Eli: 4 months!

If there was one thing I really, really wish I had more time for, it would be to blog. I get such a sense of pride and excitement each time I post and it is really a great outlet to share advice, vent, and express feelings. Maybe I could get daddy to take baby for a bit every weekend while Mommy locks herself away in her room and writes for half an hour :)

Anywhooooo. The time has come again to update Eli and his progress this last month. My not-so-little-baby is now 4 months old! He weighs 17 lbs, 6 oz and is 26 1/4 inches long! He really is a big boy...not quite sure how that happened. Carlos and I aren't exactly "big and tall" people over here! Regardless, he is perfect and healthy. And perfect. (Did I already mention that??)

I feel like ever since Eli hit about 3 1/2 months, he has been doing something new everyday! Time is just absolutely flying and I want to make it slow down but it is impossible. I have tried. I have to say that I have learned that no matter what I do, what I try, etc. babies change on a daily basis. And I am not just talking about milestones. I am talking about sleep habits, feedings...well, really just those two things. We are down to waking up only once a night. We were up to two nightly feedings but apparently little guy decided to help us out and go back down to only one. And I really wish they would have taught us this in that parent manual we received at the hospital (yeah right I wish!)....BABIES DON'T EVER GET ON A TRUE SCHEDULE. Sure...it lasts for about 4 days and then it completely changes. Some days we take 3 naps for an hour a piece. Other days we don't want to nap at all. Some nights we go right to sleep. Some nights we fuss and fuss AND FUSS. I have learned to accept this and realize that this whole parenting thing is a surprise EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I love it. I really do. I wake up every morning ready to see Eli and his beautiful face. Not once do I wake up and not get butterflies in my tummy to go and see him in his crib, ready to pick him up and ask what his dreams were about and if he was ready to have a fun day. It is an excitement and love I cannot explain. What an intense love you feel as a parent. As a mom. It is true when they call it a gift. There is no better gift than being a parent...raising your creation that God has blessed you with. I am amazed with this realization every day!

MILESTONES

-ROLLING OVER FROM HIS BACK TO HIS TUMMY!!! He now sleeps on his tummy. I can't stop him. I have tried. The first night I found him like that, I bolted out of bed and scared the living sh** out of him and I rolled him over. Not my smoothest moment but hey...I am a first time mom. 

-He lifts himself up all the way on his arms now. He tries to scoot and scuffle but of course crawling is not possible right now. I just think he thinks it is. 

-We are eating solid foods! He ate sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving but we are starting slow with some rice cereal for a week or so. Then this momma will be making all his baby food....I seriously cannot wait. I am buying a baby food system this weekend and can't wait to get started. I love cooking so this is really exciting for me! :)

-He got his first bouncer and entertainer. HE LOVES IT. He is such an active lil' booger.

-He is officially teething. Goodness gracious...please Lord let it go somewhat smoothly and painlessly (pray for us please!)

-Eli sleeps swaddle free now! I have to say, this was by far the hardest transition we have had. It was rough. And exhausting. And sleepless. But we survived :)

THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED

-Tylenol is a life saver. Amen.

-Teething tablets are a close second. Hallelujah.

-Elijah is gonna be a good eater. I mean if you have ever seen my child, did ya think anything different??

-Once they are strong enough to roll over onto their tummies, it is ok to let them sleep on their tummies. Do not have a mommy freak out like some people I know. 

-Weaning baby off a swaddler is NOT easy. We had a few really rough, sleepless nights. DId I already mention this? Yeah. It really was that fun!

And now for the pictures....:)

I just love this picture. The lighting is so neat and well, the subject is pretty dang perfect.

Yep. I am a big boy in my Entertainer :)

Um. This look is gonna get him in a lot of trouble one day. It is his version of "blue steel." What a lady killer.

Ha. Everything goes in his mouth. Literally EVERYTHING and he likes to make funny faces because he realizes that half the stuff he puts in his mouth is awful tasting.

Mid "scream" with mommy. We just have way too much fun!

His first time in his bouncer. 

Absolute pure joy. My heart melts every time I see this photo. God is good all the time!

With his Chico.

Sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving!

Not quite sure...

He wanted more!!!

Swinging with mama!

I just love this outfit. I remember buying it for him when I learned we were having a boy and thinking "It will be forever until I can actually put him in it." It is one of my favorite outfits for him and it is already getting too small :/

First time seeing a Christmas tree...look at that body language!

Talk about true Christmas joy...this just epitomizes it!

As does this. Love my boy. *heart melting* <---if you can't tell, this is a daily occurrence :)

Eli's Baptism

I really really wish I had more time to update this blog. Now that I am on Thanksgiving break (oh yeah, I get a WHOLE week off hehe) I may be able to do a few posts. There is so much that has happened and is happening, it is hard to keep up! One of the biggest events this last month was Elijah's baptism into the world of Catholicism! We had such an amazing ceremony and reception with friends and family. It really could not have gone any better!

 Ok. Wait. Rewind.

 I think I am forgetting about the morning before the mass. Yes.Yes I am.

I was a little flustered to say the least.

And here is why:

We woke up that Sunday pretty early knowing that it is always a challenge to get a baby ready, yourselves ready, and pets taken care of before a certain time. Everything was going smoothly until Eli got hungry right before we left, needed and diaper change and we realized we hadn't charged the camera battery. All this and before we knew it, we were already running 10 minutes late. Not great, but redeemable.

So we live about 20 minutes from our church. Finally in the car and excited for Eli's special day, we get about halfway to the church and what did we forget? THE BAPTISMAL GOWN. Are you kidding me?!??! Who forgets that on their child's BAPTISM DAY??? At that point I was just embarrassed. I had lectured everyone about being at the church no later than 11:30 and there we were, having to turn around, backtrack 10 minutes, then turn around again and drive 20 more minutes to get to church and it was already 11:15. UGH. I wanted to cry, laugh, yell, blame my husband (he did nothing wrong but he was the closest target)....just do anything to make the fact I left the gown at home, not real.

By the time we got to mass, we looked stressed, flustered, annoyed, and mad. We had to plug the camera charger into the wall in the church bathroom hoping that with it being church and all, no one would touch it. Don't worry (I know you were worried). No one touched it. We took a few deep breaths and accepted that things didn't go perfectly but that it wasn't going to ruin the rest of the day.

Anyways, the mass was beautiful. Our friends and family were amazing. Elijah was fussy but still adorable.

Then the ceremony was held at the baptismal font out in the church main lobby. Eli fell asleep in my arms which was probably for the best and everything from there on out went very smoothly. THe godparents, Mariel and Joey, were awesome and we are just so lucky to have two loving, beautiful people in our lives to play this special role in Eli's life. The amazing photos that are included in this post were also taken by them.

Mariel Garza Photography.

Yes...a shameless plug. But they are such great people. And their photography skills pretty much rock my socks off. Check them out. Like, now!

The reception was held at our house and it was loud and energetic and the house was full of such a warm, hopeful, loving energy. We are so incredibly and genuinely GRATEFUL for our families and our friends who shared this special day with us (even those who were with us in spirit). People came from near and far and spent their whole Sunday with our little family. We know how precious those weekend days are and for a whole day to be spent with us meant the world. Enjoy a few photos below by Mariel Garza Photography (there I go again) and I hope to post again sometime again this week because there is so much to share!

Beautiful, happy boy. That gown is over 150 years old. Carlos' dad wore it in his baptism and Carlos wore during his baptism. Pretty neat!

The Godparents and us. Love you guys!

Oil of the Catechumens. Very holy...very special!

Start of the baptism. First the oil on the breastbone...

Then the Holy water. And yes he did cry but only for a second :)

Fully baptized with the Godparents and Deacon Al!

My sleepy Catholic.

Gosh. My son has GORGEOUS eyes I tell you!

This was a completely candid photo but I love how we are both talking to him to try to get him to look at the camera and low and behold, he was already doing it :)

Eli: 3 months old

I am such a total liar.

I said I would write a new post for the blog like two weeks ago. Hey, what can I say? Mommy-hood got in the way :)

So Elijah is 3 1/2 months old. Which is such an amazing thing and also a form of torture. Why you ask? Because. I have to put away all these adorable, tiny little clothes he doesn't fit into anymore. I cry over this chore every time I do it. I thought when I had to put the newborn clothes away that that would be the one and only time it would happen. I was SO wrong. I did it when I put his 0-3 months clothing away and I did it when I put his 3 month clothes away (yeah we  got a big boy on our hands!) and I am sure it will happen again when his 6 month clothing goes into the bin to be put in the attic.

He is just growing so fast! He does so many new things everyday and for that I am thankful. It really is like Christmas Day every morning. Eli is such a happy baby and waking up to that smiling, drooly face is absolute magic. It has to be better than winning the lottery. I wouldn't personally know but I am pretty sure I'm right. :)

Elijah continues to be my greatest gift and blessing. He brings a joy into our lives that is absolutely unexplainable. Here are just a few of the milestones and new cute things he is doing!

MILESTONES

-We have started the very early stages of teething. What this means: drool (everywhere!), fussiness, hand in his mouth ALWAYS, and teething toys (he isn't too crazy about them yet)

-Laughing!!! We aren't quite at a belly laugh yet but boy are we close!

-His neck is getting so much stronger everyday. He is holding up his own head now with a little bit of support here and there.

-He can sit up straight for a few seconds and then its kaboom! He topples over.

-He is reaching for toys and holding onto them. We practice everyday holding onto a toy while I pull it a little to strengthen those muscles and motor skills!

-Everything that movies, talks, lights up, etc. is being looked at by my baby's beautiful blue eyes. He is just so curious about everything that is happening and doesn't want to miss a thing!

-Unfortunately, he got his first little cold at 3 months. We have had to suction out his nose every morning and night and every now and then he has a little cough. I am praying that he doesn't have the ear infection issue that his daddy had when he was young. :/

-We are still rolling over every now and again. He is a pro at rolling to his side from his tummy and from his back to his side. We just can't seem to perfect the full rollover quite yet.

Pictures? You want pictures? Well ok then! Here are just a few out of like a bajillion I have taken :)

 With his Chico!

 Daddy and Eli having some bonding time!

 Love this!

 Yo mama! What's up?

 Most. Mischievious. Grin. EVER.

(Oh no you didn't!) Oh, yes I did.

 This is what teething looks like right now. Plus more drool. Plus crying. 

 Praying for something. Maybe mommy to put down the camera. Who really knows.

 Oh Lord. I really don't think I could have captured his personality any better than in this photo. I completely MELT every time I see this.

 Fall Fest at Eli's daycare. Yeah we are the parents who helped and volunteered. We pretty much rock.

Daddy and Eli. My loves. Forever and Ever.