An Enlarged Heart

This is NOT a physical condition I have. Rather, it is an emotional one. The family went down to our new neighborhood last night to check on the progress of the house. Afterward, we played at the playground. As I sat and watched Mac and Nate run (sprint) down to the soccer goal, my heart swelled with pride. I just love watching Father and Son together. There is nothing better. You know how when you're little, you only have a few memories that are imprinted on your brain...just the really meaningful ones. I had to wonder if "racing to the soccer goal" would be one of those memories for Mac. You just NEVER know what they process and hold in their hearts.

We met a couple and their little boy while we were there playing. He is a little younger than Mac, but it was nice to see another "potential friend." She was pregnant too, due in June. Maybe a friend for Eli too.

I am SO looking forward to getting into our new house. Last night after feeding Eli at 3am, I took my obligatory "potty break," and had some "company." (I hope this doesn't gross you out." I was still in somewhat of a dreamy fog, and as I was grabbing for and ripping off the TP, I noticed something black fall off of it. OMG, a cockroach, and not a small one. Can you imagine if it HADN"T fallen off. TOO GROSS. Well, I jumped up, gasped for air, and tried not to scream so that I wouldn't wake everyone up. As I am walking out of the bathroom, I am reaching for the lightswitch to turn off the light, and there was his "bigger brother." AAHHHHHHHHHHHH! I couldn't hold that one in. Nathan, sleepily, (is that a word?) turns over and says "what's wrong." "C-c-c-c-cockroaches" I say. "Big ones." Now, the first one ran off, saving his own life. But this one was going nowhere. I found the hardest soled shoe I could find to end his life. "Say 'ello to my little friend." Whack! Got it! You really have to smoosh those suckers to kill them. It was as big as my thumb, I KID YOU NOT!!! So for the 3rd week in a row, I am having the pest control people come out. I may just hire Hands Pest Control to come down from Indiana. I know they actually work.

Eli found his hand today

We spent the day at the beach and when we got home around 3pm, I sat down to feed Eli. He is starting to get distracted and pull off, and when he did this time he found his hand. It was up by my collar bone, and he was looking up at me, then noticed his hand. He took it off of me and was waving it in the air, twisting his wrist back and forth and just watching. I said "You found something, didn't you?" And he looked in my eyes and smiled like he understood me.

A budding photo-journalist

Mac has become quite a photographer. He has a digital camera (FisherPrice) that he loves to use. I realized while downloading his pictures that my image will be caught more frequently now! I always seem to be behind the camera. Now, Mac is the sharpshooter.

Here are some of his finest shots.

GhiGhi at dinner Eli on his playmat Me getting a snack ready.

Milestones

It seems like in the last few days, the boys have hit some milestones. Mac has started using the potty again!!! Yippee!!! I have added potty training to my prayer list, because he has to be potty trained for school in September. Hey...It can't hurt. :) We are using a reward system that seems to be working...for now. Today, I told him to go potty before we went to the grocery (his diaper was already off.) The next thing I know, he is wiping the seat of the toilet and asking for help with the water in the sink. HOLY COW!! He just went on his own. As soon as he was finished he said, "M&M's Momma!" That is part of our reward system.
He is also talking more about his feelings. For example, we were driving next to a big dump truck, and we came to stop next to it. Mac said, "that scares me." I said "What does." " The dump truck." Basically, the noise bothered him. I was proud of him, because he has nevered verbalized an emotion like that before. I asked him if anything else scared him and he said "Hoosiers." and "Cubs" !!!! What, our two favorite teams. How could this be. Then we figured out, it was going to the actual games that scared him. He doesn't seem to like the big crowds. I can't say that I blame him.
Eli has started some developmental changes. He is starting to arch his back when laying down so he can look behind him. He also found his fingers. I almost croaked when I looked over and saw him sucking his two middle fingers, like Mac does. But Eli sucks his right hand. Go figure.? He is also grabbing at toys, like his rings and "crunchy, noisy" picture books. He also loves the chimes hanging off of his playmat arches. Again with the babbling, he has only increased his vocalizations. And all the Mom's say he has the sweetest smile. What a flirt! :) We are still getting up in the night, but, knock on wood, it has been better. Longer stretches. I put him down in his pack and play for a nap yesterday afternoon and he babbled and coo'd for at least 15 minutes. It was so sweet to hear.

Skype

We have a skype account now. And we have a webcam, so we can talk via videophone. Just email me for my user name or look me up on skype. It is so great!

The last few days

I think because I am trying to get out of the condo as much as possible (it's really an apartment!), we have done a lot of exploring over the past several days. I think it was Thursday night when we took a drive after work and drove down to St. Augustine so Nathan could drive up the A1A along the coast. While in St. Aug., we went to Vilano Beach where you can drive your car out onto the beach. It is really cool, but I can't say it will be a beach that we will go to relax by the ocean and run in and out of the water. It seems too "dangerous" for that. The sand isn't that soft and the waves are more like surf. We saw a couple of guys with their boards out there. The breaks are big and they come right up to the sand. Mac was a little nervous about the noise of it, and you could actually taste the salt on your lips because of the mist the waves created. We did meet a couple from Beech Grove though. That may have been the night when we got home, Dutch had torn up a bag of trash that I accidentally left in the kitchen. There was trash and food everywhere. I started to scold her, you know..."Bad dog, Dutchie. Bad girl." Then from behind me I hear Mac start in on her...screaming..."NO, NO DUTCHIE. YOU NO DO THAT 'GAIN. BAD GIRL DUTCHIE. NO, NO, NO, etc.etc." I couldn't believe. I thought to myself, where did he come up with that? Where did he hear that kind of tone? Where? Who> Wait a minute...Just as I came to the realization, Nathan so lovingly said "That is YOU." WHAT, NO! COULDN"T BE!!! I would never yell. I am not a yeller. Maybe I am a yeller. OH GOD, I YELL!!!! I don't want to be THAT Mom. So I am being more aware of my own tone with Mac and others.

We went to church with the president of Nathan's bank. Cindy and her husband Dan invited us to go. I was excited to see this church because we passed it the first time we were here in Jax for the interview. It was a nice service, but I want to see some different churches too. We then went to a country club for lunch with Cindy, Dan and another co-worker Tony and his wife Dianne. It was lovely. Eli slept, as usual, and Mac was pretty well behaved. I have to admit, I was nervous! They both went to the nursery and we had no problems there. Mac was happy to go and Eli was voted "the most perfect baby" by the ladies and gentleman in his room, because he slept, ate and slept some more with no crying. (I already knew he was the most perfect baby.) :)

Mac, Eli and I met with our playgroup again yesterday. We went to another park that is near here. More Mom's and kids were there this time. It was a lot of fun for Mac and Me. Again, Eli slept! Next week we go to the zoo. Mac wanted to go that day. It's hard to understand what a "week" is at 2.5.

Finally, I have been researching pre-schools. I think I am leaning toward a church based pre-school. Of the ones I have called and visited, there is one in particular that sticks out. And, they have ONE spot open for the fall for a Tues/Thurs. schedule. We are going to take it! And they have a Mom's Morning Out program too for kids over age 1. So I can put Eli there too one day so I can get my hair cut or go to the store. Yippee!!!

I must say, I knew that I was spoiled having family and friends around to help with the kids when I had an appointment. But, I didn't realize just HOW spoiled I was. It is tough not having family/friends around. I knew that it would be, but I didn't realize how tough.

Here are some pix:

Eli hamming it up. Mac and Daddy at the CC we joined.

Keep reading. I posted 2 today. ;)

Our House, In the middle of Our Street

OK, so here is the information on our house. We bought from a builder called Taylor Morrison, and you can go to their website to see the floorplan. http://www.taylormorrison.com/ Our floorplan is the Monticello with a bonus room upstairs and an office instead of a living room in the front of the house. We really think it will fit our needs, as it has 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths and the bonus room. It also has a 3 car garage. We will need that extra space for storage of all our stuff, i.e Nathan's 12 coolers, Mac's outdoor toys and my...well I don't have a lot of stuff! :) ha ha!! That is funny to the people who know me as a packrat!

Here are some pix:

This was 2 days ago.

This was today!!! Amazing the difference. They have the trim and the mesh on for the the stucco that should be added soon!!