Ewi The Great

At Home Boy

2012-01-21T13:17:00.003-06:00

Like his siblings, Eli likes to be athome alone. While we went to the Globetrotter's game last night,Eli stayed at home with his Mama. He was better for her by himselfthan he is when everyone is home. He gets a bit riled up by the extrapeople and activity. He watched the shows he wanted to watch andsang along with Dora and Diego. He got fewer snacks than usual andwas happy to play by himself. He was laying down in the bed whenwe got home from the game, but he got up, ran and hugged my leg when hesaw me. After that I had him lay back down and shut the door so theother kids wouldn't keep him up. He usually falls asleep in our bedwatching a show and that night was no different. It all depends onhow tired he is when he falls asleep. Later this year, he'll be putto bed on his own at a decent bed time.

Eli also likes playing by himself orwith Mya at the sitter's house. He usually gets lost in the shufflewhen there are a lot of kids there. Most days, he's there by himselfand loves it. He gets to watch TV in Sharon's room and can crawlunder the covers and get comfortable if he wants. He runs errandswith her and is always well behaved she says. Now if we could onlyget him to stop running over our ankles with the grocery cart.

Flying Solo Again

2012-01-13T21:43:00.001-06:00

Eli is once again going to the sitter’s on his own. He takes some toys, chooses a TV to watch and has a lot of fun all on his own. He is fantastic at playing by himself. He makes up games all of the time at home and off he goes. He also does a pretty good job of playing with Tori. He loves to play house with her. What he does not do is play well with kids he doesn’t know. He gets mad at the store when other kids are playing with the train table or games. He is not into sharing at all! Imagine that—the youngest not being into sharing.

Weave Me Awone Daddy!

2012-01-04T17:59:00.002-06:00

Shocks of all shocks, Eli turned on his dad last night. As most of you know, Eli is a Daddy’s boy. He wants Daddy to do everything for him. He only turns to me when Daddy is not around. Last night, after an argument with Daddy in the bathroom, Eli decided he would rather deal with me and told Huts to take a hike. Huts was never so thrilled in his life to be dismissed and relegated to supper duty. Mommy was the name of the game until this morning when Eli was back to being Daddy’s boy.

Eli typically wakes up crabby, and in addition to telling me to leave him alone, he fought with Tori. He insisted that he was the only one going to Sharon’s, which, of course, he wasn’t. Tori tried to tell him otherwise, but he wouldn’t listen. She broke down in tears, and I put an end to that conversation. Hopefully, everything went OK when the two went into Sharon’s. Eli is the youngest and accustomed to flying solo with Sharon, so who knows how well he reacted to another day of kids.

Hyper

2011-12-12T19:20:00.001-06:00

We took the kids to see the lights and the dinosaurs this weekend. The lights were great; the dinosaurs, not so much. Oh well. It was something to do. I really thought the kids would get bored on Sunday, but they played all day long, never once asking if we were going out. They ran around the house in their PJs all day long, chasing each other and playing games. Our house was NOISY but pure fun. They finally settled down on the couch with us around 8—Eli fell asleep fast, and Tori and Christian went to bed at 9. Everyone seemed a little tired this morning but happy.

Don't Worry Mom

2011-12-08T18:11:00.001-06:00

Once I showed Tori my stitched up hand, I decided to show Eli. I removed the bandage, He jumped back, put his hands on the sides of his face and said, “Ewww, gross. Put your band-aid back on!” I fell into the floor laughing, to which Eli sighed and reassured me the band-aid would take care of everything. Band-aids are miracles in our house. Eli uses them all the time, whether he has a real need for them or not. They will solve all of your problems, don’t you know!

Sharing or Not

2011-12-05T17:49:00.001-06:00

Generally Eli is pretty good at sharing with his siblings. He'll play with Tori and she'll lead the playing, but mostly he's playing with his toys with her toys. He'll help Christian with his lego's and other activities, but once again he is usually the 'helper' or gopher.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, a four year old came to visit. Eli usually isn't around kids close to his age or boys that are interested in his toys, so this was a true test. For most of the weekend he seemed to play with C.J. and share his toys. He had a few instances that were not so friendly. Eli was playing with is fire trucks in the living room and C.J. came into play. Eli wasn't playing with his police truck, so C.J. started playing with it. As soon as Eli noticed, he started crying that it was his toy and C.J. couldn't play with it. Unfortunately he got a hard lesson in sharing that day. He was told several times that he needed to share, but this didn't stop the tears. Luckily he seemed to eventually accept it and a pre-school brawl didn't break out on the playground that day. Sharing in kindergarten may be his big lesson for that year.

Weave Me Awone!

2011-11-12T11:31:00.001-06:00

Yes, Eli is back to that again, letting everyone know when he is in a foul mood. He has quite the little temper, and sometimes, it can be downright funny. Take the other afternoon, for example. We wanted to know whether he was going into the school to get the kids or sit out in the car and watch his DVD. He put his hands on his cheeks, shook his head really hard and yelled, "I can't do both things at once!" Huts and I burst out laughing, to which he immediately told us that it was not funny,. It was funny and it was funny five minutes later when he yelled at all of us that we were being too loud! There is no guessing with Eli. He flat tells you what he thinks!

A Real Trooper

2011-11-02T18:53:00.001-05:00

Eli could not wait to go trick-or-treating. He talked about it all week and got ready fast. Our little firefighter lasted longer than we expected. He hates all things scary, and there were a lot of scary decorations, hut Eli dealt with them. He went halfway around the block and out again with his dad and sister. He came home with a big bucket full, and amazingly, he ate little of it. We have given much of the candy away already! On to Thanksgiving!

Improvement

2011-10-14T20:54:00.005-05:00

Last night we decided to go out to eat. Christian and Tori were happy and surprised. We usually do takeout because Eli cannot sit still. Even with crayons and cars, he likes to get up and get out of the restaurant, leaving Huts and me to scarf down our food so we can deal with him. Last night, however, he did much better. He got a bit antsy from time to time, but for the most part, he sat at the table and made very little fuss. He also ate some of this dinner—a miracle these days—and left the restaurant happy. Eli is growing up fast!

Scrape, Fire and More!

2011-09-20T19:55:00.000-05:00

This weekend a lot was happening with Eli. On our way home Friday night after running a few errands, Eli fell asleep in the car. Usually he might take a quick nap and be up by 7...not this time. He slept until 11 pm! Since I was still up, he and his brother played until Christian went to bed at midnight. Eli ate a pancake and played fairly quietly until 2 am when he decided, at my suggestion that it was time to lay in his bed. Luckily he slept until 7 and was ready for our garage sale. Then during our garage sale, he was out riding his Mickey Mouse fire truck vehicle and lost control and tipped over scraping his head. He requested a band-aid. He got a little medicine for the pain in his head. He wanted me to take it off later in the day, when I tried he kept ducking his head down, making it really difficult to get the band-aid off. Eventually, I got it off, causing pain, then he wanted another band-aid for the pain. Again he ducked his head every time I approached his head with the band-aid. I got it on eventually, but it wasn't great. He didn't even realize he still had it on Sunday night and requested we take it off, but him ducking prevented that.

He also had to go garage saleing withTori and I. While she got a giant doll house to play with, Eli got4 small Mouse's for his train. He played with those most of Saturday. That night we took him to the store to pick out our treadmill. WhileI was getting it, he went with his Momma to the coin operated rides. Heplayed nicely until another kid tried to get in the ice cream truck withhim. He was having none of that and threw a fit. I heard himstill crying when his Momma was walking him out of Sears. He wasstill crying when I got to the car and continued his fit when we movedhis seat so we could get the treadmill in the car. He was upset mostof the way home, but calmed down eventually. Luckily he went to bedat a decent time and slept all night until 5 am when he walked downstairsand slept on the couch with his Momma for a few more hours. He playedthe day away and even stayed at home with his Grandma and big brotherwhile we ran some errands. He fell asleep around 9 while laying onthe couch with us and was a little crabby this morning, but was fine bythe time we got in the car.

Eli is a Big Boy Now!

2011-08-30T20:31:00.003-05:00

Hold on to your pants, folks, because Eli is nearly potty trained! He toyed with it for months, and then bam, he did it this week. Jayden got on board first at the sitter’s and then Eli followed. He told Sharon no thanks one day, that he had his own potty at home, and then he decided to hop up on hers the next. He has had just two accidents—at the park when he was playing too hard to realize what was going on. Last night, he slept through the night in underwear and stayed dry. He also did #2 for the first time on the potty yesterday afternoon. What a big boy, and what a snap compared to Christian who was not trained until age 4! Way to go, Eli!

Teary Boy

2011-08-23T20:14:00.001-05:00

Eli did not take to the fact that he was going to the sitter’s by himself very well. He cried, and cried, and cried without Tori. Sharon did her best to comfort him and said the other little girl, Jayden, had done the same when her sister went off to preschool. When we picked him up that afternoon, he was tired and cranky. It took about an hour before he stopped telling me to “weave him alone!” Yep, he tells me that a lot. He is a daddy’s boy most days and wants me to leave him alone. It’s quite funny. Eventually, Eli came out of his bad mood and spent the rest of the night snacking on goodies and giving his big sister kisses!

Train Boy

2011-08-21T15:36:00.002-05:00

Eli has become a train fiend this summer. He got a Mickey Mouse train for his birthday and has already run the new batteries out of it. Every time we go to Toys R Us, he immediately goes to the train table and plays with them. While we were there last time, he found the Chuggington toys. They are bigger and more electronically advanced than Thomas the Train toys. He wanted a BIG train. So we got him a remote controlled Wilson train. He loves it. He tries to run it over everything. He keeps asking about trains and if he can have a bigger train. Eventually we'll have to get him a full size one!

He inherited Christians Thomas trains and plays with them when he can get someone to open them for him. He loves putting them in long rows and playing with them in his batman house. Not sure what he'll be into next, but for now, he's got his train obsession satisfied.

Birthday Boy

2011-08-09T19:40:00.002-05:00

Eli turned 3 on Sunday. He got a Lego truck and a Mickey Mouse train, plus a few other things. He also went to a water park on Saturday, where he went up and down the big slide with his dad a dozen times. He also played in the baby pool and on the jungle gym. He had a great time and was one happy boy. Does he know that he is 3? Sometimes. Other times he is 6, 18 and so forth. He is ready to grow up before we are ready for him to! Just like his big brother.

Birthday

2011-07-26T20:29:00.002-05:00

I got a couple of cakes for a friend’s birthday yesterday and saw a couple of cakes shaped like a dog and hot dog, complete with an ant on it. Eli, I am sure, would love one of these cakes for his birthday, which is “comin’ up,” He keeps talking about getting a cake and presents. Huts and I have NO idea what to get him. He has everything he needs and then some. He loves to ride on his cars, so maybe we will get him that Harley-Davison tricycle Huts saw the other day. We tried a small bike, but Eli is not strong enough to push it. He loves his trike though! Rides it all of the time, up and down the sidewalk as fast as his little legs will take him. We cannot wait until he is big enough for a bike!

Lights Out

2011-07-05T18:14:00.002-05:00

Eli got into this habit this weekend of rising early and tuckering out around 7 or 8 o’clock. He liked going to the ball game, but around 9, he gave up and fell asleep in his dad’s arms. We thought the fireworks were going to wake him up, but he slept right through them. The only time he stirred was when we got up to leave. He missed the whole show! Poor fella. He got up early on Monday as well but fell asleep while watching TV that afternoon. He slept for a few hours and went to bed at a reasonable time last night. Little does he know all of the fun he missed. Probably just as well as he went crazy with the sparklers! No doubt he would have burned himself or someone else.

Out Early

2011-06-27T20:37:00.002-05:00

After a long weekend of fun, Eli fell asleep quickly last night. We spend much of the weekend working on our kitchen, and Eli helped “fix” things and paint. He also played in the sprinkler and ran around outside a lot. All of this eventually took a toll on him, and he sacked out on our bed around 7 last night. Huts put him into his bed, and we didn’t hear a peep from him until early this morning. He wanted Daddy and he found him on the couch. Tonight he sleeps in our room on another mattress so Annie and the new kitties can sleep in his room. Huts and I need our bed back, and Dreamy, the mother, needs her mom Annie to sleep with. Just 2 more weeks and Dreamy and her kittens will have a new home and their own room to sleep in I’m sure.

My Birthday Coming Up

2011-06-20T17:03:00.000-05:00

Eli is catching on to all of this birthday stuff, and he now knows that his birthday is coming up soon. He told me and his dad about it. He also asked me what the name of it was. It took me a while to figure out what he was asking, but he wanted to know what month his birthday is in. I told him August and his dad’s birthday comes right after his. He seemed happy about that. Goodness knows what he will want, as he often gets distracted in the toy store and leaves with nothing. He’s got all of the tools and automobiles he’ll ever need; not sure what he will set his sights on next.

Ewiiiii

2011-06-13T19:33:00.001-05:00

Eli now says his own name, telling me all day yesterday who he was. Like most young kids, he turns the “l” into “w.’

Our little talker also told Gama yesterday that he was going to the toy store for a gun to shoot the bugs. He didn’t go, of course, but he did get a water gun to shoot the ants down. He must have spent a lot of time washing away the ants and it must have wore him out because around 5 he climbed up on Ollie’s bed and fell asleep with Hum the bunny in hand. He slept for about and a half and then had some dinner.

Of course, this late nap kept him up and he ended up sleeping with me. Ugh. He moved all over the bed and poked me several times in the head and ribs. He must have gotten some sleep somehow because he woke up happy this morning, ready to go. Ollie went with him, and Eli was happy about that!

Shicken nuggats, friiies, shocolate milk

2011-06-02T20:19:00.002-05:00

Eli has turned into a major talker, just like his sister. He talks a mile a minute about most everything, and sometimes you can make it out and sometimes you can’t. It is becoming clearer, however, as his recent request for a McDonalds Happy Meal revealed. He knows what he wants, and he asked for it in his own, unique way. Did he eat it? Not exactly. He is a lousy eater, especially these days. He picks at his food and often avoids supper altogether. We hold back snacks from him until he eats dinner, but that doesn’t always work. He knows what he wants, and if he doesn’t want to eat, he is not going to—no matter what the consequences. SIGH! He can be so stubborn. Wonder where he gets that from?

Jabber Box

2011-05-25T19:47:00.002-05:00

Eli has turned into a non-stop talker. Most of the time you can understand what he says, but at times it is still difficult. Most of the time it'll involves movies. He'll ask for Supa babies (a Dora DVD), Iego (Dora dvd with Diego), Punbob (Spongebob), Shek (Shrek - he's watched all 4!) and Caillou. He'll also ask for TV, VD (dvd) and tell us when his show is over whether it really is or not. He tells me when the light turns green to go "Green...go", comments on the busses, trucks and tractors we see while in the car. He likes "yewow bus", "Big Truck" and "Trac Cor". His current favorite movie is Despicable Me because "it funny". He tries to tell us many other things, but we don't get them all most of the time, so he still has to show us. Usually he needs a "nackie" (snack) or "dink" (drink) and will tell you what kind of each.

We are happy that he is getting to the age where he can tell us what he wants/needs so we can stop guessing. Sometimes we still have to guess, but at least its getting better.

Step Up, Step Down

2011-05-19T15:20:00.002-05:00

Eli did not get a new bed, but it hasn’t fazed him. He loves tromping up and down the steps on both beds and throwing things off. He also likes hanging out underneath the beds and playing with his brother and sister. I thought we were going to have a problem there for a while because he kept asking where his new bed was. Once we got them into the rooms and put up, he never asked again. Guess he is still happy with his bunk bed and the ladder he can climb.

It rained all weekend, so Eli didn’t get a chance to go outside. Poor kid. He loves outside. Maybe this week he’ll get a chance to help his dad mow. Keep your fingers crossed that we have a few dry days.

Eva Time

2011-05-10T18:02:00.002-05:00

Sharon went on vacation this week, so Eli has been staying with her sister Eva. He loves Eva, and she loves him. I think he is having a ball being the old kid there with Eva’s complete attention.

Going to get an M&M jar to see if we can get the potty training going again. Maybe he will do it if he knows he gets chocolate every time. He loves chocolate—A LOT!!!!!!

All Asleep

2011-05-04T18:07:00.000-05:00

Eli is doing better about going to bed and staying there. Of course, he will be sleeping with his dad this weekend, so that will probably take him out of the routine.

He also seems less crabby. Now if we could just get him potty trained. He has little interest in it these days. I know he could do it if he just would. I think I am going to have to get a jar of M&Ms to see if that will peak his interest and get him going on it again. I may have to get a jar for the sitter’s too. Speaking of that, Sharon is off to Florida next week, so Eli gets to stay with her sister Eva. He loves Eva, so he should have a good week with her.

Part Boy, Part Girl

2011-04-27T15:04:00.002-05:00

Eli got Flicker and Rip for Easter, along with some cars. He carried the tools all over the house, outside and to the sitter’s this morning. He loves Flicker the Flashlight and told me he needed a new one (Grandma already fulfilled that wish for Christian’s birthday). He loves his Handy Manny tools.

When he wasn’t fixing something, Eli was hanging out with his sister, carrying her new purse and playing with the dollhouse. He helped me set up all the furniture and told me where to put the people. Then he did the same for Tori. He followed her around for a few hours, playing with whatever she told him to and singing her songs.

Tori has been teaching Eli his colors, and what’s the first color he has learned? Pink! Everything is pink, though he does know the color blue. Yesterday, he ate all of the pink candy he could find and identified everything that was pink. The girl is rubbing off on him!

Another Cold

2011-04-14T19:26:00.002-05:00

Eli rarely gets sick, but he does get colds, and the radical shifts in temperatures had brought on another. He has had a hard time sleeping, and Huts has spent many a night in his bed with him and alone. Sometimes Eli wants his dad to sleep with him, and sometimes he wants to sleep with me in our bed. We’ve had a lot of restless nights here lately. Wish the weather would get warm and stay warm, and Eli’s cold would go away once and for all!

Just A Little

2011-04-07T18:26:00.000-05:00

When I got into the car yesterday, Eli was fussing just a little about his brother and sister not being there. Late that night, he got a little sadder when I asked him if he missed them. He seems to, but not much. He played all night long, enjoying the fact that he had Mom and Dad and all of his toys to himself. At this rate, he may never want them to come home!

Busy Little Bee

2011-04-02T10:05:00.001-05:00

Eli is a night owl like his dad and sister. Seems like when 9 o’clock rolls around and his brother and sister are in bed, he perks up BIG TIME! He plays and plays and plays, chattering the whole time and always begging for 5 more minutes. It is getting harder each day to get him to settle down and snuggle up by us on the couch. Too much adrenalin I guess. What does seem to wear him down is playing outside, so hopefully, he will get lots of outside time this summer and get into the habit of going to sleep at a decent hour and sleeping in his own bed all night long! Can you tell how much Huts and I long for sleep?

Better This Time

2011-03-26T14:15:00.001-05:00

Eli was a monster the last time we had parent-teacher conferences. He squalled and wriggled around. This time we had a sticker/coloring book for him, and that seemed to help. He got a little restless in the second conference, but he much better there than he was last time. He got lots of Chinese rice and fortune cookies as a reward. He also got some candy from Christian’s teacher.

Snakes

2011-03-23T17:59:00.002-05:00

That’s what Mom came huffing and puffing about to Huts last night. Piper, our little yellow cat, found herself a baby garter snake and brought it up on the deck. The kids, Mom and I watched Huts sweep it into the shovel and toss it across the creek. At first, it appeared to be dead, but eventually it started wiggling and Huts swept it up into the shovel.

Christian refused to come downstairs and see it. Tori and Eli watched from inside. They were both pretty scared and Eli kept telling Piper “No more nakes, Piper.”

It did not scare me as much as an adult snake, but it was definitely gross and gave me the willies. Piper seemed really confused that we weren’t happy about her little gift. We kept her inside in case she had plans to go get the rest of the family. She stalked around from window to window, eager to find her way back outside. I don’t know if Mom let her out today or not. If so, I hope the snakes had made their way elsewhere.

That cat. She will go after anything that moves. This is not the first time she has played with a snake or brought one up on the deck. Last time, she dropped it in the kitchen and Huts pushed it out. Ugh!

Got A Cold Again

2011-03-18T19:26:00.000-05:00

Eli felt like crap on Monday and stayed home. Now he has a cold, lots of coughing and a runny nose. Poor boy! He just can’t get a break. He couldn’t fall asleep last night and Huts said he was all over the bed. He wants his daddy this week, so I am not much help. Maybe he will switch parents tonight and Huts will get some rest. We’re hoping to get some yard work done and it would be nice to be awake enough to do it.

Mr. Crabby

2011-03-17T18:39:00.001-05:00

Eli stayed at home Monday because he was sick. He is better now, but he is awfully crabby, and the only person he wants is Daddy. Poor Huts. He has to carry Eli everywhere while trying to make lunches, fix dinner, etc. Eli sounds like he is getting a cold, so maybe that is the reason he is so crabby. His sister is getting a cold, too, and that’s making her tired and crabby in the mornings. Ugh! Spring better come soon so the kids can get well and stay well!

Me Too?

2011-03-10T18:39:00.001-06:00

When we get into our subdivision, we tell the kids they can unbuckle. The older two usually say yay and unbuckle their seatbelts right away. Eli always wants to know if we mean him too. I don’t know why he thinks he would be excluded from this; he isn’t excluded from much. We tell him that he too can unbuckle and it takes him just a second to get out. Then he tries to climb into the front to mess around with things. Sometimes he succeeds and sometimes he doesn’t, which usually ends up with him throwing a fit!

Last night he didn’t get to unbuckle. He fell asleep once we got to school and he slept for a couple of hours on the couch after we got home. That made for an easy dinner for the rest of us but a crabby Eli later. He was very whiny but fell asleep rather quickly. We were worried he was going to stay up until midnight.

Pzzzzzz

2011-03-08T18:54:00.000-06:00

Like his sister, Eli also likes to pick out things. This weekend, it was a Star Wars gun, which he could not work much less would play with. His way of getting us to buy toys—PZZZZZZZZ (please) with an earnest look on his face. Sometimes it works, but not this weekend. The gun got put back on the shelf and he turned his attention to the games set up. He played with those for a few minutes, or rather fought with his sister over them, before it was time to leave. The trip was worthwhile because we got a microwave and an idea for an Easter toy for Eli—another tool from Handy Manny.

Eli loves Handy Mandy tools. This weekend, he got out his hammer and helped me move the kids’ stuff around on the walls. I would hammer the nail and then he would get on the stool and hammer it a couple more times for good measure. When I put my hammer away in the closet, Eli put his little blue hammer on the shelf below mine. He is quite the handyman!

Moving Toward 3

2011-02-28T18:35:00.002-06:00

It’s hard to believe, but Eli will turn 3 in August. He is talking a lot and letting us know what he thinks about things—man, is he loud. He is running around with ease, up and down on stools and stairs like they are nothing. He even tries to put on his own clothes and shoes and often succeeds. I have to remind myself constantly that our house is now baby and toddler free. We have a little boy on our hands now. He even got a big boy haircut a couple of weeks ago, sitting on the bench instead of his dad’s lap.

No more babies, no more toddlers. It’s kind of sad, but liberating. By this time nest year, Huts and I will be free of diapers and hopefully sleeping through the night—Eli is still working on potty training and sleeping all night long in his bed. We haven’t had six months of uninterrupted sleep in nearly eight years. How great that is going to feel!

No Nap

2011-02-15T18:20:00.003-06:00

Eli missed his nap on Sunday—wouldn't take one for anything. Then when we got to the sitter's, we learned that he and Jayden had missed their naps yet again. Too hyper I guess. They finally crashed around 4, but that's when we arrived so Eli was asleep for about five minutes. He was a bit crabby that night and did his best to stay up, but Huts finally got him to crash around 9. That boy! We're starting to think he may be done with naps. He's not even 3 yet!

On another note, it is warming up. The snow is melting big time, and the days are growing longer. We can finally see the grass, and before long, the kids will be able to go outside and have some fun!

My Pie

2011-02-10T18:48:00.002-06:00

I wanted a French silk pie for my birthday, instead of cake, and Huts and Eli stopped off to get it on their way from the sitter’s. Eli likes pie, so it was his pie, not Mom’s. “My pie,” he told me over and over, even after we got home and he got a couple of slivers. We accustomed to him wasting more food than he eats, so we gave him just a dab. He asked for more, but I don’t think he ate much of it. “My pie” is almost gone, so Eli will soon be sad.

Eli also had fun in the snow, but I didn't get too many pictures of him in it. Below is the video of what we got this past week. Over 14 inches! Hopefully we don't get anymore this year!

Snowed In

2011-02-03T18:45:00.000-06:00

Aunt Diane took lots of pictures of the snow when she came up for Christmas. Uncle Travis shoveled the driveway and deck in no time. Well, you two and all of other readers, you ain’t see nothin’ until you see the head-high piles on our driveway now. We were in the path of the blizzard, and it took us a whopping two hours to dig ourselves out. Good thing we shopped for groceries on Sunday. The kids went to school Monday and haven’t been back since. I am betting they will be going tomorrow, but we’ll see. It all depends upon the temperature.

The snow was like powder and easy to shovel. There was just so much of it that we tired quickly. The kids played in it for a while, but eventually, we all made our way back inside where we stayed until this morning.

Pooh Fan

2011-01-28T19:42:00.000-06:00

Eli liked the Lady and the Tramp movie so much Huts got out Winnie the Pooh, and he loves it! He says Pooh all of the time now. After a few days of the DVD, Huts decided to switch things up and put in the Lion King this morning. Eli seemed interested, but we’ll see this afternoon. Sometimes, the movie has his undivided attentions and sometimes it doesn’t. He seems to like animal movies, but I don’t know if the lions scared him.

Mr In-Trouble

2011-01-25T19:11:00.001-06:00

Eli was fairly good last night, playing with his brother and sister much of the night. Of course, there were fights—there always are—but he did not whine nearly as much. He did get into the cabinets and refrigerator a lot, scarfing down some things and wasting others. Then, he did something we were not happy about. Huts had the teakettle going on the stove. Eli climbed up onto the counter and grabbed the kettle. Miraculously he did not burn himself—thank you, God. Huts scolded him, and that was that for a while.

Once the older two went to bed, the turmoil began again, this time with Eli getting a real spanking. He hasn’t been into that much trouble in a while, and he was very upset. It took him about half an hour to calm down and then he snuggled next to Huts and fell asleep tight. He stayed in his bed all night and was not pleased that he had to get up early this morning. By the time we left, he was his usual chipper self, happy to be watching “Lady and the Tramp.” He loves dog movies, so ‘101 Dalmatians” it is next.

In All Fairness

2011-01-17T18:02:00.001-06:00

Eli can be just as sweet as he is rotten. After telling you “No!” and running away, he sometimes returns in two seconds and give you a huge smile and a peck on the lips. He will bring you tissue, clippers and most anything else you want. He will help you cook and clean—much more willing to put things away than his siblings. He can be nice to his siblings, sharing his toys with them and his food.

The best time is when he is tuckered out and climbs onto the couch next to you. He snuggles in tight and drifts away into dreamland, leaving you wondering what he’s thinking about and what he will be up to next.

The Epitome

2011-01-13T18:49:00.002-06:00

Obstinate...Check!
Forceful...Check!
Unruly...Check!
Tantrums...Triple Check!

Eli has become the epitome of the terrible two's. Most of his response's to our requests are an emphatic "NO". He doesn't do what we tell him, he runs away when we try to get him to do anything, he is picky and we are always wrong. He'll get a snack, then not eat it and repeat the cycle. He'll undress from his jammies nightly and run around in a diaper, then throw a fit while we force him back into them at bedtime. While he is cute when he stuffs his Grandma's possessions in his jammies and runs around with them, he doesn't take it well when we tell him to give them back.

Christian and Tori version of terrible two's were not this pronounced. I have to put that up to their demeanor being so laid back. Eli is anything but laid back. He has to be involved in everything and will fight (including hitting, but no biting) his siblings for his things. He is going to be a bear to teach about sharing. Time-outs when he turns into the Tasmanian Devil don't help, swatting him sometimes aggravates the situation, distraction seems to be our only ally at the moment and it is temporary in a lot of cases. He just goes back to being aggrieved when he remembers he was crying and screaming. You know, because we are monstrous parents who force him to do things he doesn't want to do like sit in his car seat! He's a Category 5 Hurricane of terrible two's and we've got 6 more months of stormy weather, I hope he grows out of it in that time.

Sick Christmas

2011-01-05T19:59:00.001-06:00

Eli was the last to get the Christmas bug. He was able to open his presents without any problem and he seemed to like most of them. He got a lot of Spongebob, Handy Manny and vehicles for Christmas. He got sick in the afternoon after a glass of milk, but after his bath seemed mostly OK, just a bit clingy. He was a bit shy with the new people around but warmed up to them all by Saturday night, just in time for them to leave. By Monday he was ready to go and he was mostly a good kid on the trip to KC. The DVD player in the car kept him entertained and kept the DVD's intact for the entire trip. It was a long trip, but he made it in pretty good spirits, even with a short nap.

With the long trip, late dinner and slow service he was a bit crabby by the time he got fed that night. He was ready to got the next day, but his shyness kicked in when the babysitting kids started to arrive. He was mostly OK as long as we were in sight, but a few times he got antsy even when we were around. Once we got to Monkey Business, he was all about playing. He started in the toddler section, but eventually moved to the big kid bouncies. At 2 he is just like his brother...mostly fearless. He climbed to the highest slide they had by himself and went down it. Another long bouncy had multiple hills (6 and 8 feet tall) and multiple obstacles to navigate. He went through it 3 times before he tired out. It was a lot of work for a 2 year old! He and his cousin Sophia came home and fell asleep quickly for a long nap. They both were worn out.

Eli's shyness returned that night when my siblings and spouses showed up. All the new people scared him a bit and he didn't have time to get to be comfortable around them. He enjoyed ripping his presents open and finding all the vehicles and gadgets. However, he hated the Monkey! It scared him once it started rolling on the floor, so that was one of the last times he saw the monkey. He made the trip home with little issue and an early nap. He made it through our last celebration on Thursday. He only made it to 10 on New Year's Eve (we weren't going to let him stay up), so he was ready on New Years Day bright and early. He was pretty good the rest of the weekend and was ready to see his friends at the sitter's today even though he didn't want to get up. Hopefully he'll be back to his normal routine after tonight.

Mr. Chatterbox

2011-01-04T19:55:00.001-06:00

Everyday Eli spits out a new word, often more than one. This morning it was back seat. He wants to sit in the back seat with his sister, but it’s the third row and he can’t buckle himself into his seat like Tori can. That’s why we put him in the second row. We can get him in easier there and hand him what he wants. He wants to be a big kid like his brother and sister and keeps getting on the scale. He is not yet 30 pounds, but as soon as he gets there, I am putting him in a booster seat. Then he will feel like a big boy, and soon he may even be able to sit in the third row and buckle himself in.

What a Pair

2010-12-16T20:23:00.001-06:00

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

2010-12-16T20:23:00.000-06:00

Trevor

2010-11-30T20:14:00.001-06:00

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

2010-11-22T18:18:00.000-06:00

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

2010-11-20T09:56:00.001-06:00

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

2010-11-07T10:35:00.000-06:00

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

2010-11-06T10:34:00.003-05:00

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

2010-11-06T10:34:00.002-05:00

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

2010-10-22T20:17:00.001-05:00

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

2010-10-01T08:34:00.000-05:00

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

2010-09-22T18:36:00.000-05:00

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!

2010-09-21T18:35:00.001-05:00

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

2010-09-07T19:41:00.002-05:00

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

2010-09-04T09:44:00.001-05:00

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

2010-08-26T20:51:00.001-05:00

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

2010-08-18T19:16:00.002-05:00

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

2010-08-03T18:26:00.001-05:00

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

2010-07-21T19:38:00.003-05:00

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

2010-07-06T19:21:00.002-05:00

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

2010-06-26T16:30:00.001-05:00

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

2010-06-22T20:00:00.004-05:00

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

2010-06-22T20:00:00.001-05:00

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!

2010-06-08T18:46:00.001-05:00

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

2010-05-20T18:57:00.002-05:00

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

2010-05-17T18:23:00.001-05:00

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

2010-05-07T20:27:00.004-05:00

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!

2010-05-07T20:27:00.001-05:00

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

2010-04-25T14:37:00.003-05:00

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

Big Boy

2010-04-23T19:11:00.002-05:00

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

2010-04-08T19:12:00.001-05:00

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

2010-03-14T14:36:00.003-05:00

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

2010-02-25T18:50:00.002-06:00

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

2010-02-23T18:30:00.002-06:00

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

2010-02-17T19:23:00.000-06:00

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

2010-01-27T18:30:00.000-06:00

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

2010-01-14T19:46:00.002-06:00

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

2010-01-05T19:22:00.002-06:00

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.

Out of Whack

2009-12-16T18:59:00.001-06:00

Eli is getting his molars, which is making him crabby. He tosses and turns all night in his sleep and chews on everything possible. He is a bear right now, and tonight is my turn to sleep with him. Monday night he slept with both of us and kept us up most of the night. Last night, Huts took him. Tonight it's my turn. Oh, how we will all be glad when this is over.

One Step Forward, One Burnt Foot

2009-12-05T22:43:00.003-06:00

Wednesday night was not a good night for Eli. After cooking dinner he was playing on the island counter top and stepped on a still warm burner! He screamed in pain and was inconsolable for the next hour or so. He got Tylenol and we tried aloe vera. He wouldn't hold still long enough for us to cool his foot off with water or ice. He screamed during his bath because it made his foot hurt. Luckily he calmed down and fell asleep at 6:30. At 7 I tried to put him down, but he woke up again. So we went back downstairs until 7:30 when he was out.

At 10 he awoke crying, he got more medicine and tried sleeping with his Mama in our bed. That didn't work, so he slept with me in the bed in his room. He made it from 11 to 4 am without much stirring. Then at 4 he started thrashing around, so he got more medicine and slept until 5:15 which is close to the time for us to get up. He played the day away without a problem with his foot. It is a bit blistered now, but it is much better and he is on the mend.

In other Eli news, he's joined in the wrestling sessions with the other kids. He grabs onto your leg until you pick him up and tickle him. He still gets a bit jealous when I'm tossing the other kids around, but at least I can play with all 3 of them instead of having to pick up Eli because he is screaming and doesn't understand.

He's also getting his molars finally. 2 on the bottom are on the way out, 2 on the top haven't completely poked through, but there on the way. Only 8 more teeth to go and he'll have his full set of baby teeth. That will allow him to eat more things like the peanuts and chips he currently doesn't chew all the way (see below post). We are hopeful that he'll also start sleeping through the night once his teeth are all in.

Lastly, he's beginning to speak a bit more. He wakes his brother up with "Hi, Hi, Hi, Hi" every morning. He'll say bye on occasion and will occasionally get out another word, like Elmo. He also is starting to watch TV cartoons/sesame street. If we are lucky that'll translate his screaming for things into words soon.

Eli The Hider

2009-12-01T19:31:00.002-06:00

Sharon borrowed Eli's car seat today. I saw the worst mess I've ever seen underneath his seat. It's like the black hole of trash! We'll had to wash his seat too, I think it got a little barf from the peanuts on it yesterday that I missed (he choked on peanut M & M's). I also found 3 of Tori's babies (the black baby and twins) plus a cookie jar, dog, cat and a couple more doll house pieces just from taking Eli's car seat out for the day. I bet there's a million dollars in there somewhere!

Molar

2009-11-19T19:17:00.001-06:00

Eli is finally getting a molar and moans and thrashes in his sleep because of it. He is in pain, and the medication helps, but not completely. Poor little guy! It's tough to be a baby. We working on getting him to talk. He can say, mama, dada, bye, hi, but those are few and far between. He does babble a lot, however, and screams and grunts to no end. Wait until he discovers how much easier it would be to say milk than grunt at the fridge.

Eli The Sock Monkey

2009-11-03T20:09:00.000-06:00

Eli wore his costume for half a clock and went trick-or-treating. He watched in amazement as doors opened and candy went into his bag. he seemed to have a good time but I brought him home when his cheeks and nose turned red. He came to the door a few times to see what all of the fuss was about, but he never got excited about all of the goblins at the door. Didn't faze him. He was just having fun running around and stuffing his face with chocolate.

All went well, and we ended up with a huge bowl of candy, plus I sent home a huge sack with Annie and Dale. This does not bode well for a week from now when the Fanny May candy arrives from school. We better get rid of the other by then, or we're all going to get fat!

Little Helper

2009-10-30T13:23:00.000-05:00

Sharon needed the day off yesterday, so Eli and Tori stayed home with me. We cleaned house. I wasn't sure Eli would cooperate, but he did, following me from task to task, playing along the way. He finally tuckered out at 1:30 and was not pleased to be woken up at 4:30. He went to bed at 10 and slept with his dad from 3 to 5 this morning. Tonight is my turn to sleep with him, unless he fools us and stays in his bed all night.

Must Move

2009-10-22T19:17:00.003-05:00

Eli must move. At dinner time he gets in his chair, eats (with a fork or spoon now) and gets down. There is no waiting around for him. He is so eager to move that as soon as his tray is removed from his chair, he turns around and climbs higher into the chair. Unfortunately, this continues through meals out as well. Most of the time his Mom doesn't get to eat her food because currently she's his favorite and HE HAS TO MOVE! We've never strapped a kid in a grocery cart. Guess what happens to Eli...STRAPPED! He doesn't fight this one extremely hard, but he still gets out.

He's also become king of the mountain. He'll climb on the kid sized chairs and stand on them, grinning and screaming to get our attention. He thinks he's so big and cool. He'll also climb on the chalkboard table to play. Then he'll scream at you to get off the table because he doesn't want to do it himself. He's almost tall enough to climb onto the couch, but just can't get his leg on top of the cushion to get himself up. He yells at you to help him. Once up, he's not done, Oh No! He climbs over the cushion and onto the sofa table behind the couch. This is a great place to play because he gets to pull the light chain, throw small objects off, then scream that he can't reach them. So he climbs down the couch (sometimes he falls on purpose) and retrieves what he threw, then repeats the cycle until it gets old. The boy never stops, he just must move.

A Thing For The Ladies

2009-10-15T19:35:00.000-05:00

Apparently, Eli is rather attached not only to me but to the sitter. He sits beside her when she watches TV and whimpers when she leaves the room. Eli sure likes the ladies, except for my sister Annie. He isn't too keen on her, at least not yet. That should change, just like it did with the other two.

Mr. Active

2009-10-15T19:34:00.000-05:00

Eli is all over the place, fussing at this and that and looking for me at every turn. I cannot leave the room for very long. On another note, he has shower radar. Turn on the shower, and you can bet he will be there in five minutes or less. He hops into every shower, sometimes more than once a day, and is super clean. I no more got upstairs and got into the shower last night than he was there banging on the door wanting in. He took a shower and then hopped into the tub with his sister. He is water bug!

2009-10-07T19:03:00.001-05:00

Much to Huts' dismay, Eli wants his mama. He screams when I leave the room and demands to be on my hip 24/7. He also screams out at night so I will come get him and snuggle with him. Finally, I get a child of my own/. Tori was a daddy's girl, so it's been a while since I have been the favored one. Huts is not enjoying it, but maybe after his leg is healed. Eli will go to him again.

Night Owl

2009-09-23T18:43:00.000-05:00

Eli stayed up until 10 last night, rarely fussing. I don't know where he got his energy, but after a few hours of fun with Tori, he roamed around downstairs playing and sitting with us. He was super content, which is so unlike him. Huts and I were amazed, even more so when I put him to bed and he fell asleep quickly!

Climber

2009-09-14T20:54:00.001-05:00

Eli is our little daredevil, climbing everything possible. He gets onto the couch and up on the sofa table. He gets up on the chairs and table. He gets up the stairs and yells from me to come and get him down. He pulls down toys and pulls things with cords everywhere. He is one busy guy!

Little Person

2009-08-28T21:34:00.001-05:00

Eli may only be up to your knee, but he is a little person now. He may not talk, but he lets you know what he needs and want. He screams when he is mad, smiles when he is happy and grunts for everything he wants. He walks everywhere and climbs up and down the stairs like they're nothing. No more baby!

The Inquisitor

2009-08-11T18:50:00.001-05:00

Eli's 1 year appointment was yesterday and other than his head gash, he was in tip top shape. He is in the 50% in height (30 inches) and weight (23 lbs) and his head was in the 75%. He's got a big head. I don't know if that's from all the egg's on his head swelling it up a bit or if that is its normal size. One thing the doctor did say was that he was very inquisitive. Which we already knew by all the bumps, bruises and cat scratches that he has collected in the past year.

The good thing about all of this is that it has made transitioning things a very easy on us. While his siblings were gone, he started sleeping through the night. For the most part this is still true. He'll still wake up if he's uncomfortable, but he's been sleeping through almost 3 weeks now. Its also making the transitions from bottles to sippy easy. He didn't get a bottle at all yesterday for the first full day and he didn't care. He also fell asleep on his own in about 15-20 minutes after we laid him down last night. He's growing up so fast, its hard to tell sometimes where our little baby went.

Not Again!

2009-08-10T21:12:00.000-05:00

Much to our dismay, Eli fell yesterday and busted his head on the fireplace. No glue or stitches needed, but a nice little cut and big Band-Aid. ugh. Huts is going to do something with that fireplace tonight. We are both going to try to keep dare-devil in line. That boy is worse than the other two. He has a bump on his head and a bump on his nose from a dive off the couch, bruises and scrapes on his head from a tumble with a bar stool at the babysitter's, a cut on his arm from a tousle with Splatter and bruises all over from the constant trying to run and falling. He also squishes himself through the barricades to get up the stairs and climbs on top of any and everything he can. He is brutal, and his little body proves it!

How To Eat Your 1st Birthday Cake

2009-08-09T14:30:00.003-05:00

Lick 'n Kiss

2009-08-09T14:30:00.001-05:00

Mommy and Daddy gave each a kiss last night. Eli saw it and decided to join in. He held open his mouth, with tongue down, and gave Mommy a lick n kiss. She squealed in delight and laughed and laughed as he did it again and again. Then it was Daddy's turn. As soon as Mommy and Daddy kissed again, Eli repeated his antics. This went on for about 20 minutes. What a riot! If you're in the mood for a kiss and don't mind a lick, too, see Eli. He's got plenty to offer.

Almost 1

2009-08-01T12:35:00.000-05:00

Seven more days, and Eli will be one! He is walking, screaming and chattering. You cannot miss him. He is a rough-and-tumble, likes to play with cars kind of boy. He pushed his cars along the floor and turns everything else into a battering ram. He also makes vroom noises. He's a real hoot, and I can't wait to see him dive into his little birthday cake.

All By Himself

2009-07-31T18:33:00.000-05:00

Eli is finding out what it is like to be an only child this week and next, and so far, he is doing well. He has the two of us to himself, and he has taken full advantage of the fact, demanding our sole attention until bedtime. He has also started to sleep through the night. He beat Tori's 18-month record. Woohoo!