Sniffles and Coughs

Last Thursday, Aidyn began having a runny nose. Wednesday was when he cut his tooth (or when we noticed) and so we weren't sure if the runny nose was part of teething or not. By Saturday, it had turned into a terrible runny nose, congestion, and coughing like crazy when he'd lay down to try and sleep.

I was up with him from 3-4:30am Saturday night/Sunday morning. The minute I'd lay him in his bed (which is flat), he'd start coughing and wake himself up. As long as I held him (with head elevated ofcourse) he'd sleep fine. I was exhausted!

Needless to say, by the time morning rolled around and time for church, he was still sleeping. I almost NEVER wake him when he's sleeping...and after the night we'd had, I definately wasn't waking him then. He and I ended up staying home all day Sunday. No morning church, no Sunday lunch, and no evening church. He would actually play for a few minutes, but then revert back to sitting on mine or Ben's laps and watching football.

Since he didn't feel well Sunday, but it was the first day in almost 2-3 weeks it wasn't raining (literally!!!)...I decided to take him for a walk since he loves to be outside. Here's a quick shot of him all bundled up ready for his walk.

He NEVER wants to sit still and he never watches TV...so we knew he definately didn't feel well. He didn't seem to be running a temperature, just yucky feeling. He actually ended up sleeping all night Sunday, with is bed elevated, and I thought we were headed for better.

Monday - runny nose, 100.6 fever, not much eating, still yucky feeling. I was up every 1-2 hrs checking on him (due to coughing or whining) but when I'd go in his room, he'd be asleep still.

Tuesday - runny nose...but not as bad, fever down to 99.8, eating a little better, not much. Slept much better, only waking up once or twice during the night.

Wed - NO SNOT (that I've seen) since I got home almost 6 hours ago. No fever, but still kinda whiney. However, playing and eating better...so I think we ARE headed in the right direction now. We hope.

A few people have said maybe it's also been a part of his teething...we'll see. As long as he doesn't run a fever any higher than 100 and doesn't seem reaaaal sick, I'll just assume it was teething and/or a cold.

Messy, Messy

I've been working with Aidyn more and more on learning to use a sippy cup. I normally just a put a few ounces of water in and let him "play" with it throughout the day. Sometimes, I'll also add an ounce of apple juice.

He still tips the cup up and bites the "spout", but he has figured out that by doing so liquid comes out. So....I guess we're getting somewhere. Unfortunately, I think most of it normally ends up running down his chin instead of in his mouth.

We've also started giving him teething biscuits. I've "experimented" with different ones and so far his favorite are the Gerber ones.

"Mmmm...this is soooo good!"

The first several times, he wasn't sure what to do - whether it be the cookie, a rice cake, or other teething "biscuit". However, the other day...he went to town on one! So much so that we had a mess EVERYWHERE! Needless to say, he was enjoying it!


Unforunately, I was not watching his every move and when I looked down, he had bitten a huge chunk off and it was in his mouth! Talk about a heart attack! I NEVER, EVER leave him with anything like that, but since he'd never really been a fan of them, not to mention not actually trying to eat it, I wasn't too concerned. I assumed he would knaw on it a few minutes and then throw it to the side like usual. WRONG!

He since has done the same thing to his rice cakes and other cookies. I know they're made for "crawlers" and not all crawlers have teeth...but now I'm totally afraid to even give them to him. Seems like every time I turn around he's bitten a big piece off and he's trying to actually eat it. They're made to "dissolve" fairly easy...but I'm not to trust worthy of that, yet.

Pack-n-Play Fun

In the baby book, Babywise, the author's suggested putting children in their pack-n-play for 5-10 minutes each day with a few toys to play on their own. I don't really think that's any different than putting Aidyn on a blanket with a few toys to play by himself while I clean up, cook, watch TV, etc...and since our pack-n-play has become a storage area for blankets, haha...we've not really had that opportunity.

We've been slowly "retiring" different items to the attic (well, actually the hallway infront of the attic door, haha). Maybe one day we'll actually get the items carried upstairs. We've had to retire his bouncy/vibrating seat, swing, and I feel the stationary bouncer is on it's way.

So, this weekend, I cleand out the pack-n-play, lowered it, and put Aidyn in to play and entertain himself while I vaccuumed and straightened up downstairs. He was probably in there playing 10-15 minutes...he did really well!

Birthday Pictures

Here are just a few cute pictures I was able to get on Saturday...

Good Morning!

Hmm...where'd that tooth go?

"Eeeeee!"

Put food on this thing!!!

Aaaa, what a great nap!

8 months old!

Aidyn was 8 months old last Saturday, September 26th. When I went to get him out of bed that morning, this is how I found him...

...just sitting in his bed, relaxing, and playing. What a sweetie!

He still isn't crawling yet, but he is doing many other things. Last week, Wednesday I think, our babysitter noticed his first tooth was beginning to come through. Today, a week later, you can feel and see the top of his first bottom, front right tooth. Yay!

He has also learned many new sounds and words and loooooves talking! One of my favorite things is to sit him in the floor, crib, or pack-n-play with toys and listen to him play and talk to himself. Precious! He is now "saying" ma ma ma, da da da, ba ba, gaw gaw, and maybe another one or two...I'm not sure.

He has learned to pull up all by himself in his crib, on our ottoman downstairs, and apparently on Kelly's coffee table (our babysitter).

I can't believe he'll be 9 months before Halloween, 10mo for Thanksgiving, and 11mo the day after Christmas. Aaaaahhhh!!!

Are you serious?!?!?!

Tonight was Fall Festival at my school. All teachers are asked to work one 45min-1hr shift to help out with all of the games, ticket booths, food, etc. Luckily, I was able to sign up before all of the early shifts were taken.

However, since I had to work 5:30-6:30pm, I stayed at school and was able to get LOTS of copying done. I actually got all of my Friday practice TCAP sheets for the year copied, all of my daily morning morning until Christmas copied, and all of that filed away. Yaaaay! I feel so much better. :)

Unfortunately, by the time I finished my shift, went to my parents' for dinner and to pick up Aidyn, and made it home...I was blocked out of my driveway! Yes, totally blocked!

We live right below the football stadium in our town and each Friday lots of people use our driveway for parking. Not a big deal, we don't mind AT ALL. It's always the same people (friends & family). The only difference is...I'm usually already home, so a driveway full of cars doesn't bother me.

By the time I got home tonight, the road infront of my house was packed from one end of the street to the other...I figured it would be. Tonight was Homecoming. I also was afraid my driveway might be full...people not realizing I wasn't home and pulling on in and parking.

What I didn't anticipate was that my driveway would be ALMOST totally empty (I guess because they were calling for flash floods, haha, no one wanted to go to the game tonight).

My practically empty driveway...look at all that space!

So, an ALMOST empty driveway and then ONE car parked at the bottom, the bottom. Did you hear that...t h e b o t t o m ! ! !

So here I was, sleeping baby in the backseat, no place to park on the road in front, and no access to my driveway. What the heck was I supposed to do?

Luckily, I guess, I recognized the car. It belonged to a girl that used to attend our youth group. A very nice girl, haha...just not sure what her thought process was tonight. While driving around texting different girls trying to get ahold of her, Aidyn ended up waking up, and luckily it wasn't raining.

I ended up being able to squeeeeeze in behind her with only a portion of my tailend hanging out the end and walked up the driveway with Aidyn in the carseat still and all our things. Gooooood thing it wasn't raining.

I was finally able to get ahold of someone to move the car...after Aidyn and I were inside. I was feeding him and getting him ready for bed, and now I was the one blocking someone. Oh well. Luckily they weren't ready to leave yet so it wasn't a big deal. After the Homecoming halftime show, peope left. I was able to move my car and park on the road close to our house.

I TOTALLY don't mind people using our driveway at aaaaaaaaaaall...I don't even think I would've been too pissed off had the driveway been packed. However, to pull up to an empty driveway with one car at the bottom...argh!

*Now that I've calmed down, haha (you're probably thinking, yeah right!) I appreciate you allowing me to vent. I was so frustrated, at the time, that I even took pictures. I'm totally ridiculous I know, you don't have to tell me. ;)

Homemade, Handmade Swing

When Ben and I got married, his grandfather MADE us a wooden porch swing to go on our porch. Unfortunately, after having the gutters and soffeting redone on the house, we were unable to find a support beam to drill the swing into. Soo.....for 2 years its been sitting in our basement. :( It's terrible, I know!

Ben's Poppy finally realized and took it upon himself to build a frame.

We now have our swing proudly "displayed" next to the porch beside our house. Since apparently Moses is returning with his Ark soon for a new set of animals...we haven't been able to use it much, AT ALL. But, I didn't manage to get outside with Aidyn the other night and try it out when the sun was peeking through.

**Ooops, I think that's supposed to say Noah, not Moses. Hahahahahahaha. Oh well. Thanks, Dad for the reminder. :)

Ben came home while we were out there and I got a few pictures of them together as well!

For those of you that think Aidyn looks like me...think again. ;)

Haaaay Mon...

...play those bongo drums!

My mom and dad offered to come keep Aidyn the other night while Ben and I went to eat dinner...in peace and quiet. :) Wouldn't you know that once we got there I wasn't even that hungry or interested in eating. Go figure!

But anyhow...when we got home I saw a new toy they'd bought Aidyn...bongo drums!

They light up when you hit them, play music with other percussion instruments being heard, and are very colorful and light weight. Aidyn loves them!

You can also push a button on the middle and they'll fold up into one call conga drum that rolls around the floor. When this happens, the music changes to fast, "rolling" music. So cool!

Camera Hog

Just for your amusement...

...a few more of Aidyn's "poses" he likes to pull when he sees me pull the camera out.

What a ham!

What do I do with this?

The other day, I decided to buy Aidyn some "cookies". I couldn't find the Gerber teething biscuits like I remember feeding my cousins and other kids when they were small. All I could find were infant "rice cakes"...so that's what I got. It dissolves in water, which is great. However, since it's like a HUGE rice krispie, Aidyn wasn't quite sure what to do with it.

Since he puts EVERYTHING in his mouth, it didn't take long. Unfortunately, since it apparently didn't taste so great (I wasn't trying, haha)...it didn't want it. We'll keep trying.



I also bought him some of those little "rice puffs" that easily break down and dissolve. Since he LOVES sweet potatoes, I bought that flavor. So far, he isn't a fan. I've only tried them a few times...but I want to start working with him on finger foods, so I figured that was a good start. Whenever we have baked potatoes (which is atleast once a week), I've been putting pieces of potato on in highchair tray. He is able to pick the pieces up, but then loses them within his fist and he tries getting it into his mouth. :)

Prayers Needed

One of the blogs I follow, The Muellers, posted about a young girl in her church that fell into a fire pit this weekend with hot embers still burning. Please check out her blog below and keep this young girl in your prayers.

http://crystalmueller.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

Lowering the Crib

It's that time...

Aidyn has finally learned how to pull up in his crib. He still isn't crawling, but we're getting closer each day. Or atleast that's what I keep telling myself.

Yesterday we had three visitors. First, Ben's mom came by when I was getting my camera downstairs to take Aidyn's picture standing in his crib. I took her upstairs with us to show her his new trick. While watching, he got so excited and started bouncing up and down that he almost flipped over the front! Scary!!! She insisted we needed to lower his crib.

Lastnight when he stood up, the bed rail was at his wait...now it's at his armpits which is MUCH safer!

Then, lastnight, my parents came over for dinner. They said the same thing. So....my dad and Ben worked on lowering his crib before bedtime.

Yesterday afternoon: I tried getting a video of him pulling up and standing. But by the time I sat him in the crib, sat down in the floor, and got my camera turned on, he was already up!

Here is is tonight before we put him to bed...

I don't want to even think about the possibility of him climbing out of the crib one day. I know it's coming...but hopefully not for a LOOOOOONG while. The thought scares the crap out of me! So dangerous!

Snow Baby

One of our latest purchases (well...Ben's purchase) was a snow hat for Aidyn. Because, we all know that it usually comes a blizzard in September! hahahahaha

But anyhow. When we were at the mall Labor Day weekend, we just had to go in BabyGAP and check out the clearance rack. While in there, Ben saw this snow hat that apparently Aidyn will "need". Since they might "sell out" according to Ben, we had to buy it that day.


Now, I just hope it comes a blizzard, because if not...we've wasted some good money on a goofy snow hat. I will have to admit that it's cute nonetheless, haha.



Even though he kept trying to take it off. It's a little warm in September for such a hat, haha.

Itchy, Itchy!

Aidyn cannot go outside for getting eat up with misquitoes. I can't decide if it's just something in his skin or a mix of that and the lotion that we have to keep on him constantly to keep his dry skin under control.

When he goes to the sitter, my parents', or Ben's parents' we always send some light track pants. It seems that every time Aidyn goes outside, he needs pants on or he comes back in covered in bites. It's terrible!

Well...on Monday, I decided that no longer than I'd be outside to scrape the grill top and light it, he'd be ok without pants. How bad could the bugs get him in 5-10 minutes max? Boy, was I wrong!

When I went to get him and take him in, there was a misquitoe on his head and neck. When I woke him up Tuesday morning to get ready for Kelly's (our sitter), he was covered. I felt SOOO bad. After asking EVERYONE we know to make sure they put pants on him to go out, I neglected my own "rule" since I didn't think we'd be out long. He had 2 bites on the top of his head, 1 on the back of his head, and 4-5 bites on each leg. Ouch!

Looks like even I'll be putting those pants on him (or wrapping him in a light blanket) even if it's go step out for just a second.

Cutie!

My mom and dad bought Aidyn this shirt...at Target I think.

Isn't it cute? Isn't Aidyn cute?!?! :)

Look at all the...

CLOTHES!

I realize that Ben and I tend to buy Aidyn clothes pretty regularly even if it's just one item here or one thing there that we find and say, "This is so cute! He's GOT to have it!" I guess between his closet, dresser, and PJ drawers...I just never really realize how much he truely has.

Until it's time to pack them up...

Since Aidyn is now 7 1/2 months old, he has pretty much outgrown all of his 3-6 mo stuff. I finally bought a tub at Walmart after weeks of saying I need to, and cleaned out his closet this weekend. I was in complete shock when I saw how much he really had. I knew it was alot...but holy crap! After cleaning everything out and throwing in the floor, I was worried I wouldn't get it all in the tub.

But I did!

While I was cleaning, Aidyn sat in the floor and played with his toys and all the clothes I was tossing his direction. Some pieces would hit him or land on him and he'd giggle and laugh.

The said thing is, I tried not buying a lot of 9mo items since I know he'll be outgrowing them by end of October and first of November. Last spring, Ben and I went to Gatlinburg and went shopping at the Tanger Outlets. We bought all of the winter clearance items for 12-18 mo so that Aidyn would have plenty (and cheap) clothes for this winter.

I'm glad we did...I still think it was a good idea.

I just can't get over how much clothes I continue putting away.

The sad thing is, this is the 2nd bucket of clothes. The first was even bigger!!! Can you believe it? The first had all of his newborn and 0-3 clothes...but those are smaller! Wow...I can't even imagine what it's going to be like when he's older. I've GOT to start doing more yardsale shopping to find cheapo clothes (especially at the rate he's growing out of stuff).

I think I can, I think I can

This "exciting" video (ha, yeah right) is going to show you two things.

1. The crazy laughing dog that Aidyn's Nonnie (my mother-in-law) bought for him. At Easter, she bought him a bunny that jumps up and down, moves his ears, and sings Petter Cottontail. He just now, amost 6 months later, is old enough to enjoy it and play/listen to it sing.

When she started telling me about the "book guy" that had been by their school, I said "Oh, no! Are you buying that dog?!" The same guy also comes to our school. I was joking and told her I didn't mind...but that I'd already told everyone at school I bet she buys it for Aidyn. I was right.

It's a cute dog that makes you laugh even if you don't think you will.

2. The other thing you'll see is Aidyn trying is hardest to start crawling. We still aren't there yet, and he's doing even better than this video shows, but he's working on it. He wants to soooo bad, but just can't quite figure out what to do with his knees. :)

Hopefully it won't be long...and then I'll be regretting my words. :)

Another blog?!?

I had my first Master's class this past Thursday...Teaching Reading Materials.

I really think I'm going to enjoy my classes this first semester and I'm hoping they aren't going to be too hard. I have the reading class mentioned on Thursday evenings from 4:30-7:15pm. I also have an online class, Integrating Technology into the Classroom.

For that class, we have to do many different assignments, one of which was to create a blog. Again?!? I started to just use this blog...but then I got to thinking.

We have to post assignments, thoughts, opinions about technology, etc on this particular blog...nothing too exciting, that I can think of. Or atleast nothing yet. So, instead of boring you all with my assignments (mixed in with our family blogs and news), I went ahead and just created a new blog.

It's nothing marvelous, believe me. But if you want to check out what we're doing...here you go. The title is Mrs.Evely's Class...but it really isn't about my classes I teach, not yet anyways.

http://mrsevelysclass.blogspot.com/

Stroller Tricks

I think I've posted before about Aidyn's new stroller tricks. We haven't yet figured out (because we haven't really taken the time to)...to figure out how to tighten the straps in the stroller. We haven't really needed them, so we haven't bothered using them. Normally, Aidyn just sits in the stroller (or lays down if we recline the back) when we got for a walk.

Not anymore! Now...he wants to do one of two things.

1. Climb out!
He likes to turn over onto his tummy and then climb (backwards) down the front of his stroller. Not good or safe! Most times we end up cutting the walk short when he does this. I have been (lightly) spanking his bottom, telling him no, and turning him back around...only to be met with a huge smile and giggles. Yes, giggles! He thinks he is soooo funny, and apparently when I tell him no, that's also funny. Man, are we in for a long ride! ;)

2. Stand up!



This is his most recent "trick". Today as we were coming back into the drive way, Aidyn decided to scoot forward and pull himself up to standing as we headed toward the back door. I'd rather him do this, I think, then roll and climb out backwards...but we'll see. We actually made today's walk without any flipping and climbing out (but it was also a short walk).

We've GOT to sit down and figure out those straps!

This is why...

...we always wear a bib!


Since Aidyn had been wearing these same PJs for atleast the last 2 nights, maybe 3...ha, I can't remember. Since he only sleeps in them, we try to "recycle" the clean PJs for a few days. But anyhow.

Since this was the last morning he'd be wearing these, I decided not to worry about using a bib at lunch time. I knew I'd be changing his clothes afterwards, so what was the big deal.

Well, boy was I ever wrong!!!!! It's a good thing I planned on giving him a bath tonight...he got one a little early. Peas and sweet potatoes...yum, yum!

Go TN Vols!

Here are just a few pics of Aidyn hanging out and relaxing on Saturday when the Tennessee Volunteers played their first game.

I was trying to get his picture sitting in our x-large beanbag...but as I snapped the photo, he lunged at me like he was trying to attach the camera!


That's better!


Relaxing in the clothes basket while mommy tries folding the clothes fresh from the dryer. Aaaaa, warm!

Ben and I LOVE going to Knoxville to watch the Vols play, but I doubt we'll be taking Aidyn this year. We may go, but that's an awful long day to drag him along. Maybe next year.

Where did that come from?

The other morning as I was getting ready to feed Aidyn his cereal, I noticed some blue dots on his fact. I'm not real sure what it was or how it got there.



As I tried getting pictures of these mysterious blue dots...the more I decided it looked like pen. I swear I do not let my child eat or play with pens! :) For a better look, you can click on the photo and it will enlarge on your screen.

Just Play'n Around

Since I'm not at home all day with Aidyn anymore, I sometimes catch myself taking his picture when he's just playing or being himself.

I guess I just can't resist his precious face and perfect smile!

Oh my...

After going back and reading some of my most recent posts, I have noticed some terrible spelling and/or grammar mistakes. Please forgive me! Being a reading and grammar teacher, that is one of my BIGGEST petpeeves!

Since I don't want to take the time to go back and read them ALL, I'll just ask for your forgiveness. Thanks! ;)