What a Pair

Christian and Eli are five years apart, which means they haven't spent a lot of playtime together until recently. Christian was always busy with his Legos and Eli with everything else. Now Eli has taken an interest in the Trio blocks, so they play with them together. They also run around the couch after Tori is in bed and do other things together. Eli loves being with his big brother. You can tell by how happy he looks every time they stomp up the stairs together. Maybe they will be close after all and Tori won't always have to be the buffer.

What a Pair

Christian and Eli are five years apart, which means they haven't spent a lot of playtime together until recently. Christian was always busy with his Legos and Eli with everything else. Now Eli has taken an interest in the Trio blocks, so they play with them together. They also run around the couch after Tori is in bed and do other things together. Eli loves being with his big brother. You can tell by how happy he looks every time they stomp up the stairs together. Maybe they will be close after all and Tori won't always have to be the buffer.

Trevor

Trevor the Chevy Traverse, or Truvy, as I like to call her, has arrived. We picked her up on Friday morning. Eli went with us, and lucky for us and for him, the dealers flew through the paperwork fast. We were done in less than an hour. I tossed Eli into the back seat. He started jumping around when he realized it was our new car. He was totally excited with Sponge Bob in the DVD player above. Since then, he has learned how to shut the player and has sat in the third row, which was a pain in the tootie. We now put him in the second row right behind the driver’s seat. As long as the DVD is playing, he seems happy as a clam.

Monkey Child

Eli is quite the funny boy these days, climbing everywhere, on couches, beds, over us, up the stair rail. If it looks like he can climb it, he will give it a try. It’s nothing to find him on top of desks, shelves, countertops, etc. He thinks nothing is off limits, so we have to watch him carefully to make sure he isn’t standing high on something he shouldn’t, like the deck rails!

All Night In His Own Bed

Eli did not get much of a nap yesterday and fell asleep on the way home. He slept off and on for a coupe of hours before scarfing down everything in sight. He was one hungry, tired boy. Huts said he fell asleep about 10:30 and we didn't hear a peep from him until we went in to wake him up. He was pretty happy this morning, so he must have gotten the sleep he needed.

Good, Bad

Eli went with us last night. He was antsy before and after but sat nicely in the first conference. He fussed in the next one—big time. Usually having a teacher he doesn't know in front of him keeps in quiet, but not in the second conference. Mrs. Evans didn't faze him one bit. Booger! He was rowdy at the grocery store afterwards, shoving his kid-size cart all over the aisles and fussing a lot. We were glad to get the little crazy home!

Mr. Independent

He’s only 2, but boy, does Eli think he can do any and everything. He gets mad when we try to set up his juice box for him, he gets made when we try to help him put on his coat, he gets mad when we help him with his toys. He thinks he can do anything his siblings can and will try, try, try until he gets it.

Take last night, for instance. They redesigned the grocery store, and there are new carts for customers in training. Tori took one, Christian took one and of course Eli took one. He pushed it fairly well, but was prone to crashing it into the back of the big cart. He thought that was funny and got irritated when I tired to guide his cart. No! he shouted!

We spent an hour in there, and Eli did some grocery shopping of his own, picking out organic bananas and ice cream, which I put back when he wasn’t looking. It was pretty wild, and I am glad the store was fairly empty.

Bad Mood

I think Tori's bad mood from Sunday rubbed off on Eli for Monday. He seemed fine when I got him up, a little tired but not cranky. He didn't want breakfast, so we hopped into the car and that's when it started. He refused to accompany the kids in to before care--something which he absolutely loves doing! He refused all drinks and snacks. he refused to tell me goodbye. He was having none of us this morning! Hopefully, he gets a good nap and is in a better mood this afternoon.

On A Roll

Eli is not the wild child he once was. He's still sticky and he still gets into things, but not nearly as much now. He jabbers away, throwing out real words left and right, and chases after his brothers and sister. He smiles, throw kisses and makes my day more often than not. He's our little pale blond jabberbox!

Limping Little One

On Monday while we were leaving the sitter's Eli complained about his right foot. I thought there was something in his shoe, so I took off his shoe and sock and carried him to the car. He was OK on the car ride home. When we got home he was crabby and walking on the heel of his right foot. He was crabby from just waking up from his nap, so he seemed like he was in pain, he was just being a pain! We checked over his foot and found what we thought was a splinter. We tried to dig it out, but were unsuccessful. After his bath we figured out it was just dirt, so his parents subjected him to some minor torture for nothing. He had no bruises, fever or swelling and after he got over his crabbiness he played while walking on his heel without complaining. We verified with the sitter that nothing happened and debated on whether to take him to the Doctors. We decided to wait and see how it was the next day.

His walking improved on Tuesday and by wednesday he was almost walking normally, just a little pigeon toed on his right foot. He chased his sister around at night as fast as he could and did all his normal playing activities without complaint...at least about his foot. Thursday morning he seemed to walk almost normally as he helped his Mom take the kids to before care. We aren't sure what the issue was, but we are guessing he had a cramp or a tightened muscle from sleeping on his foot funny. As long as he's back to normal by Friday we won't be taking him to the doctor. He's been improving every day, so it must be mending itself. At least he won't be a little limper much longer.

Mr. Helper

Christian is lousy at cleaning. Tori, too. Eli, on the other hand, rowdy Eli is a picker upper. When we got tot he sitter's on Friday, he was intent on picking up the last block and putting it away. He did it, much to my surprise. Then over the weekend, I started paying more attention to his doings,. He picked up his toys several times and he even helped me pick up Tori's room--she did not help until the threat of punishment. He likes to throw things into the trash, vacuum, dust, whatever he thinks he is big enough to help with! Awww, my youngest is not as rowdy after all.

Bus, Bus, Bus!

This is the game Eli plays in the morning on his way to Sharon's. He points them all out, along with cars. When he sees more than one bus, he gets really excited and often claps his hands. He is tossing words out left and right now. you have to listen carefully to understand what he is attempting to say. It's a bit frustrating. but better than his grunt-and-point schtick.

Transition

Eli is making his own transition to one of the only kids at the sitter's. Some days he will be the only one at the sitter's. He talked all the way to the sitter's even though I couldn't understand most of it. Played with his Kleenex and his drink keeping and eye out for buses. Every time he'd see one, he yell "BUS, BUS, BUS". That was one of Christian and Tori's first word's as well. Keeps them occupied during the school year drive to the sitter's.

So far he hasn't cried when I've dropped him off. Yesterday he had Maya to play with and today, he was the first one there, but showed no sign of fear or crying about being there by himself. He walked from the car to the door, knocked on the door and we went in. He was ready to go and wasn't concerned that I was leaving him. I guess he's getting bigger and used to being with the sitter more. This will definitely make him a bit more of an independent person since he'll have to do more on his own. He won't be too lonely though and will have a lot of his own stories to tell us now.

All Alone

Eli was not happy to see his brother and sister go this morning. I should have taken him inside with me, which I will do this afternoon if we have time. I wonder how today will go--I guess it all depends on whether Jayden is there or not. Eli is not real keen on being by himself, but I guess he will learn. Sharon will probably take him places more now.

Not A Happy Camper

Eli was not happy at all to see his uncle yesterday and ended up going with us to kindergarten. He whined and cried much of the night until his sister started playing with him. Then he was all smiles. He stayed in his bed all night long and seemed a little bit better this morning. Boy, is he gonna miss the kids next week when they start school.

All Is Well

Eli had his two-year-old checkup and all is well. He still has some eczema and a ton of bruises, but other than that, he is fine. He is a very active, who catches on quick. He can go up and down the stairs like nothing and unlock the slider and let the cats and himself in and out! So far, that has not been an issue, but I keep waiting for him to sneak out on his own. He ran after his dad on Monday but I caught him before he tried to run across the street. Keeping my fingers crossed he doesn't take to sneaking out.

On a different note, Eli is becoming more verbal, with "ori" one of his latest new words. The T in his sister's name eludes him, so for now, Tori is Ori. He appears to eb ableto say Mya too, a little girl at the babysitter's. Ollie just came naturally to him. Go figure. He loves his big brother. Tori, on the other hand, well that's a tossup. She can make him laugh and she can make him squeal, When he has had enough of her antics, he tends to give her a big slap on the head or the arm--most often in the car. We can't wait until we get a larger car and can separate the two!

Birthday Boy

Eli turns two on Saturday. We are going to be out of town, so he got his presents yesterday. Huts had already bought him a Wonder Pets car thing. He picked out a new Mickey Mouse firetruck rider, a cup, a squishy ball and a Tickle Me Elmo, which his sister promptly clothed once we got home! We are taking him to a water park in Cape this weekend and having a little party for him with cake. He is all set to have a blast, and is already showing signs of his terrible twos.

The latest is fits. "No!" he screams as he stamps his feet. He's gotten a few swats for that one. He also like to hit and pull hair. Yes. he's a handful, but our world would not be the same without him.

Growing

Unlike the other 2 Eli hasn't had his yearly physical yet. His is next month after his birthday, but you can tell he is definitely growing. Not only physically, but he is growing mentally too. He's starting to talk more and combine words to make small sentences like "thank you" and his favorite "ice cream". He also has the basic "No" and yes down, except his yes is "uh-huh". We are trying to teach him the names of foods and drinks that he wants so we have an easier time of determining what he wants instead of guessing at his grunts. In no time, like his brother, he'll be telling us how wrong we are about everything.

We are also beginning potty training for Eli. He likes to get on the potty, but hardly ever goes. He tries and sometimes we get lucky and catch him at the right time, but for the most part its a game for him. Which will be an improvement over his brother. We are trying to get him out of a diaper as soon as we can. Like his sister, Eli likes to go places with his Daddy, but sometimes he'll be too busy with toys and just tell me bye-bye without crying about it. I have a feeling he'll won't be like his siblings who are on the extreme ends of staying home (Christian) and always going (Tori). He's definitely his own person.

Eli has also gotten into a nightly routine as well. He gets his pants changed, his medicine for his excema and he goes to sleep with Daddy in his own bed. Most nights he sleeps all night(finally), but on occasion he gets up and comes and sleeps with us. He's also in the middle of the road with his siblings about getting up. Some days he's chipper and ready to go, other days he's tired and crabby. He plays with both of them well when they let him and he seems to like them both. I'm sure that will change once he reaches his teen years.

Candy Picker

This was the first year Eli had been to a parade. We weren't sure how well he would like it, but he was a real trooper. The parade started with fire engine and police car sirens, which Eli was not thrilled with, but after that, the bands, horses, etc. came, along with a ton of candy. Eli caught on to that real fast, grabbing it off the street and shoving it into the plastic bag. He also got suckers and Popsicles to eat, plus flags and balloons. it was hot, but the little red-faced boy soldiered on and tuckered out in the car. He had a great parade!

Finally Asleep

Eli slept in his bed, all night long! We're hoping this is the beginning of the pattern that got interrupted when we went on vacation. He has also been potty a couple of times, but the connection is not there. Getting there. This weekend, he is staying with Uncle Dale for a couple of hours while we take the kids to the movies. He usually freaks out when Dale comes over because he knows what that means. We're hoping to sneak out during his nap.

Out of Routine

Just as we suspected, Eli no longer sleeps through the night. He has woken up twice now, and the pattern will no doubt continue. We are working on potty training, but no luck yet. He gets on with no problems but has yet to do his business. Maybe soon. Still can't get him to eat a lot either. He goes through these phases of eating and not eating. That and all of his running around keep him slim and trim!

Update: Tonight he went to sleep at 7:30, lets hope its another 12 hour marathon like he had after going swimming on vacation. We aren't looking forward to getting up at 3 am for the day.

Little Crab

Eli wanted very little to do with anyone he saw this weekend. Kisses and hugs were not given too freely until the end when he relaxed a little. He got through it, but came home with lots of scrapes and bruises and in a foul mood. He was a super mess at lunch on the way home and a booger at home this weekend. Nothing suited him, and he let us know it with yips and screams at the top of his lungs. Bedtime was welcomed by all!

On The Move!

Wait until you all see me. I am almost two and there is nothing I won't try to do. Want proof? Take a look at my skinned up, bruised and battered legs and arms. I'm a runner, I'm a climber, and I don't take no for an answer. Get ready, everyone, I'm coming to wreak havoc on your homes!

Mr. Crabs

Eli is getting in his last two teeth, and boy, is he crabby. He chews on his fingers and yelps about everything until the medicine kicks in, which seems to take forever. In addition, he has taken to getting into everything he shouldn't and does not like the word NO! We're also having issues with food. He is a waster like most little kids and can't make up his mind what he wants I suppose the terrible twos have already started. Hopefully, they won't stick around long.

Advancement

Eli has always wanted to keep up with is older siblings, so when we went to McDonalds playland for Christian's 7th birthday dinner, he didn't want to play in the little kids play area, he wanted to play with the big kids! His brother and sister were nice about it and helped him get over the obstacles he couldn't. He tried climbing up the slide, but kept slipping back down the slide. He even tried to play the basketball game with his sister, but he only got as far as holding the ball above his head, he didn't have enough strength to throw it up and over the glass to even attempt a shot.

Like his siblings he ended up tired and ready to go. He ate most of his Happy Meal, but like his siblings didn't eat much of his fries, they aren't big into McDonalds fries. He also had a nice cold Strawberry shake like his siblings from Hardees after their adventure at McDonald's. He took a couple sips and was done with it, just like his siblings. He is growing up in their footsteps.

Helper

Tonight we are setting up the garage for the yard sale. The kids have promised to help. Want to bet how much help Eli will be. Betting he takes everything back into the house, at least what he can get away with. Little booger. By the way, he is potty training. Loves to sit on the toilet. First time ever for me. I had to practically tie the other two to the toilet, but Eli will get on it anytime I mention it. now if I could just figure out when he really needs it. Wish me luck! We may actually get him potty trained by the time he is two.

Bonk!

Eli was jumping around on his brother's bed, trying to stay away from me so I couldn't dress him when he got a little too excited and smashed into the wall. Many tears and wails later, he was fine and into more mischief! He likes to sit on the cabinets and scrounge for things he shouldn't have. This morning, he emptied the silverware drawer and threw it on the floor devilishly. Little imp!

The Cat Rider

Eli likes to chase Piper and 'Ride' her. Here is an unsuccessful attempt.

Big Boy

Eli is growing up fast! He can drink from a cup now and will soon be tossing his sippy cups out. He also slept in his big bed last night, all night long, by himself! He is picking up words left and right, though he calls the shots on how many times he says them. The only thing he shows no interest in is potty training. Maybe when he is closer to 2. I am kind of sad my baby is growing up, but not sad enough to have another one. We are done!

Cord Man

What's Eli''s favorite thing in the world to play with? Anything that has a cord. He totes my mixer and hairdryer around, plus anything else he can get his hands on with a cord. He removes cords, too, and plugs them in. Yes, we have safety covers, but he knows how to take them out now. The little booger also likes to play with the light switches. See a trend here? Maybe a future electrician?

Climber

Eli is our most active child. He gets into everything possible and climbs everywhere, which is why all small chairs, tables and stools have been put away,. Now he has taken to climbing on the bar stools and up on the island. He also likes to climb up onto the bar-height table and chairs and wreak havoc there. He has fallen a few times, but that doesn't seem to stop him. If he can climb it, he will, especially to flick those "ights ot and on." Yep, words are starting to come. His favorites are "ot" (hot) and "ights." He can say, out, Ollie, hi, bye and some other words, but they aren't as frequent. Still a lot of pointing and grunting fo what he wants. Booger!

Rotten

Eli slept with me last night and was fine most of the night. He got up in a terrible mood, demanding that Huts hold him the entire time. We had to get ready for work, of course, so he got put down several times. He wailed and wailed and wailed about it. Somehow we got through it all and got him into the car. He calmed down and was quiet most of the way. Huts and ,. on the other hand, are frazzled. We are tired from 19 months of no sleep and fed up with our whiny children from this morning. Hopefully, those children have disappeared and happy ones are now in their place.

Night Owl

Eli has been staying up late these days, until 10 or later. He jabbers away as he rolls all over the couch and onto us. He tosses around toys, squishes cats and has a great time all around. He seems to know that his brother and sister are in bed, and he got to stay up later than they did, and enjoys it. Last night, I gave up and put him in bed with me. He fell asleep half an hour later after some patting on the back and the butt. That seems to put him to sleep. We'll see how late he stays up tonight.

Update: He was crabby and out by 8:30, by 10 he was moaning. It was his teeth's fault. He slept with his Daddy and I think Eli got more sleep than his Dad.

Humming Right Along

Eli went in for his 18 month check-up recently. He's continuing on his same growth path. 75% in height, 25% in weight and 50% noggin size. He only tried to escape the room once, but realized he had no where to go once he got to the door. Once the exam began he had me hold him the entire time. He didn't scream or cry, he just wouldn't budge from me. He was able to get his complete checkup without much fuss. He only got a little scared when she checked his hip movement and he couldn't hold onto me as tight as he wanted. After the exam he was ready to go and had fun with the paper on the exam table while I got him dressed. After that we picked up Mama and Christian and headed home for the night.

He's starting saying a few things like 'hot' and 'light', though they come out like 'ot' and 'ight'. He's been making new sounds as well. Hopefully he begins talking more instead of pointing and screaming for things...that gets on your nerves! Tonight is haircuts and Eli may get his first trim. The hair over his ears is getting a bit long!

Hurtin' Again

I just got 4 molars all the way out and I decided to give my parents 2 full nights of sleep. Then my mouth decided it wasn't done and had to force my eye teeth out 2 at a time. Right now the tips are poking through my top gums, but the whole tooth isn't out yet. I may look like a vampire for awhile. I'm definitely feeling it cause I'm crabby and not a pleasure to sleep with. Yes, I said sleep with. You see, this here pain is excruciating and makes it difficult for me to sleep. So I wake up and force my parents to sleep with me. Then I keep them up by head butting them, smacking them in the face with a flying hand while trying to get comfortable in the middle of the night. Next time you see my parents, they may be black and blue...someone has to feel my pain!

Ha-Ha I Tricked You

Hey, folks, Eli here. As you all know, I'm a lousy sleeper like my brother and sister were. I am almost 17 months old, but I rarely sleep through the night. I gave Mom and Dad a break this week and slept through Sunday and Monday night, and then, I gave them a run for their money, staying up most of the night on Tuesday and Wednesday. I went to bed at a reasonable hour, but I fussed in the middle of the night and landed in their bed. Then I tossed and turned and moaned the rest of the night. This morning, I woke up at 5 with Mom, and after some medicine, I was quite the rounder. Mom and Dad thought I would fall asleep in the car, but I didn't. Dad called me a booger! Stay tuned for what I do tonight.

Paper Boy

Eli likes all of his toys, but pulling off the paper was the best part for him. He loved ripping into the presents and running off with the paper. The toys came later, and his favorite comes from Uncle Sam, a wooden bench with blocks to hammer through. He likes beating things, and that toy was right up his alley. it helps that Tori plays assistant and flips over the toy when he is done so he can start the beating all over again.