Tummy Rehab Update

For the past three weeks, I have been following the Tupler technique. It started out as being rather difficult. My transverse abdomious hasn't been worked out in who knows how long and the c-section scar tissue was being moved a stretched in a very uncomfortable way. The physical therapist told me that this was all normal and to slow down on the exercising and splinting. So now my exercises are spread out more evenly throughout the day and the splint come off whenever the kids are in bed. I did notice this weekend, that it was difficult to hold Beniah with my stomach 'properly engaged' without the splint. So, I now know to splint, splint, splint when he is awake and wanting to be held.

Now for the three week mark results...
I am now able to fit into my bridesmaids dress from my sister-in-law's wedding.

The really exciting part is that I can zip it up all the way and be able to breathe!

I also lost one inch from my waistline. And to answer any skeptics question, I have not lost weight during this time (although, I'm not sure if I should be proud of that fact!).

I am really excited to see what the next three weeks hold.

Sunday School

Yesterday, Tim and I had the fun privilege of teaching our sons' nursery Sunday school class. Since I happened to bring my camera, I couldn't resist snapping a couple of photos of my boys.

Elijah saw that his Daddy put a crayon behind his ear and desperately wanted to put his crayon there too.

Beniah has become very proud of his artwork and was so excited to show his picture to my parents who were visiting us for the weekend.

What Elijah Was Doing At 10 PM

Looking over the arm of the couch at toys that had been dropped.

Enjoying family photos

Contemplating about how weird it is to feel your teeth with your tongue.

Being generally cute.

Finally, after having a very busy late night (considering bedtime is 8 pm), Elijah went to sleep.  I now know that even if Elijah has had a very long weekend and is very tired, he should never be allowed to nap until 5:45 pm.

Pacifier Patch

Checkstand 18 at our local Walmart is the place to buy cigarettes and other nicotine products (not that I buy any, but it's kind of hard not to notice the huge case behind the checker). One of the products is the nicotine patch which got me thinking about addictions and weaning oneself away from harmful chemicals that also smell and taste bad (again, I haven't actually kissed a smoker but I hear it's gross). I've been wondering what kind of market there is for pacifier patches. We've started to wean Elijah from his pacifier and it is more difficult than I imagined it would be. He now gets to have it when he is napping or asleep for the night. However, Elijah is a little sneak. Yesterday, our niece and nephews were over and Elijah dug through Samwise's carseat to find his pacifier.  I was in the other room and heard vigorous sucking sounds. When I went to checkout the noise, I saw Elijah sucking as hard as he could on the pacifier. I could almost hear him say, "Oh how I've missed you! Oh no Mama's here! Don't go! Don't go!"

I think that an intervention just might need to be in store for us.

Finally, Snow!

We finally got some snow!  I know, I am almost a week late on the announcement, but hey I get an A for effort, right? Last Wednesday, we got 4 inches of snow to play in. Schools were closed and not many people ventured out (at least from what I saw on our street).  Although the Olympians and Seattlites north of us can snicker at our measly amount of snow, we had a blast and Beniah is satisfied with the winter weather.

Beniah when he realized that it had snowed while he slept.

Beniah's snowmonster with a beret of course!

Beniah wanted to have snow bowling. The clumps of snow are the pins.

Elijah's first look at snow. 

He wasn't to thrilled with how cold it is.

 

You can't play in the snow without having hot cocoa afterwards.

Some of our garden friends.

 Even our cat, Mongkut, enjoyed the snow.

Snow!

Pacific Northwest snow system, I don't like you. You taunt my son with your flurries and slush.

But you never stick around. I have stopped telling Beniah whenever it starts to snow because he gets so disappointed when it all melts away. Tonight, you have started snowing again after my boys are in bed.

Please stick around until tomorrow morning so Beniah can enjoy throwing a snowball even if it's small and mostly mud.

Morphing

Today, we took our boys out to finally get Elijah's haircut.  After a bit of a wait, we were able to set up Elijah's booster chair and get prepped for his first haircut.
 

Elijah did fairly well considering this was a new and scary experience.

The first cut was his earlock that never fell out when he was a little baby. 

Yes, I did keep it.

"But, I don't want to lose my hair!"

Suckers make everything better!

Elijah lost it towards the end though when I had to hold his face still while the beautician trimmed up the sides and back of his head.

 

Finally, the torture... I mean haircut is over and my baby has suddenly morphed into a little boy.

Cookie cutter brothers.

Sicky Sunday

Today, we stayed home from church, slept in, and have yet to get out of our pjs all because of this cold that the boys have. At one point this morning, Beniah wanted to get onto the computer to type on his Word document and Elijah was very upset until I realized that he wanted to be at the table like his big brother.

This is the first time he has colored and seemed to really enjoy it until I took the crayon away because he kept trying to eat it.

Why Elijah Didn't Get a Haircut

I'd like to think that the beautician that we would have gone to would say, "Thank you for keeping your sick child at home!" had she known our original plan for today.

A Haircut is Pastdue When...

You could be mistaken for Justin Bieber 

Photo Credit

You look like you could be a member of the Beatles. 

Photo credit

What members of the Beatles thought when Yoko Ono got involved with John Lennon.

 Albert Einstein could be your twin.

Photo taken by Arthur Sasse in 1951

 I have told myself that we will cut Elijah's hair on Friday. Until then, I am going to enjoy the baby curls ...

... and his cute, little earlocks.  We joke that they are a throwback to my one drop of Jewish blood.