Interview with a Four Year Old

Eli Charles Taff, how are you already four years old?!  Daddy and I love you so, so much.  You are so smart, adventurous, and funny.  You bring so much joy, laughter, and pride to our lives.  This year brought many changes with you becoming a big brother, but you've adjusted so well.  Landon boy loves you.  You're able to make him smile and laugh like no one else can, and we love watching the two of you interact.  You're quite the critical thinker for your age, your phonetic awareness has really developed and you are on the cusp of reading, you are incredibly good with directions, you love to cook and fix things, you are an awesome little athlete across many sports, and more importantly, you love big and deep!  And man, your eyelashes and smiles melt hearts.  I can't wait to see what you do in this world, and we're so blessed to be your mommy and daddy!  We love you, Eli!

Enough of the mushy stuff.  Without further ado, here is an interview with a FOUR year old!

How old are you?  4

What is your favorite color?  Green

What is your favorite book?  Dr. Seuss beginner book

What is your favorite toy?  Spider-man

What is your favorite movie?  Ninja Turtles

What is your favorite T.V. show?  Jake and the Neverland Pirate and Mickey Mouse

What is your favorite game?  Trouble

What is your favorite snack/drink?  Apple juice and apple sauce

What is your favorite animal?  Giraffe

What is your favorite song?  The B-I-B-L-E

What do you like for breakfast?  Green eggs and ham (This cracks us up!  We have never had this, though they do at school every year.)

What do you like for supper?  Chips, pbj, and watermelon

Who is your girlfriend?  None

What is your favorite number?  1

Who are your teachers?  Mrs. Dawn and Ms. Susan and Ms. Susan

What do you like to do outside?  Play on the playground, on the see-saw

What do you like to do with Daddy?  Play soccer

with Mommy?  Play puzzles

with Landon?  play with him

What are your nicknames?  E-l-i and Squirmy

What did you do for your birthday?  A Ninja Turtles party on the playground (blog post to come)

Who are your best friends?  Boy and girl Tristan, old Jackson and new Jackson

What do you want to be when you grow up?  A Ninja Turtle - Raphael

For a look back, here's the interview with the three year old! : )

Small Fry Tri

Eli competed in his very first triathlon this morning.  The Small Fy Tri put on by our local Relay for Life chapter, benefitting the American Cancer Society.

 It started at 9am and it was already stupid hot by that time.

Just as it was time for his heat, Eli freaked out for some reason.  He did NOT want to compete.  I don't know why.  He had several little friends there, so it wasn't like he didn't know anyone.

Notice Eli (and the pig) in the very back.  He could have smoked those kids, too!  Instead Wesley ends up dragging him through the course.

It didn't get much better on the bike course.  The only reason he kept going was because we told him if he quit then we were leaving:  no popsicles or bouncy house.

Lots of coaching from Daddy to make it through the bike course.

The final leg of the triathlon was to run through the sprinklers.

With his medal after finally crossing the finish line.  The 2 year olds who started in the heat after him finished before Eli did.

Thankfully, there were friends there who grabbed Landon since Wesley had to go through the competition with Eli and I was left with the camera.

Despite how it looks in the pictures, Eli had a good time.  A popsicle and time in the bouncy house were just enough to pull the boy out of his funk.  I guess it's tough being (almost) four years old!

K4

I can't believe my boy is old enough for k4!  Our last year of preschool!  I may or may not have gotten a little teary thinking about how this time next year my boy would be in big school!

School has been so good for Eli and his slightly introverted self.

One of his teachers is such a good photographer.  She took pictures of the kids for above their cubbies.

I love this picture.  Eli's little friend, Abby, totally photo-bombed him!

I must admit.  I am not envious of these teachers.  3 adults and 23 4 year olds! yowzers!

The morning started off great.  He was so excited to promote! (And, yes, it was still very dark this morning when we left the house!)

Upon entering k4, his career aspirations include becoming SpiderMan.

Praying this year is just as much fun as last year, and Eli learns just as much as he did last year!

10 Years

Over the weekend Wesley and I got all dressed up for a date night to mark 10 years since his high school graduation.

Aunt Jan and Uncle Lamar kept the boys, and we enjoyed dinner, dancing (or better yet, people watching), and reminiscing with old friends.

There were several yearbooks out.  It was fun to look back and see the high school version of my husband.  Little known fact - I married the homecoming king!

I knew a few people at reunion.  My friend, Amanda, that I teach with.

Central High School class of 2004

(I think this was only about a fourth of them)

It was a fun night out.  Made me a little sad I didn't get to go to my high school reunion last year, but hey, I'm sure they'll be another in ten more years!

Landon-5 months

Firsts:  rolling/scooting, really using your arms to prop yourself up during tummy time/holding that head all the way up while on your tummy, sitting like a big boy on Mommy's hip while she holds you, first "back to school", first ear infections, first time to spend the night at Nana and Puddin's house, first time meeting Granddaddy

News headlines:  The countdown to college football is on.  Gaza is trying to invade Israel.  Christians are fleeing to the mountains in Iraq due to persecution from ISIS. Russia and Ukraine are at odds.  Basically we're just waiting on Christ to come back!

Milestones:  You are becoming mobile quickly!  I'm not sure I'm ready for it.  I want you to stay my baby boy!  You've gone from rolling to scooting backwards now.  You are a quick mover.  We will put you down on your back and turn around for just a few seconds, and when we turn back to you you're on your tummy and have scooted up under tables, chairs, etc.  Also, you're teething and drooling like crazy!  This month you're feet have finally touched the ground in your jumper.  You really enjoy playing in that!

Measurements:  15 or 16 lbs.  You are wearing some 3-6 mths size clothes, but mostly 6 mth clothes.  You wear a size 2 diaper.

Like Mommy:  

Like Daddy:  You are both light sleepers!

Like Eli:  Neither of you are lacking in personality!

Challenges:  This month has been full of challenges.  You've had ear infections and mouth ulcers (a strain of hand, foot, and mouth).  Because you were so sick, you stopped taking a bottle.  This was no problem when we were at home over the summer, but has been a real battle with daycare and church nursery.  Ms. Chessie and Ms. Theresa can get you to take your bottles at school, but you absolutely refuse for anyone else.  I'm ok with this.  I'd rather be the one to feed you anyway.  It just makes it an inconvenience on everyone else.  The spit-up is still touch and go.  Some days it's after (and in betwen) every feeding, and other days you have none at all.

Our Days:  Mommy wakes up at 5:00 a.m. for school.  Sometimes the shower wakes you up, but usually I have to wake you up around 6:30 to feed you before school.  We leave the house around 6:50 each day and I take you and Eli to school.  Normally Daddy will pick you up about 3:10, but with the start of school, it's been a little crazy and more like 4:00 when you get picked up.  You take three 5 oz bottles while you're at school.  And then Mommy feeds you twice more before bedtime.  You've been waking up once a night on average.  Usually about 3:00 a.m. and eat.  Thankfully you go right back to sleep.  I think when we start rice cereal at six months, that will help you sleep better through the night (I'm hoping anyway!).

Funny/Favorite Moments:  

Mommy's favorite-Seeing you smile when I reach to pick you up in the mornings.  You're definitely in the best mood in the early morning!

Daddy's favorite-Watching Eli act silly and dance to make you laugh.  He makes you cackle like no one else can!

Nicknames:  Landon boy, Landy, Landy-cakes, Scooter

Upcoming Events:  Eli's birthday party, your 4 mth vaccinations (Mommy missed your appointment so we're really behind now), Auburn football, and your first trip to Texas!

Look how much you've grown, Landon!

I don't think anyone can say that you're lacking in personality!  You have such an infectious smile!

Big Boy Bike

Over the weekend Eli got an early birthday present....a big boy bike!  He has bike day at school this week, so we wanted him to be able to show off his new bike.  He was so proud and has already made several laps around the driveway on it.

Back to School

Tomorrow starts my EIGHTH year of teaching!  I say it every year, but I can't believe it's been that long.  After this long, and with two kids now, I didn't invest too much money in classroom decor this year, but I did change out the curtains and rearrange! : )

Love my curtains and cushions that sit on the storage bench Wesley built for my reading center.

The writing wall (and AR computers).

I love owls for my classroom.  And pennants.  This year my AR wall is going to focus on progress towards our goals and not so much as points (not that any of you care!).

The math wall.  Nothing's changed here.

My desk that I never sit at.  If I didn't need a place for my computer to sit on I'd get rid of it!

Small group and cubbies

Just waiting to display some wonderful work out here!

I'm so excited for this year!  Blessed to have a job that I love, at a great school, with coworkers who are like family!

Here's to a great school year!

Hanging On

We've been trying to hang on and squeeze every last drop out of summer around here!

There have been lots of snuggles on the couch.

We made a road trip to Auburn and crossed another item off of our summer bucket list.

We saw Mommy's college friends and played in Birmingham.

The McWane Center was lots of fun.  We'll definitely be making a trip back!

We've made several trip to the lake to run/walk and to play at the playground.  We even spied the high school football team scrimmaging during one of those late afternoon trips, so of course we snuck a peek!

What's summer without ice cream?!

Even Landon boy tried to get in on the action!

Playing at "basketball store" (Dicks Sporting Goods)

Now that summer is winding down and school is starting back up, it's time to start looking ahead to the next big event around here ... Eli's birthday!  I can't believe he's about to be 4 and is starting his last year of preschool.  

I think I'll end this post before I cry.  About summer ending and having a 4 year old! : )