And so this is Christmas . . .

I thought I would remind all of you how much has changed in just a year . . .



Can you believe that is us?

For starters, I have looked at this picture a million times, and all of a sudden, I realized that I look just like my mom. I don't know why I can see that all of a sudden. This was me, 4 months into the new world of motherhood. One year and about 4 inches of hair later (thank God it's growing back!), I am still alive.

And what about Alex? Can you believe him? I would be hard pressed to decide when he was cuter -- then or now. How fun is it to dress a little baby up in cute little Christmas outfits? Little boots and bibs and velvet overalls . . . I wonder how long he will let me do THAT.

I look at these old pictures, and am reminded of how fortunate I am to have such a wonderful family. How blessed I am to have a truly perfect child. Gorgeous, smart, learning new things every day, and funny to boot. He is amazing. The best Christmas present ever.

Some interesting things he can do now . . . first, his dancing has improved a great deal. He used to just stick his butt out and sway around. Now, he stomps his feet (looks like he is trying to do "the running man" circa 1990), and he can spin in a circle on command. He continues to be able to follow directions. Last night, we needed an activity for Alex. Erik was in the living room and I was in the kitchen. We kept sending him on errands -- "Go give this to mommy" and "Go give this to daddy." Did we need these things? No. But it kept him busy.

This morning, I picked up to call my friend Liz (hey Liz!) and Alex picked up a tablespoon and put it up to his ear like he was going to make his own call. SO funny. He can also put his own dishes into the dishwasher. (And take them out, and put them back in, and take them back out). He now also says the word "off". I realized I have been saying that word a lot, like when we turn off lights and other things. So today, I was making cookies. I turned off the mixer, and he looked at it and said "off". He has said it a few more times too. I am impressed.

So that's about it. We are excited for this Christmas, as he will certainly enjoy the presents as well as time with his family. We are looking forward to him playing with his cousin Reese in New York in a few days. I'm sure I'll have lots more too write about then.

Merry Christmas from Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

We Need a Little Christmas

It is boring around here during the day. Exhibit A:


I try to come up with SOMETHING for Alex and I to do every day. A playdate. A trip to WalMart. Lunch and trains at Barnes and Noble. SOMETHING. So today, when my playdate canceled, we were left with nothing to do. I didn't need anything at the store, already had books and videos from the library, Christmas shopping done. And sometimes, it feels ridiculous to get in the car and drive 20 minutes to Lancaster and spend money on something you don't need, just for something to do. So today we decided to stay home.

Still, I can't sit in this house playing with toys on the floor from 10:15-2:00 (the time in between naps). It's just LONG. So we decided to go for a walk. It was cold, so of course we needed Alex's hat, coat, mittens, blanket, my hat and gloves. Plus of course my ipod, the dogs, and bags to clean up after them. Lots of gear required for a trek through the neighborhood. We left at 10:30 and were home at 11:15, chilled but invigorated. And then still, filling up almost 3 hours can be long, especially when Alex is in one of his moods (as he was today), when he will only play with a toy when it is sitting directly on my lap. That leaves me with very little options other than to sit and pretend to be fascinated by farm animals. It's fun for a few minutes, but can get to a person after a while. I even resorted to cleaning out the refrigerator today, just because I knew Alex would find it fascinating (which he did).

Which is probably why we ended up getting more for Alex for Christmas than we intended to. Because in reality, the presents are for US. Sanity savers. To give my day a little variety. It's bad enough that I have to listen to the same CD's and listen to the same books over and over again. But the same toys being pulled out day after day after day . . .

So next year, maybe we'll stick to a better system, so that Alex doesn't grow up expecting the entire inventory of Toys R Us to be handed to him each Christmas. But this year? A train table, trains, a drum, puzzles, and books should help shake things up a little around here for a while. Or at least until January.

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Too Many Dogs!

I have always adored my two dogs, Otis and Lucy. That is, until I started spending ALL DAY EVERY DAY with them. Now, there are some days they drive me nuts! Now, I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that the weather has not been nice, and they've been stuck inside for a few days. Believe me, it hasn't helped my mood, either. But still. . . They. Need. To. Stop.

Stop what, you might ask? Well, today it is Otis. It all starts at about 6 a.m. I take the dogs outside. Lucy is a good girl and goes to the bathroom. Otis pees on a couple of things, but really doesn't do what he needs to do. We come back inside. Otis starts whining. I let him out. He pees a few more times and stands by the door to come in. Alex and I go about our business, playing Duplos and whatnot, and Otis goes back to the door and whines again. This goes on ALL DAY. I know he would prefer a walk, but it's freezing and windy outside. And besides, if he REALLY needs to go to the bathroom, shouldn't he just GO? So now he is tied out in the back yard. Do you think he is using this opportunity to use nature's facilities? NO! He is just standing there barking at who knows what. Leaves, squirrels, the wind . . . he just stands there and barks. And barks. And barks.

So today Lucy is my favorite dog. But don't let her fool you. Many days I find myself telling her, "Lucy, you are going back to the pound." She eats food off Alex's tray, and has to be told over and over again to get down and leave him alone. She constantly licks him. When I am babysitting Jocelyn she will not leave her alone. She sees things outside and barks and barks and barks, and will not stop unless I physically pick her up and move her away from the window. When I take her out back, she darts after the first thing she sees, and I have to chase her across the neighbor's yard. Today she dragged a tube of toothpaste out of the trash. She eats your chapstick if you leave it lying around. And she chews holes in all of our throw blankets. ALL of them.

So today it's Otis, tomorrow it will be Lucy. You know you've had it when you find yourself lecturing a terrier.

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Expanding Vocabulary

I can't believe it has been a month since my last post. What happened to this month? Between Halloween, my birthday, and a visit from my mom, it has been FAST! Just a quick update on the words Alex is now saying:

1. Of course, his most popular phrase, "What's that?
2. In second place, he says "Yeah" and nods his head.
3. Dog, cat, duck.

Those are the words he says most consistently. Even still, he doesn't say dog, cat, and duck much. But he does say "yeah" quite a bit. No "mommy" or "daddy".

Other skills . . .
1. Dancing, dancing, dancing. He will just look at the CD player, even when it's off, point to it, put his hands in the air, and start shaking his butt. That's how we know he is ready for some music.

2. Following directions. He can now go get things we ask for. For example, we will ask him to go into his play kitchen and get us a donut, and he can do it. Or we ask him if he wants to read a specific book, and he can find it on his shelf. He can even fetch me my slippers! Better than the dogs can do.

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

First Haircut!

We took Alex for his first haircut tonight! As you can see, he was very embarrassed by the fact that his hair was getting too long.


We made an appointment with Hannah, the girl who also does my hair. Alexander did a great job! He sat very still and was quite serious during the cut.

Overall, we think he had a fun time, and looks great! My two handsome men:


And that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Walking

Wow, 2 posts in 1 day! Go me! Here is Alex walking -- the video is sideways, I have no idea how to fix it! But cute anyway!

Catching Up

Okay, I am FINALLY getting this updated! I did hear from many of you that say you are reading this blog regularly, so I guess I will keep it going. Although sometimes I have a hard time coming up with exciting news to share. Maybe I'll have to start sharing my views on politics. Oh wait, I want to KEEP readers . . .

Well, Alex spent the weekend with some type of strange virus that involved his body being covered with tiny red dots. He had a fever of about 101, but wasn't acting all that sick. At least, not NEARLY as bad as the last time. I ended up calling the answering service at the pediatrician's office on Sunday, and the doctor called back immediately. After describing the symptoms, she determined that it was most likely a virus, and he didn't need to be seen unless it got worse. Well, his fever is gone but he still has the rash. He is extremely grumpy, not sure if it's because of the sickness or not. I imagine he's no longer really sick, just on one of his mood swings I guess. He alternates from really happy days to really grumpy ones.

One thing that's consistent -- Alex is SUCH a snuggler! All day long, he brings me books, and wants to sit on my lap and listen to me read them. He does this over and over again. If anyone wants gift ideas for him, BOOKS PLEASE! Right now he keeps bringing me this book called "What is Easter?" at least 5 times a day. It's OCTOBER, kiddo! Seriously, we need some variety! I got this cute photo of him snuggling up to Lucy:

He has been making progress on his walking. He's still really wobbly, and often he chooses to crawl, but he is making more of an effort to walk to get things around the house. And he has been able to do some longer stretches. Here's some pictures of him walking around (thanks Aunt Jenn for the cute Elmo sweatsuit!)


And that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Happy Days Are Here Again!

Well, I can finally stop complaining for once! After a long time of Alex being miserable, he has been a happy kid for 6 straight days. He is smiling, laughing, playing, and just seems like a happy kid. It is such a relief! We were so exhausted, and frustrated, with everything, and it's SO nice to see him feeling better!


I have started babysitting an 8-month-old girl, Jocelyn, one morning a week from 8-12. It's great -- a little extra spending money for us, but not so much of a commitment for me. Plus, Alex loves playing with her. They play so well together, I'm not sure what I'm getting paid for. It's like entertainment for him. Here is a picture of the two of them.
Let's see, what else? Well, we have been making some major life changes lately. For those of you who don't already know, we have decided to make our house TV free. That's right, we canceled our cable. We decided that we are wasting too much time just sitting in front of the tv when there are better things to do. Plus, we don't want Alex growing up to be a tv junkie. So we now have one tv, in the basement, just for DVDs. I will still watch a show or two online -- for FREE instead of $65 a month -- but on many days we don't watch anything at all. This is something I never thought I would be able to do, but I honestly don't miss it. Plus, Grey's Anatomy is on abc.com anyway!

Also, we have made a decision to be more health and earth conscious. One of the ways we are doing this is by eating organically. We have been visiting different farmers markets and stores looking for produce that is grown without chemicals, and food that is free of MSG and high fructose corn syrup. We want to know exactly what we are eating and where it is coming from! Of most importance to us is dairy and egg products. Not only does most milk come from cows who are injected with all kinds of hormones that make cows miserable just to make more milk for more profit, but many cows and chickens live their lives in crowded pens with no access to pasture, and literally no room to turn around because they just jam a bunch of them together. This happens even with products that are labeled organic, sometimes, because even organic food is becoming a big business, with profit becoming the bottom line. So, we are looking for better alternatives.

We discovered a great local farm the other day. They have a wonderful little store that sells eggs and meat from their farm. When you go there, you see all their animals wandering about the farm and living a good life. Not only are they not given any hormones or antibiotics, but they look very well cared for. So we are happy to buy eggs and meat from them. We are still looking for places to buy milk and cheese, from an environment that treats their animals in a similar way.

Sorry to sound preachy, but the more we read about this, the more we feel compelled to act more responsibly, in the way we eat and consume, and in the way we raise our little man. Who knows, maybe it's an early midlife crisis as I get ready to hit the big 3-0 (Nov. 15, for those of you who would like to send cards or cash donations).

By the way, Alex is STILL only taking a few steps at a time. No progress in the past month. But at LEAST he's not crying all day!

Also, if you actually READ this blog, leave me a comment and let me know! After so many weeks of "0 comments" I'm starting to wonder if my time would be better used doing something else!

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Sudden Flashback

Okay, does anyone remember what life was like for us, as a new family of three, last September? Let's see if I can refresh your memory. Alex crying most of the day. Barely sleeping. Never happy. Seemed uncomfortable all the time. Me, frustrated. Tired. Out of ideas. Erik, busy getting back into the swing of things at school, and coming home to a fussy baby and a wife at the end of her rope.

Well, although it hasn't been QUITE that bad around here, there are a few moments lately that have reminded me of that lovely time in our lives. Aside from months 0-3 being so difficult, I think month 13 is next in line for being my least favorite! This past week, my mom came to visit from North Carolina. Wow, did she pick the week to visit. Let's see . . . she arrived on Monday. Alex woke up on Monday morning with a fever. Seemed okay in the morning, but was getting worse as the day went on. Monday evening -- fever at 102.5. He was NOT happy.

Tuesday, we spent the (rainy, miserable) day inside, taking turns holding, rocking, and trying to soothe Alex the best we could. Somehow we made it through that day. Wednesday he seemed to be feeling better during the day, but had a terrible night, and we ended up taking him to the doctor at the end of a (long, miserable) Thursday morning. Of course, his illness was a virus, so there was nothing the doctor could do, except share with me the news that this would last for a fantastic TEN days. Yes, TEN. Oh, and don't give him any more Tylenol, she said, because he NEEDS the fever to fight off the infection.

Okay, so you're thinking, so what? All kids get viruses. It happens. No big deal. Well, you're probably right . . . but do those same kids also get 3 teeth in the same week they are sick? Yes, Alex's tooth count went from 9-12 this week, adding the bottom 2 molars and a bottom one in the front. So between the teething pain, plus the ulcers in the back of his throat, he could barely eat. What a week for mom to visit. I appreciated the help, though! All that whining would have been too much for one person to handle. We just kept reminding ourselves that he is only whining because he's sick, and he can't help it!

So it has been survival mode around here. I don't think I will be sending out my monthly pictures this time, because we've barely taken any. Oh, and I guess Alex hasn't felt well enough to work on his walking -- or he just thinks it's too hard -- he has made NO additional progress in the past 3 weeks. About 2-4 steps, and he gives up. Crawling is much faster, I guess.

That is an update on our fun week. I am hoping, as Alex feels better, we can have a lot more fun, and I can share pictures and cute, happy stories, instead of a zillion complaints. Keep your fingers crossed!

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

EVIL MOLARS ATTACK

Breaking news:

Evil molars are invading Boomerang Drive. Two have already arrived on the top of Alexander's mouth, and their two cousins, the lower molars, are close behind.

These molars have been known to cause screaming, biting, headaches (for parents and child) and general fussiness.

Anyone with coping strategies please submit a comment!

And that, regretfully, is what's happening on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

We Have a Toddler!

Well, Mr. Alexander took his first steps today! He took exactly two steps at Barnes and Noble, of all places. It was great, because Erik and I were both there to see it. I think it was also witnessed by a random B&N employee. When we got home, we made him practice more, and he got up to 10 (small) steps in a row! We think he is very proud of himself. I know, I know, watch out now, this is where life gets interesting, huh?

After a summer of chaos, life is finally getting back to normal. Erik is trying to get ready for a new school year, and Alex and I are adjusting to spending the day by ourselves again. Yes, the summer went FAST -- it always does -- but we are happy to start a new, fresh school year in our "new" house.

More later -- I know that it's been a long time since my last post, and I didn't say much this time either. But hey, I'm on my own again during the day, and I'm tired, okay?

By the way, thanks to all for the great birthday presents. Alex is having lots of fun playing with his new toys and reading his new books!

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Extreme Home Makeover

I feel like I am not in my house. I must be someplace else. My house doesn't have smooth, freshly painted walls. It has beat up, old walls that weren't painted well. My house doesn't have nice, simple, clean floors. It has old green carpet that smells like things I won't even mention, and disgusting linoleum that never seems clean. My house doesn't have a beautifully sponge painted blue bathroom with a new toilet and sink. It has an old, cracked toilet seat that you sit on while staring at this country wallpaper that I would have never chosen for myself. But WAIT! This IS my house! Yippee! I get to LIVE here! We are no longer the Disgustingtons!

Yes, we are finally done. Well, I say that knowing that we will never be TOTALLY done, as there are ALWAYS little things we can work on. But we are FINISHED with the big projects and all the chaos and mayhem that went with them. The endless trips to Lowe's. The waking up and working all day, being hot and sweaty and not taking a shower until bedtime. The eating takeout food on the go. DONE. By the way, a cute picture of Alex helping his dad hang our new ceiling fan . . .
So, I was thinking it would be fun to do a little before and after. I still have pictures from when we came to look at this house 3 years ago. Now, mind you, we had redecorated everything once before, but had just done a quick job of things. But I KNOW you want to see what the house looked like for its previous owners. Of course, they had very different tastes than we do. So, you will see the old picture of each room, followed by the new picture.






So that is the transformation of our first floor! Hope you like it! We are thrilled but exhausted. There are only about 35 more things on our list that we want to get to, SOMEDAY . . .

And that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Funny Man

Alexander is such a little ham. I mean, he is just SO FUNNY. We are cracking up every day. Here are some of his new quirky behaviors. First of all, he does a fake laugh. He just decides he wants to laugh at something, so he forces out this crazy laugh, for no particular reason. It's hysterical (and hard to describe, I guess you need to be here to see it!). Let's see, what else? He learned to wave, but he turns his hand the wrong way, so he waves at himself. He drops things and then holds his hands up in the air, as if to say, "Where did it go?" He can also imitate the sound of Pledge being sprayed as I am dusting the furniture. He makes the spraying sound. It's a riot.

He is also babbling away nonstop. He does say "dada" directed to Erik. So maybe that's his first word? Although he also says "What's that?" and I'm not sure if he said that or "dada" first. So, does he say "mama"? Well, when he is tired, he clings to me and WHINES "mom, mom, mom, mom". He also does this when I am feeding him. He has never said "mama" in a nice way, only in this whining voice. But oh well, you take what you can get, right?

Alex has been enjoying the summer, getting in some pool time at Grandmom and Grandpop Schlosser's house, as well as at his weekly Aquababies class. He spends the rest of his days playing in our newly organized basement play area, chasing around the puppies, and of course being carted back and forth to Lowe's, Walmart, etc. as we work on our projects. Which leads us into our other news . . .

We are FINALLY seeing a light at the end of the tunnel with our home repairs. We have put new floors in the entire first floor, with the exception of our bathroom. We are waiting on a plumber to get back to us with an estimate for replacing our toilet and sink, as well as replacing some low-quality piping that needs to be upgraded. So, we need to tear down wallpaper, paint, and do the floors in the bathroom. That's pretty much it! This entire project has taken longer, and been more expensive, than we thought. We are hoping that we can sit back soon and relax in our nice new house, because we really haven't had the chance to do that yet! It has just been work, work, work.

We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary yesterday. How did we celebrate it? With a trip to Taco Bell, because it happened to be between the paint store and the wallpaper store. Seriously. But I love a good taco . . .

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Insane in the Brain . . .

The title is for those of you who are familiar with the Cypress Hill song . . . it is INSANE around here right now! Which, of course, is why I haven't posted in two weeks. For those of you who don't know, Erik and I were crazy enough to take on a variety of home improvement projects, with a determination to finish them before leaving for North Carolina on July 2. We have been working for 8 days straight, barely know what day it is, can't find ANYTHING in the mess that is our house . . .

We started last week by removing wainscoting in the dining room. We then had to remove leftover old wallpaper underneath the wainscoting, and Erik had to repair areas of the wall that were damaged. He then had to sand the walls over and over again because they were all bumpy from a combination of bad wallpaper and paint jobs. This sanding left our first floor majorly dusty. We then removed the carpet from the living room and dining room, leaving the first floor completely uninhabitable. We lived on takeout food for a few days, even for our morning coffee, because our kitchen was a nightmare. It was lots of fun confining Alexander's play time to the basement for a few days and preparing his meals in the laundry room. An absolute blast.

Of course, under the carpet, the subfloor had a nice mix of mold and other various smells, which took some time to get rid of. We got the floor nice and clean, ready to install the new Pergo flooring that has been sitting in the basement since November. Erik then started painting the kitchen/dining room area. He put up one coat of paint, and it looked really good. The next day, he opened up the second gallon to give the walls one more coat. Well, the second coat seemed really dark to me, but we thought maybe it just needed time to dry. As it turns out, the paint store messed up and it was the WRONG paint. So the whole thing needed to be redone. Erik did manage to get the paint finished, and it now looks great. We got the store to replace the paint, plus give us 2 free gallons and more rollers for the other projects we are planning on doing.

Erik and his dad worked for 2 days putting in the flooring. Erik then replaced the baseboard heaters and moulding. We have one more room to get done, the first floor bedroom. I have been working on removing 3 layers of wallpaper border. Tomorrow we are going to sand and paint the room, and this weekend Erik is going to put flooring in there too.

This whole process has been frustrating because whenever you think you're almost done, something goes wrong, and inevitably one of us has to make a trip to Lowe's or the paint store . . . a lot of wasted time. Plus, as soon as we redo one room and see how nice it is, we end up finding other things to put on our list. We still have a bathroom to do, but that can wait until later in the summer.

So, we will be spending the next few days working like crazy, so that when we return from visiting family in NC, we can come home and just CHILL. I have no idea what that feels like. It does NOT feel like summer vacation. We are SO tired. But it does look like we have a whole new house.

Of course, in the middle of all of this, Mr. Alex is cutting another tooth. LOTS of fun. His newest skill is pointing, and he likes to point at random things he sees, especially other babies. We think he is getting closer and closer to talking. He does say "mama" and "dada" but not necessarily with meaning. OH! Another skill -- dropping things. He has a lovely time dropping Cheerios off of his tray at mealtimes for the dogs. It's so funny, he picks up one Cheerio at a time, and very deliberately leans over the edge of his seat and drops it. NOT funny tonight when we were out to dinner -- there were no dogs there to clean it up. Also NOT funny when he drops his washcloth out of the bathtub and STANDS UP in the tub and tries to lean over and pick it up, almost falling out!

Okay, that was a LOT of rambling. PLEASE share the love and leave me a happy comment to take me away from this misery . . .

Tired of life on Boomerang Drive at the moment . . .

-- Holly

Water Baby

Alexander has been enjoying some fun in the sun lately. Last week, he visited his friend Caleb, who is 10 months old. The babies had fun playing out back in Caleb's baby pool. This was Alex's first time in a baby pool, and he wasn't scared at all. In fact, he crawled around in it and played just like he was in his bathtub at home.

Then, on Sunday, we visited the Schlossers' house. They just got their new inground pool put in. We all had a great time hanging out by the pool on a very hot, muggy day. Alex wasn't sure about what to think of the pool, so he was very serious while he was in the water. Sometimes he got scared when his dad would make splashes or go under the water. But we think he had fun, and I'm sure as he gets more comfortable he will love spending the summer at the pool.
Finally, last night Alex had his first Aquababies class! We practiced floating on a kickboard, kicking, splashing, and other ways to move and play in the water. He LOVED it! At some points, he would squeal with delight and clap his hands high in the air. He was splashing around in the water and having a blast. None of the other babies seemed as happy as he was, and none were splashing and playing like he was. We are excited to go back next Monday!

And that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Off and Running

Well, Alex is not "off and running" per say, but it's coming soon! He is able to pull himself up to a standing position very easily now. He is actually not very interested in his toys at the moment, but would rather practice his standing skills! He likes to visit whoever is sitting on the couch (usually Lucy). He has a lion toy that you stand and walk behind, and he has started doing that a little bit. Before you know it, he'll be all over the place! Keep checking in for future posts about his checkup with the doctor (this Wednesday) and "Aquababies" (his baby swim class!) which starts next Monday!

I was "off and running" yesterday in my first race! I ran in the Red Rose Run in Lancaster city, which was a 5-mile race. I came in 794th, I think, of 1,026 people. I beat about 150 or so women, and 100 men. It took me 49 minutes and 57 seconds. I can run a little faster than that usually, but this race included some hills I wasn't really prepared for, plus it was very humid! I was just impressed that I didn't have to stop for any walking breaks, like some people did, or throw up after the race, as I saw 2 people doing! I loved running, felt very alive and challenged, and can't wait to do another race. I am planning on doing another 5-mile race in July, and training for a half marathon (13.1 miles) in October.

So that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

I LOVE peas!

Here is a video of Alex eating his dinner. He is usually good eating whatever we give him. However, once in a while he is in a bit of a bad mood, and certain foods just don't appeal to him. One thing's for sure -- if he is hungry, the food had better be ready! Don't even think of trying to give him a bite, and then take a bite of your own food for yourself -- that does NOT work!



We have been using Cheerios to buy us a few minutes before and after meals. They have been a huge hit. So we decided, why not try out some baby Goldfish crackers? Well, we now have to put a variety of snacks on his tray, because if it's just Cheerios he will not have it. That makes sense to me, too . . . those Goldfish are yummy!

And that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

A Whole New World

Life is great for Alex, who is now 9 months old! I know, where has the time gone? He is crawling, crawling, crawling. We are noticing that he is no longer happy being confined in a seat, whether the car seat, a high chair, a shopping cart . . . he wants to move! The other day when we were shopping at Target, he was getting quite squirmy in the cart. We had to get him out and let him crawl around the store. He loved it! I just followed behind him to make sure he didn't destroy anything. He is just NOT happy unless he can get out all his energy!

He is discovering that he can crawl from room to room when he's at home. He doesn't have to sit and play with mommy anymore! He loves to crawl into the kitchen. He is very amused by the door of the dishwasher. He pushes down on the door, and it starts to pop back up. Then he pushed it down again . . . I think you see the pattern. It amuses him a lot. He also loves to look out both the front door and the sliding glass door that goes out to the deck. So far, he's not getting into TOO much trouble, but I'm sure that's coming! I don't think he really understands yet what is safe and what is not safe for babies! Fortunately I have outlet covers up, because he crawled right over there the other day and was ready to stick his fingers in the outlets. We will have to keep a close eye on him!

And that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Come to Mama!

Thought everyone would enjoy a video of Little A crawling!



Also, Alex wanted everyone to see what he looks like when he wakes up in the morning. He is showing you his "lambie" which is his buddy at bedtime and naptime.

Go, Go, Go!

Well, little A is officially crawling. After a few weeks of wiggling, rolling, and other forms of practice, he has officially got it down. He is still slow (for which his parents are grateful), but he can very deliberately put one hand in front of the other and crawl from one end of the room to the other. His favorite things to crawl to? The chord from dad's laptop, the remote control, and of course, Otis (who is smart enough to run the other way when he sees Alex coming for him). As you can see from the picture, it will only be a matter of time before Alex is pulling himself up and standing.

Alex enjoyed his visit from his Grandma Russell last week. Highlights included trips to the park, yard sale-ing, dinner at On The Border, and lots of games of Pat-A-Cake. He really loved being at the park and swinging in the bucket swings there. Even just sitting out back in our yard (which, thanks to a LOT of work by dad over the past weekend, looks GREAT) makes him happy. He loves the outdoors. We are ready to see him toddling around the yard this summer!

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Clap Your Hands!

We are SO proud of our little man! He has learned how to clap his hands! Not only can he do this, but he actually understands you -- when you say "Alex, clap your hands," he does it! We are so excited to know that he is starting to understand some of the things we are saying to him.

It seems like every day with Alex is getting more and more fun. Now that he has 6 teeth, it seems like he is taking a little break -- FINALLY -- from teething, and he is much happier. He laughs out loud quite a bit. He is closer and closer to crawling each day. He enjoys playing independently with his toys -- at least for a while -- and loves being outside in the beautiful weather we've been having. He enjoyed spending an evening last week with the Schlosser grandparents this past week so mom and dad could enjoy an evening out. His Grandma Russell is visiting this week from North Carolina, and he's really looking forward to that.

So that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive this week!

--Holly

On the Move

Well, Alex is becoming more mobile. Although he is not officially crawling yet, he is certainly getting around! He is rolling all over the place, of course, that's nothing new. And he can "scootch" forward, to the side, and backwards. He just needs a little motivation -- like when mom is sitting on the floor near him reading a magazine, and he wants it! Then there's no stopping him!

Another new development -- Alex is able to get himself into a sitting position after all of this rolling around. Not every time, but more and more, he is able to sort of roll himself onto his side, prop up on his elbow, and then pull his body back up. Yesterday, when I went into his room to get him up from his morning nap, he was just sitting up in his crib, looking around. I guess we need to get that mattress lowered down, before he decides to try climbing out!

Mom and Dad are on the move as well. I (Holly) have been running on my treadmill almost daily, to get back in shape, and have entered to run in a race! Lancaster city is having it's annual Red Rose Run, a 5 mile race, on May 31. Now, I'm not entering at all with the intention of winning or even placing in the first half of the participants, just to complete the race. I have been able to run the 5 miles on my treadmill, now I just need to get outside and continue my training there. I am very excited and hope this will be the beginning of many running events I will enter.

Erik has been on the move back and forth to school practically every evening for the past month, first with the high school musical, and then with the student talent show, Follies. We have barely seen any of him, and are glad he's home!

Now that the weather's getting nicer, we're looking forward to being "on the move" as a family -- we just got a baby backpack carrier and are looking forward to taking hikes and trips to the park with the baby and the dogs. Come on, spring!

And that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Mmmm . . . Socks

Baby toys are overrated. They are expensive, make annoying noises, end up all over the floor, and are often recalled due to safety concerns. Lucky for us, Alex is very happy to be occupied with the basics -- his socks. Yes, he loves his socks. When he was little, they would always fall off. Now, almost as soon as we put them on, he pulls them off . . . and then proceeds to try to eat them! Note the picture of him chewing ferociously at his little sock. It's also funny when he tries to do the same thing with the feet of his pajamas . . . they don't come off!

I haven't written anything in a while because it hasn't been too exciting around here lately! Alex is still sleeping well and following his routine with meals and naps. He has gotten quite good at the Cheerios, and they have helped us buy a few minutes of free time here and there. When he sees a Cheerio he just has to get it, and puts it right in his mouth, usually along with two or three fingers at the same time.

That's about it, though! No crawling to report yet, although I think it's just a matter of time!

So that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!
--Holly

Just Me and Baby

So, Erik has been practically LIVING at school these past two weeks, because he is playing guitar for his high school's musical . . . the name of it escapes me . . . the one with the man eating plant and all those annoying songs. Anyway, I only get to see him for about an hour or two each day, so the rest of the time it is just me and Alex. Lots of quality bonding time, but it can be a LONG day entertaining a baby with such a SHORT attention span!

Alex has made a lot of progress as he is getting ready to turn 7 months old next week! He is now SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! He is also now on a pretty regular morning and afternoon nap schedule. Here's his day in a nutshell: Wake up at about 7:15. Drink a bottle. Play. Eat some cereal. Play more. (Oh, and go to the bathroom about 4 times in that time span. Seriously). 9:15-11:15 nap. Get up, play for a few minutes, have lunch (usually some type of chicken meal and vegetables). Then activity -- a walk in the stroller, trip to the grocery store, whatever. 1:15 have a little pre-nap bottle. 1:30-3:30 nap. 3:45 bottle. Play. Usually a little grumpy at this point. 5:30 dinner (usually the same type of thing as lunch). Then comes the fun part of mom trying to entertain him with any toys he isn't already bored of/any gimmicks that haven't already been used. Possibly a bath. 7:30 bottle and bed. 7:45 mom cleans the kitchen, gets the coffee set up and dad's lunch made for the next day, picks up the toys, checks email . . . then collapses on to the couch in complete exhaustion, ready to wake up again the next day.

The days go SO much better, and Alex is happier, when he has something interesting to do. He likes to be new places and see new things. The same old toys in the same old living room just do not cut it sometimes! Unfortunately we are a little bit landlocked because of his nap schedule. I try to get him out a little bit between naps and in the late afternoon if at all possible. I need SOMETHING interesting at the end of the day -- it is SO hard to get through the 3:30-7:30 part of the day without Erik home! It's a lot for baby to handle! Looking SO forward to Erik being home next week.


So that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

--Holly

Cheerios and Sippy Cups?

A checkup for Alex today! 20 lbs. 4 oz., 28 inches long. 99th percentile for both height and weight! The doctor told us he is sitting up like he is 8 months old. He demonstrated what I call his "Abs of Steel" pose for the doctor. He is trying to sit up so hard, he pulls his neck and his legs up, so he is in this "V" formation, almost like a pilates move, and holds himself there for a long time! I think I should probably join him in these exercises!

Some more interesting things the doctor had to say . . . Alex is ready to start drinking some water, so we can let him try a sippy cup already! Also, he is to be eating stage 2 foods three times a day. He is now at the point of needing more solid foods than formula! Also, the doctor suggested we occupy him by putting some Cheerios on his high chair tray and let him try putting them in his mouth. REALLY? My LITTLE BABY? Eating CHEERIOS? So I tried it this morning, I'm not sure he knows what to think of them yet! But with his bottom two front teeth coming in, I'm sure it will be only a matter of time before he is chomping down.

We're off to Target this afternoon to buy baby food and sippy cups . . .

So that's what's up on Boomerang Drive today!

--Holly

The Daily Grind

Today, I am thinking a lot about routine. Babies like routine. They need it to feel a sense of security. It comforts them. To me, however, the same thing day in and day out makes me feel a little bit like I'm in the movie Groundhog Day. As I'm finding myself thinking, "I cannot do this one more time," I thought I would stop to reflect on things I miss about my old routine, and the things I love about my new one.

So . . . what simple little things do I miss from my former life? Well, first of all, I REALLY miss waking up to my alarm clock and getting in the shower each morning before I have to face ANYONE. Just getting a shower and getting myself ready for the day on my own schedule is something that I would love to be able to do again.

Also, I miss getting into my car, drinking coffee, and listening to music on my way to school. I always loved that morning drive. It was time for me to just think, mentally prepare for the day, and just DRIVE. I hated the drive home, mind you, sitting in traffic after dealing with kids all day. But the morning drive was PERFECTION.

Finally, I miss getting into bed each night and going to sleep, knowing I could sleep until 6 am without interruption. It's just not the same going to bed not knowing what time I will be summoned to become the milk lady.

Now, what do I love about my new daily routine? Well, the best part of my day is getting Alex out of bed in the morning. He usually wakes up in a really good mood, and smiles at me when I come in. I either play a game of peekaboo with him, ducking down so he can't see me below the side of the crib, or I play the music on his crib toy for him. Then I pick him up and he hugs me. Pretty good morning routine!

Also, any time he wakes up, either in the morning or from a nap, I walk him downstairs. We slowly and quietly walk around the house as he adjusts to being awake. Then, we will see one of the dogs, and he will have a HUGE smile on his face. He just loves those dogs so much.

So, the whole groundhog Day thing? I won't even go into the parts of my daily routine that are currently driving me insane with their monotony. Although it seems like each day will last forever at times, I know that as soon as I get used to things, they will change again. At least I HAVE a routine now, and my life is not the chaos it was five months ago! Five months from now, I'm sure Alex will be sleeping through the night until 8am and bringing me breakfast in bed, right?

So that's what's up on Boomerang Drive today!

--Holly

Welcome!

Well, I guess I have officially become a "blogger". Why, you ask? Well, it all comes down to this: sometimes, I am bored. Mind you, most of my day is busy: diapers, feedings, tummy time, dogs, laundry, dishes . . . the list goes on and on. But there are those hours when Alex is sleeping, and I've done enough housework to get by, and I don't feel like reading or working on my scrapbook, and I just feel like talking to someone. So, I will use my voice to reach all of you through this blog. Not only will it help me let out the joys and frustrations of my life as a new mom, but it will allow you to keep up with the moments and milestones of Alexander's life. I know many of you wish you could see more of him, and you wonder what he is up to each day. Well, now you can check in to see exactly what is happening here on Boomerang Drive. Now, this blog will certainly not be updated daily -- you don't have time to read that, I don't have time to write it, and frankly one day around here is not much different from the next. But there are certainly parts of each day that are worthy of documentation, so this is will be just the place for that.

This weekend's new milestone? Alex is sitting up! I have been
WAITING for this! Able to sit up and play with a toy, but not yet able to crawl around getting into everything -- PERFECT! Can we push the pause button on this please? Either that or just skip to age 8 (the age when Alex will be the perfect, easy going, low maintenance kid). We do need to stay near him -- he can definitely flop over -- but he can stay up for a few minutes at a time if he feels like it. This has brought a new dimension to his play time, because he doesn't just have to lie there on his back anymore. He can sit up, reach forward, and play with his toys. New favorites include his toy telephone ($1 yard sale purchase!) and his Laugh and Learn puppy (Christmas present -- as if the two puppies we have aren't enough!)

So that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this weekend!
-- Holly