Anyway, Friday morning Elias and I rode down with my parents and Uncle Greg. Nathan had to stay and work. When we got there, the driveway was packed with snow! So we unpacked, and headed out to play/shovel.

Elias helping Grandpa shovel the driveway.

Grandma and Elias playing in the snow.

Elias loved walking around and sledding, but he did sit in the snow a few times.

Elias loved being pulled on the sled. He kept asking for more and more. Once his cheeks got so pink, though, we took him inside.

Kristy and Scott arrived Friday evening. Then on Saturday, we did a lot more playing! We walked to the park, and played around the house some more. We had to shovel enough driveway for two cars to fit! We celebrated my Dad’s birthday with a steak dinner. Then, Nathan finally arrived safely around 7 pm. He had gone to a reunion reception for Multnomah.

Shoveling was a whole family effort.

Uncle Scott pulls Elias on the sled.

Uncles Scott and Greg prove that you are never too old for the tire swing.

Elias loved playing on the slide.

Elias also loved sitting on the big merry-go-round with Uncle Greg.

Sunday was Grandpa’s actual birthday. We played in the snow a bit more, and went to look around the village mall. Kristy and Scott had to head home, but the rest of us had Monday off! There’s nothing quite like a relaxing weekend with family. It’s so fun to watch Elias interacting with his grandparents and uncles/aunties.

Elias' footprints were so cute. They were so small and close together. You can see most of Nathan's bootprint in the upper left corner for a comparison.

Here is a family shot.

On a sled run with Grandpa. You can't really tell from the picture, but they were moving while I snapped the shot!

So a couple months ago, Elias started eating bread at home. We let the priests know that instead of the normal blessing, they could offer him Eucharist. At first he vehemently denied it. He would push away their hands. But starting about three or four weeks ago, he all of a sudden decided that he wanted to partake. Mother Charlotte lifted the bread in front of him and said, “Elias, this is the body of Christ, bread of heaven.” He took it from her and popped it in his mouth. My first reaction was to be very happy. It was like a rite of passage. But my second thought was horror. I had sudden visions of him spitting it out or something there in the front of the church in front of everyone! But…he just chewed it and swallowed.

After that first week, he has been eager to eat the Eucharist. As soon as we get up the the altar rail he remembers what happens and gets excited. He reaches out to the priests and takes it as fast as he can. I still get nervous that he will drop it or spit it out or something. But mostly I’m just happy that he can participate. He does not understand the meaning yet, but as with many other things like prayer and signing and reading, I’ll never know the moment when he comes to understand the significance. So we may as well start now and see what happens.

I have many hopes for my little boy. But if I had to choose one it would be that he will know and love the Lord. Whether or not you believe that the Eucharist is actually Christ’s body and blood, I think that by partaking, Elias has a bit more of Jesus in his heart each time.

Working at the food bank held some surprises, some joy, and some sadness. We ended up working in the perishable repack room. It was 50 degrees in there…but they had warned us so I had a warm coat…it was my hands that got frozen! We (along with all of the other volunteers) repackaged 7980 pounds of frozen green beans. That’s a lot of beans! It felt good to be helping out, but sad that there is so much need. We found out that Oregon is in the top three states for hunger in the country. I knew there was hunger…but in the top three? What is wrong with our society?

Anyway, when we came home, Grandma Smith took us out for a yummy lunch. Elias enjoyed a grilled cheese sandwich. He had stopped eating those…but we figured that he ate the one at Applebee’s because it was cut into two large triangle wedges instead of small strips as we were doing. What do you know…when we tried it at home he eats it again! Who knew that the shape of the sandwich mattered? I guess with picky eaters it could be anything.

Saturday evening was spent in some lovely company! A couple from our church, Hilary and Chuck, came over for dinner. We had fun chatting. Elias eventually warmed up to Chuck enough to climb on his lap! But we figured his uncles haven’t roughed him up enough because when Chuck held him suspended upside down, Elias got a bit upset. Don’t worry…he warmed back up when Chuck played plah-doh with him. Hilary and I got to bake some cookies.

Sunday morning was also busy because I was the lead teacher for Sunday School, and we were in charge of the coffee hour after the service. Both went well. And even better news….Elias is slowly but surely becoming accustomed to the nursery. He barely even cried when Nathan dropped him off…He seems to be warming up to the nursery attendants (two very nice young women) and he is developing an attachment to the nursery toys. That always helps.

Sunday afternoon and evening, Elias got to spend some time with Grandpa and Grandma Bartle and Uncle Greg. Nathan and I got to go on a special Valentine’s date. We went to see a movie, and then out to a quiet dinner where there was no mess or squirmy toddlers to worry about.

We had a lot of fun this weekend, but realized that we spent a lot of time away from our son. Sometimes it’s good to get some personal time…but I think the next chance we get we’ll do something special with just the three of us.

Elias trying to figure out the jingle bells

Elias is feeling better today. Yay! He is still not tip top shape. In fact, he is sleep-coughing right now during his nap. But at least I have seen lots of smiles so far today, and he is not crying most of the day like yesterday.

This morning Elias got out his shakers and jingle bells. I started singing some nursery rhymes, Bible songs, and other kid favorites such as “Old MacDonald” He shook his shakers and the jingle bells as I sang. We had our own little jam session. Every time I stopped singing, he’d tell me, “more, more.” Of course, when I went to get the camera he stopped shaking the instruments…oh well. It was a precious memory.

I hate, hate, hate, this helpless feeling. I can’t imagine what it must be like for him to feel so miserable, and not understand why. We thought a bath would help him to feel better…but he ended up just standing there in the water looking at me out of those glossy eyes…tears streaming down his face, snot gushing from his nose, loud wails, lips curled in anguish. (I know it sounds a bit dramatic….but the little guy was so upset!)

He is sleeping now, and I am trying to recover from a difficult day. I am so blessed that he is healthy most of the time. I pray he’ll return to a healthy state soon!

In the afternoon, though, we decided that we had to get outside because it was so nice. I had planned a nice meal for dinner, but we both just really got in the mood for…a barbeque. So we walked to the grocery store, (while enjoying the sun) and bought all the fixings for a winter barbeque. It was quite enjoyable.

A new tooth!

As it happens, there were two new teeth. Upper molars, one on each side. Our little guy had been fairly irritable at night lately, which makes sense when we realized he is cutting two new teeth at once. What’s more, getting molars looks like pretty nasty business, because the tooth cuts through in multiple places. Ouch! Nonetheless I am excited for Eli to be able to actually properly chew things soon.

Elias is ready to go to Grandpa and Grandma's. He kept saying, "buh-bye" as I was trying ot get on my socks and shoes. I think he was telling me to hurry up.

This morning Elias and I went to visit Grandpa and Grandma Bartle. He loves playing with them, and he always gets excited when he sees them. Today Grandpa babysat while I went grocery shopping. It is amazing how much easier things are when there is no little one in tow. My mom came with me to keep me company. Afterward, I went back to their house for a nice lunch.

Before we arrived, Grandpa had gotten out a wooden rocking horse that was hand-made for me by my uncle when I was little. Elias is a little small for it still, but he enjoyed sitting on it, and he even made it rock a little! Thanks Uncle Jim! This will be well used for another generation!

Elias smiling on the rocking horse.

Elias and Grandpa