Striptease...

Here is how we found Eli when he woke up from a nap.



I guess he got bored...we let him talk in the crib for about a half an hour. He hasn't done this since, but I am waiting for the day he takes it all off...

But he was happy to see us, even though we left him there for 30 minutes. He loves to play with Daddy!

Ring around the Roseola?

I took Eli to the pediatrician today, after being up since 2:30 with him screaming. I was convinced he had an ear infection, with the fever the last few days and the screaming last night.

It's roseola, a virus that causes a fever, followed by a rash of red spots. I noticed the rash this morning, but it was so mild, I almost just thought it was from all the crying.

The crying is caused by teething...here come the molars (and there goes my sleep)!

And this is why I love my dog...

And this is why I love my shedding, drooling, scared-of-his-own-shadow, allergic-to-everything, big, goofball of a dog.

Here is Eli fascinated by stepping on Reggie's foot. He was amazed that Reggie moved his foot each time he stepped on it.



This is Eli buttering Reggie up, petting him gently, throwing him off the scent of what is coming next...



And this is what was coming next:





Yes, that is Eli crawling on Reggie's head. And poor, sweet Reggie laid there and took it. I actually had to protect him at one point because Eli thought this was so much fun, he wouldn't stop!

But they were best buds again soon...

Easter 2010

I had warm and fuzzy images of getting Eli out of bed, and letting him run into the living room to find his Easter basket on the floor. He would run over, go through it, eat the Cheerios in his eggs, thumb through his books, and love his Momma for putting together such a healthy, educational basket...



Not this kid! He woke up cranky, cried whenever I tried to put him down, and would not even look at Elmo! He finally played with it, but really just shook around the eggs...

Later that day, he LOVED playing with his cousins! His general state of being when he is with Jacob is ecstatic.



He is such a little boy now...no more baby in this boy!



Of course, he was cranky during day because of a fever. It was low grade during the day, but at bedtime it was 103 degrees! This is not our week!

Humpty Dumpty

Even his auntie and his momma couldn't put him back together again...but the doctors at Newton-Wellesley's ER could!



Eli fell yesterday and gave himself a good bump and a few cuts. One would not stop bleeding, so Mommy had to take him to the ER - thanks to Auntie Heather for taking such good care of him until Mommy could get there!!

We went to the pediatrician first, but Dr. Nishiyama took a look and sent us right to the ER for a few stitches. They took us right in after we registered (why do people keep pronouncing Eli as Ellie?) and applied a numbing gel. Eli and Mommy snuggled in the bed and watched the Wonder Pets while the gel did its job.

When Eli was all numbed up, the doctors came in, wrapped Eli up like a burrito, and fixed him right up with two stitches. He screamed through the stitching, but Mommy was reassured he was just scared and not in any pain. Mommy stayed and helped hold him still and didn't even cry (I have to brag here, even though this is about Eli - I usually go into hysterics at the sight of a needle)!

The doctor predicted at least one black eye, but as of this post, no black eyes have developed yet!

Our little trooper is acting just like he did with the burn. After getting stitched up, he cried for about a minute (he cried more when they peeked under the band aid in triage), then ate a sandwich! So far, he has not even acted like he is aware of his bumps and cuts. Mommy is learning all kinds of lessons from her tough little guy.

I hope this is not Eli's idea of an April Fool's Day joke on his parents and auntie. So far, Eli seems to be predisposed to holiday injuries...I am dreading Easter this Sunday!

MWAH!

I handed Eli to Daddy this morning, all ready to head out for a fun day in the toddler room at daycare! Daddy asked Eli for a kiss. When you ask Eli for a kiss, he puts his head down and gently head butts your lips, a kind of "you may kiss me now" gesture. Of course, when given permission, you must oblige or you get an "I'm waiting" look.

Daddy gave Eli a big "mwah" on his forehead. Eli leaned back, looked at him, grabbed his face with both hands, and gave him a big kiss on the lips, complete with a big "MWAH." IT WAS THE CUTEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!

We're in trouble...

The little monkey totally knows how doors and gates work - now he just needs the physical strength to actually open them! (He has started saying something that sounds like "open" when a door or gate is opened...I know what you are thinking - that kid is brilliant!)



You can't really tell from the picture above, but that gate used to be raised up a bit so the cats could easily sneak in and out of the room where their kitty litter, food, and water is. However, one morning, Mommy was on the computer and Daddy was watching TV, both secure in the knowledge that our little man could not get into anything he shouldn't. Our mistake: being secure in any knowledge of Eli's ability. All of a sudden, Daddy started laughing and I looked around the corner - Eli was looking at us from the other side of the gate! He slid under it! At least he was so proud of himself, he yelled, allowing his slacker parents to catch him before he did a swan dive into the kitty litter. Did I mention he has a taste for kitty litter?

Also, "on your bum!" has become the second most common phrase in the Scott household, surpassed only by (picture it being said like counting to three) "Eli...Eli...no...!"

Here is the most common location of the "ON YOUR BUM!" command/request/plea.



The "on your bum" request is often given when dancing and clapping are occuring at the same time as standing on something you shouldn't be standing on, making being on your bum that much more important when balance is not your strong suit yet...

Basically, Eli has proven to us that, no matter how hard we try, he will outwit us. I think taking him to the ER when he burned his hand may have been a mistake - it taught him all our threats are empty and there is someplace he can go to get put back together again. He'll only be sorry for a short time and then he will be spoiled rotten out of the guilt that we couldn't protect our poor, innocent baby.* (see foot note)

Eli's current Mount Everest is a 4 1/2 foot baby gate originally designed to keep the gigantic dog in the kitchen. I fear that, just as with Reggie, this too will be ineffective:



Look at the look on his face. You can see him thinking, "It's only a matter of time..."




* I WOULD NEVER NOT TAKE HIM TO THE ER IF HE WAS HURT AND DO NOT REGRET TAKING HIM WHEN HE BURNED HIS HAND. (I actually had to stop myself from asking to be admitted so they could take care of cleaning and dressing the wound. I also had to stop myself from hugging and kissing the doctor who treated him and calmed me down - I felt that was also inappropriate - he was clearly married.)