Sweet Home Alabama

There's a scene in that Reece Witherspoon movie where she goes back home and runs into an old friend at the local bar.  "Look at you!  With a baby!  In a bar!"  I remember laughing when I first saw that scene, thinking that only rednecks would be bringing a baby into a bar.  Her friend's response - "Well, he's still on the teet so I can just drag him along wherever I go."  Seriously??  Who in their right mind would do such a thing?

Me.

Eli and I went to a brewery today.  In my defense, it wasn't late at night (like in the movie), but it was a watering hole just the same.  Trying to make myself feel better, I rationalized it in my head.  "Hey, it's just lunch."  "We wanted to visit with a friend."  "They have good food."  Truth was, Jeff was meeting a friend for lunch and the baby and I tagged along.... even after reading the Yelp page for the place and it said "Not good for kids."  After a long week and Eli's first foray into temper tantrums, I said screw it.  I need a drink.  I'm going to the bar and he's coming with.  We got pizza, chicken wings, and I got a Hef.  YUM!  Totally hit the spot.

Tonight, as I eat the leftovers for dinner, I got to thinking.  This was NOT the first time I've taken the kid into a bar.  Shoot, I think this is the THIRD time, with the other 2 times at night.  What was my problem?  Yes, he's still on the "teet" but that really is no excuse.   I am that girl from the movie!  Ugh.  I am sure my fellow patrons did not appreciate seeing a little one while they drink in a bar.  I need to hurry up and make some young friends who can come babysit so I don't have to drag poor Eli out whenever Mommy needs a break aka Mommy could use a drink.  I'll re-visit this issue in the future, but this is one of those times when I wished my parents lived closer so they can watch Eli.  No one ever said having a kid was easy.  It's especially freakin' hard when you don't have help close by.

Daydream #26:  Get a great paying job to possibly afford a nanny/cook.

He walks!

Oh, I have been waiting for this moment for a couple of months now.  Eli had been standing and cruising all around the house and I kept thinking he was going to walk by himself any day, any day.  Finally, he took an unassisted step yesterday.  Hooray!  I almost teared up, such a crybaby I am.  But crap, now I'll really have to follow him around.  He's still putting everything in his mouth and he especially likes paper products.  Not sure why, but he likes to take bites out of cardboard boxes.  Maybe it's time for me to put his Christmas presents away and get rid of those boxes.  :)

On another note, we had his 10month wellbaby checkup today.  He is 31' tall and weighs 26 lbs 8.5 oz.  The doctor says he is in the 96.8% for weight and the 96.3% for height.  Textbook case in terms of development - motor skills, speech, socialization, etc.  I am so thankful for our healthy son.  I could just squeeze and kiss him every day... and I do.

A new page

Eli just turned 10 months old and I realized that I stopped blogging when he was about 4 months.  Where have the past 6 months gone?  So much has happened in that time - we tried out a daycare (which was good, but I pulled him out to save $$), he learned to crawl, he started on solid food - and it turns out that I am really good at making all of his baby food!, and he LOVES to dance!  Our boy can shake his booty like nobody's business.  His favorite tune?  The theme song to The Office tv show.  His second?  The ipad commercial ditty.  Since he has been taking tentative steps on his own, he likes to just stop and dance to whatever beat he hears.  So freakin precious.

In this new year, I am excited to see what else my baby can do.  At 99% for weight and 95% for height, I'm sure the possibilities are endless.  I think we'll be doing more physical activities as a family now that Eli is mobile.  We try to go swimming 3x/week.  I take him on walks the other days.  Oh, and the fact that J is 60lbs down is another big factor.  He doesn't even look like the same guy I married.

Speaking of swimming, if you're in the area and free, Eli and I like to go to the Richmond Plunge.  He got sick a lot between Thanksgiving and Christmas so we didn't swim then, but we're getting back into it and even out of practice, our kid is blowing away the spectators.  Yep, he can float for about 5 seconds.  Likes to go underwater.  Loves the swim songs.  Maybe he'll be the next Michael Phelps?

I'll try to blog more this year so I can chronicle our family life.  I am still a SAHM, but I hope to change that soon.  Having a kid is expensive and time-consuming and it is impossible to keep up my practice.  I have applied to work for the state.  God-willing, I will get a job there and be able to help provide for my family.  Til then, I am open for playdates!