Haircut!

He got a haircut. I didn't want to get rid of his curls, but daddy was getting a haircut so Eli wanted one. He loved it! Jason had to keep pretending he was cutting his hair so he would be happy! I think he looks really cute with it cut. More like a little boy!

Always working on something.

A short compostition entitled: How I Feel In The Morning

Have you ever wondered what was in the little hole on your dishwasher door? So did Eli.

A Jason Haiku

Work at the VA

Still in school and studying

Ready to be done

(that's all he had time for, back to the books)

The weather has cooled for us here and Eli is loving the extra time outside. We are entering the busy holiday season of turkey, turkey, and more turkey. Seriously, how many Thanksgiving meals can you eat in a two week interval!! We're expecting a house full for Thanksgiving, and I am super excited. If you want to come too, you're invited.

15 months

33 1/4 inches tall...90th percentile!
26.14 pounds....heavy!

He's such a big healthy boy, I'm so excited. We just got back from some friends' wedding. It was just the best weekend, just too short.

I spent some time on the drive home thinking about how well we all got along after 2+ years without seeing most of them. But I also thought how sad it was that it wasn't the same. I mean, I know it can't be the same, and it is fun trying to figure out the new way our relationships will work, but sad that a chapter of my life is officially closed. College is over, but those people are a part of me, just in new ways.

Happy and sad.

Definately good.

Thanks for the picture Caitlyn!

Eli's Rules

Rule #1: Hats are to be worn only outside and purely at the discretion of me, Eli
Rule #2: If your parents are walking one way, walk the other
Rule #3: You are never to young for the terrible twos

He's so adorable in hats, but only keeps them on every so often. I can't believe how big he is getting and how irritating it is when he flops around on the floor whining because I don't let him eat dog food or whatever. He has also started imitating me, but only on certain things. He likes to walk up to the oven and say hot which is a great thing because he doesn't touch it. He also likes it when we have a conversation in high octaves at high decibels. His cousin, Madelyn, was here to play over the weekend and they had a growling conversation that turned into a giggle fest. I can't wait until I can post all the wonderful things he says to me!

??

When did this happen?


Little Man

Fall?

Internal Medicine has begun for Jason. He assisted, by actually holding the tools, in his first colonoscopy. I have the pictures on my fridge to prove it! He started the three month rotation on the lightest month which is good to transition after vacation. Of course it is easier to say that now, after one week. I successfully explained the Electoral College to my two non-english speaking friends, as well as to myself. I consider that quite an accomplishment. If you want a refreasher course, give me a call! With Jason back at work, our life is settling back into its routine rather reluctantly.

In the spirit of fall, I have posted the following photos to remind those not living in Texas that we don't have seasons. It is still hot enough to play outside nearly nudey and enjoy the cool spray of a water park.


Here are the boys playing in the pool on the deck. It's a borrowed pool, but we might have to get our own!

Eli totally impressed me by walking so far away to check out the water guns. He is getting to be so independent.

I zoomed in to feel closer to him.

Once he discovered the drains it was all he wanted to play with. He used his fork to explore them further after he finished his snack. He even dug around in some slimy weeds. Ew.

Finishing projects

is something we are not good at. Jase had the past month off and we planned to complete a whole slew of projects. Well, it is Sunday afternoon the day before he goes back to work and we are halfway finished with our second project. Ah well, we had a relaxing break, no stress, and not as much rest as we hoped.

Here is the only project we completed on vacation, and even this is facing adjustments:

The second project we started was the completion of our floors. We were finishing off the molding and only have some caulking and painting left. We started that project over a year ago.
This is slightly embarrassing.

Eli has started projects of his own, such as feeding himself,

(the longest bite you have ever seen, I couldn't even post the whole thing it was so long!)

making faces

and gardening.

Noah's Ark

Aunt Erin went to Africa this summer and bought Eli's birthday present there. It was a beautifully hand carved Noah's ark, complete with animals. Our dogs think it smells quite exotic, I think it is quite special, and Eli thinks it's a cool toy. Look how serious he is!

Just for fun

If you look closely, he has a milk beard. Sans mustache.

Working hard in the flower beds out front. Thanks to his hard work, we haven't seen a weed at all today!

Pics

Just some pictures until I feel clever enough to write something.


Happy face.

Happy family.

Funny face.

Sloppy kiss.

Something amiss...

Eli woke up this morning looking exceptionally cute. I made this observation to Jason before I figured out why. Eli was struttin' with straight hair! Jason misinterpreted my enthusiasm as I a sign we should cut away his curls...luckily we straightened that out! (oh the fun of puns!)

See what I mean:

And look at those sideburns!

Lest we forget the normal state of affairs:

The boys

There's just something about little boys in overalls...

and that deer in the headlights look...

A happy Mason!

A dancin' Eli!

Prelude to a hug...I hope!

The bucket, etc.

Eli is generally disinclined to the wearing of hats. The way they mash his curls out around his ears is irresistible to his momma while simultaneously being abhorrent to him. It turns out that it is just the style of head adornment that has him concerned. While playing outside with his lawnmower, I discovered just the hat Eli didn't know he was looking for. It was never on my radar before because it had been masquerading as the pups' water bowl. It is the only hat Eli asked to have put back on.




Tonight we were once again outside mulling over ways to make our backyard more enjoyable when Eli came up with the perfect yard art.

The bucket hat.

As it turns out, Jason and I have led relatively boring lives since the last post, but here are some updated pictures of us...Jase and Eli are super cute, and Eli and me, well, you know....

Twinkies!

Nudie!

A desktop background suggestion....

Transformation

Slowly but surely I am going to transform this blog from an Eli extravaganza to a more inclusive family thing. I'm doing this because, well, because I think Jason and I are pretty interesting too. Don't worry, you can't really get Jason and me without Eli anyway.

The pictures are, for an unknown reason, at a standstill for the moment. I shall attempt to create pictures with my words to capture some of my sons adventures.

Most parents seem to possess an innate desire to find pieces of themselves in their children. These things are usually good things, such as eye color, laugh, or anything cute or smart that their child does. Since the check out lady at the grocery store is hoping the next one will look like me, I can't claim Eli's big brown eyes, or his curly sandy blond hair, or even his chin. I get to claim this: my son loves anything that cleans and that is something he gets from me. I posted a video of him with the dustbuster if you don't believe me. You could not pry that thing out of his hands. Finally, Jason had to convince him that the dustbuster needed "nite nite" and so did Eli! The other day I was swiffering the floor, a nice dry dusting if you will, and was replacing the mop when Eli pushed his way through my legs to grab the broom. Although I thought that that was a little rude and he really shouldn't be in the laundry room anyway, what kind of mother would I be if I discouraged chores? Needless to say I quickly added a clean dust cloth and sent him on his way.

Jason and I have had our first encounter with "The Grandparent Clause." Now don't get me wrong, this is nothing exclusive to Eli's grandparents, it's just a fact. The Grandparent Clause is as follows: I am the grandparent. If handing a whistle (or anything else that in the long term will cause distress and tormet of the parents) to my grandchild causes him/her to smile, laugh, stop crying, or go to sleep, then a whistle they will get. And not only will I give them the whistle, I will teach them to use it. While Granddad was watching Eli this past weekend, Eli received just such a whistle. One that lights up and blinks blue like a strob light. Eli can even wear it around his neck so he will never ever lose it. Since he couldn't whistle properly at first, we (yes, Jason and I included, we got sucked in to the charm of our little one year old trying to blow a whistle) would demonstrate and help him try it to. Eli's little brain snapped into action and since it was a little frustrating to get the same sounds out of the whistle that we were, he decided to just use his own vocal chords....loudly. That means that taking the whistle away does not stop the boy from whistling. When he does manage to whistle properly a big grin sprouts on his face. Ahh, the life of a one year old...

Jason and I keep living our lives as a backdrop to our curly headed boy. Jason only has a week left in neurology and then he gets a well deserved break. It has been so nice having him home in the late afternoons. Neurology has a much better schedule than surgery did. For those of you who don't know, he is starting his third year in medical school. I don't know how to elaborate because I don't really know what he does while he is working, and I don't think I would understand it anyway.

I have been busy myself. I have agreed to watch Mason full-time and am really excited about it! Eli and Mason will grow up to be good buddies.

I am also getting more involved with the MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) group at church and have agreed to teach english as part of the JOY program there as well. This year is going to busier than last, but I am hoping it means that more structure will lead to more organization as well.

Tank is sleeping at my feet and Trolley is sleeping in her chair. That probably won't change anytime soon.

Shoes

More Chores!

double-click for the fun!

Apparently the dishes weren't enough. As the night wore on, he got more and more skilled, switching hands just to show off. The vaccum quit before he did!

Chores Already?!

double click for the fun!