Category: Family

It seems like every day is laundry day.

Elly’s cloth diapers have to be washed every other day. Then there are the towels, sheets, Elly’s clothes, and our clothes. With all the trips I make up and down our basement stairs going to and fro the laundry room, I’ll never need to buy a StairMaster.

Our washer and dryer are ancient. They came with the house and the gnomes only know when the previous owners bought them. It sounds like I’m complaining, but I’m actually shocked with their durability. They have taken on the extra load and presumable wear and tear without a hiccup.

Frankly, out of all the appliances that came with the house, only the refrigerator sounds like it’s on its last legs. It started making a horrible rattle months ago, but thus far the darn thing refuses to die. Perhaps it hangs around because it loves all the attention it gets from Elly.

Thank you for so many things: for giving me a childhood home to come back to; for complementing me on my cooking even when it didn’t come out so well; for laughing when I laughed; and for swooning over Elly.

Mostly, thanks for your unwavering love and support. It meant more than you know.

I’m going to miss you, Uncle Willie.

Although she doesn’t associate the name McDonald with delicious french fries and tasty hash browns, it’s just a matter of time. We are raising her to love the occasional meal like we do. To increase the odds that she will cheer at the sight of the golden arches, we took her to their playroom on High St in Pottstown. Most everything was too advanced for her, but that didn’t stop her from having a great time!

No, despite being a toddler, Elly is not old enough or coordinated enough to ride a bike by herself. But, she can tool around town with Mommy in style now.

Check out her new bike trailer!

No longer are we dependent upon the bus schedule. We can come and go as we please.

Though I would love to take her to the mall, I think our first trip should be closer to home. I haven’t ridden my bike in over a year. I was breathing heavy by the time I got us home after picking the bike up from Tri County Bicycle Shop on High Street.

Elly is officially a toddler now. Yesterday she walked more than she crawled. She is learning new words everyday. The word Wow has become her favorite word to say kicking Jake’s name out of the #1 slot. Like most toddlers, Elly has found ways to make Dan and I question our ability to get her to her 2nd birthday. Case in point, she can now turn on the cold water faucet in the bath without even getting into the tub. Oh joy!

With her curiosity peaked and new skills developing, I thought it was the perfect time to introduce Elly to the world of crafting. At Target, I picked her up a set of washable markers designed for children 18 months and older. Elly is 13 months old, a mere 5 months difference.

Apparently, a lot can happen in 5 months. Elly squashed my dreams of sending out art masterpieces to family members only seconds after unwrapping the markers. She stuffed them directly into her mouth and then proceeded to color her face rather than the paper I had bought.

The next craft project, making cards, went just as poorly. I’ll have to wait for Elly to get past her oral fixation before we tackle anything else.

No matter. I will still be taking Elly with me to AC Moore’s grand opening in Pottstown on Sunday. I’m thrilled to have a craft store opening so close to home. In the warm weather, it should be no more than a 10 minute bike ride.

If nothing else, I can buy more yarn for Elly and I to play with.

Plus with a little luck, I’ll win their grand prize: free crafts for a year (valued at $500). 

Before Elly was born, I had thought that I would try using cloth diapers once Elly was about 3 months old. That day came and I refused to give up the convenience of disposables. Everything still seemed so difficult then. I still hadn’t ventured out of the house alone with Elly. She was nursing almost every hour, allotting me very little free time. Most importantly, she made a lot of dirty diapers. I thought if I switched to cloth, I would spend every free moment in my laundry room.

A lot has changed in 8 months. I have a better handle on this Mom role and do venture out quite often with my little girl. Though Elly still nurses a lot, she can now go about 2 hours between sessions. The amount of dirty diapers has been reduced to 1 a day.

Still I probably wouldn’t consider giving up the convenience of disposables if Elly wasn’t growing out of them. She is currently wearing size 6 in Huggies and they are getting quite small.

There is no size 7. (Pampers does have a size 7, but their size 6 cut into her thigh causing her to bleed. Plus, I hate the way they smell). She would have to switch over to pull-ups. Do you know how expensive pull-ups are? They aren’t cheap. They are designed for the child who is potty training. Typically, they are worn for just a few months. Elly won’t be potty training for at least a year. I would save us money if I could give up a little convenience.