5 Month Old Elijah and Family Update!

Noelle got her first real Barbie today- a belated birthday gift from a friend!






Noelle's first day of Preschool


Let me start this post by updating everyone on Elijah's current stats. As of last Friday, our 5 month old little boy weighed in at 16 pounds. It is so strange because he is on such a different track than Corom. Corom is just over 20 pounds and skinny as can be! Elijah is a moose! So squishy and cuddly, he had on one of Corom's 12 month shirts today at church. (A little big, but looked really cute!) He is quite possibly the happiest baby I have ever seen. He is smily and content most of the time. He is patient with me, spending most of the day watching me tend to his siblings. If he isn't watching Dan or I, he is laughing at Noelle or Corom. The fake sneeze is always good for a belly chuckle. (Corom has even mastered that one) Our developments to date are rolling from front to back (and almost the opposite), attempting to sit up, sitting in the exersaucer, hanging out in the high chair and SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!! He is my first baby to sleep through the night at such a young age. (That isn't to say our nights go without interuption, our other 2 still get up here and there) But, overall nights are more pleasant and we are all enjoying the benefits of longer sleep stretches. I just have to discipline myself to get to bed early as 6:00 feedings roll around pretty early. I wish I could just freeze Elijah's growth, it is going too fast! (Let me interject that around this house he is known as LI-LI, thanks to Corom)

As far as family updating, my previous post was inaccurate, it was not food poisoning, but the stomach flu. It was evident when Noelle started throwing up 2 nights later. YUCK! It was a week of feeling awful and doing a million and one loads of laundry. I scrubbed the house and disinfected everything I could think of. I am hoping that this was it and that we are done with it for the season. I got a kick out of having Dan and I both down. Who takes care of the kids when you have two sick parents? We did it somehow! Everyone survived! Stomach flu aside, life has been really busy. It seems to just spin all of the time. I was really frustrated the other morning because I just couldn't seem to get everything and everyone ready for the day, when it occurred to me that I am now in charge of getting 4 people ready every morning- it's a large task. (Feedings, bathings, diaper changings, cleanings, etc.) By the end of most days my head hits the pillow with a crash. Though busy, we are having fun. (Well, at least the kids and I are most days) Dan is totally swamped with school. His assignments have been taking him out into the community more and are seeping into the late hours of the night and consume most of his weekends. Somehow, he is able to get everything done, but is busy all of the time. His community assignments lately have been early-intervention home visits and mental health therapy. (You'll have to ask him about that one- it's quite an adventure) We are just feeling grateful that we dumped the early morning UPS job, as it would have killed us all this semester! We are really blessed to be in such a wonderful community. Our support system here is amazing and our ward is fantastic! I am also lucky to have gotten Noelle into preschool. It has lightened our days and given Noelle some much-needed structure and "Noelle time." She is thriving already! As for Corom, what can I say? He will be 2 in 2 weeks and is talking so much. He will repeat anything you say, and coming up with new words daily. Yesterday I was talking to myself about needed a tupperware lid and he tapped me on the leg holding the lid. Among his favorite phrases are: "What are you doing momma?" "Where'd daddy go?" "Car-car" Big truck" "Orange juice please." Everything is about cars and trucks. He is always walking around with a matchbox car in hand. He gets a kick out of walking through parking lots and riding in the car. He is such a sweet boy. I could spend my days watching him. Everywhere we go, people comment on his sweet face and dark eyes. As a mom, I can say that I think he is a doll! I never imagined feeling such love for my children. They make me happy!

So, all in all, life is great! We are glad to be healthy again and so grateful that we are thriving amongst such challenging and chaotic times! I am so proud of Dan for plugging along and working so hard. It is on most days, super-human! I thought it was time to update with some pictures! Enjoy!