From the Mouthes of Babes: Circus Edition

Ringling Brothers came to Reed Arena this weekend, so we thought it was high time that Eli experience his first circus.  We bought tickets with some of our friends, and had a great time.  The circus was, as always, exciting (and at times so stressful--I thought I was going to have a heart attack FOR the guy on the high wire), but my favorite part was definitely watching and listening to the kids' take on things.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the night:

En route to the show J and I overheard this exchange in the back of the car:

E: Can you ride on a baby tiger?

N: No, you can't ride on a baby tiger, unless it's at least 30 years old.

Norah: (at first the sight of the tightrope walkers): Mommy, why are those boys wearing sparkles?


Eli: (upon seeing the oriental knive diver produce a black, blindfold/face-sock from at his waistband and hold it up for the crowd to see) "Momma!? Is that his underwear!?" (This, of course was exclaimed at a volume level of about 110)

At the close of the show, the ringmaster put a beautiful blonde woman into a cage, then covered it with a sheet.  After briefly pausing to achieve optimum dramatic effect, he pulled the sheet away to reveal a massive Great Dane.  Eli was utterly astonished, and shouted in accusatory disbelief, "He turned her into a DOG!?!" (as if to say, "Did anyone else just see that!?  Are they just going to let him get away with it!?")

And finally, after the confetti popping, show-stopper of-a-finale, when the performers took their last bow, Eli shouted at the top of his lungs with total sincerity (and no prompting), "THANK YOU!!!"  Funny, sweet, little boy.

This was definitely my favorite trip to the circus thus-far.  Both kids are at an age where they were old enough to sit (relatively) still and watch the show.  (We bought 2 rows of 6 seats, so the adults sat in the back row, and the kids all sat in front of us below, which was super fun to watch.  Of course, they also spent a lot of time in and out of our laps, but it was nice to sprawl out--I would definitely buy tickets that way again)

N absolutely loved watching all of the animals perform-- the puppies and kitty cats, and the quick-change artist, in particular.  Eli's favorite, of course was the motorcycle cage.  He sat perfectly still for that part, and watched in awe, just saying "How do they do that?" over and over again.  Good times!

From the Mouthes of Babes

Overheard last Sunday after church...

 

E: I'm gonna be baptized someday.

N: Me too!  And then we can eat the crackers of God!"

 A recent prayer by Norah (after several conversations about the homeless, and less fortunate)

N: "Dear God, thank you for this wonderful day.  Please bless our food.  And be with the children without mommies or daddies.  And help people who live in boxes not to live in boxes.  Amen."

A recent prayer by Eli (over 2 months post-Christmas)

E: "Dear God, thank you for all our blessings.  Thank you for Mommy and Daddy.  And help Santa to come at nap time.  Amen." 

At the barber shop recently, we were sitting, waiting through a long line for Eli to get his hair cut, when an older gentleman came in and sat down in the seat next to Norah.  (We go to the historic downtown barbershop, where we are almost always the only patrons under 50, so this was a normal occurrence) Without hesitating, Norah turned to the man and had the following exchange.

N: Hi.  I'm a five year old.  (if you've talked to N lately, you know this is how she starts almost every conversation)

Man: Why hello there young lady.

N: Do you know about Jesus? (this on the other hand, I've NEVER heard her say before)

Man: Why yes, I do.  He is my Lord and my Savior.

N: (Smiling, and nodding) Good.  I'm going to the doctor after this to get some shots.

Man: Oh!  Well.  That's not gonna hurt because Jesus is gonna make it not hurt.

A: (Grimaces at Norah as man turns the other way,  and shakes head no, in disagreement with his claim about pain-free shots.  N smiles knowingly and nods her head, as if to tell me she understands)   

I did, however, later talk to N about how proud I was of her for being so bold in talking to a stranger about Jesus.  She said she just wanted to make sure he knew.  Oh, that I might have the effortless faith of a child.

From the Mouthes of Babes

After teaching the story of "Jacob and Esau" in Children's Bible Hour tonight, I decided to quiz Norah to see how well she was paying attention.

A: Norah, which of the twins was Rebekah's favorite?

N: Jacob.

A: Good.  And which one was Isaac's favorite?

N: Esau.

A: That's right.  And which one was red and hairy?

N: Esau.

A: Uh-huh.  And which one was a good cook?

N: Jacob. He made some stew and he made Esau give him his birthmark.

A: (laughs hysterically and debates over whether to correct this misunderstanding, or let it ride in hopes of equally amusing future Bible story teachers)

Recently overheard while eavesdropping in the car...

N: Mommy, when I grow up, I want to be a queen.

E: Mommy, when I grow up, I want to be LIGHTENING McQueen.

(Another day..it seems that Eli frequently dreams of what he'll be when he grows up while riding in the car)

E: When I grow up, I want to be a dinosaur.

N: Eli, you can't be a dinosaur when you grow up.  You have to stay a human.  You can't be an animal if you are a boy.

E: (with a little more edge to his voice) But I want to be a dinosaur when I grow up!

N: Eli, you can't be a dinosaur because dinosaurs are extinct.  So, if you are a dinosaur, you will ex-STINK!  Just pick something else.

Finally, this one made me choke up a little...it's not funny, but it's so sweet,  I definitely don't want to forget it.  Saturday was a really full day for me.  I had errands to run all over town (on a home game weekend, which meant they took far longer than if I would've gone any, other day), then came home to an empty house (my wonderful Mom R and Grandmother had N&E ALL day, God bless them!) and cleaned what looked like the wreckage of a natural disaster, in effect, restoring peace, calm, and cleanliness to our house, then finished up some overdue sewing projects.  By the time Jason got home with the kids, we were all worn out from a fun (and/or uber-productive) day.  We fed and bathed the kids, Jason was getting Eli ready for bed, and I was doing the same with Norah.  It was at this point that Eli came up to me, gave me a big, calf-high bear hug, and said the words that I know I will treasure for years to come,

E: "Thanks for all of the wonderful things you do for us, mom."  

I was completely floored.  Well, to be honest, I thought he had to have been delivering a message from Jason.  So, I asked Daddy if he had prompted the sweet boy, and he declined the opportunity to take credit, saying that he wasn't even sure what Eli had told me, but that whatever it was, was straight from Eli's own heart.  I stooped down and gave E another, big hug and told him thank you...he probably had no idea how much his simple statement meant to his haggard, old mother, but I can guarantee you I'll be holding onto it for a while!

From the Mouthes of Babes: Bears, Black Eyes, and Bugs

Eli: (pointing to a red corvette as it smokes us down on the bypass) "Wook, Norah!  That's a FAST car!"

Norah: Yeah, but that car is speeding.  We are going the speed limit. 

Eli: What's that, Norwah?

Norah: The speed limit is just right. Like in the three bears.  Not too fast.  Not too slow.  

Norah officially has her first black eye.  It came as a result of flipping her chair over on top of herself.  (the chair actually hit her cheek bone and left a long, straight bruise, which after a couple of days spread to her eye)  She was pretty sensitive about it at first when people would ask, but Jason explained to her that "People ask what happened to your eye because they love you." and she seems to handle it much better now.  (Which also probably has a lot to do with the fact that her best friend showed up to church Sunday night with a matching shiner on the exact same eye...go figure!  I hope to post photos of them together soon)


All of the rain last week drew in a MASSIVE water bug (or what we Southerners often refer to as "cockroach"...ewww my skin crawled just typing that), which threw Norah into orbit.  She screamed bloody murder and quickly retrieved Jason to handle the situation.  After the extermination of said bug, Norah informed us, "I do not like bugs.  Only ladybugs, caterpillars and butterflies."  I couldn't agree more, sweetie.

From the Mouthes of Babes

First words spoken by Eli this morning, as I cuddled and rocked him in his underwear, before getting him dressed. (And no, the cuddling and rocking isn't a daily pre-dressing ritual, but I will take it any day that he's feeling snugly for as long as I can get it!)
E: Is THIS the right finger, Mom? 
A: (looking down, not sure what he is talking about) The right finger for what, buddy?
E: The right finger to put in my belly button.

On the car ride to church last night (some of my BEST kid-conversation eavesdropping happens  in the car!)

N: Eli, when we get to church, I am going to hold your hand, and we can share my Winnie the Pooh umbrella.  I love you so much.  You're my best friend.  And if you died, I would be SO sad.  But I would still love you.
(Insert cricket chirping here)
N: Eli, is there anything you want to say to me?
E: (obviously trying to give her the "right" answer) Norwah, thank you for sharing your umbwella with me.
N: You're welcome.  Now, repeat after me. I love you too, Norah.
E: I love you too, Norwah.
N: And if you died, I would be SO sad.
E: And if I died I would be SO sad.
N: No.  Say, "If YOU died I would be so sad."
E: If you died I would be so sad, Norwah.
N: Thank you, Eli.
E: You're welcome.

Colors and a new Eli-ism

The photo was one of several color sorting/recognition exercises I've done with Eli in recent days. He is a WHIZ at numbers, but for some reason, he has been really slow at learning his colors. (at least it seems slow to me, since Norah definitely knew all of her colors by the time she was 2, and Eli is approaching 2 and a half with little improvement)

Just when I was starting to think he was color blind (seriously), I noticed that he was able to distinguish between different colors. For example, we each have a different colored toothbrush holder, and he knows which one belongs to whom. He can't say the color associated with the holder, but he can grab the blue one if I ask for "daddy's" or the pink one if I ask for "Norah's", or the green one for himself, etc. (Mine is purple, in case you were wondering, and no, it's not my favorite...it was just all that was left after everyone else picked).

He's pretty good about picking the right color out of a lineup if I ask him, "which one is red"...but just struggles with having to come up with color names on his own.

So, I decided that since he was capable of making the distinction, we would work on color-recognition a little more intensively, starting with one of his FAVORITE things that is in abundance all over our house....matchbox cars! Mimi found this fun little hanging matchbox car holder and gave it to Eli for Christmas. Unfortunately, he prefers to keep them spread out all over the house.

At any rate, I put one car of each color in the first pocket of each row, and then had him sort through some of his cars, matching the colors to the rows, while I talked to him about the name of the color he was working on each time.

His other favorite color exercise this week was with jellybeans. I bought a little bag and each day choose 4 colors for him, and 4 for Norah. He has to name the colors before he can eat his, as well as before I will give his sister hers. (This has helped Norah be even more supportive of helping him learn...not that she wasn't before---she loves to help teach)

On an un-related, but funny note. Eli has given Robinson County a new catch phrase that makes me smile...

E: I'm hungwee, Mom.
A: Eli, you just ate breakfast 30 minutes ago. You can have lunch in a few more hours. Go play.

10-minutes later...
E: Mom, I'm hungwee a wittle bit stronger.
A: (caves and gives him a string cheese chaser to the blueberry pancake and sausage breakfast he consumed less than an hour before)

He has used the phrase, "I'm hungry a little bit stronger" to describe himself multiple times this week...though I assure you we do feed him regularly. It makes me laugh a little each time, just because of his choice of words. If you know Eli, you know he has a big vocabulary for a little guy, and good conversational skills...I just thought it was humorous that while the word "more" (as in "more hungry" or even "more hungrier") is definitely in his repertoire, he chose "stronger", instead. I guess it is a pretty intense hunger he's describing...

From the Mouthes of Babes..Hymnal Edition

In church yesterday we sang a song called "Break my Heart". The lyrics to the second verse are read, "My sins are great, but I can see the glory set for me. Show me Father where to start and gently break my heart."

Congregation: (singing) "My sins are great..."
N: "SINS ARE BAD!!!!!" (incredulously shouted at the top of her lungs, with a look on her face that said, "What is WRONG with you people?)

I think about 3 rows in front and behind us all stopped singing at this point because they couldn't control their laughter. Proof positive that even if you think your kids aren't paying attention in church, they are always listening!

From the Mouthes of Babes...TMI Edition

After enduring 4 years of our telling her to "Eat-up so you can grow healthy and strong"...
N: Mommy, how does food help us grow if it just turns into poo-poo? And for the record, neither Jason nor myself have ever explained the digestive process to her, so this came completely out of left field, for me.

On another dining occasion...
A: Norah, if you don't finish your dinner, you can't have anything else to eat tonight.
N: (after some deliberation) I can still have breakfast in the morning, though, right?

N: Mommy, how did Helen's mommy get two babies in her tummy?
A: Well, Norah, Helen's family has been praying for a while that they could have another brother or sister for Helen and Isaac, and God answered their prayers.
N: Dear God, please put another baby in my Mommy's tummy....Oh! A GIRL baby. Amen.



E: You're my best fwend, Mom.
(within the same 5 minute period)
E: Norwah, you're my best fwend.
(and later that same night)
E: Dad, we're best fwends. (What made this instance particularly funny was that Jason had just opened a Snickers bar, and Eli completely changed direction and felt the need to declare his allegiance to his father at the exact moment that he heard the wrapper crinkle)
Maybe we have a future politician on our hands?

A couple of weeks ago Eli was stricken with an awful stomach bug that kept him occupied for the better part of 7 hours one night. After round one, I kept watch over him in his room, with a tiny pot in-hand. (Poor kid, couldn't make it to the bathroom in time to get sick, so I had to come up with a portable/easily washable solution) After hour 3 of his 30-minute vomiting schedule, he took issue with me, and the pot.
E: No, Mommy! I don't want to throw up anymore. Take dat pot out of heewuh"

I should also add that each time he would finish throwing up, Eli would instantly go from angry/frustrated to perfectly content, saying some hilarious comment to break the ice. HEre are some of the ones I remember...

E: Mom, can I snuggle with my drink? (I had given him a little water to rinse his mouth out)
A: Sure, if it helps you feel better.
E: Thanks, Mom. (fast asleep, snuggling said drink within 30 seconds, flat)

E: I have a question, Mom.
A: What's your question, bud?
E: What's Norwah doing?
A: She's sleeping.
E:Ok.

E: I have a question, Mom.
A: What's your question, Eli?
E: Can we watch a little show?
A: No, buddy, it's very late, we need to go back to sleep.
E: All-wite.

E: I have a question, Mom.
A: OK, what's your question?
E: Can I wake up Norwah?
A: No. She needs her rest.
E: Does Daddy need to rest too?

From the Mouthes of Babes...

While dressing Eli for church Sunday morning, Jason tied E's tie and gave it a final pat, to signify he was finished. Eli's response: "I'm a wary handsome boy."

Fast forward to after church, when I was taking off his church clothes to put on play clothes before lunch. Eli's response: "Awww (accompanied by the saddest little pouty lip I've ever seen), I'm not a wary handsome boy anymore?" Rest assured, I set that record straight wary quickly.

Another Eli-ism we're loving right now is the way he tries to get our attention when he wants to show us something. "Hey kids! Look at dis!" It cracks us up every time (and he calls Jason and I "kids" on a daily basis). It isn't in any way said in disrespect, more like a term of endearment. And we're sure he picked it up from us, because it's the way we often address he and Norah when we want them to head to the table for dinner, or to the car, etc. Still, very funny coming from the mouth of an articulate 2 year-old.

Then, later that day, called from down the hall that he was stranded in the bathroom, without any toilet paper. I was in the middle of a tedious mending job for Norah (she had broken a fairy wing!) and if I set it down, I was going to have to go back to square one (which was quite a few squares back), so I sent Norah on a mission of mercy to the other bathroom, to take Dad the much-needed tp.

Jason informed me that Norah made haste, and hurried into the bathroom with a smug grin and an outstretched hand, containing exactly one square of toilet paper. (The other hand was behind her back, holding the rest of the roll) Jason got a big kick out of her sense of humor, as he probably would have done the same thing, had the opportunity presented itself to him first.

This (Little) Old Man

This week I made Eli a "Little Old Man" shirt with a faux tie and suspenders. He took a fancy to it right away, proudly pointing out his "Tie and some spenders" to anyone who would care to pay him notice. I attribute his loving it so much to the fact that it is one of the few things I've made for him to wear. Poor kid. Sister gets dresses and twirly skirts, but little brother is deprived due to his mother's lack of originality/ingenuity at finding good little boy sewing ideas. I'm hoping to break the cycle this year, though. I've got a few ideas to throw in the mix, so hopefully I can even out their homemade wardrobes a little bit.

And that face is the "smile" I get 90% of the time right now. (Perhaps you noticed it in the chicken noodle soup photo from the Snow Post?) I think it captures his personality at this age perfectly. He is such a ham!

From the Mouthes of Babes...

Excited, upon seeing that Aunt Paige had made it to her birthday party...
N: Aunt Paige!!! I was afraid you'd come!

Eli's latest bail-out tactic for himself when he's caught doing something wrong...
A: Eli, that is a no-no! Big trouble!
E: (pointing his index finger as if to scold himself, while smiling mischievously) "Naughty little kitten!"

The following exchange took place when Eli was having a mini-whining fit...
Grandmother: Eli, aren't you a big boy?
Eli: (with a definite air of defience) "No."
Grandmother: Then are you a little boy?
Eli: No.
Grandmother: Then what are you?
Eli: I'm a GIRL.
At this point, the entire house erupted into laughter, including Eli, who, conveniently forgot what he was whining about in the first place. Incidentally, Eli and Norah went to the back of the house shortly after this conversation, and Eli emerged a few minutes later, running into the room with his t-shirt pulled up over his head shouting,
E: "Help my dress is stuck! My dress!"

*Note...some of you had asked why Eli didn't have cute Valentines like Norah. It wasn't like we didn't try. The above photos were the two *best* shots I got of him. The first one he was pretty close, he just forgot to close his fist...but the second one sort of reminded me of the grip a young warrior would have on a spear...so we finally decided to call it a day, and just eat some candy. (I don't think he was disappointed in the slightest)

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

From the Mouthes of Babes...

Norah is interested in all things princess. I've discovered this also includes interest in their respective princes. If she's playing Ariel, I, or Daddy are often asked to be "Prince Eric". If she's Sleeping Beauty, our role switches to "Prince Phillip". So, last night as we were driving in the car (where a great deal of deep thought and notable conversation takes place), she asks,

N: Mommy, what's Cinderella's prince's name?
A: Ummmmm Charming?
N: Ooooo, Charming. Good name.


Probably in light of the "every princess has her prince" thought process, Norah has pondered some as to who her prince will be. As a result, we had the following conversation.

N: Mommy, when I grow up, can I marry Daddy?
A: No, sweetie, Daddy is my husband. But he'll always be your Daddy.
N: Ok, then I want to marry Eli.
A: Well, Norah, actually, you can't marry your brother.
N: Oh. (With understanding, and then concern) Then who can I marry!?
A: You can marry another sweet, Christian boy.
N: Ok. Then I want to marry Cal. (A friend from church)

I happened to have an errands at Cal's house later that evening, so naturally Norah wanted to tag along and check in on her prospect. While we were there, they had the following exchange.

N: Cal, when I grow up, can I marry you?
C: Ummmm....sure.
(Then, after some quick consideration)
C: No, wait! I'm older, so I will marry you!
N: Ok.

From the Mouthes of Babes...

N: Mommy, do you know Samson?
A: I think so, what about him?
N: Jemima cut his hair and he wasn't strong anymore.

From the Mouthes of Babes...

One morning, after a well-check visit to our doctor, I reprimanded Norah for being too rowdy. One of the consequences for her behavior was to have to ride home from the doctor's office with no music and no toys. She was pretty bewildered. I, on the other hand, had to muffle my laughter as the following verbal exchange took place in the backseat:

N: [Pointing outside] "Look! A little bird. Maybe that will cheer me up! Little Bird, would you mind cheering me up, please? Oh, you will. Thank you so very much!"

This morning Daddy scolded Norah for using her outside voice inside (at the crack of dawn). It was interesting to see what she took away from his rebuke.

J: Norah, I have asked you several times not to yell indoors. You may play, and have a good time, but I do not want you to be loud. Do you understand?
N: Yes sir.
J: What did I tell you?
N: I can't have any fun. (She said this completely sincerely, as if it really were the correct answer to his question--she wasn't pouting or complaining, just stating a fact. Incidentally, Jason explained to her again what he said, and we think she got it the second time.)

After playing with a friend from church/Daddy's work...
N: Mommy, when Nathan and I were playing swords, he started towards me and he yelled, "SHARKS!"
A: Norah, are you sure he didn't say, "Charge!"
N: No, Mommy. He said sharks.

Favorite Norah-isms of late:
"Hoolie Loop" (hula hoop)

"I fell in the heart with __________" (N's take on "falling in love"...thankfully no boys outside of her family have been inserted into the blank just yet)

At 17 months, Eli's vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds! He has recently attained the ability to repeat nearly any word he hears. For memory book purposes (because I'm an even worse book keeper than I am a blogger, lately), here are a list of some of his favorite words lately:
"Key Cat" (kitty cat)
"Mahk" (milk)
"Cup"
"Druhk" (drink)
"Jooos" (juice)
"Dah-bah" (diaper)
"Taah Taah" (tractor)
"Buck" (book)
"Bird"
"Ahh Duh" (all done)
Back-back (backpack)
"Truck"
"Ockapuh" (octopus...courtesy of one of his favorite picture books)
"Nana" (Banana)
"Nah Nah" (Norah, actually very distinguishable from "banana")

Favorite Animal Sounds:
Elephant ("Buureee!"--he makes a trunk with his arm when his does this one, so cute!), Dog ("fuh fuh"), Owl ("hoo hoo"), Sheep ("baaaa"), Rooster ("err err err!"), Cat ("meow"), Chicken ("cluh cluh"), Cow ("mmmmmmm!")