Happenings

 

Logan got our family a really nice chess set (maybe I already posted about this?!) and has been teaching the boys to play. 

I've never had a baby who chooses to sleep on his tummy, let alone one that doesn't puke due to this position. Always with the blanket, this one.   

Lewis likes to play laundry quite often. We made a clothes line too. 

 Sometimes these two are just the cutest together.  

We looked into gymnastics classes and they were expensive for not much class time. So we decided to make our own sensory gym downstairs. All the boys, 24/7 access. Win.  

My lunch date. We had Elias' 9 month photos taken, so while they were printed we enjoyed warm soup and a sandwich. He wanted to sit by a window, and then proceeded to people watch. He had a lot of thoughts on things happening outside.  

We also got a crash pad to go with the trampoline. So much energy release. More sanity for me.   

Had lots of fun at Trivia Night for our parish! We came in 16th out of I think 27, but won third place for our Scrabble/St. Teresa themed table decor! I also won $10 for singing a song from The Sound of Music. Another gal sang at the same time as me and she had a great voice, so it kind of seems like I played half the game but still got the whole snow cone. Logan couldn't believe I did it, but why not? It was for TEN dollars! Do you know how many projects I can do with that?!

9 Months

 

Elias is nine (and almost a half) months old. He is walking about 6 steps or more at a time, regaining his balance mid-walk, and gracefully mowing my entire house. The mower is the perfect walking assistant. He is eating a lot of foods...I've never had a kid able to eat so much variety without reacting. I don't think the red pepper hummus went over very well though...he LOVED it but his back broke out in a crazy rash, and his cheeks followed the next day. 

 He is very conversational with his baby-talk, and likes to "sing" with his brothers in the car or at Mass or when any household appliance is running loudly. He gives soft touches to your face when you say "Elias, give niiiiiiiice touches!" in your most annoying happy sing-song voice. He adores his brothers and wants to do what they are doing. He takes naps in cribs/travel beds. Yep, you read that right...I have a half way normal sleeper. *knock on wood* His blanket and binki are still the magic combo and I hope it stays that way for a while longer.  

The house is baby proof with gates and outlet covers and Legos are stored away. Elias will eat anything that has fallen under the table, so I sweep more times a day than I care to, but my new mop is pretty fun to use! When the boys come home from school and Daddy comes home from work they are all Elias wants. He's a happier baby now that he has tubes in his ears, and a bit more sleep at night...albeit in my armpit. For the first time, I find myself soaking in the smell of his freshly bathed head as he falls asleep next to me, and wishing away the sleepless nights less. He has his hard days, but his easy days totally out number them. That's a first for a Burda baby, and I'm so grateful. 

Found It

I knew it was out there somewhere...the perfect binki string. Isn't it great when you find that thing that you've been looking for?! Especially when it's a baby gadget that makes life go a little more smoothly. 

Yep. I bought three. One for the car, stroller, and his shirt. 

The clips haven't worn out (unlike the metal ones...one wrong move and they suddenly don't grip anymore. Why?!), and it doesn't take 10 minutes to get the binki attached because the loop is elastic, elastic people! Brilliant! I can even take the binki off of the string while it's in my baby's sleeping mouth. That's something. Because isn't it always the case that they fall asleep with the binki on the string and that's not safe in the crib? That's my experience. 

So, a BIG thank you to the brilliant mom behind:

 

Order a binki string at mimi.and.lu.makes@gmail.com...and ask about all her fabulous products!

Kitchen QT

  

Lewis has had a lot of quality time in Grandma Susan's kitchen lately. It's always a surprise as to what they've made when I pick him up! Lewis is very thoughtful when it comes to my diet, so there's usually a dairy free option for me...which is awesome!  

Christmas #5

 We enjoyed dinner and gifts with Grandpa Burda, and got one of the best photos to date of the Burda boys!!!

Never Ending Snow Days

We made the most of the five day weekend last weekend. There was the normal weekend, then two days of "ice storm", and then a day off of school due to the band teacher passing away suddenly. Logan and I both had she and her husband for all of our musical education (5th-12th grade), so it was very sad news. Her funeral Mass was one of the most beautiful I've ever attended. 

 

We spent time in the pretend kitchen and the real kitchen. Banana bread for snack one day!

 

When I suggested doing puzzles as a family there was a surprising YES from everyone! 

Daddy loves teaching the boys to play chess, so we did that too. Sit down for this next announcement:

Logan used some Christmas money to buy our family a very fancy chess set...instead of books. 

I told you to sit down. 

It was a great idea...I think we will all enjoy it for years to come. 

 

This game is REALLY REALLY hard. I am shocked how difficult it is to solve the puzzles on the back of the board.  

When your preschooler is just as excited about Norwex cleaning products as you are. ❤️ He begged me to teach him how to use the rubber brush, so I showed him how to use it with his dusting mitt. He dusted everything he could find! Then he wanted to rubber brush my entry rug, so I'll teach him that next.

We played more games, got out every toy in the house at some point, had a family movie afternoon (So much better than a movie night with little kids!), popped popcorn, had a neighbor over for dinner, baked, took extra long baths for fun, slept in(ish), and read lots of books. It was as good as a staycation!

Go Jesus

 

Logan: so boys. What do you think Jesus wants you to be when you grow up?

A: I think he wants me to be fire chief. 

Lewis: I want to be a puppy. Fo weel. 

Jokes

Logan: What's a pirates favorite restaurant?

A: I don't know. 

Logan: Arrrrrbys. 

A: [laughs] Oh, I get it!

Logan: what's a pirates favorite author?

A: I don't know. 

Logan: J Rrr Rrr Tolkien. 

A: [laughs] I get that one too!

Logan: What's a pirates favorite letter of the alphabet?

A: J. 

Logan: No. 

A: P?

Logan: No. you're supposed to say "Rrrrrr". 

A: [laughs] I get it!

Logan: But that's not the right answer. 

A: Then what is it?

Logan: That'd be the "C". 

A: I don't get that one. 

L: Pirates sail on the sea, the ocean. 

A: [not convinced] Oh. 

Surviving, Year 8

We've done better than ever surviving while Logan is at focus conference. Augustine was back in school so he was super happy, and that's also why I don't have photos of him.  

Elias is really enjoying table food. I've never had a baby actually eat baby food consistently, or table food this early and not react every other bite, so I feel like a first time mom with it all. He would chase food off the table trying to pick it up, so I bought this awesome Happy Mat and now 90% of the food we spent money on gets in his mouth and not the trash. 

Lewis has been cooking up a storm in his kitchen because he got a new mixer from G&G for Christmas! This day he had a Bakery!  

{L & E playing in the bedroom when I hear a Big Bang}

Me: Lewis, come here. 

L: {hands on hips} what?

Me: what's going on in there?

L: I cooking. 

Me: what's Elias doing?

L: sanding up. Like dis on da kitchen. 

Me: ok. He's helping you cook?

L: yes. Now I need to get back betuz I watching him for you. {hands on hips, walks back to the bedroom}

{something falls on the floor}

L: Elias Buhdah?! What I say?!

  

The next day he had a soup kitchen.   

Elias has been fighting his first ear infection for a month. Yep, you read that right. A MONTH. Two antibiotics didn't kick it so we had to do the shot series and hopefully that's working. We have to see the ENT anyway. Ug, tubes. Such a love/hate for me.   

Lewis loves to eat snow. That bucket is full of snow whenever the weather allows, and he eats it with a spoon. 

{buckling him into his car seat}

L: my tongue huhts. 

Me: really? {realizes what happened} oh Lewis...let me see it. 

{half the tip of his tongue and a little on the side is bleeding} *face palm*

L: it weeewie huhting!

Me: did you lick snow off of the (metal) railing?

L: yes! I like to eat snow. It so yummy! My tongue weewie huhts! 

Me: it's bleeding. You have an owie. 

L: it bweeding?!?!

Me: yep. {explains abt licking cold things}

  

"I lining up me wormies." 

Christmas #4

     

Thanks Aunt Carol for a nice Christmas celebration and birthday party for mom! Shoot! I didn't get a photo of the birthday lady.

Taking A Break

We had special visitors for Christmas! Long time family friends (who now live 8 minutes away from us!) and their daughters and son-in-law. Glad they could join us!  

Playing with the new lego set up.

Relaxing with new books and the new puppy, Max.   

Enjoying the pretty art my sisters gave me.  

Spending time with new friends.  

Sneaking away to have lunch with the girl cousins.  

And taking some much needed naps. 

Christmas #3

   

The day after Christmas we celebrated with my immediate family.     

Beth and I made a burrito bowl bar for lunch.   

Thanks for a great second Christmas celebration mom and dad!