Discoveries of the Week: Monday after Mania

Eliza's Discoveries of the Week:Steve and I have been very impressed with Eliza's newest "discoveries" or developments as only parents can be. We have been surprised recently when we go into Eliza's room after her nap or in the morning, to find her sitting up in her crib waiting for us!

Eliza cooperated and we finally got some decent footage of some of her new talents!

In the first video Eliza shows off her SKILLS at sitting herself up (and terrorizing the cat)! It's a fun glimpse of what it can be like to play at our house after dinner. If you think it looks fun, you're welcome to come join us!

We finally caught Eliza waving on camera in this video:

Eliza has been LOVING stuffed animals lately, which works out well since somehow we already have a TON! Her favorite lately has been her build-a-bear that Aunt Abby made for her that has a recording of her favorite Bumble Bee song on it, sung by her Oma and Aunt Abby.

Whenever we turn it on, Eliza looks all around for the singers and then laughs and hugs the bear!

Eliza has also recently gotten really good at standing up without Steve or my support. She has been partying with her walk-n-ride toy that my mom gave her for Christmas.

My Discoveries of the Week:
So most people look forward to their weekends as a time to relax and get some recreation time in. However, since I work weekends, I have been looking forward to my Monday's recently.

After Eliza and I finish up with the gym in the morning, I excitedly reassure Eliza, "We get to spend ALL day together, just you and me, Baby!"When Eliza was a newer baby and I was a newer Mommy, I would say this to Eliza after Steve would leave for work with a tear and glint of panic in my eye.

But these days, I look forward to our relaxing afternoons where it's just the two of us!

We snuggle under Aunt Joan's quilt and take two hour naps together. We bundle up under four layers of clothing, in the backpack and go for nature "hikes" around the apartment complex with Mika. We stuff our mouths full of juicy, sticky peeled apples and pears and grapes, pureed veggies, and potato bread with the crusts removed, then roll around on the carpet and crawl backwards under couches! Quite the party, right?
So blogging on Monday evening after Eliza's in bed has become a nice release for me! Especially this week since last night when I got home from work, I found a note on our doorstep from our apartment's leasing office saying that they will be showing a potential resident our apartment the next day between 1 and 2 pm, and that they have the right to do so according to clause, blah blah blah in our contract.

Soooo, the house is for once, actually (relatively) clean, Eliza's been asleep since 7:30, both pets are all curled up and snoozing, and Steve's painting.

Yay for me time!

Our update on our car, for any interested parties, is that it would cost an estimated ~$3000 to repair the engine. So say goodbye to the Toyota! :(

Guess it's time to start grazing through Car Max lisitings...