Twelve months

We'll actually it's more like ever since he's turned 11 months on. So we're talking - 12 and 13 month accomplishments.

Elijah talks, he talks to us, to himself, and other kids. He's quite the social man. As far as words go. It's really random and hit or miss. Sometimes I'm like, "did he just say his name?", or "did he really just repeat that?" Nothing is clear - It's all in Eli dialect. But I have the feeling he's going to go from Ni Ni (night night) to "Dear Mother, I'd like to go to bed now, please" overnight.

At Eli's dedication, both sets of parents commented on how unusual it was that Eli was helping dress himself. Really? I had no idea that that was cool. I guess it is. Way to go son, you put your pants on like everybody else, one chunky leg at a time.

He LOVES to play in his room, and if I'm not careful to wedge a washcloth in the door jamb he'll shut me out and him in (ugh, teenagers). He is so proud of his room, and rightly so. It's the first he's had. I'm working on theme-ing it up. But not quite sure as every room in our home needs a bit of Martha-ing. In his room, he'll pull books off the bottom book shelf and dig in his play tubs. He loves to show it off.

As far as awesome new baby tricks, he can show how old he is and point to his hair when asked. Of course, these are only family tricks and friends are RARELY privileged to witness these acts of brilliance. Yesterday at the grocery store, the cashier asked Eli how old he was. I encouraged him, but he just tucked his head into his shoulders and grinned. As I was buckling him into his carseat he proudly shot up his index finger. "Awesome buddy, but a little late."

He moved on from putting things in containers and now loves to stuff things in drawers. He can stack blocks on top of one another 4 high, unless he deems a horse, cow or giraffe is a more appropriate block topper.

He is just barely walking. He took a few shuffle steps last Sunday. And, I have to judge my distance from him very carefully - Too close and he falls into me, too far and he drops and crawls. I am excited for him to begin walking, but I would seriously be happy in this stage forever...or until he weighed 30 lbs...

Elijah had his 12 month well baby check and I got to thinking. He has yet to have a true sick visit. Yay for breastmilk! Though he did have 2 freaking terrifying ER visits, that I would have traded for infinity routine sick visits, oh well. guess we can't choose these things. Eli weighed in at 22 lbs. He got his 5th tooth. And, I'm still debating on whether or not to get him the MMR vaccine. Not because of the autism link, which has mostly been debunked, but because of the ingredients of this vaccine. Such a hard decision. Hopefully we'll feel good about it one way or the other by his 15 month visit. At this last visit, the nurse asked, "Is he making any animal sounds?" To which I replied, "Does roaring count?" Everything roars in our house. It's like it's in his little boy DNA.

It didn't take a trip to the doctor to diagnose Eli with a serious case of Daddy-itis. AKA, Daddy fanatisism, or Daddy Idol. It's known by many names at our house as it is a progressive disease and is ONLY getting worse by the day. From the time Rob gets home in the evening until he falls asleep singing Da Da da da Da Da da Da, Rob is the only one who can hold him. He wants to wear Rob's shoes, eat Rob's food, play with Rob's "toys" and touch anything Rob touches. Enjoy the pics below.

reading the paper just like daddy

Look at ME mom, I'm just like HIM

You would think the whole giving birth, tending every need or want would put me a little higher on Eli's list, but no. The little monkey plays favorites. I used to console myself with things like, "well, Rob's taller, that's why Eli wants him to hold him, or "well, Eli doesn't see Rob all day and that's why he's all over him." I've faced the facts and am now resigned to Elijah's preference. Little Rob is a daddy's boy and just like him in most every way. It's that way it should be for now. Hopefully, I'll get a year or two of being his favorite before he goes to school...maybe.

We've stopped nursing. He's now on straight up cow's milk. It was a hard transition for me emotionally, which I didn't expect. But I think Eli did pretty well with it all. He's a trooper.

In other big boy news, Elijah also has his own library card! ooooh.

We're slowly transitioning to 1 nap a day and more nights than not Eli sleeps through the night (YES!!!) though he still ends up in our bed fairly often. Bad habit yes, I know. But try telling that to sleepy 3am Danielle.

Lastly, Eli can give great hugs, complete with back pats. Mmmm, I love that boy!

Elijah's First Birthday

Another first, there are so many in my growing boy's world.


This was his cake.

And, it was the best child's cake ever. Thank you so much Leah! It was WONDERful and yummy. Sadly, this cake may have done her in and word on the street is she no longer does kids' cakes. Hopefully the trauma caused by creating the WonderPets cake will pass and she'll reconsider- we are going to need a year 2 cake, you know.

We so savvy-ily conned people into helping us move in by also throwing Eli's birthday on the same day. muhahah. Our invitations read: Come help us celebrate our boy's first. Everyone must carry in 1 thing from the P.O.D. Good thing the kid is so cute. It worked like a charm. Seriously though, it was a lot of fun to have good friends around us on a day where we were celebrating so much.

this pic included friends in our old and new small groups

simply precious

island full of clutter - kitchen full of friends

This was the first time Eli had really had sweets. Well, that I know of anyway.

Gee, mom. I don't know? Can I?

Well, maybe just a taste. If you insist. It is my birthday.


Don't let the face fool you.....

He had no problem digging in.

I should have known better than to give him an adult sized piece. I seriously wasn't thinking about it with everything that was going on. I looked over to check on how he was doing and he had put a serious hurting on that cake... He just kept eating and eating and before long looked really sick, but was still shoving cake in his mouth. He did circles around the island for the rest of the night laughing his head off. Before I put him down for the night he left a lovely puddle of blue icing throw up and spinach from the pizza in his new room.

Thank you God for my sweet little family

I must confess that Elijah's look of pure joy is for his daddy. I know this for sure, because it's how he ALWAYS looks at Rob. If you didn't know Rob hung the moon and stars. Our level of daddy idol is at an all time high - more on that later.

Happy Birthday Boy!

Welcome Back, Welcome Home

After 3 weeks without home internet and 1 week to get back in the swing of things, we have returned to the wonderful world of blogging.

What started this long absence?


We bought a HOUSE. We love our new home. I believe it is perfectly the best house for us... ever. I've even thought, if we ever move again (good luck trying to make me move again Rob Hartley), we'll copy the floor plan and build it ourselves.

(cheesing up in a great new home pic - this is Eli's Ricky Bobby windsuit that I love. It has a monster truck on the back and may be the 1 and only pic in it before he outgrows it :(

This home fits our personality, our values, and size. It feels great to finally feel home. And after 4 years of marriage, that is a good feeling. This time when I unpacked boxes, I unpacked them all, as it is the first time I knew in advance that we wouldn't be planning on moving in a year. crazy.

We closed on January 21st, yep Eli and our new home are exactly 1 year apart. We spent the morning in the realtors' office - not around the dining room table in our new home, which is where I always romantically pictured closings taking place. Everyone who helped us through the home buying process attended the closing - which made it really feel like a celebration. Our mortgage broker even brought cupcakes for Eli's birthday. At the closing, we also met the owner's daughter which was cool and since moving in we've met most of our neighbors. We feel really welcomed in the neighborhood - it's a tight community. And, we can't wait til spring - our home is on the dogwood trail and it's apparently a sight to behold when they all bloom.


(Not only is he the best realtor ever, Eli's love for him is enough to make Grandparents jealous!)

365 days

Eli has been around for 365 days. Today is his last day of being less than 1.

January 21, 2010
Freshly hatched. check out the mohawk.




Go back and enjoy this Hartley family classic - Eli's birth story.
Sweet boy, where did our year go?

I couldn't help but continually drift back in my thoughts today to this time last year. January 20th, 2010 - I spent the morning at the gym in the pool (funnily enough the only place I didn't feel like shamu) and then off to Target for (what turned out to be last minute) baby shopping. Our friend, Laura Beirne, came over for dinner from her apartment across the street and we all marveled at Eli's somersaults in my belly.

Earlier in the day, on the way from Target to Subway, for a hearty preggo lunch I had a heart to heart with Eli as I was driving in the car. I told him it would soon be time for him to be born. It could get a little scary as neither of us had done our respective jobs before, but we'd be okay. God would take care of us. And although I had a feeling that Eli would be early, he surprised all of us by starting our labor dance just hours later. I've since heard of other mom's having similar talks and results with their babies. The mama-baby link is amazing well before birth.

I later found out I had been pre-laboring all the previous week and just dismissed it to, "ah, this is why preggers complain that last month of pregnancy". I had been having braxton-hicks and woken nightly with funny contractions that felt nothing like what I expected contractions to feel like. This would happen again the night of the 20th, though it would end with a "pop!" of broken water at 6am the next morning. It would be Eli's last belly sleep. And tonight will be his last sleep before turning 1.

January 20, 2011

New Home To-Do List

We're moving into a great house on Friday. We are so excited. We are going to do some serious celebrating Friday, too. 1. because it's Eli's birthday and 2. because it's going to be our new home's birthday. Woohoo! Everybody we've worked with in the home buying process has been awesome; from Realtor to mortgage broker and home insurer to home inspector. Whew, it's been a process and I'm glad we're almost to moving day.

We've been to the house many times since that initial viewing to closing, and along the way I've made a little (crazy big) to - do list. The home is new, so there is very little cost to us in the way of maintenance. But we do have a ways to go in making it feel homey and function for our family.

I thought I'd blog this in case my scribbled on paper get's lost in the move.

So here's the list, broken down into 3 categories:

Make it Functional
1. Buy a diaper sprayer (aka baby bidet)- Rob conceded this to me after I wanted to get in a bidding war for one in a previous contract on a house
2. Energy efficient bulbs
3. Hand held shower sprayer - won't this be great for hosing off babies!
4. baby-proof supplies and anti tip bracket installed on oven- the whole 9 yards
5. mop & broom holder
6. clothes line - we've had one everywhere we've lived except Lancaster
7. window coverings - either wooden blinds or curtains, not sure yet.
8. Laundry room floor epoxy or concrete stain
9. carbon detector
10. laundry room shelving
11. New mailbox
12. city trashcan - not sure if we buy it or if it's provided
13. 2 outdoor mats
14. 2 bathroom shower curtain rods and shower curtains
15. extra storage cabinet in bathroom
16. covered parking?
17. fence
18. lawn mower - I REALLY want a non-gasoline push one

Make it Homey
1. new front door (or paint existing one)
2. Kitchen Island shelving?
3. house plants!
4. candles for bath
5. hanging pot rack?
6. new lighting fixtures
7. Rug for Eli's room
8. Paint tree in Eli's room - also inspired by a previous house find. I really want to do a weeping willow

9. Paint Livingroom and 2 upstairs bedrooms
10. Reupholster Ansley's beloved office chairs
11. Frame bathroom window mirror
12. Decorative bathroom window

Outdoor Living
1. Porch furniture
2. Porch curtains
3. Porch plants
4. front yard - remove bushes, add flowers and birdbath
5. window boxes!
6. Deck furniture
7. Deck Pergola with hanging ivy and lights!!! (I'm trying to talk Rob into this for my birthday gift!)
8. Patio concrete stain
9. Patio furniture
10. hammock on patio
11. herb garden
12. veggie garden/ and trellis
13. Stain the deck

It's going to be hard work sticking to a budget! Perhaps, I'll start a recurring monthly hundred dollar home makeover blog post.

New Year Goals 2011

There are 6. They are not resolutions - they are real measurable, actionable goals. I'm not a big fan of New Years..I know, yet another holiday that I don't like. But this is not because strangers, movies, and candy are all trying to scare me, but because it's a new beginning. I'm too sad about the old year ending- all the friends we've made, places we've been, and memories we've collected- to be excited about a new beginning. So, to get excited about the possibilities of this New Year, I've made the list.

1. Date my Husband: confession, Rob and I have not had a date sans baby since the existence of said baby. Why? Because our life has been one big ball of transition and I substituted our mobile lifestyle with out constant presence for Eli's security. Right or Wrong, it's what we did. But now, guess what, baby? we're soon moving into our own home, i.e. planting roots, i.e. in need of a baby sitter...pronto!

2. Plant a Garden: Digging in the dirt feeds my soul. Watching plants grow, harvesting veggies, gathering herbs, oh, heaven. I feel creative and like I've stripped away everything that gets in the way between me and God when I'm immersed in my plants. While I've known this about myself for a long time, I had no idea that everyone didn't feel the same way. Just since reading, Spiritual Pathways, in our small group was I reminded that we are all different. Our new home has a big yard and a great garden space that has long been neglected. I cannot wait to make it beautiful and growing again. I'm so happy that we will soon be in a place that allows me that opportunity. I've already made a list of the heirloom seed packets I'm ordering from a magazine, hopefully next week.

3. Take a Vacation: It's been while since our last real vacation. We've tagged on vacations here and there when we were flying overseas often. And during Rob's job transition we also had a couple weekend vacation like adventures. But a true, planned, quiet, toes in the sand vacation has been quite some time. Rob and I believe that a season of restoration is beginning for us and as part of that we will be dedicating funds and time to supporting a beach town at sunshine, USA sometime this summer. Hopefully, this beach town will also come equipped with population 1 babysitter.

4. Start my business: So if you haven't heard I've just become a certified Bradley Method Childbirth Instructor and Birth Doula. I've been working on my certification process ever since Eli was born. The birth of our son was so (it sounds cliche) life changing and awe inspiring that I had to help women have positive birth experiences as well. And somehow, I get the same tingly feeling learning about the wonders of our bodies during pregnancy and birth that I do gardening. Somehow it's gotta be related to how I understand God as creator. Amazing! So I've completed my student teaching, course work, and training workshop. I've got one website up and running (the really base one that Bradley wants us to keep up for their directory purposes), placed an order for my students' work books and placed a bid on an ebay female pelvis. I'm on a roll, but whenever I tick one to-do off my list, I come up with 2 more. In the near future, I need to order business cards, explore some more advertising possibilities, and get a for realsies website up. So far I've had 3 inquiries into my Childbirth course and 1 concerning the possibility of being a Doula.

5. Get Financially Organized: Rob and I do pretty well with our finances. We don't have much, but what we do have, we've managed well. However, we need to tinker a bit here and there. We'll soon be paying a mortgage and need to save for future home repairs/emergencies. We'd like to start making our money grow because I love being able to stay home with my babies and somebody's got to send them to college if they'll go. We'd like to buy some more insurance, etc. Not the most thrilling of goals, but hey, it needs to be done.

6. Spend Differently: We've already started this in the Fall, but it's a transition and been difficult while we've been living in transition. Besides groceries and health, we have a sort of order to our purchases. If it's not something we need, we don't buy it. If we need to buy it, we see if we can't borrow it. If not, we try to find it used. This option works for most anything and I've gotten over feeling weird about it or out of place in second hand stores. It's actually been a lot of fun and forced me to be more creative with solving needs. Like re-purposing old furniture, painting instead of replacing, buying fabric for do-it yourself jobs, etc. Not only does this indulge our cheap side, but when you get something off Craigslist or visit a second hand store you usually walk out with your found object and a new relationship-frugal people love to talk. If we must purchase something new, or for those fun little shopping sprees, we try and buy local. This sometimes undoes the cost savings we'll reap with borrowing or buying used, but we feel it's worth it to spend our dollars reinvesting in the community and supporting small business. It's not as much work sounds like, but it does take being conscious about our spending.

This could be a pretty good year.

Wednesday is my new Sunday

The fam at our Church in Lancaster

Obviously, as the wife of a church planter, Sundays have changed quite a bit. And, while they're almost always fun and full of great friends; they are also often stressful, hectic, and long. They no longer serve as our day of rest and worship too is sometimes difficult with Eli in tow.

Mostly though, I think I miss Rob a lot on Sunday mornings and I'm having to get used to him not being here for them. We have always loved our mornings together and Sunday mornings used to be spent snuggled in bed attempting to con the other into grabbing the next cup of coffee while we watched CBS Sunday Morning. Then there'd be a mad dash 15 minutes before church began - teeth brushing, shoe finding, and clothes flying until the winner of the title of, "First Ready" got to walk smugly to church while the other cried sabotage all the way (I know I didn't put my belt in the closet). A little slice of heaven. Now, Rob is out the door by 6am and I just get a cold peck on the cheek and, "bye baby, I'll see you at church". It's sad really, and I need a little adjustment time.

I guess Sundays have changed throughout my life. In grade school, I loved the peaceful pace of a Sunday; it definitely felt different than any other day of the week. But, there was an unmistakable melancholy feel to Sunday evenings that the weekend was over and another school week would begin all too early the next morning. Then in college, if I didn't travel back to my home church, I would spend the morning relaxing, reading, resting. Some times this would be focused on my relationship with God, sometimes not, but it was most always restoring.

I'm trying to shift my thinking about what a Sunday morning means to me. Trying to lower my expectations a tad and take out some of the stress while I adjust to my new Sunday routines. And instead of fighting to make Sundays peaceful, I am switching my day of rest to Wednesday. So no longer will I complain for and have my mind and body ache for rest on Sundays. We'll get that on Wednesdays. It will be difficult, as I've been attempting this for the past couple weeks with little success. Wednesday is a work day for everybody else. In fact, it's one of only 5 "workdays", when banks and utility and insurance companies are open for business. It means I'll have to plan better so I don't spend Wednesday praying that I don't get charged a late fee. It will be difficult but every body needs a day of rest and every soul a specific time to reconnect with God and each other, sloughing off everything that's come between you that week.

Mine will be Wednesday.