He would be running already if it was up to him...

Eli is growing up too fast. Way. Too. Fast.

He went from crawling to cruising to walking in about a month's time.

He went from 5 steps to an unlimited number in about a week.

Slow down, Mr. Eli! You're not even 10 months old yet!

By popular demand...

...more smushed face pictures from Eli.

Sholi-pop

The same weekend that Eli and I had our game day adventure, Mike (aka Sholi-pop) came to visit. Mike is a good friend of Josh's from college and he comes through Tuscaloosa periodically on business. If you have been reading my blog for while, you may remember when he had a chance to hang out with Noah. It is always a treat when he visits.

Mike has a little boy who is about two weeks younger and about 6 pounds lighter than Eli. They had a good time hanging out and playing with the football.

Ironically, while Mike was in T-town hanging out with me, his wife was able to go to one of the Alabama matches at Texas State and see Josh. It was a wife swap of sorts. =)

Blogging block

This picture pretty much sums up how I have been feeling this week...

My house isn't clean.

I wore sweats to Kindermusick today... and let's just say most young moms in T-town are not the sweat pant wearing types.

I need to get moving on planning a garage sale, but feel lethargic every time it comes to mind.

Every day that passes I get more stressed about where we will be next year.

And my 9.5 month old has decided that I made a good teether.

It is still hot and humid here in Alabama. Which makes it hard to wear the cardigans and scarves that are calling to me from my closet. I need Fall.

Calgon, take me away!

Mohawk Eli

Eli is finally getting some hair.

So what does any self-respecting mother do after applying sunscreen to a baby's head?

Style a mohawk, of course!

Pure joy.

Feel free to watch this multiple times.

It will make you smile. I promise.

While Daddy's away...

Eli and I had an adventure this weekend.

An adventure known as College Gameday.

You see, around these parts, there is only one thing worth talking about during the fall. And that is Alabama Football.

And when ESPN rolls into town for their weekly Saturday morning college football extravaganza, how can you not go and check out the festivities? Even if Josh is 3 states away in Texas!

So Eli and I donned our crimson and white, stashed some ice water in the bottom of the stroller (it was HOT), and went off in search of Kirk Herbstreit.

There were a few crazy fans... both of Bama and Penn State leanings...

There were some funny signs and other paraphenalia...

A few Penn State fans were unprepared for the heat and humidity... perhaps they were choosing the wrong liquid with which to hydrate?

I saw a few famous faces (at least if you follow college football)...

But this face will always be my favorite...

Confessions of an insecure blogger

In case you haven't realized these things already...

1. I am not crafty.

2. My house does not look like it belongs in a catalog.

3. I'm not planning on homeschooling.

4. I don't have companies offering products to me to give away on my blog.

5. I didn't write a book or start a foundation for Noah after he passed away.

But I hope you keep reading anyway.

(Because I do have a really cute kid.)

Our 'extended' family

In the Lauer household, there is no separation between volleyball and life.

Josh started coaching college volleyball in 2004 which was also very early in our marriage. It just seemed natural to embrace the girls on the team at UMSL as part of our family. The same has held true at Alabama. Which will make it all the more sad to leave in 2011.

The team (minus Stephanie, Kelsey, and Leigh)

The seniors

The freshmen

I'm sure it won't surprise you when I tell you the team at Alabama has become attached to Eli. Attached may not be a strong enough word... they often offer to take him home with them. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Monday thoughts

• It may be Labor Day and a three-day weekend for some, but in the volleyball world we are in season so Eli and I are flying solo today.


• Really Macys? Is it really necessary to resurrect an Olivia Newton John song from Xanadu for your new advertising campaign? Really?


• I saw a man on a horse on the way home from Target today. That is a first.


• If you leave me in the house alone with chocolate chip cookies, I will eat them.


• In light of the end of Boot Camp and my chocolate chip cookie issues, I started a program called C25K (Couch to 5K) this morning. I don't really feel like I am at the couch level but I'm also not ready to run a 5K, so it seemed like a good fit. And it is all built into an app for my iPhone! While I listen to music, it tells me when to walk and when to run. (There's an app for that!)


• My son is a guitar-playing fool. This song was written especially for his guitar-playing uncles...

• Alabama Volleyball went 3-0 at the tournament this weekend. Winning is fun! But, of course, you all already knew we won because you are dedicated fans and check results all the time right? No? Well, if you want to, follow this linky... ALABAMA VB


• In honor of the first weekend of college football, Eli wore his Alabama football uniform to the match on Friday night. Pretty cute, huh?


• Our friends Aaron and Alisha recently relocated to Montgomery from St. Louis and we are thrilled to have them so close. They came to T-town for a the afternoon match on Saturday after which Josh took Aaron to the football game. Squished in between was a quick visit up to see the Heisman Trophy... Micah (Aaron and Alisha's son) decided a high-five was in order...

• I am officially a Bama fan. I was buying snack containers for Eli at Target today and removed about 10 packages from the hook so I could get to the one in the back that was NOT colored orange and blue.


• I think it is nap-time. For me. (Eli is already sleeping.)

The sign of a long day

Yesterday was Eli's 9 month check up with the pediatrician. The office was busy so we had somewhat of a long wait before we got to see our favorite doc.

How big is Eli? 28.8 lbs and 30.75 inches long. Holy cow. Needless to say, he is still off the top of the growth charts.

He does seem to be slowing down a little in the weight category. Which isn't too surprising considering he is ALWAYS on the move.

I had to stop a Target on my way home for a few essentials. Eli decided he couldn't wait until we got home to start his nap.

Homecoming

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to pack up the little man and travel with Josh and the Alabama volleyball team to Iowa City, Iowa.

The team was traveling because they were competing in the first tournament of the season at the University of Iowa. I was traveling because I am addicted to cheering on the team and my husband... but also because I claim Iowa City as my hometown. My parents moved to Michigan many years ago and I don't often have the opportunity to visit the town of my youth and had never had the chance to show Josh around my old hood.

Eli was an angel on the two flights on the way to Iowa. He snuggled in with dad and caught some z's. And during the layover in Minneapolis, he got plenty of attention from the girls on the team - they spoil him rotten.

After arriving in Iowa City, Eli and I explored the hotel. He crawled and crawled and crawled some more.

He also spent some quality time with my iPhone....

here he is excited to play

then he checked to see if I was watching

and then he made his move

After drying off my phone, we headed over to the Carver-Hawkeye Arena with the team for practice. Can you find my handsome husband doing his thing?

Eli also had a little face time with the media...

Sleeping in a hotel is not a skill that the E-man has mastered yet. He simply loves his crib at home. After several attempts at sleeping in the hotel crib, Eli convinced us that he really needed to sleep with us in the uber-comfortable Marriott bed. Can't say I blame him.

Perhaps the best part of the trip for me was the chance to catch up with my two best friends from high school, Erin and Rachel. I hadn't seen Erin (far right) since 2001 and Rachel (middle) since 1998. Crazy.

We met out at Rachel's farm house... the weather was gorgeous, the conversation refreshing, and the kids adorable. Such a good time. You know your friendship is true when you can pick up after 10 years as though you had only been apart a day.

Erin's little boy Christian wasn't too sure about sharing his mama's lap with Eli...

Rachel's youngest little girl was a picture waiting to happen as she wandered around the fence and flowers.

And I stepped out from behind my camera for a minute to get my picture taken with my favorite little boy.

I spent a lot of time driving around and visiting old haunts... I won't bore you with all the pictures I took of my schools and houses. But I will leave you with this perplexing shot... this is the mailbox in front of our old house. Really?

Watch me grow... nine months