Snow Day Pinterest Project

Ha.  Good one, right?!?  However, when it was all said and done Eli had a great time and was able to use some new skills....and that was the point to begin with so I'll call it a win.

Pinterest Finger Painting in a Baggie....

1.  We started off well.  (It looks legit, doesn't it?)

Sweet.  She put tape on the window!  I'll peel it off!

 2.  The tape was distracting.  So we moved to the high chair.

If you're going to put me up here, give me something to eat!

 3.  So we abandoned the paint and went back to the tape.

 4.  The kid played for 20 minutes removing and re-sticking the blue tape.  Happy as a clam.

Great idea mom!  Thanks!

All clean ... time to start over!

Just a boy and his masterpiece.

Making sure it was just right.

The rest of our snow day was spent trying on daddy's shoes, helping with the laundry and dishes, playing with every toy in the house, and alerting the neighborhood to every car and truck that drove by.

18 months

When everyone says that 18 months is SO fun....they aren't kidding.  This age is probably my favorite so far.  I know that I've said that before and I will say it again, but for now Ryan and I are loving this stage of life.  At 18 months, we are blown away by how much Eli is learning!  All of those months of our incessant talking (Look at the truck! It's a red truck!  The red truck goes fast!) to a blank stare have come to fruition!  It was as if a switch flipped and our little boy turned into a parrot.  No longer do we have to repeat a word 563 times before every hearing it again.  He will try to mimic most words and sounds we make.  He is also learning how to make things work - like puzzles, driving his truck, and riding a 'trike.'

Eli, at 18 months you...
- Love to walk/run everywhere
- Love playing outside and throw a fit when we have to come in
- LOVE reading books.  It's the first thing you want every morning and the last thing you want every night.
- LOVE trucks, cars and anything you can 'drive' on the floor or couch
- Still have a fetish for hats (or maybe that's mom...)
- Love reading your Family book - you can point out everyone and call Mama, Dada, Uncle Go, Auntie A, Joel, Gigi and Papa by name!
- Feeding you is all about the presentation.  (Using a fork or bowl makes everything taste better!)
- Feel strongly that everything needs to be in its place (wonder where he gets that??).  Just for fun we put his little chair inside of his tent.  The next thing I know, he is dragging the chair out of the tent and back to its 'normal' spot.  He will also pull out his lawn mower, mow the carpet, and then park his lawn mower back in his closet.  Too funny.
- Still love to sleep!  You sleep from about 7:00-6:45 on school days (you like to sleep in on the weekends) and take a 2 hour nap in the afternoons.
- You have 16 teeth and are working on your 2 year molars (or at least we hope that is what is causing the current fussiness and drool fountain).
- Have really started playing with Maya at daycare.  You two are quite the pair we hear.
- Have been to the doctor 9 times in the last 11 months for your ears :(  In approximately 12 hours you'll have tubes and hopefully no more fluid!
- Wear 12 month pants, 18 month shirts and size 4 shoe.
- Are rocking the 5% in weight, 10% in height, and 47% head.

TRUCK!

You are the biggest blessing little one.  We love you!

Eli at Warp Speed

This post will be shamelessly devoted to Eli's development because I know that, all too soon, I will forget it all.

How you doin?

Eli is apparently growing and learning at warp speed.  I'm not kidding.  It's kind of scary.  Quick little update on what our almost-18-month old is up to...He began walking at 16 months and now that he has that mastered, he's moved on to his verbal development.  In the last three weeks he has gone from saying about three words to:

- Knowing animal sounds (dog, duck, cow, rooster, lion and pig)
- Saying car, more, shoe, hot, hat, and choo choo
- Being able to identify (point to) a dump truck, tractor, cement truck, car trailer, firetruck, garbage truck, crane, monster truck, airplane, train, and bus
- Knowing his eyes, ears, mouth, nose, fingers, hand, toes, foot, and hair
- Being able to identify extended family members...and Santa Clause
- Knowing how to stomp, spin and do a somersault!

In conclusion, this stage is SO MUCH FUN!

All photos in this post are courtesy of the one-and-only Aunt Katelyn.  You're welcome :)

Built on the Rock

At this point, some of you may have received a Christmas card inviting you to visit the blog to see what we've been up to.  In that case, I better get to writing.

Though I will always profess I am an eternal optimist, Ryan and I are good and ready to say goodbye to 2013.  This year has certainly been a bittersweet year of hellos and goodbyes, illnesses and healing.  Our pastor pretty well wrapped up the year last Sunday with a verse I've heard a hundred times.

Matthew 7:24-27
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

I could even sing you a little Vacation Bible School rendition if you'd like.

However, this verse takes on a bit more meaning when it feels like the ones you love are in a constant storm.  Ryan and I were talking about this last weekend and came to the conclusion that we better make sure our 'house' is built on a good, solid rock.  Because, as we saw this year, you certainly can't wait until you're in the midst of the storm to start construction.  You've got to already be there.  Thankfully we have a God who answers prayers and shows mercy every day.

This year we are so thankful for -
- The birth of our nephew Joel and the doctors who are helping him grow big and strong!
- Prayer warriors and modern medicine which are helping Grayson and Berkley kick cancer's butt!
- God's promise of eternal life as He welcomed my Uncle Brent home

We are blessed to be able to live another day with the jobs, friends, family and life that we do.

Happy Halloween Y'all!!

Howdy Partner.

For his first official Halloween, Eli got all gussied up as a genuine cowboy.  You may remember this outfit from his first trip to Texas.  Yep, that's right, his cowboy outfit from Aunt Anita still fits!  But that doesn't mean it wasn't a little stiff.  Walking, bending his knees, and sitting in general proved a little difficult until he got his costumed loosened up.  It was hilarious.

Has there been a cuter cowboy?

Final preparations

Our first stop was Buzz's house.  All Eli wanted to do was walk in their front door - he had no interest in grabbing a piece of candy.

The dads' attempt at getting the kids in a picture.

Does this count as a first date?

After touring the cul-de-sac with Woody, Jessie, Buzz and Stinky Pete, he definitely got the hang of walking up to the door and grabbing a treat out of the bowl!  That didn't stop him from trying to walk into every house we stopped at though.

Thanks for the candy, now can I come in your house and look out your windows?

We had the best night with our favorite cowboy, great friends and a cul-de-sac full of fun neighbors.  It makes me so happy that Eli will get to grow up surrounded by great families. 

Block parties could get a little crazy up here on the hill.

Happy Halloween Y'all!

Sunday Funday at the Lazy T

It is no secret that one of my favorite things about being a parent is getting to enjoy all the fun 'kid' things in life again....and this weekend's pumpkin patch was no different.

Ryan, Eli and I headed down Zeandale Rd, just east of Manhattan, on the most beautiful afternoon in the history of Autumn, towards the Lazy T Ranch Family Fall Festival.  And, as Ryan asked - Yes, it  lived up to everything I had hoped it would be.

Hmmm...so many choices.

Little help over here?  This thing weighs more than I do.

 For you locals out there, the Lazy T has all sorts of fall fun to offer.  We hit up the Old Barn, Hay Bail Maze, Pumpkin Patch, petting the horses and, Eli's favorites - the Pumpkin Bounce House and this little John Deere gator we found abandoned near the Hedge Apple Slingshot.  We chose to save the High Zip Line, Tunnel slide, Pony Rides and Hay Rack Ride for next year. 

Who needs a pony when you've got a gator?

Eli loved exploring all of the different 'attractions.'

Love, love, love, love him.

How can you not have fun with these two cuties?

Do We Have a Toddler?

Well, well, well...look who's back.  Contrary to popular belief, I have not fallen off the face of the earth - I simply went back to work.  I can tell you right now that I'm going to feel the need to summarize the entirety of the past two months thus creating a disjointed and longwinded novel.  Therefore, I'll start with the present and work as far back as I have the energy  :)

In current news - we have a 15 month old!  While his gross motor skills do not yet meet the definition of a 'toddler' I'm pretty sure his attitude does.

You know that laid-back, chill, go-with-the-flow baby I've written about in the past?  Well, he moved out.

He has been replaced with an independent, sweet yet stubborn little boy.   Don't get me wrong - I love his independence.  Eli, literally, does not know a stranger.  Last week it was the jeweler who Eli wanted to be held by.  The week before that it was the strangers across the aisle on the plane.

He sat on this man's lap for at least 10 minutes.  Then he reached for the lady by the window.  They read a magazine.

He is not particularly bothered by being left with a babysitter or at the nursery.  Sometimes when we are all in the living room he will grab a toy and drag it back to his room to play by himself.  But then....

Come the times when he wants to be held, played with, fed, or allowed to do something he's not supposed to. And when he doesn't get his way? 

I imagine these are the things that are frustrating about being a 15 month old:
- Mom is holding a steak knife.  I sign please.  Mom tells me 'no'.  BUT I SIGNED PLEASE!?!
- I know and can understand 40+ words, but I can only sign/say 5 words.  Why can't they understand what I want???
- Mom and dad spent all those months encouraging me to roll over, scoot, crawl, and sit up.  Now they want me to just lay still to get my diaper changed???  Hypocrites.

Eli backed out on his hair cut last Saturday.  I.  JUST. CAN'T CUT. THEM. 

At 15 months Eli walks with assistance, takes about 6 independent steps, says car, vroom, and truck, signs more, please and all done, has 10 (almost 12) teeth including his molars, has learned to point (and use the iPad).  At his 15 month appointment, Eli was in the 5% for weight and 47% for height.  He wears 6-12 month pants (they finally fit!) and 12-18 month shirts. 

I have this innate sense that naptime is coming to a close - so I'll make it snappy.  Here is a photo summary of the past two months.  Enjoy!

Eli loves to play and is ALWAYS moving!

Freedom!!!

My friends make the cutest babies.

Daddy's old stompin' grounds.  Team Haley Hobbs represent!

He will climb in his chair and read forever - after he gets situated which takes...forever.

Let's pretend he did this for the entire flight.

Oh how I wish this picture had sound.  His 'stories' are the best.

His favorite perch.  So many cars and trucks to point out!