Halloween 2009

Halloween is definitely NOT Eli's favorite holiday. It really isn't mine, either, but I do enjoy any time when I can get together with friends and fellowship. I also enjoy pumpkins and all that comes with the joys of fall.

This year, we picked out 2 pumpkins. We stripped Eli down to his diaper, opened up the tops of the pumpkins and expected a "free-for-all"...we were wrong. Eli wouldn't have anything to do with the cold, slimy innards. Although his first pumpkin carving was anything but a success, Geoffrey and I enjoyed the fruits of our labor and yummy oven-roasted seeds.

The night before Halloween, our church family held a Harvest Festival with all sorts of games, prizes and foods. Eli's favorite game was donuts on a string. The object is to race your opponent by eating through the donut tied to a string. The only racing Eli did was back to Ms. Janet to get another donut! He truly enjoyed those yummy treats. After an hour of fun, Eli was ready to go home and sleep off his sugar-high.

On Halloween, we dressed up our little man, passed out candy, and then took Eli down the street to visit a few neighbors and collect candy for Daddy. Eli decided he really didn't like his monkey hood, so he spent quite a bit of time pulling at it. He did enjoy, however, receiving treats and chewing through little bags of M&Ms. All-in-all it was a nice evening. We hope you enjoyed your weekend, too!

Baby #2

Here comes baby #2 . We are due some time in mid-June...so around 9 weeks along now. If you are curious, here is some info me and the baby.

THE BABY:

• Is about the size of a grape!
• Doesn't quite weigh in at 1 ounce.
• Has all major organs with a 4 chambered heart.
• Still a few more weeks before we'll know if the baby is a boy or a girl.
• No longer has a tail! (We hope!)

THE MOMMA:

• Has morning and evening sickness.
  
• Is enjoying eating when not nauseous.
• Is already having trouble sleeping through the night.
• Has LOTS of mood swings--just ask daddy.
• Is very excited to meet him or her.

Our first doctor's visit and ultrasound is scheduled for Wednesday, November 25th. With Elijah we had his name picked out long before he was conceived. So start putting on your thinking caps for names you may like. We plan to share the sex of the baby as soon as we are able to find out. Until then, we thank you for your prayers and well-wishes!

Eli's First Haircut

Getting the cut

Side View

Posing with Daddy after his bath.

He likes his new doo!

After much debate in the Wyatt household, I finally talked Geoffrey into allowing me to cut Elijah's hair. We originally wanted to wait until his second birthday, but after realizing how fast and thick his hair was growing I decided I couldn't wait any longer.

There was another reason why I couldn't wait until his 2nd birthday. It wasn't so much that strangers asked how old our "little princess" was or that his curls were longer than his beloved Genevieve's. No, it was his daily ritual of rubbing unwanted food into his hair at meal times. I don't believe a haircut will prevent the little protester from rubbing his food into his hair. But, at least I won't spend 15 minutes trying to get it out only to have to stick the kiddo into the bathtub for a quick rinse.

Eli did pretty well for his first haircut. At first, he just gently tipped his head away from me, which actually helped me get to his hair better. After trimming with scissors in order to save some precious locks, we moved onto using clippers. This is where it started to go down hill. He either didn't like the sound or he didn't like the feeling of the clippers on his head...or both. Needless to say there were some tears, but pretty in genuine.

Anyways, enjoy the pictures!

Feeling Fall

We are thankful for another beautiful fall day in Juneau. Eli has been enjoying the sunshine and extra walks. Although the air is chilly, he is happy to walk just about anywhere nowadays. His current favorite outdoor place is the playground near our house. He just discovered that the sand sticks to his hands and he also enjoys picking up rocks and other inedibles.

How do you like to spend a cool, sunny fall day?

Distracting Eli

Today a friend wrote on Facebook that he was thankful for Baby Einstein because it allowed him a 30 minute break...I agree! In fact, I would settle for a 5 minute break! Being a parent is a 24 hour/day responsibility. Whether you choose Baby Einstein, a sibling, or a cardboard box, it is healthy for our children to learn to entertain themselves. Some families are blessed with little ones that are content to play with their "box of toys" for extended periods of time, or with a child that is happy to explore books or watch an appropriate video. Although I am blessed, Eli usually needs to be "entertained" by multiple things because he is active and gets distracted easily.

Elijah can also be a little "needy" and he is starting to experience separation anxiety. He loves for his mom or dad to give him lots of attention. I think it is important for us to give him attention, but there are times when we may need a moment to ourselves. I would like to share a story with you and ask for some advice. It may be considered a "taboo subject", but it is something that occurs daily in the Wyatt household and may provide you with a little comical relief. So, reader BEWARE!

I am currently working on a little pre-potty training with Eli. The purpose isn't really to prepare Eli to use the bathroom, but for him to learn to allow others to use the bathroom privately. Eli, when he sees I am headed that direction, puts his crawl or walk into full gear and races to beat me to the bathroom door. I usually win, however, there are times when he is quicker than my aging feet. If he succeeds at entering the bathroom first, he promptly heads for all of the areas I want him to avoid: the garbage can, the toilet, the toilet brush, the toilet paper roll, and the bathtub itself. As a last resort, when I carry him out of the room and tell him "no", he reaches for the cabinet doors or drawers and tries to swipe something within his reach. This is particularly amusing to him, but he panics when figures out his fun is over and when I begin to walk away to return to the bathroom.

His second attempt at racing to the restroom is rarely successful. Now, it may seem to you that I've won the battle--but it really depends on what you consider a "win". About 75% of the time Eli bangs on the bathroom door and screams for me to come out. Although I am alone in the room, (1 point Mom, 1 point Eli) it is anything but quiet. When I am finally reunited with my son, he then clings to my leg for the next 10 minutes as if I'd left him for a week or two.

So, my question to you is this:

How would you "handle" this little guy?

My Husband

My husband is the most manly and caring person in the world. I can't believe how sexy and wonderful he is.

And he knows my password.

Walking!!!

For the past 2 months, Elijah has been "practicing" his walking. Geoffrey and I have been urging him, clearing a path, and waiting for him to take off. It is only in just the past week that he is doing this unprompted. As a parent, it is easy to push our children into doing things that they may not be ready for. I have been pushing Elijah to walk and when I did he'd reject my attempts. As I let go of the control I was seeking and grew in patience, Eli became more willing to walk and enjoyed the results of his success.

I think that my walk with God is similar. When I feel I am being pushed, I bolt, I fight back, I defend myself, I even crawl away. But when I let go of the control I seek to have, I begin to walk in joy, patience, and love. I may stumble, I may turn away, but when I reach for God's hand, He is there. I plan to be there for Eli, too. More importantly, I pray that Eli will reach for God's hand and walk with Him in his ways.