn't smile, he was fussy to the point I felt incompetent in controlling my son, he flat out refused to pose but in the end the photographer snapped some good ones.


Now on to the next thing, I am researching costumes for Halloween. My best buddy Kelly has scheduled a Halloween photo mini session for our boys, that will be interesting for sure! Those boys will have no choice but to be buddies. Speaking of buddies Eli will be picking apples next weekend with his future "apple of his eye" Annie Roland. Can't wait to snap picture of them together. So glad our close friends have babies right now!!

Baby Blues

The saying Baby Blues has so many meanings for me. I definitely felt a little bluish after the baby was born, especially since breastfeeding turned out to be so hard. Glad we got through that and didn't give up! Baby Blues represents the color of most of the clothing our son received at our Showers. Never a big fan of baby blue, I must admit baby Eli looks adorable in it. And lastly, Baby Blues means missing my baby while I am at work. I took 2 months maternity leave after Eli was born. Today is my second day back and today was harder than yesterday. He was awake and cooing this morning, yesterday he was asleep. I am grateful that my mom & mother-in-law can keep Eli while we are at work and I keep hearing that the grandmother's are the second best thing but I definitely question me returning to work. I loved my time at home with our sweet baby. I am missing out on 10 hours of his day four days a week. I question if my income is really worth that. We would be okay with one salary but not as comfortable as we are now. I want lil man to have everything he needs and will one day want. Then I think... I love my job, after all I am a working gal and never saw myself as a homemaker. I finally landed a job that is challenging and am finally using that degree I am still paying for. So many things have changed in my life. Things that bothered me before don't and things that didn't bother me before do. All my thoughts are about Eli. It's no longer Travis and me, we hardly get any alone time but yet we seem to be managing just fine. I am a firm believer of saying "I Love You" often and "Thank You For All That You Do" regularly. Our glances to one another say so much more these days. We knew our lives were going to be completely different but I didn't realize how much. We can't pack up for a weekend get away like before. No more improv trips to Asheville after work or weekends. Sex can't be spontaneous like when it was just us in our house. Simple tasks such as laundry or washing up after dinner aren't so simple anymore. Lots of planning must go into things as simple as going out for dinner. Nevertheless, this new chapter in our lives is so exciting and words can't describe what it feels to be a mommy! I have stocked my office with framed pictures of that sweet face and look at him often, maybe this will get easier as time goes by. I hope anyway!