Sick again, plus some good news.

Poor Jeric.

He was sick exactly once while we lived in Utah, and it started while we were in NC for Christmas. (He also had eczema, but that doesn't really count as sick. I think it must have been from the dry climate because he hasn't had it since we moved here.)

He wasn't really sick at all this summer. But the moment it turned to fall and the weather started changing and the pollen got bad, he started getting sick! Doctor says it isn't related to allergies but I'm not so sure. (I have been allergy-sick every time he's gotten sick this fall.)

He currently has his 3rd ear infection since his birthday! He also has bronchiolitis (thankfully he tested negative for RSV) and has been fairly miserable.

I took him to the doctor yesterday and he had a nebulizer treatment that helped immensely, though he is still wheezing a good bit. He's been clingy and fussy and really sensitive about things that normally don't bother him (like tripping and falling down). But, he has actually been getting down and playing almost like normal today, so he is feeling much better. It makes me very happy.

Something else that makes me very happy: I HAVE A PIANO!! It is old and rather beat-up and rather out of tune (less than I'd expected, which is good) BUT IT PLAYS AND IT IS AT MY HOUSE AND I CAN PLAY IT WHENEVER I WANT provided the baby isn't sleeping. :D

Now I can actually practice and become decent (again). I haven't had reliable access to a piano since high school and it has really hurt my playing ability. I really regret that I didn't save a couple hundred dollars when I was a single student and a part time TA and buy a little keyboard that I could move from home to home. Hindsight is 20/20.

Homecoming

I wrote briefly last week that my brother Daniel is home from his mission. His flight arrived in the last evening on October 13. We went to the airport and met my parents, other brother, sister, and aunt and uncle there. Here are some pictures of us waiting:

Brother!

Remember my brother Daniel?

He's home!

For those of you in the area and interested, you are all invited to attend Church on Sunday, where he will be speaking. I believe there will also be an area seventy.

Where: Mt. Airy Ward building
When: Sunday October 17 -- the meeting starts at 9:30 am.

We are thrilled! He looks great and we are so proud of him and so glad to have him home.

Words, signs, and pictures

I might be forgetting a few but I'll add them if I remember.



Words Jeric knows:

• Mama and Dada -- has known these for a long time.
• Boo -- he's been saying this for a couple of months, he plays boo with his granny - and once he went up to her and said it, and it was almost like he was saying, let's play!
• Hi -- usually while waving or holding a phone (sometimes a phone or toy phone, sometimes a hairbrush or other object) up to his ear.
• Nuh-nuh-nuh -- means one of three things depending on context - no, night night, or nurse.
• Yum-yum-yum -- sounds like mum-mum-mum and is SO cute.
• Vroom -- I caught him doing this yesterday while playing with a toy car.
• Choo-choo -- sounds like "dee-dee"; when I ask him what a train says, he says this while waving his arm like he's pulling the whistle.
• We're working on animal noises. I love the Brown Bear book for this.
• He is also getting good at following some simple instructions, like give me a kiss, sit down, put that back, be soft, give me a hug, come with me.

Signs Jeric uses:

• Waving -- for a long time; sometimes he waves his are back and forth, sometimes he opens and closes his fist.
• Pointing -- started this around his birthday.
• Shaking his head back and forth -- a couple of weeks ago; he does this a lot! The other day he saw the remote control and pointed at it while shaking his head and saying nuh-nuh-nuh -- he knows he isn't supposed to have it!
• All gone/where/I don't know -- hands out with palms up; he uses this appropriately in several different contexts and sometimes modifies it to just one hand.
• We're working on drink, hat, more, and food. We're also working on identifying body parts (nose, eyes, ears, tongue, belly button -- he's done it a couple of times).

Pictures of the sweet boy:


Balancing act:



He picked up one of Jane's bottle nipples and carried it around all day, chewing on it:



Trying to get the camera from Mama:


Watching the Dance-a-lot Robot, or some such nonsense:


Talking on the phone:




Attempt #2 to get the camera:


Just cute:


Brought this to me to put it on him (it's a little small but so cute!)

Oops

I wrote several posts at the beginning of the month, but nothing in almost three weeks -- my apologies. Nothing too interesting going on right now. Just trying to stay on top of everything and keep everyone healthy and happy.

Jeric is getting over his second ear infection in a month right now. The first was in his left ear, this one was in his right. He also had 4 visits to the doctor during the month of September: sick visit (ear infection #1), well-child, shots (because he was still sick at his well-child), and sick again (ear infection #2). When we showed up for the last appointment, the nurse looked at me like you-silly-paranoid-mom-your-kid-is-fine-leave-us-alone. But I was RIGHT! :) Again. I know when he's sick.

Oh, and that reminds me -- he cut his first molar last week. Top, left side. I can feel the tip of the top right side just beneath the surface, and his bottom gums are rather swollen. Poor kid has been pretty miserable with those on top of everything else.

This weekend is General Conference, and I am so excited. By the way, don't you LOVE the new LDS.org? They have done some really cool things with it. I am also loving the October special-issue Ensign.

And now I am done being link-happy. Good night!

Husband's birthday

Last Sunday (September 5) was Husband’s 25th birthday!
It was a pretty busy day because he found out that morning that he needed to teach the lesson in Elder’s Quorum (he’s 1st counselor), and then we had family over for a party in the afternoon. Both of his brothers and their wives and children came, and his grandparents stopped by for a little while. It was a lot of fun, but chaotic and long!
Joseph and Julie and their three left around 5 or 6, but Kevin and Joni and their three stayed later. Husband, Robbie, Kevin, and Joni played several games of Rook before they left. I played one game too, but I’m not very good and Kevin (he took a break so I could play on Husband’s team) pretty much told me every play I should make. Oh well. We did ok, I guess.
Here is some of what I wrote about Husband in my journal on his birthday:
“I’m so glad I have [real name]. He is so good to me and so patient when I am not at my best. He loves me unconditionally and is always glad to spend time with me and our boy. He is a wonderful father and works so hard while going to school so that he can provide for our family. I’m glad he is mine forever.”
And, because I am a slacker wife and don’t have a good recent picture of the two of us, here are a couple from the last few years.

Thanksgiving 2007. We were engaged.

Christmas 2007. Goofing off.

The night before our wedding after I received my endowment in the Washington DC Temple.

Coming out of the temple, just married!

April 25, 2008

Newlyweds in our first apartment. May 2008.

Thanksgiving 2008, spent in Texas with family.

Jeric's baby blessing. September 18, 2009.

Thanksgiving 2009. Spent in Arizona with family, picture taken by my Aunt Cassie.

Making s'mores a couple of weeks ago.

The apple

Husband’s grandparents have a lot of fruit trees, so for the past few weeks we have had lots of apples and pears at our house! Yum.
Jeric  likes to get a whole apple or a whole pear from the basket and carries it around eating it. (It’s funny because he doesn’t like the peel so there is a little apple- or pear-peel trail all through the house.)
Here are some pictures from the first time he did so:

20, to be exact (pictures, that is)

As I've said before, Jeric is funny when he sleeps.

Playing with Daddy instead of putting on pajamas

Taking a nap with Daddy, part 1

Taking a nap with Daddy, part 2

Taking a nap with Daddy, part 3

Cuddling his lion.

Taking a nap with Daddy, part 4

Taking a nap with Daddy, part 5 (hahahahaha)

One afternoon when I was still babysitting Jane at my house, I was holding her to try to get her to go to sleep. Jeric played quietly for a while and then went into the other room. Twenty minutes later, I realized I hadn't heard him so I went to see what he was up to. I only got to the door of the room and this is what I found.

Jeric playing with Jane's headphones (they were for her trip out west). That is Jane's older sister holding Jeric.

Jeric and Jane

He thought those headphones were the coolest thing ever.

Playing on the computer with Daddy

This is the first of many attempts to get a picture of Jeric looking at the camera and smiling. I will only post the best ones.

He looked down.

He started talking.

Me and my sweet boy. (At least he's looking at the camera.)

Then he saw something interesting and tried to get away.

More funny sleeping.

Last one for now.