The year in review

It's been almost a year since the last time I updated the blog. Horrible. I know.

BUT a lot has changed int he Shafer family!!

October- ELIJAH TURNED 1!!!!!!!

We didn't have a party... but we had cake, and really that's all you need when you turn one!! ;)






November- Found out that our family of 3 was becoming that of 4!

In the last year and a half, I had learned that God has a plan for our family and I might not always understand it, but I wasn't ever to question it... which is pretty much the only thing that kept me sane after finding out that we were expecting again... YES. So soon. I know. If I had a dollar for everytime someone told me how busy I was going to be, or how soon it was after Elijah was born (after all he was barely one! right?) ... I would be a very, VERY rich woman. But alas, I did not receive a dollar for every such comment. But, I'm rich with blessings anyway!

December- Baby's first memorable Christmas!

Elijah was barely old enough at his last Christmas for me to feel comfortable taking him out of the house!! But this year we headed up north again, and we somehow managed to get the WHOLE family there! It was awesome (and loud!!) :)

As promised!!

Our FIRST picture with all three of us!! (How sad-- he's 10 months old already!!!)

Like father, Like Son, like Grandson

After 5 hours at the zoo in the sun he's STILL in a good mood!!

If you've been around Elijah lately you know exactly what he's doing here-- shrieking and giggling while clapping his hands because he's so excited!!

EWWWWWWW germs!!!! (Thank GOODNESS for Purell Hand sanitizer!! :)

It's gonna be a good day!!!!

These "monkeys" are much bigger than Elijah's Alex!!

One of my favorites-- in a more artsy kinda way!

Loving the zoo!

Thanks for taking the day off Grandpa!!

Elijah like the bears and the chimpanzees the best... I was pretty certain standing in front of those bears that we were going to be the next victims on the "When Animals Attack" show. I could picture those bears getting out and mauling everyone there :) haha morbid I know, but check out the size of those claws!! you'd be afraid too!!

Just for you Auntie Jill!!!

Grandpa took the day off from work to come to John Ball Park Zoo!!! It was a BEAUTIFUL day and a GREAT TIME!!

We saw Lions, and Tigers, and Bears (oh my!) and Elijah got a stuffed tiger, and he got to pet the goats because Grandpa took him into the petting zoo!! (No worries, there was hand sanitizer there to wipe the germs off from Elijah when he was done :)


(sorry no time to write more-- just pictures-- which is really why you came here anyway!!! :)

Love,
The Shafers

Where does time go?

YUCK! Where does the time go????

Finals a looming ahead. It's like a dark cloud with NO sign of light on the other side. 14 weeks all boils down to one 3 hour test (for each class) and how well you were able to memorize everything the professor said from the moment they walked in on day one, to the last day of class.

No biggie. :)

Anyway-- Elijah is MOBILE!! We are all in BIG BIG trouble. He started crawling on his 8 month birthday and hasn't really stopped since!! He has learned to pull himself up on EVERYTHING (including his favorite spot-- his mom's pant legs!). He can chance the dogs, pull himself up, sit back down.

The other day I caught him hangnig onto the coffee table and looking at me. I swear I could see the wheels turning in his head thinking "I can make it the 3 steps to Mom... I know I can." He let go of the coffee table, and then thought better of the whole walking idea, grabbed back onto the coffee table and went back to banging the remote control (his favorite toy) on the table.

He's pretty well mastered the whole feeding himself thing. He helps himself to all the fuzzies he can handle when he's crawling around. It grosses me out to think that he's putting something that was on the floor into his mouth.

Elijah "made the rounds" last week. Auntie Nicole and cousin Madison met us in Grand Rapids, and took Elijah to spend the night at their house. Then Grandma came and got him. Elijah got to spend a few days on the farm before Auntie Jill and Uncle Chad got their hands on him. Then back to Grandmas (Where I heard that Elijah helped the vet treat some cows!!). He was gone for a whole week. It was VERY VERY strange to have a quite house to study in.

VERY productive also. I got to spend a few 12-13 hour days cooped up at school cramming for finals (and by cramming i mean CRAMMING since I am SOOOOOOOO far behind!!!)

But Matt and I did manage to sneak over to Mom and Dad's house to spend some time with Elijah last weekend when we were up north for Mike's wedding!

While I was there I took the liberty of photographing my two favorite subjects: Madison and Elijah.

Enjoy!!!

I'll post the pictures below.

Matt went to put Elijah to sleep about 3o minutes ago and hasn't come back down yet... and I'm pretty sure I can hear someone snoring over the baby monitor... and I'm also pretty sure that Elijah can't snore THAT loud-- so I better go wake Matt up since he's got chores to do!! :)

Water Works

I'm sure you've been anxiously wondering what is going on the Shafer household. And I know it's been TOO long since I updated. Funny how life just gets crazy when you are in school full time (with a HARD class load) AND you have an 8 month old.

That's right. Elijah is EIGHT MONTHS OLD!! And in case you were wondering that officially makes him 253 days old as of today.

Sometimes when I am in class, and the material is particularly boring I will figure out how many minutes of class are left, then calculate seconds. It's very gratifying to see them tick away on the clock. (yes, law school IS more boring than watching the second hand on a clock). So carrying on that tradition:

It is currently July 1, 2008 12:13 pm that means that Elijah is:
253 days old
6063 hours old (and 17 minutes!!)
363797 minutes old
21827820 seconds old.


Each one of those seconds has been precious to me. Sure, they haven't always been easy. For example, I never knew until having Elijah that a baby could scream louder than a teenage girl in a bad horror movie. I also never knew that some babies don't sleep and have more energy at 3am than any normal human being ever should have. I didn't know babies could cry hysterically for 10 minutes and instantly be "cured" of whatever was bothering them the moment you picked them up. (And FORGET about putting him down once you picked him up-- it's out of the question!)

Even in the bad times, the sleepless nights, the crying, the spitting up, the endless diapers...

It's all been worth it.

I never know that something so small could have such a big heart. I never knew that something so innocent could bring me so much joy. There was a time in my life where I never saw myself as a mother, but now after 8 months of bring Elijah's mother-- I can't imagine my life without him.

I've spent the last 8 months on a roller coaster, laughing more than I ever have, and crying more than I ever have (both tears of joy and frustration).

I've learned many things, but I think one of the most important is this:

It's ok to be who you are. It's ok to be weak when things are just too hard to handle. It's ok to laugh at "inappropriate" times if you just need to laugh. It's ok to cry when it all becomes too much to handle. It's ok. It's important to live every second like it might be the last one you have. It's important to surround yourself with those who bring you joy, and to confront the things that bring you sadness. It's ok to put ourselves out further on the limb than we want to be. It's ok to love even though we might get hurt. It's ok to care even when you might get nothing in return from your efforts. Face each day with a brave face (even if you don't feel brave at all!).

We aren't super heros. We don't have super-human strength, and there WILL be times in life where it just seems like you can't POSSIBLY endure another minute. But all you have to do is watch that clock-- and it's a miracle! the seconds WILL tick away, and this moment will be gone before you can even take the time to take it all in.

Also, never underestimate the importance of having several rubber duckie, lots of bubble bath, big soft towels, and rain coat, and a bathing suit that makes you look as not fat as possible. (this will all make sense in a minute)

So with all of that said, I'll get to what you REALLY came here for: *drum roll*


PICTURES OF THE CUTEST BABY IN THE WORLD!!!!!!

Did you notice the new addition to the smile? (well the TWO new additions? Our first two teeth!!!)

It's my first time in the pool!!

Check out my sexy specs!

I'm pretty sure I like this pool thing!
... well now I'm not sure sure I like it. Where did the sun go?
(Yes. this WILL be the only time you see me in a bathing suit. :) the things I do for Elijah... I tell you what!!!)




See!? One rubber duckie is CLEARLY not enough!

The more bubbles the better!!! I like to eat the bubbles... mmmmm... they're so good!

.... I can't figure out why I can't grab ahold of the water? It always moves!!
Seriously mom? ANOTHER picture of me in the tub?


This looks like he's doing a self portrait, but he's not. He's trying to grab the camera and put it in the water because that's where toys go... right?

.... Ok I admit it. I haven't taken many pictures lately, but... at least I updated. Doesn't that count for anything? Once i get a break from school (a MUCH MUCH needed break from school) I want to take Elijah to the beach at sunset and take some pictures of him. I've got some of me when I was still pregnant with him last summer at the beach, so it'll be fun to come full circle.

That's all for now.. sorry it took so long, and sorry there are so many naked baby in the water pictures. I just haven't had time!!!