Ok, seriously.

I will be better about updating! Perhaps it'll be easier to commit if I can compile all things remotely related to being a mother in this blog. So, from here on out, this is no longer child-specific reading, folks! We're talking all things parenting, crafting, at-home business, and children.

Moving on.

No more do I have to stress about functioning in a 200 sq ft apartment above my mom's garage. For those not up to speed, this is was my living situation during the time of my husband's deployment. However, he's now home and it's no longer necessary. Enter: new living space!!! *confetti*

We just signed the lease, like, less than 48 hours ago, and are slowly moving our stuff into it. I went to the local consignment store to drop off a few items of clothing and some toys and stumbled upon some toddler beds! Hey! I needed two toddler beds! With the store credit I had accumulated from consigning at this place, we scored two toddler beds for a pretty descent price. Space was a mild concern, but! - this worked out just perfectly.

Sneak peek of their room. And Husband.

No, the beds won't actually stay like that. And of course Elijah will have a mattress! But, you get the idea.

It has almost been a year since I started up my own business and really I've learned a lot of things! First and foremost, don't buy an Hp printer! Honestly! I bought that thing less than a year ago and already the ink-something-or-other had a system fail. "Pump Stall", it tells me. Hp couldn't even find that error message in their data base. Just my luck, right? I was only able to find out what exactly went wrong with the thing after trouble shooting on the phone with someone for roughly 45 minutes (after hanging up on the previous person I spoke with. The first guy sounded like he should have been on a surf board somewhere, had no idea what he was talking about, wasn't listening to a word I was saying, and just tried to sell me a new printer on the phone). The printer sits on top of the fridge, where it won't get baby-handled or toddler-stomped and still it breaks. I'm not excited about replacing this thing, but labels have to be printed!

Elijah is entering the name calling phase. Everything and everyone is a "baby butt". I get a kick out of gentle jesting, but we need some boundaries, here. Name calling, talking back, screaming in protest...it all came around a little over a month ago.

Something else he has been doing is expressing disappointment in the ever-so irritating sound of "AWwwwwwWWE!" You know, the loud to instant soft, gradual crescendo. Undoubtedly brought home from school. Not the worst thing, for sure, but still...

I have Emily asleep on my chest as I work out this blog and just now noticed she had a slipper on her head. How did I miss that? It was pressed against my cheek, even. Em is 13 months old and is a walking tornado. Everything gets opened, emptied, thrown, and pushed. She climbs. She stands on tiptoe to reach in drawers. Why put the blocks away? She turns the block box upside down as soon as they've been put away.

Don't be fooled by her delicate innocence.

Aside from being a complete momma's girl, Emily throws a fit when she can't have her way. We're talking serious tantrums. Collapsing to the floor, face first; pick herself up, throw her hands up and flop back down; using her feet to push herself along while her face is on the floor. If I take something from her or try to pick her up to remove her from a place she can't be, she goes limp noodle or arches her back and throws herself back hard enough that she's slipped through my hands once before. I'm afraid I'm going to hurt her but I really gotta hold on tight and lay her on a soft area so she can get the crazy fit out of her system.

More updates soon and hopefully some pictures of the new place as well!

All Butts Stink

While attempting to get Elijah down for a nap today, he decided it was time to talk about butts. He told me that Emily's butt stinks, and then proceeded to sniff at her rear end to confirm this statement. Then he leaned forward like he was going to do a summersault, and with his tush about 6 inches from my face, he looked at me from between his legs and said, "Smell my butt, mommy."

If nothing else, Elijah's full fledged emersion in speaking has been a blast. In fact, it's been rather fascinating. He doesn't simply repeat back what is said to him, nor is it necessary to play 20 questions with him to figure out what he wants anymore. He actively participates in conversation by verbalizing his own thoughts in his responses. Experiencing this transition is so exciting! He uses words for the first time on his own without them having been mentioned previously in the conversation so I'm able to really see his brain working. A few mornings ago when we woke up I wondered out loud about what time it was and Elijah answered "It's ten o'clock." He was so sure of himself, it was adorable. And at the same time I'm staring at him curious as to how he pieced it together that ten o'clock is a time that marks where we are in the day. He is just marvelous .

Emily is totally smiling now. I read that at this age babies smiles are called "social smiles" and it demonstrates their social skills at work. Well go, Emily! Perhaps she'll be a social butterfly because she smiles at everyone! Check out her head control in this picture; I'm not helping her at all. She is incredible! She has head decent head control at two weeks and can hold her head up completely now as long as I'm not moving around too much. The other morning my Grandma was holding Emily and Emily heard me talking and was craning her head in my direction. My Grandma asked her if she wanted to see me and when I poked my head in Emily's line of sight I was greeted with an enormous, open mouth smile with a corresponding sparkle in her eyes. I feel it in my heart when she smiles at me and I could just cry every time. And oh does she love to watch Elijah. She smiles at him a lot, too. He's just so animated, she soaks it all in. I can't wait until she is old enough to be around Elijah without the fear that he might accidently hurt her. They are going to have so much fun together. But for now I have to steer him away from her on the bed (and everywhere else) because he's so bouncy and clumsy.