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.

Out of Whack

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

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

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!