Friday Afternoon

And it's not even May yet...

Recently

Here are some recent Mulder moments. We are enjoying the early spring sunshine and it is such a joy to watch our boys learn and grow each day.

Saturday night we went out to eat at Elvira's, a teeny-tiny Mexican place just outside of town. The boys were very well-behaved and Eli was so proud to eat his "own" meal. He certainly enjoyed it, keeping a quesidilla in each hand most of the meal!

Luke was quite impressed with older his brother's eating ability because...

he's still working to understand rice cereal. Luke's just not real sure why I keep trying to shovel this stuff into his mouth. As a result, more ends up on the outside than in the tummy.

Jeremiah is just outside the frame here. Both of the boys have been loving/tormenting the poor cat; they'll squeal and giggle whenever he comes close. Jeremiah will humor them for a few minutes than escape under the porch in the backyard or down to the basement. He's really been a very good cat with the boys. I'm not sure I'd be as patient as he has been with all of Eli's "gentle pats".

Luke inspecting the grass while Eli...

plays with the sheets drying on the line. Monday was officially "hang out day", as in hang your clothes out on the line to save energy. Eli LOVED this idea. Busy mama--who finally got around to taking the sheets off the line in the dark at 9:30 that night and then had to throw them in the dryer for a few minutes because they were now a little damp before the bed could be made and she could go to bed--wondered just exactly what kind of energy was being saved. However, the entertainment that afternoon was worth it.

Last night was our first family bike ride. The boys did well in the trailer behind Dave's bike. I think they enjoyed wearing their helmets together.

Eli and Luke got to stay up late last night. (What a fun evening--a bike ride and a late night!) They went to watch their daddy play hockey at the ice rink.

Luke = unimpressed.

Eli = fascinated.

Haircuts and Helmets

Last Tuesday the two Mulder brothers went through quite a transition. Luke started wearing a crash helmet to help round out his head and Eli got his hair cut. I think that these two developments were most difficult on their mama. I was near tears on Tuesday night when I kissed the top of my little baby's plastic covered head and said a final goodbye to the rest of Eli's baby locks. Today things are much brighter. I'm getting used to Luke's new hat and Eli is glad for his "summer cut" on this nearly 80 degree spring day.

The Helmet

Luke has a flat spot to one side on the back of his head. He's had it for several months and despite plenty of tummy time and sleeping on his side, it refused to round out. So he was fitted for a Starband helmet. He wears it all day and night. The helmet doesn't squeeze his head, but it provides the form for his head to grow into. As his head grows, it expands to fill the gaps on the inside of the helmet. It doesn't hurt or restrict him in any way and after about the third day, he hasn't seemed to even notice it's there. We go in for helmet adjustments every one to two weeks. The duration of the treatment can be anywhere from three to six months, depending on how quickly his head grows; at his last appointment we'd already had some significant correction so I'm praying for a quick go of it. He's a little bit tougher to kiss and we've gotten some funny looks from people around town, but Dave and I are committed to doing what's best for our kids. Plus, I think it makes him look kind of cute...

The Haircut

So I've trimmed Eli's hair before, but this was a real go-for-broke haircut. Dave did the honors this time with clippers here at home. I was a little afraid that Eli's double back cowlick would make any hairstyle look a little wild, but Dave seems to have tamed it... for now. What a young man!

Easter 2010

Words

I've been suspicious for a few days now, but I think it's time to report that Eli has started saying a few words. He won't do it on command and he doen't always say it, but I've definitely begun to notice a sound-object correlation between a few things. Ball (ba') and juice ('uice) were the first. And last night--as much as it kills me that it wasn't "Mama"--Eli asked for his dad. That little "Dada!" was so sweet!

Not to be left out, Luke has also began making some strange new sounds. He's starting doing some singing--long, low repetitions of noise. He's also discovered a scream. If I don't get to him quickly enough when he's tired and starts to cry, his whimpers will grow into a real howl. I'll rush over to him and scoop him up, thinking something must be deathly wrong, but as soon as he's in my arms he'll look over at me with that little side smirk and smile. What wonderful noises our home is filled with these days!