WORDS.

Just wanted to start an inventory of things Eli says so I will be less freaked out at his next well visit when his pediatrician asks about it:

So, in no particular order, Eli's words at 16 months are...

1. "Ba" for ball
2. "Ba" for block

3. Mama

4. Dada

5. "No" for nose (this is always accompanied by a finger up the nostril)

6. "Ho ho ho" whenever he sees a picture of a Santa

7. "Geh-tuh" for "gentle", whenever he wants to touch something he probably shouldn't (he hears that word a lot)

8. "I-yin" for Simon

9. "Meh" for milk, he uses this from time to time
10. "Hi!"
11. "Buh-buh" or "Bye!" 

The next are all going to be animal sounds.

12. "Nehhh" for a horse

13. "Oof Oof" for a dog

14. "Owww" for a cat

15. "Rahhhrr" for any wild cat or bear

16. "Hoo Hoo" for an owl

17. "Oooooh" for a cow

Other things he is doing:

+ Says, "MMMMMMMM!!!!!!!" very, very dramatically when he sees food that he wants, or pictures of food in books or magazines or various signs/ads when we're out and about.

+ Turns his hand in a [somewhat of a] circle when he hears the record player (mimicking the record)

+ Holds his hand out and says, "Ahhhh!" at the Christmas tree after a couple times of me holding my hand out and singing, "O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Treeeeeee!" when I plug it in

+ Uses a sing-song voice if you ask him to sing, "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

+ Brushes his hair if he gets ahold of a brush or comb

+ Pretends he's talking on our cell phones

+ Opening doors...

I may remember some other things and add them later...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

How could I forget?!

18. "Ba-Ba-Ba" for a chicken!  This was his first animal sound.
19. "Muh" for mouth.  This is new!  He will now point out his mouth and ears, along with his nose (if he's in the mood)

Thanksgiving, a 15 month check up, and a flat tire.

Here is a photo of Eli on Thanksgiving day in my grandparents' dilapidated courtyard.  It was a good day despite the rushing around!  He thoroughly enjoyed all the foods traditionally served at family Thanksgiving, as we figured he would.

Thankfully I could borrow my parents' d40 to capture some photos via DSLR but I am anxiously awaiting my new lens to arrive for use on Christmas.  It should come tomorrow!  

Eli also had his 15 month check up on Monday.  It was delayed due to rescheduling because Rob has a new job, again, and so the insurance didn't go into effect until December 1.  Naturally, though, the insurance cards didn't arrive in time (still don't have them...grr) but luckily his pediatrician's office was understanding and I can just call in the information when I get them.  Anyway, Eli is 33 inches tall and 24 lbs 5 oz.  When I entered this information in the WHO calculator that puts him in the 97th percentile for height and the 81st percentile for weight.  Little boy is moving his way back to the top of the charts!

On this same day, I got a flat tire.  Like, completely flat and from driving on it I had to get a new tire entirely.  I have performance tires so I was severely dreading paying for a new tire (expecting anywhere from $100-$200) on top of all the camera stuff I just dropped hundreds of dollars on and the new Xbox that Rob just had to have and then, obviously, Christmas shopping for everyone.

My dad came and put on my spare and I drove to my mechanic, who dropped me off at my parents' house (he's right down the street from them).  He dropped off my car several hours later after the tire shipment had come in and left no bill but called and said he'd let me know what the charge was when he knew what he would be charged.

Well I will tell you yesterday evening he called and said the bill would be $32.56!!!  When I went in to pay it today I found he only charged me from labor and a $10 part I needed for the tire.  So, I do actually think my mechanic is the best.

NEW CAMERA

I need an outlet to express how excited/anxious I am that I just ordered a Nikon D90 body!  Excited because well, new camera, obviously.  Anxious because crap is expensive.  I am waiting to order the telephoto lens I want until Black Friday/Cyber Monday-ish to see if the one I have my eye on goes down in price at all since it is about $300 more than the body...

But I can promise you I am going to be photographing the crap out of the entire world, soon.  I am seriously so, so excited to use a "real" camera again.

!!!

Halloween

Here are some photos of my tiny tiger this Halloween season.  The top photo is from actual Halloween night at our house.  It was rainy and gross and he got totally soaked.  The bottom two are from postponed trick-or-treating at Grandpa Bob and Grandma Lois' on November 1.  I'm sure it will be more fun when he can actually go around the neighborhood :)

GREAT NEWS REGARDING THE STITCHES SAGA.

Today I received an e-mail from the associate minister at our church saying that the church's insurance is going to cover Eli's hospital bill ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.

WOO!

Also, Happy halloween.

But more on that later.

Maybe.

Stitches.

Yesterday morning around 11:30 Rob and I were sitting in church, when the associate minister comes in and taps Rob and tells him we need to come with him, and explains that Eli hit his head in the nursery.  We walk back and see our poor little guy with about an inch-long gash over his left eyebrow.  There is blood on his sweater, and blood smeared on his cheek and in his ear, though the wound itself wasn't seeping, which was good, because I probably would have thrown up.

Besides Kurt, the associate minister, there are three other adults with Eli: two of the teachers from the room and I guess the medical-type guy for the children's area.   He put a band-aid over the cut and told us Eli would need stitches.

Because our church meets at Batavia High School, we were recommended to take him to Mercy Clermont ER, since it was closest, but on the way there Rob left a voicemail with our pediatrician's office for any advice, and when they called back we were recommended to take him to Children's urgent care across from Mercy Anderson (where Eli was born).

Oh, and did I mention we don't have flipping insurance right now?  Yep, because Rob started a new job and he is not eligible for the benefits until December 1.  And also we opted out of COBRA because it would have cost $1,500/month.  OBVIOUSLY something would happen OBVIOUSLY.

We were the only people at urgent care for "trauma"; everyone else was there for illness.  We waited around 20-30 minutes after signing in until we went back to the room.

To note, Eli had been totally chill up to this point.  He was not crying when we went back to the nursery.  He did not cry during the car rides or in the waiting room.  Really he did not cry until the band-aid had to be peeled off so the doctor could see his cut.  It was one of those super-strong adhesive band-aids that rip your skin off.  Unfortunately it was IN his eyebrow.  So yeah, he hated that.  When the doctor saw the cut she said she would definitely have to sew it up.  She left for a little bit and while we waited the nurse came in and prepped the wound, applying an anesthetic-type gel over the cut to numb it.  She then had to put THREE band-aids over and around the cut to keep the gel from possibly getting into his eye.

When the doc came back in Eli had to take his sweater off and be kind of wrapped in a blanket and wrapped up in this straightjacket-type contraption they use for kids so they will hold still.  Eli HATED it and screamed the entire time.  He HATES having his arms restrained so it did not go over well at all.   He managed to get his arms out so the doctor had Rob hold them.  Her assistant held Eli's head and she stitched him 4 times.   She asked us if we wanted a picture (duh)! and then she stuck a band-aid over it.

Eli stopped crying immediately once he was unwrapped.  He will go to his pediatrician on Friday or Saturday (our choice) to get his stitches removed.

Anyway, we still went to Music Hall last night to see Zelda: Legend of the Goddesses since we have had tickets for a couple weeks now.  Don't worry, the doctor told us we SHOULD go and that Eli would be fine and not to worry.

Rob just informed me that HR at his new job is predicting the urgent care bill to be about $1,000, which means I won't be getting my new camera as soon as I thought.  I'm not blaming Eli personally but it still makes me want to weep.  Here's hoping for no more injuries.  At least until after December 1.  Please.

Etsy love

Naturally because I said that I was probably not going to use this blog anymore, I use it twice in a week.  That's kind of exactly the type of person I am.

But I really love Etsy, guys.  I know you probably do, too.  I have been keeping a running list in my "favorites" of things I need (want) to buy, and here are a few.

Simon would look so dapper!

via theKozieCanine

I am getting a new camera (!!!) and it wants to live in this bag.

via LeslieStudio

I think this is the cutest shelf in the entire world.   Aaand it would look so great in Eli's room ;)

via ShopLittles

I love teeny tiny earrings.  Want.

via zoozjewelry

And lastly: THIS TINY EWOK.  

via wishwithme