12 weeks

I really have trouble starting blogs. I think of so many ways to start them, but all of the introductory lines seem so lame. Oh well. This one is pretty bad already. Regardless of how lame the beginnings may be, I still love to blog and wonder how I forget that I even have one... Oh yeah, it's because I'm so busy doing things off the computer. By the time I get back on it, all my energy and mind powers have been sucked up into the vortex of my home by way of cleaning and keeping up with all the needs of my little one. Who happens to be not so little anymore! I come to learn that if I don't take care of myself, there really isn't any way I'm going to take care of anyone else well. So... I've been trying to live that, and it's very difficult.
I had/have been taking a medicine that would ease my nausea, which by the way has been easing up on its own now! Thank the Lord! Anyway, I noticed a couple of weeks ago while I was taking it regularly, it would give me this sense of... anxiousness. Not a lot, but it's been enough to completely screw up my sleeping schedule. Just yesterday I had to take some medicine because I was feeling really yuck, and by the time I took it, it was still going to be in my system by bedtime. Double yuck. So I was told I could take Tylenol PM, which I did, and it did help me fall asleep. For three measly hours. After that, I was up watching Dirty Jobs and eating sunflower seeds. The other trouble is, I start feeling tired enough to sleep so I go to bed and then I just lay there, tired, but not sleeping, for hours. I can shut my eyes and try not to think of anything, but I will still just lay there awake, for hours.
Yesterday was terrible. I spent most of the day sleeping, or trying to sleep, and puking. I was fortunate that Jerry was also home at the time so I was allowed the luxury of staying in bed, but today... not so much. After only a few hours of sleep, and then maybe another one or two non restful hours of sleep after Jerry left for work this morning... Paul woke up and needed the usual things: a diaper change, love, food, love and some play time. I had energy for.... none of it. But I still did it. I didn't realize how much help I actually needed until I almost passed out while making us breakfast. That was scary. I had him in his highchair at the time so he could watch me make food, so it was like I had a temporary babysitter once I had to put my head between my knees and lay down on my bed just a few feet away from his chair. Jerry got done with work a little early today, so I had a little help after he got home. Jerry was worked very hard and could barely move after he got home and finally sat down, poor man :(
Fun facts: Paul loves cereal and has shared most of it with the floor.
The cat hates Paul and runs away when he gets close to her or he shrieks at her.
Paul is walking more and more on his own! Even while drinking from a bottle!!
Sometimes I think I can feel my tiny baby bounce around inside :)

I would like to add more to this post. I actually had high hopes to have so much more in it, but... Ugh. I'm starting to feel tired and sick. AGAIN... so I'm going to go lay down and maybe add more in the wee morning hours.
~love~

The New Year and all that it brings...

So as it turns out, it was about the time that I wrote that last post that I became pregnant for the second time!
Thank you to everyone for all your wonderful support. We are due September 23, 2011, and we are still waiting to find out if it is a girl or boy. Any guesses?!?! We are still living in our little two bedroom apartment and will continue to until next year when we will hopefully be able to purchase a home to really spread out and settle down in. We plan on staying in the Menomonie area.
It's so surreal to me that Paul will be turning 1 this month, in one week! And I will be turning 25 in about a month and a half! Not to mention again... that Jerry and I will be the parents of two little ones by the end of this year!

The update on Jerry - He's got nothin.

Rachael Update - Okay, I already said it, I'll be turning 25 next month and I'll have two children by the end of this year. I've also been sick for the last month and a half. I'm very excited for that to end soon. It has been getting better and I've been doing pretty well off the medicine that my doc prescribed to help with the nausea. I've been really enjoying getting to know my friends better that live around here, including the ones that also have their own children! It's been great watching Paul interact with other little kids. He's just so cute! I started watching a new show to me, Bones, about a month ago, and I at first didn't like it very much, but it has since, grown on me. I've also been watching a little girl mostly on the weekends. That's been fun. She is very energetic though, and I have had very little energy. Makes for very interesting days.

Paul- He's been cruisin' around real good. Taking more steps by himself, but still weary of walking alone for long distances. He's very fast at crawling and loves our kitty. He gets so excited sometimes just when he sees her that he does a very loud squeal/screech. OUCH to the ears, but otherwise very cute. He's also moved up to eating... everything! Well, not really. He will try though. Even with his cardboard books. Yuck! He loves looking at his books, and putting toys and things in other things and taking them back out again. One night a week or two ago, I went to my sister Kris's house and I had left a cup n straw sitting out. Paul got it, it was empty, and he played with it for nearly an hour just sitting there on the floor taking the straw out and putting it back in. It also had a cap on it and I think he liked the challenge of trying to put the straw in the little hole. Paul is already up to 6 teeth. Four on top, two on the bottom. Very cute, and the top two even have a gap between them!

So I'm sure there is more I could write, but at this time, I can't think of anything. Miss and love you all!

Greetings to you, loved ones!

Jerry, Paul and I have had a fun and busy year. These are a few highlights in case you missed out!
January, February and the beginning of March were fairly uneventful and yet filled with much preparation for Paul’s arrival. Jerry’s parents came to visit for Paul’s birth and were able to stay about 2 weeks to also help take care of us, the new family. On March 16th at 11:58PM, Paul was born and life hasn’t slowed down since. In April, I celebrated my golden birthday and by May we all began to enjoy a marvelous Spring. June was filled with hustle and bustle of our friend and roommate Jessy getting married on the 20th. Then the next week my parents and little sister, Sarah, arrived to visit us and the rest of the family! In the midst of July, a year and a day after I called family with news about Paul’s approaching arrival, my sister, Liz, called us with the news of her own baby on the way (due March 13th, 2011)! August was a blur and September marked Paul’s half birthday! In October, Jerry surprised me by taking me to Texas Roadhouse on our 2nd anniversary, Oct. 11th. November - I was busy helping plan Liz’s baby shower. Sarah and my mom surprised Liz with their coming while Liz was on her layover at the Denver airport on the 18th, and the 20th was her shower. It was a nice little party, but still loads of fun! The next week we had something to do each day, including Tuesday, we celebrated Jerry’s birthday (it’s really on the 27th). And Wednesday and Thursday we celebrated Thanksgiving with my family and then Jerry’s family. And now with December upon us, our first Christmas as a family of three, it’s quick to see how much we’ve been blessed this year. We want to thank each of you for being a part of our lives and we look forward to our times together in the future,

With love,

Jerry, Rachael and Paul

Luke 2:9-11

And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

blog blog blog...

Blog... I need to blog. What does that mean to me?? It means... I need to talk about all the things going on in my head without sounding crazy. Okay, FIRST of all... how do my dishes manage to be washed, dried and put away, only to magically reappear disgusting and on the counter the next morning. SECOND... how does it happen that seemingly seconds after I vacuum, fuzzies and crumbs come out of no where. The ones that slip away from me that Paul finds and put in his mouth. Ugh. That's not even the half of it. My laundry won't even wash, dry, or put away itself. Why?!?! Oh well... it's all good.
Do you know what I like to do? Sing. Yup. It's true.
blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Yeah... this is all nothing. Not really what s really on my mind. I can't really find a way to tap into that and release the pressure.

Thanksgiving and Christmas time are here

Yes, it's that time of year. Snow is on the ground and the roads are always questionable. Greetings everyone! It's been a while since we've had a good update. Life has been super busy in the Eldred home. Jerry has been working extra long hard hours, I have been trying to get the house back into recognizable shape and Paul has been doing all sorts of fun things. His latest fasinations are clapping and saying Da-Da-Da. We've been trying to teach him sign language, and so he's also been exhibiting evidence of signing milk and help. Paul and mommy have also made a game of Momma-do, You-do. I put my hand over my mouth and say ah, and then momma does it to paul and he says ah! It's really great to see him interact in such ways. He is otherwise still growing very fast. And moving really fast! He'll go from 0 to 60 in about 3 seconds and before you know it he's in the other room, fasinated with the crumbs we somehow managed to miss. He's become well skilled in pulling himself up on things and has begun to risk standing alone! He stands by himself only when there is something sturdy right next to him. He's fallen quite a few times before while standing up so that now he's being careful. Smart kid. I'm still breastfeeding him but he's been getting more "people" food when we eat and he loves it and always asks for more.
We hope to pick out a tree soon. I only just strung up some lights in the living room to get us by until then. We had a good thanksgiving with everyone. Lots of yummy food and fun.
Thanks everyone. Hope to see you soon! More later!

To Jerry, my love

Today, two years ago, was the day that Jerry and I wed. And I want everyone to know that...


Jerry, you have always been loyal, faithful, FUN, and endearing. You will always be my best friend, my confidant, and a part of me. I look forward with joy to the many, many, many, many, many days ahead of us! ;) All the adventures that life will take us on. And all the many intricate, intimate, meaningful ways that the LORD will bring us closer and stronger together. I love you so very much and I am honored to be your wife.

~Rachael

2 teeth!!

Paul has a second tooth already poking through that I only just noticed today! No wonder he's been crabby... It also didn't help that I had a bit of coffee today.