Lately

I've been writing on random topics lately, but not so much about our days.  Honestly, our day-to-day probably looks quite boring since we work from home and then Eliot naps in the afternoon.  Sometimes it feels like we can't get out for an adventure until after 4:00 pm, and then I need to be figuring out dinner, so we just don't leave the house all day.  (Not complaining, just saying).

We've made more of an effort, though, to get out the door in the mornings for some fun or to shift things around (like letting Eliot nap in the car instead on warmer days knowing his grumpiness to follow will be worth the fun.  Right?  Right?).  I've lost a little bit of pride and am OK with getting myself to look presentable in the mornings without a shower in the interest of getting out.

We tried taking Eliot to the library on colder days, which worked for a while.  He enjoyed doing allll of the puzzles a few times.  He played with some toys.  He is of course interested in the books, but he grabs too many, opens each one, and runs back for more.  Good thing Chris used to work in a library and is great at returning books to the proper shelf quickly.

I think we're doing all right with the whole "big boy bed" transition away from co-sleeping.  I've been consistent and encouraging independence yet not letting it stress us all out.  It's been a month, I think, and Eliot generally starts out in his bed and then crawls in our bed in the morning.  Some nights are easier than others.  Sometimes I see progress; sometimes we take a step back.  I'm just going to keep on with the consistency.

However, Eliot did get sick and wiggle his way back into our bed for a few nights.  He just had a runny nose and then all of the sudden at night he started up with that croup-sounding cough!  Nooo!  He had croup when he was about 10 months old and it was horrible.  I don't know for sure if this was croup, but it sounded like it....  Fortunately, he is older and bigger and has larger vocal cords, so it wasn't as bad and mostly lasted just that night.  However, for that night, he stayed up until 4:00 am and then was awake for the day around 8:00 am (and I got up at 6:00 am), which was not fun.  Ever since that night, he just has a runny nose, seems fine, and coughed maybe twice.  I'm so thankful he feels better!

On the decently warm days (like 55 degrees and sunny), we have gone to the beach twice after Eliot's nap.  We play in the sand, chase seagulls, flirt with the waves, collect shells, play on the playground, and so on.  No one has gotten too wet--yet.  Yesterday evening, we saw a couple of dolphins, which really got Eliot stoked.  He loves sea creatures, especially dolphins, sharks, seals, and rays.  We usually stay about an hour and a half before it is just too windy and the sun is setting.  Eliot is never ready to leave, and I'm really looking forward to it warming up when we can spend hours there, have a picnic, and play.  Not to mention in the summer when we can actually get in the water.

Eliot has been showing a BIG interest in potty training.  I'll probably write more on that later....  I wasn't planning to push it at all and figured we might wait until two and a half or even closer to three.  That might seem rather late to some, but I will have a newborn when he is two and a half, so I thought throwing potty training in the mix might be impossible.  However, he is asking to use the potty and trying to take his pants off....  I'm not sure that he understands how to control it yet, but this could be a good time to start talking about the potty and maybe try in a couple of months (or earlier?).  I'll see how it goes.  The thing is that when I saw that he was getting ready, I was really excited.  But now that I am facing it, I'm nervous and not looking forward to it because I just don't know how it is going to go.  One day at a time!  That's how these things always are.

Life isn't all play, though.  I just choose not to write about work (who wants to read about work?).  These little adventures don't come daily and are placed between early mornings, typing with one hand while Eliot holds my other, working while Eliot builds train tracks, and late nights.  I really love my job and can't believe that I have the chance to work from home while watching my little boy (soon to be boys!) grow up.  So few moms get to both have a career and be at home with their babies at the same time.  I love it.

This weekend, we're heading to northern Virginia to visit Chris's parents.  I think Eliot's first metro ride and trip to DC are in store if it isn't too cold on Saturday.  Natural History Museum, here we come!