Far Too Long

Far too long since I've posted...I couldn't even remember how to log in! haha

Far too long since I've felt the waves crash at my feet and felt the tug of the wet sucking sand...

Not really, I suppose...but it feels like too long. These photos are from Baby Boy's first trip to the beach. The daughter felt sorry for me since I am having to work through family vacation #1 (our yearly trip to Myrtle Beach), and though I've missed it before, this would have been Baby Boy's first beach trip. When I realized it and felt like crying, she suggested a day trip- just the three of us! What fun! He was so serious about it all...the sand, the sun, all of the sounds. Just too sweet. He's growing much too fast for us all. Four months old, two teeth, and at the last doctor's visit, fourteen pounds. Whew! It all happens so fast! Since these photos were taken, he has been swimming three times and LOVES the water. I am so glad; his mother sure was a water baby!

Lots of new photos thanks to the daughter's fabulous 21st birthday gift (Canon Rebel Ti) and more stories of summer to come. Gotta get back to work. Hope you find something refreshing to do this week!

Three Months and 21 years

Just three mere months ago, I didn't yet know this amazing boy. My heart hadn't yet realized how much it would be consumed with every yawn, sneeze, gurgle, bubble, or tender-headed kiss. In these months that have flown by, the love has not only blossomed, it has gotten more and more fierce with each passing second! I had no idea that humans could love so intensely. It's just like I felt with the daughter, only times two and somehow different. We could (and do) spend hours looking at his fingers and toes, listening to him try to laugh, and wondering what he will be like as he is older...we'll know soon enough, as time passes all too quickly. Happy 3 months, precious elijah graham.

Dessert first! In honor of one of the daughter's friend's 21st birthday, we made these adorable cupcakes from Bakerella. I couldn't believe how really simple they were, and just too cute!
Happy 21st Angelina Ballerina!

Next, in honor of the daughter's new apron, we decided to make a yummy pasta dinner from one of PW's recipes...this is one I printed off many, many months ago, and just got around to making it. Really yummy if we do do say so ourselves. A nice ending to a lazy Saturday and a really rough week!

She's learning how to multi-task like all moms do! Baby E. is not exactly crying, but wanting more of his mommy's attention like all babies do. I can not say how interesting it is to watch the daughter mother a son...it warms my heart, makes me laugh, and surprises me at each and every turn. Being a grammy is THE best job in the world!

Ahhhh.

Hoping you have been able to enjoy something refreshing this weekend...family, food, or something fun! Have a wonderful week.

What Keeps Me Going

Is it summer yet?

Procrastination 101

Grades are due tonight...by midnight...

I am getting there.

It is now 9:19 PM.

The lovely daughter and I have been working on them in between making dinner, eating dinner, feeding the baby, and answering the random cell phones calls / texts. She went off to visit friends for a few hours, and now I am left to my own devices. I am no better than my middle schoolers. What do I do the first chance I get?

Read a few email messages, check a few new posts on other people's blogs, and decide that it's been SO long since I posted...I just have to write a little something quick and post a few new baby photos. Ha.

I am the queen of distraction.

Hey...is that the baby crying? Yep. He's calling for grammy. Gotta go...give some lovin'!

Grades? What grades?

Two Weeks

This baby boy is two weeks old today.
His grammy had to go back to work.


Believe me when I tell you that this was THE hardest thing I have ever had to do concerning my job...exchange this boy for stinky middle schoolers. Whew. What a day. After being out for two weeks, my room looked like a tornado went through it. I am not sure I will ever find all of my books to return to my personal book shelves. I really could not believe my eyes when I walked in this morning. It will take me the rest of the week to regain control over it all.


Thinking of this baby boy made me want to just take my purse and run.
I didn't, but I wanted to!

No matter what, he was so worth it all!

The Book of Eli: Part 1

My heart is fillled to bursting...I never imagined I could feel so much love for someone...and along came Elijah Graham.

Chapter 1

Birth.

January 18, 2010 8:15 am
Eli is born.

Immediately, I fell in love with his lips...for the daughter, it was his ears.

The daughter's surgery went well, and I was honored (and somewhat stunned) to be right there with her as her support person. Never in my life have I seen such sights...the insision, the blood, the not so gentle pulling and tugging, her insides, a patch of the boy's black hair...and then there was Eli in my arms (after a brief bit of screaming in another room...a temporary clean up, suctioning, and then into Grammy's arms!)

Chapter 2

Recovery.

The daughter was in recovery for awhile before she could officially meet her son. In the meantime, the OR staff whisked me away to watch him get weighed ( 6 pounds, 10 ounces), measured (19 1/2 inches long), bathed, and dressed by the nurses in the baby nursery. Finally, the moment came when the daughter could meet Eli. She was so tired and still hooked up to an IV which made it difficult for her to use both arms. She also had 24 hours worth of something called a magnesium drip for patients who have had pre-eclampsia so they will not have seizures. Nice. No worries at all. It made her feel groggy and, for lack of a better description, heavy-limbed. Eli spent the entire night with us, and I was all to happy to take care of him. The daughter is breastfeeding, and obviously she needed help at this point.

Chapter 3

The real room!

After her 24 hour medicine drip and monitoring, they finally moved the daughter to a regular birthing room- very nice "suite" with lots of hard wood floors, pretty decor, and not so comfy furniture. So much happened in Room 340...bonding, feeding, snuggling, hugging, kissing, and gushing over all of the perfect baby parts that Eli has, taking photos, continuing recovery for the daughter, and visiting with the 3 visitors that were allowed to visit (the hospital has very strict visitation rules since November 2009 for pregnant patients, new moms and newborn babies...only 2 support people and the grandparents are allowed- that's it! Apparently, great-grandparents don't need to be on that list, much to my father's dismay!) We were in Room 340 for the rest of the hospital visit- from Tuesday through Thursday,and then it was FINALLY time to go home! (By the way, I didn't have time to realize that I looked like hell...LOL...almost no sleep, THE most uncomfortable couch / bed, and a sort of primitive shower set up...too happy to care really!)

Chapter 4

Home.

Dorothy wasn't kidding when she said, "There's no place like home." January 21, 2010. It was a cloudy, dreary day, but we were so ready to leave that place. The husband was awfully cute as he scurried about getting things ready to help take the grandson and the daughter home...putting in the infant carseat, packing the enormous volume of items that had gathered in her two weeks in the hospital prior to the c-section, and just being so happy not to be home alone...We were so ready to leave. I must interject here that the daughter could not have had better care; she had some awesome nurses that were extremely helpful and informative. I asked specifically for six comment cards to write personal thanks to each one of them!

Home...home was on the horizon!

(So very tired. Doctor's appointment tomorrow early...so to be continued...)

Homecoming

My God is ever faithful! Praise Him!

The daughter and Eli are home. They came home on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010.

Everything is great, but so busy with a newborn baby in the house...(right now it is 3:34 am and I have just now found a quiet moment before I go to bed to type this tiny post!)

I have lots of stories & more photos to post SOON, I promise!