BANG! BANG!

This week I was having some MAJOR cabin fever while Joe was at work all day. So while Eli and I were out for a walk I saw a wonderful little spot for a picnic. I called up Jess and her son Alex and Sarah and her daughter Ella to meet for a mommy and me outing for the next day. We met and set up camp in a green and shady spot where we were away from everything. It was wonderful being able to have this little support group of first time moms to meet with and swap stories. Alex is the oldest, born Feb., then Ella in March, followed by Eli in April so they are all so close that we are going through many of the same things at the same time. Since we are all nursing moms we all have a baby on a boob and out of nowhere this college aged guy dressed in all camo walks right up to us and tells us he is apart of ROTC and will be doing some training in the grassy area a few yards from us but that we were fine where we were. So all around these three nursing moms are about 15 big ROTC guys running around, yelling BANG! BANG! and tackling other guys wearing black ski masks. It was quite a sight, we didn't know we were getting dinner and a show!!
Last weekend while Tonya was out at a bachlorette party I got to keep Eli all night! We had a couple of my friends from college over to meet Eli for the first time. It was a late night and when Tonya came home in the morning she let us sleep in until noon.

"You're never fully dressed without a smile"

This week Eli purposely smiled for the first time!! It was such a great feeling to be looking at him and he had a full, mouth open, toothless smile. Joe and I were just sitting in bed talking to him and there it was. Hopefully next time we can get him to do it long enough to get a picture.

We went on a picnic at Minnetrista again this week and while sitting in the grass with not a person in sight I had to feed Eli. Laying on the blanket to feed him in a side laying position here comes this little dog running full speed towards us with a man of about 35 running after it. I try to gather up Eli and myself to not to become victim to the dog and the man is right there just in time for a little show. He quickly apologized and continued running and the dog followed not missing a beat.

Unfortunately, Eli now has cradle cap, but its not on his head... he has it on his ears, which I didn't know could happen. We had been bathing him and using the curry comb we were given at the hospital to prevent the cradle cap, but I can't very well use it on his ears! We have been bathing him everyday now and it seems to be much better.

Hernia Sighting!

Well, we started off the week with a trip to the doctor on Monday and she looked at Eli’s hernia and decided to send us to a pediatric surgeon in Indy the following day for a consultation. He was a strange guy with his Harry Potter glasses, Mr. Roger’s sweater over his blue scrubs that he had tucked into his brown cowboy boots. Despite his attire Joe and I really liked him. He set Eli up for the surgery to repair the hernia on June 4th at 8am. Man, this kid just can’t catch a break! We are praying this surgery will fix much of his obvious discomfort.

Extreme May 13, Celebration: 2007

Today was a grand celebration of many things: my first Mother’s Day,our first wedding anniversary, and Eli’s baptism. The baptism Mass was perfect; we had so many people there to see his first sacrament. He wore the baptismal gown that was first worn by his great grandpa Kunkel and he was wrapped in the white blanket I was covered with at my baptism.

Everything was going so well and as soon as Fr. John placed wet, naked Eli into the towel Chris was holding Eli had the loudest toot and we all lost it including Fr. John. It was such a strange, but wonderful feeling to have everyone telling me “Happy Mother’s Day”. Looking back of the past year it went so fast. I can’t believe we have already been married a year and have a child! What a perfect way to celebrate a perfect year. Here's a look at a year ago today.

Papa's Visit

This week my dad made his way all the way from Florida to see Eli. He stayed in town for a couple days sleeping on our couch. It was so fun watching him hold Eli and listen to him talk to him. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw my dad hold a baby other then my brother years and years ago so it was so cute seeing them together.

Eli Update: 7lbs 14oz

Family Fun

This week we took our first walk through Minnetrista and the weather was perfect so we took some family photos which you can see posted here. Joe is back to work full time and we are working on getting into a routine, but there are still many sleepless nights.
Eli Update: 7lbs 3oz, 19 ¼ inches

"What's that, baby communion?"

This week has been interesting since Joe has been going back to work for half days at noon and I have been home trying to figure out how to manage myself and a baby! We continued to take Eli in for bili checks and his level began going down and by Sunday he was off the blanket!! We took Eli to Mass for the first time and of course I feed him before we leave and then as soon as we walk into the church he is hungry again. So Joe and I sat out in the narthex attempting to modestly breast feed in public for the first time. I was all covered and doing well when our friend, Jacob, walks up and this conversation takes place:

Jacob: Where’s the baby?
Tonya: Under the blanket.
Jacob: (moving toward me and beginning to lift the blanket) Well, let’s see him…
Tonya: What are you doing?! (Jacob realizing why Eli is under the blanket throws it back down and steps back)
Jacob: (picking up my breast pad) What’s this? Baby’s toy communion?
Tonya: No, that’s my breast pad (Jacob throwing down the pad and freaking out for touching it)

Oh the crazy friends we have!!



Eli Update: 6lbs 2oz

Attack of the Jaundice: 4-8-07

Eli wasn’t home but about 2 days before they decided he had to have a bili blanket on 17-20 hours a day to help his jaundice level go down. When we left the hospital he was at 10.7, just under the line for them to send us home with a blanket, but after a couple days he went up to 14. We had to take him into the doctor to have his bili levels drawn everyday and it finally got up to 18.6 and we began to get worried since at 20 they said they would admit him to the hospital to be placed under a bili light. So we are just patiently waiting for him to get over this hurdle so we can try to get things to normal around here. We have had lots of help from the families, especially the wonderful grandmothers for whom we are so blessed to have! Thanks again for all your help.

Eli Update: 5lbs 12oz

FYI

Hey here's an update, we are going to be updating pics on a regular basis on this link below. So if you want more pictures of him feel free to go there and get them!

http://www.pickle.com/jrkunkel/103

We will put an update post up soon I promise!