My New Favorite Photos

It was mid-December and I was bustling about in a feverish attempt to tie up loose ends on my many sewing projects, in hopes of making my Christmas deadlines. The house was quiet. Too quiet.

I paused and listened for the usual commotion that accompanies the children playing together, but to no avail. So, I stalked down the hall, assuming I'd find them buried in a heap of some dismantled closet, upended toybox, or amid a parade of stripped bedding.

But, as I neared Eli's bedroom, I heard it. The gentle, soothing, precious sound of a child (MY child!) reciting a beloved nursery rhyme, which just happens to be Eli's absolute favorite book right now.

Quite certain that Norah wouldn't be reading aloud to herself, I crept back down the hallway, retrieved my camera, and in-so-doing, captured my new favorite photos of the kids together.

They were so engrossed in their book that they hardly noticed my presence at first.(Giving me the opportunity to bask in the overwhelming joy of having two children who are best friends and love each other...at least for this perfect moment)


Norah read with so much expression, and Eli hung on her every word.

And then, the rhyme was over, and the official camera mugging began. Sure, I might have missed the rare opportunity to sew, uninterrupted for 5-10 minutes...but that would have been a lousy trade for the memory I'll always have of Norah and Eli reading together, at will.

Thank you, God for the blessing of two, precious children, who love each other!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Eli!

Happy 2nd Birthday, handsome, Eli! (I had some great photos of you with your Santa Claus birthday pancakes, but thanks to a computer crash, they may be lost forever. Thankfully, I did at least have some on my camera of you in your birthday pads and crash helmet )

According to Dr. Ransom, you are in the 50th percentile for weight and height. You are solid as a rock and 100% boy. (And you've had more than your fair share of bumps and bruises to prove it!)

You are our resident comedian, making us laugh daily with the creative sentences and words you string together. (You have recently taken to saying, "Hi Grandma" to any elderly women we see in public)

You love riding your tricycle (or "my bike" as you call it), playing with trucks, trains, and are extremely adept at making a phenomenal mess in a very short amount of time. (You're also a great helper when it comes time to "Clean-up, clean-up")

You have inherited your father's love of technology, and manage to navigate the computer, telephone, and tv remote with ease, in spite of the fact that you aren't supposed to be touching any of these devices.

Your favorite foods are meat, cheese, and chips. You despise bread (even cinnamon rolls!) and usually find creative ways to eat around it, even if it is part of the main course (such as pizza or quiche). You ask for a "hog dog" for lunch nearly every day, but thankfully will eat most anything I give you. You love fruit, especially oranges and blueberries.

You have been potty trained during the day since you were about 18 months (and it came even easier for you than your sister, despite the rumors that boys are harder to train). You are very proud of your "Choo-Choos" (Thomas the Train undies).

You love your big sister, "Norwah" with all your heart, and want to be with her almost all the time. (Unfortunately, she seems to value her solitude more than you do on some occasions, but you take these instances in stride, and play very well by yourself). You cannot stand to see her punished (even if it is for hurting you), and you beg for her pardon often times when she is in trouble.

You love sleeping in a deep, dark room...but will forsake your own, dark den for Norah's bright bedroom when she's afraid in the night and wants someone to snuggle with her. (She often relies on you to protect her from darkness, scary sounds, or simply the throes of loneliness)

Your favorite books are "The Tale of Tricky Fox" and "The Three Little Kittens". You've requested them so many times that you can pretty much recite them to yourself, but prefer to have company when you read.

Your favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 40:31 (thanks a song Norah taught you), and you like to say The Lord's Prayer at bedtime.

You have the most kissable cheeks in the entire house and you love to cuddle. Nearly every time you take a nap or go to bed you implore me or your daddy to "Cuddle me...please!?" (And I am thankful to be able to hold you in my arms for a little while longer.)

You are extremely obedient (most of the time), and can stand in the corner better than most 5 year olds I know. Your personality is very much that of a people-pleaser. You seem more injured by disappointing us than by any other form of punishment (though you still see your fair share of those) you receive.

You have a naturally gentle and hospitable spirit. You (without fail) invite company to "Please have a seat" and are always sad to see them leave. If our company happens to leave while you are sleeping, the first words from your mouth when you awaken are, "Where's ________ gone?"

You seem to grow even faster than your sister did and if I weren't so proud of the kindhearted, big boy you are becoming I would probably shed a lot more tears at how quickly you are leaving your infancy behind. Happy Birthday, sweet Eli. I love you!

From the Mouthes of Babes: Eli Edition

I've been told by several friends that Norah is an endless supply of funny quotes, and I agree. Here lately though, little brother is giving her a run for her money in the quick quip department.


Case in point, yesterday, during Sunday morning worship, a baby was crying on the other side of the auditorium. Eli's response:
"Momma, 's that baby Jesus?"

Last Christmas Uncle Grant and Aunt Paige gave Norah a little, red tricycle, and it has been a favorite for both kids all year long. Eli has recently really taken to it, as evidenced by the following declaration, overheard yesterday:
E: I wuv you. You my best friend, bicycle.

Tonight, Eli got in trouble for climbing on the back of the couch (a big no-no in Robinson County). After being corrected, he cried in protest, while at the same time exclaiming "HAPPY!" in a miserable voice, as if willing himself to cheer up. And within a few seconds he was back to his normal, smiling self (probably,in some part due to the fact that we were laughing so hard at his "get happy" tactics)

(The photo, by the way, is just one of MANY great shots the amazing Jenny Livingston managed to snap of my uncooperative little man.)

From the Mouthes of Babes

Eli's speech has been growing by leaps and bounds in the past few weeks. He's starting to speak in short, choppy sentences, and he repeats almost every word he hears (even 3-4 syllable ones), whipping his new vocab words out at the most hilarious moments. He has several new expressions that I wanted to record before he outgrows them.

Some of our current favorites:

"Cud-dowl me!" (Requested each time he goes to bed...and I will take it for as long as he offers!)

"Hungwee, eat!" (Pretty much all day, every day. He is, after all, a growing boy)

"At's dange-wuhs" (Usually in response to my telling him not to touch something)

" I hep you!" and "I do it!" are also big favorites.



Overheard at dinner...
Norah: Mmmmmm! Mommy, I LOVE the chicken!
Eli: Mmmmmm! Kitten!
(I should mention we were having BEEF tacos on this particular night. I have never served my family kitten.)

Overheard while Norah and Eli were playing together:
Eli: Like big trucks!
Norah: You wanna be a big truck driver when you grow up?
Eli: Yes!
Norah: When I grow up, I'm gonna be a mommy and go to Bunko!

We've noticed that Eli is ALWAYS in tune with what is going on in our house, whether or not he's included in the conversations/planning. Case in point, last week, we were planning for a camping trip and it was a popular conversation topic between Jason, Norah and me. One night that week, Eli woke up around midnight and we had the following exchange:
E: Hi Momma.
A: Hey buddy. What's wrong?
E: Hungwee, eat!
A: Ok, you can have one little snack and then you're gonna go night night.
E: Otay.
A: Alright, so, you're gonna get one _______...
E: Spanking?
A: No, buddy. One SNACK. And then you're gonna go ________...
E: Camping!

In route to the camping trip...
N: Daddy, I think our campsite is in a far away land.

'09 Costume Reveal

For the two of you who eagerly await my annual Halloween Costume Reveal, the wait is over!

Eli was a Garden Gnome, Travelocity Roaming Gnome, David the Gnome... or if you asked him, a "Hi Ho, Hi Ho!" We've been watching a LOT of Snow White around here, so I couldn't blame him for thinking he was a dwarf. (Norah also referred to him as a "Garden Wizard" before she got the hang of the word "gnome"...I think the pointy hat threw her.)

I think this is my favorite costume I've made to date. (Ok, never mind. I can't choose. I loved the Baby Mermaid, King Kong, and Madame Peacock, an aweful lot, too). And of course, the late night sewing sessions with Gramps in preparation for Trunk or Treat are always something I look forward to!

Please notice his super-cute leather pouch...and those crazy fuzzy boots...Jason was about ready to strangle me for this one. But I figured it was the last year I could get away with it. I'm quite sure E will have a strong opinion by next year, and it's likely to be very masculine, so Jason needs not fret.


After a lengthy affair of waffling between Ariel (which I shot down because I don't like doing costume "remakes"...mean mom, I know), a flamingo, "Martigan" (her favorite of Uncle Grant's goats), a ballerina, and a princess, Norah finally decided on "Little Bo Peep". I thought it suited her to a tee. She is all about ribbons, lace, and most importantly, PINK.

Papaw bent her her very own shepherd's crook from some metal pipe, and Jason painted it white. (I added the bows, because everyone knows that pink ribbons on a shepherd's hook are as completely practical as a tiny shepherdess bedecked in ten yards--yes, I said TEN yards of lace)







The kids had a BLAST at A&M Church's Trunk or Treat. The weather was beautiful (not a scorcher like last year) Eli kept his entire costume on for the duration of the afternoon/evening with nary a complaint. (I think once he figured out costumes= lots of attention and candy, we were golden)

N LOVED checking out what all her friends' costumes were, and she was very quick to compliment them all. ("I LOVE your cape!")

Here she is with "super" friends, Isaiah and Phoebe.

She also "LOVED" Zoe and Shelby's pink fairy costumes (which Shelby informed N was "actually a BUTTERFLY...See the wings?")













Jason caved some pretty awesome pumpkins to decorate our trunk.

Tinker Bell for Norah






And "Mee Mouse" for Eli




















Eli LOVED the fishing booth. (And doesn't it just LOOK like something a little gnome would be doing?)


But the favorite activity of the day was definitely the bounce house.

After about 10 minutes of trunk or treating, Norah said to Jason. "Dad, I really think I have enough candy." I looked at him incredulously--was this MY child? Doesn't she know there are people giving free CHOCOLATE away out there!? Jason, seeing my disbelief, smiled and said, "All she cares about is bouncing."

Eli loved the Bounce House too. It was his first time in one. For the first few minutes he was just fascinated that he could see me from inside, but still maintain his freedom. Then, he cut loose and bounceed to his heart's content.







My favorite quote of the day was from Norah.

A: Norah, who had the best costume at Trunk or Treat?
N: Me!

Ok, so maybe we need to work on humility a little... but it still made me pretty happy.

From the Mouthes of Babes

Jason went hunting out of town last weekend the kids really missed him. Saturday night, Norah had the following conversation on the phone with her Daddy.
N: Hey Daddy. I miss you.
J: I miss you too, honey.
N: Dad, can I sleep in your bed with Mommy since you're not here?
J: I guess so, sweetie.
N: Yay! I get to be the husband!

Then later that night...
N: Mommy, which one is my sweet tooth? (grinning a wide grin and running her fingers across her teeth)
A: (slightly distracted after being interrupted from reading) Ummmm...I'm not sure, hun.
N: Oh, come on mom. Just tell me.
A: (Puts down book and begins a brief lesson on figures of speech)

Sorry for the lack of pictures, but I do hope to post the "Big Reveal '09" Halloween costume pics early next week, so hang tight!

Fun with Shaving Cream

I'd been wanting to work on writing upper and lower case letters with N, so I decided to pull out a trick from my personal memory of elementary school.

1 unassembled card table+ 1 bottle of shaving cream= good times!

While she's posing in the first picture, I loved Norah's expression when I whipped out the can of Barbasol. It looked something like, "What in the world are you going to do with THAT?" And then when I informed her that SHE got to use it, her expression changed to one that seemed to convey, "Seriously? Me? In THIS house?"

She definitely enjoyed herself, and had a lot more fun practicing her letters than she seems to when we just go old school (pencil and paper)


The only downsides for me were 1) the mess factor (which, honestly was pretty minimal...but still a little more work than throwing away a sheet of paper) and 2)the short lifespan of the shaving cream. It definitely needed to be "refreshed" after about 2-3 swipes, so it was hard not to feel a little wasteful ( even if the whole can did cost less than $1). Then again, I guess it's no different than spending money on blowing bubbles, and it's all for the sake of learning, so no harm no foul, right?

From the Mouthes of Babes... Lunchbox Edition

A: What sounds good for lunch today?
N: Girl Cheese!
A: Eli, do you want a grilled cheese like Norah?
N: No! Mommy! Eli can't have a GIRL cheese because he's a boy.
(to Eli, almost as if apologizing for my thoughtless oversight of his masculinity). It's ok, buddy, would you like Mommy to make you a boy cheese?
E: (feigning deliberation for Norah's sake...he doesn't care what he eats as long as it's ready soon) Ummm....Oh-tay!

(And I apologize for those who already read Denise's very similar quote from Isaiah, but I really did have this in draft to publish today, too)

When they get to the table where their sippy cups are waiting, I hear Norah turn to Eli and say, "Ok. Ready for Scumps?" I look up, and they are enthusiastically toasting each other. I'll admit they may have seen Sleeping Beauty one too many times. I'm just a little embarrassed that the "drinking song" is one of their favorite parts of the movie. Oh well, at least they still think it's juice.

Not five minutes later, I was in the kitchen, finishing making sandwiches when I heard Eli Sneeze...
N: Bless you.
E: Tay koo.
N: You're welcome.
It warmed my heart to hear them using their manners when I wasn't in the room with them. Then, during lunch, our conversation shifted to one that made me smile even more.

N: Momma, how come the pockets with my shoes used to be on Eli's bedroom door?
A: Don't you remember when the nursery was your room, sweetie?
N: Oh yeah. But, where did Eli sleep when I slept in his room?
A: Eli hadn't been born yet.
(Look of confusion from N)
A:(trying an alternate wording): Eli was still in Mommy's tummy.
N: Oh yeah. Mommy, I loved it when I was in your tummy.
A: Really? Tell me about it?
N: It was so nice and cozy. It was like.....heaven!

There are days when lunches sans adult conversation are messy, obnoxious, and a test of my patience...but all in all, I know I'm blessed to have lunch with my sweet, little buddies on a daily basis.

The Rainbow Connection

In keeping with our routine "school" activities , I decided to try a color-sorting project with Norah (which obviously didn't include N's outfit of choice, and while "mismatched tutu layering" isn't a dress code requirement in my school, it's certainly not frowned upon, either). I'll admit, half of the draw for the project was knowing that Norah's well-loved, over-used (if that is possible) books would get a good straightening.

So, I set her to work emptying all of her books onto the floor, one by one, sorting them into piles by color as she went along. (She LOVED this...guess she has my "giddy for organization" gene...or maybe just she thought it was fun making the HUGE mess on the floor) After the piles were formed, it was a snap putting them back on the shelves in color order (who doesn't love a little Roy G. Biv?) I'll admit, I was a little hesitant to depart from the original "in order by height" configuration...but so far, it hasn't bugged me, and it has worked to my advantage. N completely GETS this arrangement. She understands where to put her books back when she's finished with them, and best of all...she LIKES her books this way! (They've stayed pretty well just like this for over a month. And in case you're curious, the unsorted stack on the top shelf are her Bible storybooks...I didn't want to forget/lose any in the mix, so they got their own stack)

Fun activity, and, according to Likely Classroom, a great way to help sharpen differentiation skills, and color recognition. (Oh, and if you're still humming "The Rainbow Connection" to yourself later today, sorry 'bout that...it is a bit catchy!)

New Shoe, New 'Do

A few weeks ago Eli got his first short haircut (courtesy of Jason). It was a BIG change (just look at the last photo), but now, I really love it. In the beginning (when this photo was taken) it was pretty much a classic buzz cut. We had just watched "Toy Story" with the kids the week before, so after being told by several people that he had a "buzz" cut, Eli took to enthusiastically introducing himself to strangers, "Hi. I Buzz!" (Buzz Lightyear was definitely his favorite character)

Now that it has a little growth, I've been having lots of fun styling it (when I can't get it to lay down, I like to spike it up a bit, which I think really suits his personality. (I hope to post pictures soon...but that will be after I'm over the flu and have had a chance to get some new batteries for the camera)

The same weekend as the haircut, he also got some new shoes, which, as you can tell from the picture, he is pretty proud of. Honestly, the poor kid's probably just thankful to have some that fit (and stay on) his feet after a summer of defective flip flops being his only option. (For a while there, I couldn't fit anything else on his chubby feet, and the flip flops always fell off)

Photoshoot Fun...Until Somebody Gets (their feelings) Hurt

N & E have been infatuated with our tripod for a few months now. I don't know why they love it so much, but I'd wager it has something to do with those nifty telescoping legs.

One morning while after folding laundry in the back of the house, I decided to check things out because the kids were being a little too quiet.


This is the scene that greeted me. N and E had set up their own little photoshoot on the fireplace.





E wasn't sure if he was supposed to "shoot" or "chew", so he covered his bases.





























They traded off, cooperating with professional courtesy, and smiling for eachother like little pros. (Note the beanie baby prop...they thought of everything...well, except the camera, I guess) Naturally, my next thought was, "Hmmmm...they never want to take pictures for me. I know! I'll do it now, while they're in the mood!"


Shot #1











Shot #2....and we're done.

First "Big Screen" Movie

During my blogging hiatus, Norah partook in what I consider to be a small rite of passage-- her first "big screen" movie. We hadn't held out for so long intentionally, although I was super-picky about what I'd be willing to let my 3 year old daughter see, not to mention the expense...

That is, unless you hit the $1 Summer Movie...which is exactly what we did! There was a summer screening of the VeggieTales "Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" in early August, so we decided to make a day of it. (Eli spent the morning with Grandma Robinson so Norah could have her "Big Girl Day", and he had a ball being the undivided center of attention )

N was so excited, she could hardly wait. She picked out her own outfit (especially the peep-toe shoes, which were completely non-negotiable.), and of course, Ellie's outfit had to match, too.

Heading up to the ticket line, Norah asked what we were doing. I explained that everyone had to have a ticket to get in to see the movie, to which she replied, "Oh, I got it. Just like the circus."

It felt pretty great only paying $2 to get in. Can't remember the last time Jason and I had a movie date for that cheap.




She wanted to sit "way up high", so we did. I sat down in my seat, but she just paused and looked down at me when she reached hers. "Mommy, my seat's broken!" she said with concern. I explained the operations of fold-up theater seating to the poor, deprived girl, and after that she perked up. I should also note that she refused booster seating because she wanted to sit on the "soft" seat. (Which, after the lights went out, turned out to be my lap.) I had wondered how she'd do in the theater with her major fear of darkness...and the answer was "great", as long as we were touching at all times.

Posing with her sweet friend, Shelby (and the original "Ellie"), beside whom Norah sat and swapped snacks throughout the show. (In the end, I think the experience for them was more about the snacks and less about the plot. But they still had a great time)







After leaving the theater, we stopped off at Chick-fil-a for some yummy lunch. The girls decided to show off their muscles for me, so I couldn't resist snapping one, last photo.

It was a great day, and I look forward to many more movies together. (I'll admit, I'm pretty pumped about the new Disney "Frog Princess" movie due out in 2010...it is SO fun to finally have a legitimate excuse to watch kid movies, and a girlie girl enthusiast to sit at my side...or in my lap!)

Fun with Grocery Ads

We've recently cut out Norah's afternoon nap (much to my dismay, but she was staying awake until 12am on days when she was napping, so it was time). Since Eli still sleeps 2-3 hours in the afternoon, I've decided to capitalize on the "alone" time if affords me with Norah.

Some days we bake. Other days, she helps me with chores around the house. We almost always read together. And lately, with many of our sweet friends starting back to school (and N feeling a little bit left-out), we've been having daily "lessons". It's been fun for both of us.

This week, while doing some routine blog scouring, I came across a great idea over at Likely Classroom. She recommended using grocery circulars to help foster critical thinking and fine motor (pre-reading) skills.

I thought it looked like fun, and I just happened to get a fresh crop of circulars in the mail, so we took it and ran with it. It was a huge hit with Norah, so I thought I'd share.

Her first "assignment" was to go through the entire ad with a marker, marking X's on all of the items she didn't like, and circling all of the items that she did like.






Next, I had her write her name at the top of a piece of paper, and I told her we'd be making a list together. The first list was of things that she liked (based on what she's circled in the ads).
She looked for the circled items again, and I circled the word, identifying the product (circling the word really seemed to help her focus on the single word, because there was SO much going on in the circular!). Then, I had her read the letters to me as I wrote them on her list. We stopped at three items (because she's three). Then we did the same thing with the items that she didn't like. (As a side note, N LOVES cucumber, but had drawn a big "X" over them. When I asked her why, she replied, "I ex-ed those for Daddy." She has been begging Jason to "please like cucumbers...they're good for you!" for months. I guess she finally decided her efforts were futile.)

Next, we turned the page, and I outlined the word "Green" in dot-to-dot fashion. N carefully traced the letters, saying them as she went along. Then, I told her we'd be making a list of green things. Again, she consulted the ad, and I circled the identifying words for the green items she chose and had her dictate the letters while I wrote them on her list.

We did the same thing with "Red", then decided to call it a day. I definitely think we'll revisit this exercise. She responded really well to it, and I'm all for sharpening those fine motor skills! Who knows, maybe I can con her into making my next grocery list!

The (Very Masculine) Shoe Fairy

Eli is my neat child. He is (usually) a careful eater (probably more in an effort to savor every bite and not waste than to stay clean, but the end result is the same). He is usually the first to respond (and happily sing along) when it's time to "Clean Up, Clean Up". Best of all, he just seems to understand that I like things neat, and does his best to comply.

Recently, Jason and I discovered that Eli has figured out where we keep his shoes, and has started putting them away. Sometimes this is done at our request, other times of his own accord.

It blew my mind the first time I discovered that I could hand my 20-month old a pair of shoes on one end of the house, and tell him, "Go put your shoes away", and he understood (and was obedient) enough to walk down the hall to his (dark) bedroom, open the bottom drawer of his dresser, put them inside, and close the drawer.

Norah, on the other hand, at age 3 and a half, has yet to embrace this particular skill. She is constantly leaving her shoes all over the house, and is often scolded for taking them off and abandoning them the instant she comes indoors. (I blame Cinderella. She didn't exactly set a good precedent for shoe cleanliness, and it helped her bag a prince)

Yesterday, Norah had been busted on multiple counts of shoe offenses. Eli, being the loving, protective brother that he is, decided to take matters into his own hands. As I was putting away the laundry, I discovered that the "shoe fairy" had visited Norah's bottom drawer. (Which, incidentally, doesn't house shoes--they're kept in pockets on the back of her door...but it's the thought that counts, right?)

From the Mouthes of Babes...

Some of our Favorite Recent "Eli Prayers"...

July 4, 2009
A: Dear
E: Got
A: Thank you for
E: Momma, Dada, Nahnah,
A: and thank you for the fireworks
E: Puew!! Puew! Puew!
At this point, the prayer kind of veered off into a frenzied sound effect extravaganza. What can I say? My boy loved those fireworks.

August 12, 2009:
A: Dear
E: Got
A: Thank you for
E: Momma, Dada, Nahnah,
A: and thank you for
E: Mimi, Papaw, Gammah, Gammamah, an TUCK, an Mee Mee Duck. AaaaaMEN!
(Those last two would be Tuck and Ming Ming Duck, a la Noggin's "Wonderpets")

August 20, 2009
(Note that, despite the content, this was his BEDTIME prayer)
A: Dear
E: Got
A: Thank you for
E: Pizza, Hah dahg, an Nuhguts! AaaaaMEN!

The Perks of Being a Grandbaby

Unlimited Bluebell...

















...and the occasional Dr. Pepper.

And if you think the list ends there, you are sorely mistaken.

From the Mouthes of Babes...

Norah's response after careful inspection of her hands (post being informed that she had paint all over them...)
N: "Mommy, look! There isn't any paint on my insect finger!"

A: Norah, what movie would you like to watch?
N: Sleeping Beauty!
A: (Knowing that the suggested movie can, at times make N a bit uneasy) How about we pick a movie that's a little less scary, so Eli won't be afraid.
N: It's ok mom. I'll encourage him when Malificent comes.


Eli-isms of Late...
For the duration of our car trips, Eli has begun informing us of each and every "Truck!" and "Cahhrr" he sees. (Amazingly, in spite of the fact that they are virtually everywhere you look, his excitement at finding them doesn't ever seem to wain)

"Nuh-guts?!" Happily requested, without fail if we happen to drive-into (or past) a McDonald's. (Proving that the golden arches really are one of the most recognizable trademarks in the world...even to a 19-month old)

"Poo Poo!" Exclaimed (usually at a high volume) anytime Eli has to go to the bathroom, regardless of what type of business he really needs to take care of. I'm just thankful that he tells me, and waits until we reach the potty to act on his urges.

"Choo Choo!" Proudly declared each time he finishes going "poo poo", as he pulls up his undies, which feature Thomas the Train.

"Hah Dahg" One of Eli's favorite foods of late.

"Kye-it" His most recent request if I try to sing him a lullabye when he's too tired to listen. (Usually spoken while shoving his "insect" finger toward my lips)

"Tay-koooooo" Spoken, almost without fail if given anything, whether it be a compliment, favor or physical object. He loves saying thank you...I pray this is something that never changes!

Eli has also recently learned that a well-placed "please" is the key to most things his heart desires. When he forgets, all I have to do is say, "Use your manners", and he'll offer an adorable "Peeace" with a sheepish smile.

Oh yeah...the blog!

So...it's been a month...give or take. Busy, good times have been had.

Several of which have involved a standing fan.

In case you don't immediately see the movie reference, let me back up a little to give you the big picture...


Still don't see it? Allow me to help you out...blonde girl standing on the left is actually a red-headed mermaid lying a rock, with the wind in her hair and the salty, ocean spray in her face.

It seems the mesmerizing whir of the fan compels Norah to imitate Ariel (specifically, the part of the movie where she is singing, "Ahh Ahh Ahhhhhh....Ahh Ahh Ahhhhhh....",).



And what's even better, she's taught Eli her "song". The instant the fan is turned on, he races to do his best little mermaid impression. He's got the tune down cold!








One Saturday afternoon, Jason and Eli ran into Hastings while Norah and I hit HEB, next door. J and E finished a little faster, so they were waiting in the car when we came out. Norah had managed to sweet talk the balloon guy into giving her an extra balloon for her brother, and I thought his reaction was priceless!







Who wouldn't love a free smile this big?

I wish I could say this smile lasted forever...but unfortunately, the smile faded about the same time the balloon did. Thankfully, it doesn't take much to turn this little fella's frown upside down.






One of my favorite reasons, of late is seeing him in his "Choo Choos". (E's nickname for his Thomas the Train underoos). Nearly every time he puts them on, he says, "Choo-choo!!" (in high-pitched, train whistle fashion). And no, he isn't completely potty trained...but he is doing really well.


In addition to loving his big boy pants, E has a major love for shoes. (Not so much for the fashion aspects as for the "I must have shoes on my feet at all times" factor, which I'm told was the way my dad was when he was a child) The irony here is that E's feet are so wide, we only have a couple of pairs that he can wear. Flip flops seem to be his favorite right now. This photo was taken about 10 minutes after he woke up. The previous 9 minutes were spent getting into my closet and picking out a pair of heels for me to wear (with my pajamas), followed by taking Jason his shoes shouting "Shoes! Shoes!" until we put them on. Jason and I decided he must have wanted us to take him out for donuts. Shoes= leaving the house.

Another fun discovery during our hiatus...homemade "stars". Our living room gets a lot of sun in the morning, thanks to a skylight, and Norah figured out that if she put an open vegetable steamer directly in the sun...







Voila! Instant stars!
















Last week marked the final story time with the summer reading program at the public library. Norah turned in her second summer reading log and was awarded with a "gold" medal. She was so proud, she gave me a genuine smile! The lady in the photo is Ms. Bobbye, one of the wonderful, fun children's librarians. (Norah loves her because she always brings a banjo to story time and she sings LOTS of fun songs)







We had to stop by the downstairs desk to see Norah's best librarian buddy, Ms. Dorothy. Ms. Dorothy (whose name, I should add, Eli can pronounce perfectly) always takes the time to make N & E feel special, no matter how busy the library is. She is a precious lady.